ate　repeated　mechanically。　？A　narc　caught　me　buyingmarijuana　in　the　park。　That？s

why　I？m　here。？　Across　the　circle　a　girl　with　dark　brown　hair　that　hung　down　almost　to　her　waist；

bloodred　lips；　and　skin　so　pale　it　was　almost　blue　gazed　at　him　soulfully；　like　a　coked…up　version

of　Snow　White。

？Better；？　Jackie　said。　？Next。？　She　nodded　at　the　Japanese　girl　sitting　next　to　Nate。

？My　name　is　Hannah　Koto　and　I　took　Ecstasy　before　school　two　weeks　ago　and　got　caught

because　I　laid　down　on　the　floor　to　feel　the　rug　in　my　trig　class。？

Everybody　laughed　except　for　Jackie。　？Thank　you；　Hannah；　that　was　fine。　Next。？

Nate　tuned　the　next　two　people　out；　kind　of　grooving　on　the　way　Snow　White　was　jiggling　her

foot；　like　she　was　keeping　time　to　her　own　private　concert。　She　was　wearing　light　blue　suede　boots

that　looked　like　they？d　never　been　worn　outside。

Suddenly　it　was　her　turn。　？My　name　is　Georgina　Spark。　Everyone　calls　me　Georgie。　I　guess　I？m

here　because　I　wasn？t　very　nice　to　my　father　before　he　croaked；　so　I　have　to　wait　until　I　turn

eighteen　before　I　can　live　my　life　the　way　I　want　to。？

The　rest　of　the　group　tittered　nervously。　Jackie　frowned。　？Can　you　name　the　substance　you　were

found　abusing；　Georgina？？

？Cocaine；？　Georgie　answered；　letting　a　curtain　of　dark　hair　fall　over　her　face。　？I　sold　my　favorite

show　horse　to　buy　fifty　grams。　It　was　in　the　papers　and　everything。New　York　Post　；　Thursday；

February？？

？Thank　you；？　Jackie　interrupted。　？Next　group　member　please。？

Still　jiggling　her　foot；　Georgie　glanced　up　through　her　hair　and　met　Nate？s　intrigued　gaze　with　a

mischievous　bloodred　smile。

？Bitch；？　she　mouthed；　obviously　referring