Chapter 6

"Take Nora Hayes off the eight o'clock introduction," Adrian said.

For a moment I heard only the music from the ballroom. The organizer wrote something on her page and hurried toward the stage. Elena thanked Adrian once, quietly. She did not look at me.

"Nora," Adrian said.

I walked past him before he could say anything else. Mom was waiting in the front row, her pearl earrings bright under the lights. She had kept a seat open beside her.

"Are you next?" she asked.

"They changed the order."

I sat down and folded my hands so she would not see…