Page 28 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

He walks toward the door, unlocks it, opens it. Then Andrew’s eye-to-eye with her boyfriend—six foot two and pissed.

Andrew slips right past him without makin’ eye contact, a hand pressed against his own chest. “S’cuse me, bro.” His other hand slides back into his pocket before the door swings shut behind him.

36 / MY BODY IS A CAGE

ARCADE FIRE

// NOV 30, 2:29 PM - BALLET & BARRE STUDIO - SOHO, NYC //

Love is a four-letter word.

So is clit.

So is next.

I walk into the rented-out ballet studio, ambushed by my own reflection, mirrors everywhere. Celie’s already here—combat boots kicked up on a folding chair, oversized tee swallowing her cheetah-print shorts.

She's sipping iced coffee.

At the start of winter.

With her sunglasses on. Indoors.

The second she sees me, she laughs with her mouth around her straw. “Are you deadass right now?” She takes in my blazer, my wide-leg dress pants, my serious-as-fuck heels. “Tell me why you dressed like you just closed on a condo in Boca?”

I drop the briefcase on the folding table and snap open the metal clasps.

She falls forward with a cackle, palm smacking the table, boots slipping off the folding chair. “You really brought a whole-ass briefcase?” She sets down her coffee. “In SoHo?” Her head snaps back, bursting into laughter. “Nah, Allie, be so for real. We hirin’ Boys today, or openin’ a business checkin’ account?”

I hand her a folder.

She doesn’t take it.

I narrow my eyes. “Celie, please.”

She sighs and swipes it from my hand.

Inside:

today’s lineup with headshots and bios.

“We’re interviewing three candidates.” I place the glass bowl in the middle of the table. “The order’s alphabetical. They’ll each get ten minutes. You’ll be observing, not participating. Unless I say.” I rip open a Halloween-size bag of Starburst and fill the bowl. “Try to keep the commentary to a minimum, aight?”

This is recruitment.

This is business.

This is ice-blooded and cold-hearted Allison Taylor, relearning the art of not giving a fuck.

Brandon’s gone.

Ben’s imploding.

Andrew still hasn’t signed my contract.

So I’m rebuilding—fast.

Making moves. Stacking Boys. The only person looking out for Allison is Allison.