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