Pizza, and the prom plan.

Talia talks with her mouth full. Rachel and I don't mind. "The plan," she bit into the pizza, "is for all the girls to meet up and get ready well before we have to leave for the dance. That should give us plenty of time."

"Do you know who the other girls are going to go with?" I asked.

"Hmm. Lemme think. Well, Elizabeth got asked by some friend of Stephanie's. Josh? Joshua? I don't know him."

I did. He was an absurdly handsome man, the man destined to take Elizabeth's virginity on prom night, perhaps the man to marry her. Was that jealously I was feeling? I had no right to feel jealous, especially not minutes after getting blown by someone else. Whatever regrets I might have, it would be healthier to bury them.

Talia resumed. "Then there's Amy. She's going Miguel, her favorite sparing partner."

Rachel inserted, "by sparing partner, you mean, fuck buddy, right?"

"No, I mean that they go to Judo class together," she took a bite, and added matter of factly, "But I did walk in on her riding him one time."

"Hot."

I couldn't tell if Rachel was sincere or not.

"Corrine got asked by some well-liked football guy. You know, varsity linebacker extraordinaire Jake Freeman. He's 6'3" and 230 pounds of muscle, but I heard that he was shaking like a leaf and nearly fainted when she said yes. Few men have your stones, Ian."

I still wasn't used to thinking of myself as anything other than lucky as hell.

"Which brings us back to our little bet." Talia's eyelids fluttered. I shot a glance at Rachel, gauging her reaction. Her sharp features were placid, encouraging perhaps. She met my eyes and gave me a sly smile.

"You may not have been able to pick a real date, but you do need to select my target. I know for sure that I could land you any one of them. Maybe even all three...maybe even at once...."

"Hey!" Rachel nipped the fantasy in the bud.

"But you have to choose! First, there's the Japanese girl. Her name's Sara. She's short, petite, pale, here from Kyoto, and rumor has it that her family's loaded. Flat chested, but some girls-er-guys like that. She eats alone, mostly, or with the other foreign exchange students. Her only extracurricular is ballet, which she attends six days a week. She keeps her hair trim, her fingers manicured, and her English is flawless. Oh, and cute freckles.

"Then, there's Anne Marie, from Marseilles, in France. She's about 5'5", slim. Hair's light brown, curly, shoulder length. Smells amazing."

"What?" Rachel, indignant.

"Sorry! I wasn't like, grabbing it our anything. She walked past and I noticed. Believe me, you'd say the same. Anyway. She's got a nice, clear, feminine face. Bright blue eyes. Everybody notices them. She's found a nice group of friends here, but spends most evenings at home. She skips school somedays and doesn't get in trouble, which is kinda cool. Free spirit, rebel, wild, that's her vibe. Prefers dresses to slacks.

Last, we have the girl from Norway. I don't actually know where...Oslo is in Norway. I dunno. Anette is taller than me. Smaller bust, wider hips and thighs, but she knows how to dress. Wears boots and skirts and lets her legs go bare. Amazing skin, by the way. She must spend a fortune in lotion. This is her second or third time going abroad to school. She has been all over the world. Amazing stories. She's got green eyes, strawberry blonde hair that she grows out and then chops off once and a while. Teachers are always saying how smart she is. I believe it.

You don't have to choose now, obviously, but I want you to make an informed decision." She curled her inviting lips into a friendly grin.

"Talia, I'm damn impressed. You really did your homework." Honestly, though, none of these women appealed to me as the one right in front of me.