Marian Lu was short, and viciously skinny. She had black bobcut hair. She laughed a little too hard when her friends told jokes, and during lulls in conversation, she reflexively refreshed her social media on her phone even when no new posts appeared. She ordered a large decaf soy latte and a single piece of cinnamon raisin toast.

" I heard that Tipper's is doing an '80s night tonight," Anna said, leaning forward.

Liza rolled her eyes, puffing on a cigarette.

" Please, Anna, the '80s? So passé. Nobody at Tipper's ever has any good coke, anyway," she objected.

" Of course the cokehead's picky with her coke," Marian scoffed. " Where'd'you suggest we go? Nando's?"

" My friend Rose got hired at this new place, Electrique, that's supposed to be really exclusive," Liza said. " She said she'll get me in any time."

" Does 'me' include 'us'?" Anna asked, still a bit miffed that her proposal had been rejected.

" Might not include 'you' with that attitude," Liz sniffed. " Don't be a bitch. I heard there's a lot of rich guys there. You're looking for a new boyfriend, right? Since Guy took off on you with that broad from Women's Studies."

" I thought all the chicks in Women's Studies were lesbians," Anna complained. " You know some of them, don't you, Suman? Don't they act like dykes?"

This somewhat vapid exchange continued on for a while.

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