The next few hours were a blur. There was someone in a tight t-shirt, then someone else with silky smooth hair, then someone else and someone else and someone else. 36%. 48%. 33%. 27%. 41%. And still, NO MATCHES.

At least the party was fun. Pre and Brissa went from room to room, exploring the various displays of "house party" themes. There was the "garage", a large covered outdoor space with dozens of antique cars parked there, a "study" which had leatherbound, hollow books containing a dose of powder or herb or pill to ~open your mind~, and even a "theatre room" playing Vian's latest movie, although the people in there seemed more interested on their testing than on Vian's award-winning depiction of a pirate-farmer.

Vian clearly knew the kind of party they were planning; there were testing spots everywhere. In the garage, the antique cars had mattresses instead of backseats. In the study, there were hidden rooms behind the bookshelves. And the theatre room was, well, a theatre room. Those seats reclined for a reason.

Maybe Pre was old-fashioned. She preferred to do her testing in the rooms upstairs. Two whole floors of the club were dedicated to traditional testing bedrooms. They were nice, cleaned and sanitized after each use, but only there for practical reasons. You weren't supposed to stick around after you were done.

True to her word as wingwoman, Brissa stayed by her side almost the entire time, even waiting outside while Pre was testing. Afterwards, she helped fix Pre's hair and clothes and makeup and then they'd be on to the next one. She never asked about the ratings, nor did they seem to cross her mind. She checked on Pre, made sure she was ok, got her drinks and water, and took care of her. She didn't care about Pre's rank. She cared about her wellbeing.

And surprisingly Pre's being was, well, well. She was distantly aware of the disappointment as she failed one testing after another. But she pushed it away, buried it under the roaming hands of half-met strangers. Tonight she just wanted to feel good. And this felt good. Not only the testing but the lead-up to it too. It was electrifying to let loose, to use her looks and words and vibes to their full effect, drawing people in like charismatic quicksand. She felt satiated, both physically and emotionally.

Although a ranking would still be nice.

After her last failed testing, Pre and Brissa went back downstairs to get more alcohol. It was somewhere around midnight and the party was in full blaze. Every room and hallway was packed now. They had to squeeze by people, holding hands so they wouldn't lose each other.

As they got downstairs, Pre tried to look around for Jawn and Xinder. She hadn't seen them since the party started, and they weren't answering their coms. But they weren't here either. She wasn't worried though - they were probably in some extra exclusive VIP area, being all sparkly and Diamond together with the other ultra-elites.

Brissa stopped suddenly, making Pre to run into her back. “Hey!" she yelled over the music, leaning closer to Pre. "What about them?”

The person Brissa was pointing to was petite and curvy, wearing a tight crop top and baggy jeans. They were also a Platinum.

“They look cute! But don’t you think a Platinum is out of my league?”

“Girl I’ve seen you testing all night. You are reinventing the league.”

Pre giggled, finally starting to feel the buzz from all the drinks she’d had tonight. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you,” she gushed, then switched to a fake esports announcer voice. “Brissa the Gold, folks! Best wingwoman in the west.”

“Toran is in the east,” Brissa corrected matter-of-factly.

“Doesn’t matter,” Pre shouted, grabbing a shot from a passing tray and throwing it in her mouth. They didn’t taste as bad once you had eight or ten of them.

Blinking away the sugar rush, Pre refocused her gaze on the Platinum. “Let’s get them!”

"I'll meet you over there," Brissa said, waggling their empty cups. "I'm getting the drinks."

Pre threw her arms around Brissa's neck in a sloppy hug. "You are the best!" Pre slurred with all the confidence of a drunk person who doesn't realize they're drunk. "Why are you promised? I think I'm in love with you!"

"Girl if you think you love me because I'm getting you drinks, then you've got a lot to learn." But she laughed anyway, and gave Pre a lipsticky kiss on the forehead.

She turned and headed towards the kitchen, parting the crowd with that uncanny ability of hers. Maybe it was her height, or her enormous personality, or maybe it was her ridiculously spiky purse, but people got out of the way for Brissa. Pre respected that about her.

And if Brissa, that magnificent wingwoman, said Pre could get a Platinum then Pre would get a Platinum.

But she didn't have the same talent for parting crowds as Brissa did. People mostly ignored her 'excuse me's' and passive aggressive pushing. She wasn't tall either, so she wasn't good at navigating crowds and quickly got lost in the sea of vertically-blessed people.

Luckily a popular song started playing through the speakers. The people around Pre practically squealed with delight and pushed past her towards the dancefloor. Now that they weren't blocking her, Pre was able to look around again.

She had managed to make it to the other side of the room, but the Platinum was gone. There was someone else there now.

Angeli Obaya stood before her, looking like a goddess come down from the heavens. A shimmering gold dress draped across her body and to the floor, hugging her curves like syrup on pancakes. Her dark curls were tightly braided back, accentuating her wide cheekbones and enticing eyes.

Eyes that were looking right at Pre.

Oh hex oh hex oh hex. Pre felt completely exposed, the gap in the crowd leaving her nowhere to run or hide. 

Angeli started walking towards her. Pre's confidence dripped away with every step she took. The timing was terrible. This would be so much better if Brissa was here to hype her up. Or if anyone was here, really. Pre was acutely aware of how dreadfully Single she must look.

"Pre! Funny running into you again!" Angeli stood close to her, less than a foot away. She was wearing the same perfume; it rose vividly above the stench of the crowd. The heady smell reminded Pre vividly of the last time they were so close together.

"Ahhh - Angeli!" Pre cried out, now wishing she wasn't quite as drunk. "Yeah, what a coincidence! But of course you're here. All the elites of the city are."

"And so are you, apparently!" she sidled even closer to Pre with a meaningful look. "And looking very good, might I add."

She was close enough now that Pre could see her pupils were dilated, probably from a book she found in the library. The dilation somehow made her gaze even more enthralling, like black holes trying to suck her in.

A nervous, awkward chuckle escaped from Pre's lips. "Ah-ha-ha, thanks Angeli. You look amazing too, like always. Listen, it was nice seeing you but I should really go find my frien-"

"Pre!"

Pre spun around, grateful for Brissa's perfectly-timed interruption. "Oh hey Bris-"

But Brissa wasn't looking at Pre. She was glaring at the floating, flirting woman practically hanging off of her. "Angeli?!"