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a prince.”
    â€œI’ll take my chances with the zombie, thanks,” said Angela. Murphy and Justine had stopped dancing, and Angela walked over and took Murphy’s hand.
    â€œHey, Funny Face,” said Terry, touching Niki on the arm. “If you can stop eating for a couple of minutes—want to dance?”
    A fast, hard rap song was on, and Niki closed her eyes a moment, to better sense the beat of the music, coming through vibrations in the floor. “Sure,” she said. “I’d better stop eating anyway. Terry, this is the most fabulous food! She’s got things here from Greece, Japan, France, Mexico . . . . ”
    â€œNot to mention good old American pizza,” said Terry.
    â€œDon’t be a dweeb,” said Niki. She twirled away from him, then came back. “There’s one thing I can’t figure out,” she said. “I don’t see how Justine could possibly have lived in all those places. I mean, she’s just a senior.”
    â€œAsk her later,” said Terry. Another song started and they kept dancing. He watched Niki proudly. Niki was the prettiest girl there. Justine was too ghoulish, and Angela looked like a tramp, but Niki’s red dress brought out the vibrant color in her cheeks and lips and made her dark eyes glow like coals.
    To one side Ricky and Trisha danced, the bilious green frog and the plump cheerleader, both of them having a great time.
    This is a cool party, Terry told himself. I still don’t know why we were invited—but I’m glad.
    The tape clicked off. While Philip went to change it, there was the sound of heavy knocking at the front door. Justine went to answer it, and everyone turned to see the late arrival.
    For a moment there was total silence. Standing in the living room dòorway, framed against the dark hallway, was a figure dressed in shining silver from head to toe.
    He struck a pose, like a matador, then strode into the living room. Now Terry could see that it was Alex, dressed in a skin-tight silver body suit and a glittering silver mask. Beneath the silver his muscles rippled as he moved.
    What a show-off, Terry thought.
    Niki gripped Terry’s hand tighter, and she whispered, “Wow! He looks fantastic!”
    Several of the other guests began to whistle and shout.
    Even Justine couldn’t take her eyes off Alex. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she said at last, “I give you—the Silver Prince!”
    Alex came the rest of the way into the living room as if he owned it.
    Terry couldn’t resist saying something. Niki’s exclamation of how fantastic Alex looked had set him off. “Hey, Alex,” he called, “what are you supposed to be—the Tin Woodsman? Or is it Tinkerbell?”
    Alex laughed. “Admit it, Ryan,” he said. “You could never look this good in a million years.”
    Terry was still trying to think of a sarcastic reply when the music started up again, and for a momentAlex danced by himself, the complete center of attention.
    Niki tugged at Terry’s arm. “Come on, Terry,” she said. “Let’s dance.” She gave him such a loving look that for a moment Terry forgot to envy Alex’s spectacular costume. Take that, Silver Prince, he thought. Show off all you want, but Niki wants to dance with me .
    Even though she couldn’t hear the sounds of the music, Niki was one of the best dancers Terry had ever known. She’d once explained to him how she felt the beat through her body, but he still wasn’t sure how she did it.
    All he knew was that he liked it. He felt as if he could dance like that forever, holding Niki close to him, the warmth of her body against his.
    The slow song ended, and another started up, just as slow and romantic. Terry brushed Niki’s hair with his lips, inhaling her spicy fragrance.
    BAARRROOOOM .
    The noise was as loud as a thunderclap.
    â€œWhat was that? ”