Aurora Sterling sat on the sofa, sipping her juice out of sheer boredom. She was ready to leave; it was already dark outside, and she didn't want to waste any more time on these people. 'I'll wait for Damien Valerius to get back from his call, then I'll just make up an excuse and leave,' she thought.
If it had been anyone else, Aurora Sterling wouldn't have bothered with pleasantries; she would have just left. But today, she felt she had to be considerate since they were her sister's friends. 'Even though my sister is gone,' she thought, 'and even if these friends are a complete pain, I should still treat them well for her sake.'
Just as Aurora was trying to figure out an excuse to leave without offending anyone, Henry Hayes plopped down next to her, all friendly and eager. He then did the exact same thing Lisa had done earlier—glance at the empty space beside Aurora.
"Where's your boyfriend?" Henry Hayes asked.
"He stepped out to take a call," Aurora Sterling replied.
