"And now," the host announced, his voice smooth as velvet, "the main attraction."

"Two girls," the host intoned. "One cup. The ultimate shared experience."

They linked arms, vanishing into the city night, leaving the entertainment behind for something real.

Elena and Sophie stood before the heavy glass doors, clutching the invitation that had set the city's social calendar ablaze. They were the archetypes of the "Lifestyle" section: immaculately dressed, starving for novelty, and possessing the kind of hunger that had nothing to do with calories and everything to do with validation.