Evander's brows drew close together, and he nearly laughed. This was why she'd come to see him? "Nina, I'm lucky to have been chosen. With the outside air so bad, it's necessary—"

"I know what the outside air is like, you idiot."

His mouth fell open, surprised at the sudden hardness in her expressive eyes. Suddenly Evander recalled another memory of Nina: the time a bigger boy had pushed her over, and she'd bit him so hard she'd left a mark.

Nina took a deep slow breath, not looking at Evander when she said. "My brother was one of the first, they said they were giving him new lungs too. But he never came back."

Evander paused, his voice gentle. "Nina, the surgeries are safer now. We have some of the best doctors. Maybe I could, umm, get you in line for new lungs too..."

Her eyes flicked back to his and if they had been cutting before, now they were blazing. Evander cast a look over his shoulders, hoping the rest of his guests didn't notice the angry, beautiful girl. And that she wouldn't bite him.

Then she seemed to deflate and shook her head. "I can't make you listen. I just came to tell you. I hope you don't go." She spun and left, leaving Evander to stare after her.

As soon as she'd gone, Freddie crossed over to Evander and gave a low, appreciative whistle. "Who was that?"

Evander shrugged, trying to act as if beautiful girls talking to him was a normal, everyday occurrence. "Some girl I knew as a kid. She wanted to wish me a happy birthday." And warn me against new lungs.

Evander buried the bird in his pocket, then glanced out the single skylight window to see where the faded grass and trees hung in the sky. He hadn't seen a bird out there for some time— even they were affected by the toxic metal particles in the air. But unlike humanity, they hadn't had a way to go underground and escape.

He'd spent too much time out there before they knew how bad it was for them. But now he'd been given a second chance. Nina was wrong. She was just jealous. He shook his head, fixed a smile on his face, and turned back to his party, determined to enjoy it.

Evander was getting new lungs tonight if it killed him.