Privilege 3 - Perfect Mistake (2 page)

As she wove around the groups of gossiping girls, texting and talking at the same time, the smattering of boys laughing and conspiring

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and checking out the girls, she searched the shadowy faces of the crowd for Lexa, Maria, Soomie, and Brigit. But she kept an eye out for Kaitlynn as well. She wanted to find her friends before Kaitlynn found her.

"Ana! Over here!" Lexa called out.

Ariana's relieved smile lasted but a brief moment. Standing in a klatch near the wide stone rim of the burbling fountain were the four girls Ariana had come to call her friends over the past week--and Kaitlynn Nottingham. The girl was simply everywhere.

Gripping the handle on her trunk a bit tighter, Ariana slowly made her way over. Everyone was dressed down in baggy sweats and T--shirts, ready for the move and some all--night socializing in their new rooms. Even Soomie, who was always perfectly pressed and coiffed, had her glossy dark hair tied into two haphazard braids and wore a navy blue APH sweatshirt over jeans. Brigit was sipping some kind of smoothie, her short blond hair dancing in the breeze, and Maria was looking around distractedly, her light brown hair back in a messy bun, her Juilliard sweatshirt two sizes too big for her slight frame.

"Hi, ladies," Ariana said, plastering an excited grin to her face, even though all she wanted to do was tear Kaitlynn's hair from her scalp. Just then, Tahira Al Mahmood and Allison Rothaus, Ariana's other two least favorite people at APH, walked by, chatting obnoxiously on their cell phones as they tugged their huge trunks behind them. Ariana's shoulder muscles curled. It seemed like the enemies were proliferating. At least Tahira and Allison's third BFF, Zuri Tavengua, had been on Team Gray and would not moving into Privilege House. 12

"Hey, Ana, have you met Lily?" Maria asked, taking a break from nail chewing long enough to gesture at Kaitlynn. "She just transferred in too."

Ariana's smile stiffened. She did not turn to look at Kaitlynn. "We've met."

"Hi, Ana!" Kaitlynn said brightly, forcing Ariana to look at her.

Ariana met her gaze coolly. There was no way she was going to let Kaitlynn become part of her group. No way in hell.

"Well, now that we're all here, let's get going," Lexa said brightly.

She started to weave through the crowd with her bags. Only then did the dozens of people around the fountain snap to and start to move, as if Lexa's position as leader was universally acknowledged. Ariana fell into step with her as they started across campus, and the other girls formed a group around them. Ariana wondered where Palmer was. Her skin tingled pleasantly at the thought of him out there somewhere in the dark, possibly watching her.

And he might not be the only one watching. Ever since Lexa had spilled the beans about the secret societies on the APH campus, Ariana had constantly felt as if she were under some giant microscope, and now that she was going to be living in Privilege House, she felt it more than ever. She was sure that sometime soon, the society would be tapping new members, and Ariana was determined to be one of them--determined to conduct herself in a manner befitting Team Gold's ultra--exclusive society. Unfortunately, she wasn't entirely certain what the society was looking for, but she did know that Lexa Greene was a member.

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"So . . . how are you?" Ariana asked Lexa as they walked side by side along the cobblestone path. By this point, news of Palmer and Lexa's breakup had traveled throughout the student body. All around them the campus's old--fashioned street lamps were ablaze, lighting the way toward the hill and Wolcott Hall beyond.

"Fine. I'll be fine," Lexa said gamely. "Everyone breaks up eventually, right?"

It was a line, obviously. She had broken up with the guy she loved less than three hours ago. But Ariana understood the need to keep up appearances. As they passed under one of the flickering lamps, Ariana noticed that beneath her dark bangs, Lexa's pretty, pert face was free of makeup. There was no evidence in her blue eyes that she had been crying, but her smile was slightly strained. Ariana felt a fleeting trace of guilt, having been the immediate cause of the breakup between Lexa and Palmer, but she let it go. Obviously there had been trouble brewing between the two of them for a while. Otherwise Palmer never would have developed feelings for Ariana in the first place. It wasn't entirely her fault that her friend was heartbroken.

"I'm just excited to move in," Lexa added, changing the subject. "You know we get to pick our own rooms, right?"

"Actually, I didn't know that," Ariana said.

"Guys are in Alpha tower, girls are in Bella," Maria explained.

"It's really A--tower and B--tower, but they have nicknames," Soomie explained, rolling her eyes as if the whole thing was just so juvenile. "Alpha for the alpha males, Bella for the supposedly softer gender," she said pointedly.

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"So clever," Ariana said facetiously.

"Whatever you do, just don't pick 2B," Brigit cautioned. "Steer clear of that one."

"Why? What's with 2B?" Kaitlynn asked, glancing over her shoulder at Brigit.

"It's cursed," Brigit said with total seriousness.

The other girls laughed. "It's not cursed," Lexa said. "A girl died there back in the nineties and ever since then no one has wanted to live in 2B."

"Died? How?" Ariana asked.

"She killed herself," Maria said flatly. "With a carving knife she stole from the dining hall."

"Apparently she had some . . . issues," Soomie added.

"Ew. Omigod," Kaitlynn said, hand to her chest. "That's so awful! Okay, I am definitely not picking that room."

Ariana wanted to laugh. Kaitlynn grossed out by a little suicide? She'd killed a man, shooting him point--blank with a handgun. A man she supposedly loved. She so wished she could tell her friends about that tidbit from "Lily's" past. But then, Kaitlynn would expose Ariana's secrets, her own . . . indiscretions. And that, she could not have.

"Don't worry. We usually just use it as an extra closet," Lexa told them as they emerged from the circle of lesser dorms and headed up the steep incline toward Wolcott. The building's two towers of dorm rooms flanked a low--lying common area with floor--to--ceiling windows at the center that overlooked the campus on one side and the

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Potomac River on the other. Ariana had been dying to see the inside of the exclusive building for days.

"Hey Ana, have you found a roommate yet?" Lexa asked. "Because Lily is solo if you two want to hook up."

"Omigosh, please say you're still solo," Kaitlynn said brightly, rushing forward a few steps to join them. "I would love it if we could room together."

Ariana felt the sudden urge to chew her own arm off. "We get to pick our own roommates, too?" she asked, stalling.

"Just one of the many perks of living in Privilege House," Soomie said, brushing one of her thick braids over her shoulder.

"And we're already paired off, so you two might as well pair off too," Maria suggested. "Before you get stuck with some loser like Tahira."

"Now, now," Lexa scolded with a laugh.

"What do you think, Ana? We can help each other figure this place out," Kaitlynn suggested, putting on a perfect, eager puppy dog act. Making it impossible for Ariana to turn her down without looking like a bitch in front of her friends.

"Sure. Sounds great," Ariana said, gritting her teeth.

Kaitlynn smiled in triumph. As the girls made their way up the hill at the front of the long line of students, Kaitlynn leaned toward Ariana's ear.

"It'll be just like old times," she whispered.

Right. Except back then I didn't know you were a psychotic, coldblooded murderer.

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Ariana felt so heavy with dread and defeat, her steps started to slow. Soon she was watching all four of her new friends from behind as they trotted up the hill, gabbing merrily with her sworn enemy. The enemy who was going to be sleeping in the next bed for the rest of the year.

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CHOOSE

As Ariana walked into Wolcott Hall, she managed to let all her venomous feelings toward Kaitlynn go so that she could properly survey the rewards of her triumph. She was not disappointed.

The floor--to--ceiling windows Ariana had noticed from outside bordered the common study area, which was dotted with deep velvet couches and chairs. Dark maple study carrels, each with a wing--backed executive chair, had Internet hookups for the students' laptops. Off the study area on the east side, facing the river, was a small cafe with a coffee bar, pastry counter, and sandwich board, which opened onto a private patio. Next to that was a game room, complete with a pool table, several chess tables, and two flat--screen TVs with Wiis attached. Off the west side of the study area was a state--of--the art gym, packed with cardio machines, weight machines, yoga mats, exercise balls, and free weights.

"Wow. Definitely a step up from the Brenda T.," Kaitlynn said under her breath.

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Ignoring her, Ariana walked over to two heavy double doors opposite the gym. "What's in here?" she asked, standing on her toes to try to see through the high windows.

"That's the theater," Lexa explained, yanking open the doors. She stepped over the threshold and flipped on the lights. Inside were at least twenty--five stadium--style seats with cup holders and fat armrests, facing a small movie screen. "It was donated by Vera Cassidy a few years ago. She's an alum."

"Vera Cassidy . . ." Ariana said, racking her brain. The name was familiar, but she couldn't place why. "The director?" Soomie prompted, as if Ariana were somehow deficient for not knowing this. "First female auteur ever to win best director at the Independent Spirit Awards and the Oscars in the same year?

"She makes sure we get first--run films up here," Maria said. "Guess she really liked this place."

"I can see why," Kaitlynn said, looking around the common area in a proprietary way that made Ariana's skin crawl.

"Come on, we'd better get upstairs and pick our rooms," Brigit said as the crowd outside the elevators started to grow.

"Like anyone's gonna take our rooms," Maria said.

"Don't rain on her parade. She's just excited," Soomie replied.

Just as they were about to approach the group of chatting girls outside the Bella tower elevators, a group of loud, raucous boys walked into the common area from Alpha tower. Ariana's heart tripped when she heard Palmer's uninhibited laugh. His heather gray APH T--shirt

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was untucked over well--worn jeans, his black hair covered by a battered New Y Yankees baseball cap. Ariana automatically glanced at Lexa,

ork who had gone pale beneath her smattering of adorable freckles. Palmer and his crew, including Landon, Adam, Christian, and Rob, paused when they saw the girls. Palmer's boyish grin faltered, but not so much that a casual observer would notice. There was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence, during which Palmer glanced at Ariana in a way that made her knees puddle.

You're all mine now, she thought. You're mine and I'm yours. Happy little goose bumps bubbled up all over her skin.

"Privilege House, baby!" Christian shouted, breaking the silence.

"Whooo!" Landon cheered, bending at the knees and leaning his head back like a howling wolf. His long bangs fell backward from his face, and the tendons on his skinny forearms stuck out as he clenched his fists.

Maria and Soomie laughed as the two groups came together, hugging, jostling, and talking over one another. Brigit made a beeline for Adam, whose tall frame towered over her, and the two of them blushed while they spoke, just like they'd been doing all week. Even Tahira and Allison rushed to join them, focusing their celebration on Tahira's boyfriend, Rob, and the guys, of course. Lexa, however, didn't move. Palmer slowly made his way over to Ariana and Lexa, his hands in his pockets. Ariana wasn't sure if Lexa was making him come to her--which would have been very cool of her--or if she was frozen by her fear and emotion, which would have been decidedly less cool.

"Hey Ana," Palmer said with a small smile. Suddenly Ariana loved

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her new name. The way he said it made it the most beautiful word in the English language. "Lexa," he added, glancing at her. "Well, this is . . . awkward," he said with a sheepish smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"It shouldn't be," Lexa said casually, shrugging one shoulder. "We've always been friends, Palmer. There's no reason we can't still be."

Palmer raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised. "All right, then. Friends it is."

"Good," Lexa said.

"Good," Palmer echoed. He looked at Ariana with a glint in his eye and it was all she could do to keep a pleased blush from rising to her face. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you ladies around."

"Later," Lexa said.

'"Bye," Ariana added.

Palmer rejoined his friends and Ariana turned to Lexa. "That went well. I'm impressed."

Lexa's hand shot out and gripped Ariana's wrist.

"Bathroom," Lexa said through her teeth. "Now."

As soon as they were through the swinging door next to the cafe, it opened again. Ariana fully expected to see Kaitlynn, horning in where she didn't belong, but instead Brigit came bounding through, all friendly concern.

"What happened?" Brigit asked.

"I can't do this." Lexa backed up against the marble counter of the sinks, pressing her palms against the edge. Tears shone in her eyes and her long, dark bangs got caught in her thick lashes as she attempted

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to blink them back. Her nose was rapidly turning red. Apparently the casual thing in the common room had been nothing but a very convincing act. "How am I supposed to live in the same dorm with him?"

Ariana's heart filled with a sour feeling that was part regret, part sympathy, and part annoyance. So Lexa wasn't over Palmer. Not at all. How was Ariana supposed to start dating the guy if the person she had chosen to be her best friend was busy moaning and groaning over him?

"It's gonna be okay, Lex," Brigit said, reaching for her arm.

Focus, Ariana. It isn't about you right now.

Right now it was about Lexa. If she and Lexa ever were going to be best friends, she had to start acting the part.