Beautiful Disaster

by Kate Brian

  But she knew Kaitlynn would comply. She'd have to. One more day was preferable to both of them going back to the Brenda T. Ariana tilted her head back toward the sun, closed her eyes, and just breathed. This time tomorrow, Kaitlynn would be on her way to the airport. And Ariana would finally be free.

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  SCREWED

  "Good practice, everyone!" Palmer announced later that afternoon, tossing his towel on the bench in front of him. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and a few droplets of water hit his bare shoulders. The guys applauded and cheered, feeling good after their workout on the river. As they started to file out, Ariana gathered her things and followed. Slowly. She hadn't talked to Palmer since that kiss near the pond, and she wanted him to stop her. Wanted him to want to talk to her, too.There was nothing wrong with wanting to talk to her friend's boyfriend, right? Especially when he might be the leader of the secret society she was dying to be a part of. She needed to make sure she stayed on his radar. Kept his interest. There was an ulterior motive here that had nothing to do with her heart.

  "We're screwed," he said.

  Ariana froze. She turned to look at him. Did he mean "we" as in the team, or "we" as in him and her?

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  "What do you mean?" Ariana asked.

  "That wasn't a good practice. I just completely lied. Our time was in the tank," he said, running his towel over his hair. "There's no way we're going to beat blue and gray. Their teams are stacked with crew team members and ours is ... not." He took a deep breath and blew it out as he straddled the bench. "I just hope we won the fund-raiser last night. If we did, we don't even need to worry about the race."

  Ariana's heart clenched. This was very not good.

  But it was all worth it, remember? Her life had depended on what she'd done last night and on her win against Tahira this morning. She had called Kaitlynn and convinced her to meet up the next day for the final exchange. The very thought of Kaitlynn getting on a plane and winging her way out of Ariana's life made her feel giddier than a girl on her wedding day. But Palmer couldn't know any of this. Would never know any of this.

  "Well, they're counting the money from all three fund-raisers right now," she said slowly, trying to hold back the lump of nausea in her throat. "So we should know by the time we get back up to campus if we--"

  "Palmer! There you are!" Allison stormed through the outer door of the boathouse, her pale skin flushed. Ariana wanted to reach out and pull the girl's curls for interrupting her alone time with Palmer, but managed to control her impulse. "You'd better come quick. Tahira is freaking out."

  Palmer was on his feet in a second, his expression concerned and confused. Ariana, unfortunately, had a feeling she knew exactly what this was about.

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  "What's the matter?" Palmer asked.

  "We lost!" Allison threw her hands up and let them slap down at her sides. "Blue won the fund-raiser event. We came in third!"

  "What?" Palmer blurted, swinging one leg over the bench as he reached into his bag for a T-shirt. "That's not possible. The Landon thing was a lock!"

  "That's what we all thought!" Allison replied, pacing along the wall. "But we didn't make half the amount we projected. It makes no sense! We were taking unofficial tallies all night long, and they were way higher than the total amount we just counted."

  Ariana's palms prickled with sweat. Her throat was completely dry. Clearly, she'd stolen way too much.

  "So where the hell did all that cash go?" Palmer asked, yanking a light blue T-shirt over his head and pulling it down.

  "Someone must have stolen it!" Allison replied. "It's the only explanation."

  Palmer glanced at Ariana as if he just remembered she was there, and she realized with a start that she should say something. An innocent person would be just as shocked as they were. An innocent person would be indignant and upset.

  "Who would have done that?" Ignoring her pounding heart, she infused her voice with shock and anger. "The money was for charity."

  "It could have been anyone. The place was a zoo," Palmer said, shouldering his duffel. "But I thought Brigit's guard was on the cash all night. How would someone have gotten by him?"

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  "Who knows?" Allison said, bringing her hand to her forehead. "Brigit's parents should fire that guy over this."

  "This is not good," Palmer said. He pressed his hand against his forehead for a moment, thinking. "You know, between this and Christian's watch and all that other crap that was stolen ... As much as I hate to say it, maybe it was someone on campus."

  "But the only students who were there were on gold. No one on our team would steal. Who needs the money?" Allison said, throwing up a hand.

  Ariana felt as if she was going to faint. She forced herself to breathe.

  In, one. . . two. . . three. . .Out, one . . . two . . . three . . .

  And suddenly, the answer to Allison's question became clear.

  "Adam," she heard herself say. "He was in charge of running the cash to the bank room all night. And he definitely needs the--"

  "No." Palmer's voice was so firm and loud, it startled both Ariana and Allison. His jaw was set and his eyes were like pinpricks of anger. "No. I've known him my whole life, and he wouldn't do this."

  Ariana's heart felt like it was trying to find a way out of her chest. "Okay."

  "But I'm going to make sure there's an investigation," Palmer said. "There's definitely something weird going on around here." He took a deep breath and paced over to the wall, bracing his hand against it above his head as he stared down at the floor. "Shit. This means that if blue wins the crew race on Monday, they get Privilege House. That cannot happen."

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  "We need to get that money back," Allison said.

  "But how?" Ariana said.

  Allison looked Ariana up and down like she was dirt. "For starters, you should donate the cash you won from Tahira this morning," she said. "That'll pad the tally."

  Ariana's blood stopped cold in her veins. No. No way. She could not give up that money. Please, God, don't let them actually expect me to--

  "No. That would be cheating," Palmer said, shoving away from the wall. "We're not going to cheat."

  Ariana felt a rush of confidence, as if Palmer had just knowingly defended her.

  "Besides, there were faculty members presiding over the tallies, right?" she said. "They already have the official numbers."

  Allison let out a groan, tipping her head back. "We'd better get back up there. Tahira is beside herself. Between this and what happened this morning," she said, casting another derisive look at Ariana--as if it were her fault the girl sucked at tennis. "I don't know. I think she's going to lose it. She wants to apologize to you, Palmer."

  "To me? Please. She did her job. This isn't her fault," Palmer said, looking distracted. "I just... I don't know what we're going to do now."

  "Win the crew race. It's all we can do," Allison said.

  Palmer looked at Ariana, a pained expression in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking. And she also knew that as a good leader, he didn't want to say it in front of Allison. But he believed in his heart that the Welcome Week competition was already lost. There was no way they could make a comeback in crew. Just no way.

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  Ariana had lost Privilege House for her team. She had lost it for Palmer. And he was clearly heartbroken.

  "I'd better go talk to Tahira," he said. "She has to know this isn't her fault."

  He led Ariana and Allison out the side door and up the pathway to the hill. As Ariana followed behind them, all she could think about was Palmer's devastated face. This wasn't Tahira's fault. It was hers. And she had to find a way to fix it. For the team. For the secret society. But most of all, for Palmer. Maybe she couldn't be with him, but that didn't mean she couldn't help him.

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  OVER

  Sunday morning dawned warm and clear, and Ariana felt hopeful. Even though Privilege House was all but
lost, even though Welcome Week was a bust, she had to focus on the positive. After today, there would be no more looking over her shoulder, no more wincing every time her cell phone beeped. Maybe she'd be living in Cornwall with Allison all year long, but at least she'd be alive.After finding her weekly allowance check from Grandma Covington in her mailbox, she knew for sure it was going to be a good day. The money would help her get off campus, and she had an idea of what she might do with the extra cash if everything worked out. She walked to the bursar's office, signed Briana Leigh's name to the back, and cashed the check. Then she strolled right over to the parking lot in front of Cornwall, where she found a black limousine idling at the curb. Tahira stood next to the driver's door, along with a brick house of a man with a scar across his nose, who was holding a black briefcase.

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  They both stared Ariana down as she approached, and Ariana couldn't help but feel intimidated. But then she realized that was exactly the point of this charade, so she lifted her chin and calmly stood before them.

  "This is her," Tahira said, never taking her eyes off Ariana.

  The man wordlessly handed over the briefcase. Heart hammering in her chest, Ariana held it in front of her and popped it open. It was full of crisp one-hundred-dollar bills.

  "Don't trust me?" Tahira said snidely.

  "I don't trust anyone," Ariana replied.

  Tahira narrowed her eyes and for a split second Ariana thought she saw a hint of respect in them. Then a green cab pulled into the parking lot and the driver leaned out the window.

  "You Ana Covington?"

  "That's me," Ariana replied.

  "Where're you going?" Tahira asked.

  Ariana's heart caught for a split second. What if Tahira was in the secret society? What if she decided to get in her limo and tail Ariana. But then she felt the weight of the briefcase in her hand and realized there was a perfectly reasonable excuse for her going off campus.

  "To the bank. You really think I want to keep this lying around my room?" she asked. She opened the back door of the cab and got inside, feeling guilty. "Later, T. Thanks!"

  Then she gave the driver his directions and he turned the car around, leaving Tahira and her scary sidekick behind. All the way to Dupont Circle, Ariana kept glancing behind the car, but there was no

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  sign of Tahira's limousine. She smiled as the driver pulled up in front of the Palomar Hotel. It was almost over.

  Inside the air-conditioned lobby of the Palomar Hotel, Ariana spotted Kaitlynn right away. She was sitting in the far corner of the lobby, on a round couch with a high back, dressed in a plain black shift dress and her denim jacket, all the punk jewelry still in place. Ariana took a deep breath and savored the moment before walking over and placing the briefcase on the silver metal table in front of her.

  "You can count it, but I'd rather you just go," Ariana said.

  Kaitlynn slid the bag toward her and peeked inside. "I trust you."

  Ariana's jaw dropped. "Oh, now you trust me?"

  "I trust that you understand the consequences of failing," Kaitlynn said. She slid the strap of the suede bag up onto her shoulder as she stood, her backpack on the other arm. "Nice work, B.L.," she said, sliding a pair of aviator sunglasses onto her nose. "I'll say hi to the kangaroos for you."

  As Kaitlynn brushed by, tugging a rolling suitcase behind her, Ariana realized she couldn't move. Didn't want to flinch and risk waking up from what had to be a dream.

  "You know, I have to say, I wish it had turned out differently," Kaitlynn said, turning to face her. "You really were the best friend I ever had."

  Ariana swallowed back the ten million insults, questions, and accusations that crowded her throat. She did not want to risk angering Kaitlynn now. She did not want to risk the girl lingering here one second longer and deciding she wanted to stay.

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  "So that's really it," she said. "You're really going."

  Kaitlynn smiled a bit sadly. "Yes. This is really it," she said. "Have a nice life, Briana Leigh," she added, saying the name without a hint of sarcasm for the first time.

  "You too, whatever your new name is," Ariana replied with a smirk.

  Kaitlynn's smile widened for a split second and then she turned and walked away. She strolled through the crowded lobby of the Palo-mar and shoved the glass door open with the heel of her hand. Ariana stood there, stock still, as she watched the doorman hail a cab. Watched Kaitlynn get inside. Watched her slam the door. Watched the car pull away and disappear into traffic.

  The torture was finally over. Really and truly.

  And her new life was just about to begin.

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  LOOKING UPOn the way back to campus, Ariana indulged in a shopping spree. She blew almost all of her five-hundred-dollar allowance on champagne, chocolates, glassware, and a glass platter at an upscale market near Capitol Hill. If she was truly going to start her new life, she intended to do it in style. She was so confident and giddy, the clerk behind the counter barely even glanced at her fake ID. As Ariana got back in the cab and headed toward APH, she took in the sights of Washington for the first time since her arrival. Finally, she felt able to enjoy the historical buildings and stately monuments. Things were very much looking up.

  Back at school, Ariana felt as if the universe were smiling down at her. Allison was nowhere to be found, so she had the room all to herself to set up. She laid out the treats on the platter and poured five glasses of bubbly, then slipped handwritten invitations under the doors of her friends' rooms. Within minutes there was a knock on her dorm room door. When she opened it, all four of them were gathered in the hallway.

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  "What's all this about?" Lexa asked, holding up the invitation.

  "Just a little celebration!" Ariana said, lifting a palm. "Come in!"

  "Is that champagne?" Soomie asked, her eyes widening. She quickly closed the door behind her, then stayed close to it, as if she wanted to be ready to make her escape in case of a raid. Maria and Brigit, meanwhile, pounced on the glasses. "That is so against the rules."

  "Come on, Soomie. Live a little," Maria said, handing her a glass. Soomie took it between her thumb and fingers and wrinkled her nose, holding it away from her as if it were a glass of liquid poison.

  "So, what are we celebrating?" Lexa asked, holding her glass aloft.

  "Whatever you guys want to celebrate," Ariana said. Her heart was so giddy she wanted to giggle. But she had always hated giggling. It was so unsophisticated. She struggled to hold the urge back and pressed her lips together.

  "To winning the crew race tomorrow and getting into Privilege House" Lexa said, tipping her glass slightly.

  Ariana's heart panged, but she let it go. She was not going to think negative thoughts. Not here. Not now.

  "To the start of a new school year," Soomie suggested, finally stepping away from the door.

  "To Ana kicking Tahira's ass!" Brigit put in.

  "To . . . new friends," Maria said, glancing at Ariana.

  Ariana smiled. The giggle finally escaped and she didn't even mind. "To new beginnings."

  "Hear, hear," Lexa cheered. Everyone laughed, and together they stepped into a tight circle, clinking their glasses together as one.

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  REDEMPTION

  That evening after dinner, Soomie challenged Ariana to a game of chess and Ariana, ignoring the warnings of her other friends about Soomie' s skill, agreed. They all adjourned to the Hill, which was packed with people unwinding after their meal, and Ariana was looking forward to a good battle of wits.But she should have heeded her friends' warnings. Soomie was beating her. Big-time.

  "So I wanted to go to a dance academy, but my father forbade it," Maria said, lounging back with both legs hooked over the leather arm of her chair. "Only if I graduate from APH with a three-point-five or better can I pursue a career in dance. And then I only have one year. If I don't reach some predetermined level of success after one year, it's col
lege."

  Ariana sat forward in her comfy suede chair and moved her rook on the chessboard. She was starting to get the feeling that Maria's

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  father was a major dictator. "Who predetermines the level of success you have to reach?"

  Without a moment's hesitation, Soomie moved her pawn and sat back again.

  "He does, of course," Maria said, sipping her coffee.

  "Fathers," Lexa said, rolling her eyes.

  "Tell me about it. My dad totally fired Rudolpho," Brigit added, dropping onto the end of the couch where Soomie was seated. "I liked Rudolpho. What happened wasn't his fault."

  Ariana sucked in a breath through her teeth and her fingers automatically clenched into a fist. Did they have to talk about the missing money every second? Couldn't they all just relax?

  "Well, stick a fork in us. We're done," Palmer announced, flopping onto the couch next to Lexa and leaning back into the crook of her arm. Ariana's fist clenched even tighter. Palmer rolled his baseball between his hands and gazed at it in a distracted way.

  "What's the matter?" Lexa asked, reaching up to run her fingers over his hair.

  He sighed. "I just talked to Elizabeth and Martin and wheedled their crew times out of them. They each have a good five seconds on our best time. There's no way we can win this thing. Hope you girls are comfortable at Cornwall, because it looks like it's where you'll be staying."

  "No!" Maria said lifting her head. "I need my river view!"

  "Sorry. Get used to staring at the parking lot," Palmer said with a sigh.

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  "Some captain you are," Brigit said.

  Everyone gaped at her.

  "Brigit!" Lexa scolded.

  "What?" Brigit scooched to the edge of her seat and planted her feet firmly on the floor. "I'm serious! What kind of captain talks like that?"

  "A realistic one," Palmer said, sitting up straight and sliding away from Lexa. Ariana's fingers unclenched and she felt the sting of the points where her nails had dug into her palm.