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THE only way
The air had grown chilly by the time Ariana waded back to the dock with the skiff in tow. She had stolen it from one of the darkened houses on the lake and trudged through muck and reeds and slimy skittering fish until she reached her destination. She tied the boat off and slogged her way out of the water, shivering in the cool evening air. Her dress was dripping wet and ruined beyond repair, but she didn't mind. She hated it anyway. Way too former Briana Leigh for her tastes. Shaking the water off her hands and wringing out the skirt, she went over to the car and popped the trunk. From the several pieces of luggage she removed an ugly sweater Briana Leigh had chosen for her and the buttery, tan leather jacket Briana Leigh had worn to the Curtain Club--the only piece of clothing the girl owned that Ariana coveted.She slipped her arms into the sleeves and savored the warmth. It belonged to her now. She was Briana Leigh Covington, after all. Everything in the car was hers.
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After gazing longingly at the other dry clothes for a moment, Ariana decided it would be better not to change into jeans yet, since she had more dirty work to do. Might as well keep on the already ruined clothes. She took the jacket off again and tossed it into the backseat for later. Then she pulled on a Juicy Couture fleece zip-up and made her way into the woods to the clearing where she had left Briana Leigh's body. She covered the girl's face with the sweater, then dragged her over to the dock. Everything was ready. All she had to do now was wait. Ariana sat down next to Briana Leigh, her posture straight, and looked out over the water feeling perfectly at peace. The unpleasant murder aside, it was all working out as planned.
A touch more than two hours had passed since her phone call to Dr. Meloni when she heard someon
e approaching through the trees. Her heart hit her throat and she scrambled to her feet. Moments later, Kaitlynn emerged from between two pines, her curly hair back in a ponytail, her state-issued blue shirt untucked. Her eyes widened when she saw Ariana and she froze.
"Briana Leigh?"
Ariana laughed. She stepped closer to Kaitlynn, letting the moonlight cascade over her face. "Kaitlynn, it's me."
Relief colored Kaitlynn's skin. "Oh my God, Ariana! You're alive!"
The two of them ran forward and hugged. Ariana was so overwhelmed with happiness, she thought her heart might burst. Kaitlynn was free. They were together again. She had done it. She had come through on her promise.
"I knew you'd find me," Ariana said, pulling back but holding on
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to Kaitlynn's hands. "I knew you'd remember the pact and figure out where I'd be."
"All this time... I wanted to believe you were alive," Kaitlynn said, her eyes shining with tears. "But when I didn't hear from you--"
"I couldn't have written. They would have figured it out," Ariana explained.
No one other than Grandma C had ever written to Kaitlynn, so a random letter would have been very suspicious.
"I know. I know," Kaitlynn said breathlessly. "Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening. When Dr. Meloni woke me up and smuggled me out, I thought I was dreaming." Kaitlynn paced back and forth as she talked, clearly so excited she couldn't stand still. "But then I was standing there outside the fence and he was telling me to go and I thought, Ariana. It has to be Ariana. So I decided to walk the eastern shore of the lake until I found you, and here you are!"
"Here I am," Ariana said with a grin.
"So what happened? How did you do it? Where have you been?" Kaitlynn asked. "How did you--"
Her last question died on her tongue. Ariana's heart turned. Kaitlynn had seen the body. Her face went slack and lost all its color as she glanced questioningly, warily, at Ariana. When Ariana remained silent, she took a couple of steps toward the body as if to confirm what she was seeing. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and she froze.
"Ariana, is that--"
"Yes. It's Briana Leigh," Ariana said calmly.
She had to maintain an air of calm. It was the only way to keep
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Kaitlynn's oncoming panic in check. She needed her friend to help her, and Kaitlynn would be no help if she broke down.
"You killed her?" Kaitlynn said, whirling on Ariana. Her expression was appalled. Terrified. "Ariana! Why?"
"I did it for you," Ariana said in a soothing tone, as if she was telling a nursery schooler why she needed to give in to nap time. "After everything she did to you... I couldn't let her get away with it. She had to be punished."
A tear spilled over onto Kaitlynn's cheek. A grateful tear? A disappointed tear? The crickets' song seemed to grow suddenly louder.
"Ariana--"