"So if you see people kissing up to me in the next few days, that's why," Brigit put in with a mock--haughty look, which her easy grin quickly erased.
So . . . they were here to tell her she had to start kissing Brigit's butt. Ariana wasn't sure whether to be offended by the suggestion or grateful for the warning. She said a silent thank--you that Kaitlynn wasn't around to hear all of this.
"Wow. Such power," Ariana said.
"I know. Isn't it cool?" Brigit replied with a laugh. "Of course I've already reserved one for you."
Ariana's heart actually fluttered in excitement. So this wasn't about making her jump through hoops. She'd already become so integral to the group that Brigit had decided to include her. She had really come a long way in the past week.
"Thanks," she said with a smile.
"Delivery for Ms. Al Mahmood."
Ariana and her friends all turned toward the open door. A young woman in a pencil skirt was handing a big pink--and--purple--striped box over to Tahira in her room across the hallway.
38
"Who's that?" Ariana asked.
"Our concierge," Lexa replied. "Each tower has one. She signs for our packages, makes sure we get our laundry on time, orders food for us. Stuff like that."
Damn. Why, why, why couldn't she call Billings and show off?
"Sweet! It's a care package from Lissa!" Tahira cooed, checking the card. "Lissa Braverman?" she said to the girls across the hall, her expression cocky. "We did Monte Carlo together last March."
"Congratulations, T. Everyone wants to be the girl who gets to hold Lissa Braverman's hair back over the toilet bowl," Maria said sarcastically, without even opening her eyes.
Brigit, Soomie, and Ariana laughed, while Lexa merely smirked, her back to Tahira. Lissa Braverman was a well--known socialite, international nightclub heiress, and total lush. Back when Ariana was a junior at Easton, her friend Paige Ryan used to hang out with Lissa's older sister Mischa. Even then Mischa used to complain about her sister the wild child, so it was no surprise to Ariana to see what Lissa had become. Tahira shot them all a look of death and slammed the door to her room.
"God," Brigit spat. "I can't believe I have to invite her."
"She gets to go to the NoBash?" Ariana asked, surprised. Brigit and Tahira hated each other.
"Her and Zuri," Soomie replied. "Their parents are international players, so the king and queen insist Brigit invite them."
"Fab," Ariana said flatly.
"They're not that bad," Lexa put in.
39
"Whatevs. Tahira is always trying to outdo me, especially at the NoBash since she knows how important it is to my family, so it's very important that my friends and I are the most fabulous people at the party," Brigit said, suddenly flipping into no--nonsense mode. "I'm going to need you guys to bring your gowns by my room for approval, and no one is allowed to wear purple. I've got dibs on purple."
Ariana nodded, impressed by Brigit's take--charge attitude. Soomie whipped out her BlackBerry and made a note of Brigit's demands.
"Got that, Maria?" she asked, slipping the PDA away again.
"Lexa will remind me," Maria said lazily.
"And Ana, you and Lily have to keep your eyes on Tahira," Brigit said. Ariana bristled at the mention of Kaitlynn--at her inclusion in the conversation and the group.
"We do?" Ariana asked.
"You live right across the hall from her, so you have to be my eyes and ears," Brigit said, stepping away from the window. "You guys need to find out what she and Allison are wearing, who they're bringing, what jewelry they're borrowing from which jeweler. If Tahira so much as makes a call to her stylist, I need to know about it. Okay?"
"Absolutely," Ariana said. Tahira was also a princess of sorts, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai. Their friends had dubbed the rivalry between the girls "the Princess Wars," and they all seemed to find the whole thing highly amusing, even though it was deadly serious to Brigit and Tahira.
"And make sure you tell Lily," Brigit added.