p; "Hey," Adam said, sitting down next to Ariana. "I almost wore my uniform too, but my roommate told me to change."
Ariana smiled politely. "If only we were all so lucky."
Adam smiled back, showing some adorable dimples. "So, are you new to the prep school thing, too?"
"Me? No. I've been to a ton of schools like this," Ariana replied, recalling Briana Leigh's history of bootings from various illustrious academies.
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"You're lucky. Public school is way different," Adam said, wiping his palms on his jeans.
Obviously, Ariana thought, but didn't say. Instead she gave him a bolstering look. "Well, you've obviously fallen in with the right crowd. Being friends with these guys, you should have no problem."
"That's exactly what Palmer told me over the summer," Adam said, brightening considerably. "My mother works for his mother. That's how I got my scholarship."
Ariana considered telling him that this was the kind of information he might be better off keeping to himself, but at that moment, Palmer decided to start the meeting. He stepped up to the center of the bleachers and smiled.
"Welcome, Team Gold!"
Everyone cheered. Ariana crossed her legs at the knee and clapped her hands. She wasn't sure whether to hope he would look for her. Why had she changed into this stupid, itchy uniform? She glanced over her shoulder to find Allison sitting a few rows behind her, smiling haughtily. She tossed her short blond curls back from her face and Ariana's fingers twitched, thinking of those silver scissors on her roommate's desk. Girl didn't know who she was messing with. She'd be lucky if she woke up with all her hair tomorrow.
"Let's get right down to business," Palmer continued, rolling his baseball between his palms. His eyes scanned the crowd, making solid eye contact with all assembled like a good public speaker, and fell on Ariana. His lips twitched and she fought the urge to sink back, instead
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sitting up straight and holding her head high. "Uh ... we have three events at which to dominate."
Ariana smiled. She had thrown him off for a moment. Mr. Composed was not impenetrable. Too bad it had been because he was trying not to laugh at her.
"First will be the debate. I've put APH's resident debate king, Sumit Medha, in charge of that. Sumit, please stand and wave," Palmer said, gesturing toward the right side of the bleachers. A scrawny South Asian guy with short black hair stood up and raised his hand, earning some applause from the crowd. "If you're interested in participating in debate, please see Sumit after the meeting. That includes anyone who wants to do research, run for coffee, make support signs, and all that."
"I'm on research if any of you want to join," Soomie whispered.
"Please," Maria scoffed, sipping her coffee. "I'd rather do the coffee runs, thanks."
"I'm totally in," Brigit replied. "It's not like I'm going to be helping her."
Ariana kept her mouth shut. She could guess whom Brigit was referring to, but she had to hear all the options first.
"Our resident heiress, Tahira Al Mahmood, has generously offered to take the helm for the fund-raising event," Palmer continued.
Brigit sank lower in her seat as Tahira stood up and waved like a beauty pageant contestant.
"So please see Tahira for the details on that. And I will be captaining the crew team," Palmer said, tugging at the front of his T-shirt as
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though at jacket lapels. The guys in the crowd whooped while the girls shrilly cheered. Ariana raised an eyebrow. Palmer certainly was a rock star around here.
"We need a girl to act as coxswain for the boat, so anyone interested, please see me," Palmer said. "Practice starts Tuesday morning at the boathouse at five a.m. sharp."
"Yeah. So not happening," Maria said. "Coffee runs it is."
"All right. That takes care of the events," Palmer said, glancing to his left. "Ladies, if you please?"
He took a step back and four girls--sophomores or freshmen, Ariana guessed--jumped up from the bottom row, each wearing a gold armband around her bicep. They started to make their way up the bleachers, distributing armbands to the group.
"From this moment on, you will wear these bands wherever you go," Palmer instructed, pacing in front of the bleachers. "To meetings, to bed, to the bathroom, to the welcome dinner tonight--especially to the welcome dinner tonight. We want the alumni to know who's representing gold. Team pride, people. It's more important than fashion."