Beautiful Disaster (Privilege 2)

them grew even wider as Palmer took a full step back and turned away from her.

"Lexa!" he shouted cheerily.

Lexa? Lexa Greene? Even as Ariana hankered for a glimpse of the infamous group leader, her brain was processing that something wasn't right here. Palmer was way too happy to see this girl."Hey! What are you doing here?" Lexa's voice replied merrily. "Did Maria tell you I was coming back early? She was supposed to keep it a secret!"

In a blur of red dress, the girl raced into the alcove and threw herself into Palmer's arms. She was slight but tall, her long dark hair shaped into a perfect, long blunt cut with bangs straight across her forehead. Ariana's gaze automatically flicked to her shoes. Tasteful black peep-toes, Charles David, Ariana guessed. When Palmer released her, Ariana got a good view of the girl's gorgeous, pixieish features. Tiny nose, big blue eyes, pretty smile, glossy lips . . .

Lips that were now pressing against Palmer's.

Ariana's face stung as she watched the embrace. What the hell was going on here? That was her kiss. That was her soon-to-be boyfriend.

"I missed you," Lexa breathed, keeping her arms locked around Palmer's neck as she leaned back.

Palmer smiled. A relaxed, happy, intimate smile. As if the girl he'd been about to make out with wasn't standing mere inches away watching him maul some other girl. "I missed you too."

Finally, Ariana couldn't take it anymore. She pushed herself away from the wall and cleared her throat.

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Palmer looked over at Ariana but kept one arm around Lexa's tiny shoulders. Ariana couldn't help noticing that the girl had a perfectly taut, athletic body, obvious under the clingy material of her red wrap dress.

"Oh, hey. Lexa Greene, meet Briana Leigh Covington. Ana for short," Palmer said in a formal way. "She's a transfer."

She's a transfer. The dismissive, detached nature of the comment made her skin crawl.

Yeah. The transfer you were about to hook up with.

"Hi," Ariana managed to say. "I've heard a lot about you."

Lexa looked at Ariana and her eyes narrowed. She took a step toward Ariana and for a split second Ariana was sure the girl was going to slap her across the face. Why not? She could tell with one glance that Lexa was not stupid. She had to see what was going on here.

Then, suddenly, Lexa's pretty face lit up like the Fourth of July. "Briana Leigh! I heard you were transferring in!"

Lexa threw her slim arms around Ariana and hugged her so hard Ariana could hardly breathe. Then, just as suddenly, Lexa leaned back, clamping her hands onto Ariana's shoulders.

"You look so different! I never would have recognized you!"

Ariana's pulse raced and her mind reeled, thinking back to every inane conversation she'd had with Briana Leigh. She had never mentioned anyone named Lexa Greene. Never. Ariana was sure of it. So why was this girl acting as if she and Briana Leigh were long-lost friends? What had Ariana missed? And what was it going to cost her?

"It's me! Lexa Greene!" Lexa said, her brow knitting in

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disappointment as she finally released Ariana. "You don't remember me, do you."

"I. . . sorry," Ariana said.

"I was your main competition in jumper at Camp Triple Star. The summer before fourth," Lexa continued, growing more animated. "Oh my God. I was so jealous when you took home that trophy, I cried for, like, twenty-four hours straight. Not that I'm proud of that fact." She studied Ariana's face for a long few moments and Ariana's stomach lurched. Any second the words were going to fall from Lexa's mouth:

"Wait a minute. . . . You're not Briana Leigh Covington. ..."

Ariana tried to mentally prepare herself for the moment. Tried to decide what she would say or do with Palmer looking on and all those people out in the parking lot gabbing away.

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

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

"How can you not remember? It was such a huge deal," Lexa said finally.