"And here I thought you'd changed," Grandma Covington said acerbically.
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"What do you--"
"Did you not say this is a fund-raiser?" the woman asked. "I imagine they expect you to actually work a bit to raise the funds, not just call up your relatives and go begging."
Ariana's fingers dug into the bedspread and twisted. Begging? She was begging for her life here, not just for the money. And a million dollars was a drop in the bucket to this woman. Was she really going to turn her down?
"That's not what I'm doing, Grandma," Ariana said, trying to control the irate quiver in her voice. "I'm just trying to--"
"You're trying to take the easy way out, as usual," Grandma Covington said. "Why don't you just hand over your weekly allowance check when it comes? Give them your money instead of mine? Or is it because you've already thought of twenty-five frivolous ways to spend it?"
"The answer, Briana Leigh, is no. Good-bye, dear."
And the line went dead.
It was all Ariana could do to keep from launching her phone across the room--again. But she couldn't afford to buy another one just now. Instead she placed the phone on her desk, dropped face-first onto the bed, and screamed as loud as she could into her pillow. Before she knew it, she was punching the bed over and over and over again with both hands, thrashing out her frustration and desperation.
Why did Briana Leigh have to be such a lazy, corner-cutting, money-grubbing loser in life?
If she had been just a tad more responsible
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then, her grandmother wouldn't have been so quick to judge Ariana now. First the entrance exams and now this. Briana Leigh's laziness was screwing up Ariana's world.
After a few minutes, Ariana finally sat up, brushed her hair out of her face, and took a deep breath. She looked out the window at the party going on outside--the colorful tablecloths and banners, the heaping trays of sweets on the dessert table, the groups of students and teachers laughing and chatting and debating. She longed to join them. Longed to be part of all this for as long as she possibly could be. Ariana needed a plan B.
Unfortunately, she had no idea where to start.
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OPTIONS
"Just so you know, I am not anorexic," Maria told Ariana as they sat down at the long wooden table at dinner that night. The places were already set and a menu stood inside a plastic holder at each plate, offering three choices of entree. Table service at school. Ariana had never thought it possible until she'd experienced it on that first day. Easton could kiss Atherton-Pryce Hall's ass. "I mean, come on, an anorexic ballerina? How cliché. I just don't like food."Ariana picked up her menu and perused the offerings. "Okay," she said. "But just so you know, even if you were anorexic, I wouldn't judge you. Everyone has issues."
Maria blinked, looking Ariana over as she placed her linen napkin in her lap. "I don't have issues."
Ariana glanced up at Landon, who was just slipping behind Maria's chair to join them. He squeezed Maria's shoulder under the blanket of her hair, then ran his fingers along the nape of her neck as he passed by. Maria's whole body tensed.
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"Yes, you do," Ariana said. "You have a whole year's subscription."
Maria's face turned blotchy and she grabbed her own menu, pretending to be suddenly riveted. Ariana smiled as the rest of the usual crew started to filter in. Brigit, Soomie, and Adam were soon followed by Lexa and Palmer, who walked over hand in hand. Ariana wanted to look away, but instead she forced herself to stare at their entwined fingers. Forced herself to burn the image into her brain. All the better to remember it whenever Palmer's glances got her heart pounding.
"What's up, Love?" Tahira asked, pausing at the end of the table. Allison, Zuri, and Rob all stopped as well, as if none of them could make a move unless Tahira moved first.
Ariana glared up at her. "Oh, what is that? Some kind of witty tennis reference?"
"Yeah. Because you couldn't score a single point in that last game," Zuri said with a laugh. "Love, love, love."
"Is that really necessary?" Lexa scolded.
"Is it really necessary for you to always be telling everyone else what's necessary?" Allison shot back.
"Allison," Tahira said in a warning tone.