"Wait," Hudson said, clinging to her hand. "Is Briana Leigh coming down? I feel like I should at least say hi."
Ariana looked past him at the door of the dorm, as if Briana Leigh might actually emerge from it. "Uh, no. When security called up, we both figured you'd want to see me, so she went off to lunch with some of the girls. She said to say hi, though."
"Oh. Okay," Hudson said. He didn't seem put out at all. Why would he be? He was holding the hand of the girl he loved. He didn't need Briana Leigh anymore. And hopefully, in about five minutes, he wouldn't need Emma Walsh either.
"Where to?" Hudson asked.
Ariana smiled, though her nerves were as frayed as Allison's split ends. "I know a perfect place."
189
FAKE BOY FRIEND
"This campus is amazing," Hudson said, looking around as they approached a copse of shade trees near the edge of the pond. Ariana had noticed it during the debate victory party and knew the trees would afford some privacy. Unfortunately, Hudson veered off toward the water before she could lead him to the shade. There were two white swans cutting circles across the surface of the pond, and a warm breeze bent the longer grass along the shoreline. "How do you like it here?"Ariana's heart contracted. "Hudson, we need to talk," she said, turning her back to the water, which was rippling languidly in the breeze.
"Before you say anything, you're wrong," Hudson said, raising his hands. His eyes twinkled merrily.
"You don't even know what I was going to say," she replied impatiently.
190
"Yeah. I do," he replied, shoving his hands into his pockets and taking a confident, wide-legged stance. "You were going to say I shouldn't be here. That it's over, blah, blah, blah," he said, pacing past her. "But what you fail to realize is that if it were over I wouldn't be here, and neither would you."
He paused behind her, forcing her to turn. "How very existential of you," she said.
"Thank you." He gave a modest nod.
Ariana sighed, trying in vain to bite back her smile. No. No smiling. She did not like him anymore. Could not like him anymore. This was over. No matter how handsome he looked against the backdrop of the bright blue sky. "Hudson, this is ridiculous. You go to school in Boston, I'm in D.C. I don't want a long-distance relationship."
"We can figure all that out," Hudson said, stepping closer to her. "Emma, all I know is . . . what we had this summer was real. I want to see where it'll go."
From the corner of her eye, Ariana saw a group of people walking toward the pond with picnic blankets and sports equipment. They were headed for the north end, yards and yards away, but the very sight of them made her shoulders tense. She had to get Hudson off the APH campus as quickly as possible, before he had the chance to interact with anyone else. It was time to stop playing nice.
"It's not going anywhere," she said flatly.
Hudson's smile faltered, but just briefly. "I disagree."
"Hudson, I was in Texas all summer, I needed a distraction, you were hot, and you were there," Ariana said, lifting her chin. "That's all it was."
191
Hudson took a small step back. She could see the doubt and hurt in his eyes, and it pained her heart, but only for a moment. There were far more important things at stake than Hudson's feelings.
"I don't believe you," he said.
Ariana blew out a loud, exasperated sigh. "I have a boyfriend. I told you that. And if you want the brutal truth, I transferred here to be with him, not Briana Leigh."
"He goes here?' Hudson blurted.
The group of students were settling in near the edge of the pond. Ariana glanced over and noticed that Palmer was among them--and he was still standing--watching her. Ariana's fingers curled into a fist. This was not good. This was very not good.
"I'm sorry, Hudson, I have to go," Ariana said, turning away. Hoping against hope that he would just let it be. Then she felt his fingers close around her wrist. She whirled around, annoyed, and her own fingers curled instinctively. That was when she saw that Palmer was now approaching, a concerned look on his handsome face. Instantly, a new plan clicked into focus.
"Dammit. Here he comes," Ariana said under her breath, looking past Hudson.
Hudson had just enough time to glance over his shoulder before Palmer was upon them.
"Everything okay over here?" he asked in that proprietary voice. As if anything and everything that happened on this campus was his concern. Of course, to Hudson, it probably sounded as if he was just being possessive of Ariana. Perfect.