Beautiful Disaster (Privilege 2)

Ariana scurried to catch up. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. Suddenly she felt as if she was on the verge of something huge. Something that might explain away dozens of tiny, niggli

ng little questions that had been biting at her brain for the past few days. Lexa made an abrupt turn and inexplicably headed for the library. The automatic doors slid aside to welcome her in and Ariana followed, shivering as the frigid air hit her bare arms.

"Lexa," Ariana hissed. "You have to tell me what you were about to say. I swear I won't tell anyone."

Lexa's expression was pained as she turned around. But Ariana wasn't about to give up. She hated knowing there was some huge secret out there and that she wasn't in on it. Lexa walked over to a display of information packets on the inside wall of the library and pretended to be engrossed. Ariana stepped up next to her and stared at the cover of a pamphlet about STDs and how to prevent them.

"You know you can trust me, Lex," she said under her breath. Lexa clutched her own arms. Ariana could practically the girl bursting to tell. "I promise."

"I am so, so stupid." Lexa took a deep breath. "Fine," she said, grabbing Ariana's hand.

She glanced around, then tugged Ariana into an alcove just outside a door marked Employees Only. Once inside, she peeked her head out again and looked around, just to be sure no one had seen them, Ariana assumed. All the cloak and dagger was making her even more excited.

Lexa breathed in again, closed her eyes, and blew out the breath.

201

She looked Ariana in the eye. "Fine," she said again. "But you have to understand, I'm breaking about a thousand rules just mentioning this to you. If anyone ever finds out I told you--"

"I'll take it to the grave," Ariana promised.

"Okay." Lexa held her breath. When she spoke, it was at a whisper so quiet it could barely be heard above the whooshing air conditioner. "There are secret societies here at Atherton-Pryce. Three of them, to be exact. And right now, even as we speak, you're being evaluated."

Ariana's blood ran cold. Suddenly she felt as if someone was watching her from behind, and her spine curled. "What?"

"Each of the teams--gold, blue, gray--represents one of the societies," Lexa said in a rush. "You were picked to be on gold because you have some of the traits we--they--look for in a society member. Not everyone on gold is in the society, you understand. Only a select few people are asked to join. But if you're on gold, you're either in the society or you're being considered as a potential member."

Ariana nodded, even though her pulse was racing with terror. A secret society was watching her every move? Ariana had heard about these organizations in the past. They were powerful, selective, all-knowing. Suddenly every questionable move Ariana had made since arriving on campus flooded her memory. Stealing Christian's watch, sneaking back to the dorm during the professors' picnic to lift all that jewelry, going into D.C. to pawn the swag, meeting with Kaitlynn at the diner, going to Kaitlynn's hotel to try to murder her. Had they been watching her through all of this? Did they know what she was up to? Did they suspect she wasn't actually Briana Leigh?

202

Suddenly, Ariana felt light-headed. She leaned back against the cool cinder-block wall as waves of heated panic crashed over her.

"Ana? Are you okay?" Lexa asked, grabbing her wrist.

The cool touch of Lexa's fingers brought her back just a bit. Enough to remind herself to breathe.

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

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

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

She opened her eyes and focused on Lexa's pretty, pert face and the concern reflected there. Of course the secret society didn't know what she was up to. If someone had figured her out, surely they would have called the police. Ariana breathed in, let out a sigh, and felt much calmer.

"I'm fine," she said. "It's just a lot to take in."

Of course, now that she thought about it, it made perfect sense. Suddenly she understood all of Maria's thinly veiled comments--why she was always warning Ariana to do well, measure up, wear the right things, and contribute to Welcome Week. Why she and Tahira and Palmer knew who Ariana was when she first arrived on campus. They had heard of her because this secret society had decided to check her out for membership. Did that mean that they were all members? Even Tahira? That might better explain why Lexa tried to be nice to the girl. Why Palmer had chosen her to head up the fund-raiser over Brigit.

"Maria's in it, too, isn't she?" Ariana whispered. "And Palmer? Tahira?"

203

Lexa turned green. "I've already said too much. But listen, I really want you to get in. And I--"

"Am I doing okay?" Ariana asked, feeling suddenly desperate. "How is it decided? I mean, am I going to get in?"

Lexa shook her head. "I don't know. I can't tell you anything more."