Beautiful Disaster (Privilege 2)

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was true, the boy had already forgotten about Briana Leigh ten times over.

Maria smirked, closing her magazine and crooking her legs up on the couch. "Well, my father's still pretty young, so if I go with your plan I'll be eighty before Landon and I can be together."

"So it's your dad," Ariana said.

With a deep sigh, Maria turned to check Landon and Soomie's progress once again. They had just reached the front of the line and were placing their order.

"Lexa is the only person who knows this," she said, twisting her hair around her finger. "And I'm only telling you because you trusted me with your story. But I swear to God, Ana, if you tell anyone, you will regret it."

Ariana held her breath. She thought of the secret society and wondered if Maria would use it to make good on her threat. Not that Ariana had any intention of spilling whatever secret Maria was about to tell. Not if discretion would get her that much closer to her goals.

"I won't tell yours if you won't tell mine," she replied.

"Fine. Landon and I have been together for over a year. Secretly. Because I'm not allowed to date until I'm in college," Maria told her. "Which is especially cruel considering I don't want to go to college," she added, looking up at the ceiling in frustration. "If Landon were anyone else, we'd just have your standard, secret, only-on-campus romance, but with him, things are tricky."

Ariana nodded. "Because every move he makes is photographed and documented."

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"Exactly," Maria said. She curled her hair into a tight twist, then released it. It uncoiled over her shoulder. "If we ever even touched each other in public, word could get out and the tabloids would be all over us. Which means my dad would find out and instantly transfer me to some all-girl school in Bulgaria. Truly."

"But what about Soomie?" Ariana asked, glancing up as Soomie and Landon gathered a couple of napkins and an extra straw. Landon carried a tray full of pastries while Soomie had Ariana's drink.

"Yeah, that's a wrinkle I wasn't expecting," Maria whispered. "I told Landon not to lead her on, but he's a natural flirt, so . . ."

"So when you saw him playing with her hair on the quad, you nine-one-oned her," Ariana said knowingly.

"I was going to come join you guys, but then I saw the look on her face. . . . She was so excited," Maria said quickly. "I feel so--"

"Shh!" Ariana said, noticing that the pair was getting dangerously close.

Maria fell silent. She flipped a page in her magazine, looking for all the world like she hadn't uttered a word, let alone had a tense conversation, while her two friends were gone.

"Anyone up for a sugar rush?" Landon asked, placing the tray on the table.

"Iced latte," Soomie said, handing Ariana her drink with a smile.

"Thanks, Soomie," Ariana said, making sure not to pay any added attention to Landon. She didn't want Soomie to think she was actually interested in the guy. That would just make this already messy situation that much messier.

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Soomie perched on her chair and looked up at Landon expectantly, but he chose to sit on the empty end of Maria's couch rather than reclaim the chair next to Soomie's. Maria gave him a quick smile and went right back to her reading. Landon reached for a scone, tore off a piece, and handed it to Maria, who popped it right into her mouth without even thinking. Soomie cleared her throat.

"So, Landon, ready to greet your adoring fans tonight?" she asked.

"Guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," he said, slumping down in his seat and letting his legs fall open. He leaned forward for a donut, ripped off half, and stuffed it in his mouth. "You coming, Ria? Maybe I'll let you be my personal assistant for the night."

Ariana's heart skipped. Landon was clearly trying to find a way to spend more time with his girlfriend. She relished the fact that she knew this and Soomie didn't. But Maria simply sighed and lifted the magazine to her face, taking a quick whiff of a perfume ad.

"And watch a bunch of pathetic tweeners throw themselves at you? No, thanks. I've already done my duty for gold. I think I'll stay home and get in some time at the barre."

Landon didn't seem surprised or even put out by her rejection. He tore off another piece of the scone and handed it to her. Once again, she ate it. This was

an interesting development.

"I can be your assistant for the night," Soomie offered. "I'm very organized."