Ariana folded the letter, reinforcing the fold with a violent slip of her fingers, then shoved it toward April.
“I believe you’re going to need that for our records.”
April took the note and tossed it into her notebook, slamming the cover over it. Ariana felt her blood pressure slowly rising, her heartbeat thrumming angrily in her ears. Palmer had done this to punish her. Clearly he was trying to show the brotherhood that he thought her so unworthy he’d sacrifice everything Stone and Grave offered just to oppose her.
Well, it was his loss. And in truth, he’d done her a huge favor. Palmer was out. She would never have to deal with him again.
“Silence, please!” Ariana shouted.
It took a couple of moments, but after some shushing from other members, the cave finally fell quiet. Ariana took in a long, deep breath and blew it out through her nose. She would not let the brotherhood see her sweat. Palmer had no idea what he was talking about. Ariana did deserve to be here. She was a straight-A student, a valued member of the tennis team and the lit magazine, she’d stood out in her pledge class, and Soomie had basically credited her and Maria for bringing her back from the edge. No one at this school deserved to be president of Stone and Grave more than she did.
“Well,” Ariana said finally, calmly. “It looks as if we’re going to need a new vice president.”
She glanced at Soomie and grinned, looking for all the world like Palmer’s note, his opinion, couldn’t have mattered less.
“Are there any nominations?”
BACK ON TRACK
“Welcome back, Soomie!”
Maria lifted her glass of sparkling water in a toast as Ariana and Tahira cheered. Soomie blushed and clinked glasses with them over the table in the center of one of Soomie’s favorite DC locales, Busboys and Poets. It was a cozy, dimly lit grill and bar on one side, and a well-stocked independent bookstore on the other—a place Soomie frequented so often she knew the waitstaff by name.
“We would have come up with something far more fabulous if you’d given us a little notice,” Tahira lamented, sipping her soda. She’d been thwarted when she’d tried to order a red wine and the waiter had laughed at her fake ID. The girl had been pouting ever since.
“Actually, this is great,” Soomie said, placing her glass down. “It’s perfect.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “It’s good to be back.”
“It’s good to have you back,” Ariana said with a warm smile.
“Thanks.” Soomie sat up a bit straighter as their salads arrived. A raucous group of tweed-clad men by the bar laughed loudly, and the decibel level in the room seemed to grow. “And besides, it sounds like these two are throwing you the party of the decade tomorrow, so that should be plenty fabulous for me,” Soomie said, raising her voice to be heard over the din.
“Party of the decade, huh?” Ariana asked, eyeing Maria and Tahira with interest. “Sounds like you guys have been hard at work.”
“You have no idea,” Maria said with a sigh. She plucked an olive slice off her salad, popped it in her mouth and pointed across the small square table at Tahira. “This one’s a slave driver.”
“All for a good cause,” Tahira replied blithely. “Does the president of S and G deserve anything less?”
Ariana grinned. She loved how everyone kept bringing up her new position of power. Now that she’d run her first meeting, even more calls and gifts had been rolling in, all from Stone and Grave members in high places. After opening up the truckload of boxes the UPS driver had delivered right to her door that morning, she was now the proud owner of a full set of Tocca candles, two iPads, a new laptop, a mink coat, the entire Ralph Lauren spring line, and more baubles and jewels than she could count.
As her friends dug into their salads, Ariana’s phone began to vibrate next to her plate. She shot the girls an apologetic look and eyed the screen. After all, a woman in her position couldn’t just ignore calls, texts, and e-mails. What if it was important S and G business? The e-mail was from a name she vaguely recognized, and the subject was “Congratulations!”
Ariana smiled and clicked it open.
Dear Miss Covington,
I’m writing to congratulate you on your unexpected but much-deserved ascendency to the highest position in Stone and Grave. I’ve heard through our efficient grapevine that Princeton University is your school of choice. As a valued and high-ranking member of the Princeton Alumni Association, I’m writing to let you know that I’d be happy to help you along in the interview and application process and write you a letter of recommendation when the time comes. Feel free to contact me at any time.
Sincerely,
Geralyn Montrose, ESQ
Atherton-Pryce Hall Alumna
Princeton Alumna
“What is it?” Maria asked, munching on a single crouton. “You look like you just got excused from finals.”
“Did you?” Tahira asked, quite seriously.