Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

break out in a sweat and have to start the whole thing over again.

At this rate, she was never going to be prepared. And she was never going to write that paper, either.

"How long have you known this was going to happen?" Daniel demanded. "Since last night," Ariana

admitted. Daniel huffed an exaggerated sigh. "Then why didn't you call me?" Because I couldn't bear to let

you down, Ariana thought. I couldn't admit that I'd failed. Failed you, failed us, failed ...failed ...failed...."I

don't know," she said lamely. "Ari, the Hearsts are coming over for dinner tonight. I wanted you to be there.

My parents are expecting you to be there." A vein along Daniel's temple pulsed. Ariana grabbed her forearm

and squeezed. She hated when Daniel got like this. It made her feel so small. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just

need this afternoon, and then I'll come up and join you. I just can't leave with you in an hour." "This freakin'

sucks." "I know. But I got you a present to keep you warm until I get there," she said with false enthusiasm,

handing him a silver-wrapped box with a red velvet ribbon. She had spent forty-five minutes getting the bow

just right. Daniel just looked at it, still stewing. "Open it!" Ariana said brightly.

He sighed again and tore the ribbon off, letting it fall to the floor. Ariana watched it flutter to the floor, her

jaw clenched in irritation. It was just a bow, she told herself. You can't expect a guy to notice a bow.... Daniel

pulled the hat out and stared at it, saying nothing. The seconds felt like hours. She wished he would accept her

apology and move on. The dining hall was filling up quickly now, and the Billings Girls were almost through

the line. She didn't want to have this conversation in front of everyone. Especially not Paige. "Daniel?"

Ariana prompted. "It's great. Thanks," he said moodily. He tossed the box on the table just as their friends

started to arrive.

"Uh-oh. Someone's pissed," Noelle teased Daniel. She placed her tray of cereal and fruit down and sank into

her usual spot next to Ariana. Paige, Dash, and Isobel filled the other seats. "Did Ari tell you about her hot

rendezvous last night?" It was as if all the air had been drained from the cafeteria. As everyone turned to look

at her, Ariana clutched her coffee mug so tightly her knuckles turned white. Noelle couldn't be talking about

Thomas, right? Had she seen them after all?

"Don't bother playing coy," Paige said, sitting down at the head of the table and biting into a green apple. Her

face looked pinched. Angry. "It's insulting." "Yeah." Isobel smiled. "Noelle already told us all about your

Latvian lovah" she said, licking a dollop of yogurt from the back of her spoon. "Your Latvian lover?" Daniel

looked baffled. "You know, Sergei," Noelle sang, brushing her dark hair over her shoulder. The entire table

dissolved into laughter, and Ariana felt all the tension flow out of her body. She forced a laugh and counted

the number of buttons on Noelle's Marc Jacobs blouse-twelve-until her heart settled in her chest.