Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

The sex ..." The girl shook her head slowly. "The murder. That poor boy," she murmured. "The police would

probably appreciate an anonymous tip as to exactly who he was with out on that lake and exactly how he

'drowned.'"

"How do you know all this?" Ariana's voice was barely audible.

"I keep my eyes open," the girl replied. "Of course, it's completely up to you whether I go to the cops or not."

The girl leaned across the table, her cold eyes just inches away. "Just remember-you're on thin ice. And, if

memory serves, that's a dangerous place to be."

She leaned back, laughing at her sick, twisted joke. As she stood up, she tugged a scarf out of her jacket collar

with her cut-up hand and wound it around her neck. A dark navy argyle scarf.

Ariana gasped, recognizing the fabric.

"Stay away from him," she said under her breath, resting her hand on Ariana's shoulder. She squeezed tight,

digging her nails into Ariana's skin. "I won't ask you again."

And then she was gone.

Ariana sank, lifeless, into the booth. Within seconds, the realization of what had just happened sank in. Her

hands started to tremble,

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then her arms, her legs, her feet. Soon, her entire body was shaking, racked with fear and guilt and shame.

That girl had a dark navy argyle scarf. Just like in the picture of her and Thomas kissing in Daniel's room.

The argyle material swam before her eyes as heat surged through her body. Sergei hadn't taken the picture of

Ariana and Thomas. Now that she thought about it, the picture of her and Thomas kissing in Daniel's room

hadn't even been on his camera. How could have she been so stupid? He hadn't been the one screwing with

their minds, making Easton's campus a living hell.

Suddenly, Ariana couldn't breathe. All she could hear were Sergei's pleas. Him asking her to help him.

Begging her. Saw his eyes go blank as he sank beneath the surface of the lake.

It hadn't been him. But he had died anyway. Murdered. Ariana had murdered him for no good reason.

No. No, no, no.

It had all been for nothing.

She clawed at the neck of her sweater and fumbled for the water glass in front of her, knocking it clear off the

table. The family at the counter turned to stare.

In... two ... three ...