Suddenly Ariana's whirling mind hit upon a dim memory. Something about equestrian camp. Briana Leigh had gone there during her grade school summers before transferring to Camp Potowamac when she was twelve.
"Right! Lexa Greene," she faked. "Of course I remember you. You were good."
Lexa smiled again. "Not as good as you! We called you 'Blue Ribbon Bitch' behind your back," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "I
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always felt bad about that because we were such good friends, but I guess that's how girls are when someone has what you want."
Ariana glanced at Palmer, who was standing a bit behind Lexa now. He quickly looked away toward the parking lot, but she could see the hint of an embarrassed blush on his cheek.
"I guess so," Ariana said.
"But I've improved a bit since then," Lexa said. "You inspired me to practice nonstop."
"She's the most accomplished rider on the APH equestrian team," Palmer announced proudly, squeezing Lexa's shoulder.
"That's great," Ariana said, forcing herself to smile at Lexa. All she could think about was finding a way out of this conversation and this awkward little threesome, but Lexa seemed hell-bent on keeping her there.
"Whatever. We had so much fun that summer! I can't believe you're here!" Lexa said, reaching out to brush Ariana's arm with her fingertips. "We are going to have so much fun!"
"Definitely," Ariana said. As soon as this violent nausea subsides.
"You look so different somehow," Lexa said suddenly, narrowing her eyes again. "Did you change your--"
"And you look exactly the same!" Ariana replied with a frantic laugh.
Lexa rolled her eyes. "God, I hope not. Otherwise the braces were for nothing."
Palmer slipped his arms around Lexa from behind and nuzzled her neck. "You have a perfect smile."
Lexa blushed and Ariana almost hurled. "My boyfriend. So sweet," Lexa said, cuddling back into his arms. She slid her hand up his arm
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until it found his gold team armband. Then she turned and looked from his band to Ariana's. "Hey! You're both on gold!"
"Yeah," Ariana said. "Lucky us."
"You are too, Lex," Palmer said. "I worked it with the headmaster."
Of course you did, Ariana thought.
"Yay! This is going to be so much fun!" Lexa trilled. Then she grasped Ariana's hand and squeezed. "Come on. Let's go inside. Palmer, can you help with my bags?"
"Sure," he said. He glanced over at Ariana and smiled as Lexa turned to flash her key card at the electric eye next to the door. Ariana leveled him with a stare that should have stopped his blood cold. But instead, he merely appeared confused.
As Palmer and Lexa jostled all her things through the door, Ariana hesitated. Had she completely misread Palmer over the last twelve hours? Had he not been flirting with her in the school store, on the quad, at the party? Their mutual attraction had seemed completely obvious. But then, Maria had said that he was a flirt by nature.
It doesn't matter, Ariana told herself, fighting off a crushing wave of disappointment. Whether or not he was flirting with you, he's obviously with Lexa. And you need to be friends with Lexa and her friends.
She had made her choice and she'd already pissed off Tahira. If she wanted to have any chance at a social life here at APH, there was no going back now. Suddenly months of hanging with Lexa and Palmer, watching them kiss and flirt and be adorable together, stretched out before her like an extended death row sentence.
So much for her perfect new life.
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gullibility