Perfect Mistake (Privilege 3)

Sweet enough to make a girl barf.

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THE SETUP"Looks like you were right about your roommate," Soomie said as she and Ariana took their seats in the dining hall that day at lunch. Ariana followed her gaze and saw Kaitlynn settling into a chair at Tahira's table, laughing over something Zuri was saying. Ariana bit her tongue. Kaitlynn was no idiot. Psychotic, yes, but not an idiot. So what the hell was she doing with Tahira? If she wanted to be invited to the NoBash, she should have been sucking up to Brigit like she had earlier and avoiding Tahira like the latest strain of exotic flu. Or had it escaped her attention that there was a Princess War going on at Atherton--Pryce?

"Girl has no taste," Maria said under her breath, joining them.

"She's just trying to make friends," Ariana said, the words tasting like sawdust on her tongue. But if she was going to secure an invite to the NoBash for Kaitlynn, she had to talk her up.

Lexa strolled through the back entrance to the dining hall, her

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head bent in conversation with a petite girl with kinky red hair and glasses. Ariana had seen her around Wolcott Hall but had never met her. She was pretty in an unassuming way and wore no accessories other than an ancient, man's watch.

"Who's that with Lexa?" Ariana asked as the waiter approached their table.

"That would be April Corrigan," Soomie replied. "Resume as follows: senior, first in her class for three straight years; president of APH's Amnesty International club, the APH Beautification Society, and the National Honor Society; editor of the Weekly Report, editor of The Ash, and captain of the women's lacrosse team."

"Wow. That's a serious overachiever," Ariana said, duly impressed.

The Weekly Report was the online student newspaper, and The Ash was the literary magazine, which published four times a year and had been the first publication to carry the work of at least half a dozen Nobel Laureates and national poetry award winners. She hoped to join the staff of The Ash herself, when they first met early next week. She hadn't written anything in a long time--not since Dr. Meloni had maligned her work in their sessions--but that didn't mean she couldn't critique other people's work.

"Maybe. Or maybe she's just unfocused," Soomie groused.

"Girl like that has no idea what she wants to do with her life," Maria agreed, sliding into her chair.

"Unlike our little Maria here, who wants to save the world with her powers of dance," Landon Jacobs put in, giving Maria a cheek pinch as he joined them.

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"Says the boy who wants to save it through the power of pop," Maria said acerbically, barely making eye contact with her secret boyfriend.

"Hi, Landon!" Soomie said, sitting across from him.

Adam and Brigit walked in together and sat next to Soomie, so wrapped up in conversation they didn't even bother to greet anyone. Lexa split off from April and joined them just as the waiter arrived.

"What's up with April?" Soomie asked. "Starting another new club?"

"No, nothing like that," Lexa said with a brief smile.

Ariana saw Lexa, Maria, and Soomie exchange a quick glance. A casual observer wouldn't have caught it, but Ariana did, and her blood sizzled. Did April have something to do with Stone and Grave? Maybe she and Lexa were working together to figure out who had executed the prank that morning. Ariana wondered what they would do if they found Kaitlynn out. Disqualify her, probably. Could Ariana find a way to turn her in without Kaitlynn knowing?

Tor a moment, she felt the exhilaration of a new plan forming. But then reality set in. If Kaitlynn didn't get into Stone and Grave, Ariana would be the one to pay.

"What can I get everyone today?" the waiter asked, pencil at the ready.

Ariana ordered the turkey burger, seasoned fries, and a side salad. All this plotting and planning was making her hungry. Her friends quickly placed their orders as well and handed over their menus. The waiter was just about to step away from their table, from which Palmer

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was again absent, when Conrad Royce strode up and filled the vacant chair with his athletic bulk.

"Hey," he said to Ariana with a smile.

Ariana glanced at Lexa, who appeared bemused, then smiled at Conrad. "Hi. Glad you can join us. You know everyone, right?"

"Of course," Conrad said, dropping his burlap bag on the floor next to his chair. He leaned across the table to slap hands with Landon. "How's it going, bro? Heard you left a trail of broken hearts across Europe this summer. "