Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

Lexa nodded and took a couple of steps toward Kaitlynn’s bed. “What happened?” she asked, gesturing at the poster. “Were you guys wrestling in here?” She laughed, but her eyes were flat and dead serious.

Ariana blushed. “Uh, no,” she said lightly, rolling her eyes. “It was like that when I got here. I guess Lillian doesn’t like that one anymore.” She added a shrug for good measure, but silently cursed her own carelessness. Now she was going to have to run to the student store and replace the poster before Kaitlynn got home.

“Weird.” Lexa sat down on the edge of Ariana’s bed and Ariana perched on her desk chair, finally feeling the residual blush from her encounter with Palmer fading from her cheeks.

“So, what’s up?” Ariana asked.

Lexa blew out a sigh. “I just needed to vent,” she said finally. “I mean, if you’ve got a minute.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Ariana said with a smile, even though every cell in her body became tense. What, exactly, did Lexa want to vent about? Did it have to do with her and Palmer?

“It’s my parents,” Lexa said. Ariana’s shoulders relaxed. She even felt a thrill over the fact that Lexa had come to her and not Maria or Soomie—over the proof of just how close she and Lexa had grown. “I just got off a conference call with Keiko and my mom’s new assistant, Cassandra, trying to plan a time that all three of us can get together and have brunch. It was like a meeting of the U.N. Security Council or something. Just to have brunch with the folks.”

“Well . . . it’s good that they want to get together at all, right?” Ariana said, trying to find the positive angle.

“I guess.” Lexa studied her nails. “Whatever. I’m sure they’ll both have their own photographers present. Maybe I should hire one too.” Then her eyes lit up and she sat up straight again. “You want to do it? It could be fun. You could be my very own paparazzo.”

Ariana laughed. “Thanks for the offer, but I suck with a camera. Not to mention I’m not much of a stalker.”

“Oh well. It was worth a try,” Lexa joked. She looked Ariana in the eye, her smile softening. “Thanks.”

“For what?” Ariana asked.

“Listening. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my family crap.” Lexa averted her eyes and smoothed out one of the wrinkles in Ariana’s bedspread.

Ariana swallowed hard, hoping Lexa couldn’t somehow divine that Palmer had made those wrinkles. “Of course I do. That’s what friends are for.”

Lexa blushed and her smile widened. “Is it? I keep forgetting,” she joked.

Ariana laughed.

“Anyway, there are other way more fun things to talk about,” Lexa said, her green eyes sparkling.

“Like what?” Ariana asked.

“Like Halloween. Conrad came up with the best idea for our costume,” Lexa said. “We’re going as Heidi Klum and Seal.”

Ariana laughed. “I love it! But isn’t Connie a little bulky to be Seal?” Lexa’s new boyfriend Conrad was built like a pro linebacker, with a thick neck, broad shoulders, and muscles to spare.

“He’ll dress slim,” Lexa replied. “And all I need is a blond wig, a short skirt, an

d a serious leg wax. What are you going as?”

“I don’t know,” Ariana said, feeling suddenly exhausted. “Halloween’s never been my favorite holiday. I never really got the fun of dressing up.”

“Oh, but you have to!” Lexa said. “You can’t go to Soomie’s party without a costume. Everyone’s going all out. You know, for Brigit.”

The name hung in the air between them. Ariana looked at Lexa, then quickly turned to gaze out the window. Old-school torchlights glowed all across the campus like a handful of low-hanging stars. Lexa sighed and leaned back on her hands.

“Was it wrong of us to convince Soomie to have the party? Everyone’s still . . . I mean, I’m still spontaneously bursting into tears all the time. And Soomie’s been so depressed,” she said, squinting and chewing on her bottom lip. “Is it, I don’t know . . . too soon to try to have fun?”

Ariana took a deep breath. “No. You guys were right. It’s what she would have wanted. Maybe it’ll cheer everyone up a little. I think if we do it right, it’ll be good. It’ll be like . . . keeping her spirit alive.”

Lexa nodded slowly. There was a long moment of silence. “I really miss her.”

“Me too,” Ariana said, her heart heavy.

“I’m so glad you transferred here, Briana Leigh,” Lexa said, reaching over to hug Ariana. Ariana stiffened at the use of her full fake name. Lexa had known the real Briana Leigh Covington when the two of them were kids, and every once in a while she would drop her full name, reminding Ariana of how fragile her assumed identity was. One slip and Lexa could realize she was an imposter. “Having you here and becoming friends again after all this time. It’s like . . . I don’t know . . . it makes me think life can’t be that bad, you know?”