Cruel Love (Privilege 6)

“You did?” Ariana asked, her face flushed.

Tahira grabbed another piece of scone. “Like anyone’s gonna believe that. You’re the second most anal person I know, after Soomie,” Tahira said as she chewed. “And honestly, even if you did trash your room, who cares? Everyone’s gotta vent somehow, especially with everything that’s been going on. The other day me and Rob went to his dad’s shooting range and went ballistic on the targets with actual shotguns. It was so therapeutic.”

Ariana blinked. “Um. Wow.”

“Yeah. No one’s gonna be judging you for breaking your own stuff. Believe me,” Tahira said firmly. “And all Palmer did by bringing it up out of nowhere was make himself look like a sore loser and, honestly? Kind of a dick.”

Ariana laughed under her breath. Talk about a plan backfiring. Too bad for Palmer. “That’s good to know. Thanks, Tahira.”

“I just can’t believe you have to run S and G with him as your second-in-command. That’s not gonna be awkward or anything,” Tahira said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Ariana curled her hands around her coffee cup. With everything else that was going on, she hadn’t even thought of that. Palmer was still the vice president of Stone and Grave. And he clearly hated her. His first play for power seemed to be unsuccessful, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep trying. Perhaps it was time to start thinking of ways to get rid of him. Maybe it would be a good thing if he kept talking crap about her around campus. If everyone started to think he was a sore loser and a dick, it would be far easier to gather support for his removal.

Tahira’s phone beeped and she tugged it out of her bag. “Crap. I was supposed to meet Rob and his parents at the gates ten minutes ago,” she said as she stood up again. “They’re flying back to Florida today and we said we’d have breakfast with them. Yee. Ha.”

Ariana laughed.

“Hey, do you want to do some shopping tomorrow?” Tahira asked, lowering her voice. “I personally believe that the president of Stone and Grave should have a signature look to be envied by all. And I’m not talking about that sunglasses-at-night look.”

“Absolutely,” Ariana replied. “We can make a plan later.”

“Perfect,” Tahira said. She leaned down and double-air-kissed Ariana. “Then maybe I can pick your brain about how you do it all.”

She winked before whirling away and disappearing through the Privilege House doors. Ariana watched her go, her confidence entirely recovered. Apparently Palmer didn’t wield quite as much power as he thought. And Tahira was right, after all. Look at all she’d been through in her life, and she always, always found a way to land on her feet. Yesterday’s blip with Reed had been just that—a blip. All she needed to do was rethink, retrench, come up with a new, foolproof plan. Before long, Reed Brennan would be dead, and Ariana would be one step closer to the perfect life she’d always wanted.

HOLDING OUT

“Okay, I need one of these in every color.”

Tahira grabbed a fringed leather Jimmy Choo bag and slung it over her shoulder, posing in front of the full-length mirror. Ariana had already done some serious damage to her credit cards, buying a whole new wardrobe for her position of power. She’d purchased so much, in fact, that she’d left all her packages with the store’s valet to have them shipped back to school, knowing they wouldn’t fit in the trunk of her tiny car.

“It is very you,” Ariana replied as she considered a mustard-colored Michael Kors clutch.

“What do you think, Maria?” Tahira asked, whipping around dramatically. “Isn’t it just yum?”

Maria glanced over from her perch atop a Lucite table filled with sale merchandise. “Eh,” she said.

Tahira’s shoulders dropped and the bag slid to her wrist. “Eh? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Sorry. Fringe isn?

?t really my thing,” Maria said, lifting her slim shoulders.

“Well, I love it,” Tahira replied. She walked over to the counter and plopped the black bag down in front of the saleslady. “I’ll take the red, the white, and the green as well.”

The saleswoman’s dark eyes widened, probably seeing her monthly commission triple in one fell swoop. Tahira had just committed herself to about five thousand dollars’ worth of purses.

“Are you getting that?” Tahira asked Ariana.

Ariana replaced the bag on its shelf. “I think I’ve spent enough for one night,” she said, even though she could have bought a million clutch bags with the green she had in her bank account, thanks to Grandma Covington’s recent death.

“Well, maybe your new boyfriend will get it for you for Christmas,” Tahira said, her voice leading. She slapped her credit card down on the counter as the saleswoman returned from the display with her other bags.

Ariana smirked. She’d wondered when this subject would come up. Now that the wound of Lexa’s death wasn’t quite so fresh and the Stone and Grave presidency had been decided, of course Jasper would be the next bit of gossip to occupy everyone’s minds.

“Yeah, what’s up with that anyway?” Maria asked, leaning her palms into the display table across from Ariana. “One second you’re dumping Palmer, all heartbroken, and the next second you’re canoodling with the Louisiana blondie.”

Ariana lifted a shoulder. “It just kind of … happened.”