by Kate Brian
Landon stood on a large stage at the front of the room for his photo ops, backed by about a hundred plasma screens suspended from the wall. Each screen played his latest video, which for some reason featured both cheerleaders and geisha girls. All the waitresses circulating
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at the event were dressed in the same way as the girls in the video, right down to their elaborate eye shadow and supersprayed hairstyles. They served free hors d'oeuvres and flavored sodas to the kids, and ten-dollars-and-up drinks to the adults, who, as Tahira had predicted, all seemed to be in serious need of a little something to take the edge off. On the screens half a dozen of the geishas and cheerleaders were fawning all over Landon, who was shirtless in the clip. Shirtless and, in Ariana's view, kind of scrawny and unsexy.
"This is ridiculous," Ariana said, shouting to be heard over the din of voices and cries and screams and applause, not to mention the insanely loud rock music that was being pumped through dozens of huge speakers. "I'm sorry, but what's so great about Landon? He seems like a totally average person to me."
"I know, right?" Lexa said, taking a twenty-dollar bill from one of the dozens of girls trying to crowd their table. She quickly made change and handed it over, then stamped the girl's hand. "I wonder if they would be so excited about him if they knew he can literally spend an hour picking his toenails."
"Ew," Ariana said. She glanced over at Landon as he slung his arm around a bawling redheaded girl and smirked for the camera, tilting his head so that his hair fell over his eye just so. "How do you know that?"
"We all hit Saint-Tropez together last year for Columbus Day weekend," Lexa said, leaning toward Ariana. "I saw him do it right there on the beach."
Ariana bit back a gag.
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"Here you go!" a tall, stocky girl with long brown hair appeared in front of the table with a plate full of food. "I got three of each of the passed hors d'oeuvres."
"Thanks, Melanie. I'm starved," Lexa said. "Ana, have you met Melanie?"
Melanie turned to Ariana with a smile. "No. Nice to meet you," Ariana said. "Snack duty, I assume?"
"That's me," Melanie replied. "Let me know if you guys need anything else!"
Then she quickly turned and made her way back into the fray. Lexa picked up the tiniest hamburger Ariana had ever seen and took a bite.
"Tahira outdid herself with the food," she said. "Tres smart going for finger foods that the masses could recognize instead of getting fancy. Try one!"
Ariana grabbed a teeny grilled cheese wedge and popped it in her mouth, where it melted on her tongue. "Not bad," she conceded.
"Okay! Okay! Get off!" Brigit shouted, elbowing some brace-faced girl aside as she returned from the bathroom. She shuddered, straightened the sparkly cardigan sweater she wore over her black dress, and stepped up to Ariana's side. Without a second thought she grabbed one of the grilled cheese triangles and ate it. "It's a good thing I offered up my security detail to watch the cash tonight. If Rudolpho had been out here with me, he would have flattened that girl!"
"Are you okay?" Lexa asked, checking Brigit over. The second her
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friends' backs were turned, Ariana slipped a stack of bills out of the cash box and quickly shoved it into her bag at her feet. She'd been doing this all night whenever no one was looking, but every time she did it, she held her breath, which was starting to make her feel lightheaded. Still, by the time Brigit and Lexa turned around again, she was sitting up straight, taking another twenty-five dollars from a young girl with pigtails, and stamping the girl's hand with a big purple L.
"There you go!" Ariana said brightly. "Just show that stamp to the guy at the front of the line so he knows you've paid for your photo op!"
"Do you really go to school with him?" the girl asked, her eyes wide as she clutched a Seventeen magazine with Landon on the cover.
"Yeah," Ariana said with a nod. "I really do."
"You are soooo lucky," the girl behind her said. "I would kill to go to school with him."
And I would kill to get to stay at that school, Ariana thought, placing her foot atop the bag that held every cent she had collected for Kaitlynn so far. Inside her suede hobo was a collapsible duffel, and inside that was the money she had earned by pawning off all the things she had stolen--something she hadn't heard about again since that one time in the dining hall, thank the universe for small favors. Every time she felt even the slightest bit of hesitation over what she had to do tonight, she reminded herself of all the risks she had taken already, just to get the piddling amount of money that was in her bag. If she didn't see her plan through, all that would have been for nothing. Besides, after tonight, the money would be out of her hands, and there would219
be zero evidence that she was the culprit. She just had to get through the event.
"Thanks!" Brigit said to another paying customer. "Grab his butt! He likes that!" she joked.
Ariana and Lexa laughed as Brigit pulled the metal cash box toward her. She checked inside and grinned. "We are so going to win."
"1 know. We have taken in an obscene amount of cash," Lexa replied.
Suddenly, Adam slid in behind the table and lifted a hand in greeting. "Hey," he said, breathless. "Need me to run anything to the bank room?"
He already had a cash box tucked under one arm and his face was red from the exertion of fighting through the crowd for the millionth time that night. The kid was working harder than anyone else in the museum.
"Yeah. This one's full," Brigit said, slapping the metal box closed and handing it over. "Actually, I think I'll come with you and check on Rudolpho."
"Okay," Adam said with a smile. "You can protect me from the crazies."
"Protect you?" Brigit said, turning to look at him. "Is that a crack at my weight?"
Adam's eyes went wide. "No! No! I swear. It's a crack at my total weaklingness," he replied awkwardly.
"Weaklingness, huh?" Brigit narrowed her eyes, but then smiled. "Okay, then. I'll protect you."
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The two of them took off together, sidestepping a group of chattering girls. "The bank room" was their nickname for the coatroom area, where Brigit's bodyguard, Rudolpho, had been posted to collect all the money from the various stations and the bar throughout the night and pool it all together into larger bags. Adam had been making runs to the various stations and bringing the cash back to Rudolpho, who didn't seem all that psyched about his reassignment. Brigit had explained that on normal days, inside the protective walls at Atherton-Pryce, she didn't need someone watching over her, but whenever she went out for a big public event like this one, the king and queen insisted she take along a guard. But she had Rudolpho wrapped around her pinky finger, so she was able to convince him not to breathe down her neck all night, and to do a much more important job instead--guard the money with his life.
While the very thought of the many security guards hired by the museum made Ariana sweat in a very unappealing way, the fact that Brigit's own detail was watching the money was actually a boon for Ariana. She had a feeling it was going to make her plan easier to execute rather than harder. If she could just get all the pawns to line up as she'd planned.
Unlike Brigit, Tahira had gone for a full security detail--probably because it made her look important. As she circulated the room, she was flanked by two burly bodyguards and turned heads wherever she went as those not-in-the-know wondered who she was and whether she was famous. Ariana had heard more than a few jealous little girls wonder whether Tahira might be Landon's girlfriend, and if he might have hired the bodyguards to take care of her.
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Across the room, Ariana saw Tahira pause to talk to some parents, making sure their drinks from the cash bar were full and encouraging them to spend on their daughters. Girl really knew how to glean every last dollar out of these people.
"They'd make a cute couple, wouldn't they?" Lexa mused.
"Who?" Ariana asked, her thoughts still dawdling on Ta
hira and Landon.
"Brigit and Adam," Lexa said, opening a new cash box and making change for a pair of twin girls. "The princess and the pauper? It's a classic."
Ariana smirked. She didn't bother to point out that The Prince and the Pauper was not about a romantic couple, but about two guys. "I guess I could see it. They're both so ... innocent."
"I know, right? Maybe we should hook that up," Lexa said, her eyes bright with possibility.
Ariana's heart fluttered at the very idea of being included in a matchmaking scheme with Lexa. It felt so best-friendy. "Yeah. We definitely should."
Tahira was wending her way closer as she schmoozed, her security detail making sure the masses gave her a wide berth.
"I wonder what it's like to have bodyguards," Ariana said.
"I bet it sucks," Lexa replied. "Imagine having no control over your own life?"
Yeah. I kind of know what that's like, Ariana thought, checking her watch. Her heart skipped a surprised beat. It was already eight-thirty. Time flew when a thousand crazed girls were screaming in one's face.
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Kaitlynn would be in the alley outside in exactly an hour and a half. Ariana's stomach clenched and her palms started to sweat. She knew that the money at her feet wasn't nearly enough to pay Kaitlynn off. If she was going to succeed, she was going to have to get into the bank room. This was where Brigit's guard was going to come in handy. The risk was insanely high. And if she was caught. . .
In, one. . . two . . . three...
Out, one. . . two. . . three. . .
Ariana breathed in and out through her nose, clutching her forearm under the table. No. She was not going to get caught. This was her one and only chance to hold on to her new life. She had to think positively.
"Blue and gray are so going down," Lexa sang as she continued stamping hands.
Ariana simply smiled and tried to ignore the knot of guilt lodged in her stomach. What if gold lost because of her? What if she got caught? She'd be blackballed from the secret society for sure. But then again, she'd be expelled--or arrested--before that had a chance to happen. She could lose everything as a result of this scheme--her home, her friends, her education, her future. But if she didn't steal the money, it wouldn't matter whether or not she got expelled, because it would all be over anyway.
In a way, Ariana had both nothing, and everything, to lose.
If we don't take this event, we can still win the crew race and get into Privilege House, Ariana reasoned with herself. We only have to win two out of three events. And they won't find out what I've done. They won't. I've been so careful. . . .
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Of course, the next step was going to be messy, but there was nothing she could do about that now. It was her only hope. Ariana glanced back at the bank room, keeping an eye on Brigit s position, then scanned the room to make sure she knew where Tahira was as well. She checked her watch again, took in some cash, stamped a few hands. Another hour or so and it would be on to plan B. She just hoped that no one would be hurt. Unless, of course, they absolutely had to be.
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PLAN B
Ariana checked her watch. It was a quarter to ten. Go time. She glanced at Lexa, felt a squeeze of guilt over what she was about to do, and let it pass. Above all, she had to stay at Atherton-Pryce Hall. This was the only way."I so have to pee," Ariana announced, bouncing her legs up and down under the table for effect.
"Don't leave me," Lexa said with a laugh, clutching Ariana's arm. "I can't do this alone."
"Okay. I'll wait for Brigit to get back," Ariana replied, trying to sound reluctant. In truth, she was not planning on going anywhere until after Brigit returned from her latest trip with Adam to the cash box--a run that Lexa had suggested they continue to make together. Not until after plan B was in full effect. "Oh, hey. There's Tahira," Ariana said, lifting her head as the Dubai princess passed within a few yards of their table. "Let's see how we're doing." Ariana stood up and
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shouted over the heads of the thronging girls. "Tahira! Come here a sec!" she shouted, waving her hand.
Tahira looked over with a smile that fell away the moment she saw that it was Ariana who was summoning her. She said something to one of her bodyguards and all three of them moved toward the table, parting the crowd like the Red Sea. As they arrived Ariana glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw Brigit returning. She bit back a triumphant smile. This was going to work. It had to.
"Hey, Lexa," she said in a normal tone of voice. Then she lifted one eyebrow at Ariana and, in a derisive tone added, "Love."
It was interesting that Tahira didn't seem to mind talking down to Lexa's friends right in front of her--and how Lexa didn't often feel the need to defend those friends. It was almost as if they had some kind of unspoken agreement allowing such behavior. Yet another mystery Ariana would have to get to the bottom of, if she managed to pull this plan off and remain at APH.
"What is it?" Tahira asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She and her bodyguards formed a complete wall between the table and the paying customers, causing a pause in the commerce for the moment. "I have guests to attend to."
"I know. I won't keep you long," Ariana said, all sugary sweetness. "We just wanted to get the update. How are we doing?"
Tahira leaned toward the table as Brigit and Adam arrived, her smile totally self-satisfied. "Well, we have already taken in well over a million dollars," she said in a whisper-shout. "That's more money than gold has ever raised in the past, and we're only halfway through the night."
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"Whoa. Are you serious?" Adam said, as if it had never occurred to him that they could raise that much.
Ariana froze up a bit, realizing that it was not good that Tahira was so very aware of the dollar amounts raised. But she couldn't think about that now. She had to get on with the plan.
"A million? Really? That's it?" she said, trying to sound both concerned and amused.
Everyone looked at Ariana as if she were speaking in tongues. Even the bodyguards changed expression for a split second before returning to their disinterested glares.
"What do you mean, that's it?" Tahira snapped, lifting her palms so that her gold bangles clinked together. "Did you not hear what I just said? We've already broken records."
"Oh," Ariana said faux-innocently. "It just seemed like Brigit's idea would have raised twice as much. Don't you think, Brigit?"
Everyone looked at the Norwegian princess. Her jaw dropped slightly at having been put on the spot, but then she glanced at Tahira and assumed her defiant stance. "Probably," she sniffed. Ariana widened her eyes at Brigit, telling her to be strong. "Definitely, I mean. I definitely would have raised more. And I wouldn't have had to rely on the fame of one of my fellow students to do it."
"Girls," Lexa said in a warning tone. "Do we have to do this here?"
Unfortunately, yes. It has to be here, Ariana thought."Oh, really?" Tahira said, ignoring Lexa and walking around the table. "So tell me, what were these brilliant ideas that would have raised zillions?" she demanded. "Because apparently Palmer didn't agree that any of them were better than mine."
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Ariana bit the inside of her lip. This was going even better than she'd hoped. She picked up her hobo bag from under the table. It weighed a lot more than it had when she'd arrived.
"I still have to go to the bathroom," Ariana whispered to Lexa, a pained expression on her face. "Do you mind?"
"No! Go! Go ahead," Lexa said, shooing her away. "Adam will stay with me and help keep the peace, right, Adam?"
Put on the spot, Adam hesitated. "Uh, sure."
"That's because Palmer thought it would be amusing to put his buddy Landon in the spotlight for a night," Brigit said to Tahira. "All you did was play to the boys'-club mentality. That's why he went with you. Did you have your little boy toy Rob whispering in his ear too? Can you get anything done without a man helping you?"
Tahira let out an indignant gasp. "T
ake that back!"
"What are you going to do, have your male bodyguards beat me up?" Brigit shot back.
As Ariana walked away, total commotion exploded behind her. Lexa grabbed Brigit's arm as Tahira lunged forward. The bodyguards attempted to hold the Dubai princess back, but somehow Brigit and Tahira ended up on the floor, grappling with each other as Adam tried in vain to coax Brigit up. Girls screamed for a whole new reason, and a couple of boyfriends who had been dragged along whipped out their phones to take pictures. Ariana was halfway to the "bathroom," which was conveniently located right near the bank room, when Brigit's security guard came rushing out to help her, leaving the money unattended.
Perfection.
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Ariana had known that Brigit's bodyguard was going to come in handy. Any random security guard might have stuck with the money, but Brigit's personal guard couldn't stand by and let his princess get drop-kicked by Tahira. Rudolpho would definitely be occupied for the next few minutes.
Her heart pounding at an insane beat, Ariana slid behind the coat-check counter and paused. At her feet were no fewer than five canvas money bags stuffed to their brims. Part of her wanted to just grab one and run, but if one of the bags went missing it would be way too obvious. Checking to make sure the riot was still in full swing, Ariana dropped to her knees, whipped the collapsible duffel bag from the inside of her hobo, and loosened the strings on the first canvas bag. She reached inside and grabbed fistfuls of cash, stuffing them into her duffel. When she felt like she'd made a dent, she quickly reclosed the bag and opened the next one, following the same pattern. Once she had gotten through three bags, she felt she had done all she could without both screwing Team Gold into the ground, and making it totally obvious that there was money missing. She zipped up her duffel, peeked over the edge of the counter, and froze. Order had been restored. Rudolpho was checking Brigit over to make sure she was unharmed. Any second they were both going to realize that the money was not being watched.