"I love it," she said. And somehow conveyed that she really did.
Just then a figure appeared in the mirror and Ariana's blood ran cold. Tall. Chin-length blond hair. Blue eyes. It was like looking at herself. The person she used to be. Suddenly she felt off-kilter. Like reality had turned itself upside down.
"Surprise!" Briana Leigh cried, rushing up behind Ariana's chair, her male stylist in tow.
Ariana fought for breath. Her sweaty palms clutched the arms of her chair. For a split second she thought that Briana Leigh had done it on purpose. Had made herself look like Ariana because Ariana was looking more and more like Briana Leigh. But then she realized that couldn't be the case. Briana Leigh had never seen Ariana as a blond. She had no idea how ironic her appearance was. Briana Leigh didn't realize how right she had been back at the ranch. The two of them definitely could have been twins.
"I thought you were just getting a cut," Ariana managed to say.
"I was going to, but then I thought, If we're getting new starts, why not go crazy?" Briana Leigh trilled. She strutted away from Ariana like a model and struck a pose, swinging her hair around so that it whacked her in the eyes when she turned. "Teo has always said he'd love to see me as a blond. Now he gets his wish!"
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Ariana pressed her lips closed as jealousy overwhelmed her. God, she missed her blond hair.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Briana Leigh asked, irritated. She brought her feet together and stood up straight. "I do look good as a blonde, right?"
Ariana blinked and tried to focus. "You look amazing." And she did.
Briana Leigh's smile lit the entire salon. Ever since their mutual confessions, her bitchy moments had been fewer and further between. But now it was clear to Ariana why Briana Leigh put on such a bitchy front. It was to protect herself. The girl had been betrayed in the absolute worst way possible by her best friend. "So do you."
Ariana's heart warmed. Maybe she could visit Briana Leigh and Teo in Ibiza over Christmas. It would be so nice to have someplace to go. A friend to visit. Someone to look forward to seeing... especially since she could never go home again. It was amazing how much her feelings for Briana Leigh had changed in the past day. But Ariana knew firsthand how crushing that sort of betrayal felt. Thanks to Noelle and now Kaitlynn.
"Ladies!"
Briana Leigh's stylist walked over and handed them each a flute filled with champagne. He had one for himself and one for Deanna as well. A strawberry slice floated in each glass.
"Let's celebrate," he said, tipping her glass forward. "To new beginnings."
Ariana's heart gave a little thrill as the four glasses clinked.
"To new beginnings,"
209
THE DREADED DMV
Ariana sat in a warped plastic chair at the Department of Motor Vehicles that afternoon, trying not to cringe as Briana Leigh strolled around the waiting room checking out the new her in every reflective surface she could find. Ariana paged through a Vogue magazine and breathed in and out, keeping her nerves under control. This was going to work. Of course it was going to work. She had everything she needed. She just had to play it cool.Of course it didn't help that the claustrophobic office had no air-conditioning and there was a stream of sweat coursing down the center of her back. Ariana hated to sweat. It was so animalistic.
"Briana Leigh
Covington?" the large man behind the counter called out.
"Yeah?" Briana Leigh said.
Ariana's heart stopped as she sat forward. She turned away from the DMV worker and shot Briana Leigh a look that could have
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stopped a rabid pit bull in its tracks. Briana Leigh turned fuchsia.
"She's right here," Briana Leigh said loudly, walking over to Ariana and pulling her up by the arms. "Don't keep the nice man waiting, Briana Leigh."
Then she shoved Ariana forward. Ariana looked at the glowering DMV worker and rolled her eyes.
"Pardon my friend. Too much iced coffee," she said.
The man laced his fat, sausagelike fingers together and sighed through his nose. She could see the sweat stains spreading out on his shirt from his armpits and decided to breathe through her mouth. The oscillating fan on the shelf behind the man turned in Ariana's direction, but all she got from it was a piddling, stray breeze. His bulk was blocking the good stuff.