Ariana nearly jumped out of her skin at the explosion of applause. She stood on her toes as everyone clapped their hands together above their heads to welcome their president. She got the faintest glimpse of a blue blazer bounding onto the stage, but it took a few minutes before the mania died down and she was able to get her first good look at the school president. His latte-colored skin, his jet-black hair, the broad shoulders that perfectly filled his blue blazer. And the smile. The smile that told everyone there that he knew they were looking at him. Admiring him.
24
Ariana stopped breathing. She experienced a moment of pure weightlessness, like the exhilarating split second at the top of a free-fall ride, knowing what's about to come and being blissfully unable to stop it. And then she was falling. Falling right toward Palmer Liriano. He was so beautiful, so powerfully perfect, he was like human gravity.
Ariana had always believed in love at first sight. She'd just never experienced it until now.
Calm yourself, Ariana, she thought, taking a deep breath. You don't know anything about this guy. But still her heart pitter-pattered away like a bunny rabbit on speed."I trust you all had a productive summer," Palmer said with a teasing lilt to his voice, a m
ischievous glint in his dark eyes. "And by productive I mean full of parties, exotic destinations, and . . . other things."
As the crowd cheered, he cast a glance at Headmaster Jansen, who had stepped aside. She gave him a warning look and a smile that was a "Watch it, pal," and "You know you can do whatever you want" all rolled into one. The vibe between the headmaster and the students was vastly different from any Ariana had ever experienced at Easton. Always one for order and respect--where it was warranted, of course--she wasn't yet sure if she liked it.
"But now we're back and it's time to get down to business." He whipped a white envelope from the back of the waistband of his gray pants and held it up. Hundreds of envelopes were thrust in the air in response. "These envelopes hold your team color. Each student has been selected by one of three teams. I am the captain of the gold team."
25
Here he paused for more cheers.
"Elizabeth Darrow is the captain of the gray team."
Here he stepped aside and held out his arm to welcome a beautiful, preppy blond girl to the stage, her hair pulled back in a French braid and her argyle socks stuffed into a pair of traditional penny loafers.
"And Martin Tsang is the captain of the blue team."
A tall, handsome Asian boy with shaggy dark hair joined them at the top of the stairs.
"Now, whichever team wins the Welcome Week competition will win the right to exert the five privileges," Palmer continued, pacing slowly back and forth in front of Martin and Elizabeth. "Privilege one.
"One!" the crowd shouted in unison as Palmer raised one finger in the air.
"Extended curfew," he said, his gaze sliding across the crowd. "That means lights out an hour later than the rest of campus, people."
"Privilege two."
"Two!" the crowd called out.
"The freedom to leave campus without a pass!"
Cheers greeted this announcement. Ariana's heart fluttered with excitement and joy.
"Privilege three."
"Three!"
"The right to take one class pass/fail. Privilege four."
"Four!"
26
"Prime tables in the dining hall and library," Palmer said. "And finally, privilege five."
His voice grew low and sexy as he said "privilege five." Ariana's pulse quickened and she felt nearly ill with attraction. Everyone around her hooted and hollered.
"This one was established when the school went coed in 1974 and Wolcott Hall with it ... the right to have a member of the opposite sex in your room!"
The crowd went wild with cheers.