Quote 4
"Avoid the chicken-fried steak at all costs," [Arriane] coached as they followed the crowd into the din of the lunchroom. "The pizza's fine, the chili's okay, and actually the borscht ain't bad. Do you like meatloaf?"
"I'm a vegetarian," Luce said…
"Vegetarian, huh?" Arriane pursed her lips. "Hippie parents or your own meager attempt at rebellion?" (2.50-52)
This interaction shows two things. First, we see that Arriane is a good person to have around because she can walk you through the inner workings of the lunchroom with ease. Second, we see that Luce doesn't fit in here. The fact that she just doesn't like meat sets her apart from the other students—and it also makes it really, really hard for her to find suitable dinner options.
Quote 5
Arriane shrugged and produced a giant bag of popcorn from her carpetbag. "I can only look after so many new students," she said, tossing a buttery kernel at Luce. "Lucky you." (5.69)
Not only can Arriane get access to things that the other students might not—like the popcorn, for instance…probably courtesy of Roland or Cam—but she also chooses whom she'll trust with her information and her attention. By inviting Luce into her social circle, she's making her privy to the secret parts of Sword & Cross.
Quote 6
"Detention buddies does not equal real life buddies."
Arriane looked back at Luce, who could feel her face falling, despite her bet efforts to appear unfazed.
"Look, Luce, I didn't mean…" she trailed off. "Okay, aside from the fact that you made me waste a good twenty minutes of my morning, I have no problem with you. In fact, I think you're sort of interesting. Kinda fresh. That said, I don't know what you were expecting in terms of mushy-gushy friendship here at Sword & Cross. But let me be the first to tell you, it just ain't that easy. People are here because they've got baggage. I'm talking curbside-check-in, pay-the-fine-cause-it's-over-fifty-pounds kind of baggage. Get it?" (4.59-61)
Here Arriane lays it all on the line for Luce, telling her straight out that Sword & Cross is not Dover Prep: making friends will not be as easy as swapping phone numbers and sitting together at lunch. People here are here for real reasons, not just supernatural reasons, and Luce has to understand that just as she doesn't necessarily want to open up to anyone, the other students might not want to open up to her. Communication is a two-way street, and all that. Except here is sometimes a no-way street.