The Gossip Web (22 page)

“And miss the chance to scare you?” Trace replied with a laugh. “No way.”

I continued to edge further from Trace, keeping my eyes glued to the grass beneath my feet. “You’re sick,” I told him.

Trace stopped smiling to take a long look at my face. I hoped he would see the expression of fury etched into it and leave me be; I was in no mood to deal with his insensitive jokes. Trace cocked his head to the side like a dog when it’s confused, then he frowned and took a step towards me. I backed away quickly to keep a gap between us, and that’s when he figured it out.

Sighing, Trace ran a hand through his hair. Great, now he was irritated too. He gave me a long once-over before he asked me, “What is it this time?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I replied swiftly, turning my back to him.

“Why not? What’s wrong, Jade?” He asked me, and I could hear him edging closer.

I shook my head, praying he would stop in his tracks. If he touched me just once, I knew I would be a goner. “Please, Trace---please go away and leave me alone.”

His shoes crunched against the ground as he walked closer towards me. “I’m not going anywhere, Jade. Not until you talk to me.”

“Well that’s too bad, because I don’t want to talk to you right now!” I replied hastily.

“Why not?” Trace sounded upset, but I wasn’t going to fall for his games. He wasn’t going to get away with breaking my heart again. Not this time.

“Jade---”

I spun around to face him. “No, Trace!” I interrupted him hastily. “Just stop! Go home.”

“Come on…” he began softly. “Why are you acting so hostile all of a sudden?”

“Because you disgust me,” I spat, glaring at his confused expression.

His blue eyes darkened at my comment. “Oh really?”

I nodded swiftly and replied, “Yes, now leave me alone.”

Trace shook his head and backed away from me. “Wow. You have issues, Jade,” he muttered.

“Me? I have issues?” I yelled at him in disbelief. It was amazing that he could stand there and offend me, when he was the one who was screwing it all up. And for what? An evil, maniacal bitch!

“Yes!” He shouted back loudly.

“That is so like you, Tracey, to blame everything on me!” Now my anger level had reached a new high. “I’m sick of it---sick of you making me feel worthless!”

I tried to keep my voice down, but I couldn’t---not when he was standing there, watching me with those same blue eyes I had fantasized over so many nights. It hurt too much to know that he never and would never feel the same way I did about him. Although technically, I knew that he cared about me….but I had a feeling that he couldn’t want a girl like me. Not when he had beautiful models like Gloria Malone chasing after him. Who was I to try and compete with her? Why should I even try?

Looking towards the ground, Trace murmured softly, “I’m sorry. That’s not what I’ve been trying to do, Jade. It’s just---” his voice broke off, and he glanced back at me.

I crossed my arms and narrowed my brows. It irritated me that he kept leaving open sentences like that---the kinds that left me wondering. It was a regularity with him. He could never just tell me what was on his mind!

“What is it?” I shouted furiously. “Just say what you need to say so I can get away from you!”

His face red hot, Trace yelled, “Fine!” Grabbing me by the shoulders, he brought his face close to mine and whispered, “You drive me crazy, Jade.”

“Excuse me?” Now my face was turning red, but not red with anger; it was red from embarrassment. “I drive you crazy? You’re the one who won’t leave me alone!”

“That’s only because I---” he stalled again, biting his lower lip. As I watched him do this, I noticed all the tension hiding behind his stare. He was really having a hard time telling me what was on his mind.

Frustrated that he wouldn’t go on, I probed him. “You what? Huh? Tell me!”

“I want us to be together,” he said hurriedly, staring straight into my eyes.

Did he really just say that? He wanted to be with me? I was puzzled and overjoyed at the same time. I was overwhelmed by so many emotions, but somehow I managed to ask him, “You do?”

“Yeah,” He said, flashing me a worried smile. I noticed that he looked a little scared.

“But…why?” I whispered.

Trace took a deep breath before continuing. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Jade. You’re the only person I want to see every day and you’re the only thing that seems to ground me. I want to be around you all the time and…it’s just driving me nuts.”

He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, obviously pleased with himself that he got his feelings off of his chest. I on the other hand, was not at all happy. Why did he keep doing this to me? One minute he was telling me he cared about me, and the next he was hanging around Gloria and letting her put her hands on him! What was I supposed to do with his words, when his actions contradicted them?

Trace could see my frustration, which is why he asked, “Jade, what’s wrong?”

“You tell me over and over again that you care about me, that you want me---but you don’t!”

“What are you talking about?” He replied hastily. “Of course I do!”

Looking him square in the eye, I asked curiously, “What about Gloria, Trace?”

Cocking his head again, Trace frowned at my question. “What about her?”

“You’re kind of going with her…” I told him slowly. “Aren’t you?”

He gave me a strange look, then released his hold on me as he said, “No, I’m not.” I couldn’t detect an ounce of dishonesty, but I still wondered if he was lying.

“But, Heidi said…she said she saw you…” I stammered, trying to remember each and every detail Heidi confessed to me earlier. I cringed as I pictured Gloria with her hands on Trace’s shoulder, leaning in close to him…The mental image was enough to make me vomit.

Trace gave me a heated look and asked, “She saw me do what?”

“Heidi told me that she saw you and Gloria together at Lana’s party. She wouldn’t lie about something like that, Trace. Heidi knows how I feel about Gloria. So don’t try to deny it.”

“I wasn’t going to lie, Jade. I was around Gloria tonight.” He said it so nonchalantly, as if he wasn’t that big of a deal. But it definitely was.

“Exactly,” I whispered painfully, staring down at the grass.

“But…” he replied slowly, dipping his head down closer to my face. His blue eyes sparkled as he looked me over.

Growing annoyed by his devoted observation to my head, I snapped, “But what?”

“But it’s not like she says. I was only hanging out with Gloria to talk about her break-up with Freddie. Nothing happened between us---if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

I frowned, feeling a little foolish. “Okay…but why did you have to be around her at all? She doesn‘t deserve your friendship, Trace!”

“Well, she seemed genuinely upset---”

“Oh, boo-hoo!” I interrupted sarcastically. “So what if Gloria’s upset? It’s not like the world is coming to an end or anything.”

“I know that, Jade. But she’s sort of my friend---and Freddie is my friend. I guess I felt like I needed to step in and help if I could. I’m just a nice person,” Trace added casually, as if I should believe that’s what he was really doing with her.

My mind reeled back to the day before, remembering how cozy they looked with each other when walking to class. “Oh, yeah, sure.”

Taken aback by my sarcasm, he asked with a grin, “What? You don’t believe me?”

Glaring at his stupid gorgeous smile, I replied angrily, “No, I don’t believe you, Trace. Especially when you’re hanging around the goddess! The queen of West Haven High!”

He shrugged and replied, “She’s not all that she’s cracked up to be.”

“Really? Well that’s very comforting to know,” I exhaled irritably.

“I’m serious. I don’t even really like her.”

I rolled my eyes at that one, and then I laughed. “Hilarious.”

Sending me an odd look, Trace said, “I don’t get it. What’s so funny?”

“You are,” I told him simply, crossing my arms even tighter. “You must be the only guy in West Havenbrook who doesn’t drool over Gloria Malone.”

Smiling again, he copied me and crossed his arms the same way. “I take pride in knowing that.”

I shook my head at him and scowled. “You dated her, bonehead. Or have you forgotten your hook up with Miss It?”

“That was a long time ago---we didn’t click. She knows that.”

“Yeah, that’s why she’s so desperate to get you back. Obviously that connection is still there.”

Trace seemed confused by what I said. “What are you talking about?”

“She wants you back, Trace,” I told him simply. “I can’t believe you haven’t figured that out yet.”

He shook his head. “No, she doesn’t, Jade. She just broke up with Freddie.”

I sighed, disappointed that he didn’t see her for the conniving witch that she really was. Boy, he really needed to open his eyes.

“You can believe whatever you want, Trace---but I know what she’s up to. Gloria won’t stop until she’s destroyed me and has you wrapped around her pinky.”

“Wow. You really hate her, huh? But I guess I would too if she did to me what she has done to you…” His voice broke off before adding, “Jade, you should really just let it go. She’s a bitch, but she’s nothing worth worrying about. Don’t give her the satisfaction!”

He watched me closely, and a smug expression passed over his face when I didn’t reply. Then his face lit up suddenly, as if something dawned on him. Grinning even wider now, he stated loudly, “I know what your problem is. You’re jealous!”

             
After turning away from his all-knowing stare, I muttered, “Again with the jealousy remark? I told you before, Trace. I am not jealous of Gloria Malone!”

             
Trace grabbed my shoulders again, facing my body towards him. “Don’t turn away from me,” he told me, and my stomach fluttered from his command. I couldn’t help but blush when his grip grew firmer.

             
“I didn’t mean you’re jealous of Gloria, Jade,” he replied.

             
“Well I’m glad we’re on the same page about that.” Feeling slightly aggravated that I was stuck with him staring at me, I asked sharply, “Then what do you mean, since you think you know everything about me?”

             
“I mean, Sweetie, that you’re jealous of her and I together.”

             
I rose my eyes at his accusation, but I shrugged and tried to play it off with a laugh---even though I knew he was right. I definitely did not want to see him with her.

             
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You can be with whoever you want, Trace,” I told him casually.

             
His hand moved from my shoulder to touch my neck. I shivered as he said, “Don’t lie to me, Jade. Besides, it doesn’t do you any good. I can see right through that fake, stony exterior you put up around me.”

             
I felt my face flare up at his comment. Was my affection for him really that noticeable? I shook my head and sighed at my stupidity. I thought I had put up a pretty believable front, but I must’ve looked so pathetic to him. He knew I’d been pining for him after all these years. What was wrong with me?

             
Trace moved his head in the direction of my ear, and I felt his hot breath tickle my skin as he whispered, “You can’t fool something like this, Jade. It’s too powerful…even for you to try and deny.”

             
My heart fluttered as his soft brown hair brushed against my face. He was so perfect, and I couldn’t believe I was here with him, and that he was touching me in such a wonderful way. But for some reason, I still held my guard up.

             
“Tracey…you’re delusional,” I breathed.

             
He moved his head back around to meet mine, and our faces were so close that a passerby would’ve thought our noses connected them. “Am I? Or do you want me as much as I want you?”

             
I felt lightheaded as I stared deep into his amazing eyes. “Don’t kid yourself,” was all I could force my mouth to say. Not the truth…just another witty insult.

             
Thankfully, Trace ignored my comment. He grinned, and his blue eyes grew soft and focused on my own. “Let’s just see about that,” he said softly.

             
“What are you going to---”

             
My speech was cut off as his lips pressed against mine. They felt so soft and so real---it was nothing like I expected it to be. It was much, much better. Trace kissed me slowly, wrapping his arms around my waist. I sighed in ecstasy, overwhelmed that it had finally happened! All at once I was filled with so many emotions: lust, joy, worry, anger, confusion. It was the best moment of my life---and then it was over.

             
“Jade? Is that you?” Of course it had to be the voice of Erika to ruin this very special moment for me. Just when I didn’t think my night couldn’t get any better, it got a lot worse.