Hidden Gem (33 page)

“It looks kinda cloudy.”

“I’m going swimming anyway,” Gavin said.

“You just ate and there might be lightning.”

“What can I say, I’m a rebel,” Gavin grinned, running out the front door.
 
Gemma shook her head as she watched him bound towards the lake.
 
She felt obligated to worry but she knew there was no need.
 
As soon as she plopped herself back onto the couch, there was a knock at the door.

“God, Gavin,” Gemma huffed.
 
“Make up your mind about what you do so I can relax already.”

She opened the door to find Lucas standing there.

“Hey,” he smiled.

Gemma blinked.
 
“Hi.
 
Looking for Gavin?”

“No.
 
And I’m not doing construction work for Mira either.
 
I was actually wondering if you could talk for a second.”
 
He looked serious.
 
Gemma nodded and let him in, gesturing towards the couch.

“Everything okay?” she asked, sitting at a slight distance from him.

“Yeah.
 
I just wanted to thank you again for giving that dress to Elisa,” he chuckled to himself.
 
“She wears it around the house.
 
She’s just literally been glowing since… so again, thank you.”

“Oh you guys already thanked me, it’s no big deal.”

“Actually, I also wanted to thank you for making it a point to sign Elisa’s CD after the concert.
 
I was worried about how upset she’d be if she’d waited that whole time and had to leave without an autograph.”

“Of course.
 
I wasn’t about to let her go without one,” Gemma said.
 
Lucas nodded, staring intently at her.
 
For a moment, Gemma hadn’t even realized what was wrong with what she just said.
 
Just as quickly, her mistake hit her and she clasped her hand hard against her mouth, practically slapping herself in the face.

“I had kind of suspected…” Lucas started.

“Suspected what?” Gemma asked hastily.
 
“I’m sorry, I just woke up from a nap and I kind of was just nodding along to what you were saying.
 
Could you repeat that?”

“You don’t have to pretend, Gemma.
 
I kind of thought there was something familiar about Queen Bee when I met her,” Lucas smiled.
 
“Every time Elisa told me some fact she’d read about Queen Bee, it would cross my mind.
 
I thought I was crazy and then I forgot about it.
 
But when I was putting the dress away for Elisa, I noticed the little tag inside.
 
The Balenciaga tag.”

“It was a replica dress,” Gemma shrugged.
 
“So what?”

“Don’t forget that I know everything there is to know about that dress thanks to Elisa.
 
I know the company refused to make another one or anything close to it.
 
It was one of a kind,” Lucas laughed.
 
“And now I am even
more
embarrassed that I know so much about Queen Bee because I’m sitting in front of her.”

“No you’re not!” Gemma laughed, thankful for the confidence in her voice despite the rapid hammering of her heart.
 
“I’m flattered, Lucas.
 
Really.
 
But you couldn’t be more wrong.”

“I’ve also worked for Mira for three years.
 
Odd jobs here and there.
 
I know she’s a talent manager, and I know she’s involved with Queen Bee’s team,” he eyed Gemma, whose body language was beginning to signal defeat.
 
He tried to suppress his smile of satisfaction.
 
“I also take her garbage out when Gavin forgets and I swear, I thought you guys killed a swan a week ago.
 
Feathers were flying everywhere when I dragged that thing to the curb.”

“Oh my God,” Gemma buried her face in her hands.

“What can I say, I like playing detective,” Lucas teased as he reached over to peel Gemma’s hands from her face.
 
“I was pretty happy when I cracked this case.”

“I can’t believe this.
 
Aunt Mira’s going to kill me.
 
This could totally mess things up for me.”

“Why would it?” Lucas asked.

“Because you and Elisa know.
 
It’ll get out.
 
Eventually.”

“You know you don’t have to worry about me saying a word.
 
Elisa, however, would be a problem…” Lucas admitted.
 
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small strip of cloth.
 
“Which is why I took the tag off.
 
She would’ve figured out it was the original in a heartbeat.”
 
He handed the Balenciaga tag to Gemma.
 
The edges were frayed, tiny delicate threads hanging off the edge.
 
Gemma closed her hand over the piece of cloth.
 
She was silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry, I can’t really wrap my mind around this yet,” she said, clutching her stomach, which performed somersaults of anxiety.
 
“Lucas, no one – and I mean
no one
– knows about this.
 
Other than my immediate family and my makeup artist and stylist.
 
No one.”

“Wow,” Lucas’s hazel eyes widened, shining.
 
“How have you been able to keep it from the girls? They’re almost as bad as Elisa with the gossip rags and everything.
 
They’re your biggest fans.”
 
He stopped to correct himself with a laugh.
 
“Well, except for Madison.
 
She’s jealous that Tyler Chase is after Queen Bee.”

“And everyone thought she couldn’t hate me more,” Gemma laughed dryly.

“Well you keep stealing all her men,” Lucas joked.

“What, did she have a crush on Damian that you never told me about?”

“No,” Lucas exhaled.
 
“You know what I mean.
 
The rumors about you…
 
and me… joke.
 
It was a joke”

“Oh,” Gemma cringed.
 
“Well the rumors were that I was obsessed with you and failed in seducing you.
 
Not that I took you away from her.”

“She saw it differently,” Lucas shrugged.
 
“She always thought there was something between us.
 
Probably still thinks there is.”

“I just don’t know where she gets that idea from.”

“I probably don’t help the situation,” Lucas said, shoving his hands into his pockets.
 
Gemma looked up at him.
 
He had turned to look out the window towards the lake where Gavin was floating on his back.
 
He chuckled at the sight, but his laugh soon wound down to a sigh.
 
Gemma recalled the night he found her by the basketball court and how he had wanted to say something before Gavin called.

“How did you not help the situation?” Gemma asked.
 
Lucas turned back to face her.

“I didn’t do enough to hide how interested I was in you,” he said.
 
Gemma swallowed hard.
 
“I mean
,
I wasn’t sure what the interest was exactly.
 
I didn’t think it was anything worth hiding, but I guess I underestimated what it was.
 
I’m still not sure what I mean.”

Gemma nodded as they sat in silence.
 
She had convinced herself that the moments they shared throughout the school year were not actually worth analyzing.
 
All along, they were.
 
It was bizarre to realize.
 
The whole time, Madison had seen something that Gemma and even Lucas had not noticed until now.

Lucas broke the silence with a nervous chuckle.

“What?” Gemma managed a smile.

“This must be a lot for you to take in.”

“What? That you know my secret identity and have weird feelings for me?” Gemma laughed incredulously.
 
“No big deal.
 
Totally not blowing my mind.”
 
Lucas burst into laughter that made Gemma smile.
 
A break in his quiet demeanor was always a refreshing sight and she had forgotten what his charming laugh looked like.

“I do want to say sorry though,” Lucas said.
 
“I feel like I made you into a target for Madison.
 
I care about her and everything but I know how she can get.
 
I do.”
 
He shook his head and raised his eyebrows.
 
“I always think about how lucky I am that Damian’s a good guy and didn’t beat the shit out of me.”

“Why would Damian beat the shit out of you?” Gavin suddenly walked into the front door.
 
“And what are you doing here?”

“Bored.
 
Everyone left town and Mira said you guys were here, so I came to hang out.”

“Oh, okay,” Gavin shrugged.
 
“It totally started raining out of nowhere so we’re stuck in here for awhile.
 
I’m gonna dry off.”
 
Gavin strode up the stairs.
 
Gemma looked out the window.
 
She noticed the continuous ripples of raindrops hitting the surface of the lake.

“Remember when you saved me from drowning in the lake?” she asked.
 
Lucas smiled with a nod.
 
“And remember that time you saved me from the rain?”

“Well, that second situation was probably less life-threatening than the first,” Lucas laughed.

“Either way,” Gemma said.
 
“I can’t really think of a better moment to thank you for both those things.”
 
They looked out the window, watching the rain beat down harder on the lake.
 
The hammock rocked slowly in the breeze.
 
Gemma remembered the anticipation she had felt for everything the last time she was at the lake house.
 
She remembered the excitement, the nerves, the feelings she had when she first met Lucas.
 
She had wondered if she would make friends, if she would do well in school, if she would have a boyfriend.
 
She wondered if she could keep her two lives from colliding.

Then, Gemma Hunter was Queen Bee’s secret.
 
But now, a full school year later, Gemma Hunter’s life had become fuller than she could have ever imagined.
 
Even Madison was responsible for giving her something – her friendship with Leah, Kate, Jillian and the athletes.
 
Damian was more than she could ever ask for in a first boyfriend, or any boyfriend for that matter.
 
Any boy who followed had a lot to live up to.

Lucas gazed out the window.
 
He now knew her in a way that no one else could.
 
She had always had a different place for him in her heart, but now she felt close to him in a way that she couldn’t with the girls or even Damian.
 
Gemma couldn’t help but wonder what this meant for them.

She looked at the roses on the coffee table.
 
Tyler wasn’t the only one who was after Queen Bee.
 
The whole world had developed an interest in her and Gemma knew she’d be spending much of her summer in costume.
 
Suddenly, she felt the same nerves and excitement she had felt that first time she was at the lake house.
 
There was so much uncertainty but for once, she looked forward to it.
 
She had gained
twice as much knowledge
in her year of living as two different girls.
 
Mira was right – she needed to find a way to bring the best of Queen Bee to benefit Gemma Hunter.
 
She was strong enough to make it work and tough enough to keep it going.