The Gossip Web (15 page)

             
“I know that you’re sorry, Trace,” I told him gently. “And I can see that you want to make it up to me.” I frowned suddenly and shook my head before continuing to say, “But just because you’ve apologized for what you’ve done, it doesn’t mean I forgive you for it. Because I don’t…and I don’t think I ever will.”

             
Trace’s face grew ashen after my speech and his grip turned shaky. “Oh, okay,” he sighed and glanced at his feet, avoiding my heavy stare .

             
“But…” I added, placing my hand gently against his cheek. “Just because I don’t forgive you for what you did, doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be with you.”

             
I grinned as I watched his face do a complete one-eighty. Trace’s current grim expression vanished into a captivating smile, and his lovely eyes widened with surprise. Without a word he pulled my body closer to his and wrapped his arms tightly around my back. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to---which I didn’t, but I almost fainted from how near he was to me.

             
He dipped his head down to whisper in my ear, “So, you want to be with me?”

             
Blushing from the silkiness of his voice (and from being pressed up against him), I replied shakily, “You know what I mean, Trace.”

             
I don’t know the reason why I glanced up, but every fiber of my being urged me to match his eyes, and so I obeyed my instinct. After I did though, I immediately wished that I hadn’t. I found Trace gazing at me with such an intense look that I had a idea of what was going to happen next. I was thinking the same thing he was, and my face burned as I stared nervously into his blue eyes.

             
Trace must‘ve noticed how scared I was, because his intense expression lightened up a little and he grinned down at me. “I do know what you mean, Jade,” he whispered.

             
Now my eyes were focused on his lips while they moved, and my heart started to beat faster when his head tilted closer to mine. I knew that this was it---the moment I forever dreamed about. Trace was going to kiss me! It was actually going to happen! When I watched his eyes slip shut, I fell into a passionate bliss and shut my eyes too. I awaited his mouth eagerly, yearning to finally feel his lips against my own.

             
However, the sensation of his kiss never came; I only felt a cool draft caressing up and down my back, and the odd feeling that someone was tugging on my dress. I opened my eyes warily when laughter erupted around me, and I glanced down fearfully to find my gown pooling around my feet. I gasped when I realized I was standing in the middle of the gymnasium in my underwear. When my ears detected a familiar high-pitched laughter I spun around, finding Gloria only inches away from me, giggling hysterically. Camille and Lacey stood directly behind her, laughing at me as well.

             
“Hey, Jade! Maybe next time you should think twice before wearing a strapless dress!” Camille yelled out to me, and the crowd around her roared with laughter.

             
“Yeah. They’re so easy to fall out of,” Gloria snickered evilly, tossing her blonde hair back.

My eyes were on the verge of spilling tears as I hastily picked my dress up off of the dirty floor. I wrapped it around my chest with shaky hands, trying my hardest to be brave and not cry. It was the toughest thing I ever had to do in my entire life.

“Aw, Jade? Are you going to cry?” Gloria asked me with a pout, feigning concern.

“What the hell is your problem, Gloria?” Trace asked her angrily. “Why did you embarrass her like that?”

“It was just a harmless prank, Trace. I swear.” Gloria lied sweetly, batting her fake lashes at him. I resisted the violent urge to rip them off.

“Well it wasn’t funny, Gloria!” He shot back. “What were you thinking?”

“Trace, don’t be like that. I was just having a bit of fun!” She whined and walked over, planting herself close to him. I watched in shock as she placed a hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. Her eyes flickered at me as she added, “You know me, Trace. I would never intentionally try to hurt Jade’s feelings.”

I swallowed my anger when she began to rub her hand up and down his arm. How dare she! Trace was mine! She was not allowed to touch him that way! Striping me in the middle of the gym was one thing, but putting her slimy hands all over him was another. I was definitely not going to sit there and watch her work her black charm on him!

Thankfully, Trace ripped his arm away from her grasp and replied, “Don’t, Gloria,” and I glowed as I watched him hurry towards me. Ha! Take that Gloria! I happily noticed the disgusted expression plastered on her face when Trace wrapped his arms around my shoulders protectively. Trace said not another word to her as he gently steered me over towards the girls locker room, making sure my backside was covered the entire time. He was such a gentleman.

“Do you need help with that?” He asked me, pointing at the dress.

I shook my head slowly. “No. I can do it. Thank you,” I told him before I wandered into the locker room alone.

My emotions were a mess. I found that I could barely breathe, let alone walk, so I plopped down on one of the wooden benches in the middle of the room. When the shock of what happened melted away, I was forced to deal with the pain. After being absolutely positive that no one else was in the locker room with me, I allowed my of pent-up tears to come crashing down.

I cried for what seemed like hours. How could Gloria do something that nasty to me? I knew she was capable of insults, but this? Everyone out in the gym saw me undressed! How was I going to show my face at school again? I thought of Trace and cried even harder. How was he going to deal with me now? Even though he had said he didn’t care about his popularity, I knew that deep down he did. He wasn’t going to want to be seen with me again after tonight.

Wrapping my arms around my body for comfort, I bowed my head and cried my heart out, not concerned with anything but my pain. My perfect night was ruined, and once again it was all on account of Gloria Malone.

18

I WAITED FOR HOURS,
until the dance was almost over before exiting the locker room. I felt horrible for leaving Trace alone for so long, but after what happened…I was too embarrassed to show my face. This time I made sure my dress was securely fastened before I walked out into the open. As soon as I stepped on the gymnasium floor, I noticed the music was still playing but the crowd had died down; there was barely anyone left in gym. The people who were still there were lying on the bleachers, and they didn’t pay me much attention. Most of them were making out and I figured the others were too drunk or stoned to notice.

When I didn’t find Gloria or the rest of her merry gang hanging around the gymnasium waiting for me, I was relieved. I couldn’t deal with any more stress tonight, and I just wanted to go home and hide underneath the covers of my bedspread, where no one would be able to find me. As I walked near the double doors I searched for Trace, but I subconsciously knew that I wouldn’t find him. Why should he wait for me? I was a walking embarrassment. He wouldn’t want to be seen with me. But just in case he might, I looked around the gym once more before making my exit.

The cold night air caressed my face when I stepped outside of the gym, and as I made my way towards the parking lot, I found Trace standing alone by the curb with both hands shoved into the pockets of his dark suit. I was surprised to find him out there---I honestly didn’t think he’d be waiting for me. In fact, I was on the verge of dialing my Dad to come pick me up. I hesitated before walking towards him, but when his eyes lit up at the sight of me, I knew I had no other choice but to approach him. Lowering my head shamefully as I headed in Trace’s direction, I frowned with surprise when he met me halfway and pulled me into his arms.

“Are you alright, Jade?” Trace asked softly, wrapping his arms around me gently. “I was worried about you. You were in there for a long time.”

I shrugged, unsure of how to answer his question. I wasn’t okay with what had happened to me tonight---with what Gloria had done. She not only humiliated me…Gloria had traumatized me! I sadly knew that the memory of tonight would haunt me for the rest of my life. The whole evening hadn’t been terrible though, and before Gloria’s “big show“, the night had actually been pretty wonderful. The way Trace had looked at me and held me in his arms, the things he had said… and I was glad that he was acting so concerned about me. It lifted my spirits to know that he cared.

Trace frowned when I didn’t reply. “I’m really sorry, about what Gloria did to you. It was inexcusable.”

I nodded at his remark, but I didn’t know whether to feel grateful or guilty, because I had ruined our night. Even though I didn’t “personally” stage my own mortification or create the drama that had surrounded us the entire evening, I still felt responsible. I mean, it was pretty obvious that Gloria didn’t take too warmly to the idea of Trace and I. Her tricks and schemes would only worsen if I kept hanging around him, and I really couldn’t bear any more.

Not that I was afraid of her or anything. I totally wasn’t---I was only worried about Trace. What if she tried to embarrass him to get back at me? I wouldn’t be able to live with that kind of blame…he meant too much to me. Which is why, as I stared into Trace’s beautiful blue eyes, I knew what I had to do. I made the selfless decision to give him up.

Trace smiled down at me then, holding me so close that I could smell his cologne. I loved the way he smelt so much that it hurt. How in the world was I supposed to let him go? I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. There was no turning back now; I had to do this. It was the right thing to do.

I gazed up warily at his handsome face and whispered, “Trace, I don’t think it’s going to work out between us.”

“What?” He seemed upset and surprised by what I’d just said. “Why would you say something like that, Jade?” Trace asked me.

“I--” My voice cracked and I had to glance away quickly, for fear that I would start crying. I couldn’t just break down in front him. After gaining control of my emotions, I tried to explain. “Gloria hates my guts, Trace. She’s never going to leave us alone.”

He grabbed hold of my shoulders and forced me to face him. “She will, Jade. I’m going to make her stop,” he told me sternly. “I’m not going to let her hurt you anymore.”

“How?” I asked doubtfully.

“I don’t know---but I’ll figure out some way. I promise.” He brought one of his hands to my cheek and stroked gently. “You don’t have to worry about Gloria anymore. I’m going to protect you.”

I burned like fire from his touch, making it so much harder for me to let him go. I wished he could find a way to get Gloria off of my back, but something told me that I had to do it on my own. It wasn’t his job to be my savior every time someone made fun of me. I was a big girl and could stand up for myself---but for some unknown reason I never did. I let people step on me constantly, and I always got squashed like a bug. Why was I so afraid to fight back?

His voice interrupted my thoughts. “Don’t you believe me, Jade?” Trace asked.

“I do, Trace,” I replied sincerely. “But this is something I’ve got to deal with myself.”

“I want to help you,” he told me softly.

I touched a long piece of hair that hung over his eye and pushed it back. “I know you want to, but I can’t let you get hurt because of me.”

Trace laughed at my remark and took a step back. “Who’s going to hurt me? Gloria? Don’t be silly.”

I frowned slightly. “She could, you know.”

“I doubt it,” he smirked. “Besides, I’m strong and invincible…I could take her down.” Trace laughed and raised his arms, posing and stretching his muscles like a bodybuilder. He stopped when he realized that I wasn’t smiling.

“It’s going to be okay, Jade,” Trace told me softly. “Don’t worry so much.”

He reached out to touch my face but I moved from his reach, and I watched the corners of his mouth drop. I didn’t want to upset him, but he had to understand that there were obstacles we were going to face if we remained together. It wasn’t going to be a piece of cake, so long as Gloria had anything to say about it.

“No it’s not, Trace,” I said, taking a deep breath. “It’s never going to be okay.”

“Don’t be like that, Jade,” Trace murmured. “What Gloria did to you was horrifying, but it’s not the end of the world. Like she said, it was just a prank.”

“What!” I breathed angrily. “Is that what you think that was? Just a stupid prank?”

He flinched from my outburst. “Jade, come on. I know you’re upset, but there’s no need to overreact.”

I stared wide-eyed at him while I tried to keep control of my anger. How could he say that? Overreact? Me? Please.

My hands were shaking as I snapped, “Now I’m overreacting? Are you kidding me?”
             
Trace frowned and replied, “That’s not what I meant! I just think you should calm down. Getting more upset over this isn’t going to do you any good, Jade. ”