Second to No One by Natalie Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

novel.
    “Trace loves Gemma.”
    “Gemma loves Trace.”
    “Gemma and Trace forever.”
    “Gemma and Trace are the new Angelina and Brad.”
    I looked back to Drew, who was flinging her backpack over her shoulder. “You can thank me later, birthday girl.” Then she took off down the hall, leaving me alone in the middle of the pink chaos.

    Periods one through three were nothing special. Now and again, people would wish me a happy birthday or ask me if I was really dating Trace Weston, and in third period, when the teacher called my name on the roll, Randy Castleton stood up and announced that my name was now Gemma Weston. It was all stupid really, but even I had to admit that it was a nice distraction. Lunch passed without much fuss except for the fact that Trace bought my pizza and insisted on sitting so close to me at our table that I swear he was partially on my lap. But again, it felt good to have other things to think about—another guy to think about—and I found myself slowly starting to enjoy the fact that it was my sixteenth birthday.
    And then it was fourth-period photography. I got there early because if I had sat at our lunch table any longer, my leg (that Trace had taken residency on) would have fallen asleep, and I would have had to hobble to class. So I was just sitting there, in my seat next to the door, looking at some photos of my front door that I had taken for our group project, when Jess entered the classroom. I always knew when it was him walking through the door. Maybe every girl who has been in love and then dumped has the same sense when the guy that broke their hearts walks into the room.
    It had been a week since he had so much as acknowledged my existence. But today, he stopped. Today he stepped close to me and placed one of the millions of heart shaped notes on my desk. The wording was up so I read it easily:
    Roses are red
    And I must confess
    I’m in love with Trace
    And so over Jess.
    I stared at the words, mulling over their meaning, when without saying a word, Jess stepped past me and around to his desk. But just before he was out of earshot, I heard him whisper, “Happy birthday, Gemma.”

    “I swear I didn’t write that, Gem,” Drew said that night on the phone. “You know I wouldn’t stoop that low.” Drew’s voice was low and pleading.
    “It doesn’t matter who wrote it,” I said, crossing my legs on my bed. “But the thing is,” I hesitated to say it out loud, “the thing is, he seemed really upset about it. Like he was sad I was over him even though he’s the one that ended it.”
    “That’s because he’s a guy,” Drew didn’t sound amused. “He wants to be able to dump you and still have you pining for him for the next century. Don’t give him that satisfaction, Gemma. Don’t give him any cake.”
    “But maybe it was a mistake. Maybe he’s changed his mind.”
    “If he changed his mind, he would have told you that. I’m not going to let you sit around all pathetic, hoping that he’ll take you back. You’re moving on. Remember?”
    “Yes. Trace. I remember.”
    “Seriously, did you see how close he was sitting to you at lunch? He’s going to ask you out for this weekend, you know? He told me.”
    “Hang on,” I said matter of factly, “I have another call coming through.” I pulled my phone away from here to see who was calling. Jess’s name was spelled out across the screen. “It’s Jess!” I whispered into the phone. “He’s calling me right now, he’s on the other line!”
    “Gemma, you listen to me.” Drew’s voice was stern on the other side of the line. “You make that boy suffer, you hear me? Don’t go running back to him. He’ll just break your heart all over again.”
    “Okay, okay, okay. I gotta go.”
    “Call me as soon as you’re done talking to him.”
    “Okay, bye.”
    “I’m serious, Gemma! Don’t give him his cake! Don’t give him his cake !”
    I disconnected Drew and accepted Jess’s incoming call.