been. Even ninth grade year, when he ignored me---Trace never treated me horribly or made fun of me
“I’m sorry, Trace,” I blurted out hastily. “I shouldn’t put you in the same category as your friends. You’re nothing like them.”
He laughed and replied, “It’s okay…I get it. And, I’m sorry too.”
“I don’t want to fight with you anymore, Trace. But it’s hard to believe that you could like me as much as I like you.”
“I know what you mean, Jewel.”
I wrinkled my nose at my nickname. “So we’re okay?” I asked him eagerly, my heart beating rapidly.
“Of course we are,” Trace told me softly. And it was the way he said “we”, that made me smile ear to ear.
“So what now?” I asked breathlessly.
“Well, now I have to go finish that lame chemistry assignment for Mr. Parker,” he told me with a yawn. “I’ll probably be up all night too. I hate Chemistry.”
“Yeah me too.” I frowned, not wanting him to go. “Well, I guess I’ll let you go then…”
He must’ve detected my sad tone because he laughed and replied, “Don’t be so upset, Jade. You’ll see enough of me tomorrow.”
“Will I?” I cursed myself for sounding too eager.
“Of course, beautiful. I’ll make sure to harass you all day.”
I grinned at his comment. He thought I was beautiful! I could’ve died right there. Biting my lip shyly, I replied, “Okay, Trace. Goodnight.”
“See you tomorrow, Jade.”
With the click of a button he was gone. I sat there motionlessly, weakly staring at the dim screen of my cell phone. Not being able to contain my glee any longer, I screamed, waving my hands wildly as I hopped up and down on my bed. I wasn’t aware that my father was home from the restaurant yet, but he made his presence known with a sharp bang on my door, telling me to knock off the screaming.
I ignored him, still reeling over my conversation with Trace. My face heated up when I realized that it wasn’t just a fantasy anymore. It was actually happening. My dream was coming true. Trace had practically told me he wanted us to be more than just friends, never mind that it had been over the phone. He had said the words, “I care about you”, and “you mean a lot to me.” It didn’t get any clearer than that.
Sighing when the familiar sensation of fear settled at the bottom of my stomach, I wondered if I would ever get over my insecurities and just think positive for once. Gloria’s face flashed in my mind, and I realized that it wouldn’t be easy. I knew that out of all the people at West Haven High, she would be the one to give Trace and I the most trouble. She wouldn’t just accept that fact that Trace wanted to be with me. If I knew Gloria Malone, and I did know her pretty well, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did everything in her power to keep him and I apart.
Actually, I was almost positive that she would, and it scared me to death.
13
“DID YOU FIND A DRESS YET?” Erika asked me eagerly from outside the fitting room. I heard her shuffle through a few dresses on a rack and I prayed that she hadn’t found another gown to force me to try on.
“No,” I replied shortly, wrinkling my nose at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a strapless
“I’m sorry, Trace,” I blurted out hastily. “I shouldn’t put you in the same category as your friends. You’re nothing like them.”
He laughed and replied, “It’s okay…I get it. And, I’m sorry too.”
“I don’t want to fight with you anymore, Trace. But it’s hard to believe that you could like me as much as I like you.”
“I know what you mean, Jewel.”
I wrinkled my nose at my nickname. “So we’re okay?” I asked him eagerly, my heart beating rapidly.
“Of course we are,” Trace told me softly. And it was the way he said “we”, that made me smile ear to ear.
“So what now?” I asked breathlessly.
“Well, now I have to go finish that lame chemistry assignment for Mr. Parker,” he told me with a yawn. “I’ll probably be up all night too. I hate Chemistry.”
“Yeah me too.” I frowned, not wanting him to go. “Well, I guess I’ll let you go then…”
He must’ve detected my sad tone because he laughed and replied, “Don’t be so upset, Jade. You’ll see enough of me tomorrow.”
“Will I?” I cursed myself for sounding too eager.
“Of course, beautiful. I’ll make sure to harass you all day.”
I grinned at his comment. He thought I was beautiful! I could’ve died right there. Biting my lip shyly, I replied, “Okay, Trace. Goodnight.”
“See you tomorrow, Jade.”
With the click of a button he was gone. I sat there motionlessly, weakly staring at the dim screen of my cell phone. Not being able to contain my glee any longer, I screamed, waving my hands wildly as I hopped up and down on my bed. I wasn’t aware that my father was home from the restaurant yet, but he made his presence known with a sharp bang on my door, telling me to knock off the screaming.
I ignored him, still reeling over my conversation with Trace. My face heated up when I realized that it wasn’t just a fantasy anymore. It was actually happening. My dream was coming true. Trace had practically told me he wanted us to be more than just friends, never mind that it had been over the phone. He had said the words, “I care about you”, and “you mean a lot to me.” It didn’t get any clearer than that.
Sighing when the familiar sensation of fear settled at the bottom of my stomach, I wondered if I would ever get over my insecurities and just think positive for once. Gloria’s face flashed in my mind, and I realized that it wouldn’t be easy. I knew that out of all the people at West Haven High, she would be the one to give Trace and I the most trouble. She wouldn’t just accept that fact that Trace wanted to be with me. If I knew Gloria Malone, and I did know her pretty well, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did everything in her power to keep him and I apart.
Actually, I was almost positive that she would, and it scared me to death.
13
“DID YOU FIND A DRESS YET?” Erika asked me eagerly from outside the fitting room. I heard her shuffle through a few dresses on a rack and I prayed that she hadn’t found another gown to force me to try on.
“No,” I replied shortly, wrinkling my nose at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a strapless
Similar Books
