Page 152 of Drama Queen

“I don’t know. Let her decide?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Or we could….” He blows out a breath, “Never mind, it’s stupid. Let’s just see how things go.”

“Yeah, okay.” I agree but my curiosity is going to kill me. I want to know what he was thinking before he stopped short. For the first time in my life I wish my brother and I were telepathically linked just so I can figure out what he really thinks of Gabriella. So I can find out if what he’s thinking as a solution is the same thoughts I’m having but it couldn’t be. Cause all I keep thinking is that maybe she shouldn’t choose between us. Maybe she could be both of ours.

I shake my head at my own thoughts.Nah, she’d never go for that. It’d be impossible.

Will the real Gabriella

PARKER

Melody,still pretending to be Gabriella, struts into the cafeteria, clinging to Drew’s arm. She looks like the cat that got the cream but the more I look at her, the more I realise how stupid I was for falling for the glamour. Even the way they move is completely opposite, Gabriella has this enticing sway to her hips that leaves a man wanting to follow her to the ends of the Earth, whereas Melody sways her hips as though she’s a drunken sailor finding her sea legs. She fusses far too much with her hair and tries way too hard to be perfect, it’s actually a complete turn off. I really have no idea why I agreed to date Melody in the first place.

Our secret isn’t that bad. I mean, it is, but it isn’t like what happened was done on purpose, it was an accident. People will understand that.

I’m sure of it.

Not that I have much chance of keeping that secret, especially if what Gabriella has planned actually happens.

Drew brings Melody over to our table, carrying both her tray of food and his and winks at me as he sits down on my left, staring over my shoulder at something in the corner of the cafeteria. I glance to where his eyes are glued and see the real Gabriella slipping into a seat with a box of popcorn in her hands. She’s still wearing the glamour that Melody put on her but today she’s smiling as though she doesn’t have a care in the world.

My heart skips a beat as she winks at me before nodding her head towards Melody. Swallowing my longing to join her in that dark corner, I turn my attention back to Melody just as Jamie says to me, “I dare you to sing a baby song at the top of your lungs.”

Without missing a beat, I jump up on the table and belt out Mary had a little lamb. Laughing as everyone’s gazes turn to us. “Drew, I dare you to do a backflip off the table.”

He too jumps straight up onto the table and does his backflip. His smile grows bigger as Melody starts getting annoyed, “What the hell are you doing, you’re acting like a bunch of babies.”

“Oh come onGabriella, we talked about this last week at our place. Remember.” I shudder as I play my role and kiss her on the cheek. “I dare you to dirty dance on the table in front of everyone.”

“Fuck yeah, that would be such a turn on.” Drew adds.

“Only the sexiest thing ever.” Jamie holds his hand out, offering to help her climb onto the table. To all of our surprise, she gets to her feet, grabs Jamie’s hand and hoists herself up.

The entire cafeteria is watching on as Drew plays Cassie, Me & U over the speakers in the cafeteria’s PA system. Melody doesn’t even question how he’s able to do that, she just smiles and starts moving to the music. Her hips sway from side to side in a poor imitation of the singer’s dance moves. When she drops to her stomach on the table and starts waving her ass in theair, Gabriella walks over, disabling the spell holding Melody’s glamour and her own.

Melody’s so caught up in dancing that she doesn’t even notice as the crowd around the table grows, everyone who Melody has fooled in the last few days and everyone she’s ever pissed off closes ranks around the table, phones in hand.

I have no idea how Gabriella managed to get everyone their phones back, but she pulled it off. The cheers and shouts finally draw the attention of the teachers who all start shouting about phones being banned. Everyone scatters, leaving Melody staring after them all, completely oblivious as to what the hell just happened.

Drew, Jamie and I move to Gabriella’s side, I wrap my arms around her just as Melody shouts, “Hey Gabriella, you’re nothing special you know. Did they tell you they were all in love with the same girl three years ago!”

I turn Gabriella away, hoping that’s as far as Melody is willing to take this in front of the teachers. I should have known better. My eyes close as her final words echo around the practically empty cafeteria. “She’s dead you know. Messina Oak. They killed her, snapped her neck when she refused to choose between them.”

It only takes a single heartbeat for us to change in Gabriella’s eyes. A blink in time and we lose everything we’ve been trying to build. Fear clouds her beautiful blue eyes as she steps out from under my arm. Disbelief and horror fight for dominance over her perfect features.

I see it right there; the moment Gabriella steps away from the three of us. The instant she shuts down any feeling she might have had for us. I don’t want her to hate me, but to deny the truth, even if it’s been twisted to make us look like the worst guys possible won’t help us now. My heart shouldn’t be beating rightnow. The very fact that it is feel like a betrayal to the shattered pieces that are falling at Gabriella’s feet.

It’s only a single moment in time, but the pain makes it last forever. Not one of us says a word as Gabriella runs.

I thought I could handle this. I thought I could explain it away. Make Gabriella understand that it was just an accident but the look in her eyes. The utter terror that took over her face seconds before she ran… She’ll never stick around long enough for us to explain.

Melody might have finally been dealt with but we still lost in the end.

Carried Away

Gabriella

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