Read Online Chameleon Soul (Chequered Flag #1) by Mia Hoddell - Free Book Online Page B

across his chest, the magazine hanging loosely at his side, and gazed down at me with a stern, albeit slightly confused, expression. “Why aren’t you freaking out?”
    “The freak-out came earlier when people in my class started to recognise me, then when I came home early to find that.” I pointed at the window. “Now I’m calmly accepting it.”
    He arched his eyebrow in disbelief. “You’re ‘calmly accepting it’?”
    “Yup.”
    Dustin glanced at Nadine, expecting her to fill him in.
    “Don’t look at me,” she said to him. “She hasn’t told me anything. I came over to drop off some schoolwork and fudge only to find her sitting here watching a movie and eating fudge already.”
    With a huff I lifted the remote, pointing it around Dustin. “Can you move? He’s about to propose.”
    Dustin closed the gap between us in two strides until his shins rested against my knees. He plucked the remote from my grip and placed it on the table beside the chair. Crouching down in front of me, he placed his hands on my knees. “Raine, you’re starting to freak me out. What’s going on?”
    “What’s there to freak out about? Everything’s good. So what if I’m front page news of at least five major gossip magazines? Who cares if I’m on TV? The paps will get bored of waiting for me eventually. Chill out guys. I’m good.”
    Dustin frowned. “Nadine, has she been drinking?”
    I snatched the magazine from his hand and hit him on the head with it. “No, I haven’t been drinking.”
    “Then what’s going on?”
    “I realised something. If they want me, they’ll have to break the law because I’m not leaving this flat. I’m happy and safe here, and I’m accepting I’m going to have to live the rest of my life as a recluse. So chill out, all is good. You may have to do my shopping…or I could get it delivered or something. Either way, it’ll work out.” I shrugged nonchalantly.
    Dustin picked up the glass I’d used. Bringing it up to his nose, he sniffed it. “If you haven’t been drinking then you’ve finally cracked. You can’t stay here for the rest of your life.”
    “Watch me.”
    I didn’t miss the concerned look Dustin threw Nadine, but I didn’t comment on it. I was fine, and I was sober. The idea of remaining in the flat until it had all blown over sounded quite nice.
    “What about my race on Sunday? You said you’d go.”
    My easy smile dropped. My heart sank to my feet and a ball of guilt replaced it. I had said that.
    Playing everything off with humour, even if I was serious, had been fine when I had nothing to lose. Now it meant hurting Dustin. After everything he’d done for me, it wouldn’t be fair to him. That didn’t mean I could control the tightening of my throat at the thought of leaving the flat.
    “Dustin, I can’t. I want to be there, but this…” I gestured furiously at the window. “It’s too much. There’ll be too many people, they’ll link me to you and then the headlines will be twice as bad. I’ll be playing the Coates brothers or something equally ridiculous. I’m sorry, I can’t.”
    “It’s GP2, Raine. The crowds are small and the media presence isn’t like at the F1 races. You’ll be fine.”
    I closed my eyes and inhaled. “I can’t. It’s best for everyone if I just hide away. No one needs to be worrying about me, and I’d rather not be targeted again. If I stay a nobody then people don’t have a reason to come after me.”
    “You’re the strongest person I know, Raine. Don’t let this beat you. Don’t let them beat you. You’ve come too far to give up now.”
    I scoffed. “If I’m the strongest that says a lot about your friends because I’m not strong. I fall apart at the slightest thing. Someone only has to look at me wrong and I panic. If it’s not that then you have to wake me up from a nightmare and sleep with me. I’m like a friggin’ child!”
    I stood and moved to push by him, but Dustin grabbed hold of me and