Read Online Signs of Love: Stupid Cupid by Melody James - Free Book Online Page B

behind him. I’m buzzing with excitement. I’m going to turn
gossip into a real news story. If there’s evidence that Sounds is a cover for criminal activity, I’ll find it.
    I slide behind a desk and switch on the PC. I’m picturing my byline next to Will’s: Exclusive by Will Bold and Gemma Stone . This could be the break that launches my career;
the first step to winning a global award and international acclaim. The crowds are cheering in my head as I hold up the trophy. ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ A small huddle of women and
children are sobbing in the front row. My exposé has freed them from a life of slavery and exploitation. I’m just grateful for the chance to have changed their lives.
    ‘Gemma?’
    I nearly fall off my chair as Cindy skids into the room.
    Her blonde bob’s flapping and there’s an excited flush in her cheeks. ‘Was that Will leaving? Has he briefed you yet?’
    I nod dumbly.
    ‘So you know about the story?’
    I nod again.
    ‘Well?’ She’s leaning in, eyes bright. ‘What is it?’
    I shift in my chair. ‘It’s secret.’
    ‘Oh per- leazzze !’ She frowns like I’ve thwarted her evil scheme to take over the world. I half expect her to rush to the window and summon her army of winged
monkeys.
    First I’m eye-speared by Voldemort, now the Wicked Witch of the West is grilling me. I think I preferred it when Will and Cindy just ignored me.
    She flings her bag down. ‘What was the point of putting you on the story if you don’t dish the dirt?’
    ‘I thought you were trying to annoy Will,’ I mutter, ‘not spy on him.’
    ‘Annoying him was just a bonus.’ Cindy starts rooting in her bag, her smooth-as-silk forehead crumpling. I recognize the look; she’s concentrating. I guess that she’s
fumbling for samples for her beauty column. I say a silent prayer: Don’t dump them on me . With horoscopes to write and Will’s story to work on, there’s no way
I’ll have time to give her feedback on this week’s war-paint.
    I hit shutdown and grab my bag. ‘Got to go,’ I say quickly. ‘Treacle’s waiting.’
    ‘But—’
    I don’t hear the rest. I’m out the door and haring down the hallway.
    ‘You’ll never guess!’ Savannah ambushes me outside our form room.
    ‘You’re right. I won’t.’ I don’t have time for guessing games. My mind’s whirling with plans for my Friday-night undercover assignment at Sounds.
    Savannah’s hanging off my arm, her green eyes bright. ‘Pleeeeeaaase guess.’
    ‘LJ?’
    ‘Yes, yes, yes!’
    ‘He asked you out.’ I say the most ludicrous thing I can think of.
    ‘Yes!’ Savannah is jubilant.
    No!
    My disappointment doesn’t register on Savannah’s mood scale; she’s too close to ecstasy to notice. ‘He’s asked me to the gig at Sounds on Friday night!’ She
bounces round like Tigger on a sugar rush.
    What about Marcus? I think, she’ll never notice him now. Not even if Jessica Jupiter spells his name out in flashing stars.
    Savannah waves a familiar blue strip of paper in my face. ‘You should have seen the look on Bethany’s face when LJ gave me this ticket and told me he’d see me at Sounds on
Friday.’
    Hope glints like a diamond in my pit of despair. ‘So he didn’t actually ask you out on a date?’
    Savannah blinks at me. ‘It’s as good as a date.’ She waves the ticket again. ‘He didn’t give a ticket to Bethany, did he?’
    ‘She might already have one,’ I point out.
    ‘Why are you being such a doom-merchant?’ Savannah loses her bounce and stares at me.
    ‘Sorry.’ Upsetting Savannah isn’t my plan. I slide the ticket Sam gave me out of my pocket and show her. ‘I’m going too!’ I flash her a smile.
    She grasps my hand. ‘Where on earth did you get it! These are like gold dust!’
    ‘Sam,’ I tell her.
    She looks at me from beneath her lashes like I’ve just admitted I’m Batman. ‘ Really ?’ She says, using her meaningful voice.
    ‘It’s his gig,’ I point out.