Juliet Immortal

wasn’t thinking.”
    “No, you were,” she says. “You were thinking I wouldn’t like what you had to say.”
    “And you did the same thing,” I say. “Can’t we just forgive each other and—”
    “I
know
I’ve done the same thing,” Gemma says, anger creeping into her voice. “And I should have
kept
doing it.”
    “What do you mean?” I ask, confused by her words, her obvious anger. She’s glowing with love; shouldn’t she be … 
happier
? Kinder?
    “I should never have introduced you to Ben.”
    My lips part. How can she say that? When all I’ve done is try to help her and Ben get closer together?
    And replayed every word he said a thousand times in your head
.
    “I’m not stupid, Ariel.”
    And held the memory of each time he touched you so tight to your chest you could barely breathe
.
    Gemma’s mouth curves into a humorless smile. “It’s tragically obvious.”
    And secretly thought Ben might be better off … with
you.
    “I know you have a crush on him.”
    “I do not.” It’s the truth. I have something much worse than a crush. I have sinful, traitorous, forbidden feelings. Feelings I’ve only had once before, seven hundred years ago when I fell in love for the first time. For what I’d assumed would be the
last
time …
    God, can I really be … Can I …
    I haven’t dared to think about
that
, but now, there’s no denying that it feels true. The thought of Ben burning red for Gemma makes me want to die. Why would that be unless … Unless …
    I shake my head, dizzy with the unspeakable possibility.“No. Ben is just a friend. I’m with Dylan. You saw that yourself last night.”
    “Making out with Dylan means nothing. Less than nothing.” She curses beneath her breath. “I mean, how stupid do you think I am? I can see what you’re trying to do and it’s pathetic.”
    “What?”
    She pauses, surveying me through narrowed eyes. “You heard me … you’re pathetic.”
    I barely resist the urge to tell her to go to hell. “That’s mean, Gemma.”
    “You know what’s mean? Playing with other people’s toys. Don’t think I can’t see you working Ben, trying to make him jealous.” Her tone lilts up and down, each word more mocking than the last. “To make him so worried about poor Ariel that he needs to spend more time by your side, protecting you from your big, bad, abusive boyfriend. He told me about Dylan smashing in his window, and how you had some sort of fainting attack in the theater and he had to
hold
you.” She laughs, the nastiest laugh I’ve ever heard. “I mean,
really
, Ariel … that’s just … You should be embarrassed. When have you ever fainted? Ever?”
    “Gemma, I don’t know—”
    “But Ben isn’t interested in protecting you, and Dylan doesn’t
love
you or whatever you’re imagining,” she says, hitching her purse over her shoulder. “He doesn’t love anyone, and you’re not capable of playing this kind of game. So quit trying to steal my life! It was a stupid life, even when it was mine.”
    Now I’m completely baffled. Gemma isn’t making sense, and it’s harder than ever to stomach that this cruel person is the girl Ben loves. Still, I fight for control, to keep my goal in mind,to remember that I’m doing this for Ben, to protect him. “Gemma, I’m not playing games. I promise. I just want—”
    “Save it, Ariel.” She backs away, shaking her head in disgust. “But you need to stop embarrassing yourself. Ben’s not interested, and everyone knows Dylan only slept with you because of that bet.”
    Her words hit my chest, knocking the wind out of me. People know about the bet? Romeo told people Dylan and Ariel … I haven’t heard a whisper of gossip at school, but then, how would I? When no one talks to Ariel except Gemma and Ben? And now they won’t talk to her either. She’ll come back to this body miserable and alone and shamed and it’s all my fault.
    I stare after Gemma, lost in a rush of emotion. “Please, Gemma—”
    “Sorry, Ariel. I don’t have time for your head games right now. I have some enormous decisions to make, and you need to work on being less of a freak.”
    I flinch. How can she say these things? To her best friend? To a girl who stepped miles outside her comfort zone to keep Gemma from being kicked out of the drama club production? To a girl who’s said nothing but nice things
to
Gemma and
about
Gemma for as long as they’ve been friends? Gemma is a vindictive,