The Gossip Web Read Online Free Page A

as I watched my father flip a chunk of dough high into the air. I sniffed the delicious aromas surrounding me and grinned. Oh how I loved when he cooked.
    My father was a great chef, the head of the kitchen at the five-star restaurant where he worked. It was called the Grand Gourmet, and it was the nicest restaurant in West Havenbrook. People came from miles around to dine there, and food critics always gave it their highest score. I’d only been there twice, but I didn’t really need to dine at the restaurant; I had their famous chef’s cooking almost every day.
    “Pizza?” I asked him happily, after setting my turquoise messenger-bag down onto the table.
    He glanced back at me and nodded. “Why else would I be throwing balls of dough into the air while wearing such a ridiculous garb?” My father gestured to his infamous red apron. He always wore it when he cooked; it was his own personal trademark.
    I laughed and replied with a shrug, “I don’t know? Cause you’re weird?”
    Setting the dough down onto the counter, he approached me with spread out arms. I backed away quickly, shaking my head and pointing at his flour covered hands. “Don’t touch me,” I grinned.
    “What are you going do about it, huh?” Lunging at me, my father grabbed my wrist and pulled me to his chest. Wrapping his arms around me as I laughed, and I felt him kiss the top of my forehead. “So, how was your day, Kiddo?” He asked.
    “Terrible,” I mumbled as he held me tight. “Just like each and every day,” I replied with a fake, cheery tone.
    “Oh come now, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” My father said after he dropped his hold on me. He moved back towards the stove to stir something in a metal pot; it smelt like marinara sauce. He glanced over at me when I didn’t reply. Noticing my stern expression, the one that usually meant business, he then asked, “What happened?”
    I rolled my eyes and sighed, “I can’t talk to you about it. It’s girl stuff.”
    “Are you sure, Jade? I’m always here for you, I hope you know that.”
    Nodding, I plopped myself down on a chair near the buffet table. Laying my head onto it, I muttered, “You wouldn’t understand. My life sucks.”
    He laughed then, giving me a slight smile. “Come on. You don’t mean that.”
    I shrugged and replied, “I know…it’s just sometimes, things can be so difficult for me at school. ”
    “It can for everyone, Jade. Remember, I was a teenager once too. I know how horrible growing up can be.”
    “I just don’t understand why I have to get the brunt of everything,” I told him with a frown. “Or why I’m a social reject…”
    “It’ll get better,” my dad replied optimistically. “You’ll see. You just can’t let anybody get you down, honey.”
    I knew he was just trying to cheer me up, but the reality of my life was that it never would get any better, at least not until I went off to college. I was a nobody to a lot of people at my school…maybe to people who weren’t really important to me, but it didn’t hurt any less to know how big of a loser I was. Everything that had happened to me, up until middle school, had been wonderful. But I was a kid back then, so I guess it doesn’t really count.
    I just remember that life had been so easy and care free. I had the coolest best friends in the world, my mom and dad were still together and happy…and no one had ever heard of Gloria Malone. It was just a bummer that I couldn’t tap my heels together three times and wish for things to go back to the way they used to be, before life had to go and screw it all up. If only I had a magic lamp, maybe then my life would be how I wanted it. Leave it to me to resort to fairytale objects to sort out my problems.
    Standing up from the table swiftly, I grabbed my bag as I went towards the doorway. “I’ll be in my room, brooding and finishing my homework. Call me when dinner is done.”
    “Okay, Jade.” My father smiled and whipped another