Read The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney for Free Online Page B

Every moment Jared is out of my sight is a moment he could be with Lexi. And every moment he’s with Lexi is a moment he could be screwing things up. Ohmigod. What if Jared decides to take things into his own hands and tell Lexi he likes her? Or what if he starts flirting with her? Or what if Lexi decides she should let Jared know she’s in on the secret?
    “Come on,” I say to Mel. “We have to find him.” I grab her arm and start pulling her down the hall.
    “Devon, calm down,” Mel says. “And don’t pull my arm like that—it’s going to pop out of my socket.” She follows me dutifully down the hall, stepping on my heels at one point, but I don’t even really notice because I’m so focused on the task at hand.
    And then I see him. He’s putting his stuff in his locker. Of course he’s at his locker. Where else would he be? It’s before first period. Everyone is at their lockers!Why did I not think of that before? I must learn to think logically about this situation and not let myself get out of control with craziness. Otherwise it could cloud my judgment and I could end up missing obvious things, like the fact that Jared would be at his locker before first period.
    “Oh, good, there he is,” Mel says. She points.
    “Shh!” I say, pushing her hand down. “Not so loud!”
    “Why?” she asks. “What’s the big deal?”
    “I dunno,” I say. “I can’t just be pointing at him!”
    “Why not?” Mel frowns. “Go talk to him. Didn’t you guys hang out all last night?”
    “Yes,” I admit. It’s one thing to talk to Jared when we’re out in a group, when Lexi’s around and he thinks I’m hanging out with her. It’s quite another thing to just go up to him and initiate conversation. What if he forgot who I am?
    “So, go on,” Mel says. “At least say hi to him. .We have to go that way to get to homeroom, anyway.”
    “That’s okay,” I say, watching as Luke comes walking down the hall from the other way. He stops at Jared’s locker and they start talking. I’m too far away to hear what they’re saying, but I’m sure it’s something very important. Something that shouldn’t be interrupted.“Really, all I wanted to do was make sure he wasn’t around Lexi. And now that I’ve done that, I’m fine.” I’m lying. Again. I’m not fine. My heart is beating erratically. Jared looks so hot. He’s wearing a blue sweater and khaki pants, and his hair is all shiny, like he just got it cut. Which is impossible, I know, since I just saw him last night, and I’m sure he hasn’t had time to get his hair cut since then.
    “Come on,” I whisper at Mel, pulling her down the hallway. “We gotta go.”
    “Devi!” someone yells from behind me. It sounds like Luke. I ignore it.
    “Uh, someone’s calling you,” Mel says.
    “I know,” I say. “Just keep going.” But then I feel a hand on my back.
    “Devi?” Luke says. “Hey.”
    “Oh, hi,” I say, making it out like I didn’t hear him. “How are you?”
    “I’m good,” he says. “Fine.” He looks from me to Melissa. “Hi, Melissa,” he says.
    “Hi,” Mel says shyly. How cute! He knows who Mel is.
    “Yo,” Jared says, coming up behind Luke in the hall. “What’s goin’ on?”
    “Nothing,” I say. It comes out as kind of a squeak,since suddenly my mouth is very, very dry.
    Must. Not. Freak. Out.
    “Jared and I were just talking about DDR,” Luke says, smiling. “He was saying that he and Lexi could beat you and me, but I was telling him that was impossible since you and I are obviously the best at DDR, and therefore we would make an unstoppable team.”
    What? Why is Jared referring to himself and Lexi as a team? I need to do damage control. Think, Devon, think. Maybe I should make up something really horrible about Lexi. Maybe that she used to be a stalker, and now she’s not allowed to date until her probation is up.
    “Yeah, Lexi actually doesn’t really like DDR,” I say. “After last night she said