Hidden Gem (10 page)

Jillian nodded. “I want to be her just to travel everywhere and get free stuff,” she said.

“Well
I
wouldn’t want to be that girl,” Madison scoffed.
 
“Who knows what’s under all that disguise? She’s probably hideous.”
 
The girls laughed.
 
Gemma’s eyes instinctively darted at Madison but she stopped herself from shooting a dirty look.
 
Madison continued.
 
“And if that boy saw
my
gorgeous face, he’d be tweeting about me instead.”
 
She smirked and struck a mock fashion pose for the girls, who whipped out their
iPhones
to conduct a little photo shoot.
 
She was a fairly convincing model with her long slender limbs and pouty lips, but Gemma couldn’t help comparing Madison’s amateur moves to the ones that she posed in while serving as the face of
Zhe
last year.

Kate stopped whining about Tyler Chase to join in on the photo shoot.
 
They of course would post the photos on Facebook within the hour and all their Beauford High fans would comment with envy and admiration (“Ugh, I can’t stand how gorgeous you are!!!” “Pretty girls!!
Looks like you’re having fun”).
 
Gemma sat away from them.
 
Jillian told her to strike a pose but gave up trying to get her attention after a few seconds.
 
Gemma was too lost in thought to recognize that she looked like a loner.
 
She missed her life as a beloved and even worshipped pop star.
 
In that moment, she was desperate to spill the beans.
 
Not that they would believe her if she did.
 

Now, quiet and unnoticed by the others who were deep in their pretend world, even Gemma had a hard time believing that she had ever been Queen Bee.

OKAY, SRSLY WHO THE $#%! IS THIS CHICK (and is she even hot
?!?!
)

10/20 7:34PM EST

posted
by Tara C.

Her Royal Secrecy

Welcome new readers! For those who have already been checking in, thanks for the support and I’m happy to announce that we’ve surpassed 1 million hits as of today! Hopefully Queen Bee is reading this.

I just have to say…is it just me, or did this Queen Bee come out of f*
cking
nowhere? I went from not knowing
who
she was (or maybe hearing her name vaguely but not really caring at the time) to seeing her on every celebrity or fashion web site that is suddenly obsessed with her oh-so-designer wardrobe. I’m not sure what’s more frustrating – the fact that Tyler Chase declared his love for her or that WE CAN NEVER REALLY SEE HER FACE. Maybe I wouldn’t find this crush so un-
crushworthy
if I could see that she is actually a hot chick (unlike Desiree “Fake Tan” Silver). For all we know, she’s a hot mess of greasy hair and acne without those supposedly $30,000 hair extensions and tons of makeup. Hey, I could probably attract the hottest guys in the world if I had millions of dollars too.

Anyway, being a dutiful Tyler Chaser, I studied up on this girl. She came out a little more than a year ago as an opening act at Gate Theatre in
Kensingon
and Chelsea (which is a fancy
shmancy
neighborhood in London). According to a
London
blogger
, she got hot there before the rest of Europe caught on, so they totally take credit for discovering her first. Then Asia caught on. Apparently Australia digs her too (as evidenced by the tons of people who dressed up as her for Halloween last year.
Click here for the
pic
). It seems the rest of the world had a huge boner for this girl before any of us dumb Americans caught on.

Psh
.

Okay, I listened to her music and it’s fine. I’ll say that much. Sure, she can dance. Whatever. But why is she keeping her identity such a secret? Does she have a horrible criminal record or something? Was she a psycho-maniac killer? Or is she just plain fug? I mean
,
we know your eyes aren’t really lavender, sweetheart. Honestly, all I can see that isn’t covered by makeup or jewels is her plain Jane nose.

What I can say for now is that I’ll continue keeping you all posted on the latest news that comes out about Her Royal
Highness
Secrecy. And I’ll do a little digging myself (you know how good I am at it).

 
Queen
Bee,
if you’re reading this just know…nothing stays a secret forever
.

“What on earth are you doing?” Mira asked, standing at the door of Gemma’s bedroom.
 
Gemma had found old sheets in the linen closet and was using them to wrap around her Balenciaga gown.
 
“Gemma, honey – you’re going to wrinkle that!”

“I just don’t want to keep looking at it.
 
It’s depressing me.”

Mira’s jaw dropped as if she were personally offended.
 
“Why would that gown
upset
you, it represents so much of what you achieved this summer.”

Gemma let herself fall in a heap on the floor.
 
“That’s why it’s upsetting me.
 
I miss it so much.
 
I don’t know what I’m even doing here.
 
Everyone wants more Queen Bee and they all want to find out who she is so why is she hiding in Beauford, New Jersey? As
Gemma Hunter
?” she said her own name with disdain.
 
Mira walked over to the dress form and expertly finished securing the cotton sheets around the last swatch of exposed gown.
 
She opened Gemma’s closet and pushed the whole thing inside.

“Thanks,” Gemma sniffled.

“Yes, you’re welcome and everything – but listen to me, Gemma. I know that this is a strange situation, but we Hunters face our trials straight on.
 
I’m fine with you putting the gown away but not because I’m allowing you to lament over ‘hiding as Gemma Hunter.’
 
You are first and foremost Gemma Hunter.”
 
Mira tipped Gemma’s chin up with her pointer finger.
 
“Queen Bee is your job, a part that you play.
 
I never want you to lose touch with who you really are.”

“I don’t know who I really am.”

“Oh, please.
 
What sixteen-year-old girl does? This is the time that you figure it out.
 
Besides, once you’re on tour as Queen Bee again, you’re going to be sniffling about wanting to be a normal girl.”

“On tour again?”

“Gemma, as your aunt I’m going to keep all the business stuff from you but as your manager, do you really think I wouldn’t give the public what they want?” Mira smiled mischievously.

“Really? Are we touring the states?” Gemma asked excitedly.

“They ask, we give,” Mira shrugged.
 
“We begin press around Christmas and Queen Bee will announce that she’s giving into demands for an American tour in January.
 
We’ll sell tickets and you’ll do a brief teaser tour.
 
Just going to take you out of school for a month in March and hit the major cities.
 
You’ll only miss three weeks since you have spring break then.”

“Oh,” Gemma suddenly remembered.
 
“The girls and I were supposed to take a cruise to the Bahamas then.”

“You’ll have summer with them.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Gemma grumbled.
 
“I just wish I could tell them who I really am.”

“Gemma, honey.
 
You know why we’re keeping this under wraps,” Mira sighed.
 
“For starters, mystery sells.
 
But really, how creepy would it be to wake up to paparazzi outside your bedroom window? After the craziness of what this tour will be, you’ll be thankful to have your privacy and normal life.
 
Speaking of which, did you get a dress for Madison’s birthday?”

“I’m just going to look now through the things I bought while touring.
 
I’ve actually never worn half of these things.”

“Alright, sweetie.
 
Don’t stay up too late,” Mira began to close the door.
 
With a wink, she added, “And choose kindly.
 
You don’t want to upstage the poor birthday girl.”

QUEEN BEE’S MANAGEMENT OFFICES BURGLARIZED

The Manhattan Local

October 24

Offices of Queen Bee’s management company were broken into on Sunday night, authorities say.
 
Police were notified around 12AM that alarms had sounded at The Roebling-Hunter Group, located in Manhattan’s Flatiron.
 
According to police reports, the burglars broke into the building through the roof and were caught within ten minutes of reaching the offices of Roebling-Hunter.
 
Because the suspects are minors, their names have not been released.

Police have not confirmed motives, but it is widely believed that the teenaged burglars trespassed into Roebling-Hunter in attempts to uncover documents regarding the true identity of pop singer, Queen Bee.

Harvey Roebling and Mira Hunter have yet to release statements regarding the matter.

“We’re pulling into your driveway!” Madison teased.
 
Gemma wedged her cell phone between her ear and shoulders as she strapped on her silver jeweled
Manolo
sandals.
 
She admired the hanging rhinestones on the ankle strap as she tightened it.
 
“In case you’re not sure, we’re the black stretch Escalade behind your brother’s tiny
wuss
car.”

“Did I hear her insult my car just now?” Gavin asked as he examined his hair in the foyer mirror.
 
He wore a black dress shirt
untucked
over a pair of dark washed Diesel jeans.

“I’ll be right out!” Gemma said, hanging up the phone and slipping it into her Alexander McQueen silver python clutch.
 
She ran out into the yard just as the sun was setting.
 
The golden rays caught on the lighter-colored accessories, making them gleam against her black sequined Alexander Wang cocktail dress.
 
She couldn’t see into the limo, but she hoped they were looking.
 
She had thought hard about what to wear, wanting to look good but not so good that she would outshine Madison.
 
As if I could
, Gemma thought sheepishly.

Madison, Leah, Kate, Jillian and Lucas were already inside.
 
Madison and Lucas sat on one side while the three girls sat on the other.
 
Looking like a page ripped out of WWD in her Gucci dress, she leaned against Lucas with a leg crossed towards him.
 
Dangling at the end of her foot was a nude lace Valentino peep-toe pump.
 

To Leah’s dismay, Gavin plopped down next to Lucas, instantly mirroring Madison.
 
He snuggled up against Lucas and crossed a leg towards him, sandwiching him in the middle.
 
“’Sup cutie,” Gavin puckered his lips and directed his pout at Lucas.
 
The girls tittered as Lucas slowly backed away.

Gemma took a seat next to the girls.
 
She thought Lucas looked incredibly handsome in the outfit that Madison not only chose for him,
but
bought for him.
 
He wore a cornflower blue, French-cuffed dress shirt tucked into black slacks.