Heartbreaker (Sweet Valley High #8)

by Francine Pascal

Overview

Will Jessica break Bill's heart? Find out in the next Sweet Valley High book from bestselling author Francine Pascal, Heartbreaker.

The surf's up in Sweet Valley, and Jessica Wakefield is making a big splash with Bill Chase, a hot surfer boy. But after she's got him hook, line, and sinker, she loses interest and ignores him completely.

But there's someone else who would love to catch Bill's attention: sweet, shy DeeDee Gordon. And Jessica is not about to let DeeDee steal her prize, even if Bill doesn't matter to her. If he looks at DeeDee, Jessica comes him and sweeps him away, back into her arms. Can Bill escape Jessica's undertow, or is he in over his head?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250030542
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/27/2012
Series:	Sweet Valley High , #8
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	250
Sales rank:	514,006
File size:	543 KB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

FRANCINE PASCAL, creator of the Sweet Valley High series, was one of the world's most popular fiction writers for teenagers and the author of several bestselling novels, including My Mother Was Never A Kid, My First Love and Other Disasters, as well as the series Fearless. Her adult novels include Save Johanna! and If Wishes Were Horses and the nonfiction book, The Strange Case of Patty Hearst. As a theater lover and Tony voter, Ms. Pascal sat on the Advisory Board of The American Theatre Wing. Her favorite sport was a monthly poker game. She died in 2024 at the age of ninety-two.
FRANCINE PASCAL, creator of the Sweet Valley High series, was one of the world's most popular fiction writers for teenagers and the author of several bestselling novels, including My Mother Was Never A Kid, My First Love and Other Disasters, as well as the series Fearless. Her adult novels include Save Johanna! and If Wishes Were Horses, and the nonfiction book, The Strange Case of Patty Hearst. As a theater lover and Tony voter, Ms. Pascal sat on the Advisory Board of The American Theatre Wing. Her favorite sport was a monthly poker game. She died in 2024 at the age of ninety-two.

Read an Excerpt

Heartbreaker

Sweet Valley High

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By Francine Pascal, Kate William

St. Martin's Press

Copyright © 1984 Francine Pascal
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-250-03054-2

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CHAPTER 1

"Kiss me," Jessica purred seductively in Bill's ear. "Maybe we can get it right this time."

Color flooded Bill Chase's tanned cheeks, turning them a dull brick red. Jessica knew he was really squirming. It was only a rehearsal for the drama club's spring play, but to Bill it was obviously all too real. Poor Bill, she thought, suppressing a wicked smile. He was madly in love with her. It was too good an opportunity to let pass.

They'd rehearsed this scene, the big love scene from Splendor in the Grass, at least a dozen times already. Each time Bill kissed her, Jessica insisted it wasn't right — forcing him to do it again despite his embarrassment.

"OK, I'll try," he mumbled.

Bill leaned close, squeezing his eyes shut so he wouldn't have to look at Jessica. Even so, he could still see her — those deep, deep blue-green eyes, the spun-gold hair that drifted silkily about her shoulders, her cameo of a face, perfect down to the adorable dimple that showed up in one cheek when she was smiling.

As Bill's lips hovered inches from her own, Jessica only half tried to stifle the giggle that erupted out of nowhere. Bill's eyes flew open. His face turned from dull red to crimson.

"Sorry, Bill," Jessica twittered. "I just couldn't help it. You looked so funny, all puckered up like that."

A ripple of laughter passed through the onlookers. Mr. Jaworski, the drama coach, was the only one who wasn't amused.

"I think we can call it a day," he announced dryly. "Let's all meet here same time tomorrow. And don't worry, Bill," he added, looping an arm about his leading man's shoulders, "you're doing just fine. Just relax and don't take everything so seriously."

"Sure, Bill," Jessica put in, shooting him a dazzling grin. "You did your best. It's not your fault that kissing me is such a deadly chore."

"I don't mind. I — I like kissing you," Bill stammered, then quickly hung his head, his thick blond hair fanning over his forehead, when he realized what he'd just said.

Well, it was only fair, Jessica thought. Once upon a time, she'd asked him to a Sadie Hawkins dance, and he'd done the unforgivable — he'd turned her down. Jessica never forgot an insult, especially one as serious as someone refusing the golden opportunity to go out with her. Bill Chase was only getting what he so richly deserved.

She'd been waiting for an opportunity to get back at him, and several weeks ago the perfect one had finally come along. It was during the period when her identical twin sister Elizabeth was behaving so strangely after a motorcycle accident she'd been in, and had accepted dates with two different boys on the same night. By the time Bill Chase showed up, Elizabeth was long gone with Bruce Patman. Jessica quickly stepped in, pretending to be Elizabeth. While she had Bill duped into thinking she was Elizabeth, Jessica turned on her charm full force. Bill never stood a chance. By the time he discovered the deception, it was too late. He was hopelessly hooked on Jessica.

* * *

"That was really mean, Jess."

Elizabeth cornered her twin in the hallway after the rehearsal and forced Jessica to meet her gaze. It was like looking into a mirror. The two girls were identical in every way — the same honey-and-sunshine hair, the same aquamarine eyes and perfect, even features — except that Elizabeth's face wore a concerned expression in contrast to Jessica's look of playful triumph.

"You know Bill's crazy about you," Elizabeth went on. "Did you have to rub his nose in it?"

Jessica shrugged. "I was only teasing him. I kid around with a lot of people."

"With Bill it's different, and you know it."

"Can I help it if he's in love with me?"

"Come on, Jess, that's like the spider telling the fly it's his fault for getting stuck in the web."

"Are you implying I'm responsible?" asked Jessica, fluttering her long lashes in complete innocence. "Remember, Liz, I only went out with him in the first place to save your skin. You were out with Bruce, if I recall."

Elizabeth groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me!"

Normally, Elizabeth would never have agreed to go out with Bruce Patman. That he was handsome, popular, and rich didn't change the fact that Bruce was a stuck-up creep, in her opinion. The trouble was, she hadn't been her normal self the night she'd gone to his beach house.

Jessica linked an affectionate arm through her sister's. "Not that I'm blaming you, Liz. I know you couldn't help it. After all, Bruce is so disgustingly ugly and unpopular, anyone would have had to be crazy to go out with him, right?"

Elizabeth wasn't sure how Jessica managed it, but somehow Elizabeth always found herself being defensive when it was her sister who was in the wrong.

She sighed. "Bill's not like Bruce. He's nice, and he really likes you."

"I know, I know," Jessica gloated. "It's a real problem, isn't it?"

The truth was, she was enjoying every bit of it. Bill was actually kind of cute in a cool, mysterious way, and certainly not unpopular, though not many people had gotten close to him. He was a loner who lived to surf — sort of a mystery man. Falling in love with Jessica had probably been more of a surprise to Bill himself than to anyone else. He obviously wasn't used to being out of control and didn't know how to handle it. Half the time he spent gazing at her with a moonstruck expression, the other half he spent avoiding her like the plague.

"Maybe for Bill it's a problem," Elizabeth agreed. "For you, I'm sure it's just one more broken heart to add to your list. Just be careful what you do to him."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not doing anything."

"That's just the point. If you're not going to go out with him, stop leading him on."

Jessica giggled. "That might be kind of hard, since I already am his leading lady."

"Sure, Jess. I know it's all a big joke to you. Just don't get carried away, OK?"

"Anything you say, big sister." Elizabeth was older only by four minutes, but sometimes it seemed more like four years.

"Listen," Elizabeth said. "I've got to go now. I only came by to meet Todd here. Bill's elected him as a sort of unofficial cheerleader." Elizabeth's boyfriend, Todd, was the closest thing Bill had to a good friend.

"Bill's really uptight about this play, isn't he?" Jessica asked.

"Can you blame him? It's the first time he's ever gotten involved in anything like this. He's usually too busy surfing."

"Blame it on Mr. Collins. I heard he was so impressed by Bill's reading of Macbeth in English class that he practically forced Bill to try out for the play."

"Well, I'm glad he did," Elizabeth said. "I think Bill is really talented. Although," she added with a laugh, "I don't think he'll win an Academy Award for kissing you."

"Oh, my God, Liz, speaking of kissing ..." Jessica leaned toward her sister, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Looks like you've got competition." She darted a look over her shoulder.

Elizabeth followed her glance, barely managing to stifle a horrified gasp. Standing beside Todd was one of the most beautiful girls Elizabeth had ever seen — and he had his arms around her! Elizabeth felt as if the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. Slowly, stiffly, she made her way toward them.

"Oh, hi, Liz!" Todd disengaged himself from Miss America's arms as he greeted Elizabeth. "Listen, I want you to meet an old friend of mine. Patsy Webber."

Elizabeth stuck out a hand that was as limp as a rag in comparison to Patsy's cool, confident grasp. "Hi," Elizabeth croaked. If Patsy was such a good friend, why hadn't she heard of her before?

"Nice to meet you, Liz."

Patsy smiled, revealing glorious white teeth and a charming dimple in her heart-shaped chin. She could be a model! Elizabeth couldn't help thinking. Patsy looked too sophisticated to be in high school. She was wearing a straw-slim skirt belted with a wide leather sash around her tiny waist, and delicate high heels. Her coppery-red hair was cut fashionably short in back, with a tumble of curls that dipped over her forehead. A pair of slanted green eyes regarded Elizabeth with friendly interest.

Immediately Elizabeth felt guilty for suspecting the worst. Patsy was probably very nice, she told herself. Why shouldn't Todd hug her if she was an old friend? That was all there was to it. She was stupid to be jealous.

"Patsy's been living in Paris," Todd explained. "Her father was transferred over there at the end of her freshman year."

Patsy sighed. "Dad's always getting transferred. Sometimes I feel like a Ping-Pong ball. But this time we're home to stay. I hope," she added with a giggle.

"Home?" Elizabeth echoed.

"Sweet Valley now. I'll be going to school here. We used to live in Palisades." Impulsively Patsy threw her arms around Todd once more. "You can't imagine how good it is to be back in the area. To see all my old friends."

She was gazing up at Todd with an expression that seemed to hint at something far more than friendship. Todd looked pleased by all the attention, as well as faintly embarrassed.

"Patsy seems nice," Elizabeth told Todd when Patsy had moved out of earshot and was talking to someone else. Elizabeth bit her lip. "Were you two very good friends?"

Todd slipped an arm about Elizabeth's shoulders. She looked up at him, marveling for the hundred thousandth time that he was hers. Tall, muscular, with wavy brown hair and velvety brown eyes, Todd was easily one of the cutest boys in Sweet Valley High. He was also the basketball team's hottest star.

Todd cleared his throat and looked away. "Actually, Liz, I used to go out with Patsy. But that was way before I met you, so don't worry. We're just friends now."

"I'm not worried," Elizabeth said quickly. It was partly true. She trusted Todd, she really did. He had stuck by her during that awful time after the motorcycle accident. The least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt now.

It was just that Patsy seemed so different and special. It probably came from living in Paris. Dressed in comfortable old jeans and a tank top, Elizabeth felt dull and uninteresting in comparison. She was sure Todd had noticed as well.

Bill and one of the other cast members, DeeDee Gordon, joined them, and they began walking down the hall together.

"You were great, Bill," Todd reassured his friend. "Didn't you think so, Liz?"

Elizabeth nodded enthusiastically.

"Fantastic!" DeeDee chimed. She was small and athletic-looking, with a roundish face dusted lightly with freckles and merry brown eyes that peered out from a glossy dark fringe of bangs.

Bill was staring at the floor as he walked, his hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy cords. He shook his head slowly. "I don't know. Sometimes I really like this play. But other times I'm sorry Mr. Collins talked me into it. I — I just don't know if I'm right for the part."

"You're just saying that because Jessica gave you such a hard time today," Todd said. "Don't let her bug you. She just likes to get a rise out of people."

Bill flushed at the mention of Jessica. Quickly he jumped to her defense. "It's not Jessica's fault. It's mine. I just don't know if I'm good enough."

"Of course you are!" DeeDee bristled. Her role was only a minor one, so she spent plenty of time watching Bill. It was obvious that she thought he was terrific. "You're a natural, Bill," she went on. "That's what makes you so good. It's like you're not even acting. You're just being yourself." Realizing she was gushing, she stopped, her cheeks growing warm.

Bill looked at her, his blue eyes round with incredulity. "You really think so?"

"Listen to DeeDee," Elizabeth put in. "She ought to know. Her father's a hotshot Hollywood agent."

DeeDee blushed. "I usually don't like to tell people. They might wonder what he's doing with such an untalented daughter."

Now it was Bill's turn to defend DeeDee. "What makes you say that? I happen to think you're pretty good."

She shrugged. "So-so. But it's like everything I do. Take surfing, for instance. When you're out there on your board, it looks so easy. Right now, I'm trying to learn, and I feel like King Kong."

"You probably just need someone to give you a few tips." Bill's whole face lit up; he was in his element when discussing surfing. "I'll be glad to help you the next time you're down at the beach."

DeeDee smiled shyly. "Would you really? I mean, it wouldn't be too much trouble? Oh, Bill, that would be terrific!"

Elizabeth and Todd exchanged a knowing look.

"No trouble at —" Bill stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted a familiar figure at the far end of the corridor.

Jessica was deep in conversation with Tom McKay, her arm linked cozily through his. Tom looked tanned and gorgeous in his white tennis shorts and polo shirt. Jessica spotted their group and waved. As they passed by her, she shot Bill a coy look and blew him a kiss.

Bill looked as if he'd just been knighted by the queen of England. He stood there for a long, hypnotized moment — a huge grin plastered across his features. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone, and he darted away in red-faced embarrassment.

CHAPTER 2

"It's not fair!" Jessica wailed. "I always get stuck with the dishes."

Mrs. Wakefield smiled. "That's funny — I could've sworn it was Liz who took your turn the last two times."

"But I've got a date at seven-thirty. I'll never be ready in time."

"Seems like I've heard that argument before," Mr. Wakefield said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Sorry, Jess, but it would never hold up in court." The twins' father could seldom resist bringing his lawyer's logic into play.

Elizabeth sighed as she rose from the table and scooped up a stack of dishes. "This could go on all night. C'mon, Jess, I'll help you. I wouldn't want Tom to be robbed of a single precious moment of your company."

Jessica flashed her sister a grateful look. "Thanks, Liz, I owe you one."

"That's what you always say. Honestly, Jess, if I ever started collecting on all those I-owe-you-one's, you'd probably be my slave for the rest of your life."

"Yes, master." Jessica giggled and bowed to Elizabeth with a flourish. "Your wish is my command."

"In that case, I command you into the kitchen. I said I'd help, but I don't want to get stuck doing it all."

Elizabeth, trying to look stern, waved a long serving fork at Jessica, who shrieked and hurried ahead of her into the kitchen.

Sighing, Alice Wakefield settled back to finish her coffee. With her sunny blond good looks, it was easy to see whom the twins resembled, though she looked youthful enough to be their older sister.

"Whoever said trouble comes in threes obviously didn't have twins," she observed, chuckling.

In the spacious, Spanish-tiled kitchen, Elizabeth and Jessica's antics quickly escalated to a full-fledged soapsuds war. Elizabeth had filled the sink with soapy water to wash the pots, while Jessica loaded the dishwasher. As soon as Jessica's back was turned, Elizabeth scooped up a handful of suds and let fly. Not to be outdone, Jessica retaliated with a soapy volley of her own — an attack that left both Elizabeth and the floor drenched.

"See what you made me do?" Jessica gasped when her laughter had subsided. "Now I'll never be finished in time!"

"I hope Tom knows how to swim," Elizabeth joked as she handed her sister a mop.

"Funny. Very funny." A look of mischief crossed Jessica's lovely face. "You know something? We ought to get Bill to clean it up. He's the one who's so crazy about water."

Instantly Elizabeth sobered. "Poor Bill. You never let up, do you? He'd probably swim to Tahiti if you asked him to."

"What good would he do me in Tahiti?" Jessica snickered. "He's much more useful to me right here."

"As your go-fer, you mean?"

"You said it, not me."

"Come on, Jess, enough is enough. Why don't you give Bill a break? He's really a nice guy. What did he do that was terrible enough to earn the fate of falling in love with you?"

"Nothing, that's what." Her eyes narrowed. "He's only getting what he deserves for ignoring me in the beginning."

"Since when is turning you down for a date a federal crime?"

Jessica grew defensive. "I can't help it if Bill is crazy about me, can I? I mean, I'm not exactly holding a gun to his head."

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Heartbreaker by Francine Pascal, Kate William. Copyright © 1984 Francine Pascal. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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