What Holly Heard Read online

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  FEAR STREET books®

  BAD DREAMS

  DOUBLE DATE

  THE THRILL CLUB

  ONE EVIL SUMMER

  THE MIND READER

  WRONG NUMBER 2

  TRUTH OR DARE

  DEAD END

  FINAL GRADE

  SWITCHED

  COLLEGE WEEKEND

  THE STEPSISTER 2

  by R.L. STINE

  Available from Archway Paperbacks Published by Pocket Books

  A Bad Connection …

  The phone rang at seven-thirty and Miriam jumped.

  “Hello?”

  “Miriam, it’s me.”

  Miriam felt a sudden chill. “Holly, what’s wrong? Why are you whispering?”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Holly replied, a little louder now. “That’s not true. Everything’s wrong. I’m seeing shadows everywhere, Miriam. Please come down.”

  “Holly,” Miriam said sternly, “you’re imagining things.”

  “Please, Miriam? I’m really scared.”

  “Let me make sure I can get the car.” She covered the receiver with her hand while she got permission to borrow her mom’s car.

  Miriam uncovered the receiver. “I’ll be right there.”

  There was no reply.

  “Holly?”

  Silence.

  Miriam’s heart began to pound.

  “Holly?” she cried into the phone. “Holly, answer me!”

  Books by R. L. Stine

  FEAR STREET

  THE NEW GIRL

  THE SURPRISE PARTY

  THE OVERNIGHT

  MISSING

  THE WRONG NUMBER

  THE SLEEPWALKER

  HAUNTED

  HALLOWEEN PARTY

  THE STEPSISTER

  SKI WEEKEND

  THE FIRE GAME

  LIGHTS OUT

  THE SECRET BEDROOM

  THE KNIFE

  PROM QUEEN

  FIRST DATE

  THE BEST FRIEND

  THE CHEATER

  SUNBURN

  THE NEW BOY

  THE DARE

  BAD DREAMS

  DOUBLE DATE

  THE THRILL CLUB

  ONE EVIL SUMMER

  THE MIND READER

  WRONG NUMBER 2

  TRUTH OR DARE

  DEAD END

  FINAL GRADE

  SWITCHED

  COLLEGE WEEKEND

  THE STEPSISTER 2

  WHAT HOLLY HEARD

  THE FACE

  SECRET ADMIRER

  THE PERFECT DATE

  THE CONFESSION

  THE BOY NEXT DOOR

  NIGHT GAMES

  FEAR STREET SUPER CHILLERS

  PARTY SUMMER

  SILENT NIGHT

  GOODNIGHT KISS

  BROKEN HEARTS

  SILENT NIGHT 2

  THE DEAD LIFEGUARD

  CHEERLEADERS: THE NEW EVIL

  BAD MOONLIGHT

  THE NEW YEAR’S PARTY

  GOODNIGHT KISS 2

  THE FEAR STREET SAGA

  THE BETRAYAL

  THE SECRET

  THE BURNING

  FEAR STREET SAGA COLLECTOR’S EDITION

  FEAR STREET CHEERLEADERS

  THE FIRST EVIL

  THE SECOND EVIL

  THE THIRD EVIL

  99 FEAR STREET: THE HOUSE OF EVIL

  THE FIRST HORROR

  THE SECOND HORROR

  THE THIRD HORROR

  THE CATALUNA CHRONICLES

  THE EVIL MOON

  THE DARK SECRET

  THE DEADLY FIRE

  FEAR STREET SAGAS

  A NEW FEAR

  HOUSE OF WHISPERS

  FORBIDDEN SECRETS

  FEAR PARK

  THE FIRST SCREAM

  THE LOUDEST SCREAM

  THE LAST SCREAM

  Available from ARCHWAY Paperbacks

  For orders other than by individual consumers, Pocket Books grants a discount on the purchase of 10 or more copies of single titles for special markets or premium use. For further details, please write to the Vice-President of Special Markets, Pocket Books, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-6785, 8th Floor.

  For information on how individual consumers can place orders, please write to Mail Order Department, Simon & Schuster Inc., 200 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, NJ 07675.

  The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as “unsold and destroyed.” Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this “stripped book.”

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK Original

  An Archway Paperback published by

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Copyright © 1996 by Parachute Press, Inc.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-671-89427-7

  ISBN-13: 978-0-6718-9427-6

  eISBN-13: 978-1-439-12123-8

  First Archway Paperback printing January 1996

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

  FEAR STREET is a registered trademark of Parachute Press, Inc.

  AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  Cover art by Bill Schmidt

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  IL 7+

  What Holly Heard

  What Holly Heard

  * * *

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  About the Author

  Advertisement

  Appendix A

  Appendix B

  Appendix C

  Appendix D

  Appendix E

  chapter 1

  “Guess what I just heard!” Holly Silva called as she hurried down the hall of Shadyside High.

  Miriam Maryles and Ruth Carver exchanged knowing glances. It was time for gossip. The final bell had rung, and they stood at their lockers, stashing away their books for the weekend.

  Holly rushed up to them, her dark hair bouncing and her trademark electric blue scarf fluttering behind her.

  “The Gossip Queen strikes again,” Ruth murmured as Holly approached.

  Miriam grinned at Holly. “Come on—spill.”

  Miriam loved to hear the latest dirt. Ruth, on the other hand, was always a little chilly toward Holly’s gossip.

  No surprise, Miriam thought. Her two best friends were opposite in every way.

  Ruth was shy, with a definite sarca
stic streak running beneath her quiet exterior. Holly was bubbly and social, and went out of her way to make others smile.

  Ruth wore no makeup and let her blond hair hang straight to her shoulders. Holly spent hours on her “look.” She permed her long dark hair and sported a trendy wardrobe that always included her bright blue scarf, which she claimed brought her good luck.

  Miriam sometimes wished the two got along better, but she loved them both anyway. They made her laugh, they listened, and they were good friends.

  “What have you got?” she asked excitedly.

  Holly huddled close to Miriam. “You will never guess!”

  “What?” Miriam urged.

  “I just heard that Mei Kamata has been having huge fights with her mother for the past two weeks.” Holly’s green eyes grew wider. “She told me she might run away!”

  “Whoa!” Miriam cried. That was juicy. Mei Kamata was an old friend of Miriam’s. She came from one of the wealthiest families in Shadyside.

  I guess money doesn’t always mean happiness, Miriam thought.

  “That’s not the best part,” Holly continued. “Guess what they’ve been fighting about? Noah!”

  “You’re kidding!” Miriam exclaimed. “I thought Mei’s parents were cool with Noah.”

  Holly shook her head. “They’re both doctors, Miriam.

  Think about it. They’re really big on Mei working hard and doing well in school. Noah is too much for them.”

  Miriam had to agree. Noah Brennan was one of Shadyside High’s most infamous seniors. He was kind of wild, and very unpredictable. He wore his black hair long, past his shoulders, and he had a double-pierced ear, a lean muscular body, and a lot of attitude.

  Miriam didn’t like talking to Noah because he always seemed to be sizing people up rather than paying attention to their words. The jocks avoided him. Intimidated, Miriam guessed. The girls whispered about him. The teachers watched him like prison guards.

  He’s exactly the kind of guy parents are afraid of, Miriam thought.

  “If Mei is angry at her mother,” Ruth said, “Noah Brennan is just the guy to bring home. It must drive Mrs. Kamata nuts to see her daughter with a guy like him!”

  Miriam smiled. Ruth had read her mind.

  “What do you think will happen?” Holly asked.

  “You’re the one with all the dirt, Holl,” Miriam teased.

  Holly’s eyes sparkled. “Well…”

  “Come on, Holly,” Ruth said. “What else?”

  “I thought you hated gossip, Ruth.” Holly laughed.

  Ruth straightened up, as if suddenly remembering herself. “I do. I’m just … curious.”

  Miriam was glad to see her friend interested in something other than books. Maybe she and Holly were finally rubbing off on Ruth.

  It’s about time, Miriam thought. The three of us could have so much fun if Ruth would only come out of her shell.

  Miriam couldn’t even count all the times she had introduced Ruth to boys and taken her to parties. In fact, she’d set Ruth up with her cousin Patrick for that very night. She thought they might make a cute couple.

  But Ruth had resisted—as always—before giving in. Miriam couldn’t understand why Ruth was so shy.

  “I think Mei and Noah will break up,” Holly predicted, bringing Miriam back to the moment.

  “No way,” Miriam replied. “Mei is nuts about him. She’ll never give him up just because her mother wants her to.”

  Holly sighed. “A girl can hope, can’t she?”

  “You’re still interested in Noah?” Ruth cried, sounding shocked. “What about Gary?”

  Miriam raised an eyebrow. It was a good question. Holly had been dating Gary Foster for about a month—and her friends had assumed that Holly had given up her long-standing crush on Noah.

  I guess that was too much to expect, Miriam thought. She glanced at Ruth.

  Gary lived next door to Ruth, and the two had grown up together. Miriam knew that Ruth thought of Gary as a brother. She was always amused by the way Ruth watched out for him.

  Holly shrugged. “Gary’s nice, Ruth. But I don’t know what it is about Noah. I think about him all the time.”

  “Don’t look now,” Miriam warned, peering over Holly’s shoulder. “But here he comes.”

  “Oh, no!” Holly frantically fluffed her curly bangs. “How do I look?”

  Miriam groaned. “You look fine.”

  Ruth scowled. “I don’t know what you see in Noah. He’s a jerk. You and Gary have a good thing going.”

  “Gary who?” Holly asked, deadpan. She smiled at Ruth’s reaction. “I’m kidding, Ruth. Calm down!”

  Still, Miriam saw Holly gazing at Noah. As he worked his way down the hall, Holly’s expression grew more and more hopeful.

  Miriam knew what it was like to have a crush on someone. Miriam had felt that way about Jed Holman for weeks before they went on their first date.

  Miriam noticed that Noah was dressed in his usual ripped jeans, a black T-shirt, and worn leather bomber jacket. His hair was shaggy, but Miriam had a feeling he’d spent a lot of time getting it to look that way.

  “Hey, Holly,” Noah called, his voice gravelly and low.

  Holly’s grin grew wider. “Hi, Noah. Nice earring.”

  Noah absently fingered the silver arrow dangling from his lobe. Why does he always have to act bored by everything? Miriam wondered.

  “Yeah, it’s new,” Noah said.

  “So what’s up?” Holly asked. She ran a hand through her dark curls and nervously wet her lips.

  Miriam felt a poke in the ribs. She turned to Ruth.

  “Here comes Mei,” Ruth muttered.

  Miriam spun around. Mei Kamata strode down the hall toward them, her glossy black hair flowing behind her. She was dressed in a black miniskirt and snug blue cotton top. Miriam could understand why a guy like Noah would be attracted to Mei. She was gorgeous.

  Noah’s tough attitude and Mei’s quiet cool made them a strange match. But Miriam had to admit they made a great couple in spite of their differences.

  Mei strode toward them.

  Miriam knew what Mei saw: Holly Silva flirting with her boyfriend!

  “Holly, let’s go.” Miriam gave Holly’s sleeve a sharp tug.

  Holly shook her off. Miriam decided to go for Mei instead.

  “Hi, Mei!” she called as she stepped into Mei’s path. “Your parents aren’t going to spoil the party tonight by hanging around, are they?”

  “Over my dead body,” Mei replied, her icy gaze on Noah and Holly.

  Miriam saw Noah turn at Mei’s voice, a smile slowly curling his lips. “There’s my girl,” he murmured. “Ready to go?”

  He turned away from Holly and slid his arm around Mei’s slender waist. Mei grinned in triumph, tossing her glossy hair right in Holly’s face.

  Miriam winced. Noah had instantly forgotten Holly was there—and that had to hurt. She could practically feel Holly’s embarrassment.

  “Let’s go,” Mei said, giving him a soft hug. She turned to the rest of them. “See you at my party.”

  Miriam and Ruth both smiled and gave a quick wave. Holly didn’t. Miriam saw her jaw muscles clench.

  Noah and Mei started down the hall, hand in hand.

  “Guess what,” Mei told Noah, just loud enough for all of them to hear. “My parents won’t be home until six.”

  “Cool,” Noah replied.

  Miriam turned to find Holly slumped against the lockers, defeat on her face. Her green eyes shot daggers at Mei’s back.

  “I’m sorry, Holly,” Miriam said softly.

  “That’s one couple that’s not breaking up anytime soon,” Ruth added.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Holly muttered, rolling her eyes.

  “Give me a break,” Ruth snapped. “You’ve got a great guy like Gary—and all you can think about is that jerk!”

  “Just because you’re friends with Gary doesn’t mean Noah is a jerk,” Holly argue
d.

  “Whoa. Take it easy. We’re all on the same side here,” Miriam reminded them.

  “I don’t get it about Noah,” Ruth grumbled. She stared after the disappearing couple with a shiver. “He’s a creep. He gives me the creeps.”

  “Not me,” Holly replied dreamily. Her eyes followed Noah to the front doors, a stare so intense, so trancelike, that Miriam thought Holly might be daydreaming a little too hard.

  “Be careful what you wish for,” Miriam warned her friend. “Noah seems really hard to deal with.”

  “Yeah, give it up, Holly,” Ruth insisted as she grabbed one last book and closed her locker. “He’ll never break up with Mei.”

  “We’ll see,” Holly whispered. Finally she broke her stare, flashing a playful smile. “In fact, maybe we’ll see tonight at Mei’s party.”

  Ruth gazed at Holly with raised eyebrows.

  Miriam asked, “What does that mean?”

  Holly shrugged. “Things happen. Girlfriends break up with boyfriends. And for the silliest reasons.”

  “Uh-oh. What are you thinking?” Miriam demanded.

  Holly shrugged again, a strange smile on her face.

  “Holly,” Miriam pressed. “You’re being weird. What are you going to do?”

  Holly smiled. “Well, if Mei saw Noah doing something he shouldn’t be doing, she would go totally ballistic. Wouldn’t she, Miriam? You were friends with her for a long time before Noah came along. You know her better than anyone.”

  “Come on, Holly,” Miriam replied. “You aren’t that kind of a person.”

  “Well,” Holly declared, “love makes you do crazy things.”

  “You mean stupid things,” Ruth muttered. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and stared directly at Holly. “Really stupid.”

  “Lighten up, Ruth. I’m not going to hurt Gary. But you’ve known for a long time that it’s Noah I really want.”

  “And Gary gets dumped.”

  Holly met Ruth’s stare, but didn’t reply.

  “I’m out of here,” Ruth said, heading for the doors.

  “Hey, Ruth!” Miriam called.

  Ruth turned back.

  “We’re still going to the party together, right?”

  Ruth nodded. “Call me when you get home.”

  Miriam sighed as she watched Ruth disappear out the doors. She wished she didn’t always have to play referee between her two best friends.

  “I’m sorry for being evil, Miriam,” Holly admitted with a sigh. “It’s just that I’m so crazy about Noah, you have no idea!”