Secret Admirer Page 3

  Jake swallowed hard. “Maybe you should tell Mr. Riordan. Or call the police. You know. Show them the card.”

  Selena thought about it. “Maybe I will tell Mr. Riordan.” She stood up and crossed the room to the teacher, who—for once—was standing alone.

  “What’s up, Selena?” he asked. “You look so intense.”

  “Well, there’s something I want to talk to you about,” she explained. “I mean, it’s probably nothing, but—”

  Before Selena could continue, she heard a frantic banging at the front door, so loud it rose over the music and voices of the crowded room.

  “Huh?” She gasped and turned to the front door—along with everyone else.

  The door opened slowly.

  A moan floated into the silent room from outside.

  Then a familiar figure stumbled into the living room.

  Selena gasped in shock.

  Danny Morris.

  His once-handsome face was caked with dark blood.

  “Help me!” he moaned. “Selena!”

  He staggered forward. He reached blood-soaked hands out to Selena.

  Then, with a groan, he fell at her feet and lay there, unmoving.

  7

  Selena screamed. She gazed down at the crumpled form at her feet. Danny lay in a dark pool of blood.

  Selena gasped for breath. Her mind whirled.

  She stood frozen, too horrified to move. Too frightened to help him.

  Danny stirred and raised his head. He groaned. “I’d rather die than live without you, Selena.”

  Selena gasped again. Her whole body trembled.

  Was he serious? Had he hurt himself because of her?

  “Danny—no!” she cried.

  He sat up abruptly. Pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Began wiping the blood off his face. He grinned up at her. “Who’s the best actor in the room?”

  “You—you … moron!” Selena shrieked.

  Danny tossed back his head and laughed. “Come on, Selena! You didn’t really think I would die for you, did you?”

  Selena glared down at him. She knew everyone in the room was watching her. Everyone was laughing at her.

  Danny shook his head. “Wow, Selena. You must be the biggest egomaniac on the planet!”

  Her face burning, Selena spun away from him. She heard laughter. Kids whispering to each other.

  Selena took a deep breath to calm herself. “Very mature, Danny.” She kept her voice as cold as she could. “You win the Academy Award for Best Total Jerk.”

  “That was a dumb stunt, Danny,” Mr. Riordan agreed, his voice stern. “You really did scare us.”

  Danny climbed to his feet. “I couldn’t resist!” he said. “I just wanted to show everyone that I can act. Now we all know who should be Romeo!”

  “I don’t know if we want you to appear in the spring play at all!” Mr. Riordan said, shaking his head. “That kind of behavior—”

  “It was a joke!” Danny protested.

  “We’re all laughing our heads off,” the teacher replied sarcastically. “Let’s start up the music again, okay?” He turned and headed over to the CD player.

  Selena decided to get some fresh air. She crossed the room to the patio door.

  “I can’t believe you used to go out with that guy,” said a deep voice in her ear.

  Startled, Selena dropped her hand from the doorknob. She turned to see Eddy’s handsome face. “How did you know about me and Danny?” she demanded.

  “Oh, I must have heard it from one of the other kids,” Eddy replied. He gazed at her, and Selena felt tongue-tied by the intensity of his dark eyes.

  “Mr. Riordan is signaling me again,” Eddy told her. “He wants me to meet everyone in the drama club!” His dark eyes flashed. “But I’ll talk to you later, Selena.”

  Selena watched Eddy leave. Weird, she thought. He’s so intense, but I like him anyway. At least he’s more mature than Danny.

  Danny. Selena frowned, thinking of his dumb stunt. She felt so embarrassed that she had fallen for it. Selena gazed around the room. Were kids still laughing at her?

  Maybe I’ll just go home, she thought.

  She wandered over to the refreshment table. “Have you seen Katy?” she asked Alison.

  “She was here a while ago,” Alison replied. “I think she’s in the kitchen with Mr. Riordan.”

  Selena started for the kitchen, but Alison stopped her.

  “You were awesome in this play,” Alison said, staring intently at Selena. “And I know you’ll probably get the part of Juliet.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “But I want you to know I’m trying out too,” she finished in a rush.

  “Well, of course,” Selena said, surprised. She and Alison had always had a good-natured competition for parts, and Selena expected it to continue. “Why should the spring play be any different?”

  Katy came through the kitchen into the living room. She approached the refreshment table and grabbed a handful of peanuts. “What’s up?” she greeted Selena and Alison.

  “I think I want to go home,” Selena told her. “It’s getting late and I’m starting to crash. I’m always so wiped after a performance.”

  “Okay. I guess I’m ready to leave too,” Katy shrugged. “Just let me get my keys. I left them in my bag in the other room.”

  “I’ll wait for you outside,” Selena decided. She thanked Mr. Riordan for the party, then crossed to the front door. She stepped outside into the cold air.

  Overhead, a million stars sparkled in the black night sky. Selena felt a chill. She had the weirdest feeling—as if the stars were all eyes, a million eyes staring down at her.

  All of Katy’s stalker talk is making me paranoid! she told herself, shaking the feeling away.

  She started down the path—but stopped as a shadow swept over her.

  A large figure stepped out of the shadows to block her way.

  “Where are you going?” Danny’s husky voice demanded.

  “Home!” Selena answered coldly. She was in no mood for Danny after the trick he had pulled.

  “Fine,” Danny said. “But you’re going home with me.”

  “In your dreams,” Selena snapped. “Why would I go anywhere with you? Don’t you get it? I don’t want to get back together!”

  Danny grabbed her arm roughly. “Selena—” he pleaded.

  Selena yanked her arm away. “Just leave me alone!” she cried.

  “I only want to drive you home,” Danny insisted, his voice rising.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” cried another voice. Selena glanced up to see Jake standing at the edge of the walk.

  “Butt out!” Danny snarled. He grabbed for Selena again.

  “Whoa!” Jake grabbed Danny’s shirt and spun him around.

  “What’s your problem? Leave her alone!” Jake demanded.

  “Mind your own business!” Danny growled.

  “Selena is my friend!” Jake argued. “If she needs a ride, I’ll take her home!”

  Every guy I know has gone nuts! Selena decided.

  Danny shoved Jake with all his strength.

  Jake shot Selena a startled look as he stumbled back onto the brick walkway. And toppled over.

  “Ohhh!” Selena uttered a low cry as Jake’s head hit the pavement hard, with a dull thunk.

  Jake sprawled on his back on the sidewalk.

  He didn’t move.

  8

  “Jake!” Selena cried.

  “Get up!” Danny ordered, breathing hard as he stood over Jake’s unmoving body. “Get up!”

  Jake stirred. He moaned and slowly pulled himself to his feet.

  Selena started toward him. But Jake launched himself at Danny’s legs, pulling the bigger boy down.

  As Selena watched in horror, the two boys rolled over and over, pounding each other frantically with their fists.

  “Stop! Stop it!” she screamed.

  A jagged cut already covered Jake’s forehead. Danny’s nose began to spurt blood.r />
  Selena grabbed the back of Jake’s shirt and yanked with both hands. Using all her strength, she managed to pull him away from Danny. Before the boys could begin again, she stepped between them.

  “Get out of the way!” Jake warned, wiping blood from his forehead, his chest heaving.

  “No!” Selena insisted. “Jake, what do you think you’re doing?”

  Jake’s eyes had looked glazed, but now they snapped into focus. “I’m—I’m sorry,” he muttered.

  “You’re sorry, okay,” Danny snarled. “You’re so sorry, you’re pitiful!”

  “Shut up! Just shut up!” Selena demanded. “You guys are both crazy! I’m going home with Katy. I don’t need a ride from anyone! And even if I did, I wouldn’t take it from either one of you!”

  Danny stared at her for a long moment, struggling to catch his breath. Then he spun around and strode back to the house. He pushed past Katy, who had just appeared on the porch.

  “What’s up?” she asked, hurrying down to Selena and Jake. “Did Danny get a nosebleed?”

  “He tripped,” Jake muttered bitterly.

  Katy stared at him for a moment. “Selena?” she asked.

  “I’ll tell you in the car.” Selena sighed wearily.

  Jake followed the girls to Katy’s car. “I’m sorry, Moon,” he repeated. “You know I can’t stand Danny.”

  “That’s no excuse.”

  “But he’s such a jerk!” Jake insisted.

  Selena sighed. “I know.”

  Katy unlocked the car doors and Selena slid into the passenger seat. Jake stood holding her door.

  “Danny thinks he can always be the star. He thinks he’ll be Romeo in the spring play,” Jake said. “But he won’t. I’d rather see him dead.”

  Selena gasped and gazed up at him. He looked so pale and angry in the cold moonlight. “You don’t really mean that, Jake. Do you? Do you?”

  He turned and walked away without answering.

  * * *

  A distant ringing awakened Selena at dawn the next morning. She glanced at her clock radio and saw that it was five A.M. It took her a moment longer to realize that the ringing came from her bedside phone.

  She groggily reached for it. “Hello?” she mumbled.

  “We were together last night,” whispered a voice.

  “Huh?” Selena choked out.

  “I’m watching you,” the voice whispered hoarsely. “I’m always watching you, Selena.”

  “Hey, wait—!” Selena cried.

  “Soon we’ll be together forever,” the voice rasped.

  Selena sat up straight. She was wide awake now.

  She gripped the phone tightly in her hand. “Who is this?” she demanded angrily. “What are you trying to do? Who is this?”

  She heard a click and the line went dead.

  9

  Selena approached the familiar stone steps of Shadyside High. She ran up the steps, taking them two at a time, and yanked open the front door. Inside, she collapsed against the wall, feeling safe for the first time that morning.

  “Hi, Selena!” Katy called, coming down the front hall. “It’s chilly out!”

  “Yeah,” Selena agreed, shivering.

  “Hey!” Katy cried, drawing closer. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing really.” Selena sighed. “It’s just … I guess it’s these practical jokes. I’m starting to feel nervous all the time! I—I heard from him again this morning.”

  “Oh, wow!” Katy exclaimed, shaking her head. “You should call the police. You really should. If there’s a stalker—”

  “There isn’t any stalker, Katy,” Selena insisted. “I think it’s Danny. You saw how crazy he got at the party.”

  Katy twisted her face, thinking about what Selena had said. Then she pointed. “Look. There’s Danny. Waiting at your locker.”

  “Good!” Selena cried. She set her face in a hard expression. Then she rushed the rest of the way down the hall and found Danny squatting by her locker.

  He had a scrap of paper in his hand, and was trying to work it through the slats in the locker door.

  “More threats?” she demanded.

  Danny straightened up, startled. “Selena, I didn’t hear you come up.”

  “Get away from my locker!” she cried, losing control. “Get away from me!”

  “All right already,” Danny snapped. “Don’t blow a fuse! I just wanted to leave you a note.”

  “Oh, great!” Selena cried. “How about more dead flowers, too?”

  The anger left Danny’s face. “Huh?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about!” she yelled. “The notes and the gross flowers and the creepy phone calls!”

  “You’ve lost it!” Danny exclaimed. “I’ve never left you a note before. I never did any of that other stuff, either! I just wanted to apologize for the fight the other night.”

  “Yeah. For sure,” Selena snarled. “Let me see it.” She held out her hand.

  “Forget it!” Danny growled, snatching his note away. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not sorry!” He turned and stalked off.

  Selena watched him go, struggling to make her heart stop pounding. Was the note in his hand really an apology? she wondered. Or was it another threat, signed with a sticker of the sun?

  “What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is … the Moon!” Jake recited dramatically. He threw himself into the seat next to Selena.

  “Juliet is the sun,” she corrected him. She swatted him with her copy of the Romeo and Juliet script.

  Selena was glad for a chance to stop reading her lines for the audition. She had been sitting alone in the back row of the auditorium, waiting for tryouts to start. Now Jake and Katy sat on either side of her.

  Jake had been clowning around. But now his expression turned serious. “Have you heard from the stalker?” he asked. “Do you really think it’s Danny?”

  Selena frowned at Katy. “I see you’ve been telling Jake every little secret, every thought of mine.”

  Katy blushed. She started to sputter an apology.

  “Hey, I’m a friend, right?” Jake broke in. “I have a right to know what’s going on.”

  Selena didn’t want Jake to know she suspected Danny. Jake and Danny had never liked each other. The last thing Jake needed was another reason to hate Danny. Especially after their fight.

  “I don’t know,” Selena replied cautiously. “I mean, I think it has to be someone in drama. Who else could have put those flowers in my locker?”

  “You should tell Mr. Riordan,” Jake said.

  “But he hasn’t done anything,” Selena protested. “Just written some notes. Besides, I need a drama scholarship. If I tell Mr. Riordan, he might not cast me in the play.”

  “Why would Danny do such dumb stuff?” Jake asked.

  Selena shrugged. “He’s used to getting his way. But not with me. I think he’s really angry that I don’t melt at his feet.”

  “Yeah, well, nothing Danny does would surprise me,” Jake muttered. “But he’ll get away with it, as usual”

  Selena studied his face. The circles under his eyes were darker than ever. She didn’t think she’d ever heard Jake sound so bitter. “Jake? Is anything wrong?”

  “No!” he snapped. “I mean, we’re talking about your problems, not mine,” he added in a calmer voice. “Danny gives me a pain. But I think I understand where he’s coming from.”

  “Are you serious?” Katy demanded.

  “I just mean I know what it’s like to really want something and not be able to have it.”

  The auditorium doors flew open. Mr. Riordan entered and strode to the front of the room. Selena saw Eddy behind him.

  “I’m glad to see so many of you here,” Mr. Riordan announced. “We’ll begin by casting the major parts.” He pulled a card from his pocket. “Alison Pearson and Selena Goodrich are both trying out for Juliet. Come on up to the stage. And for Romeo
, we have Danny Morris and Jake Jacoby.”

  “Jake!” Selena turned to her friend. “I didn’t know you were trying out for Romeo.”

  “Why not?” he replied, avoiding her eyes. “It’s just one more thing that Danny and I both want.” He stood quickly, still not looking at her, and marched up to the stage.

  “What’s his problem?” Selena asked Katy.

  Katy rolled her eyes. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  Selena picked up her script and climbed hesitantly to her feet.

  “Hey, you’re going to be great,” Katy assured her.

  “Thanks,” Selena murmured. She started up the aisle, but found Danny blocking her way.

  “Once I’m Romeo, we’ll be spending a lot of time together,” he said with a smirk.

  “I’m glad Romeo dies in the end,” Selena said nastily. She hurried up to the stage before he could say more.

  As she passed the first row of seats, Eddy caught her eye and flashed her a thumbs-up. “Hey, Selena,” he called. “Break a leg!”

  “Thanks, Eddy.” She felt a fluttering in her chest. Suddenly, she wished Eddy wouldn’t be watching her audition.

  “I want the Romeos and Juliets to practice their lines while I speak to the others,” Mr. Riordan announced.

  Selena crossed the stage toward the wardrobe area where she liked to work on her lines. She always sat on the same bench. Sometimes she thought it gave her luck.

  To her surprise, someone was already sitting there. Alison was perched on Selena’s bench, hunched over a copy of the script, her back propped against the heavy wooden wardrobe cabinet.

  “Hey, Alison,” Selena greeted her.

  Alison finished reading a speech. Then she slowly raised her eyes to Selena. “I guess this is your place, right? I’ll go work somewhere else.”

  “No problem,” Selena replied. “I don’t own the bench. Besides, I’ve already been over the lines so many times they’re making me dizzy.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to move?”

  “Positive,” Selena told her. “In fact, I think I’ll go outside for some air.” She pushed open the door that led from the wardrobe area to the hallway behind the stage.