Read Online Moonlight Secrets by R.L. Stine - Free Book Online

thinking about?”
    He shrugged. “Whatever.” He suddenly looked embarrassed.
    â€œNo. Really,” I said.
    He gazed at me a long time, as if deciding what to tell me. “It’s my dad,” he said finally, lowering his eyes. “He . . . he gets drunk every night. I think my mom . . . I think she’s had it. I mean, she says she can’t take it anymore. You should hear the yelling and screaming.”
    He kept his eyes down. His hand tapped the side of the car, beating out a fast, tense rhythm. “It’s everything, Nate. I mean, my grades totally suck this term. And . . . well . . . Nikki. You know. I mean, I don’t want a relationship or anything. But she’s talking all the time about the two of us being a couple or something. I mean . . .”
    His voice trailed off. I’d seen him like this before. He usually snapped out of it in a day or two.
    â€œMaybe it’s Nights,” I said. “Maybe you’re just wrecked, Shark. Maybe you should stay home and sleep and—”
    â€œNo way!” he said sharply. “Late at night in the bar—that’s the only quiet time I get. That’s the only time it’s like . . . peaceful, you know?”He rubbed his temples as if he had a headache.
    I turned back. Candy was still watching us. She stood there beside the track like a statue, hands on her waist, not moving.
    Was she trying to freak me out?
    Shark moved to the other side of the car and pulled open the passenger door. He tossed his backpack into the back seat.
    I heard voices. Ada and Jamie came hurrying across the parking lot, their shoes thudding on the asphalt.
    Ada jogged toward us, shouting our names. Jamie tried to keep up with her, but her bad leg kept her several paces behind.
    They didn’t say a word. Just squeezed into the back seat of my little two-door car. “Where are we going?” Ada asked.
    I pulled my door shut. Shark crushed a Burger King cup on the floor and tossed it out the window. I turned the ignition and the car started up. I floored the gas pedal a few times, making the engine roar.
    â€œJamie? Cutting class?” I said. “Aren’t you afraid of messing up your grade point average?”
    â€œI took the stupid course last year,” shesaid. She straightened her dark hair behind her shoulders. One of her long, silvery earrings tangled in her hair, and she struggled to pull it out. “I can’t believe they’re making me repeat this stuff.”
    Ada blew a big, pink bubblegum bubble. Shark reached back and popped it. Bubblegum splattered over her face. “Nice, Shark,” she said. “Welcome to kindergarten.”
    I tore out of the parking lot with my tires squealing.
    â€œGreat way to sneak out of school,” Jamie said.
    â€œWho cares?” Shark replied.
    Ada, Jamie, and I talked and kidded around while Shark sat in silence. He kept his eyes straight ahead and didn’t seem to be listening to the conversation.
    Soon we were on the River Road, which curves along the shores of the Onononka River. A forest of thick pine trees whirred past on our right. To the left, tall reeds poked up from the grassy shoreline of the river.
    The road curves along the water, then climbs to high rock cliffs. The wooded clearings on top of the cliffs are a popular parkingspot for Shadyside High kids looking for . . . you know . . . some privacy.
    But I didn’t follow the road up. Instead I hit the brakes hard, squealed to a stop, then turned into a wide, grassy clearing between clusters of tall reeds.
    We climbed out of the car, pulled off our shoes, and made our way along the muddy shore to the river. The girls and I held back, but Shark stepped into the water. He tugged up the legs of his jeans and let the water wash over his ankles.
    â€œHow is it?” I called.
    â€œFreezing cold,” Shark replied.