Read Online Party Games by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online Page A

house would fit in this room.”
    He took another long sip of beer. It left a line of foam on his upper lip. I had this crazy urge to lick it off.
    Whoa. Stay cool, Rachel.
    â€œA few years ago, we had a bigger house on Park Drive,” I said. “But … uh … things changed for my dad, and we had to move.”
    Bor-ing. Rachel, he’s going to fall asleep listening to you.
    He wiped the foam off his mouth. Then he brushed a hand through his wavy, dark hair. “I really wanted you to come. I hope you have a good time. Maybe later, you and I…” His voice trailed off.
    He’s actually flirting with me. “This is an awesome party,” I said.
    A sly smile crossed his face. A teasing smile. “Rachel, you’re not scared to be here, are you?”
    â€œScared?” I laughed. “Why would I be scared?”
    He leaned close. “I have some things planned.”
    He stayed like that for a moment, with his face close to mine. I actually thought he wanted to kiss me. It was one of those moments where time stopped, like when you pause a movie and everyone freezes in place.
    I wanted to kiss him. I moved my face closer. But then his cousin Kenny came up and bumped Brendan from behind, and Brendan spun around to talk to him.
    I let out a long breath. Don’t rush things, Rachel.
    A wave of happiness rushed over me. I suddenly felt all fluttery. Here I was in this amazing mansion, with the coolest group of kids in school, no parents around, amazing food, and all the beer you could drink. And a guy I’d had a crush on for years was actually flirting with me.
    Best day ever?
    The boat pilot, Randy, flashed into my mind. I pictured him again, hitting his head on the dock piling and sinking into the water. And again I thought about Geena and April finding dead animals in their beds, just like me.
    I shook my head, as if shaking those thoughts away.
    Nothing is going to spoil this day. Nothing is going to keep me from having an awesome time at this party.
    The rock music ended. Dance music began to pound from the speakers. Some kids were still stuffing their faces. But a few got up to dance, beer glasses in one hand.
    I took another sip of beer and wandered over to the food table. Patti and Kerry were being served seconds—slices of pepperoni pizza—by one of the waiters, and I lined up behind them.
    We stood against a bookshelf, eating our pizza slices. “I’ve been here before,” Kerry said. “I still don’t believe this room. You could have a full basketball court here. Seriously.”
    I laughed. “Is basketball all you think about?”
    â€œNo. I think about Patti, too.” He wrapped his free hand around her waist from behind and nuzzled his face in the back of her hair.
    â€œHow come you tell everyone you’re just friends?” I said, shouting over the thumping music.
    Patti shrugged. “Why not? It’s a little joke we have. To confuse people. We’re friends. We’re just very close friends.”
    They both laughed.
    Still holding onto Patti, Kerry said something else, but I couldn’t hear him over the music. He and Patti laughed.
    I laughed, too, pretending I’d heard him. I finished my pizza and returned the plate to the food table. I asked, and one of the waiters pointed the way to the bathroom, through a glass door at the far end of the ballroom. As I crossed the room, I saw Brendan watching me from the middle of a circle of girls.
    Sweet .
    The hall leading to the bathroom was dimly lit, the carpet ragged. More dark oil portraits of Fears stared at me from the walls on both sides.
    I turned the corner, following the waiter’s directions. He said the restroom would be halfway down the hall on the right. Even this far from the ballroom, I could still hear the boom boom boom of the drumbeat from the pounding dance music.
    I took a few steps—then stopped when I heard a hoarse cry. At