Read Online Phantom by Laura DeLuca - Free Book Online

she remembered the menacing voice. Someone was definitely out to get her. She was starting to feel a little afraid, and it wasn’t a good feeling.
     
    “I still think it’s Justyn,” Debbie said adamantly. “He obviously has a thing for you. And I’m sure he doesn’t like it that you chose Tom over him.”
     
    Rebecca was a little surprised by the statement. Had she chosen Tom over Justyn? She hadn’t really considered that she had a choice. Tom had asked her to the dance and she had said yes. She couldn’t even imagine Justyn attending something as commonplace as a high school dance. Besides, Tom was the man she had always wanted.
     
    “Well, I think it was Wendy,” Carmen argued. “She’s still really pissed that she didn’t get the lead in the play.”
     
    Rebecca shook out her raincoat before hanging it up in her locker. “No matter who did it, I guess I shouldn’t let it get to me so much. It’s just a joke, right? It’s not like anyone’s really going to hurt me.”
     
    “Why would anyone want to hurt you?” Justyn was suddenly behind them, as silent in his movements as Rebecca was squeaky in her soggy sneakers.
     
    “Someone’s been leaving Becca nasty notes and calling her and making threats,” Debbie said with narrowed eyes. “Do you know anything about it?”
     
    Justyn looked surprised, and then concerned, but Rebecca was aware of his extraordinary acting ability. He could turn emotions off and on at will when he wanted to. The response wasn’t enough to eliminate him from the suspect list. He really was the most obvious choice. He was the only one, besides Rebecca herself, who knew the play inside and out. Yet, she just couldn’t imagine him wanting to scare her. She knew his black clothes and unusual style made her friends nervous, but she saw something in him that went deeper than his fashion sense. She didn’t think he would hurt her. But since when was she the best judge of character? There was a time that she thought Wendy was really nice.
     
    “Do you think it’s connected to the curtain falling down?” Justyn asked. “I overheard the stagehands saying the curtain rod had been tampered with.”
     
    “Tampered with? How?” Carmen asked.
     
     Justyn shrugged. “I don’t know exactly.”
     
     Rebecca gasped. Despite the strange warning from Mr. Russ, she had never seriously considered that someone might have sent the curtain crashing down on purpose. Miss King had made it sound like it had been threatening to crumple for years. It made the whole situation seem much more sinister. Was the person doing these things really dangerous? The thought made Rebecca feel a little dizzy. She reached out a hand to steady herself, intending to grab her locker, but found that it was Justyn’s arm she caught hold of instead.
     
    “Are you all right, Becca?”
     
    His melodious, almost unnatural voice made things even shakier. Realizing that she was making a complete fool of herself, Rebecca took a deep breath and shook her head.
     
     “I’m fine.” She forced a small laugh. “ This Christine is a lot tougher than she looks. I’m not going to go around fainting whenever something out of the ordinary happens.”
     
    She was tough? Boy, was that a blatant lie.
     
    “And this phantom isn’t really such a bad guy.” Justyn smiled and let go of her arm, just as the overhead bells started ringing. “Well, if you ever do decide to faint, Becca, I’d be more than happy to sweep you up and carry you away.”
     
    “Don’t count on it.”
     
    Rebecca tried to sound strong and full of feminist pride, but that smoldering look in his eyes made her wonder if she wouldn’t hit the ground at that very moment. And the light-headedness had nothing to do with her mysterious stalker. It was because once again Lord Justyn had her reeling with strange and unaccustomed emotions.
     
    “Come on, Becca, we’re going to be late,” Debbie told her.
     
    She was still giving Justyn