Read Online The House Next Door by P. J. Night - Free Book Online Page B

Alyssa told her.
    When Amanda didn’t reply, Alyssa continued, “Allright. It’s time to get Paul and Steve and leave. We’ve got to get back to our party.”
    â€œBut what about John and Michael?” Amanda asked.
    â€œWhat about them?” Alyssa replied. “They seem nice, but we really don’t have time to get to know them. We have to get back before midnight. Before anyone notices we’re gone!”
    â€œThat’s still like forty minutes away,” Amanda said. “Let’s just hang out for a few minutes with John and Michael, and get to know them. Maybe they’ll want to come back to our house to hang out. We need to play it cool.”
    â€œHave you forgotten that we’re not allowed in this house?” Alyssa reminded her sister. And then she realized what was going on. Amanda thought John and Michael were cute! Alyssa frowned. “Come on, Amanda. Not now.”
    â€œPlease, let’s just stay a few minutes longer,” she begged.
    But Alyssa only shook her head. From the moment she had decided to come here to find Paul and Steve, the memory of the shadow that she’d seen in the attic window years earlier was tugging at her.
    She didn’t want to spend an extra second in this house.
    Alyssa took her sister’s hand and led her back to where the boys were still talking. Amanda pouted. Now that she was in the house, she didn’t really find it spooky at all.
    Her sister was being totally unreasonable.
    As the girls neared the four boys, they heard Paul and Steve still grilling John and Michael.
    â€œSo, have you been here all afternoon?” Paul asked.
    â€œWe have,” said John. “We didn’t even realize how late it had gotten until you reminded us it was almost midnight. What a way to spend New Year’s Eve.”
    Amanda immediately perked up. The boys had admitted to being in the house since that afternoon.
    Of course! The slamming of the door. The flickering of lights.
    It had been John and Michael! She felt incredibly childish for being so easily spooked. Now all she had to do was convince Alyssa of the same. Maybe her older sister would let them stay.
    â€œPaul said he saw lights flickering in this house earlier,” Amanda said. “Was that you? And did youalso open the front door? We thought the house was haunted!”
    Amanda noticed that John and Michael shot each other a pointed look, but then they burst out laughing.
    Michael held up his flashlight. “You must have seen us going through the house using these,” he explained.
    â€œDo you believe in haunted houses?” John teased.
    Amanda turned to Alyssa. “I guess not!” Amanda said. “Alyssa, do you believe in haunted houses?”
    John playfully nudged Alyssa’s arm. “You’re not afraid of this old house, are you?” he asked her.
    Alyssa looked down at her feet as she felt her face burn. “No,” she replied. “Of course not.”
    â€œGood,” he said. “So you won’t mind coming with us for a tour.” And then he grabbed Alyssa’s hand.
    Alyssa’s cheeks turned bright red, but not from embarrassment. It was more from excitement. She relaxed and looked at her sister.
    â€œOkay,” she replied. “But let’s do it fast. We have a party waiting for us at home!”
    â€œAll right!” John said.
    â€œThis way,” said Michael.
    Alyssa, Amanda, Paul, and Steve followed Johnand Michael through each room of the house.
    In the small kitchen that sat off of the living room, old pots and pans hung from an iron rack fixed to the ceiling. A nearby china cabinet housed dainty plates and cups.
    â€œAt least the rumors were true,” Amanda said, looking at the corroded cutlery.
    â€œWhat rumors?” John quickly asked.
    â€œThat nothing has changed about this house in the past century,” she replied.
    â€œLet’s go upstairs,” Michael