Read Online The Secret Bedroom by R.L. Stine, Bill Schmidt - Free Book Online Page A

her jacket and shook herself like a dog after a swim, water splashing onto the bright, patterned carpet.
    Pete’s Pizza was directly across from the movie theater. Lea could see that it was crowded, mostly with young people. Laughter and loud voices drifted out into the mall, along with the tangy aroma of cheese and tomato sauce.
    Straightening her hair with her hand, she half ran, half walked toward the restaurant, pulling off the down jacket and tugging her sweater down. As she stepped through the open entranceway, the voices grew louder.
    As she walked past the cashier in front, she saw Don. He was sitting in a booth in the middle of the restaurant, facing her. She gave him a quick wave, but he didn’t seem to notice her.
    â€œHi, Don,” Lea called happily, stepping up to the booth and starting to toss her jacket down.
    And then she saw that someone was sitting across the table from him.
    Marci!
    â€œOh,” Lea uttered weakly, her mouth dropping open.
    Marci turned to Lea. “What are you doing here?” she demanded nastily.

    â€œI …” Lea looked at Don. But he only blushed and gave a quick, almost imperceptible shrug before turning away in embarrassment.
    â€œI just wanted to say h-hi,” Lea stammered, feeling her face redden.
    Don was signaling her with his eyes now, obviously trying to tell Lea that this wasn’t his idea, that Marci had just shown up.
    â€œIt’s great to see you,” Marci said sarcastically. “But Don and I really would like to be alone.” She reached across the table and put her hand over Don’s.
    Don seemed to be very uncomfortable, but he didn’t pull his hand away. “Uh—Lea, why don’t you join us?” he asked.
    He’s really weak, Lea decided.
    â€œNo, thanks. I’ve got to go. Have a nice night,” Lea said, trying to sound cool and together. But her voice quavered when she said it, revealing how upset she was.
    She ran blindly toward the doorway—and collided with a waitress carrying a tray of sodas. The waitress screamed. The tray hit the floor with a clattering crash. Glasses shattered. A river of brown soda rolled over the floor.
    â€œOh—I’m sorry!” Lea cried, much louder than she had intended.
    Everyone turned to gawk. Lea saw Marci and Don staring at her. Marci, craning her neck to see, had a broad grin on her face.
    Ready to burst with rage, Lea fled into the nearly empty mall and kept running, her jacket held out in front of her, until she was back in the rain.

    I could kill Marci, she thought.
Kill
her!
    How could Don
do
this to me?
    The steady rain felt cold on her hair, on her shoulders as it soaked through her sweater. But she didn’t put on the jacket.
    She walked slowly now, as if in a daze, not even sure if she was heading in the right direction. The rush of the rain drowned out all other sounds.
    But she could still hear Marci’s haughty voice repeating in her ears: “Don and I really would like to be alone.”
    I’ve never been so humiliated, Lea thought, rivulets of cold rainwater dripping down her forehead and cheeks.
    Still carrying her jacket in both hands, she didn’t bother to brush the rain away.
    What did I ever do to her, anyway?
    And what is Don’s problem?
    Is he totally terrified of her? Did he deliberately trick me? Did she make him call me tonight? Was it his idea?
    He acted so embarrassed, so uncomfortable when I arrived. It
couldn’t
have been his idea, Lea decided. Marci must have arrived
after
he called me.
    Why did he just sit there? Why didn’t he do anything to help me?
    She opened the car door and tossed her jacket across the seat. Then she slid behind the wheel, totally drenched, shivering from the cold, but too angry, too
furious
to notice.
    Never again, she thought, fumbling in her jacket pocket for the car keys. Never again.

    Back to the dreary, empty house.
    Up to her bedroom, pulling the wet sweater