Secret Admirer (3 page)

“It
was
the wind,” Katy cried. “Look!”

Selena glanced in the direction her friend was pointing. In the side yard, a long, metal ladder lay on the ground below Selena's bedroom window.

“It must have blown over,” Katy said.

“But what was a ladder doing there in the first place?” Selena asked.

“Right under your window,” Katy murmured.

Selena stared at the ladder in disbelief. Could someone truly have been watching her get dressed? She gazed up at her window and felt a chill run down her back.

“This is kind of creepy,” Katy whispered. “First someone sends dead roses and that frightening card. Then …” She swallowed hard. “Do you think someone is following you?
Stalking
you?”

“Stalking me? Don't get crazy, Katy,” she scolded.

She stared at the fallen ladder. It was very windy, and there were no people—or cars—on the street. If someone had been looking through her window, he would have fallen with the ladder. And she would have heard a car driving away.

“There's got to be some other explanation,” Selena
decided. “Maybe my mom was fixing something on the house and she forgot to put the ladder away.”

“Maybe,” Katy replied. “But I doubt it.”

“Help me put it in the garage,” Selena said. She leaned down and picked up one end of the ladder. Katy reached for the other end—then stopped.

“Oh, wow!” she cried.

“What is it?”

Katy pointed. “On the bottom rung!”

Selena squinted at the ladder. And spotted a small orange circle on the bottom rung.

A sticker of the sun.

4
 

“I
still say it's some kind of joke,” Selena declared as Katy drove toward North Hills.

Katy snorted. “Then it's a sick joke. I mean, dead flowers? And climbing a ladder to spy on you?”

“We don't know for sure that anyone was on that ladder,” Selena reminded her.

“Well, what about those sun stickers?” Katy persisted. “What kind of a sick joke is that?”

Selena didn't answer. She stared out the car window at the large black trees along Old Mill Road.

She couldn't wait to get to Mr. Riordan's house. At the party she could stop thinking about stickers and flowers and ladders. She would concentrate on having fun.

But Katy refused to drop the subject. She seemed really frightened. “Maybe some psycho saw you in the play. Maybe you
are
being stalked!”

Selena stared out the window and didn't reply.

“I read an article about how crazy people stalk
actors and rock stars,” Katy continued, turning onto Park Drive. “They follow them everywhere, watch everything they do—”

Selena laughed. “Great theory, Katy. But I'm not famous.”

“You're famous in Shadyside,” Katy argued. “You're the star actress at the high school.”

Selena shrugged. “It still doesn't make sense. Why would anyone be that interested in stalking a high school senior?”

“It could be someone at school,” Katy replied earnestly. “Some guy who likes you or hates you or something.”

Selena shrugged again.

“Stalkers aren't like normal people,” Katy continued. “They can be really dangerous. Sometimes they kill the people they're stalking.”

“This guy is only leaving me stickers!” Selena exclaimed. “Besides, if it is somebody at school, then it means I know him. It's probably someone who—
I know!”

“Who?”

“Danny Morris,” Selena suggested.

“Danny?” Katy scoffed. “Why would Danny stalk you?”

“He's not
stalking
me,” Selena sighed, rolling her eyes. “He wants me to get back together with him.”

“No way!” Katy exclaimed. “You broke up over a year ago.”

“I know,” Selena replied. “But he's always bothering me. It's like he just can't believe I don't want him back. I wish he would leave me alone.”

“Well, I'd take him off your hands if I could get him to look at me!” Katy joked.

Selena frowned. “Why are you always putting yourself down?”

“You know it's true,” Katy replied. “He'd never want someone like me. He likes sexy, skinny girls. Like you.”

Selena shrugged and glanced at her watch. “The party should be going full blast by the time we get there,” she commented.

“Yeah,” Katy answered absently. “I heard …” Her voice trailed off.

“You heard what?”

Katy didn't answer. Selena saw her staring into the rearview mirror. Without warning, Katy made a sharp right turn.

“Katy?” Selena cried over the squealing tires. “What's wrong? Mr. Riordan's house is in the other direction!”

“I know!” her friend replied. “But someone's following us!”

“Huh?” Selena twisted in her seat and saw bright headlights in the back window.

Katy made another sharp right. The lights faded, then swung back into the car window.

“He—he's staying right on our tail!” Katy cried. “It must be your stalker, Selena! He's trying to push us off the road!”

5
 

S
elena braced her hands against the dashboard as Katy swerved around another corner.

Their tires squealed. The car skidded onto the curb, then bounced back onto the street.

“Katy—look out!” Selena cried.

“He's still behind us!” Katy responded, her voice shaking. “He's practically riding our back bumper! What should we do?”

“Calm down,” Selena instructed her. “It's just some joker. Stop talking about stalkers. Turn back to North Hills. He'll speed away as soon as we stop at the party.”

“Are you crazy?” Katy cried, both hands squeezing the wheel. “If he follows us to Mr. Riordan's house—”

“He'll speed away,” Selena repeated. “He wouldn't dare follow us
into
the house. We'll be safe there.”

“But—”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“No,” Katy admitted. “You're right.” She turned left at the next light and sped toward North Hills. Every time she switched lanes, the car behind them also switched. When she sped up or slowed down, the other car matched her speed, staying on their back bumper.

“As soon as we get to Mr. Riordan's, I'm calling the police,” Katy declared.

At last they pulled into the big, circular driveway in front of Mr. Riordan's house. The other car squealed to a stop behind them.

“What now?” Katy cried. She set the parking brake and turned to gaze out the rear window. “I'm not getting out while he's there!”

“I—I don't know what we should do,” Selena stammered. “Maybe you should honk—”

Katy squinted into the rearview mirror, her features tight with fear. Selena caught a flash of terror in her friend's eyes. “Oh no!” Katy choked out. “He's getting out of his car. He's walking toward us! We're trapped!”

6
 

“D
anny!” Katy breathed.

“I don't believe him!” Selena growled. She threw open her door, jumped out, then whirled to confront Danny. “Why were you following us like that?” she demanded. “Why did you try to scare us?”

“Whoa,” Danny said, grinning at her. His eyes flashed in the light from the headlights. “It was just a joke. I thought I'd give you a thrill.”

“A joke?” Katy cried shrilly. “You nearly pushed us off the road!”

“Sorry.” Danny's grin grew wider. “I guess I just like being close to Selena.”

Selena sighed.
Danny is so immature,
she thought.
I don't care
how
cute he is
.

“Selena,” Danny murmured, moving close, so close she could smell the peppermint on his breath. “I have something I want to tell you.”

Selena jumped away, angry that he had gotten so close. “Then find me later!” she said curtly. Ignoring
his hurt expression, Selena followed Katy up the walk.

Selena pulled open the front door. She was greeted by a roar of music, laughter, and loud talk. A garland of red and white balloons floated along the ceiling of Mr. Riordan's living room.

“'Well, look who's here,” Mr. Riordan called, stepping toward them. “It's our leading lady!”

“Thank you, thank you,” Selena said, performing an exaggerated curtsey.

“There's pizza and soda by the fireplace,” Mr. Riordan told them. “Get something to eat and come on back over. I have an important announcement.”

“Pizza, yum! I'm starved,” Selena declared.

“Me too,” Katy agreed. “But I'm always hungry.” As the girls elbowed their way to the refreshment table, Selena noted that most of the drama club was already there. She saw Alison chatting in a corner with Jake.

I've got to remember to ask Jake about the black flowers and the note,
Selena reminded herself.

“Hey, who's the major babe?” Katy asked as Selena poured some ginger ale. Selena glanced to the front of the room. Next to Mr. Riordan stood a tall boy. Selena took in his long brown hair, intense dark eyes, and soft, serious mouth.

“I've never seen him before,” she replied. He looked older than most of the other boys at the party. To her surprise, he suddenly gazed straight at her, almost as if he knew her.

“Attention!” Mr. Riordan called. “Come on over here, everyone.”

Selena balanced her plate of pizza and chips, then carefully made her way to a chair near the front of the room.

“This is Eddy Martin,” the drama coach announced, gesturing at the new guy. “He's a second-year drama student at Waynesbridge Junior College. As part of his studies, Eddy will be interning with us for the rest of the semester. He'll sit in on stagecraft classes and help put on the spring play.”

“Weird,” Katy whispered to Selena. “We never had an intern before.”

Selena barely heard her. She couldn't keep her eyes off the new boy. He was glancing around the room, nodding and smiling at everyone. But Selena remembered the way his gaze had landed on her.

“There's something about that guy,” Selena murmured. “I feel as if I've seen him before.”

“If I'd seen
him
somewhere, I'd remember!” Katy joked. “I wonder if he's going to work with the stage crew.”

Selena turned to her best friend and smiled. “Why don't you go find out?”

Katy grinned. She pushed herself out of the chair next to Selena and approached Eddy and Mr. Riordan. Selena watched as the three of them chatted for a moment, then Katy walked back to the refreshment table.

Selena considered doing the same thing when Eddy abruptly settled into the empty seat next to her.

“Hi,” he said, giving Selena a dazzling smile. “I've been wanting to meet you. I'm Eddy.”

“Welcome to Shadyside,” she replied. “I'm Selena Goodrich.”

“Everyone knows who you are,” Eddy said. “I've seen you in all the drama productions this year. You're very talented.”