Bad Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

sister’s face, trying to think of some way to cheer her up. “You still feeling down about moving here?” she asked.
    â€œI guess,” Andrea murmured. “It’s just weird. The house, the neighborhood.” She swallowed hard, then added, “No Dad.”
    â€œI know,” Maggie said softly. The silence was heavy between them. There wasn’t anything else to say, and they both knew it.
    â€œI’ve just been having such strange thoughts,” Andrea confessed, avoiding her sister’s eyes. “Strange, strange thoughts.” She paused, then flashed Maggie a tense smile. “Have a good time with Justin,” she said coldly.
    â€œWhere
is
he?” Maggie asked out loud, staring out the front window. It was four o’clock and no sign of Justin.
    By five o’clock she swore to herself she was going to break up with him. How could he
do
this to her?
    At ten after five, the doorbell finally rang. Maggie eagerly scrambled down the stairs. By the time she reached the bottom step, she wasn’t angry anymore.
    She opened the door to Justin standing there, one hand behind his back.
    â€œSomething for
me?”
Maggie asked delightedly.
    Justin pulled his hand out. He was holding a big bag of kitchen sponges.
    â€œHow romantic!” Maggie said.
    He caught her puzzled expression. “You said you had all this cleaning up to do,” he explained, grinning.
    â€œOh, right.”
    Maggie stepped forward and gave him a quickpeck on the cheek, touching his arm softly. She had to stand on tiptoe to do it, which she liked.
    Maggie was almost five feet eight. That meant she was usually as tall if not taller than her boyfriends. Justin was six feet, easy. And so great-looking, she felt like pinching herself.
    â€œLook, Mom,” Maggie said as she led Justin into the house. “New sponges.”
    Mrs. Travers melted as if Justin had brought her a bouquet of roses. “Just what I needed!” she gushed.
    â€œMom’s a cheap date,” Maggie said dryly.
    â€œHey, Mags,” Justin said, glancing around, “this place isn’t as bad as you said.”
    â€œYou see?” Mrs. Travers beamed. Justin was really turning on the charm.
    â€œYou want something to drink?” Maggie asked as she led him to the kitchen. “We’ve got two cans of Sprite and”—she yanked open the fridge and peered inside—“and two cans of Sprite.”
    â€œWe’ve got a little shopping to do,” Mom explained guiltily.
    â€œUh, I think I’ll have a Sprite,” Justin said. His blue eyes twinkled. Maggie found herself staring at them. She couldn’t help it. Justin’s eyes were the color of the water in those ads for vacation islands in the Caribbean.
    â€œCome on,” she told him, handing him the can, “let me give you the grand tour.”
    It was a small house, so the tour didn’t last long. They ended up in Maggie’s room. Justin sat on the only chair. Maggie draped herself across the bed, hoping he would come sit next to her and kiss her.
    He didn’t.
    They had already made out a couple of times, but their relationship was so new, it was as if they had to start from scratch each time they saw each other.
    Just then, Gus bounded into the room and ran straight to Justin. If only I could be that direct! Maggie thought.
    Gus collapsed on the floor, begging Justin to scratch his belly. Maggie laughed. On second thought, she told herself, I don’t think I
do
want to be like Gus!
    Justin scratched Gus with his sneaker. Gus whimpered with delight. Then he got up and trotted out of the room again, and the silent tension between Maggie and Justin returned.
    â€œAre you all set for the tryouts tomorrow?” Justin asked finally.
    Maggie groaned. “Thanks for reminding me.”
    â€œWhy? You’re not nervous, are you?”
    â€œNot me.” She jumped to her feet and began