Can You Keep a Secret? Read Online Free PDF Page A

jangling. Very cute. Too cute. I mean, that stuff makes my skin itch.
    But she can be very sweet. When my wolf dreams got really intense last fall, I tried to confide in Sophie about them. But she just said, “Why get messed up over a couple of dreams?”
    At a party at Danny’s house, I pulled Roxie aside and told her about my frightening dreams, and she was totally understanding and sympathetic, and made me feel glad that I’d confided in her. Underneath all that plastic and cuteness, she’s a real person.
    I leaned into the back of the SUV and pulled out the bag containing a canvas tent. It was heavier than I thought, and I dropped it onto the ground, nearly smashing my feet.
    “Let me get that.” Riley hoisted it up easily and tossed it onto the other two tents. “Do you believe we’re doing this?” he asked me.
    I shook my head. “I’ve always wanted to camp out one night in these woods,” I told him.
    Roxie tugged out a lantern and set it on the ground. “Do your parents know you’re here?”
    I shook my head. “No way. They think I’m staying at Rachel Martin’s house.”
    “I told my parents the football team was having a spring overnight,” Riley said. “And they believed it. They believe everything I tell them.”
    “You have an honest face,” Danny told him. “Dumb but honest.”
    We all laughed. Riley can always take a joke. The big Teddy Bear.
    Callie shook her head. “This was Danny’s idea. No way I wanted to come tonight. Camp all night in the Fear Street Woods? Hey, I may be new here, but I’ve heard all the stories about these woods. It’s like a horror movie.”
    Danny uttered a ghoulish, horror-movie laugh. “We’re all going to be slaughtered by a dude in a hockey mask!”
    Callie shoved him hard. “How funny is that? Not.” Her expression turned serious. “We must be nuts or something. Staying outdoors in the woods with a vicious wolf running wild?”
    Roxie gasped. “A wolf? Seriously? What do you mean?”
    “You didn’t hear the news?” I said. “A wolf attacked a dog in Shadyside Park last night. The owner was walking the dog, and a wolf leaped out of the trees and chewed the dog to pieces.”
    Roxie’s eyes grew wide. “Maybe we could move our camping stuff to my backyard.…”
    “Owoooooooo!”
    A loud wolf howl from right behind me made me jump. I spun around. It took me a few seconds to realize the howl came from Danny. I felt like a jerk for believing it was a real wolf. But I was a little freaked about wolves. It was easy to fool me.
    Danny howled again, his cry echoing off the trees. This time, no one fell for it.
    “The police were searching for that wolf all day,” Eddie said. “But they didn’t find it. My stepfather got some calls from some of his buddies on the police force. They couldn’t find any paw prints to track.”
    “Don’t wolves travel in packs?” Callie said, tightening her jacket around her shoulders. “I seem to remember that from some science class.”
    Roxie frowned. “Hey, these woods are scary enough without a bunch of wolves hunting for meat.”
    Riley laughed and wrapped his big arms around her, almost smothering her. “The wolf won’t want you, Roxie. You’re too bony.”
    Danny grinned at Riley. “He’ll have a feast on you, man. You’ll be like Thanksgiving dinner.”
    We all laughed. Riley growled at Danny, an animal growl. Then he laughed, too.
    “The wolves will be so busy with Riley, the rest of us can just stand and watch,” Danny said.
    The camping equipment had all been unloaded from Danny’s SUV. Danny slammed the hatchback shut. “Are we really crazy to be doing this?” he asked, suddenly serious.
    “There’s no problem,” Eddie said, stepping up to Danny. He had his hands in the pockets of his jacket. I caught a flash of excitement in his eyes.
    “We’ll all be safe,” he said. “Trust me.” His eyes moved from one of us to the next. I tried to read the strange smile on his face, but I