R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 06 Read Online Free PDF Page A

covered in clay! It's all your fault!”
    “And it's all our fault that Traci is coming to your party,” Tara replied.
    “We helped you, Max. Admit it,” Nicky said.
    That's when I lost it.
    “I'll tell you what you did. You made a horrible mess!” I shouted. “I want you to leave me alone. Do you hear me? Leave me alone!”
    And at that moment, Ms. Delaney, the art teacher, stepped into the room. “Max? Who are you talking to? You're all alone in here. Why are you shouting that you want to be left alone?”
    “Uh … I'm practicing,” I said. “In case someone comes in.”
    Behind her round black glasses, her eyes squinted hard. She was staring at Nicky's vase, going round and round on the wheel.
    “M-Max —” she stammered. “That vase. It's spinning on the wheel with no one there.”
    “I know,” I said. “It's a do-it-yourself project.”
    “Good one, Max,” Nicky said, grinning at me from behind the wheel.
    “Go away,” I said. “I mean it.”
    Ms. Delaney gasped. “What did you say?”
    “I said, ‘How are you today?’” I told her.
    Then her mouth fell open and she dropped the stack of construction paper she'd been holding. “Oh, my goodness! Max! Look at this room! What have you done?”
    “Uh … I'm redecorating,” I said. “Giving it sort of a primitive
hut
look.”
    She shook her head. “Clay everywhere,” she muttered. “We'll never get this cleaned up. Never.”
    “Tell her you think it's an improvement,” Tara said.
    “Just shut up!” I said.
    Ms. Delaney gasped. “Max, have you lost your mind? Since when do you tell a teacher to shut up?”
    “Do you see the trouble you get me into?” I shouted at the two ghosts.
    “Me?”
Ms. Delaney gasped. “How did I get you into trouble? I think your own
big mouth
got you into trouble!”
    “Ha, ha. Score one for her!” Nicky said.
    “I'll shut you up later,” I told him.
    “I don't think so,” Ms. Delaney said. She grabbed my arm and started dragging me to thedoor. “I have no choice, Max. I'm taking you to the principal's office. Maybe Mrs. Wright can find out what your problem is.”
    “
You're
my problem!” I cried, shaking my fist at Nicky and Tara. “This is the
last straw
! You're not invited to my birthday party. I mean it —stay away! You can't come to my party!”
    Ms. Delaney squinted at me. “Party? What party? Why would I come to your party?”
    “I'm not talking to you,” I said.
    Mrs. Wright greeted us at the door to her office. “Max? You're back again?” she said. “Come in. Take your usual seat, and we'll have a nice long talk.”

11
    A T DINNER THAT NIGHT, Mom was very upset. She told Dad the whole story. “The principal called me this afternoon. Max told a teacher to shut up. And he tossed clay all over the art room.”
    Dad's face turned even redder than usual. Steam started to pour from his ears. He gripped his fork and knife in his big, meaty fists. “In trouble again? Why did you do that, Max?”
    “Hard to explain,” I muttered.
    The dragon tattoo on Dad's right bicep appeared to lower its fiery head and stare at me. “Why can't you be more like Colin?” Dad growled. “Is that asking too much? Colin is perfect. Why can't you be perfect?”
    “I don't know,” I whispered, head down.
    Colin kicked me hard under the table. Then, grinning, he pulled out a sheet of paper. “Here is my new honor roll certificate,” he told Dad. “Would you like to get it framed like all the others?”
    I was grounded for a week. I didn't see Nickyor Tara the whole time. I knew they were angry at me. Angry because I'd told them to stay away from my birthday party.
    But I didn't expect them to totally disappear.
    A week after the pottery room incident, Quentin came over to practice magic tricks. My party was only a few days away. I wanted to rehearse and rehearse until our act was perfect.
    After all, Traci Wayne was coming. I wasn't allowed to get near her. But this was my big chance to impress