Secret Admirer Read Online Free PDF

to see Jake standing at the edge of the walk.
    â€œButt out!” Danny snarled. He grabbed for Selena again.
    â€œWhoa!” Jake grabbed Danny’s shirt and spun him around.
    â€œWhat’s your problem? Leave her alone!” Jake demanded.
    â€œMind your own business!” Danny growled.
    â€œSelena is
my
friend!” Jake argued. “If she needs a ride,
I’ll
take her home!”
    Every guy I know has gone nuts!
Selena decided.
    Danny shoved Jake with all his strength.
    Jake shot Selena a startled look as he stumbled back onto the brick walkway. And toppled over.
    â€œOhhh!” Selena uttered a low cry as Jake’s head hit the pavement hard, with a dull
thunk
.
    Jake sprawled on his back on the sidewalk.
    He didn’t move.

8
 
    â€œJ ake!” Selena cried.
    â€œGet up!” Danny ordered, breathing hard as he stood over Jake’s unmoving body. “Get up!”
    Jake stirred. He moaned and slowly pulled himself to his feet.
    Selena started toward him. But Jake launched himself at Danny’s legs, pulling the bigger boy down.
    As Selena watched in horror, the two boys rolled over and over, pounding each other frantically with their fists.
    â€œStop! Stop it!” she screamed.
    A jagged cut already covered Jake’s forehead. Danny’s nose began to spurt blood.
    Selena grabbed the back of Jake’s shirt and yanked with both hands. Using all her strength, she managed to pull him away from Danny. Before the boys could begin again, she stepped between them.
    â€œGet out of the way!” Jake warned, wiping blood from his forehead, his chest heaving.
    â€œNo!” Selena insisted. “Jake, what do you think you’re doing?”
    Jake’s eyes had looked glazed, but now they snapped into focus. “I’m—I’m sorry,” he muttered.
    â€œYou’re sorry, okay,” Danny snarled. “You’re so sorry, you’re pitiful!”
    â€œShut up! Just shut up!” Selena demanded. “You guys are both crazy! I’m going home with Katy. I don’t need a ride from anyone! And even if I did, I wouldn’t take it from either one of you!”
    Danny stared at her for a long moment, struggling to catch his breath. Then he spun around and strode back to the house. He pushed past Katy, who had just appeared on the porch.
    â€œWhat’s up?” she asked, hurrying down to Selena and Jake. “Did Danny get a nosebleed?”
    â€œHe tripped,” Jake muttered bitterly.
    Katy stared at him for a moment. “Selena?” she asked.
    â€œI’ll tell you in the car.” Selena sighed wearily.
    Jake followed the girls to Katy’s car. “I’m sorry, Moon,” he repeated. “You know I can’t stand Danny.”
    â€œThat’s no excuse.”
    â€œBut he’s such a jerk!” Jake insisted.
    Selena sighed. “I know.”
    Katy unlocked the car doors and Selena slid into the passenger seat. Jake stood holding her door.
    â€œDanny thinks he can always be the star. He thinks he’ll be Romeo in the spring play,” Jake said. “But he won’t. I’d rather see him dead.”
    Selena gasped and gazed up at him. He looked so pale and angry in the cold moonlight. “You don’t really mean that, Jake. Do you?
Do
you?”
    He turned and walked away without answering.
    *   *   *
    A distant ringing awakened Selena at dawn the next morning. She glanced at her clock radio and saw that it was five A.M. It took her a moment longer to realize that the ringing came from her bedside phone.
    She groggily reached for it. “Hello?” she mumbled.
    â€œWe were together last night,” whispered a voice.
    â€œHuh?” Selena choked out.
    â€œI’m watching you,” the voice whispered hoarsely. “I’m always watching you, Selena.”
    â€œHey, wait—!” Selena cried.
    â€œSoon we’ll be together