Secrets in the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page A

That
everything about me wasn’t changing, like Faith and
Olivia.
    With a sigh, I dropped to
the edge of the bathtub and thought about my two best
friends.
    Olivia Larson had been my
BFF since pre-school. She’d been the biggest tomboy in town — never
afraid to climb trees, scale fences or ride her bike down ‘suicide
hill’ without any hands. Lately, I’d watched in amazement as my
previous-daredevil-tomboy friend began to pay attention to
boys.
    Olivia loved her
developing figure, and kept experimenting with different styles for
her thick, dark brown hair. Just last week, I’d seen her practicing
flirtatious gestures in the mirror when she thought no one
was looking.
    Ugh!
    As a reformed tomboy, she suddenly didn’t enjoy doing things
that could get her too dirty or messed up.
    She’d even begun spending
her allowance on eye shadow and mascara instead of books and candy.
Not that her mother let her out of the house all made up. So we had
to wait a block from her house while she ‘put on her face’ each
morning.
    Double ugh!
    It was first grade when
Faith Xenakis turned Olivia and me into a trio. Until recently, I’d
been tallest. Now, Faith was nearly six inches taller and still
growing.
    Faith wasn’t developing an
interest in boys. No, she’d turned into Ms. I’m- all -about-soccer. She devoted hours
every week, including most of Sunday, practicing with her team. I
really missed the time we used to spend together.
    I wasn’t really sure
what I liked
anymore, but I wasn’t willing to lose my two best friends. The
Three would stay together. No matter who changed. No matter how
much.
    No matter what.
    I did know one thing. I
wasn’t going to think about that afternoon. Not until I could
talked to Olivia and Faith.
    8:30 seemed way far away.
    What I needed was something
to help me keep busy. Right now, maybe I should just think about
finishing my English essay. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t due
until next week. Getting it done early was being smart. Efficient.
Practical. And other words like that.
    It did not mean I was being a wuss.
    Working on the essay
helped. A lot. By the time I was done, I didn’t feel all freaked
out. Instead, I’d started to feel curious about that place. It
might be cool to check it out.
    Then I remembered what it
felt like going through that tree. I hated that part. If going back to
that place meant doing that again, I really wasn’t so interested
after all.
    “ Kat, dinner.”
    Mom’s voice was a relief. I
didn’t need to think about going back now. I only had to think
about eating.
    At the table, I felt even
better once I sat at the table. Mom had a meeting that night, so
she’d brought home one of my favorites — pepperoni pizza. By the
time I finished eating, I was feeling pretty good.
    I’d go to my room, put on
headphones, and chill with my favorite tunes until 8:30, when I
could finally talk to Faith and Olivia. I hated waiting so long,
but Olivia’s mom wouldn’t let her use her phone or computer until
she helped get her brothers and sisters in bed. I just would not think about anything
strange till then.
    That sounded like a great
plan.

    Too bad fate had something
else in mind.

Chapter 7
    The Book of Light and
Shadow
    It was nearly eight o’clock
when Mom stopped by my room after her meeting. When she asked if my
homework was done, I could virtuously say I’d finished all my
homework for the week. She didn’t do a good job hiding her
surprise. Normally, I like to wait to the last minute to do
homework, and we argue about it. A lot.
    My left my room and
downstairs. I could hear her talking to Dad. I was glad she hadn’t
stayed to talk tonight. I was too anxious
to know what Faith and Olivia would say about that
afternoon.
    Time crawled the last few
minutes. It was 8:23 when I went downstairs for a glass of juice. I
was passing by the front door when the doorbell rang, and I stopped
in surprise.
    Who’s at the door this
late?
    Mom and Dad were