The Battle of Darcy Lane Read Online Free PDF Page A

you’re feeling better.” I couldn’t look her in the eye so I watched an ant that was marching across one of the bricks of her front steps and wondered whether ants got jealous during the cicada years. It was funny to think about them getting miffed about the cicadas getting all that press when it was true every second of every day of every year that ants could do amazing things like carry somethingtwenty times their own body weight.
    â€œThat was some weird flu or something, right?” I heard my own forced laugh as the ant disappeared into a crack. “Like a two-minute bug or something?”
    â€œWhat are you even talking about?” Taylor snapped.
    â€œI just mean you got better fast is all.” My face heated up again.
    â€œYeah, I did.” She huffed. “So why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
    I didn’t know.
    â€œLook what I got.” I held out my purse, which now held my wallet, some lip balm, and my book. I thought about telling Taylor all about The Haunted Pond , but then I didn’t.
    â€œIt’s nice,” Taylor said, but she sounded sort of sad and I wondered if maybe she was jealous. I hoped so. I hoped she regretted not coming because maybe she could have bought something awesome, too.
    â€œWhy don’t we play Spit or go swimming?” I said. “Just the two of us. My dad’s talking about covering the pool for a few days because of the cicadas, so this might be our last chance all week.”
    â€œI’m just going to hang out.” Taylor put her elbows on her knees.
    â€œOkay, then.” I sat down next to her. “I’ll hang out, too.”
    She looked at me funny for a long moment. “You’re suffocating me.”
    â€œWhat?” This was weird.
    â€œI only mean it’s, you know, good to have other friends.” She adjusted her ponytail. “We should both have other friends.”
    â€œWell, duh. Of course.” I felt instantly like I might be coming down with some weird, sudden bug, too. “But I don’t know. Why do you even like her?”
    â€œI just do, okay?”
    â€œShe’s mean to me.” I blurted. Maybe telling Peter had given me confidence.
    â€œShe’s not mean .” Taylor sighed. “She’s just, I don’t know . . . she’s funny. And here she is!”
    Alyssa had appeared at the base of the driveway, bouncing her ball. She had gum in her mouth, and it made me think of something my mom said all the time, claiming it was something her mom used to say. What are you, a cow? Chewing cud? I wasn’t even sure what cud was but I was still tempted to say it.
    â€œMy mom’s at the mall for like an hour,” Alyssa said. “Let’s go to my house.”
    Taylor stood up, but I didn’t. “I’m not sure I’m allowed,” I said. My parents only ever left me home alone when they went out to get pizza or making a quick trip to the bank or drugstore.
    â€œWell, we’re going.” Alyssa shrugged and walked off, and Taylor copied her shrug and followed.
    It was only across the street. My parents wouldn’t even have to know and they were probably too busy cuddling on the couch to care, anyway. Weekends were all about the cuddling for those two.
    There were no cars in Alyssa’s driveway, and the house was quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator. She led us through the kitchen, up the stairs, and into a room where a bunch of boxes sat untouched. The carpet was beige and really soft, and the walls were all clean and white. It smelled like new house, and there was a Ouija board in the middle of the floor.
    â€œThis is all my grandmother’s stuff.” Alyssa sat down in front of the Ouija board. “We’re going to try to talk to her.”
    â€œNo way,” I said.
    â€œWhat, are you afraid of everything ?” Alyssa said.
    â€œNo, it’s just. I don’t know.”
    But I did