The New Year's Party Read Online Free PDF Page B

outside fourth-period math class today, acting real casual. But he kept checking the door. As soon as Liz came out, he walked up to her as if he just happened to be passing by.”
    â€œThink Ty is finally going to ask someone out after all these months?” Greta wondered.
    â€œI bet he’s working up to it,” Reenie replied.
    â€œI think they would make a great couple,” Greta declared. “They really are perfect for each other.”
    Reenie shook her head. Greta loved trying to predict who would become a couple and who would break up. What if Chris and Natalie got together? she’d ask. Or Gary and Randee?
    â€œIt’s hard to believe Liz and P.J. are related,” Reenie commented. “Liz is so cool. And he’s kind of weird.”
    â€œDefinitely,” Sean agreed.
    â€œHe’s not that weird,” Greta replied. “I think he’s cute.”
    Reenie made a face. “Yeah, but you think Ricky Shore is cute, too.”
    â€œP.J. always acts as if he’s sick or something,” Sean said. “Like he’s about to faint.”
    â€œI’ve tried to talk to him,” Reenie told them. “But all he says is yes or no in that low grunt of his. He always seems scared or something.”
    â€œHe’s shy,” Greta said. “What’s wrong with that? He’s new in town, at a new school, and he doesn’t know anybody. I’ve talked to him, and I think he’s nice. Smart, too.”
    â€œDoes Artie know he’s got competition?” Sean teased.
    Reenie knew Sean was kidding. But Greta answered seriously. “I like P.J., that’s all. I mean, I don’t… well…”
    â€œWhoa! Check it out!” Sean teased. “Greta is blushing!”
    She couldn’t possibly be interested in a strange guy like P.J., Reenie thought. Could she? It
was
true that lately, Artie and Greta had been fighting all the time.
    Greta tapped Reenie on the shoulder and pointed to a green car. “Lily Bancroft and Pete Goodwin. I never thought I’d see
them
together.”
    â€œTrying to change the subject?” Sean asked. Greta didn’t answer him.
    â€œWhere do P.J. and Liz live?” Reenie asked.
    They looked at one another. No one knew.
    â€œWhat do their parents do? How come they moved in the middle of the year?” Sean asked.

    No one knew that, either.
    A horn blared as a shiny red car pulled up beside them. The driver revved the engine.
    â€œCool car,” Sean observed. “Sounds like a V-6 that somebody has done a lot of work on. I’ll bet it can really move.”
    â€œIt’s Marc Bentley,” Greta said sourly. “And Artie.”
    Artie rode shotgun. He rolled down the window. “Yo! How’s it going? How do you like Marc’s new wheels?”
    â€œNice,” Sean said. “What’s it got?”
    â€œV-6 with high-lift cam, oversize valves, and high-compression heads,” Artie bragged.
    â€œWow.” Sean sounded impressed.
    Marc climbed out of the car. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride.” He grinned at Reenie.
    Marc is really good-looking, Reenie thought. He wore his dark brown hair in a ponytail. And she liked the faint scar that ran partway across his forehead and through his left eyebrow. It made him appear a little dangerous—and older, different from the other high school guys.
    â€œCount me out,” Greta insisted.
    Reenie shook her head. “I’ve got to get home. It’s late.”
    Sean glanced at Reenie and Greta, then at Marc and Artie.
    â€œYou don’t want to go with them, do you?” Reenie whispered.

    â€œI wouldn’t mind seeing how that car runs,” Sean answered.
    â€œLet’s go,” Artie called excitedly. “We’ll show you what this car can do.”
    â€œHey, no big deal. We’ll just go around the block,” Marc promised.
    â€œYeah, just around the block,”