The Prom Queen Read Online Free PDF Page A

breath caught in my throat. My head was throbbing.
    It’s the killer, I thought.
    He’s been hiding in the gym.
    He’s heard my screams. He knows I’m all alone, trapped in here.
    And now he’s coming for me.
    The footsteps grew louder.
    I knew I should run.
    But before I could move, the door was pulled open—and I screamed again.

Chapter

4
    â€œW hat’s the matter with you? Why are you screaming like that?”
    It was Mr. Santucci, the school’s maintenance man. He gaped at me, his expression more frightened than mine.
    â€œWhy did you come down this way?” he asked, studying my face in the dim light. “This door is locked.”
    â€œI-I’m sorry,” I stammered. “I was looking for someone.”
    â€œThere’s no one down here,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s all locked up. You gave me a scare.”
    I apologized again, feeling like a fool. Why had I screamed like that? Why had I let my fear take over?
    My heart still pounding, I followed him through the empty gym. Still grumbling, he let me out one of the back doors.
    As I was walking through the parking lot, I heard a familiar sound and glanced over toward the lighted tennis courts, which were at the far end of the lot.
    The tennis team was practicing. Dawn would be there. Maybe she had seen Simone.
    Just as I started toward the courts, the gate in the fence opened and a girl came out. She was too far away for me to see clearly. But I could tell she was tall and carrying a tennis racket in one hand.
    I got a little closer and could make out long blond hair. And then I recognized her.
    â€œDawn!” I called.
    She looked up, startled, and barely waved. She opened the door to her mother’s red Camaro.
    I jogged over to her. She wasn’t going to take off without saying hello, was she?
    â€œDawn!” I called again. “Have you seen Simone?”
    She held on to the car door. “Not since school,” she called back. She tossed her racket into the car and slid inside.
    â€œHey! Wait a sec!” I called. She pulled out. I had to jump to the side as Dawn backed up. I waved my arms at her as I ran toward the car.
    â€œWhat’s the rush?” I called as she rolled down her window.
    â€œSorry,” she said. “What’s up?”
    â€œI was looking for Simone.”
    â€œYeah, well, like I said, I haven’t—”
    â€œDawn!”
    I was only a few feet from her now. Close enough to see her face clearly. It was scratched and bleeding. She looked as if she’d been clawed by a vicious cat.
    â€œIt’s nothing,” Dawn told me, catching my openmouthed stare.
    â€œWhat do you mean, it’s nothing? You’ve got—” I was right up beside the car now. “You’ve got blood all over your tennis whites.”
    â€œOh, well, nothing a little detergent won’t—”
    â€œYeah, but what happened?”
    Dawn revved the motor. “I was hitting with Marcie. Turns out she’s got this wicked groundstroke. She kept hitting it deeper and deeper. Then I crashed against the stupid fence. It’s nothing. It looks a lot worse than it is. But listen, I’ve got to get home because—ah—well, because I’m late,” she finished lamely.
    With that she pulled out. I shook my head. It seemed as if she was hiding something, but I had no idea what it could be.
    â€œLizzy!”
    I turned. It was Eva, waving to me from across the parking lot. Standing near her were several of the other cast members. I could see Robbie climb into his car and slam the door.
    â€œI couldn’t find her!” I yelled back.
    Eva nodded. “Rehearsal is canceled. We have no idea where she is.”
    I suppose I could have gotten Mr. Santucci to open the auditorium and let me finish painting the abbey. But at that point I was no longer in the mood.
    I headed for my car, planning to drive straight home. But