Free Obsessed by Jo Gibson Page A

entertainment center with a stereo and a color television. Were Michael and Mary Beth on one of the long leather couches right now, watching television? Or were they wrapped in each other’s arms, sharing passionate kisses, too interested in each other to even notice what was on the tube?
    Judy couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. What about her? Michael had told her that she was pretty. He seemed to like having her around, but he still treated her like a kid. Judy wished she could think of some way to make Michael realize that he had the perfect girl living right next door to him. She was tired of waiting, tired of being a pal and a buddy. Judy knew she could give Michael all the love he needed, if he’d only give her a chance.

    Eight
    It was Sunday night and Mary Beth was alone. She’d been as nervous as a cat all night, and she was beginning to wish she hadn’t decided to stay alone. She hadn’t been the least bit afraid when this whole thing had started—she’d just pre tended to get Michael to stay with her. But she’d pretended to be frightened for a whole week now, and she was begin ning to believe her own act. She had to calm down and stop being so jumpy. She was perfectly safe. No one could get inside the house without setting off the new security system her parents had installed.
    The phone rang, and Mary Beth sprinted across the room to answer it. It could be Michael, saying he was coming over early.
    “Hi, honey. Are you all right?”
    Mary Beth frowned in disappointment. “I’m fine, Mom. How’s work?”
    “Busy. There’s a couple of knife wounds coming in the door right now, so I’ve only got a minute.”
    “That’s okay, Mom.” Mary Beth crossed her fingers for luck. “Do you think you’ll be home on time?”
    “I doubt it, honey. It’s been a madhouse all night. We’ve got all twelve rooms in emergency filled, and we’re stacking them up in the hallway.”
    “But you’ll call before you leave?”
    “Sure, honey. I’ll try to get off by two, but it’ll probably be closer to three. Keep the security system on, and don’t let anyone in, okay?”
    Mary Beth nodded. “I won’t, unless it’s Michael. He promised to drop by later to check on me.”
    “You’re very lucky to have a friend like Michael. He’s a nice boy, much nicer than that awful —”
    “Oh, Mom!” Mary Beth interrupted what was sure to be a lecture about Kevin Mallory. “I know you don’t like Kevin. That’s the reason I broke up with him.”
    “That was a wise decision, honey. He was much too old for you. You might not realize that now, but when you look back on it, you’ll know you made the right choice.”
    “Yes, Mom.” Mary Beth nodded obediently, even though she knew her mother couldn’t see her.
    “They’re paging me — I’ve got to go now. I love you, honey, and I’ll see you about three.”
    Mary Beth winced as she hung up the phone. Her mother didn’t know it, but she was still seeing Kevin. She didn’t like sneaking around and lying to her parents, but she planned to keep on dating Kevin for as long as she could.
    Her mother definitely had a point. Mary Beth realized that. Kevin wasn’t as nice as Michael, but that didn’t seem to matter. A nice boyfriend like Michael wasn’t very excit ing, and she was dying for some excitement in her life.
    There were lots of fun things that Michael wouldn’t do. He wouldn’t take her to a real nightclub like the Palace, and he’d never buy her a fake I.D. so that she could order drinks. He wouldn’t tear down the freeway at ninety miles an hour with the stereo blaring, and he’d never invite her to a wild party where everybody went skinny dipping. Michael wouldn’t suggest that she tell her parents she was staying with a girlfriend and spend the night with him, instead. Michael was trustworthy and reliable, the type of guy she wanted to end up marrying. But Mary Beth intended to have some wild and crazy times with Kevin first.
    There