Free SVH11-Too Good To Be True by Francine Pascal

her lungs. Pete lay on top of her, his moist lips devouring her neck.
    "Help!" she managed to get out.
    "Grow up," he growled. "What kind of a
    game did you think this was? You're not playing in the sandbox anymore. This is the real world."
    "I--I never wanted this. I only wanted-- well..."
    He uttered a harsh laugh as his lips sought out her mouth once more. "Little matches start big fires. Didn't your mother ever warn you about playing with matches?"
    Jessica was both scared and angry. What had she done to deserve this? She was mad at Pete, mad at the Devlins for getting her into this-- she was even mad at her sister. Elizabeth had been so quick to want to switch places with her. She probably knew how it was going to turn out and had only pretended to want to go in the first place in order to make it sound tike fun.
    Jessica shoved against Pete with all her strength, managing to wriggle out from underneath him. She rolled off the couch, banging her head against the coffee table.
    She glared at Pete. "If you don't get out of here, I'm going to call the police!"
    "And tell them what? That I attacked you after you invited me up to an empty apartment? That you practically begged me to kiss you, then changed your mind at the last minute?
    Get off it, Jessica. Who's going to believe you?"
    "You're the most awful person I've ever met!" she said, standing up and looking at him defiantly.
    Pete was laughing. Jessica got the horrible feeling he'd planned it this way. Just to humiliate her.
    "I know about girls like you," he went on. "You think it's a game. You like to tease, then the minute anyone takes you seriously, you act so innocent and pure. Well, Miss Innocence, do you still feel like kissing, or is the audition over?"
    "I hate you," Jessica choked out. "I never want to see you again! You're the meanest person on earth!"
    He didn't look like Prince Charming anymore, she thought. In the shadowy dimness, he looked evil and mean. How could she ever have thought he was handsome?
    "Don't worry, I'm on my way," he assured her. "But I wouldn't dream of leaving you without the good-night kiss you deserve."
    As he lunged for her, she tried to move out of his way but banged into the coffee table. There was a tremendous crash as a brandy glass shattered on the parquet floor. The sharp scent
    of alcohol stung her nostrils. She was wrestling with Pete when suddenly the lights came on in a blaze.
    Jessica looked up at the horrified expressions on the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Devlin as they stood frozen in the doorway.
     

Eleven
     
    "Suzy! What on earth happened? You look awful!"
    Elizabeth, who had just gotten home and had been getting ready for bed, stared at her friend in shocked dismay. Suzanne was trembling as she sank down on Elizabeth's bed. Her blouse was torn, her hair a mess. There were smudges of mascara under her eyes, which were red and swollen from weeping.
    Suzanne covered her face with her hands. "Oh, Liz, it was so awful! It was like a nightmare!"
    "What was like a nightmare?"
    "I can't tell you," came her muffled reply. "I'm too ashamed."
    "Suzy, you've got to tell me what happened!"
    "He--Mr. Collins--he tried to--" Suzanne broke off in a fresh torrent of sobs. When she finally looked up, her expression was one of utter misery and despair. "Oh, what's the use? No one's ever going to believe it!"
    "I'll believe you," Elizabeth reassured her.
    "Promise?" Tears continued to stream down Suzanne's cheeks.
    "Of course I promise! Now tell me, please, what is going on?"
    In a ragged whisper, Suzanne confessed. "Mr. Collins tried to--I mean he.... Oh, I can't say it."
    "Mr. Collins?" Elizabeth cried in horror. "Oh, Suzanne, no! There's got to be some mistake. Mr. Collins would never do anything like that!"
    "You see? I knew you wouldn't believe it. I could hardly believe it myself." She gave a deep, shuddery sigh. "He seemed so nice at first."
    Elizabeth felt sick. There was a funny taste in her mouth, and a strange throbbing had