Free The Taste of Night by R.L. Stine Page A

couldn’t go away to college and leave Dad and Mikey now. I’ll go to the Community College for a year or two. When things are more in control at home, I can transfer to a better school.
    When things are more in control …
    She turned and hurried into the diner. The smell of fried grease greeted her. Bright lights made the long lunch counter glow. A ceiling fan squeaked as it slowly turned.
    Destiny counted three people seated at one end of the counter. Two guys about her age and an older woman. The four booths in back were empty. Mr. Georgio, the owner,stood behind the counter, setting down plates of hamburgers and french fries for the three customers.
    â€œMr. Georgio, sorry I’m a little late,” Destiny said, glancing up at the round Coca-Cola clock above the coat rack in the corner. “I had trouble getting my brother off to day camp.”
    â€œCall me Mr. G., remember?” he said, setting plastic ketchup and mustard dispensers in front of the customers. He walked over to her, wiping sweat off his bald head with a paper napkin.
    He was a thin, little man of forty or forty-five. The white apron he wore over black slacks and a white sport shirt hung nearly to the floor. He had big, brown eyes, a thick, brown mustache under his bulby nose, and a split between his front teeth that showed when he smiled.
    â€œLate? No problem,” he said. “We’re not exactly packing them in today.” He motioned with his head to the three customers.
    â€œSummer is slow,” he said, wiping a grease spot on the yellow counter. “Most of the students aren’t here. There are only a few classes. My business is students. Breakfast and lunch. You’ll have a nice, quiet time, Ms. Weller. You can read a book or something.”
    â€œPlease, call me Dee. Remember?” Destiny said.
    He smiled. “Okay, you’re Dee and I’m G.”
    â€œCould we have more Cokes?” a guy at the end of the counter called, holding up his glass.
    â€œTake care of them,” Mr. G. told her, pulling off his apron. “And clean things up a bit, okay? I’ve got to go out.”He pointed to the kitchen window behind the counter. “You remember Nate? The fry cook? He’s back there somewhere. Probably sneaking a smoke. He’s a lazy goof-off. But if you have any questions, he’ll help you out.”
    Destiny had worked some weekends at the diner, so she already knew her way around. She waved to Nate through the window, carried three glasses to the soda dispenser, and filled them with Coke.
    The bell over the door clanged as two more customers came in. Destiny didn’t recognize them at first because of the white sunlight pouring in through the front window. But as they settled into the first booth behind the counter, she saw that she knew them. Rachel Seeger and Bonnie Franz, two girls from her class.
    Destiny picked up two menus and carried them over to the booth. Her two friends were talking heatedly, giggling and gesturing with their hands. But they stopped their conversation when they recognized Destiny.
    Rachel’s cheeks blushed bright pink. She had light blond hair and really fair skin and was an easy blusher, Destiny remembered. “Hey, Dee. What’s up?” she asked.
    â€œYou waitressing here?” Bonnie asked.
    Destiny laughed. “No. Just holding menus. It’s like a hobby of mine.”
    The girls laughed.
    â€œI have a summer job too,” Bonnie said. “At the campus. I’m filing stuff in the administration office. Yawn yawn.”
    â€œAre you making any money?” Destiny asked.
    Bonnie shook her head. “Eight dollars an hour. And my dad said he had to pull strings to get me the job. I mean, like hello. I could make that at McDonald’s, right?”
    Destiny handed them the menus. “Know what you want?”
    â€œNot really,” Bonnie said.
    â€œAre you working this summer?” Destiny asked