Free Truth or Dare . . by P.J. Night Page B

sighed. “It seems obvious, though, that Sara’s . . . spirit has been here. She was probably here the night of my sleepover, too, when she moved my cell phone and turned it on and all that.”
    Leah sighed too. “Abby?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œI . . . never mind,” Leah said awkwardly. But there was something about the expression on her face that made Abby narrow her eyes and take a closer look at her friend.
    â€œWhat is it?” Abby asked.
    â€œForget it,” Leah replied.
    â€œLeah, if you don’t tell me right now—,” Abby said, her temper starting to rise.
    â€œOkay, okay, I have to confess something,” Leah said as she held up her hands. “At your sleepover, after everyone went to bed, I couldn’t sleep, and I was wondering if Jake had texted you back. Maybe he had told you that Max mentioned me. So I got up and I, well, borrowed your cell. Just to see if Jake texted you again.”
    â€œYou went snooping around in my phone?” Abby cried.
    â€œNo! Not exactly. Well . . . kind of,” Leah admitted.“I know, I know. I didn’t have any right to do that. But I was really curious, and honestly, I didn’t even know if you would tell me if he did text you again. You’re so secretive sometimes.”
    â€œI can’t believe you did that,” Abby said. “It was none of your business. No wonder I’m secretive when you’re always invading my privacy.”
    â€œOuch,” Leah said. “That was mean.”
    â€œBut true,” Abby said. “So did you send me that scary text message, too?”
    â€œNo!” exclaimed Leah, looking genuinely hurt. “Abby, I would never do something like that.”
    â€œSo all this time when I was wondering how my phone got moved, how it seemed to turn on by itself—that was you?” Abby asked, shaking her head. “And you just let me keep wondering about it instead of confessing?”
    â€œI was embarrassed,” Leah said. “But do you understand now why I kept telling you that there had to be a reasonable explanation? Because those things seemed really creepy, but there was a perfectly rational explanation for them.”
    â€œExcept for the scary message—I mean messages ,”Abby pointed out. “And the ripped-up top, and this hair in my drawer, and—”
    â€œI get it,” Leah cut her off. “And I can’t explain that stuff, Abby. I wish I could, but I can’t.”
    There was a pause as Abby tried to think of something to say. Suddenly Leah continued. “You don’t understand, Abby. It’s so easy for you.”
    â€œExcuse me?” Abby asked. “Easy for me that I have some crazy ghost stalking me?”
    â€œNot that,” Leah said, shaking her head. “You can text Jake. You can talk to him like it’s no big deal. And then, surprise, he asks you to the dance. But I’ve had a crush on Max forever and he barely knows that I even exist.”
    â€œBecause you never talk to him!” Abby exclaimed.
    â€œBecause I’m scared I’ll say something stupid!” Leah retorted.
    Abby sighed. “Do you want me to talk to Jake? Find out who Max likes?”
    â€œNo. Maybe. I’m not sure,” Leah replied. “I’ll think about it. But speaking of Jake, what are you going to do?”
    â€œDo?”
    â€œWell . . . you know . . .,” Leah said, gesturing to the photo of Sara on Abby’s dresser. “Are you stillgoing to go to the dance with him?”
    For a moment Abby didn’t answer as she turned away from Leah and stared at Sara’s picture. Then she picked up the photo and slowly tore it in half with a loud, satisfying riiiiippppp .
    â€œYou bet I am,” she replied as she dropped the torn photo in the trash. “I’m not going to let some ghost keep me from living my