Free First Date by R.L. Stine, Sammy Yuen Jr. Page A

here.”
    â€œYeah,” Will agreed, eyes straight ahead on the road.
    She realized she’d never felt this happy. Even at her old school, she had been an outsider, always the lonely girl, the one who stayed home watching TV on Saturday nights while her friends went to parties and out on dates.
    â€œWhy don’t you do something with your hair?” her friends would insist.
    Or: “Why don’t you lose a little weight?”
    Or: “Why don’t you wear something a little sexier, a little more daring?”
    Everyone always had plenty of advice for Chelsea.
    But now she didn’t need their advice. Now she was out on a date with a boy who really liked her. With a boy who kissed her and took her on a romantic walk high above the river, high above the town.
    Feeling so happy, feeling so comfortable, she leaned against him and whispered, “Why don’t we go to my house?”
    He didn’t react immediately. He seemed to be lost in thought, far away somewhere.
    For a moment Chelsea thought that maybe he hadn’t heard her. But finally he said, “Your house?”
    â€œYeah,” she said, smiling at him. “There’s no one there. My mom’s at work and my dad’s in the hospital.”
    He kept his eyes on the windshield, but Chelsea could see a smile cross his face.
    The smile made her feel warm all over.
    He likes the idea, she thought.
    He likes me.
    I’m going to be alone in the house with a boy I like.
    She felt excited and nervous and happy and worried all at the same time.
    She closed her eyes for a few seconds, surrounding herself in silent darkness. When she opened them, she felt a little calmer.
    She directed Will to her house on Fear Street.
    He didn’t make any comments or jokes about Fear Street, the way other Shadyside kids did when she told them where she lived. He probably doesn’t know about this street, she thought. He’s too new in town. He hasn’t heard about any of the terrifying things that supposedly happened here.
    Chelsea practically leapt out of the car. She
loved
Fear Street! It was the happiest street she had ever lived on. And this was the happiest night of her life!
    He followed her up the walk. The front stoop was dark. She had forgotten to turn the porch light on.
    She searched in her bag for the keys but dropped them on the top step. They both bent down to retrieve them.
    He grabbed them first. She hoped he didn’t notice how her hand was shaking as she struggled to unlock the door.
    This is crazy, she thought. I have no reason to be this nervous.
    She clicked on the hall light. She tossed her coat onto the front stairway. He removed something from his jacket pocket, then tossed his coat down beside hers. Then she led the way into the dark living room.
    When she reached to turn on the lamp beside the couch, his hand gently took hers and pulled it away.
    Before she had a chance to take a breath, he had wrapped his arms around her and was kissing her hard, kissing her until she could barely breathe.
    â€œWill—” she whispered, pulling her face away, her heart pounding, her head spinning.
    But he didn’t let go of her.
    He held her, tenderly but in a firm embrace, and guided her down beside him on the couch.
    He kissed her again, long and hard.
    She shivered.
    She closed her eyes, then opened them wide. She wanted to see him, wanted to see everything. She wanted to see it all clearly, even in the dim yellow light filtering in from the hallway, wanted to see it so she’d remember it. Remember it for always and always.
    She shivered again.
    And realized she was cold. Still cold from their walk. Still cold from the drive back.
    How can I be thinking about how I’m cold? she scolded herself.
    How can I be thinking about anything at all?
    He kissed her again, kissed her until they were both breathless.
    The light from the hall seemed to shimmer. The whole room seemed to tilt and whirl, as if they