Read The Secret Language of Girls for Free Online Page A

sign, O great movie star.”
    The thump from overhead was loud and clear.
    “That was not Marilyn Monroe,” Marylinsaid, trying to stop everyone from screaming. “That was Petey falling out of bed. He does it all the time.”
    “That didn’t sound like a body-falling-out-of-a-bed sort of thump to me,” Ashley said. “It was a lot more like a spirit trying to contact us from the other side. It was exactly that sort of thump!”
    Elyse Cassill started to cry. “I hate séances! They’re so dumb!”
    Brittany handed Elyse a Hershey’s with almonds. “Eat some chocolate, Elyse. You’ll feel a lot better.”
    “Ssh!” Kate said in a loud whisper. “I hear something. Maybe Marilyn Monroe is in the room with us.”
    The basement door burst open, which made everyone scream at the top of their lungs. Elyse jumped into Brittany’s lap.
    “It’s only me!” Marylin’s mother called. “I wanted to let you know that the noise youprobably heard was Petey falling out of bed. What on Earth are you girls up to?”
    “Nothing, Mrs. McIntosh,” Ashley said in the voice she used to butter up parents. “Just telling ghost stories. Elyse got a little carried away.”
    “I did not!” Elyse shouted through her sobbing.
    “It’s time to go to sleep, guys,” Marylin’s mom said firmly. “It’s past midnight. No more ghost stories, okay?”
    Marylin went to the laundry room to get Petey’s newly germ-free sleeping bag out of the dryer. She wondered if she should spray it with Lysol so it would smell especially disinfected. Who would have guessed that Kayla Townsend would be the sort of girl who worried about germs? Marylin’s mom was always saying you shouldn’t judge people by appearances, and Marylin was beginning to think that maybe she was right. Maybe theyshould have invited Elinor Pritchard after all.
    When Marylin got back into the rec room, the other girls were rolling out their sleeping bags and arguing over who would sleep next to whom.
    “I’m sleeping next to Marylin,” Ashley said in a bossy voice.
    “I want to sleep next to Marylin too!” Elyse yelled. “I get to be on her other side!”
    Marylin handed Kayla Petey’s sleeping bag. “Where do you want to sleep?” she asked.
    “I need to sleep in the middle of everyone,” Kayla said. “If my legs get cold, I won’t be able to dance my best tomorrow.”
    “We could all pile up on top of you,” Brittany offered sweetly.
    Kate came to the rescue. “Okay, here’s how it’s going to be,” she said in her army-general voice. “Ashley, Marylin, and Elyse, line up your sleeping bags next to each other. Then Kayla, you put your sleeping bag so it runs across theend of Ashley, Marylin, and Elyse’s. Then Brittany and I will put our sleeping bags next to yours. Then everyone can live happily ever after.”
    “I don’t want to sleep at people’s feet,” Kayla complained. “Marylin, you guys put your sleeping bags so your heads are at my side.”
    Ashley started to protest but then thought better of it and did as she was told.
    When all the sleeping bags were rolled out, they formed a squished T. The girls slid into their bags and rustled around until they were comfortable. Elyse let out a big yawn and said, “I’m pooped.”
    Kayla sat up. “I’m not,” she said. “I’m bored. Let’s do something! Where’s the phone?”
    “There’s one in the kitchen,” Marylin said. “But I don’t think it’s such a great idea to make any calls. My mom would probably hear you.”
    Later, when Marylin thought things over, she would realize that it was at this point the partystarted to spiral completely out of her control.
    Ashley sat up. “I know a great prank phone call we could do!”
    Kayla grabbed Ashley’s hand. “Come on! Let’s go call someone! Let’s call Robbie Ballard!”
    Robbie Ballard was the cutest boy in the sixth grade. Well, Marylin thought, at least Kayla has good taste.
    Kayla and Ashley rumbled up the stairs to the