Read Who Killed the Homecoming Queen? for Free Online

the dimple appeared next to his mouth.
    He’s so cute, Eva thought. She hopped down from the wall and threaded her way to his side.
    â€œHey, Eva. I’m glad you saw me,” Jeremy said. “I was about to give up trying to find you.”
    Eva’s heart did a little flip. “You were looking for me?”
    He nodded. “Tania told me to tell you she’ll be late,” he explained. “She dropped me off here, but she had to go back home. She has to return something and she forgot to bring it. She said if you don’t want to wait at the fountain, she’d meet you at Pete’s Pizza.”
    â€œOh.” Okay, so he was only looking for me so he could deliver a message, Eva thought to herself. He’s here, isn’t he? I should take what I can get.
    â€œWell, I don’t feel like standing around in the crowd,” she declared. “Want to get a Coke with me at Pete’s?”
    â€œSure, Eva.”
    â€œGreat.”
    Eva took his hand. She began pulling him through the mass of shoppers. It was a good excuse to hold hands, she thought.
    They got lucky at Pete’s and slid into a booth just as another couple was leaving. They ordered their Cokes. Then Eva shrugged out of her jacket andleaned her elbows on the table. She felt almost as if she and Jeremy were really a couple.
    â€œDid you come shopping for something to wear to Homecoming, too?” she asked. Maybe she could find out if he had a date.
    Jeremy shook his head. “I want to check out the CD stores,” he told her. “My mom’s birthday is in a couple of weeks. I thought I’d see if I could find anything.” He paused and shook his head again. “I can’t believe I said that!”
    â€œWhat? What’s so weird about buying your mother a birthday present?”
    â€œNothing, except I’ve never said those words before—my
mom,”
he explained. He paused as the waiter set down their Cokes. “It’s still new,” he added. “Having a family, I mean. Chores and curfews and stuff like that. It’s changed my life.”
    Eva stuck a straw in her soda and laughed. “Wait until you get grounded.”
    Jeremy’s brown eyes turned serious. “I wasn’t complaining,” he said. “It’s great for me. Before Dad married Tania’s mom, I was on my own a lot. And I … well, I got into some trouble at my old school.”
    Eva gazed at him curiously. “What kind of trouble?”
    â€œOh …” Jeremy hesitated again. “Never mind. It’s in the past. Done. Finished.” He quickly gulped some Coke. “Let’s not talk about it.”
    â€œSure. Okay.” Eva still felt curious, but she didn’t push it.
    Don’t be nosy, she told herself. He’s so quiet. So shy. He probably cut some classes or something. He couldn’t possibly have been in any major trouble.
    â€œAnyway,” Jeremy went on. “Having a family is great. Except that Tania’s driving everybody nuts about what to wear to the Homecoming Dance. I hope you two find something today—I’m sick of talking about dresses!”
    â€œI hope so,” Eva replied. Then, before she lost her nerve, she blurted out, “Speaking of Homecoming, do you have a date?”
    Jeremy didn’t answer. He stared past her, his eyes narrowed.
    Great, Eva thought. He knows I’m going to ask him to go with me. He’s trying to figure out how to say no.
    But Jeremy didn’t appear to be thinking of an excuse, she realized.
    He looked angry. His hand clutched the soda glass tightly. His lips pressed together in a thin line as he kept staring over her shoulder.
    Eva turned around.
    Sandy and Cherise sat in a booth at the back of the restaurant. They sat on the same side of the table, so close together that Cherise was practically in Sandy’s lap.
    Disgusted, Eva watched as Sandy pulled Cherise even closer and