Help Wanted Read Free Page B

it couldn’t hurt to call and find out. She pulled the paper off the bulletin board and stuck it in her pocket just as Faye came up juggling an armload of notebooks.
    â€œHave you seen Vicki?” Faye frowned. “Is she sick or something?”
    Robin stopped and thought a minute. “She’s always sick when there’s a math test. You know that.”
    â€œWell, she’d better show up sometime today,” Faye grumbled. “She was supposed to bring back that bracelet I loaned her. The little thief.”
    â€œWhy is she a thief if you loaned it to her?”
    â€œBecause she’ll keep conveniently leaving it at home until I forget about it.”
    â€œThen don’t forget about it.”
    â€œWell, I have so much on my mind!” Faye complained. “I can’t remember everything that’s important!”
    â€œHow about which class you have this hour,” Robin deadpanned. “Social studies? Gym? Just blink once for yes, twice for no.”
    She opened her mouth to say more, but Faye grabbed her arm and hustled her off to class.
    Robin could hardly wait for three-fifteen. Faye had been quick to spread the word about their morning encounter with Parker Swanson, and all day long Robin had had to endure glances of half envy, half disbelief from her female classmates. She supposed she should have been flattered by all the curious attention, but today it only irritated her, and when Parker made a point of waving at her in English class, she slid down in her seat, all too conscious of every girl in the room staring.
    She’d forgotten about some overdue library books she had to return. By the time she discovered them in her locker and dropped them off, she’d missed the bus again and resigned herself to walking home. She couldn’t remember the weather ever being this cold in October before. Robin hurried through the old, silent neighborhoods and huddled deep into her jacket, keeping a nervous eye on the lengthening shadows around her. It had started getting dark so early now; she hated going home in near-twilight. As she passed the gates of Manorwood, an image of those blood-soaked leaves flashed into her mind, and she quickened her steps. Only an animal … of course it was … what else could it have been …?
    â€œThis is going to be a weird day … strange things are going to happen.…”
    Robin began to run. She could still hear Faye’s premonition, and she tried fiercely to block it out. What’s wrong with you — quit being so silly . Yet it was only when she reached the warmth of her own house that she finally began to relax.
    â€œMom?”
    Robin’s voice echoed back to her from empty rooms. After a quick inspection of the downstairs, she remembered her mother had class tonight after work and wouldn’t be home till late. At times like this she really missed her older brother and wished he hadn’t gone away to college. At times like this she wished her parents hadn’t gotten a divorce, that Mom didn’t have to work and hadn’t decided to go back to school, that Dad hadn’t remarried and moved halfway around the world. She could remember a time when the house hadn’t been empty and cold. She could even remember a time when they hadn’t had to worry about money.…
    Angrily Robin yanked the receiver off the kitchen phone and pulled the crumpled ad from her pocket. When the voice spoke on the other end of the line, she was already bracing herself to be disappointed.
    â€œHello?” A man’s voice. He sounded old.
    â€œYes …” Robin stammered. “Yes … I’m … I’m calling about the ad.”
    There was a moment of silence, and Robin’s heart sank into her stomach.
    â€œThe ad about the job—the personal library.” She took a deep breath and plunged on. “It’s probably already been taken, hasn’t it? I’m sorry—I