Killer's Kiss Read Free Page B

Karina’s face. Karina’s beautiful face. Twisted with anger.
    Karina’s lips were pulled back over her teeth in a snarl. She raised her hands and curled them into claws. Then she threw herself at Delia.
    â€œI’m going to kill you!” she screamed.

Chapter
    5

    A sour taste filled Delia’s mouth. She grabbed a handful of Karina’s expensive sweater and pushed Karina away.
    Karina teetered on one of the bleacher steps.
    Then Gabe wrapped his arms around her.
    She went limp.
    Gabe led her down to the gym floor.
    Karina stared up at Delia. She began to shake. “You won’t win!” Karina sobbed. “Not this time, Delia. You won’t! I swear it!”
    Delia lowered herself onto the bleachers, trying to get her breath back. She barely noticed Britty’s arm around her shoulders.
    â€œWhat is she talking about? What does shemean? Why is she acting so crazy? I didn’t do anything to her,” Delia murmured to herself.
    She kept her eyes on Karina.
    Karina dragged her arm over her cheek—and smeared her makeup all over her sweater. “You won’t win the Conklin,” Karina promised her. “And you’ll never, never, never get Vincent. He’s mine, Delia. Mine.”
    â€œV-Vincent?” Delia sputtered.
    She felt dizzy. Her ear throbbed. Her head ached. Blood stained the sleeve of her orange dress.
    Delia slowly shook her head back and forth. She struggled to understand what had just happened.
    Nothing Karina said made any sense.
    â€œVincent?”
    With Britty’s help, Delia hauled herself to her feet. “What are you talking about, Karina? What do you mean?”
    Delia stared down at Karina, trying to figure everything out.
    She’s crazy, Delia realized. Karina is crazy. Crazy.
    â€œYou need help, Karina,” Delia called shakily. “You’re sick.”
    â€œI’m not the sick one!” Karina cried. “You stay away from him!”
    â€œGirls! What is going on here?” Ms. Bates, a gym teacher, ran up to them.
    â€œKarina attacked Delia,” Gabe told her.
    â€œThat’s because she—” Karina shrieked.
    â€œCome with me and you can tell me all about it,” Mrs. Bates said. Then she led her across the gym.
    â€œDelia, go get the nurse to take care of that earlobe,” the teacher called over her shoulder. “I’ll check on you in a little while.”
    Delia slumped back against Britty.
    Gabe climbed up the bleachers and took her hand. “Are you all right?” he asked.
    â€œI … I guess so.” Delia wondered if her voice sounded as shaky to her friends as it did to her. “She didn’t tear my earring all the way out. But why did she do that to me?”
    Gabe glanced at the gym door. “I think one of us should stay with Karina. I’ll go,” he said in a rush. He turned and went running after Karina and Ms. Bates.
    â€œI think you should rest before we try heading to the nurse,” Britty said.
    â€œI’m scared,” Delia admitted. “I’m worried about Karina. Did you see the frightening look on her face? Did you see all that hate?”
    Britty was pale, her eyes wide. She chewed tensely on a strand of her hair. “I’ve never seen Karina like that. Never. I’ve never seen anybody like that.”
    â€œDid you hear what she said about Vincent? She really believed it. She really believes he’s her boyfriend. She’s insane. She has totally lost it. That’s the only explanation,” Delia murmured.
    â€œI’ll talk to her later,” Britty promised. “I’lltry … I’ll try to calm her down. I’ll find out what happened. Something must have set her off.”
    Delia nodded. “I’m really frightened of her. I’ve never seen anybody so out of control! What if she does something horrible?”
    â€œDon’t worry,” Britty soothed her. “You’re safe