The Prom Queen Read Free Page A

Pizza? I’m driving. I’ve got the Mercedes today!”
    Rachel flashed a broad smile. She always got a thrill at being included in any group outing.
    â€œWay to go, Elana!” Brad Coleman said, clapping her on the back as he hurried past. Anything for a chance to touch her, I thought.
    Smiling a perfect smile, Elana called back her thanks. She tossed her short blond hair. “Simone!”
    Simone was about twenty yards away, an unhappy scowl on her face. “I can’t believe it,” shegrumbled, walking over to us. “During the assembly I saw Justin coming on to Meg Dalton. If he goes out with her behind my back, I’ll kill him.”
    It’s funny. That silly threat was the first thing that flashed through my mind two days later when we learned that Simone had disappeared.

Chapter

2
    â€œT his is so cool!” Elana yelled over the noise of the car radio, which was cranked up all the way. “I mean, trying to guess which of us will be prom queen.”
    We had all piled into Elana’s parents’ silver Mercedes and were headed for Pete’s Pizza. I was in the backseat between Rachel and Simone. Dawn was in the front, changing the radio stations non-stop.
    â€œDawn, turn that down!” screeched Simone, staring into a green folder in her lap. “I’m trying to learn my lines.”
    For the drama club’s spring production, Robbie Barron was directing The Sound of Music. The show would be performed on the Friday night of prom weekend, to kick off our spring festival.
    Simone was playing Maria Von Trapp, of course. She always was the star. Even though she didn’t make a very convincing nun.
    Dawn clicked off the radio and said, “You’re right, Elana, one of us is going to be prom queen, but I’m the only one who knows who. Me.”
    Simone leaned forward. “You’ll win for humility, that’s for sure,” she said sarcastically.
    â€œ If I wanted to win a humility contest, I could win it,” Dawn said. “No one can beat me at anything.”
    I glanced at Rachel, and she rolled her eyes.
    Elana pulled into the Division Street Mall and glided into a parking space near the restaurant. “Lock up,” she told us, hopping out.
    â€œSure,” muttered Rachel as she got out of the car. “We wouldn’t want the car to be stolen. It’d be at least a day before her dad could buy another one.
    I laughed quietly. I didn’t know how else to react to Rachel’s bitterness.
    I had to admit I was feeling good. Really happy. But then Rachel brought up the murder again.
    The restaurant was packed. We had trouble finding a table for five. When we found one, way in the back, it took hours for a waitress to appear to take our order.
    The pizza had finally arrived and we were grabbing for slices when Rachel said, “What if the mayor gives us an early curfew because of the killer?”
    Everyone groaned. “Seriously,” Rachel insisted. “What if we can’t have the prom because of that dead girl—Stacy?”
    â€œGee, Rachel,” Dawn said, “you were criticizing me for not being sensitive. I mean, a girl gets murdered, and all you can think about is the prom.”
    Rachel blushed. “That’s not what I meant,” she muttered. “I mean, I— Oh, never mind.”
    Simone had a thoughtful expression on her face. I asked her what she was thinking.
    â€œAbout my parents,” she replied, frowning. Here I’m the star of this play, and I bet they won’t come to see me.” She dropped her pizza slice onto her plate. “When I tell them about being a prom queen candidate, they won’t even say a word.”
    â€œSimone,” I chided her. “You know they care. They’re just busy, that’s all.”
    â€œThe only thing I keep thinking about is this killer. Isn’t there anything we can do to protect ourselves from this