Double Date by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page A

emotion.
    â€œHey—mine too,” Bobby replied with a smirk. He grinned at Arnie. “They’re wearing me out, man. They’re
too much
—even for me!”
    Arnie started to laugh, but Melanie’s stare made him cut it short.
    â€œI can’t believe Bree hasn’t figured it out,” she told Bobby, shaking her head. “How can you and Samantha
do
that to her?”
    Bobby shrugged. “Bree is a big girl. She can take it.”
    â€œBut, Bobby,” Melanie insisted shrilly, “what happens when Bree finds out? She’ll be so hurt, feel so betrayed. You could tear their whole family apart.”
    â€œThat’s the breaks,” Bobby replied with a shrug. He headed to the cabinet for his guitar.
    Bobby studied his face in the dresser mirror. It was a little after nine o’clock, and he still had plenty of homework to do. But it was hard to concentrate.
    He had been lying on his bed, his government text open in front of him. But thoughts of Bree and Samantha kept him from reading.
    If I had to dump one of them, which one would it be? he asked himself.
    They were so alike. Yet so different.
    And they both seemed to be totally crazy about him.
    He had pulled himself up and walked to the mirror. Brushing his blond hair, he studied his face, his smile.
    He liked what he saw.
    The phone on the desk rang, interrupting his admiration session. He let it ring a few times. If it was a girl, he didn’t want to seem too eager. He finally picked up the receiver and said hello in a low voice.
    â€œTwo’s company. Three’s a crowd,”
a voice whispered in his ear.
    â€œHuh?” Bobby pulled the receiver from his ear and stared at it as if that would help him recognize the caller. “Hey—who
is
this?” he demanded.
    â€œTwo’s company. Three’s a crowd,”
the whisperer repeated.
“You’ll pay.”
    â€œHuh? What’s the joke?” Bobby asked, struggling to hear the words, listening hard for a clue to the caller’s identity.
    â€œYou’ll pay,”
the voice repeated menacingly.
“You’ll pay double.”

chapter 11
The Surprise Visitor
    B obby gripped the receiver hard, listening to the threat. He had read books and seen movies in which people got scary phone calls. But he never thought it would happen to him.
    Who would try to scare me? he asked himself.
    Everyone
likes
me!
    â€œSamantha—is that you?” he demanded. “It’s you, right?” He knew this was the kind of dumb joke Samantha would pull. She loved to surprise him, to shock him. “Living on the edge,” she called it.
    He heard a quiet snicker at the other end of the line.
    â€œWhoa! Arnie!” Bobby cried. “Give it up, man. I recognize you now.”
    The quiet snicker burst into a high-pitched laugh. “How’d you know, man?”
    â€œArnie, I’d recognize your stupid laugh anywhere,” Bobby said, feeling relieved. “What is your problem anyway?”
    â€œJust goofing,” Arnie replied. “I thought maybe youneeded a little excitement. I mean, your life is so
boring
these days.”
    â€œYou’re jealous. Face it,” Bobby said, relaxing his hold on the receiver. He dropped down to sit on the edge of his desk.
    â€œHey, no way!” Arnie insisted.
    â€œYou’re jealous because Bobby the Man has got both of the Wade twins and—”
    â€œNo way,” Arnie repeated. “Why would I be jealous? I know I eventually get your rejects.”
    Bobby laughed. “Well, you can have Bree when I decide to dump her,” he told his friend. “Or maybe Samantha,” he added. “Or maybe both.”
    Arnie laughed. “Wow, Bobby. I don’t
believe
you! How long are you going to keep this up? I mean, going out with both of them.”
    â€œAs long as I can!” Bobby replied. “They’re both hot, Arnie. I mean, really
hot!
And