My Best Friend Is Invisible by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

the bed.
    I didn’t like the way Brent said that. It sounded like a threat.
    “Well, Sammy—what if I won’t go?” he repeated menacingly.
    I took another step back—and felt a hot hand clamp down on my shoulder.
    I tried to break free—but I couldn’t. He was too strong.
    Brent grabbed my arm. He held it tightly.
    “Leave me alone!” I shouted. “Let me go!”
    But he started to pull me—toward the open window!

 
 
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    What did he plan to do?
    Push me out the window?
    “Stop! Let go! Hey—let go !” I shot my arms up—and broke free.
    “Sorry,” Brent muttered. “I was just goofing. You know. Good friends wrestle
sometimes—right? Just for fun?”
    “Fun?” I cried weakly. My heart pounded in my chest.
    He’s dangerous, I realized.
    I don’t think he was kidding around. I think he wanted to shove me out the
window.
    Frightened, I turned and started to run to the door. But I stumbled over his
invisible feet and fell hard to the floor.
    Before I could scramble up, I felt his strong hands grab me again.
    “Let go!” I screeched, my voice high and shrill in panic.
    “I was just trying to help you up,” Brent said.
    His hands released me.
    I rubbed my sore wrists.
    “Really. I was just helping you up,” Brent insisted. “You believe me, don’t
you? Say you believe me.”
    “Okay. Okay,” I grumbled. “I believe you.”
    “Great!” Brent cheered.
    “But you still have to leave,” I told him. “Everyone already thinks I’m too
weird. I can’t have an invisible boy following me around, talking to me, living
in my bedroom. Now go. Really. I mean it.”
    “But I can help you,” Brent cried. “I helped you already—with that math
equation.”
    “Oh, yeah. You helped me all right.” I started pacing my room again. “You
helped me look like a total geek in front of all my friends—and my teacher.” I
winced just thinking about it.
    “Okay. I made a mistake. One little mistake,” Brent said.
    “ONE little mistake!” My voice started to rise. “What about in the library
today? Now the librarian thinks I’m totally crazy. She wants me to see the
guidance counselor!”
    I couldn’t help myself. I was yelling at him now. “And what about the track
race? You ruined everything! You made me fall and lose the race. You made me
disappoint everyone.”
    “Sorry,” Brent said softly. “I thought I could help you win. I just wanted to
give you a boost.”
    “A boost ?” I screamed. “You—you—”
    My closet door opened.
    My new, dark-blue Yankees baseball jacket floated out. “Hey—cool jacket!”
Brent exclaimed. “I think the sleeves are too long, though. I don’t think it
will fit me.”
    The jacket slid off the hanger.
    “Give that to me!” I snatched the jacket out of the air. “Now—leave! I
don’t want you here.”
    “Sammy—who on earth are you yelling at?” Mom stood in my bedroom doorway.
    “The invisible kid!” I cried. “He’s here! He’s right here! You’ve got to
believe me! Brent—say something!”
    Silence.
    “PLEASE, Brent!” I begged.
    Nothing.
    Mom walked over to me slowly, staring at me, shaking her head. She placed a
hand on my forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever.”
    “I’m not sick, Mom. I’m fine. Really. And I’m telling the truth.”
    “I don’t know…” Her voice trailed off. Then she studied me carefully.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
    “I’m not going anywhere,” I said.
    “Then why are you holding your jacket?”
    I stared down at the jacket. “Oh, I just wanted to see if it still fits,” I
lied. I mean—what else could I say now?
    “Of course it still fits. We bought it for you last week.” Mom stared hard at me. She placed her hand on my forehead again. “I
don’t know,” she repeated. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”
    She glanced at my jacket again. Then she shook her head some more. “Now tell
me—who were you shouting at?”
    “Uh… no one. I was just rehearsing my