What If ... Your Past Came Back to Haunt You by Liz Ruckdeschel Read Free Book Online Page B

options open. Perhaps she should raid Joan’s jewelry box and borrow something of sentimental value, just to see what kind of luck it attracts. If so, go to ( FAMILY JEWELS ).
    Haley hasn’t committed herself to any one path yet, so you still have time to steer her in the right direction—or the wrong one. Just watch your step, or she could end up in an unhappy place.

BLOND AMBITION
----
    Haley’s not the only one with an intriguing neighbor.
    â€œH aley Daley Dumpling! Over here!”
    As soon as Haley walked into the Golden Dynasty, Shaun Willkommen waved her over to his booth. The restaurant was quiet, since it was four o’clock, during the lull between lunch and dinner, and the only people in the place were Hillsdale High students stopping in for an afternoon pig-out. Haley followed Shaun’s beckoning arm to the booth in the back corner, where she found him with his girlfriend, Irene Chen, and Devon McKnight. Irene’s parents owned the restaurant, and Haley was surprised to see Irene sitting instead of working. Next to Devon was a skinny peroxide blonde Haley didn’t know but had seen around—most recently riding shotgun in Devon’s beat-up old convertible.
    â€œSit down.” Shaun slid over to make room for Haley on his side of the booth. “The dim sum just arrived.”
    Haley grabbed a pair of chopsticks and dipped a veggie bun in soy sauce before Shaun could eat them all. With an outsized personality and a taste for all things weird—make that all things, period—Shaun was known for his huge appetite. However, his recent glories on the track and field team had shaved a few pounds off of his maximum weight.
    â€œYou know Darcy, right, Haley?” Irene nodded at the bottle blonde. “Darcy Podowski, Haley Miller.”
    â€œHi,” Darcy said.
    â€œHi,” Haley said. “I’ve seen you around school.”
    â€œShe’s a freshman,” Devon explained.
    â€œAnd I live down the street from Devon,” Darcy added.
    â€œRight.” Devon speared a dumpling and bit off the end. “So now that she goes to the high school we’ve got a park-and-ride thing going.” He laughed, and Darcy tickled his rib with her chopsticks. “Hey,” Devon said. “Don’t get soy sauce on my shirt. This is a Jack’s Vintage original.” Devon worked at Jack’s Vintage Clothing store part-time, allowing Shawn, Irene and Haley to get clothes for practically free.
    â€œLike you care,” Darcy said, tickling him again. Devon didn’t seem to mind, it was true. He just laughed and tried to tickle her right back. They certainly were comfortable with each other—a little too comfortable, in Haley’s opinion.
    Park and ride?
Haley thought. What did Devon mean by
park
? Or by
ride,
for that matter?
    â€œI’ve got soy sauce stains on just about everything I own,” Shaun said. “Since I met Rini here, I’m not one to worry about neatness.”
    â€œThat’s for sure,” Irene said.
    â€œI love my soy sauce stains,” Shaun said. “They’re my little love marks.”
    â€œSoon to be ex-girlfriend if you keep walking around looking like the victim of a food fight,” Irene warned.
    â€œSpeaking of exes. . . ,” Darcy said. “What’s Rose up to these days?” Darcy stole a fried noodle from Devon’s plate.
    Devon shot Darcy a “shut up” look. Clearly this was not a topic of conversation he wanted introduced.
    Hmm,
Haley thought.
What’s this all about?
    â€œWho’s Rose?” Irene asked.
    â€œNobody.” Devon sank a bit in his seat. He clearly wanted to avoid the subject.
    â€œShe’s Devon’s ex,” Darcy explained. “From art school.”
    Devon had transferred to Hillsdale High from an art school in the city the previous year. In the time Haley had known him, he’d never once mentioned an