What If ... Your Past Came Back to Haunt You (17 page)

DON'T DO IT

When all the rebels have tattoos, the nonconformist thing to do is to
not
get inked.

“W
ho's next?” Viper the tattoo guy asked, revving up his electric needle. Haley looked from Irene to Devon to Darcy to Shaun, who had just gotten an octopus etched onto his forearm. Viper pointed the needle at Haley. “How about you, Red?”

Haley shook her head. She had no interest in getting a tattoo. It wasn't her style, and besides, she didn't have the money. “You can go next, Irene,” she said. “I think I'll pass on the whole tattoo thing.”

“Okay,” Irene said. “I'm ready to be marked for life.” She handed Viper her ribbon-and-barbed-wire design and settled into his chair.

“This might hurt a little,” Viper said.

“Shaun!” Irene cried before Viper even had a chance to touch her.

Shaun held her hand. “Don't worry, Rini, I'm here. Just think happy thoughts. Think about big, beautiful tattoos!”

“You're not helping, Shaun.”

Viper went to work, and Irene grimaced in pain.
That looks like it really hurts,
Haley thought, feeling sure she'd made the right decision. To help distract Irene, Haley said, “Did you hear we're supposed to get a big snowstorm tonight? The weather guy predicted we'll get a foot of snow.” This would be Haley's first big snowstorm since moving east from California last year, so she was pretty excited about it.

“Snow day tomorrow,” Irene said. “I've got a math quiz I haven't studied for, and now I won't have to. Awesome.”

“If we get off from school tomorrow, I'll host a movie marathon at my house,” Shaun promised, squeezing Irene's hand. “Would you like that, Rini?”

Irene nodded, the pain having rendered her temporarily unable to speak.

“Only three days until winter break,” Devon said. “Wouldn't it be awesome if we got the next three days off because of snow? That would mean winter break starts right now.”

“Wicked,” Darcy said, high-fiving Devon. “Then, if it would just snow at the end of winter break and cancel the first week of school in January . . .”

Haley's cell phone had been buzzing all afternoon, so she finally pulled it out of her pocket to check her messages. She had a bunch of new voice mails and texts about the possibility of a snow day and how to spend the time off. Alex Martin invited her to come to his house and go ice-skating on the pond in his backyard, and Cecily Watson told Haley a bunch of people were getting together at Matt Graham's house for some touch football on the slippery lawn.

So Haley has opted out of the tattoo game, and she's glad to miss the pain, the scabbing and the screaming from her parents if they knew how much it cost. Good move. Now the question is, how to spend a snow day?

If you want to go have a MOVIE MARATHON with this tattooed crowd, go to
MOVIE MARATHON.
If you think Haley has had enough rebellion for a while and would rather go ice-skating on Alex's pond—something she never got to do in California—turn to,
HEARTH AND HOME.
If you think Haley loves the idea of a snowy day outside playing TOUCH FOOTBALL with Cecily and a pack of cute boys, go to
TOUCH FOOTBALL.

OLD HABITS

Never trust a fox in a henhouse, and never trust a Spencer in a room full of liquor, gambling and girls.

H
aley hesitated before knocking on the door of Spencer Eton's house in Hillsdale. The SIGMA party was being held there while Spencer's mother, the governor, was busy with business in Newark and Princeton. It was the perfect setup for Spencer: a luxurious house all to himself where he could get up to all kinds of mischief. And he'd even sent the security detail away, claiming he was just enjoying a quite night at home.

Still, Haley felt funny about being there. She'd been invited—Spencer's friend Matthew Graham had sent her a text message—but she couldn't help but wonder if the invitation had just been a mass forwarded message sent to every girl in Matt's phone book. In which case, Spencer might not be so happy to see her.

She took a deep breath and knocked. She'd gotten this far; might as well go all the way. Spencer opened the door stinking of vodka, his eyes bloodshot, and swaying in the doorway.

“Haley,” he said without enthusiasm. “Great. Who invited you?”

He was about to slam the door in her face without even waiting for her answer, but Matt stepped in at the last minute.

“I invited her, dude,” Matt said. “Let her in.”

Spencer shrugged and said, “You're an idiot.” Then he stabbed a finger in Haley's face. “Before you come in you have to swear not to say one word to Coco about this. Swear?”

“I swear,” Haley said.

“Okay.” Spencer stepped aside. “You may enter the sanctuary.” He turned to Matt and added, “You owe me one.”

Haley followed the boys into the dimly lit basement. Spencer's old private school buddies, Max, Jake and Todd, were smoking and drinking around a giant flat-screen TV that had a football game on the main screen and basketball in the pop-up window. They were glued to the games because they'd all placed hefty bets on the outcomes. A gaggle of giggling girls from St. Agnes, the local Catholic girls' school, surrounded the boys and flirted the way only boy-starved, girls'-school girls can.

Haley couldn't believe her eyes, though she knew she should have expected this. No wonder Spencer had sworn her to secrecy. What would Coco think if she knew her boyfriend was gambling on sports games behind her back, and surrounding himself with a harem of St. Agnes chicks?

“You like vodka and cranberry, right?” Matt put a tall glass of pink alcohol in her hand. “Sure you do. All girls like that.”

“Thanks,” Haley said. She actually didn't like vodka and cranberry, but she figured there was no harm in just holding the drink. At least that would keep Matt from giving her another one.

She was still wondering exactly why Matt had invited her, since she didn't see any other girls from Hillsdale around. Could it be that he had a crush on her? What other explanation was there? She looked at his profile while he watched the Dallas Cowboys fumble the ball. She didn't know him well, but he was very good-looking, with an air of money and taste about him. When the play was over he smacked his fist into his hand, then turned to Haley and smiled. Wow. What a very melty smile that boy had.

“I've got fifty on the Cowboys, so I don't like to see those fumbles,” he said.

“They're still up by ten,” Haley said.

“Yeah, there's that.” He touched her drink hand lightly. “How's that drink?”

“Good,” Haley said, though she hadn't tasted it.

“Good,” Matt said. “Just let me know if I can get you anything else.”

“Thanks.”

Haley was relieved to see Cecily Watson and her boyfriend, Drew Napolitano, come downstairs a few minutes later. At last, someone to talk to. She ran over to say hello.

“What's up?” Cecily said. “I'm glad to see someone here besides those kilt-wearing floozies.” She nodded toward a clutch of St. Agnes girls draping themselves over the boys' laps. “I really needed a night out. I've been working long weekends because it's been so busy at the nursery.” Cecily's parents owned a green lot that sold Christmas trees and wreaths during the holidays.

“You might be getting a day off tomorrow,” Drew said. “I heard it's supposed to snow a foot tonight.”

“I hope they cancel school,” Haley said.

“Me too,” Cecily said.

“If we have a snow day, we're playing touch football at Matt's tomorrow afternoon,” Drew said. “Right, Matt?”

“Fine by me,” Matt called back from his spot on the leather couch.

“You should come too,” Cecily said to Haley. “It'll be fun.”

“What about Sasha and Whitney?” Haley asked.

“Oh, those two homebodies,” Cecily said. “Sasha told me if we have a snow day they're going to lounge around watching movies. Come play football. It'll be fun.”

“If we get the day off,” Haley said.

“We will,” Drew said. “I can feel it in the air.”

Haley was distracted by the sight of a brunette St. Agnes girl flirting shamelessly with Spencer. “Nice house,” the brunette said to him. “At least, the basement is nice. I bet the rest of the house is even nicer.”

“It is,” Spencer said. “Want a tour?”

“More than I've ever wanted anything,” the brunette said flirtatiously.

Haley rolled her eyes. What a line.

“Come on.” Spencer took the girl's hand and led her upstairs.

“I can't believe he's doing that,” Haley said to Cecily.

“You're surprised?” Cecily said. “You know what a jerk he can be. And so does Coco. But she loves him anyway. Drew on the other hand, I ever catch my boy doing that, he's toast.”

“It's just that I thought Spencer had reformed. For Coco. And his mom.”

“Please,” Cecily said. “Spencer is incapable of reform. He's bad to the bone.”

Spencer is up to his old tricks again. If Coco knew, she'd be horrified. But there's no way she can find out—or is there? The only person who might tell her is Haley, and she swore to Spencer she wouldn't. But does a promise count when you're dealing with a lowlife Eton? That is the question.

Maybe Haley would rather stay out of Spencer's business and focus on the happy prospect of a snow day instead. If you think Haley should stick with Cecily and keep hanging around Matt Graham to find out exactly why he's interested in her lately, hope for the snow day and a sporty game of
TOUCH FOOTBALL
. If you think she'd rather stay toasty warm indoors with Sasha and Whitney, just hanging with the girls, go to,
ALL ABOUT AUDREY.
If you think Haley owes it to Coco to call her and let her know what her boyfriend is up to behind her back, turn to,
SPIES LIKE US.
Finally, if this sloppy, sordid scene is making Haley long for wholesome Reese, turn to,
LET IT SNOW.

RESCUE MIA

Even supermodels get the blues.

H
aley couldn't stop thinking about Mia's dilemma. No matter what the Spanish model had done in the past, it wasn't right that she was being blackmailed by a photographer, someone who had power over her life and career. And Haley felt terrible for Mia that she had no one to turn to for help besides Whitney's father, Jerry Klein. For all Haley knew Mr. Klein could be a perfectly upstanding citizen, but he clearly enjoyed the company of younger women, and might also be the kind of person to take advantage of a girl in need.
Mia shouldn't have to risk that,
Haley thought.

So Haley called Mia and invited her over to her house. “I heard about the situation you're in, and there's a way out of it that doesn't involve borrowing a dime from Mr. Klein.”

“Why should I trust you?” Mia said. “Perhaps you just want me to tell you more personal secrets about my life so you can spread rumors about me all over school like you did last year.”

“No, Mia, I swear,” Haley said. “I want to help you, and I know I can. Come to my house this afternoon. Whitney and Sasha will be there too.”

Mia sounded wary at first, but Haley could hear desperation in her voice too, and at last she gave in. Sasha drove Whitney and Haley to the Millers' house after school. Haley's mother, Joan, had come home from work early and was waiting for them.

“Thanks for helping with this, Mom,” Haley said.

“I'm happy to do it,” Joan said. “I hate to think of a grown man exploiting an underage girl this way. If any one of you ever got yourself into a situation like this, not that you will, I hope you'd feel free to come to me for help.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Miller,” Sasha said. “We will.”

“Your mom is so cool,” Whitney said.

“I just hope Mia will show up,” Haley said. She was already fifteen minutes late. She'd refused a ride from Sasha and insisted on coming on her own.

“I hope so too,” Joan said.

Haley brewed some tea while they waited. “It's so cold out today. I heard it might snow.”

“We're getting a foot!” Whitney said. “Snow day!”

“That would be awesome,” Haley said. “I haven't had a real snow day since we moved here.”

“Unfortunately, no matter how much we get tonight I still have to go to work tomorrow,” Joan said as the doorbell rang and Mia arrived.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” she offered.

“It's nice to meet you, Mia,” Joan said. “Let's get to work.” She led the girls into the kitchen, and over steaming cups of herbal tea they drafted a letter to Philip Fogelman on Joan's law firm's letterhead.

“That ought to scare the scumbag off,” Sasha said.

“And if it doesn't, you let me know,” Joan said. “And we'll take further action.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Miller.” Mia hugged Joan. “You saved my life.”

“Call me Joan,” Joan said. “After all, I'm now your attorney.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Haley said. She felt so proud of her mother.

“Anytime, honey.”

Whew. That takes care of that. It was good of Haley to remember that Mia is far from home and on her own. She's sure to earn a lot of good karma from helping Mia this way.

Now, after all that drama, Haley could probably use some downtime—and she deserves some fun. If you think it would be nice of Haley, Sasha and Whitney to include Mia in their snowbound movie marathon, go to,
ALL ABOUT AUDREY.
If you think Haley would rather make a snow angel or two with Reese once the big storm hits,
LET IT SNOW
. If you'd rather see Haley spend her snow day playing TOUCH FOOTBALL with Cecily and the boys, go to
TOUCH FOOTBALL.