Read Online The Cheater by R.L. Stine - Free Book Online

sorry….”
    Jill cried for a few minutes longer. Then she stopped and wiped her eyes. Carter brought her some tissues and a glass of water.
    Jill drank the water and grew calmer, though her eyes still were red rimmed. “Carter,” she said, “what were we doing with those guys?”
    Carter stared at the floor. She couldn’t meet Jill’s eye.
    â€œCarter—” Jill insisted.
    â€œI’m really, really sorry, Jill,” she said. “I never thought it would turn out so badly. I had no idea …”
    Her voice trailed off. What could she say? She was so ashamed. She had put her friend in danger.
    I should have known it would be dangerous, she thought. Adam has a gun. He’s blackmailing me. He doesn’t care what happens to me. And he’s capable of anything. I know that now.
    But how could she tell Jill the truth—that Adam had threatened to reveal Carter as a cheater if she didn’t do what he wanted?
    Jill would never forgive her for using her this way. And why should she? Carter knew that she would be furious if Jill had done the same thing to her.
    â€œCarter, I still don’t understand,” Jill said. “I know there’s some reason why you wanted me to go out with Ray. I know that there’s something between you and Adam. What is it? You owe me an explanation.”
    Carter knew she was right—she owed Jill an explanation. But Jill wouldn’t get one—not the real one, anyway.
    â€œJill, I’m really sorry. I—I lost a bet with Adam. This date was the price I had to pay. I should never have gotten you involved—”
    â€œWhat bet?” Jill asked.
    What bet?
    â€œIt’s so silly I’m afraid to tell you,” Carter lied. Then she thought of something.
    â€œI bet him he couldn’t beat Richard in the tennis match last weekend,” she said. “I thought it was a sure thing—you can understand why.”
    She glanced at Jill. Was Jill buying it? It was hard to tell.
    â€œThe important thing is that I had to follow through with it,” Carter went on. “The date, I mean. And I was afraid to go by myself. That’s why I wanted you to come with me. Jill, will you ever forgive me? I promise, nothing like this will ever happen again!”
    Jill put an arm around her friend. “I know you didn’t mean for all that to happen,” she said. “You were in as much danger in that horrible club as I was. Of course I’ll forgive you.”
    The two girls sat quietly in the kitchen, hugging each other. Carter heard the refrigerator click and start to hum. She held her friend tighter. It scared her to think how close they had come to disaster that night. It terrified her to think that she had almost gotten her best friend hurt.
    Adam, she thought angrily. He’s taking this thing too far—
way
too far.
    She was furious at him. But she was even more furious with herself for letting him control her so completely. Whatever he had asked, she had done.
    But no longer.
    That’s it, she thought. The end. No more blackmail. I’ve had enough.
    Jill stood up to get another glass of water. “I feel better now,” she said. “I think I’m ready to go home.”
    Carter walked Jill to her ear, which was parked in front of the house. She apologized again, over and over.
    At last Jill said, “Stop apologizing, Carter. I know you’re sorry. I know you didn’t mean for anything bad to happen. So let’s forget about it.”
    Carter smiled and nodded. Jill was being so nice about the whole thing. It only made Carter feel worse.
    Carter waved as Jill drove off. Then she went back into the house.
    She rinsed Jill’s glass and put it in the dishwasher. Abruptly the phone rang.
    Carter glanced at the clock. It was after midnight. Could it be some kind of emergency for her father?
    She picked up the receiver. “Hello?” A high-pitched voice