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whispered, “You were with Adam tonight, weren’t you? Weren’t you?”
    It was Sheila.
    Carter was too stunned to speak.
    Sheila said, “You don’t have to answer me, ’cause I know the truth. I know what’s going on between you two.”
    â€œSheila, nothing’s—”
    â€œDon’t lie to me, Carter! I know you’re a big liar. I don’t even want to hear what you have to say. You just listen to me.
    â€œAdam can’t keep any secrets from me. I know everything he does. And I’ll find a way to keep you and Adam apart—
for good.”

Chapter 10

    â€œS o, how’d it go with your grandparents on Saturday?”
    Dan and Carter were walking down the hall at Shadyside High Monday afternoon, on their way to advanced math class. Carter was dreading it.
    Dan smiled. “It was nice. Boring, but nice. It was my grandmother’s birthday. She’s seventy.”
    â€œSeventy. Wow.”
    â€œWhat did
you
do on Saturday night?”
    Carter swallowed hard. “Me? Oh, I was with Jill”
    She didn’t have time to say more than that, to her relief. They had reached their classroom.
    Dan and Carter went in. Dan sat next to Carter, and Carter sat next to Jill. Adam wasn’t in his seat.
    Jill gave her a funny sort of smile. Carter gave her one back.
    Mr. Raub closed the classroom door. A second later it opened again. Both Jill and Carter lookedup. Carter saw the dread she was feeling reflected in Jill’s face.
    It was Adam. Last one in, as usual.
    He cast a smug glance toward Carter and Jill. Both girls quickly turned away. Adam loped to his seat in the back of the room.
    Carter felt Dan’s eyes on her. Had he caught Adam’s glance? Did he wonder what it meant?
    When class was over, Carter let Dan and Jill go on ahead of her. She walked slowly down the hall, sure that Adam would approach her.
    He did.
    She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to face him. He opened his mouth to speak, but she spoke first.
    â€œAdam, I’ve had enough,” she said in a low voice. “Our little arrangement is over. From now on, you’re going to leave me alone. Do you understand?”
    Then, nervously, she waited for his reaction. Would he burst into a violent rage? Would he walk away?
    He stayed calm and didn’t look the least bit rattled.
    â€œYou’re right about one thing, Carter,” he said. “Things just aren’t working out between us, are they? We do need to change our ‘relationship.’”
    Carter didn’t know what to say. Why was he acting so agreeable? What was he up to?
    â€œI’ve been thinking it over, Carter,” he went on. “And I don’t think we should go out again.”
    She was too wary to feel relieved. This was what she wanted—but there had to be a catch.
    â€œI’m glad we agree,” she said carefully.
    â€œYou know, the little service I performed for you—I think we both know what I’m talking about. It was pretty valuable, right? I mean, most people would pay a lot of money for it. Yet you got this valuable service for free. That’s not fair, is it?”
    She said nothing.
    â€œI figure taking an important test like that—and getting good results—it must be worth at least a thousand dollars.”
    So that was it. He wanted money.
    She couldn’t believe it. She was angry now, and she let him know it.
    â€œListen,” Carter said, trying not to speak too loudly. “You offered to take that test for me. You told me that all I’d have to do was go out with you once. I’ve done much more than that now—
much
more. But no matter what I do, it’s not enough. How much longer is this going on?”
    Adam casually studied the lines in his right hand. “It can stop whenever you want, Carter,” he said. “Of course, I’ll have to tell your father everything….”
    Carter’s muscles