Playing With Fire (13 page)

“Ken, you doing anything tomorrow?” Bruce asked. “Dad gave me a rifle I want to try out.”

“You with a gun, Bruce? You sure you can shoot that thing?”

“Anyone can hit a bunch of clay saucers. It's a skeet gun.”

“Tomorrow, Bruce?” Jessica cut in. She felt him slipping away. “I thought we had a date.”

“You must have your days mixed up, Jessica,” he said, still looking at Ken. “So what do you say, Ken? Tomorrow afternoon?” Bruce looked at his watch. “Whoops, gang, excuse me, but I've got to make a call. Be right back.”

Jessica studied her hands, tensely folded in her lap and looking like someone else's.

When he returned a few minutes later, Bruce was wearing a somber expression. “Sorry, gang, the party's over for this boy. I just called home, and Mom told me my grandmother's taken a turn for the worse. I've got to get back there.”

“Bruce, that's terrible,” Jessica offered quickly, aware of a vague insincerity she was feeling. “Your grandmother's been having a very rough time lately.”

“Yes, she has. I knew you'd feel for her. Listen, I'll take you home first.”

“You don't have to do that,” called out a voice from the next table. Bruce turned around and faced Elizabeth, who continued, “Todd and I will take Jessica home. After all, Bruce,” she added, her voice thick with uncharacteristic sarcasm, “I wouldn't want you to go so far out of your way.”

Elizabeth thought she saw Bruce sigh with relief. “Thanks, Liz. It would make things a little easier for me, save me a little time.”

“I'm sure it would, Bruce. Coming, Jessica?”

Before Jessica could protest, Elizabeth grabbed her by the arm and led her toward the exit. Jessica didn't even have a chance to give Bruce a goodnight kiss.

After she led Jessica to the backseat of Todd's car, Elizabeth took Todd aside and whispered, “I've got an idea you've got to help me with.”

“Shoot.”

“I want you to drive around for a half hour. Then I'm going to come up with an excuse so that we have to come back here.”

“What for?”

“Just do it, please. If I'm right, the answer will be obvious.”

Todd shrugged, but agreed to go along with her plan.

*   *   *

After a few silent minutes in the car, Jessica finally spoke up. She was angry at her sister for having taken her away from Bruce. “I could have gone with him, you know. Our house is on his way.”

“But his grandmother is sick, Jess,” Elizabeth noted. “I'm sure he wanted to get back to his house as soon as he could. Besides, he didn't object to our taking you.”

Halfway to the Wakefield house and right on cue, Todd spoke up. “Uh, I hope you girls don't mind if I make a stop first. I just remembered Mr. Stillman said that Jupiter and Saturn would be visible near the moon tonight. It's so clear out, I figured I'd try to spot them.”

“I didn't know you were interested in astronomy, Todd,” Jessica said.

“Oh, yes, ever since I got a telescope when I was twelve,” he answered quickly, coming up with the first thing that entered his mind.

Todd took his time driving up to the top of the hill overlooking Sweet Valley. He pulled off to the side of the road about a half mile from Miller's Point, the flat promontory that served as a local necking spot. The night sky was crystal clear, and they were able to see the twinkling lights of the entire valley below them. In the sky above and to the left was a creamy slice of half-moon. But there was nothing that could pass for Jupiter and Saturn.

“I'm getting bored,” Jessica told Todd after five minutes of sky watching.

“Just give me a few more minutes. I know they're up there somewhere.”

But five minutes more and Elizabeth could see that Jessica wasn't going to take any more stalling. She urged Todd to take them home. Ever the obliging boyfriend, Todd drove back down the hill and turned onto the street where the Wakefield girls lived.

About a block from their house Elizabeth smacked her forehead and announced, “I don't believe it. I left my keys on the table at Guido's!”

“I'll take you back,” Todd offered. “Right now.”

“I have my keys, Liz,” Jessica said. “You can get yours tomorrow.”

“No, someone might take them. I've got to get them now.”

“Well, you can drop me off first, Todd. I'm tired,” Jessica declared grumpily.

But Todd had already turned around and was headed back to the center of town. Jessica could only fume silently in the backseat.

If Jessica's anger was merely smoldering now, the next sight that greeted her made it blaze. When they returned to the restaurant, the black Porsche was parked right out in front.

Elizabeth's instincts had been right. “We'll be out in a minute,” she told Jessica as Todd pulled in behind Bruce's car and helped her out. “Oh, look who's still here!” she added.

Jessica didn't need the prompting. Quickly recovering from her surprise at seeing the car, she announced, “I'll come in with you.” She was out of the car and marching toward Guido's before Elizabeth could say a word.

As the two sisters entered the restaurant, they saw that the party was still going strong, and it looked as if they'd been the only ones to leave. Except for one person, that is, who'd also left and then returned. Only he'd brought along a visitor. Holding court at a table with Ken and John and their dates was Bruce—and an attractive redhead.

Jessica glared at the table. For a split second Elizabeth was afraid Jessica might have gone into shock, and immediately she regretted the drastic step she had taken to make her sister see the light.

But Elizabeth had underestimated her twin. Jessica wasn't in shock at all. The fog she'd been enveloped by had simply lifted, and she was now standing there looking for the first time at the real Bruce Patman. As a sly smile slowly stole over her face, she mapped out the stages of her revenge. The old Jessica was back. And Bruce Patman was finally going to see her in action.

Fourteen

Jessica marched up to the table. “Well, well, I see I'm not the only one who had a mad urge for another slice of Guido's pizza.”

Bruce's face turned white at the mere sound of the voice. “Jessica, what a pleasant surprise. Uh, I'd like you to meet Aline Montgomery. She's a—a friend of the family.”

“Friend?” Jessica questioned. “I'd say she looks more like a grandma to me. You did say you were going to see your grandmother, didn't you, Bruce?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, “but—but—”

Ignoring him, Jessica turned her attention to the redhead. “Hi, Grandma. I see you made a quick recovery. Must be Guido's magic pizza.” She picked up the pie from the table and examined it closely. “Who would have thought this simple pizza could turn a sickly old lady into a pretty young girl?” Then she turned to Bruce. “And you, poor birthday boy. You've turned so terribly pale. It looks like you could use some of Guido's miracle cure, too. Take that, Bruce Patman!”

Before he had a chance to react, Jessica threw the gooey mixture right in his face. “And here's a little something to wash it down with.” She grabbed a pitcher of soda and poured it over Bruce's head.

Bruce made a grab for Jessica's hand. “Hey, calm down, baby!”

“Don't ‘baby' me, Bruce,” she snapped. “Don't think I'm dumb enough to have missed the point of your little act tonight. Well, I've got a surprise for you. We're through!” As Jessica picked up another pitcher of soda from a nearby table, Bruce—in his scramble to get out of the line of fire—stumbled right into the artificial waterfall at the back of the pizzeria.

The sight of Sweet Valley's most eligible senior dripping wet and covered with pizza was too much for Jessica. She began to giggle, and soon she was nearly doubled over with laughter. After a moment of stunned silence, the rest of the crowd joined in. It was a new experience for all of them. They'd never seen Bruce Patman so humiliated by anyone.

Jessica then turned to Winston and smiled. “I believe I owe you a date,” she said. “Let's go.” Taking the startled boy by the arm, she marched him out the door toward his car.

“Excuse me for one second, Win,” she said once they were outside. She walked right over to the black Porsche. “I have one more bit of unfinished business to take care of.” Without another word, she set about letting the air out of all four tires. Winston didn't make a move to stop her, delighted that Bruce was finally getting just what he deserved.

Back in Guido's, after the excitement had died down, Todd and Elizabeth had taken some empty seats next to Robin. Shaking his head, Todd remarked, “I'll bet anything she won't even thank you for this.”

Elizabeth shrugged, unconcerned. “It doesn't matter, Todd. What's important is that the old Jessica is back—and that she had enough sense to throw Bruce Patman out of her life. That's thanks enough for me.”

“Excuse me, Liz,” Robin interrupted hesitantly. “I don't mean to be a pain, but…”

“Sure, Robin, what's up?”

“I was just wondering.… The Pi Beta Alpha meeting is coming up this week, and I wanted to know if you were going.”

“I doubt it,” Elizabeth said. “I haven't been to a meeting in ages. Matter of fact, I'd forgotten all about it.”

“Gee, that's too bad.”

Elizabeth looked at Robin questioningly. “Why should it matter to you if I'm at the meeting?”

“I know you don't think Jessica's been a very good friend to me, but this meeting will prove just how much of a friend she is.”

“How?”

“She's going to put my name up for membership.”

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

Robin smiled mysteriously. “She promised—and it's one promise I know she's going to keep.”

Elizabeth wished Robin wouldn't put so much faith in Jessica. She was willing to bet anything her sister had no intention of keeping that promise. More times than she could remember, Jessica had told her how the chubby girl did not fit in with the sleek PBA image. Why would she do a complete about-face now and push for her membership? Elizabeth couldn't come up with a reason, and she could only figure that Jessica would conveniently forget until long after the meeting had passed, at which point she would be filled with apologies—apologies that would do Robin little good.

But Robin didn't need Jessica to pledge, Elizabeth realized. And then and there she made a decision.

“I think I'll be at that meeting after all,” she told Robin. She'd be there to pick up the pieces if Jessica let down her friend. She'd nominate Robin for membership—and there would be nothing Jessica could do to stop her. It would probably throw the club, and Jessica, into an absolute uproar. But they all deserved the pressure, Elizabeth told herself, not realizing the chaos she was about to create.

 

Can Liz outwit her scheming twin and make Robin a Pi Beta? Find out in Sweet Valley High #4,
POWER PLAY.

Also by Francine Pascal

SERIES

Sweet Valley High

Sweet Valley Twins

Sweet Valley Kids

Fearless

 

NOVELS

Save Johanna

If Wishes Were Horses (La Villa)

My First Love and Other Disasters

Hanging Out with Cici

 

NON-FICTION

The Strange Case of Patty Hearst

P
LAYING WITH
F
IRE.
Copyright 1983 by Francine Pascal. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

Sweet Valley ® is a registered trademark of Francine Pascal

ISBN 1-250-03049-8

EAN 978-1-250-03049-8

First published in the United States by Bantam Books.

First U.S. Edition: December 1983

eISBN 9781250030498

First eBook edition: November 2012