What If ... Your Past Came Back to Haunt You

by Liz Ruckdeschel

  “Great! Thanks, Haley,” her father replied.

  They walked to the town library and headed straight for the kids’ section—partly for Mitchell’s sake, and partly because Haley knew there was even less chance of running into one of her schoolmates among the picture books.

  Mitchell scanned the shelves while Reese and Haley settled down at a tiny little table to study. Haley’s cell phone rang, and she switched it to Vibrate. She was getting a text every half hour from some random boy about the famous Boob Tubing video. She tried to ignore it, but her phone kept buzzing. Texts were pouring in, all commenting on the footage.

  Great, she thought. I can’t escape, even at the library.

  Mitchell reappeared. “Haley, can you help me? I’m looking for a book about spaceships.”

  “I’ll help you, Mitchell,” Reese said. He got up and took Mitchell to the stacks.

  Haley seized that moment of privacy to scan the incoming messages. One of them was from Alex Martin, and the subject line was “Ice-skating.” At least it didn’t say “Boob Tubing Babe,” so she opened it.

  “Major snowstorm coming,” Alex wrote. “I predict a snow day. Want to come to my house and ice-skate if we’re off tomorrow? Annie and Dave will be there too.”

  Haley glanced across the room. Reese pulled a book from the shelves and gave it to Mitchell. Very sweet. She smiled. That broken ankle had slowed him down a bit, after all—in the best possible way.

  Outside, the first snowflakes were falling. Alex was right—a big storm was on its way.

  Just when we think Reese is too self-centered for our Haley, he turns around and does something sweet like this: coaxing Haley out of her room and helping Mitchell find a book. If you think Haley completely adores Reese, stick close to home on, LET IT SNOW.

  Reese can run hot and cold, however, and Haley should know that by now. It’s not always smart to put all your eggs in one basket. If you think she’s curious about Alex Martin’s invitation—maybe she can’t resist the romantic idea of ice-skating on his backyard pond—go to, HEARTH AND HOME.

  Finally, if you think the best way to spend a snowy day is with girls only, watching movies, turn to, ALL ABOUT AUDREY.

  HEARTH AND HOME

  * * *

  Meeting a guy’s family for the first time can be as risky as skating on thin ice.

  Haley woke up to the sound of a loud siren—the fire whistles were blowing. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window. Her dream had come true: it had snowed overnight. Almost a foot! Surely schools were closed. Trees and houses and cars were all blanketed in white, which brought a hush over the neighborhood. She’d never seen anything so beautiful.

  She pulled on thick socks, two pairs of jeans, a turtleneck sweater and her warmest jacket. She ran downstairs, where her father was scrambling eggs. “Can I get a ride to Alex’s house?” she asked. “He invited me over to go ice-skating.”

  “I’m going into work late today,” Joan said. “I’ll drop you off on the way.”

  “Great! I’ll be ready in a minute.” Haley put on her snow boots and went into the garage to get her old ice skates. She’d skated before, plenty of times, but always on an indoor rink. She’d never been ice-skating on someone’s pond before, and the idea of spending a snowy day with Alex instead of at school was just thrilling.

  Joan dropped Haley off in front of the Martins’ traditional gray shingle colonial house, surrounded by tall pine trees. Haley slung her skates over her shoulder and walked down the long snowy driveway and around the house to the lovely frozen pond in the back. Alex, Annie, Dave and two younger boys were already skittering happily over the ice.

  “Haley! You made it!” Alex skated over to her and hugged her hello. “Here, I’ll help you put on your skates.”

  He brushed some snow off a bench and Haley sat down to change her shoes. Then she glided onto the pond. It took a few laps to get her legs to stop wobbling, but soon she was keeping up with Alex, who grabbed her mittened hands and swung her around. Dave wobbled into them and fell on his butt. Annie skated over to help him up.

  “That’s fall number four,” Dave said.

  “He’s going for a record,” Annie joked.

  Alex introduced Haley to the two younger boys zipping easily across the ice. “These are my brothers, Christian and Calvin.”

  “Hello.” Christian appeared to be about ten, and Calvin, who looked like a mini-Alex, was about the same size as Haley’s brother, Mitchell.

  “How old are you, Calvin?” Haley asked.

  “Seven,” Calvin said.

  “My brother’s your age. Do you know him? His name is Mitchell Miller.”

  “Sure, I know him,” Calvin said. “He’s sort of a freak.” Calvin skated away, saying, “My. Name. Is. Mitchell. I. Am. A. Freak.”

  Haley flinched. She tried to blow it off, but Calvin’s insult stung. Until recently Mitchell had a habit of talking like a robot, and Calvin was making fun of him.

  Poor Mitchell, Haley thought, imagining how hard it must be for her sensitive little brother to deal with such an obnoxious boy at school. She felt like belting Calvin with a snowball, but realized she couldn’t do that to a little kid. He was probably just following the other boys in his grade. He didn’t look like a bully.

  They skated and threw snowballs for a couple of hours until they were too cold and wanted to go inside. In the Martins’ warm kitchen, Alex’s mother had steaming mugs of hot cocoa ready and waiting for all the kids.

  “Mom, I’d like you to meet my friend Haley,” Alex said. “You already know Annie and Dave, of course.”

  “Of course,” Mrs. Martin said. “I know all the good students at your school, Alex. Hello, Haley. Here’s some cocoa.”

  She gave Haley a mug and sent the kids into the den, where a fire crackled in the fireplace. Haley thought Mrs. Martin’s greeting could have been warmer. Was she implying that Haley wasn’t a good student? How could she possibly know?

  Maybe Alex’s mother doesn’t like the idea of her son spending time with a girl, Haley thought. That, or she’s always uptight. Either was a bad opinion.

  “How’s the ice?” Alex’s father, Peter, walked into the den wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He had glasses and a nice head of thick, glossy hair.

  “The pond is perfect, Dad,” Alex said. “You should come out for a game of ice hockey.”

  “Wish I could, Alex, but I’ve got to get to the hospital,” Dr. Martin said. “Enjoy your snow day!”

  Interesting, Haley thought. Alex gets his conservative, uptight tendencies from his mom, and his intellectual, good-hearted side from his dad. His brother Calvin seemed to take after snippy Mom, while the jury was still out on quiet Christian.

  “Now that it’s snowed, it finally feels like Christmas is coming,” Annie said.

  “I can’t wait to give you your present, Haley,” Alex said.

  Haley put down her mug in surprise. Alex had gotten her a Christmas present? It hadn’t even occurred to her to get him one. But it would have been rude to let him know that, so she bluffed.

  “I haven’t gotten your gift yet,” she said. “But I know what it is, and I think you’ll really like it.” Now if I can just think of something good to get him . . .

  “I can’t wait for all the holiday parties,” Annie said. “I hear Sasha Lewis is throwing a big bash at her mom’s house, with a live jazz band. Doesn’t that sound fun? I hope she invites me.”

  “I’m sure she’ll invite all of us,” Haley said. “Sasha’s not a snob like Coco.”

  So, Alex has already gotten Haley a Christmas present. He must really like her. Boys don’t buy gifts for no reason. Too bad his mother seems like the disapproving type. How much more of her do you think Haley can stand? And what about the bratty little brother?

  If you think Haley should get Alex a Christmas gift so that she’s not in the awkward position of receiving with nothing to give in return, go to GIFT SWAP. If you think Haley would
much rather avoid the Martin clan and buy Devon McKnight a gift instead, turn to, PRESENT TENSE. Finally, if you think Haley definitely should swing by Sasha’s holiday fete, go UNDER THE MISTLETOE.

  MOVIE MARATHON

  * * *

  Two’s company, three’s a crowd, four’s a double date, and five is just awkward.

  “Rini, this octopus is genius.” Shaun leaned against the steel counter in his parents’ modern kitchen and admired his new tattoo. “I love him! I call him Octopus Prime.” He flexed his bicep, then waved his tattooed forearm for all to see. “Octopus Prime! All bow before him!”

  “I’m glad I went with the armband style,” Irene said. Even though it was snowing outside, she wore a T-shirt with sleeves cut off at the shoulders to show off her tattoo: a satiny red ribbon interlaced with barbed wire. “Tough yet feminine.”

  Haley put a bowl of popcorn into the microwave and pressed the Start button. She gazed out the large glass windows into the Willkommens’ backyard. It had been snowing since the night before, eight inches already, and the snow was coming down harder than before now. Her long-wished-for snow day had come at last.

  “If this keeps up they could cancel school for the rest of the week,” she said.

  “Which would mean no school until after the holiday break!” Irene said. Their holiday vacation was only two days away. If only it would keep snowing, they could have three whole weeks off from school.

  “Which would so rock,” Shaun said. “Though I have to say I’m looking forward to introducing Octopus Prime to the student body. I could parade him through the courtyard, then cut all my classes.”

  “Octopus Prime will still be there in January,” Irene said. “He’s going to be there for the rest of your life. Good thing you like him.”

  “I love him!” Shaun roared.

  Haley stirred water into a powdery brownie mix. “Devon’s late. I wonder if he got stuck in the snow.”

  The doorbell rang. “That’s got to be the Dev-ster. I’ll get it!” Shaun barreled down the stairs and opened the front door. A few seconds later he ushered Devon into the kitchen—but Devon wasn’t alone. Devon’s shadow, Darcy Podowski, aka the fifth wheel, was with him once again. Haley couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Devon without the blond freshman. It was getting old. Fast.

  Everyone else seemed happy to see her, however. “Hey Darce,” Irene said, displaying her tattoo for the newcomers to see. “Check it out. All healed.”

  “Nice,” Darcy said. “You’re going to be so glad you got it, Irene. It’s like this really cool way of telling the world, This is who I am, man. Deal with it.”

  Haley turned away so that no one could see her roll her eyes. She took the popcorn out of the microwave and put the pan of brownie batter in the oven.

  “Time for the movie marathon,” Shaun said. “Everybody downstairs. Bring the popcorn. Take the cannoli.”

  They settled on the orange L-shaped couches in the media room. “Everybody comfy? Okay. The first movie, well three movies, in the Shaun Willkommen Snow Day Movie Marathon is a classic. The Godfather trilogy.”

  Irene groaned. “Again?”

  He started the first film on the large flat-screen TV. Haley would have enjoyed it more if she could have stopped peeking at Devon and Darcy, who sat together. Were their hands touching? Were they playing footsie? It was driving her crazy.

  Haley’s cell buzzed in the middle of the movie. She pulled it out of her pocket and discreetly checked the message. It was from Coco De Clerq: “Don’t go to Sasha’s Christmas Eve party. Come to my house instead—amazing double date w/Spencer & Matt.”

  That’s odd, Haley thought. A double date? With Matt Graham? What was Coco up to?

  Across the room, Devon and Darcy giggled. Haley sighed. She thought of Darcy as the fifth wheel, but the truth was that Haley was the fifth wheel here.

  So are Devon and Darcy a romantic thing or not? Is Devon that annoying type who likes to keep things “loose”—in other words, vague and undefined? Maybe what he needs is a nudge—or a shove—in the right direction. If you think Haley should get Devon something special for Christmas to show she really cares, turn to, PRESENT TENSE.

  Maybe you think that ship has sailed and Haley should move on. What about Matt Graham? No question he’s cute, but is that enough for Haley? If you think she should find out what Coco’s double-date plan is all about, go to, HOME ALONE.

  Finally, if you think Haley should forget both boys and spend Christmas Eve at Sasha’s festive party, turn to, UNDER THE MISTLETOE.

  TOUCH FOOTBALL

  * * *

  If you want to play, you’ve got to pay.

  When Haley woke up, her room seemed strangely quiet. She looked out the window and—miracle of miracles!—she saw a winter wonderland. The snow was more than a foot deep. Even the roads were covered. School was most definitely canceled!

  She dressed in thick socks, snow boots, corduroys, a ski jacket and hat—perfect gear for playing touch football. After twenty minutes of convincing arguments, her mother agreed to drop her off in front of Matt’s large stone house on a beautiful, rolling slice of the Hillsdale Heights. “I’m so glad I let your father talk me into this hybrid SUV,” Joan confided as the car skidded a little but basically kept her in control.

  At Matt’s, there was a whole crew of workers stringing Christmas lights along the roof and in the maple trees in front of the house. A team of housekeepers was hanging wreaths and holly leaves in the windows inside.

  “Beautiful decorations,” Joan said. “But what a waste.” The Millers usually made do with a single wreath on the front door.

  Haley jumped out of the car and headed to the backyard, where the football game was already in progress.

  “Haley, you made it!” Cecily waved to her from her side of the scrimmage line. She was teamed up with Drew and Matt and two preppy boys. Spencer was on the other team with a few of his other boarding-school friends, Max, Jake and Todd.

  “Haley’s on our team,” Matt announced.

  “No way, you’ve already got five,” Spencer said. “Haley’s with us.” He turned to Haley and added, “No kidding around now—we play serious touch football. You with me?”

  “Got it.” Haley joined Spencer’s team and jumped right into the game. On the first play she caught a pass for a first down. She ran the ball and missed Cecily’s block. Near the end of the game Spencer handed the ball off to Haley, who faked out Cecily and Drew and ran deep. She sprinted full speed, bobbing and weaving between the boys on the other team. Luckily, she had good speed thanks to stints on the track and soccer teams. The end zone was in sight. She was going to make a touchdown! But just before she got there Matt tackled her into a snowbank. They rolled around in the snow together, fighting over the ball until it rolled into a drift.

  Haley sat up, laughing, with snow in her face and hair and down the front of her jacket. “I thought this was touch football,” she said. “As in no tackling?”

  “The rules change when you play with girls,” Matt said. “With girls there’s always tackling.”

  The ball was out of bounds, and Haley’s team scored on the next play. Twenty minutes later, she was shivering, wet with melted snow. Her fingers were numb.

  “You look like you’re freezing,” Matt said. “Why don’t I take you inside to warm up? The others can play without us.”

  Haley should certainly go inside and get warm; the question is, how does Matt define “warming up”? If you think she should let Matt help her kill that chill, turn to UP FOR GRABS.

  If you think Haley’s had enough and is ready to go home and spend Christmas Eve with her cute neighbor, one Reese Highland, turn to, HIGH HOLIDAY. Finally, if you think Haley is more interested in attending Sasha’s holiday bash, where everyone will be all dressed up in festive party clothes, go to, UNDER THE MISTLETOE.

  SPIES LIKE US

  * * *

  The line between truth-teller and tattletale is as thin as a razor
and cuts like one too.

  It’s my moral duty, Haley decided. Spencer Eton is up to no good, and as Coco’s friend I’ve got to let her know.

  She sneaked away from the SIGMA party in the basement and slipped into an upstairs bathroom, where she locked the door and dialed Coco on her cell phone.

  “What’s up?” Coco said.

  “I’m at Spencer’s house,” Haley whispered. “You’re not going to believe what’s going on here.”

  “Say no more,” Coco said. “I’ll be right there.” She hung up, leaving Haley thinking, Uh-oh. What have I done?

  Haley stayed in the bathroom, afraid to come out. Forty minutes later she heard the front door burst open. She ran to the hall and peered down into the foyer. Coco had arrived, and she wasn’t alone. She’d brought Spencer’s mother, the governor of New Jersey, with her. And they both looked like they were ready to kill. They marched down to the basement, while Haley crept downstairs and sneaked out the front door. Before she left she heard Spencer’s voice drift up the stairs. “Coco . . . Mother . . . What are you doing here?”

  “Everybody out—now!” Mrs. Eton said sternly.

  Haley watched the aftermath on the Internet the next day. Someone at the party had a digital camera and posted pictures on the Hillsdale Hauntings Web site for all to see. There were shots of kids smoking, drinking and making out, and of the governor personally throwing them—some of them half dressed—out of her house. One shot showed her holding up her son’s stash of weed.

  Within twenty-four hours the photos were printed in a local newspaper with the headline TEENS GONE WILD AT ETON’S HOME. The underage drinking, illegal gambling and drug use started a political scandal and permanently damaged Mrs. Eton’s reputation as governor. Coco and Spencer broke up, and Mrs. Eton packed her son off to military school. The gossip also prevented Spencer from getting into Yale—or any decent college, for that matter.