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Afraid
By JO GIBSON KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.
Copyright © 2014 Kensington Publishing
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-61773-243-0
CHAPTER 1
She was early. Donna glanced at her watch as she stood in front of the ticket booth. It was seven forty-five and she wasn't supposed to meet Steve until eight. Donna didn't really mind waiting at the school carnival midway. She smiled as she watched the lights on the Ferris wheel make graceful circles. She could imagine riding the big wheel with Steve, holding his hand tightly as they started to rise up into the deep night sky. They might be lucky enough to stop at the very top, too high for anyone to see them, too far away to hear the noises of the crowd. If she happened to shiver from the cool breeze that swept over the hills, Steve might drape his arm around her shoulders and hold her close.
Donna clutched her purse tightly. Steve's letter was tucked inside and she knew it was from the state university. Their logo was in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope, and Donna had received a similar letter just last week. Her letter had contained very good news. Her application had been accepted and next year she'd be enrolling as a freshman. Steve had applied, too, and everyone at Jefferson High knew that he was hoping for a football scholarship. If Steve got his scholarship, they'd be on the same campus together!
Waiting for Steve to open his letter was agony. From the first moment Donna had taken it out of his mailbox, she'd had the urge to hold it up to the light to see if she could read the letter inside. She hadn't done it, but Donna had been careful to think positive thoughts all day. If Steve got his scholarship, he'd feel like celebrating. And since Donna was the one who'd brought him the news, Steve might ask her to be his date for the rest of the evening—if he'd really broken up with Tammy.
"Hey, Donna! How's it going?"
"Hi, Jerry." Donna turned to smile at Jerry Taylor. Jerry was Steve's best friend and he was on the football team, too.
"Hey ..." Jerry cocked his head to one side and grinned at her. "You look great, Donna! Are you waiting for somebody?"
Donna nodded and hoped she wasn't blushing. "I'm supposed to meet Steve here at eight o'clock."
"Uh ... Donna?" Jerry looked very uncomfortable. "You don't have a date with Steve, do you?"
"No, Steve just asked me to check his mailbox and bring him a letter."
Jerry looked very relieved. "That's good. I just saw him by the game booths with Tammy."
It was difficult, but Donna managed to keep smiling. It was still possible that Steve and Tammy had broken up. Maybe they'd decided to be friends.
"Looks like we're making some money here, huh?" Jerry glanced around at the crowded midway. "I just walked past the merry-go-round and there's about a hundred kids in line."
Donna nodded and pointed out a group of kids who were racing down the midway, clutching cotton candy and hotdogs. "I think the food booths are doing good business, too."
"Hey, Donna! Jerry! Wait up!"
Donna turned to see Steve making his way through the crowd toward them. She reached in her purse, pulled out the letter, and handed it to him the moment he arrived at her side.
"Thanks, Donna." Steve slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a little hug. "I really appreciate this."
Donna noticed that Steve's hands were shaking slightly as he held the letter. She knew exactly how he felt. Her hands had been trembling when she'd opened her own letter from the university. "I really hope it's good news, Steve."
"So do I!" Steve grinned and turned to Jerry. "Hey, Jer—did you get yours?"
Jerry shook his head. "Not yet, but if you got your scholarship, maybe I'll get mine. Come on, man—open it!"
"Okay, here goes." Steve ripped the letter open and glanced inside. And then he let out a whoop of excitement. "I got it! A full scholarship!"
Jerry grinned. "It's celebration time!"
"Come on." Steve took Donna's arm and marched her along the midway. "Everybody's waiting at the Duck Pond."
Donna felt like she was walking on air as she hurried down the midway with Steve and Jerry. Steve's hand was still on her arm and, as they passed a group of girls, several of them turned to stare. Rumors would be flying through the halls of Jefferson High on Monday morning, but they wouldn't mean a thing if Steve was still going with Tammy.
Her grandfather had always said to enjoy the moment, and that's exactly what Donna tried to do. The carousel was playing "Someday My Prince Will Come," and Donna knew she'd always remember that song. Every time she heard it, she'd think of the brightly painted horses revolving slowly and the wonderful feeling of Steve's warm fingers on her arm.
But as the three of them approached the Duck Pond, Donna saw Tammy, tapping her foot impatiently.
She looked gorgeous! Tammy's long, golden blonde hair was swept up into a barrette tonight, and it tumbled down her back in a cascade of perfect curls. She was wearing an outfit that Donna had never seen before, white suede pants and a matching jacket that was decorated with flowers made of brightly colored beads. Donna suddenly felt drab and ordinary. Why would Steve bother to look at her when Tammy was so beautiful? She'd been silly to hope that he'd take her on the Ferris wheel. And she'd been absolutely crazy to think that he might ask her for a date!
"What took you so long?" Tammy frowned as they approached.
"Aren't you going to ask if I got my letter?" Steve asked.
"Of course I am." Tammy put on a smile as she took Steve's arm. "Don't keep me in suspense, Stevie. Did you?"
"Yes, I got it. And ... I got it!
"That's wonderful, Stevie." Tammy stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I knew you would. And if you're really nice to me, I'll buy you a present."
Steve turned to Donna to explain. "That means she wants to go shopping. And I'll get stuck, carrying everything she buys."
"Of course. That's what boyfriends are for." Tammy grabbed Steve's arm and pulled him toward the row of vendors. "Come with us, Jerry. Let's go see if they've got anything worth buying."
"The queen speaketh." Jerry turned to Donna and extended his arm. "Come on, Donna. I'll carry your stuff if you buy anything."
Donna hesitated. Tammy had deliberately excluded her. But Jerry had invited her and she really wanted to go.
"Donna? Come on. It'll be fun."
Steve turned around to motion to her, and Donna took Jerry's arm. "Okay. But don't worry, Jerry. I'm not going to buy anything so you won't have any packages to carry."
"Hey! Wait up!" Jerry hurried to catch up with Tammy and Steve. "Donna says she's not going to buy anything."
Steve smiled at Donna. "Maybe Donna's a little more sensible than some people I could name."
"Stevie!" Tammy frowned at him. "That wasn't very nice.
And you wouldn't like a sensible girlfriend. They're boring! Isn't that right, Donna?"
Donna shrugged. "I guess they could be. I've never really thought about it before."
"And of course Donna's going to buy something." Tammy gave her a condescending smile. "She won't be able to resist. We've got over fifty vendors here tonight."
Donna didn't say anything at all. She just smiled. Tammy was so self-centered, she didn't even wonder why Donna wasn't going to buy anything. It took money to go shopping, and Donna had a total of $15.65 in her purse. The $15 was next week's lunch money, and Donna wasn't about to spend it on something she didn't need.
The area they'd named Vendors' Row was at the far edge of the football field, next to a grove of trees. They wandered past several booths of costume jewelry, a display of handmade leather purses and wallets, and a booth with hand-thrown pottery. As they rounded the corner between two tents, Tammy stopped and pointed to an unusual display. "Oh—look! There's a totally fantastic booth!"
Donna nodded. The booth really was fantastic. The sign read Magical Footwear, and the vendor had used a big oak tree to display the wares. A huge tent draped with oriental carpets was set up under the tree, and shoes and boots hung from the branches.
"Let's go, Stevie!" Tammy grabbed Steve's hand and began to push to the front of the crowd. "I'm going to be in the fall play and I want a pair of totally incredible shoes to wear."
Donna managed to hide her smile of amusement. She was an usher for the fall play, and she'd attended a few rehearsals. Tammy didn't need new shoes; she needed to learn her lines!
"You guys better keep me company." Steve turned back to Jerry and Donna. "This could take hours. Tammy loves shoes."
Donna nodded. It was clear that Tammy was an impulse buyer, and she had plenty of money to indulge herself.
By the time they'd made their way through the crowd and up to the counter, Tammy was already talking to the woman who ran the booth. She looked as if she'd stepped from the pages of a storybook as the evil stepmother, or the wicked witch. She was dressed in black, from her head to her toes, with a skirt so long, it swept the floor of the tent. There was a heavy black cape around her shoulders, and the way it flapped around her arms when she moved reminded Donna of a huge, black crow.
Tammy pointed to the sign on the wall of the tent. "It says you make your own shoes. Is that true?"
"Yes, young lady." The old woman nodded. "From the finest materials, each pair an original."
"Good. I need a totally gorgeous pair of shoes. I want the best that money can buy, and it's very important that no one else has a pair just like them."
"This is for a special occasion?" The old woman's eyes began to gleam, and Donna was sure she was going to charge a fortune for any pair of shoes that Tammy chose.
"Yes." Tammy brushed back her hair and gave a proud smile.
"I have the lead in the fall play, and my shoes have to be spectacular, not like the ordinary ones out here."
"Of course, young lady. Would you like to see my private collection in the back?"
"All right." Tammy grinned. "But I don't have all night, so hurry!"
Donna frowned slightly. Tammy was being quite rude, but the old woman didn't seen to notice. She just led them to the back of the tent and pointed to a shelf where several beautiful pairs of shoes were displayed.
"That's more like it!" Tammy reached out to touch one pair. Even from several feet away, Donna could tell that the shoes were beautifully colored. "These are nice, but I've seen dozens just like them. Don't you have anything really—"
Tammy stopped in mid-sentence and pointed to the shelf where a pair of red shoes was displayed in a glass case. "That's exactly what I mean. Those red shoes are perfect! Take them out so I can try them on!"
"No, young lady." The old woman shook her head. "The red shoes are not for sale. They are for display purposes only."
"That's ridiculous!"
Tammy started to frown, and Donna could tell that she didn't like being denied. The shoes in the display case really were spectacular. They were made of soft, shining satin that was almost luminescent.
"I am sorry, young lady. If you would like to place an order, I can make you a pair of shoes just like them."
"No way!" Tammy's frown deepened. "I need them for opening night next Friday. And I said I want originals, not a copy of something else. Get them down for me. If they fit, I'll buy them. And I'll pay you double the asking price!"
The old woman shook her head again. "No, young lady. I told you before. I cannot sell you the red shoes."
"Why not? I said I'd pay double!"
A crowd was starting to gather, and the old woman pulled them to the side of the tent, where there was a little alcove. "You seem like a very nice girl, and that is why I cannot let you have the red shoes. You see, they are dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Tammy raised her eyebrows. "How could a pair of shoes be dangerous?"
The old woman lowered her voice so that only Tammy and her group could hear. "If you will listen, I will explain. This particular pair of shoes is cursed."
"Cursed?!" Tammy started to giggle. "Well, I don't care if they're cursed or not—I still want them!"
Donna was so curious, she stepped forward and touched the old woman on the arm. When the woman turned to her, she blurted out her question. "Please—could you tell us about the curse?"
The old woman smiled, and Donna stepped back instinctively. It was a chilling smile.
"It's an ancient charm that has survived over the centuries. Any girl who wears the red shoes will be blessed with incredible talent, but there is a terrible price to pay. She will also be cursed with bad luck."
"That sounds good to me!" Tammy laughed so hard, she had to lean on Steve's arm. "I could use some incredible talent for opening night, and I'm certainly not afraid of a silly curse. Now, take those shoes down or I'll talk to the principal and have you removed from the carnival!"
Donna winced. Tammy was really being awful. She moved a little closer and tapped Tammy gently on the arm. "Tammy? Maybe she's right and you shouldn't try on those shoes. What if there is a curse?"
"Really, Donna!" Tammy burst into laughter. "You don't actually believe in curses, do you?"
Donna was blushing as she shook her head. "No. Not really. But ... there could be something about the shoes that might be dangerous."
"I'll take my chances." Tammy turned back to the old woman again. "Well? Are you going to get them down, or not?"
The old woman shrugged. "If you insist. But I have done my duty by warning you."
"Okay, I'm warned." Tammy laughed as the old woman took the red shoes out of the case. It was clear she wasn't one bit worried about the curse. "This is going to be fun! I'll tell everyone that I'm wearing cursed shoes, and it'll be great publicity for the play. People will come from miles around to watch me act!"
When the old woman handed her the shoes, Tammy sat down to try them on. Donna crossed her fingers and hoped that they wouldn't fit, but when Tammy stood up again, she was smiling. "Look! They fit me perfectly!"
"Yes, I knew that they would." The old woman nodded. "But you must promise to be very careful when—"
"How much?" Tammy interrupted what was sure to be another warning.
The old woman frowned. "I do not know. Since the red shoes have never been for sale, I have not put a price on them."
"A hundred dollars." Tammy opened her purse. "That ought to be plenty. So what do you say? Is it a deal?"
The old woman looked as if she was about to refuse, and Tammy spoke up quickly. "Two hundred. That's four times what you're asking for any other pair of shoes. And I'll give you cash!"
Donna tried not to gasp in shock. Two hundred dollars was a fortune to pay for a pair of shoes!
"Let me think for a moment." The old woman stared at Tammy for a few seconds, and then she nodded. "Yes. I can see that you are destined to have the red shoes. I will sell them to you for two hundred dollars."
Tammy pulled out a roll of twenty-dollar bills and began to count out the money. "And then we're all going on the Ferris wheel. I promised the gang we'd meet them there."
Donna took a deep breath for courage, and then she stepped forward. "Tammy? Do you really think you should?"
"Don't be an idiot, Donna!" Tammy gave her a look that would turn a puddle of water into a solid sheet of ice.
"Don't waste your breath." Steve gave Donna a little pat on the shoulder as they walked out of the tent. "Nobody can change Tammy's mind, and she'll just get mad at you if you try. She's been like this ever since her parents got divorced last year."
Donna began to feel a little sorry for Tammy. "That must have been hard for Tammy."
"It was." Steve nodded. "Come on, Donna. We'll get in line for the Ferris wheel and buy the tickets."
As they turned onto the midway and hurried to take their place in the Ferris wheel line, Donna glanced up at Steve. He didn't look very happy for a guy who'd just earned a full football scholarship. Perhaps it was Tammy's reaction to the news. She'd acted as if it wasn't the least bit important to her.
"Steve?" Donna smiled up at him. "Congratulations on your scholarship. I think it's really fantastic!"
"Thanks, Donna. You're going to college, aren't you?"
Donna nodded. "Yes, I'm going to State, too. I just got my letter of acceptance last week."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Afraid by JO GIBSON. Copyright © 2014 Kensington Publishing. Excerpted by permission of KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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