The Best Friend by R.L. Stine Page A

making my braces freeze up!”
    Trish stopped first, her mouth dropping open in surprise. She raised an arm to halt Becka.
    Becka followed her friend’s gaze to the parking lot.
    There was Honey. She was walking slowly between the two rows of cars. Walking with a boy.
    He had his arm around her shoulders.
    They stopped and kissed.
    â€œI don’t believe it,” Becka whispered, moving behind Trish as if to hide.
    They stared in silence as Honey leaned her back against a car, and she and the boy kissed some more.
    â€œWho’s she with?” Becka whispered.
    â€œI can’t see his face,” Trish replied. “We’re too far away.”
    Staying close to the metal chain-link fence that lined the football field, they made their way closer to the parking lot.
    â€œOh, wow! It’s Eric!” Trish declared.
    â€œEric who?” Becka demanded. “My Eric?”
    â€œYeah.” Trish nodded
    Becka grabbed the metal wires of the fence and squeezed till her hands hurt.
    â€œWell, you broke up with him,” Trish said. “I guess she has a right—”
    â€œTrish! Look at her!” Becka cried heatedly. “Her hair is cut like mine. She’s wearing a down jacket just like mine. She’s wearing my blue top that she took home and never returned. And my parrot pin, the enamel pin that Bill gave me. And she’s standing there in the parking lot, kissing my old boyfriend!”
    â€œBecka—”
    â€œThat’s sick! It’s just sick!”
    â€œBecka, you’re screaming. Calm down, okay? Just chill!” Trish grabbed Becka’s shoulder and stared at her, concerned.
    Becka hadn’t even realized she was screaming. She took a deep breath and held it. She let go of the fence and shoved her frozen hands into her jacket pockets.
    â€œI knew we should’ve stayed inside,” Trish said, frowning.
    â€œWhat am I going to do?” Becka asked once again, forcing her voice to stay low and steady. She returned her eyes to the parking lot. Honey and Eric were walking arm in arm along the walk, toward Becka and Trish.
    â€œYou’re just going to have to be honest with her,” Trish said, fiddling with her wool cap.
    â€œHonest? What do you mean?” Becka demanded.
    â€œYou’re going to have to tell her you don’t want to be friends with her.”
    Two large blackbirds swooped low overhead, cawing loudly, on their way to the park.
    I wish I could fly away with them, Becka thought miserably, watching Eric and Honey approach.
    â€œBut if I tell Honey that, I don’t know what she’ll do,” Becka said. “She’s so emotional. She’s crazy. She’s really crazy. I mean, I even think she caused Lilah’s accident.”
    Trish raised her eyes to Becka’s, her expression troubled. “Don’t you totally freak over this, Becka,” she warned quietly. “Don’t get totally paranoid. Honey may be a terrible pest. And a copycat. But if you start making crazy accusations ...” She didn’t finish her thought.
    â€œYou don’t know her as well as I do,” Becka argued.
    Glancing up ahead, she saw that Eric had suddenly turned around and was hurrying back to the school building. Honey was approaching quickly, jogging toward them, waving.
    Eric must be embarrassed or something, Becka thought.
    â€œHi, Becka!” Honey called. She stopped in front of Becka, breathing hard, her breath steaming up from her mouth, a big smile on her face.
    â€œHi,” Becka muttered with an obvious lack of enthusiasm.
    â€œWhat are you doing out here?” Honey asked.
    â€œJust talking with Trish.”
    â€œOh.” Honey seemed to notice Trish for the first time. “Hi.”
    Trish nodded.
    â€œCan I join you?” Honey asked Becka.
    Becka shook her head. Not now, Honey. I really want to have a private talk with Trish.”
    â€œPrivate?”
    â€œYeah,”