The Cheater by R.L. Stine

you’re not in a comedy mood.”
    â€œNo,” she said. “I just feel like watching
Batman.
Is there something weird about that?”
    â€œNo, no,” Dan said hurriedly. He stooped to put the tape into the machine. “Of course not.”
    He sat beside her on the couch now, one arm around her, one hand holding the remote control. She snuggled against him and tried to relax.
    What was
that
all about? flashed through her mind, but then the movie started and she forgot about it.
    Still, every once in a while she thought she caught Dan glancing at her while they watched the movie, as if he were checking her reactions. The entire evening he seemed to be studying her closely.
    Maybe he just feels insecure, she thought, whenthe movie was over and they were sharing a dish of chocolate ice cream. After all, I turned him down for two dates in a row. He probably wants to be sure everything is okay between us.
    She glanced up from the dish then, and smiled at him. As far as she was concerned, everything was great between them. After her experience with Adam, she never wanted to stray from Dan again.
    To prove it to him, she put down the dish of ice cream and gave him a big, chocolatey kiss. Dan let his spoon fall to the floor.
    They snuggled on the couch until midnight. Carter heard the Masons’ grandfather clock strike the hour upstairs in the front hall.
    â€œI’d better get going,” she said, pulling her face just far enough away from his to speak. “You know Daddy.”
    Dan said, “I do.” He gave her one last kiss, then stood and helped her off the couch. A short while later he walked her out to her car.
    â€œBe careful driving home,” he said.
    They kissed once more. Then he closed the car door and stood in the driveway, watching her drive off.
    Carter turned on the radio and hummed along to the soft music as she wound her way through the quiet streets of North Hills. She’d driven from her house to Dan’s and back so many times she could practically do it in her sleep. Now, as she glideddown the dark, curvy streets, she felt as if she were on automatic pilot.
    Suddenly a harsh light was blinding her. She glanced into the rearview mirror and saw there was a car close behind her, its headlights on high.
    I hate that, she thought irritably. She slowed and waited for the car to pass.
    It didn’t.
    She sped up a little. The other car went faster too. It was tailing her.
    She rolled down her window and gestured to the other car to pass her. The driver ignored her. The car stayed right on her tail.
    She went faster; the other car sped up even more.
    What’s he doing? she thought. He’s going to hit me!
    The faster she drove, the faster the other car went. Her heart raced.
    Who was it? What did they want?
    She crossed a bridge and climbed a steep section of road that overlooked the river. Her speedometer read eighty. The other car was right behind her, pushing.
    She couldn’t go any faster. She was beginning to lose control of her car!
    Cold with panic, her heart thudding in her chest, she heard the grinding sound of metal against metal. Her car was being nudged to the right.
    â€œNo!” Carter shrieked.
    The other car was scraping her left rear fender—pushing her off the road!
    â€œNo!”
    The car eased off, then hit her again. Her car lurched to the right.
    Glancing down, she could see the river just beyond the low guard rail and over the edge of the steep slope.
    She pressed the accelerator to the floor, desperate to outrun the other car. But it kept up with her, pushing and pushing….
    Who
is
it? Who is trying to kill me?
    She raised her eyes to the mirror.
    The white light nearly blinded her.
    It’s got to be Adam.
    The steering wheel bounced under her hands. Her heart leaped to her throat.
    The road curved to the left, the river out of view now. I’m safe, she thought. She jammed her foot on the accelerator and pulled ahead