Haunted: A Collection of Frightening Tales

The Old Bodecker House

"You shut your dirty mouth!" Shaunda shoved my shoulder and nearly knocked me off the swing beside her.

"I'm serious! He totally likes you!" I covered my hand with my mouth that giggled. "I see how he looks at you. If you stared at him hard enough, I think his head would explode!"

"You're crazy! He so does not like me!"

"Why don't you just go ask him then?'

"Rammy!" Shaunda gasped. "Do you want me to die?"

"I dare you. No, I triple dog dare you!" I crossed my arms and grinned in triumph. My best friend could never resist a dare, not when we were little and certainly not now.

"You evil, evil broad!" Shaunda shook her head, her hair bouncing, and chuckled. "Fine! I'll do it, but you will pay." She glided off the swing and strutted over to Tanner, the stereotypical hot farmer boy who transferred to LA from Ohio. I heard it was a real culture shock for him.

Tanner looked amazed that Shaunda was even looking in his direction with her big brown eyes. Jesus, he's practically a puddle! She swished her hips and her hair bounced. I couldn't understand what they were saying that far away, but it looked like it was going pretty well! I was happy for my bestie. Maybe she'd finally stop whining about not having a boyfriend.

A few minutes later, Shaunda sashayed back to me and the swings. She looked excited and it made me nervous. Bad stuff happens when Shaunda gets excited.

"So?" I asked. "How was it? Did you die?" I poked her in the bellybutton and she laughed. She swatted me away.

"No, I didn't die," Shaunda mocked my tone and smirked. "This is the part where you pay." She sat down in the swing next to me and told me what she and Tanner were talking about.

"My mom will kill me; you know that right? She is going to send you my head in a box and then you'll be next." I put my head in my hands. "You know how my mom is."

"Come on Rammy! You're a good girl. You get straight A's. You Practically have no social life. What more could Godzilla ask for?" She gave me the puppy-dog eyes. I shot her daggers.

"Godzilla happens to be a police officer! I can't do this, man. If she even gets a whiff of boy, we're dead meat." I dug my heels in the dirt. "She'll ground me so hard, I'll be 6-feet under, Shaunda. Is that what you want?"

"I'll figure something out. You know I will!" She intensified her puppy dog face by 10.

"Fine, but you'll be sorry when my head winds up on your porch."

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"No, no, a thousand times no!"

"But mom!" I grunted.

"No, Ramallindena Equitorious Thompson! You will not be going anywhere with those boys and that is final." Mom put her hands on her hips and jabbed a finger up the stairs. "To your room!"

"You never let me do anything! Screw you, mom!" I bolted up the stairs.

"You are not; I repeat not too old to spank!" I slammed my door shut, which earned me another week.

About two hours of crying alone in my dark room passed before I heard a rapping at my balcony window. I curled up tighter.

"Go away! I can't have any company!" I whisper-shouted at the knocking. Mom was asleep by now, but she sleeps right below my room.

"Come on! We'll be late if we don't go right now!" Shaunda whisper-shouted back at me. I got up and opened the clear French doors to my balcony.

"I can't go! I'm grounded." My cheeks dripped on to my black blouse. "You'll have to go make out with your new boyfriend without me. How did you even get up here, anyway?"