Secret Admirer by R.L. Stine, Sammy Yuen Jr.

accident.”
    â€œI know,” Katy agreed. “I keep thinking of when we were little. Remember that old tree house in Jake’s yard? We were such good friends then. Nothing ever came between us.”
    â€œThat was fun,” Selena replied. “I always had the best times in my life with you and Jake.”
    â€œPlaces, everyone!” Mr. Riordan called.
    When all the cast members had gathered, he cleared his throat and stared gravely at them. “Our theater family has suffered a terrible tragedy,” he announced dramatically. “We’ll all miss Jake. But—as Jake himself would have agreed—the show must go on!”
    Is that all there is to it?
Selena wondered.
Does the show really have to go on—no matter what happens?
    Mr. Riordan directed them to begin. Selena took a deep breath and prepared to speak her lines.
    But it didn’t seem to work. When Danny uttered Romeo’s words, she saw Jake’s face. When the boy who had taken Jake’s role spoke his lines, Selena imagined Jake in his place.
    During a break, she wandered backstage. She wondered why Eddy hadn’t come to rehearsal today.
    Selena had only spoken to him once since Jake’s death. She hadn’t told him that Jake was the stalker.
    She couldn’t bear to think about it.
    Katy sat backstage on a prop table, looking nearlyas glum as Selena felt. “How’s it going?” Katy asked. “What are you doing back here?”
    Selena frowned. “I just can’t get into it.”
    â€œI know what you mean. I’ve messed up the lighting cues three times. The stage manager is ready to kill me.”
    â€œI keep thinking the show must go on,” Selena continued. “But I don’t get it.
Why
should we keep doing the dumb play? Jake is dead! That’s more important than a play. I wish I’d realized that earlier. Maybe Jake would still be alive.”
    â€œYou can’t blame yourself,” Katy replied softly.
    â€œI can’t help it!” Selena cried. “I understand it now. When Jake wrote those notes, he was trying to get me to stop taking the plays so seriously. They’re all I ever thought about.”
    Katy nodded. “Maybe so.”
    â€œI guess he thought if he scared me, I’d give it up. But I didn’t pay attention to him. I should have listened.”
    â€œPlaces!” Mr. Riordan called from the front of the auditorium. “Selena? Where is Selena?”
    Selena started toward the curtain. She didn’t know if she would have the strength to finish this rehearsal. Every time she thought of Jake, she wanted to cry.
No play is worth dying for,
she thought.
And no scholarship is worth losing a friend for
.
    She stopped and turned back to Katy. “You know what? I’ve made a big decision.”

22
 
    â€œM r. Riordan,” Selena called, “I need to tell you something. It’s important.”
    The rehearsal had just ended, and the teacher was stuffing his script into a leather briefcase. “Not now, Selena,” he answered, straightening up. “I’m already late.”
    â€œIt won’t take long—” Selena promised.
    â€œSorry,” Mr. Riordan called, striding to the door. “Catch me tomorrow morning. You were great tonight, by the way!”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œSee you tomorrow.” With a brusque wave, Mr. Riordan disappeared through the door.
    â€œDid you tell him? Did you tell him you’re leaving the play?” Katy’s voice startled Selena. She hadn’t heard her friend approach.
    â€œNo,” she answered unhappily. “He was in some kind of a super rush.” Selena ran a shaky hand through her hair. “I can’t stand it, Katy,” shemoaned. “I’m so jumpy. I should feel safer now that I know the stalker is gone, right? But everything about this play still feels wrong.”
    â€œWell, I think you’re doing the