College Weekend by R.L. Stine Page A

is Chris.” Tina pulled Chris over. “Josh’s roommate. He’s showing me around.”
    Jack reached out to shake hands with Chris. Chris clasped Jack’s hand briefly.
    â€œWe better get going,” Chris suggested. “I want to grab some shots at the merry-go-round.” He played with the straps of his camera.
    He’s jealous, Tina thought.
    â€œJust a minute,” she said. “I haven’t seen Jack in a long time.”
    â€œYour folks let you come here alone?” Jack asked. “That’s a surprise.”
    â€œHardly,” Tina admitted. “I came with my cousin Holly. You haven’t seen her around, haveyou? I think she’s hanging out with Alyssa Pryor.”
    â€œAlyssa Pryor?” Jack frowned. “From Shadyside?”
    Tina nodded. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Chris fidgeting with his camera.
    â€œThat’s weird,” Jack commented. “Alyssa doesn’t go here anymore. She transferred to an art school in Seattle.”

chapter 10
    â€œT
hat’s impossible!” Tina cried. She dug her fingers into Chris’s arm. “Are you sure? Alyssa Pryor? With short blond hair? The one whose father owns a clothing store at the mall?”
    â€œI’m positive,” Jack replied. “I talked to her on the phone last week. We even talked about you and Josh. About everyone from Shadyside.”
    Tina’s head began to spin.
    Someone is lying. And it has to be Carla.
    â€œThen where is Holly?” Tina asked.
    She pictured Holly lying in a ditch somewhere. Or tied to a chair, being tortured by drunken bikers.
    â€œMaybe she’s with a different Alyssa,” Jack suggested.
    I don’t think so, Tina thought. If only I knew what Carla was up to.
    A pretty girl with red hair walked up and looped her arm through Jack’s. “Everyone is waiting for you,” she cooed.
    Jack waved as the girl dragged him away. “Don’t worry!” he shouted. “You’ll find Holly. Tell her I said hi.”
    â€œWe have to look for her,” Tina urged, turning back to Chris. “Something awful might have happened.” She pushed away from the carnival booths and into the crowd.
    She bumped into a boy carrying a box of popcorn. She spun around the other way. A clown jogged toward her. His full red lips reminded Tina of blood. Several small children followed the clown. They circled Tina’s legs, laughing and shouting.
    She felt trapped. Get away from me! she thought. I can’t think. I need space.
    She cupped her hands over her ears. Holly—where
are
you? “I have to get out of here!” Tina cried.
    â€œCalm down,” Chris said. He took her arm and led her to a bench.
    â€œHow can I be calm?” she shouted. “My cousin is missing. She could be anywhere. Andthat strange voice on the phone machine sounded so creepy. Something is totally wrong.”
    Chris adjusted his ponytail. “You said that Holly wants to be on her own, right?” He stared into her eyes. “And that she’s always out for a good time?”
    â€œYes, but …” Tina stopped talking. I know he’s trying to be reasonable, she thought. And I promised myself not to get upset again. But this is different. This time I know someone’s lying. “We have to call the police.”
    â€œYou can’t file a missing-persons report until someone’s gone for twenty-four hours. It’s only been …” Chris checked his watch. “It’s only two. You guys didn’t get here until nine last night.”
    Is that all? Tina thought. I feel as if I’ve been waiting forever for Josh. “Maybe I should call my aunt and uncle,” she mumbled.
    â€œIf you want,” he answered.
    No, I don’t really want to, she thought. They would call her parents and everyone would show up in Patterson. And her weekend with Josh would be over before it