Ken was still standing with Amy, her arm locked in his, when Winston and his girlfriend, Maria Santelli, walked over the.
He felt distinctly relieved by the interruption.
"He, buddy," said Winston. "I just wanted to say good night. Maria and I are talking off now."
"Already?" Ken asked, disappointed. "It's still early."
"Yeah, but I have plans tomorrow morning, and the last bus leaves soon," Winston explained.
"You're going home by bus?" Amy's tone made it clear that she would never consider it.
"Pretty tacky, I know," Winston said. "But my old VW is in the shop.
It needs new tires this time."
"The bus may take forever, but at least it'll get us there, Maria said with resigned smile.
"No, forget it." Ken announced. "I'll drive you home."
"Thanks, but no thanks, buddy," Winston said, glancing at Amy.
"We don't want to drag you away frome the party. Tonight's your night."
"It's OK, Ken assured him, ignoring the angry look on Amy's face. "I'll drop you off and come right back."
"Well, gee," said Winston. "I can't refuse a lift from a future NFL superstar, now, can I?"
"Not if you want to use me in comedy routines when I'm famous," Ken shot back with a grin. "I'll just get may jacket, and we'll go."
*****
There was a knock at the bathroom door.
"Terri, are you all right?"
Terri recognized Elizabeth Wakefield's voice.
She dried her eyes on a guest towel and took one last look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied that she looked presentable, she opened the door and went out into the hall.
"I'm fine, she told Elizabeth. "I just got something in my eye.
Elizabeth examined her for a moment. "Terri are you sure there's nothing bothering you? I don't mean to pry, but I thought I heard you crying in there."
Terri tried to laugh, but it didn't quite come out right.
She wished she could pour her heart out to Elizabeth, but it was just too difficult—and too embarrassing.
"Maybe some other time," she heard herself say. "I'm just about to leave."
She didn't know if she could find a ride, but she knew she didn't want to stay at the party another second.
She had enough disappoinment for one evening.
"Oh, sure." Elizabeth patted her on the shoulder. "But anytime you want to talk, I'm willing to listen. See you Monday."
Then she went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Terri wandered back into the living room and looked around.
Winston and Marie were standing by the front door, putting their jackets.
Winston lived a few blocks form Terri.
"Winston! Maria!" Terri called out, going over to them. "Are you guys leaving?"
"Yup," Winston answered.
"Do you have room in your car?" she asked.
"Why? Need a lift?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be great," Terri answered.
"Well,my dear, not only do we have room, but we have California's finest chauffeur to night," Winston said.
"Here's James now."
"Hi, Terri," Ken said, coming up beside her.
He smiled at her as he put on his letter jacket.
"Ken . . . hi," Terri breathed.
"You two ready?" Ken asked Winston and Maria.
"Ready, willing, and able, sir," Winston replied, giving his friend a crisp military salute.
"Terri's going to come, too. She lives right near me."
"Great. Let's go," Ken said. He held the door open, and Terri walked out behind Winston and Maria.
Oh her way down the front walk she turned slightly and caught a glimpse of Amy standing in the doorway, glaring st her.
If only Amy knew that she hadn't planned to leave with Ken—in fact, she was leaving the party to get away from him!
Her heart pounding, Terri followed the others across the street to Ken's white Toyota.
"It's not locked," Ken told them when they reached the car. "Hop in."
"After you, madame," Winston said to Maria, gallantly opening the back door.
"Merci, monsieur," Maria replied l, stepping into the care. Winston climbed in beside her.
Terri opened the door on the passenger's side and slid into the bucket seat.
Ken turned the key in the ignition. "And we're off!" he announced tossing her a friendly smile.
Returning his smile with a small, shy one of her own, Terri quickly looked away and told herself to calm down.
She closed her eyes, but her head still seemed to be spinning.
She had imagined herself in this situation so may times before.
She had pictured Ken driving her home after a party, the two of them sitting in his car, talking and laughing together.
But in the past when she stopped daydreaming, she had always found herself at home, alone in her room.
Terri slowly opened her eyes. There was Ken, guiding his car out of the driveway onto the street.
And she was sitting right besides him on front seat of his car.
This time, it was ni dream.
"You really looked good out there today, Ken— all of you," Maria said.
"My throat is scratchy from all the shouting I did, though."
"You look good out there, too, Maria," Winston told his girlfriend.
"Sorry, Ken. I didn't really watch the game. I was too busy checking out Maria's cheers."
Ken laughed. "I should have known, Egbert!" Terri bit he lip and tried to think of a way to join in the conversation.
But nothing came to her. Sitting so close to ken was definitely affecting her brain waves—and her heart.
Just stealing s glance at his profile made Terri forget everything else.
"It's starting to rain," Ken observed as a few big, fat drops collected on the windshield.
"They were predicting it for this afternoon.
"I'm sure glad it came now and not while we were playing the Pumas!" he said, switching on the wind shield wipers.
"You know, I've been thinking," Winston mused as they stopped for a red light. "I'm going to see if we can get cheerleaders for the Chess Club.
Something's definitely missing at our competitions.
There's no band, there aren't any victory parties . . . you know, I think the crowd could really get into the natches if they were a little louder," he joked.
"They are pretty deadly sometimes," Terri agreed.
"Every once in a while you just want to yell something, but you can't because it would break everyone's concentration."
Terri had been a member of the Chess Club her sophomore year.
"So that's why you ditched us for the football team!" Winston cried. "You wanted to do some yelling.
"If that's true, I'm sure you got your fill of it today," Maria said. "I know I did."
Terri nodded. "It was such a great time."
"Hey, Matthews, do you ever play indoor sports like chess? Winston asked.
"They're incredibly demanding on the body, so don't be ashamed if the answer is no."
"Ha-ha," Ken said. "Actually, I never got into it because the guy who was teaching me always wanted to win.
He never wanted to stop and give me any pointers."
He turned left onto a winding uphill road.
"Wow," it's really coming down now," Ken murmured.
He turned the wipers up to high speed.
"I bet the party will go on all night," Winston said wistfully.
"Well, I won't be around to see it. I'm blushed," Ken said.
"How come you had to leave so early?" Winston groaned."Ugh. Don't remind me.
My uncle wants to go fishing tomorrow morning, and I have to get up at six."
"Maybe you'll get out of it if the rain keeps up like this," Maria suggested.
"Wishful thinking," Winston replied as they pulled into the Egberts' driveway.
"It never rains for very long in Sweet Valley.
Hey, look—my parents are back. I'll take Maria home in their car, Ken."
Terri's heart skipped a beat.
That meant she was going to be alone with Ken for the rest of the ride.
"Thanks for the lift, buddy," Winston said as he opened the door and climbed out.
"Yes, Ken, thanks," Maria said. She stepped out after him, covering her hair with her jacket to keep it dry.
"No problem," Ken answered. "See you guys on Monday!"
"Bye, Terri!" Maria called, giving her a wave.
Ken and Terri watched as Winston and Maria made a mad dash for the house.
"I hope it doesn't get any worse than this," Ken murmured as he rubbed the foggy wind shield with his sleeve. "You'd better give me directions."
As she pointed the way to her house, Terri felt a giant wave of nervousness pass over her.
The very thing she had longed for had suddenly come true. But instead of being thrilled, she was in a panic.
She was finally alone with Ken Matthews—and she couldn't think of a single thing to say! The rain pounding on the roof of the car only made the silence inside seem more intense.
"Ken— Terri began softly, a quiver in her voice.
He cocked his head in her direction.
"Um, did you enjoy the party?" Terri asked.
" It was OK," Ken said flatly. Terri wondered if he was telling the truth.
He sure didn't sound like he was dying to get back to it. "How about you? Did you have a good time?"
Ken glanced at her. "Oh?"
"Yeah. I guess I feel more comfortable in smaller groups, Terri admitted.
Ken laughed. " I know what you mean. Big parties can ve kind of intimidating." He looked at her and smiled.
Suddenly she felt more relaxed. They were having a conversation, and it was OK.
She wasn't falling apart or saying anything stupid.
She crossed her fingers and hoped the good feeling would last.
"Wow, it hasn't rained this hard in ages," Ken said, straining to see the road.
Sheets of the rain were hitting the windshield, and an occasional lightning bolt lit up the sky.
The rain was falling so fast that the wipers couldn't clean the windshield. It was scary, Terri thought—but exciting, too.
"That's my house up there on the left," Terri told him, sorry that the ride was coming to an end. "Would you like to come in for a minute?" You could wait here until it stops raining."
Ken shook his head. "I'd better get back to the party. I want to get home at a decent hour.
Terri nodded. "Well, thanks for the ride," she said, hoping her disappointment wasn't obvious in her voice.
Ken out his hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.
"It was my pleasure," he said. "We'll talk sometime, huh?"
Terri just smiled. She didn't trust her voice, not after Ken had touched her.
She flung open the car door, slammed it shut, and then raced up the front steps through around to wave goodbye, Ken waved back, then pulled away.
Terri could barely see him through the sheets of water coming down.
Her heart was hammering so loudly she could hear it in her ears, and she touched the spot on her shoulder where he had given her that little squeeze.
"We'll talk sometime," he had said.
Terri practically floated up the stairs to her room.
She knew she would never ever forget this night!
Through the rain, Ken watched Terri head for her house. Now there's somebody different, he thought, a girl who really understands football.
Half the girls at school, including Amy, didn't know the difference between defense and offense.
Turning off Terri's quiet block and heading back down the hill toward the Sutton's house, Ken thought again of the way Any had acted toward him at the party.
He didn't want people to get impression he belonged to her, because he didn't.
Ken wasn't ready to go with anybody—and certainly not with Amy, who was anything but the steady type.
She had dated more guys since she had transferred to Sweet Valley High that year than Ken could remember.
As he made a right turn onto another road, Ken slowed down. Through the rain, the road had become a dark blur.
He flicked on bis brights, hoping for a better view of the twisting road. The tain pounding on the roof of the car was deafening.
He was almost at the top of a hill when he saw to brilliant headlights come over the crest, hurtling through the rain at breakneck speed.
Ken blinked in disbelief. The car was coming right at him—it was in his land! Clutching the wheel tightly, Ken tried to swerve out of the way. Instead, his car went into a fast, violent skid.
Trying desperately to regain control of the car, Ken spun the steering wheel to the right.
The other car screeched by him, it's horn blaring, missing him by bare inches.
For an instant Ken thought he was out of danger.
Then he saw a large tree that seemed to be speeding toward him—and everything went black.