13 Double Disaster - My Sister the Vampire (7 page)

‘Olivia Abbott, you are brilliant.’ Jackson beamed at her as he picked up a last sandwich. ‘Why don’t we try it later today?’

‘Sounds good to me,’ Olivia agreed. She smiled to herself as the pod carried them slowly back down to earth.

So much for having a quiet, lazy afternoon . . . but this has
definitely
been a lunch to remember!

E
ven lunchtime is a bizarre experience!
Ivy thought. She stared down at her food, but couldn’t bring herself to eat it. She was too
busy reeling from the shock revelations of the morning.

Not only was Franklin Grove High full of goths, they seemed to be the largest demographic – the most popular social group! Even Mr Russell, Ivy’s English teacher, had been wearing a
long-sleeved black Tee underneath his collared shirt. More than that, he’d used a Destroy the Dream Boat track to inspire a creative writing session!

When Ivy had had to stand up and introduce herself, she’d received a round of applause before she’d even opened her mouth. When she’d sat back down afterwards, the girl sitting
next to her had whispered, ‘How do you get to be so cool?’

Ivy was lost for words – and that
never
happened.

Now, she was in the school cafeteria, with a burger in front of her, surrounded by a sea of goths. They filled up the prime table in the cafeteria, just by the dessert bar and next to the doors
that opened up on to the courtyard outside. Posters for Ivy’s favourite bands hung on the cafeteria walls, and a sign over the dessert bar announced their ‘Dark Special’ – a
dark chocolate cheesecake, with tiny bats drawn perfectly in icing.

And if all that wasn’t weird enough, Ivy could see a group of blonde, tanned ‘bunny’ girls sat in a dark corner, pressed uncomfortably into a too-small table. But they sure
weren’t acting like any bunnies she’d ever seen before.

Back at Franklin Grove Middle, those bunny girls would have been confidently chatting and laughing, well aware that they ruled the whole school. Here, though, they sat hunched and whispering,
darting nervous looks over their shoulders whenever one of them made too much noise.

Between the prime table of goths and the back corner of bunnies, like a buffer zone, was a table of . . . well,
regulars
was all that Ivy could think to call them. And she couldn’t
believe it. The regular kids had a better table than the bunnies!

Sighing, she turned back to her own table. The leader of the goths, a girl in junior year called Amelia Thompson, was in the middle of a lecture that made the younger students at the table lean
forwards to catch every single word. Ivy had realised that Amelia was Queen Bee of this group as soon as everyone had crowded around her in the cafeteria line, asking her opinion on what was the
right lunch to eat on a Monday.

I never knew that goths could have Queen Bees,
Ivy thought glumly, as she looked around the pale, rapt faces.
Just one more thing I was wrong about!

Amelia was an absolute blueprint for everything a goth should be, from the silver rings in the braided strands of her hair to the heavy black boots, the pale skin and the little kilt she was
wearing. It was all Classic Goth – and she clearly knew it. Ivy listened in disbelief as Amelia lectured those around her:

‘Goths never,
ever
tan, so don’t get careless just because it’s turning into fall. Just because there are clouds doesn’t mean that you’re safe. Don’t
ever
go out without sunblock!’ Smiling, she pulled out a tube from her black shoulder bag. ‘Personally, I like SPF50, for maximum protection. I even put it on when it’s
raining!’

Speechless, Ivy could only stare.
Is she for real?

‘Now, as for clothing . . .’ Amelia leaned forwards, her expression turning intent. ‘You should all have at least three shades of black in your wardrobe – matt black,
faded black and grey-black.’

The girl across from Ivy pulled out a notepad and started scribbling notes, looking panicked. All around the table, Ivy could see goths studying their own clothes with worried expressions.
They’re probably trying to figure out if they’re wearing
matt black or faded black!
Ivy rolled her eyes, fighting back a snicker.

But Amelia’s next words made her blood run cold.

‘Most of all, I cannot overstate just
how
important it is to avoid associating with non-goths.’ Amelia looked grimly around the table, holding each person’s gaze in
turn. She tried to catch Ivy’s eye, but Ivy had developed a sudden and urgent interest in her food tray. ‘Maybe you’ll be tempted. Maybe some will seem OK. But a true goth will
never fall for that trap!’

What?!
Ivy’s mouth fell open. This was going way too far.

Ivy had always loved being a true goth herself, but she would
never
dictate to anyone else how they should dress or behave. Being a Goth was all about creativity and imagination, not
falling into line! And no friendships with non-goths? By those rules, Ivy shouldn’t have anything to do with her own sister, one of the kindest human beings she knew!

No way am I following
that
rule
, she thought grimly.
If Amelia thinks she can tell me what to do,
she can –

Brendan nudged her elbow, and Ivy shook herself, making sure a death-squint did not come over her face. She met his eye and could read the expression on his face straight away:
Don’t
let them
see what you’re thinking.

This was Ivy’s first day at a new school. She didn’t want to make enemies – not yet. It wouldn’t be fair to Brendan or Sophia to draw the fire of the most popular girl in
school.

And it’s sure not happening so far.
Ivy’s mouth twisted. Amelia had announced at the beginning of lunch that Ivy would be sitting on her left. At the time, Ivy had shrugged
and agreed, not realising exactly what an ‘honour’ it was supposed to be. Now, she could feel admiring glances aimed her way from all around the cafeteria. They made her hunch her
shoulders with irritation.

These people really are crazy. I’m not supposed to
be popular!

Beside her, Amelia had launched into her opinions of the Pall Bearers’ latest album, Ivy’s favourite.
At least we can agree on one thing
, Ivy thought.
We both know that the
Pall Bearers totally
suck, in the best way possible!

As if she’d heard Ivy’s thought, Amelia shot her a sudden look. ‘That’s
it
!’ she said. ‘That’s why you seemed so familiar. You’re that girl
who got up on stage and sang at their summer show in Franklin Grove!’

‘What?’ Ivy frowned. ‘I didn’t –’

‘You didn’t realise anyone would
remember
?’ said Brendan, grabbing her left hand under the table and squeezing.

Sophia reached over to grab her other hand. ‘How could
anyone
forget something so
memorable
?’ she asked firmly.

Ivy stared at them both. ‘But –’

‘Yup, that was Ivy,’ Brendan told Amelia. ‘She was picked right out of the crowd.’

Ohhh!
Now Ivy remembered. Olivia had gone to the concert disguised as Ivy to use Ivy’s set of free tickets, as a favour to Brendan and Sophia while Ivy was at school in
Transylvania. Unfortunately for Olivia, she’d been chosen at random to sing in front of the audience. She’d been photographed in her Ivy-guise, desperately trying to look comfortable
while singing the words ‘I hate you’ in front of thousands of goths!

Poor Olivia.
Ivy bit back a laugh at the thought of her prim, pink-loving sister in that situation. The fact that they were identical twins could be useful . . . but their twin-switches
did sometimes get them both into trouble!

‘That’s right,’ Ivy said, gathering herself. ‘That was me. I sang with the Pall Bearers.’

Amelia stared at her, her expression suddenly open and vulnerable. ‘Was it amazing?’

‘It was . . . awesome,’ Ivy muttered, and picked up her burger to hide her expression.

At least that wasn’t much of a lie. It really
would
have been awesome, if only she hadn’t been trapped at Wallachia Academy!

She had never been so glad to hear the bell signalling the end of lunch. The moment it sounded, she leapt to her feet, carrying her tray – and collided hard with a blonde bunny in a baby
pink mini-dress. Ivy’s tray tilted and spilled edible carnage all over her deep grey dress.

‘Oh no!’ The bunny girl gasped, jumping backwards. She clapped one hand to her mouth and stared at Ivy with stricken eyes. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to! It was
an accident!’

‘Don’t worry about it.’ Ivy shrugged. ‘It was my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going.’

The bunny girl gave a squeak of panic and took another step backwards. ‘No, no, no. I didn’t say that! I never said that!’ She swallowed hard, pulling out her wallet and
handing it to Ivy with trembling fingers. ‘I’ll reimburse you for any damage to your clothes, I promise. Please –’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Ivy gently pushed the wallet away. ‘It was
my
fault, remember?’

‘No, it
wasn’t
your fault. Please!’ There were beads of sweat popping up on the bunny girl’s forehead now, as she darted a look at the table of watching goths.
‘Let me buy you lunch tomorrow.’

Ivy winced. ‘You really don’t have to do that.’

‘Yes, I do. I really do.’ She forced a five-dollar bill into Ivy’s hands. ‘Please, just
take it
!’ With a wail of panic, she turned and fled for the door.

Ivy stared at the crumpled bill in her fingers and shook her head helplessly. She couldn’t wait to get out of the crowded cafeteria. The moment she’d finished clearing up the mess,
she hurried out with Sophia and Brendan on either side. Once they were safely out of hearing range of the others, she hissed, ‘This is ridiculous! I thought being the new girl would be
difficult, but I had no idea being a bunny would be even harder! What is
wrong
with this school?’

Sophia just shook her head, looking shell-shocked.

Brendan sighed. ‘It’s different, that’s for sure.’

Ivy gritted her teeth. ‘The ceilings might as well be the floors. It’s
that
upside down. I don’t like –’

‘Hey, wait up!’ It was Amelia, calling out behind them as she stepped out of the cafeteria, surrounded by a group of black-clad girls.

Ivy sighed as she watched the group move. Amelia strode forward confidently, but every girl around her did a funny kind of crab-walk, keeping one eye on Amelia with every step, and trying to
copy her every move. Maybe they were trying to do it without looking super-obvious . . . but as it was, it was still
very
noticeable.

With both eyes on Amelia, the girl beside her walked straight into a locker.
Crash!

Ivy cringed, but Amelia didn’t even look around at the noise. She aimed straight at Ivy, forcing Sophia to step aside. ‘Well done!’ She tucked her hand into Ivy’s arm,
lowering her voice confidentially. ‘I saw how you handled that tricky situation in the cafeteria. Bunnies have a tendency to turn up at the most unwelcome moments, don’t
they?’

‘Uh . . .’ Speechless, Ivy tried to edge away, but there was no room.

‘You were very gracious about it,’ Amelia said. ‘I’m impressed. You chose not to give that silly girl a hard time, even though she deserved it.’

‘What?’ Ivy spluttered. ‘It was an accident! It could have happened to anyone.’

Amelia smiled thinly. ‘Trust me, you don’t have to cover for her.’

‘I’m not “covering” for anyone.’ Ivy gritted her teeth. ‘Why would it matter? It’s not important.’

‘You see how good she is?’ Amelia glanced back at her admirers. ‘She’s so cool, she doesn’t even have to bother giving bunnies a putdown!’ She gave Ivy a wink
as she squeezed her arm, then released it. ‘Don’t worry. You and I both know what the truth is.’

‘Uh . . . uhhhhrgh . . .’ Ivy opened and closed her mouth like a fish as Amelia sauntered off down the hallway, followed by her group of admirers, who kept one eye on her and the
other on the lockers.

Ivy swung round to her friends. ‘Did that just happen?’ she demanded.

Sophia shook her head, her eyes glazed with shock. ‘This school . . .’

Brendan said nothing.

Together, they turned to walk towards history class . . . and bunnies scattered all around them, crashing into each other in their desperation to make space for the three goths.

Ivy felt sick as she finally realised the truth.
It’s bad enough that the goths are the popular crowd at
Franklin Grove High . . . but are they the bullies as well?