05 Take Two - My Sister the Vampire (9 page)

That night, Ivy sat in front of Olivia’s computer and clicked on the moon icon to get to the usual all-black screen with three big Gothic letters:

VVV

‘Good thing they let you have a chip,’ Ivy said as she clicked the Vs seven times in the precise pattern that would bring up the password prompt. ‘I’d never last two nights in a row without being able to get on to the Vorld Vide Veb.’

Olivia was in her pink pyjamas, sorting through her closet trying to find something to wear for tomorrow. ‘I couldn’t figure out what was happening when that guy showed up at our house, pretending to be a computer repair man.’

Since her official initiation by the Vampire Round Table, Olivia had been granted all the privileges of the vampire world, including access to the super-secret Vorld Vide Veb, which required a special computer chip to even get to the home page.

‘It didn’t help that he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sandals with socks,’ Olivia went on as
Ivy tapped in her user name and password. ‘He didn’t look a thing like a vamp.’

‘It just goes to show that you never can tell,’ said Ivy, wondering if Olivia would take the hint.
Think Jackson!
Ivy wanted to shout but Sophia was right. She needed proof.

A riddle popped up and Ivy read it aloud. ‘What happens when a vampire gets a cold?’

‘Ooh, I know that one,’ Olivia said. ‘Lots of coffin.’

‘Ha, ha.’ Ivy typed it in and the MOONLIGHT search screen appeared with its tag line ‘Illuminate the darkness,’ underneath the entry box.

As soon as Ivy had heard Olivia describe Jackson as ‘normal’ she’d known Olivia was interested in him, so she had decided to do a little research. If he was on the VVV then Ivy could accidentally leave it up on the screen for her sister to discover.
It would be so much easier if Olivia
found out for herself that Jackson is anything but normal
, Ivy thought as she typed in ‘Jackson Caulfield vampire.’

Ivy scanned the screen but the search results didn’t list any hints of his possible vampness – only sites like ‘Top 50 Bite-able Humans', which put Jackson at number four, and ‘Vampires for Jackson for President'.

But just because there was nothing on the VVV, it didn’t mean he wasn’t a vampire. Lots of movie-star vamps kept it a secret to avoid being typecast as moody brooders by the vamp powers-that-be in Hollywood.

‘What do you think of this for me to wear tomorrow?’ Olivia held up a green ribbed sweater dress and wide green belt. ‘It might be my last chance to see Jackson, so I want to look nice.’

‘I’m not sure Jackson is your type,’ Ivy said, ‘but the belt looks great.’

‘Do you mean the way-too-good-looking-and-famous-to-ever-actually-consider-me type?’ Olivia sighed and sat down on her bed.

‘No!’ Ivy didn’t want her sister thinking Jackson was out of her league. ‘He’s way into you.’

‘You think so?’ Olivia’s voice went up an octave.

‘It’s just he might not be as perfect as you think,’ Ivy said, shutting down the VVV and standing up to make her ‘bed’ for the night.

‘He’s definitely not perfect,’ Olivia said. ‘At lunch today, he went all carnivorous on me. I totally expected him to be a veggie, like me, but he had a burger you would have been proud of.’

Carnivorous?
Ivy’s stomach lurched.
That could count as evidence.
‘Does that mean you don’t want to see him any more?’ If Olivia was going to give him up anyway, then Ivy could stop her investigations.

‘I’d love to keep hanging out with him, as
long as it’s not at lunchtime.’

Ivy sighed. She was going to have to get proof – and that meant going back to the movie set tomorrow and facing whatever consequences there might be for Jessica’s outburst. She was clearing the dressing table when there was a knock at the door.

Ivy whirled around as Olivia said, ‘Come in,’ and Mrs Abbott appeared, carrying a tray of warm milk, some crackers and a bottle of pink digestion liquid. Good thing it hadn’t been a minute later, or they would have had a tough time explaining why Olivia’s dressing table was on its back.

‘You said your tummy was bothering you.’ Mrs Abbott put the tray down on the edge of the bed.

The tummy ache plan from this morning had worked like a charm, and Ivy had already wolfed down the roast-beef sandwich they’d bought on the way home –
mmm.

Ivy snapped out of the happy memory to say, ‘That’s so nice of you, Mrs Abbott.’ Moms really were awesome.

‘I just want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep.’ Mrs Abbott gave both girls a hug and wished them sweet dreams. ‘Olivia, honey, be considerate to our guest and give Ivy the comfy bed tonight.’

Once the door was shut, the sisters burst out giggling.

When they’d recovered, Olivia looked at Ivy and pointed to the bottle of antacid. ‘I am
not
drinking that for you.’

Olivia flashed her badge at the security guard.

‘Hey, where can I get one of those?’ shouted a teen girl from the crowd as Olivia, Ivy, Sophia and Camilla walked through the barriers on to the movie set.

‘I want one, too!’ called a little girl with a balloon.

Olivia wished she could help. Ivy and Sophia’s extras passes were still valid from yesterday, but only her top-level VIP pass allowed her to bring someone in – and it was only one person.

‘Sorry!’ Olivia called behind her.

As they walked around the parking lot, Olivia could see that the buzz had drained away from the production since yesterday. There were barely any people milling around and anyone who was, looked worried.

‘Is this how it’s supposed to be?’ whispered Camilla, pulling down the hood on her ‘Watch the Skies’ hoodie.

‘Not at all,’ Ivy replied.

‘There she is.’ A snide voice came through the open door of a trailer and Charlotte, followed by a group of extras, stepped out
into the cold. ‘That zombie girl is the one who ruined the movie for everyone.’ Charlotte was pointing right at Ivy.

Ivy glared back at Charlotte.

Olivia had a flashback to a district cheerleading competition at her old school two years ago where two squads had got their ponytails in a twist over an accusation of a stolen stunt.

‘It wasn’t anybody’s fault,’ Olivia began, stepping between the two groups. ‘The movie is on hold because Jessica wanted to quit.’

‘But if it wasn’t for your freakish sister –’ Charlotte tossed her hair – ‘we would all be getting our big chance to break in.’

‘Break into the discount store?’ Ivy asked.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. ‘No, you ghoul! To Hollywood, California – where people have skin tone?’

‘Hey,’ Camilla said to Ivy, pointing across the
parking lot. ‘Isn’t that Steven Spielberg?’

While Charlotte and her crew all strained to see, Camilla hooked her arm through Ivy’s and pulled her in the opposite direction. Olivia caught on to what she was doing, grabbed Sophia and followed.

‘Losers!’ Charlotte shouted after them, once she’d realised they were making their escape.

‘If Charlotte ever becomes a celebrity,’ Sophia said, looking back over her shoulder, ‘I’m moving to Mars.’

‘Can I fly the ship?’ Camilla asked.

Charlotte being mean didn’t matter, but what she’d said made Olivia’s heart sink. ‘Do you think it really is all over?’

Ivy linked her arm in Olivia’s, so they were walking as a foursome. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Olivia!’

Someone ahead of them was waving frantically.
It was Jackson. Her heart did a little cheer of its own.

‘I’ve great news,’ he said when the group had gotten closer. He scooped Olivia up in a hug.

Oh my goodness!
Olivia thought, stunned but thrilled.

‘Come with me!’ He grabbed her hand and led them back through the parking lot. ‘This is so exciting,’ he said. ‘And I definitely want you to be a part of it.’

He was tugging her along with such excitement that she felt swept off her feet. She glanced back at her sister to give her an excited grin, but Ivy had a strange look on her face.

What is Jackson talking about?
Olivia wanted to know. When they reached the main entrance, Jackson gave her a wink and dropped her hand. He grabbed a megaphone from one of the security guards and hopped up on one of the wide pillars.

‘Hello, Franklin Grove!’

The response from the crowd was a mix of squeals, cameras flashing and returned hellos. The movie’s crew and other extras were gathering around as well. Something big was about to happen.

‘What’s going on?’ Camilla asked.

Olivia could only shrug and continue to stare up at the world-famous movie star who wanted her to do something that involved a loudspeaker announcement to an entire crowd of his fans.

‘If you haven’t heard, I’m filming a romantic comedy.’

More shrieking and Olivia saw one girl faint.

‘But now I’m missing a leading lady.’

Olivia’s tummy did a basket-toss.

‘Which means I have to make a very, very special announcement.’

The entire crowd held its breath.

‘We had a big meeting last night and decided that the best way to cast a new leading lady is . . .’ Jackson gazed around at the upturned faces, grinning. He was making the most of this. Then he shouted into the microphone: ‘To find one right here in Franklin Grove!’

Chapter Seven

O
nce the cheering had quietened, Jackson went on, ‘Filming has to start again soon, so the director will be choosing someone quickly. Anyone interested in auditioning should go to the reception trailer just inside the set. We’re also making announcements on local radio and counting on you to spread the word to your friends.’

Olivia clapped along with everyone else as he hopped down. The movie hadn’t collapsed and Jackson wasn’t going to leave! The security guards pulled open the barriers, and a steady stream of
girls and a few older women hurried in towards the trailer, casting backwards glances in Jackson’s direction.

‘I hope you’ll try out, Olivia,’ Jackson said, back at her side again. ‘But even if you don’t, at least I’ll get to stay in town for a little longer.’

Olivia hoped that he wanted to stay because he wanted to spend more time with her.

Amy Teller strode up, with her cell phone superglued to her ear. ‘That’s right,’ she was saying. ‘His name needs to be bigger on the poster – no, bigger than that.’ She put her hand over the mouth piece. ‘This is going to be
great
publicity,’ she said to Jackson. ‘I’ve already called
Inside Hollywood;
they’re sending a camera crew straight away.’

She motioned for Jackson to follow her.

‘See you on set,’ Jackson said to Olivia with a little wave.

When he was gone, Camilla pretended to faint into Olivia’s arms. ‘He’s staying! And he wants you to audition.’

‘He was just saying that to be nice.’ Olivia forced herself to be sensible. ‘He wanted every girl here to audition to have the best chance of finding the right one.’

Camilla shook her head. ‘There’s enough chemistry between you to fill a text book.’

Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘Anyway – it would be ace to get to star in a movie. Are you going to audition?’

Camilla snorted. ‘Not a chance. The only way I’ll ever be in a movie is inside some green tentacle monster costume.’

Sophia shook her head. ‘I’d rather be behind the camera.’

‘I’m not exactly what they’re looking for,’ Ivy dead-panned.

Is Ivy looking a little . . . anxious?
Olivia wondered. She couldn’t figure out why that would be. Maybe she was still worried about what had happened on set yesterday.

Olivia had already made up her mind about auditioning. ‘I’m going to.’

The little group whooped and cheered as she did a double clap, like at the beginning of a cheer, and stepped towards the reception trailer.
This is it. Hollywood, here I come.

Then she felt a hand on her arm and turned around. Ivy was holding her back.

‘What’s wrong?’ Olivia asked, the excitement fading from her face.

Ivy swallowed. She didn’t want her sister getting hurt.
I can’t blurt out that Jackson is a vampire without proof
, Ivy thought. But if they ended up starring in a movie together, Olivia could totally end up falling for him.
What should I do?