Twin Spins! (7 page)

‘How about a marshmallow tier-cake?’ one person suggested, raising a hand in the air.

‘What about a balloon arch for people to walk under as they arrive?’ a girl at the back of the hall called out.

‘I know a great DJ!’ one boy offered.

Olivia scribbled down the suggestions using her pink fuzzy-topped pen. Fabulous ideas were flying from all directions. This dance had the potential to be a knockout success!

The door wheezed open, and Olivia glanced up. It was the trio – Lucrezia, Melinda and Veronica. It was at times like these when Olivia would have really appreciated Jackson’s security entourage.

One of the girls leaned over Charlotte and asked, ‘Is that thing working?’

Charlotte raised her eyebrows, surprised to be addressed. ‘Um, no, sorry. The battery’s dead.’

The girls sent razor-sharp smiles in Olivia’s direction. ‘No problem,’ Veronica said in a loud voice. ‘No problem at all.’ They strutted down the room on their colourful espadrilles and chunky wedges. ‘Miss us?’ she asked.

Not really
, Olivia wanted to say.
What are
they
doing back?

‘We came up with a few ideas of our own. All we want to do is help.’ She looked around the room and it was like an ice storm passing over everyone’s heads. ‘Like here’s one: I think we should ban all goths and nerds from this dance. Everyone who’s with me say, “Aye!”’

‘Aye!’ Lucrezia and Melinda raised their hands before anyone had a chance to protest.

Talk about a hostile takeover
, thought Olivia. She squared her shoulders and took a giant step forwards.

‘Ahem,’ Olivia cleared her throat.

Melinda whipped around. ‘Can it, you cheerleading cloudhead.’

Olivia’s mouth dropped open and there was a collective gasp from the room.
She did not just say that!
Olivia sank into a chair. She had completely lost her ability to speak.

‘Aren’t you going to do something?’ Charlotte mumbled from the seat beside her. ‘No way would I let someone speak to me like that.’ Olivia knew their behaviour had to be bad when even Charlotte was alarmed. For a moment, she wished Ivy was with her.
Ivy would know what to do. She always knows what to do.

But what was Olivia going to do? The dance was in jeopardy before it had even begun, the secret of her twin’s vampire super-strength was in danger of being exposed and three mega-divas were muscling in on her action. And that wasn’t even taking into account the fact that her boyfriend was hundreds of miles away and unlikely to be giving her a hug any time soon.

She watched the three bullies flicking their ponytails over their shoulders as they smirked at each other. Olivia let out a big sigh.

How much can one girl take?

Chapter Five

I
vy could get used to having Horatio around. It wasn’t every day that you enjoyed a three-course lunch chock-full of meaty goodness in the Vega household. It was only noon and she was already stuffed! Too bad Olivia had been busy with her committee meeting and hadn’t been able to join them.

Ivy’s grandmother dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a black cloth napkin. ‘Well, darling. Have you put any more thought into Wallachia Academy?’ An emerald necklace glittered at the Countess’s neck, casting green prisms of light on the dining-room table.

No
. In fact, Ivy had been trying her best to avoid the subject completely. ‘Not really,’ she confessed. The thought of leaving Franklin Grove behind was almost too much to bear. But, on the other hand, so was the thought of disappointing her grandparents.

The Countess folded her hand over the Count’s. ‘We really think it would be for the best.’

‘And that you would grow to love it. Did we mention it’s in a big Gothic castle? With flying buttresses and beautiful stone gargoyles and spindly towers,’ Ivy’s grandfather added. He had traded his crimson coat for a sleek black tuxedo jacket. ‘And you should see the kitchens!’ He winked at Ivy, and she knew he was thinking about all the pizza she could eat there.

‘Oh, yes! And the professors are top-notch. Nowhere in the world is there such a robust curriculum for young vampires.’ Ivy thought maybe her grandmother ought to do a second stint there if she was so excited about it.

‘All in a school?’ she asked, pushing the leftover meat around on her plate.

The Countess’s eyes sparkled. ‘That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you. Wallachia Academy is not just any old school. It is the best vampire academy in the world. It was founded by Vladimir Ivanov, the longest-living vampire of all time, and it has produced some of the finest vampire thespians, artists and Nobel laureates. Every generation of the Lazar family has attended – even your father did. Going there, you will learn all sorts of new vampire skills. Plus, you’ll learn to control your powers. What could be better?’

Ivy sighed. ‘I get that you want me to attend, but I don’t know if Wallachia Academy is the right place for me.’

‘Of course, we understand you don’t want to leave your friends behind, or Olivia. We’d never ask you to do anything that would make you truly unhappy, but we honestly believe this is the best thing for you. We’re sure you’d thank us one day,’ said the Countess. ‘We promise.’

Ivy’s pulse quickened. ‘I don’t know how, when I can’t even tell my sister where I’m going!’

‘This isn’t just about us, Ivy.’ Her grandfather pushed back from the table. ‘These vampire secrets have to be respected. Which is another important thing you’ll learn at Wallachia Academy.’

‘For your information, sharing the vampire secret with Olivia was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Can’t you see that not all secrets are worth keeping?’ Ivy knew her voice was getting so loud that she was almost shouting, but she couldn’t help it. It looked as if her grandparents might spontaneously combust, their faces were so pink.

The Count’s voice was steady when he finally spoke. ‘Ivy, you’re not appreciating how important your vampire heritage is to all of us. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have travelled halfway around the world to talk to you – and at our age, too.’

Ivy felt like she’d been stabbed through with an iron stake. ‘I’m sorry if you left Transylvania because of me, but . . . but . . .’ Ivy couldn’t finish her sentence. She was too close to tears. ‘I’m sorry,’ she managed to say at last. ‘I need to be alone right now.’ Then she sprinted to her room, squeezing past Horatio, who stood by the doorway with his gloved hands folded in front of him. Her father called after her, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. The only person she wanted to talk to was Brendan. She grabbed her cell phone from her nightstand and slammed the door to her bedroom.
Since when did
I
become the drama queen?

She slid open her window, hiked one leg over the sill and climbed down the trellis out into the backyard. She hoped the fresh air would help clear her head. Then she dialled Brendan’s number and took a seat on the rough brick of the Vegas’ backyard patio. Out here, she didn’t feel so trapped.

Brendan picked up. ‘Ivy?’ He sounded concerned, and she imagined his dark eyebrows puckered. ‘I thought you were supposed to be having lunch with your grandparents today.’

‘I was.’ Ivy rested her chin on her knees. ‘I mean, I did.’

‘That was quick.’

‘Brendan, it was a disaster! They want me to go to finishing school in Transylvania, some place called Wallachia Academy. It’s supposed to be the most A-positive place on earth, but I already can’t stand it. I’d have to leave you and Olivia. Plus, they won’t let me tell Olivia and I actually yelled at my grandparents. Can you believe it?’ Ivy was glad Brendan wasn’t here in person. She felt like she might burst into tears at any moment, and she didn’t want him to see her looking like a gothic clown when her eyeliner started to run.

There was silence on the other end of the phone, and then he said, ‘I’m sure your family are doing what they think is right.’ His voice was gentle. ‘Although . . .’ Ivy heard him take a deep sigh, ‘I don’t want you to go to some school across an entire ocean either.’

‘I know! I’d rather go to the school dance than leave my home behind.’ She laughed at how silly that idea was.
Me! In a frilly dress at a school dance!
The line went silent. Ivy waited. ‘Hello? Brendan, are you still there?’ She held the receiver away from her ear, quickly checking the screen. ‘Brendan?’

‘I’m here.’ Brendan sounded like he had swallowed soda the wrong way. ‘I think the school dance might be fun if we went together. You know?’

Ivy wasn’t sure what to say.
Fun?
Was Brendan kidding with her? ‘Yeah, right!’ she said, laughing. Then Ivy heard the door behind her open. She turned to see her dad stepping outside. ‘Hey, Brendan? My dad’s here. I’ve got to run.’ She ended the call and prepared herself for a nice long father–daughter lecture.
How absolutely fatal
, she thought.

Charles sat down next to Ivy. He was still wearing his velvet smoking jacket, and the expression on his face was grim. Ivy was seriously considering digging her own grave.

‘Your grandparents only want to do the right thing.’ Her father’s voice was immediately soothing. ‘You don’t have to make a decision yet. Why don’t you sleep on it?’

Ivy swallowed hard. Maybe she had overreacted . . . just a bit. The two of them sat in silence for several moments.

‘I guess I should apologise to them,’ she said eventually.

Her dad smiled and put an arm around her shoulders. ‘They’re old and they’ve travelled a long way,’ he reminded her. ‘We need to make allowances if they’re a bit . . . to the point. It’s only because they care.’

The two of them got to their feet and made their way back inside.

The Count and Countess were sitting stiffly on the edge of the couch. Ivy could barely meet their glance, she was so mortified.

‘I’m sorry for running out of the room.’ Ivy had worms crawling in her stomach. She felt dreadful. Never in twelve centuries would she have guessed she’d ever get into a fight with her sweet grandparents.

There was nothing else for it – she went and wrapped both of them in tight hugs.

When she pulled away, her grandfather was wringing his hands. ‘I can’t believe we upset you so. It was silly to mention our age. We would have come to Franklin Grove anyway. We love travelling!’

‘Yes, yes,’ the Countess rushed to agree. ‘We’re happy to be here visiting you and Olivia. But surely you can understand. We would dearly love to see our granddaughter become the very best vampire she can possibly be.’

‘I understand.’ Ivy could see her grandparents believed in what they were saying and weren’t just trying to make her toe the vampire line. ‘But I still don’t think Wallachia Academy will be right for me.’ She couldn’t just take off and leave her sister with no explanation.

The Countess pressed her wrinkled lips into a thin line, nodding. ‘Very well. At least we tried.’ Like most vampires, Ivy’s grandmother had different-coloured eyes – one green, the other a rich amber – and both looked close to tears.

Ivy hated disappointing them, but she had other loyalties as well. Like her loyalty to Olivia. ‘I promise,’ said Ivy, ‘I will always try to be the best vampire I can be.’

Her grandmother pulled Ivy into another hug. ‘Oh, Ivy, I know that is true!’

A loud sniffle came from the corner of the room. When Ivy turned round, Horatio was wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

‘I’m surprised the dance committee can survive without their fearless leader for one day,’ said Ivy, tossing a pillow at her sister. ‘What have you left them doing?’

Olivia was sprawled on the bed in Ivy’s room, sucking on a Cherrylicious lollipop. She propped herself up on her elbows. She wasn’t so sure the committee
could
survive without her, but tomorrow she and Ivy were going to Aunt Rebecca’s farm, and that meant another twin sleepover at the Vegas’ house. Olivia had written detailed instructions for Jenny. ‘Follow these and you’ll be fine,’ she’d told her:

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