‘So if we’ve never argued . . .’ Ivy poked her finger into Brendan’s ribs, trying to get him to laugh. She needed this mood to change super-fast. ‘Does this mean I’m never wrong?’
Brendan swatted her away. ‘This isn’t funny, Ivy. For one thing, Olivia knows something’s up and she’s been asking me awkward questions. I don’t want to be stuck in the middle. I mean, how bad does it have to be when one twin is asking the other twin’s boyfriend what’s going on? Please . . .’ He pressed his palms together. ‘For my sake as well as Olivia’s, can you just come clean with your sister? If you do decide to leave the country, at least warn her. It might break a vampire rule, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be breaking a much bigger twin-sister code if you sit back and do nothing. You shouldn’t be lying to your sister, no matter what your grandparents say.’
Ivy couldn’t have been more surprised if Brendan had popped out of her coffin. He had never lectured her and she wasn’t sure she liked him mixing the role of schoolteacher and boyfriend. Brendan pulled Ivy into his chest, but it felt clumsy instead of comfortable.
She felt his warm breath tickle her ear. ‘It’ll be fine,’ he whispered. ‘The two of us can enjoy one last perfect night at the dance before you leave for Transylvania. Deal?’
‘Oh my darkness.’ Ivy sat up straight. ‘Now I know you’re joking!’
Brendan looked like he’d been staked. His face got splotchy.
‘What?’ Ivy asked, confused.
Without a word, Brendan pushed off from the swing, shoved his hands in the pouch of his black sweatshirt and walked inside the house.
‘Brendan!’ she called. Have I hurt his feelings about the dance? This is crazy!
The screen door clattered shut behind him and any ounce of happiness leaked out of Ivy. Her boyfriend wasn’t coming back. He thought she was wrong and that she was being selfish and that she should spend who-knew-how-long across the ocean at Wallachia Academy. She pushed the swing with the tips of her toes, staring at the empty spot beside her. Pinks, purples and oranges spread over the sky. As Ivy watched the beautiful sunset lighting up the ranch, she wondered: How and when did everything start to go so wrong?
Chapter Eight
‘Can everyone please take a seat!’ Wrangling a roomful of chatty girls was no easy task for Olivia. She was standing at the front of the common room, waiting to start the committee meeting, but the room was buzzing with so much excitement she could hardly get a word in! ‘We only have a few days left, people!’ She clapped several times. Chairs screeched, heels clacked, and at last it was quiet enough for Olivia to speak.
Before she began, Olivia chanced one quick glance at Lucrezia, Melinda and Veronica, sitting in the front row wearing three matching sneers. Wait till they hear what I have to suggest.
From the back of the room, Charlotte shot Olivia the thumbs up and the recording light blinked green. Into what weird universe had Olivia fallen that meant she was actually happy that Charlotte Brown had decided to attend another committee meeting after all? At least the camera would keep the Terrible Trio in check.
Fortunately for Olivia, that wasn’t her only backup. Ivy had come along. Operation Delete Footage was on and Ivy was helping Charlotte in the hopes that she might have an opportunity to delete the vampy-looking footage.
‘First,’ Olivia began, ‘I wanted to thank the committee for taking care of things while I was away and for the lovely suggestion of a pink theme.’ Olivia watched as Lucrezia gave a smug flip of her hair. But Olivia wasn’t done. ‘And it was a lovely suggestion.’ This time she emphasised the last word.
Olivia retrieved a folded sheet of paper from her straw tote. ‘This,’ she fluttered the page so that everyone could see, ‘is a copy of the committee contract that the principal had me sign when I took on this role,’ Olivia said, silently thanking Jackson’s manager, Amy, for always encouraging her to read the fine print. ‘Here, in clause 2 of option 3, point 4 on the appendix for page 10 –’ Olivia cleared her throat and began to read – ‘“The committee organiser shall take ultimate responsibility for all details of the dance, further to final approval by the principal.”’ She made a crisp fold in the paper and put it away.
Veronica twisted a string of chewed gum around her index finger. ‘Translation?’
‘I’ve already run an idea by the principal and it’s been approved. This year’s theme will be a barn dance and there will be absolutely no pink – and no black – whatsoever. Got it?’
The room erupted into howls of disappointment.
‘But I already bought a pink skirt!’
‘Does this mean I can’t wear my fuchsia sundress?’
‘Pink compliments my skin tone!’
Olivia shifted her weight on her feet. She hadn’t expected her other classmates to be upset. She looked out into the small crowd. Even Jenny was shaking her head. Olivia had come this far and she wasn’t turning back. Everyone needed to feel included and that meant putting a stop to anything and everything that could make people uncomfortable. Right?
Doing her best Ivy impersonation, Olivia stared down Lucrezia, Melinda and Veronica. ‘Listen, I’ve made the decision – barn dance it is.’ Before they could say anything, Olivia jerked her head in the direction of Charlotte’s camera, daring them to argue. Thankfully, none of them did. Olivia’s heart pounded. She’d done it. She had stood up for what she believed in. If she hadn’t been wearing a skirt, she’d have performed a perfect straddle jump! ‘OK, then,’ she said, ‘I want you all to go home and research ideas for food, music and decorations to fit the barn-dance theme, so that we can finalise details tomorrow. So, unless anyone has questions, I guess that’s it for the day.’