‘I’ll always call you.’ Jackson’s voice was firm. ‘Wherever I am.’
‘I know.’ Olivia smiled as they said their goodbyes. Even after she’d hung up, she stood still for a moment, basking in contentment.
‘I know.’ Olivia smiled as they said their goodbyes. Even after she’d hung up, she stood still for a moment, basking in contentment.
She was home, where she belonged; but she still had Jackson, and their relationship was so much better now because of the time they’d had away from each other. She could now end a call without feeling fraught, because she knew that he loved her no matter what . . . and she knew, too, that she was happier for being here in Franklin Grove, rather than being caught up in the hectic movie star lifestyle.
Maybe someday, when she was older, she would change her mind . . . but for now, she was so much happier to have a normal life. Whatever ‘normal’ is in Franklin Grove, anyway!
Taking a deep breath, she slipped her cell phone back into her bag and hurried up the steps to Ivy’s house. Maybe things had felt weird with her twin for the past few days, but it was time to break down the barriers of silence that had built up between them. After all, when the worst came to the worst, she knew Ivy would always have her back . . . wouldn’t she?
She didn’t help me when those goths were sneering at me at her lunch table, a little voice whispered in the back of Olivia’s head.
Gritting her teeth, she forced the thought aside. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for that, she told herself. I’ll find out when we finally get to talk about it . And they didn’t just need to clear up their own issues. Right now, Olivia needed the most popular girl in her grade to help with her ‘Famelia’ problem!
When the door opened, though, it wasn’t Ivy who stood there. It was Lillian.
‘Olivia!’ Lillian smiled warmly. ‘How are you?’
‘Oh . . . um . . . fine,’ Olivia mumbled. She’d been working so hard to prepare herself for a heart-to-heart with Ivy, it was a shock to see anyone different. She craned her neck to look past their stepmom. ‘Is Ivy here?’
‘No, she’s gone to the dentist for an emergency touch-up.’
‘What?’ Olivia’s gaze flashed back up in surprise. ‘At this time of day?’
Lillian gave a wink. ‘Not a regular dentist. You know how it is.’
‘Ohhhh. Of course.’ Olivia forced a laugh, as embarrassment crashed down on her. ‘I should have known.’
The truth was, she didn’t know how it was. She’d never minded being the only non-vampire when she was with Ivy and their dad. But somehow, it felt worse to be out of the loop when she was around her elegant new vampire stepmom.
‘Why don’t you come in and wait for her?’ Lillian stepped back to let her in.
‘OK. Thanks.’ Olivia drew a deep breath and followed Lillian into the kitchen, her thoughts whirling. If Ivy wasn’t here, who could she talk to about her plans for ‘Famelia’?
What about my bio-dad?
Of course! Charles Vega would definitely know how to resolve a star-crossed love affair – because he’d had the ultimate impossible romance with their mom!
‘Is Dad here?’ she asked.
‘Oh, I’m afraid he’s out running some errands.’ Lillian reached into the refrigerator and took out the juice that was always kept stocked there for Olivia’s visits.
‘Oh.’ Olivia slumped.
Lillian raised her eyebrows comically. ‘Don’t look so disappointed,’ she said, faking outrage.
‘Sorry,’ said Olivia, laughing with her. ‘I’ve just got some stuff on my mind.’
‘Anything I can help with?’ Lillian asked.
Olivia thought for a split-second of a split-second. How could she not have realised before? Lillian had worked in movies for decades. She was the perfect person to help navigate the story of ‘Famelia’!
As the two of them snacked on tortilla chips and salsa, Olivia gave her stepmom all the details. Luckily, Lillian was already fluent in Camillaese, so it was easy to sum up what had already happened. ‘I think they’re just about halfway through their Act Two,’ Olivia finished, ‘but they’re still not together. What can I do?’
‘Well . . .’ Tapping her chip on her plate, Lillian looked pensive. ‘There are always obstacles in every rom-com, you know. If the “meet-cute” didn’t work, maybe what they need now is to be shown the “awful alternatives”. You know, that moment in movies and TV when the hero and heroine go on dates with really horrible people. It helps them realise who they really love.’
‘Hmm.’ Olivia crunched her chip thoughtfully. ‘I think that actually might work . . . and that way, no one needs to get a lecture from the principal! Thank you!’
I have such a cool stepmom, she realised.
Chapter Eight
Ivy grimaced as she stepped back into the Slice of Life pizza parlour and saw a life-size plastic cockroach in the corner, near a mouldy-looking smear of old tomato sauce.
I know they have to make this place look gross, she thought. But did they have to do such a good job of it? Her mouth tasted funny enough from the procedure she’d just undergone downstairs, without adding so many other horrible flavours to the air!
To all the bunnies of Franklin Grove, the Slice of Life was known as the nastiest pizza parlour in the universe. None of them could understand how it had stayed in business for so long
Only the vampires knew the truth: that the Slice of Life’s disgusting appearance was exactly what made it the perfect base for Dr Pane Lee, the town’s resident vampire dentist. Dr Lee kept his practice in the basement, and the vampires of Franklin Grove went in and out freely throughout the night, pretending to be visiting the twenty-four-hour pizza parlour.