Unfortunately, Olivia thought, something always happens whenever Ivy and Charlotte are within a mile of each other.
Charlotte stopped and scowled at them until she caught sight of Olivia. She plastered on a big smile. ‘Olivia, darling!’
Olivia smiled at her, Katie and Allison, while Ivy and the rest of the group waited a few feet away. Charlotte turned her back on everyone else, making Olivia feel even more awkward.
‘We’re going to Mister Smoothie to compare Christmas presents,’ Charlotte said. ‘Come with us.’ Katie and Allison nodded like bobble heads in their matching lavender scarves.
‘Oh, we’ve just left there,’ Olivia explained.
‘They were at Mister Smoothie?’ Charlotte squinted at Olivia’s friends.
Ivy piped up. ‘We even got a Twist and Shout.’ Ivy began doing a silly version of the dance right there on the sidewalk. Brendan, Sophia and Camilla joined in while Olivia tried not to laugh.
‘Haven’t you moved yet?’ Charlotte snapped at Ivy. ‘I can’t wait to get some normal neighbours.’
Ivy opened her mouth, no doubt with a cutting come-back, but Brendan beat her to it.
‘Good news,’ Brendan replied smoothly. ‘Ivy’s not going to Europe.’
‘Did they refuse to let you in for crimes against fashion?’ Charlotte smirked. Katie and Allison giggled.
‘It turns out I’m needed here,’ Ivy retorted, ‘for a campaign against conformity.’
Charlotte blinked. Olivia could tell she didn’t really understand the insult. Which is a good thing, Olivia thought.
‘Whatever,’ Charlotte huffed.
Olivia jumped in. ‘Is that a new bag, Charlotte?’
Charlotte shifted the big, brown, expensive-looking bag on her shoulder. ‘It’s a Kevin Green. My daddy bought it for me in New York.’
‘It’s nice,’ said Olivia, not quite sure if the over-sized leather bag went with Charlotte’s shiny blue puffy jacket.
‘Did you say Kevin Greene?’ Brendan peered closer at the bag. Olivia couldn’t imagine Brendan having an interest in handbag designers.
‘Yes,’ said Charlotte, turning her nose up at having to reply to Brendan.
‘I think your logo is supposed to have an extra “e” on the end of Green.’ Brendan straightened up and put his arm around Ivy.
‘What!’ Charlotte spluttered and Katie and Allison gathered around for a closer look.
Katie’s horrified gasp was all Olivia needed to realise that Charlotte’s bag was a cheap knock off. Charlotte stomped away, her friends scurrying after her. ‘At least I won’t be mistaken for a zombie,’ she called back over her shoulder.
Ivy laughed and gave Brendan a huge hug. ‘That was killer.’
‘Impressive fashion knowledge, Brendan,’ Olivia said. ‘How did you know about the “e”?’
Brendan shrugged. ‘Little sisters have their uses. Bethany’s been educating me on a weekly basis about who is wearing what.’
Sophia waved her camera, her white smile lighting up her dark skin. ‘I got it! The very moment when Charlotte saw for herself.’
‘You devil,’ Ivy said, making Sophia show her on the camera’s little screen.
‘Come on, guys,’ said Brendan, ‘I’m hungry!’
‘Onward to the Meat & Greet!’ said Camilla in her captain-of-the-space-ship voice.
‘Onward!’ everyone responded.
As they walked, they talked about the presents they’d gotten from their family – no one else was lucky enough to get an elusive Kevin Greene, but Olivia loved the pink, sparkly earmuffs her parents had bought her that matched her old scarf and glove set. They were keeping her ears toasty warm in the cold.
‘What did you get Ivy, Brendan?’ Camilla asked.
Brendan and Ivy shared a look.
Ivy explained, ‘He gave me a season ticket to the movie theatre, a year-long subscription to Vamp! magazine and a bus pass.’
Olivia realised that everything Brendan had given Ivy were things that needed a permanent address in Franklin Grove. ‘How romantic!’
‘There isn’t anything romantic about a bus pass,’ Sophia declared.
‘Yes, there is,’ Ivy and Brendan said quietly to each other.
‘Cheese!’ Sophia complained. ‘This registers cheese factor 10!’
Ivy just smiled and Olivia wished for the second time that day that she’d be as lucky in love.
‘I’ve never heard of Vamp! magazine,’ Camilla said as they came to the end of the street. Camilla didn’t have any idea about the vampires in Franklin Grove, and it had to stay that way.
‘Oh, we’re almost there!’ Olivia chirped, changing the subject quickly.
‘And I can’t wait for a ketchup-smothered chunky burger,’ Brendan declared. ‘With fries.’
But as they turned the corner to the diner, Ivy suddenly threw her arms out. ‘What is that?’
Olivia couldn’t see anything unusual. The diner had the same piñatas and disco balls hanging from meat hooks in the windows, the same sandwich board outside boasting the best burgers in town. ‘Um . . . it’s the Meat & Greet?’
‘No,’ Ivy said, frowning her forehead into a V. ‘It’s not. Look!’ She pointed to the sign above the door.
Sophia and Brendan gasped. Then, Olivia realised that not only was the restaurant completely empty, the neon sign no longer read ‘Meat & Greet'. It was ‘Meet & Greet’ with two ‘e’s!