dreamy smile. ‘Do you remember that black
kimono you wore before the ball last year? It
looked so good with your pale complexion.’
‘Did I also “look good” on the way home,
when I tripped over it and fell flat on my
face?’ Ivy snorted. ‘I have no idea how anyone
manages to walk in those things for more
than twenty minutes!’
‘Well, growing up wearing them probably
helps,’ Olivia said. ‘It must teach grace and
poise, balance and posture. Or, in other words
. . .’ her gaze narrowed ‘. . . all the things
you’re going to need on Wednesday, at the
opening of Café Creative!’
‘Aaagh!’ Ivy groaned. Her dad and
stepmom, Lillian, were opening the
converted south wing of the museum with an
event showcasing local creative talent. The
showpiece was going to be a fashion show put
on by Amelia Thompson and Penny Taylor,
two students at Franklin Grove High.
Somehow, Ivy had agreed to take part . . . as a
model ! She shuddered. ‘What was I thinking?
Me, parading up and down in fashions
designed by girls from our school . . . what in
the world could ever have made me agree to
that?’
Olivia giggled. ‘You know the answer
already. Lillian’s been working on this for
weeks – and she has us both wrapped around
her fingers.’
‘Um . . . huh ?’ Ivy pointed one accusing
finger straight at her twin. ‘I remember the
moment Lillian first asked us – you, Olivia
Abbott, needed no convincing.’
‘Of course I didn’t. It’ll be fun!’ Olivia
shrugged, smiling irrepressibly. ‘Can you
imagine what the designs will be like?
Penny’s half of the show is going to be all
bright and bunny-tastic, while Amelia’s all
about “classy goth”. They’re going to
complement each other perfectly! Plus . . .’
She leaned over the brightly coloured
table, dropping her voice to a low whisper.
‘Rumour has it they’ve also worked together
on a hybrid of both their styles. A joint outfit
to be their big finish and close the show. I
can’t wait!’ Letting out a little squeal, Olivia
bounced in her seat. ‘I can’t even imagine
what such a dress will look like!’
Ivy scowled. ‘I suppose it’s good at least
one of us is excited.’ It wasn’t often she
wished that movie vampire rules were true
but, right now, she’d give anything not to be
able to show up in photographs. Then, no one
would ever ask her to stroll up and down a
catwalk!
Unfortunately, real vampires showed up
perfectly well in photos – and in mirrors, too.
The only thing that bunny screenwriters got
correct was how much they hated garlic. And
Ivy was considering eating some just to get
out of this fashion show!
DING!
Ivy looked up sharply. Pain sparked down
her neck, but this time she barely noticed.
She was in too much shock.
The girl at the door had to be Reiko . . . and
she was not what Ivy had been expecting at
all !
Olivia turned around to follow Ivy’s gaze.
‘No kimono,’ she murmured.
‘Nope.’ Ivy’s eyes widened as she took in
the other vamp’s bright yellow tank top and
neon green athletic shorts. ‘And she does not
look like she’s been raised in a strict
community, does she?’
That’ll teach me to make assumptions, Ivy
thought wryly. Not only was Reiko not
wearing a kimono, she wasn’t even a goth like
every single young American vamp Ivy knew.
Instead, she wore clothes that weren’t just
bright – they were so luminous they could
have lit up a pitch-black room! Her shorts
even had a logo so big and sporty it made
Ivy’s fangs itch. But most of all, Ivy couldn’t
stop staring at Reiko’s massive orange
backpack.
It had a tennis racquet sticking up out of it.
‘Am I dreaming?’ Olivia whispered. ‘Or am
I actually looking at a vampire tennis
player ?’
Ivy could only shake her head wordlessly.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’
And that wasn’t all. Above the backpack and
the tennis racquet, Reiko’s long hair – which
was a perfectly normal goth shade of purple –
bounced in a high, bouncy, cheerleader-style
ponytail!
That is so not a vamp look!