Olivia had to choke down her laugh. None of the others might understand, but Ivy was definitely quoting Olivia’s adoptive father . . . only she had gotten the quote a little bit wrong. Olivia was pretty sure she’d meant to say ‘Jee’.
Unless it was ‘Chi’? She’d never been sure.
‘Whatever,’ Ivy muttered. ‘I just . . . I need to have my own headspace before school really starts.’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘So smart.’
‘I always do that too, Ivy!’
The other goths all fluttered back to their own desks.
‘Mondays are intense !’ the closest goth-boy said solemnly.
Then they all folded their hands and closed their eyes.
Ivy looked around the intently meditating group and shook her head, looking desperate. Then she put on her headphones and closed her eyes, slumping down in her seat.
‘Look!’ One of the goths had snuck one eye open to peek, and now they nudged another one, pointing to Ivy. ‘She even meditates better than anybody!’
Little do they know, Olivia thought, Ivy isn’t meditating on anything . . . except maybe on how much she hates being popular!
She sighed as she turned back to Sophia. ‘This can’t go on.’
‘What can we do?’ Sophia shrugged. ‘They love her.’
‘But you can see the pressure getting to her already,’ Olivia said. Just like it did at Wallachia Academy in Transylvania, she realised. The memory made her shoulders stiffen.
Olivia hadn’t been able to help her sister at that snooty school for vampires, but she was here for Ivy now . . . and she wouldn’t let her twin down.
She looked around the room and shook her head. ‘There are so many social walls built around everyone at this high school, it’s unbelievable.’
‘Tell me about it,’ Sophia groaned. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before.’
‘Then let’s do something about it!’ Olivia nodded decisively. ‘These walls need breaking down . . . and I’m the one with the sledgehammer!’
‘You?’ Sophia gave a snort of laughter as she looked up and down Olivia’s glittering pink top, flippy skirt and sequinned bag. ‘Olivia Abbott with a sledgehammer – now, that would really be unbelievable!’
Chapter Three
Ivy took a deep breath as she joined the lunch line in cafeteria. I can do this. Of course I can. It’s not a big deal.
It was ridiculous to get annoyed by people liking her. Wasn’t it?
So why do I feel like yelling?
All around her was a sea of eyes that seemed to follow her wherever she went, even as she stood waiting for the lunch ladies to pass her a plate of food. The feeling of being watched made the skin between her shoulder blades itch with discomfort. I don’t get it! Why is everybody acting this way?
There was no good reason for all this worship. She was just a normal girl! . . . Well, normal by Franklin Grove standards, anyway, Ivy thought ruefully. But honestly, it wasn’t as if the kids here knew anything really special about her. Back in Transylvania, Ivy was kind-of-sort-of-royalty, and all the other kids at Wallachia Academy had known it, but here she was just another goth.
Just imagine if anyone else at this school knew I was royal! She shuddered at the thought. Oh, my darkness. That would be my worst nightmare!
As soon as she’d paid for her lunch, she turned around – and saw heads drop as bunny students desperately tried to pretend they hadn’t been watching her. Ivy had to stifle a scream of pure frustration.
Seriously, people. I am not that cool!
Was it time for desperate measures? As she walked towards a table in the corner of the room, she desperately tried to think of new ideas. Maybe I could drop my tray? If everyone saw her act like an embarrassing klutz, that would have to undo her popularity . . . wouldn’t it?
But then I wouldn’t have anything to eat! Her stomach growled in protest at the idea. After a morning spent under relentless social attack, she was starving. No way could she give up her lunch, even if it was only a measly medium burger!
As she passed a table full of goths, one hopeful-looking girl piped up, ‘Here, Ivy! You can sit with us if you want.’
She started to push out a chair just as Ivy passed – and the chair smashed hard into Ivy’s leg.
The girl’s face went sickly green with horror. Gasps filled the air as the entire cafeteria turned to stare.
Argh. Ivy stifled a groan. I don’t have time for this!
The truth was, she’d felt no pain at all. With vampiric RHP on her side, the hit had felt like only a light tap. But from the way the chair had crashed into her, it obviously would have hurt a human.
So Ivy had no choice . . .
‘Ohhh . . .’ She bent over, grimacing as if in agony. Acting with all her might, she rubbed at her leg through her long black skirt.
‘I am so, so sorry!’ The goth-girl was almost crying now, her voice choked. ‘I never meant to hurt you.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Ivy muttered. ‘Really .’
Even as she spoke, her vampire hearing picked up the conversations erupting all over the cafeteria.
‘Did you see that?’
‘Oh, she’s so grounded, even when she’s in pain!’
‘She even looks cool when she winces!’
Oh, my darkness. Ivy rolled her eyes. Are they seriously idolising the way I look when I’m ‘in pain’? They’re going to love me in math class!
As she straightened, the goth-girl jumped up, grabbing Ivy’s arm in a desperate grip. ‘I’m just so sorry. I’m Bela, by the way. Let me make it up to you? My father has a store card at Macy’s. Please let me take you there this afternoon! You can pick up a gift and –’
‘No! No, thank you.’ Ivy yanked her hand out of Bela’s clinging grip. Too. Much. Apologising!
Bela looked crushed.
Ivy bit her tongue against the death-squint she could feel forming on her face. Then she winced at the sudden stab of pain. I really need to get to the dentist, and soon!
Through gritted teeth, she said, ‘It’s fine. I’m fine. But, Bela, please. Get. Out. Of. My. Way.’
By the time she finally got to the corner table she’d been aiming for, she felt like she’d been through a battlefield. She looked down at her medium burger and groaned. It has to be cold by now.