‘Right,’ Sophia mumbled. But as they passed the skater-boys, she let out another wistful sigh.
We might have a problem, Ivy thought grimly.
But she didn’t have time to worry about it now. First, they had to get through today. All we have to do is not draw any attention to ourselves. Easy. Right?
Her belly tingled uncomfortably, and she gulped. I hope that’s just the doughger from yesterday. I’m not that nervous . . . am I?
When she spotted Brendan’s familiar silhouette near the main school building, she let out a sigh of pure relief. ‘Finally!’
Pulling Sophia along with her, Ivy raced towards her boyfriend. He stood near the front door, and when he turned to face her, she saw that he’d dressed down too, wearing simple dark jeans and sneakers. In terms of his clothing, he wouldn’t have looked out of place with the skater-boys. But he wore the expression of someone who had just seen a ghost . . . playing cards with a yeti!
‘What’s wrong?’ Ivy asked.
He pointed a trembling finger at the school. ‘I went inside. Just for a second, to check it out. It . . . It . . .’
Ivy stared at him, feeling her stomach sink. ‘How bad is it in there?’
Brendan shook his head, his eyes wide and stunned. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Oh no. Taking a deep breath, Ivy opened the front door. I don’t care how bright and pink and bunnified it is. I can take it, no matter what!
Then she blinked, as the door closed behind her and her friends. Wait a minute. Who turned out the lights?
The foyer was a sea of darkness. And lining the corridors in every direction, propped against the lockers, lounging on the floor, and gossiping in groups, were the students of Franklin Grove High.
Ivy felt her eyes widen. The last time she had seen this many goths in one place was at a Pall Bearers concert!
Feeling dazed, she walked slowly down the first corridor, taking it all in. ‘But . . .’
Her voice trailed off as a girl in ripped jeans and bone-white face paint, leaning against the wall of lockers, nodded approvingly at her T-shirt.
‘Um . . . thanks?’ Ivy said to the girl, trying to smile. To Brendan, though, she whispered frantically, ‘Am I dreaming?’
‘If you are,’ Brendan croaked, ‘then I am, too.’
She reached out and laced her fingers through his, hanging on for balance. They passed a group of girls sitting at the bottom of a staircase, painting each other’s fingernails black. Further along the hallway, Ivy could see someone carrying a black backpack that rippled with rubber spikes.
‘It’s not pink,’ Sophia said faintly. ‘I thought it would all be pink.’
Ivy shook her head numbly. ‘If any of these people saw the colour pink, they’d probably run screaming into the nearest darkened room!’
‘There are more goths here than bunnies,’ Brendan said. ‘It’s just wrong.’
‘And look at those T-shirts.’ Sophia nodded at the girls ahead of them. ‘I’ve never even heard of some of those rock bands!’
‘Whoa.’ Ivy felt her legs go weak as she absorbed the truth. ‘Guys,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t think we’re the outsiders at this school.’
Sophia’s eyes were wide. ‘Do you think . . . could it be . . .?’
Brendan nodded, looking panicked. ‘I think . . . the goth kids at this high school might actually be the in-crowd.’
‘No way,’ Ivy breathed. She saw the same stunned reaction in both of her friends’ eyes. But the truth was staring them in the face from all around . . . and it was wearing black.
For the first time ever, it looked like Ivy, Sophia and Brendan might actually fit in!
Chapter Three
I can’t believe it, Olivia thought, as she bounced on her hotel bed. I’m actually in London, England!
A sea of dark rooftops spiked outside her window under a cloudy blue sky. In the distance, she could see Big Ben in the centre of the city. She had heard its hourly gong twice since she’d arrived and, though she knew it was just a giant clock tower, there was something . . . magical about a giant clock tower so far away from home.
Through the wall of her connecting room, Olivia heard her adoptive mom, Mrs Abbott, gushing down her cell phone to a friend back home. ‘. . . and, of course, we’re determined to catch a West End musical while we’re here!’
Olivia’s adoptive dad, Mr Abbott, didn’t speak, but Olivia heard a tell-tale thud as he moved to a different yoga position on the hotel room floor. Mrs Abbott might be excited about the London theatres, but Mr Abbott had spent the aeroplane ride telling Olivia all about the wonderful yoga facilities in London. Apparently, there were even outdoor yoga classes on the rooftops!
I just hope he doesn’t go into a headstand too near the edge of the roof, Olivia thought, peering out the window.
She turned to pick up her guidebook. As her gaze travelled across the room, she had to blink to remind herself that she wasn’t dreaming. Really, this could hardly be described as a bedroom. It felt bigger than her house in Franklin Grove! The ceiling was painted with images of famous London sites, and the opposite wall was covered with expensive electronic equipment, from a flat-screen television to a range of radios, DVD and CD players.
Hollywood stars really do live differently!
Taking a deep breath, Olivia opened up her guidebook and began to read. As she turned the pages, her eyes widened. Did Mom and Dad accidentally pick up a joke version?
Surely no one would actually call a building ‘The Shard’, or ‘The Gherkin’. Would they? It has to be a joke!
There was one thing that was no joke, though. As Olivia set down the ridiculous guidebook, the luxury of her hotel room astounded her all over again. It was unbelievable. Jacob Harker, the studio executive in charge of Eternal Sunset, certainly went all-out when he wanted to impress the people working on his movies.
A knock sounded on the connecting door, and Mrs Abbott’s head poked through. She was wearing sunglasses and had her own guidebook sticking out of her handbag. ‘Hi, honey. Your dad and I want to go exploring. Are you ready?’
‘Um . . .’ There was a funny tingling sensation in Olivia’s stomach. She put one hand on it and forced a smile. ‘Why don’t you guys go without me? I’m a little tired from the trip.’
‘Well, if you’re sure . . .’ Mrs Abbot hurried across the room to press a kiss on Olivia’s brow. She stroked her hair back from her face, and smiled down at Olivia. ‘Get some rest, sweetheart.’