14 Flipping Out - My Sister the Vampire

by Sienna Mercer

  ‘I hope not!’ Olivia shivered. ‘Honestly, at first I was only interested because of that situation, but then I got a chance to actually talk to Finn at lunch – and he is kind of sweet! He coaches Lincoln Vale middle school kids in skateboarding every weekend. He’s just a really nice guy . . . and, you know, I’m not so crazy about Amelia, but at least she’s no Jessica Phelps.’

  Camilla made a face. ‘Ugh. The world does not need another Jessica Phelps!’

  They both shuddered at the reminder of the awful Hollywood mega-star who’d schemed and stolen the lead role in The Groves from Olivia, then done her best to steal Olivia’s Eternal Sunset role, too.

  ‘Amelia’s not so bad, though,’ Olivia said firmly. ‘I think if she had someone like Finn to balance her out, she might even be nice. So now I really want them to get together!’

  ‘You do, huh?’ Camilla looked at her thoughtfully. ‘Tell me the truth, Olivia Abbott. Is this just because of what happened with Ivy at lunch?’

  ‘No!’ Olivia felt her cheeks heat up. ‘Of course not. But . . .’ She ducked her head over her cereal as she admitted, ‘I don’t think I can deal with going to a school where I never get to have lunch with my own twin.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Camilla took a first, testing spoonful of cold cereal . . . and made a disgusted face. ‘Yuck! I can’t believe you eat this for fun.’

  Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘Not all of us eat French croissants for breakfast every day, Madam Director.’

  ‘Whatever.’ Camilla shoved the cereal bowl to one side. ‘Here’s the real point. You’ve been at high school for just one day, and you already have a bunch of homework. Do you really want to add to your boatload of stress by trying to match-make two people you’ve only just met?’

  Olivia sat back. ‘Why not? If it’ll make life better for everyone –’

  ‘Trust me,’ said Camilla, ‘every time people meddle in romance in the movies, it always goes wrong and creates chaos.’

  ‘But I really think I’m on to something here!’ Olivia held up her two spoons to make a point, ignoring the milk and potato salad dripping from them. ‘See, this is Finn and this is Amelia.’ She wobbled the two spoons meaningfully. ‘They want to move forwards, but they can’t. The social divisions in the school are too defined. Without some help, they’re going to be stuck in Act One forever.’

  Narrowing her eyes, she spoke in the secret language guaranteed to get Camilla on board: ‘They need an inciting incident to propel them into Act Two . . . and we are just the directors to make it happen!’

  ‘Hmm.’ Camilla’s own eyes narrowed. Then her lips curved into a beaming grin. ‘But of course. How could I refuse when you begged me in film-speak?’

  ‘I knew it.’ Olivia beamed. ‘I’m getting good at Camilla-ese, aren’t I?’

  ‘You’re definitely learning. And maybe . . . maybe we could rewrite the script.’ Camilla’s eyes narrowed and her jaw pushed outwards into her all-business look as her fingers started tapping rapidly on the table. Olivia waited patiently as the wheels turned. Suddenly, Camilla’s face lit up.

  ‘Of course!’ Camilla shook her head. ‘How could I have been so blind? What the soon-to-be “Famelia” need is a good, old-fashioned “meet cute”!’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ Olivia gave her friend a stern look. ‘If you’re going to be involved in this project, ma’am, our producers insist that you break up the Camilla-ese with a little bit of English from time to time!’

  ‘I’ll try.’ Camilla giggled. ‘But it’s so perfect! Can’t you see? Movie romances almost always start by having the couple meet in a wacky way. It has to be a funny story they can tell their friends about later on – and then when things get rough in the second half of Act Two, one of them can always lament the twist of fate that brought them together. You know, “If only I hadn’t walked into that police station . . .”’

  ‘Have you gone a little bit wacky yourself ?’ Olivia stared at her, setting down her spoons. ‘First of all, I do not see Finn and Amelia ever ending up in a police station. And secondly . . .’ She shook her head. ‘Why do things have to get rough?’

  Camilla shrugged. ‘Every romance needs a narrative obstacle, right?’

  ‘No!’ Olivia protested. ‘Trust me. Jackson and I have had more than our fair share of those over the last year-and-a-bit, and they were not fun! I wouldn’t wish them on anybody.’

  She shuddered at the memories . . . especially of that long, bleak period when they had actually broken up. I never want to feel that way again! She hung on to the memory of their latest phone call like a talisman. Thank goodness we’re back together.

  ‘Yeah, but you’re reunited now, right?’ Camilla raised her eyebrows. ‘So it was all worth it, wasn’t it?’

  Olivia nodded. ‘Totally.’ As she finished her cereal, though, she thought hard. ‘There’s just one problem with your meet-cute plan,’ she said. ‘Finn and Amelia have already met . . . and no matter how that went down, it can’t have been that adorable or wacky, because now they barely speak to each other. They don’t even want anyone else to notice when they make eye contact!’ Pushing aside her empty cereal bowl, she gave her friend a challenging look. ‘What does Hollywood teach us about this situation?’

  Camilla’s eyes narrowed in concentration. ‘What they need is to be forced into close proximity. They need to be put in a life or death situation that brings them together and forces them to face up to what is in their hearts! If they have no choice but to communicate, they’ll eventually have to run out of topics other than their true feelings. Then –’

  ‘Ahem.’ Olivia cleared her throat. ‘Did you just say life or death ?’ She raised her eyebrows at her friend. ‘In Franklin Grove ?’

  Camilla burst into laughter. ‘OK, OK! Well, maybe it doesn’t have to be that extreme . . . but it has to be a situation that makes them both so uncomfortable that they start bonding. Something like . . . oh, I don’t know –’ she waved one hand in loose circles, obviously searching for inspiration – ‘maybe they could be paired up on a science project together. I know – Chemistry!’

  ‘Seriously?’ Olivia groaned. ‘That’s the worst you can think of ? You always had so much imagination! Maybe high school is changing you, too.’

  ‘Well, I didn’t mean it to be as boring as it sounds.’ Camilla grimaced. ‘But think about it: a sudden explosion is just the sort of dramatic, inciting incident to push an odd-couple relationship along!’

  ‘I suppose . . .’ Olivia sighed. ‘But I want to get Finn and Amelia together, not singe off their eyebrows in a chem-experiment!’

  Camilla shrugged. ‘Detention, then? They can bond over their shared resentment of having to stay behind! Oh, yeah. Instead of thinking about how they broke a school rule –’ She waggled her eyebrows meaningfully – ‘they can think about how much they looove each other!’

  Olivia stared at her. ‘How long was I away in London? It can’t have been long enough for you to undergo a full metamorphosis. Have you always been a Sappy Sally?’

  Camilla rolled her eyes. ‘This is for the good of the narrative, Olivia. That’s all it’s about.’

  ‘Yeah, right.’ Olivia poked her best friend in the shoulder, grinning. ‘Come on, admit it. You’re a secret romantic, aren’t you?’

  ‘Focus, Abbott!’ Camilla shoved aside the potato salad bowl, looking as scary as a real film director. ‘This is no time for jokes! We have a script to write. Now help me brainstorm while we make something appropriate for an evening meal.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am!’ Olivia gave a mock salute. ‘Would sandwiches work?’

  A faraway look came into Camilla’s eyes. ‘Hmm, sandwiches . . . Yes, those could work. Those could work perfectly !’

  But it wasn’t until they were standing at the chopping board with all the ingredients around them that Olivia figured out what her friend had had in mind.

  ‘Right!’ Camilla scooped up a hunk of cheese. ‘So, here’s Finn, and here’s . . .’ she picked u
p a lettuce leaf ‘. . . Amelia!’

  ‘Really? As lettuce?’ Olivia frowned. ‘Amelia’s a Goth-Queen. Remember?’

  ‘Oh, all right, then.’ Camilla dropped the lettuce and grabbed a black olive. ‘Now, the chopping board is Franklin Grove High.’ Rapidly, she laid out lettuce leaves to form corridors. All we have to do is figure out a way for Finn and Amelia to get detention!’

  ‘Hmm.’ Olivia bent in to help. ‘Finn’s easy to predict. That skateboard is bound to get him into trouble one day! Mr Russell’s just bursting to give him detention for it.’

  ‘Excellent!’ Camilla gave the black olive a narrow-eyed look. ‘And Amelia? What does our Goth-Queen do? Talk back to teachers? Scrawl graffiti on the walls?’

  ‘No!’ Olivia shook her head. ‘Nothing like that. She may dress like a rebel – well, by the standards of most schools, anyway – but she’s not a troublemaker.’

  ‘No?’ Camilla sagged with disappointment. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Positive.’ Olivia grimaced. ‘She’s even getting top grades.’

  ‘Drat.’ Camilla sighed. ‘How on earth are we going to get her into detention, then?’

  As Olivia shook her head hopelessly, the kitchen door opened and Mr Abbott walked in, wearing his loose martial arts uniform. His eyes widened as he looked at the lettuce-maze the two girls had built on the chopping board.

  ‘Ah . . . Olivia? Do you girls have some sort of a scheme going?’

  ‘No, Dad!’ Quickly, Olivia brushed the lettuce into a pile, obliterating the hallways of Franklin Grove High. ‘It’s just a . . . project. A project for school!’

  Camilla nodded earnestly beside her . . . and really, Olivia told herself, she was telling the truth. It might not be official, but it was definitely a school-related project!

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’ Mr Abbott smiled as he gave Olivia a pat on the shoulder. ‘The scheming warrior will always be outfoxed by an honest one, you know.’

  Olivia had to close her eyes so her dad wouldn’t see them roll. ‘Yes, Dad,’ she said politely. In her head, though, she added: But high school is hardly Warriorsville!

  ‘How did your meditation go, Mr Abbott?’ Camilla asked. ‘Did you find your “T”?’

  ‘That would be Chi. Spelled with a Q.’ Mr Abbott sighed. ‘But, alas . . . it remains elusive.’

  Olivia opened her eyes and gave her dad a bracing smile. ‘I’m sure you’ll find it soon, Dad,’ she said. ‘And in the meantime . . .’ She glanced at the chopping board full of ingredients. How many people did we think we were cooking for? ‘Why don’t you eat a nice sandwich to feel better?’

  ‘Just don’t eat that bit of cheese or black olive,’ Camilla added, sweeping ‘Finn’ and ‘Amelia’ quickly out of the way. ‘Because that would be really, really bad karma!’

  Chapter Five

  This is actually kind of awesome! Olivia thought the next afternoon, as she tailed Amelia through the hallways. The final bell had just rung to end the school day, and everyone was heading out . . . everyone except Olivia.

  She’d never seen anything like the way the entire school created a path for Amelia as she moved. Now, if only they would keep it open for me! Unfortunately, the gap closed just behind Amelia, forcing Olivia to hop, skip and pirouette her way past the others to keep up with the Goth-Queen. She wondered if the ninth graders did the same for Ivy, and thought how weird she must find that experience. Yesterday, at lunch, Olivia had seen the indecision on Ivy’s face, and knew that her twin was still having a tough time adjusting to high school. She had decided not to call Ivy last night, just in case talking about the whole thing made her twin feel even more pressured.

  She had to run to finally catch up with Amelia, but at least there was one good side-effect: the breathlessness she had been planning to fake came completely naturally.

  ‘A . . . A . . . Amelia!’ she managed, panting.

  ‘Yes?’ Amelia raised her eyebrows, looking bored. ‘Is something wrong?’

  Aware of everyone around staring at them, Olivia drew on all of her acting exercises. Remember: make eye contact! No stuttering! Minimal head movement! Those were the rules that had helped her act convincingly on screen. Now she’d have to hope they helped her now.

  ‘The principal is looking for you,’ she said, looking straight into Amelia’s eyes.

  ‘Really?’ Amelia frowned. ‘Why wasn’t there an announcement on the PA, then?’

  ‘Uh . . .’ Olivia paused. No head movement, she reminded herself, fighting to keep her head from ducking. Keep eye contact! ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘It’s just . . . what I was told.’

  As Amelia held her gaze, the Goth-Queen’s eyes narrowed. Olivia forced herself to keep still. This is why I hate lying!

  Finally, Amelia shrugged, sending silver chains clanking across her leather coat. ‘Oh, fine. Like I didn’t have enough to do today!’ Growling, she turned on one heel. Just as she was starting to set off, though, she suddenly stopped, and sighed. ‘Thank you,’ she muttered. ‘For telling me.’

  ‘Er . . . no problem.’ Olivia pasted a winning smile on to her face. ‘Happy to help.’

  Rolling her eyes, Amelia turned away and stomped off down the hall.

  Olivia waited a moment, then followed after her. She kept more of a distance this time, so that the Goth-Queen couldn’t see her, ducking behind skateboarders and groups of goths whenever Amelia looked around. As she emerged from her latest hiding place, she found Ivy staring at her with raised eyebrows from across the hall.

  What’s going on? Ivy mouthed.

  Olivia shrugged. She wished she could ask her twin for help . . . but Ivy was surrounded by her own cluster of goth groupies – all of whom were glaring contemptuously at Olivia now. There was no point trying to separate Ivy from them. Olivia had learned that much at lunch yesterday.

  Shoving down the remembered hurt, she forced a smile. ‘Tell you later!’ she whispered. It was a bare thread of sound, but she knew Ivy’s vampire hearing would pick up on it.

  Turning her back on her twin and the groupies, she hurried down the hallway. Amelia’s black-leather coat had already disappeared from view, but Olivia slipped through the crowds and managed to lurk just outside the principal’s office just a moment after Amelia had stalked inside.

  She heard Amelia’s annoyed voice. ‘Is Mr Carson in?’

  Score! Olivia did a high-jump in her head. Her plan had just been put into action! There was only one person sitting in the waiting room outside Mr Carson’s office . . . so she knew exactly who Amelia must have spoken to, to ask that question.

  Mr Fussell – er, Russell ! – had erupted at Finn over lunch, as usual. Apparently, his skateboard wheels had come off and clattered on the ground when Finn had opened his locker, and Mr Russell had chased him all the way to the cafeteria to yell at him about it. Olivia had started out feeling sympathetic . . . but the moment Mr Russell had ordered Finn to go and see Principal Carson, Olivia’s sympathy had turned into excitement. It was time to put the Famelia plan into motion!

  Now she pressed her ears against the corner of the door just in time to hear Finn mumble: ‘I think he’s on the phone. He didn’t answer when I knocked.’

  Amelia snorted. ‘And did you actually knock loud enough?’

  There was a pause. Then Finn said, ‘I may be just a simple skater, but I’m pretty sure even I can’t mess up knocking on a door.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Amelia sounded unconvinced.

  Olivia winced. Why does she have to act so haughty with everyone? Can’t she see how annoying it is?

  Amelia spoke again, her voice softer. ‘I don’t think you’re just a skater, you know.’

  Whoa! Olivia jerked upright. Progress! That was definite progress! Now just let Finn say . . . let him say . . .

  ‘Ughlflp!’

  What? Olivia blinked, shaking her head.

  Apparently Finn had been so taken by surprise, he’d lost the power of speech . . . because all that Olivia could hear we
re choking noises.

  Smooth, Finn. Smooth. She muffled a groan as she heard the choking noises fade away, followed only by an awkward silence.

  Still, the Skater King and the Goth-Queen were both trapped there for the moment, forced to sit next to each other with nothing else to do. Surely they had to start a real conversation soon?

  But they didn’t! Olivia couldn’t believe it as the minutes ticked past. What is wrong with them? There was no one there to see them outside Mr Carson’s office. For once, they didn’t have to worry about what anyone else would think. Just say something! Olivia wanted to scream at them both.

  She gritted her teeth. I can’t stand this. I have to see what’s going on!

  Moving as stealthily as she could, she inched around the corner. When she was sure they weren’t looking, she scooted at top speed to the other side of the doorway and hid behind a large potted plant. Whew. I made it!

  They couldn’t see her, but she could see them . . . And talk about a depressing sight!

  Finn and Amelia sat with a single chair between them, so close they could have reached out and touched. But they were both pretending to be completely alone! Amelia stared pointedly at the ceiling. Finn sat staring at the ground, absentmindedly rolling the wheels of his skateboard again and again . . .

  ‘Would you mind not doing that?’ Amelia asked eventually. ‘The noise is going straight through me.’ She rubbed her temples as though she had a headache.

  ‘Sorry.’ Finn sighed. ‘I was just checking them. I screwed the wheels back in earlier, but I need to make sure they’re in good shape. I don’t want to have an accident.’

  Amelia gave a small smile. ‘I thought you skater-boys liked to live dangerously.’

  Look up! Olivia wanted to scream at Finn. She’s smiling at you, can’t you see?

  Finn shrugged, still looking at the ground. ‘We do. But there’s a difference between “dangerous” and “stupid”.’

  ‘And the difference is . . . ?’

  ‘Um . . .’ Finn’s lips curved into a rueful smile. For the first time, he darted a glance at Amelia. ‘I don’t know. Hope that doesn’t mean I’m stupid!’