"You mean one of the cheerleaders, right?" I queried.
"No. Mrs. Mitchell made it very clear this girl is new to town and dresses—well, not very conservatively," my mom said, grabbing a bottled water and closing the fridge door.
"You mean, like me?"
My mother paused.
It was Luna.
"Is it the white-haired girl Trevor was with at the Spring Carnival?" Billy Boy asked.
"It may be," my mom answered. "I didn't see them together."
"I just saw her from a distance," my brother said. "But a kid at Math Club swears she has a twin. They were spotted coming out of the cemetery. Her brother was dressed like he just stepped off a pirate ship.
"Kids are saying they sleep in sewers," Billy Boy continued.
"It's not nice to gossip," my mother warned.
"I heard they're ghosts. One dude claims you can see right through them," Henry said.
"And talk about tattoos and piercing," Billy Boy added, "I heard he has more holes in his head than you," Billy Boy said to me.
"I have tattoos," I said, rolling up my sleeve and showing him a bat tattoo.
"Your dad told you to wash that off," my mother advised.
"And he has pierced kneecaps," my brother went on.
"Well, I'll pierce your kneecaps if you don't stop gossiping like two old ladies."
"All right. Boys, you are going to miss your bus if you don't finish soon," my mother ordered.
Henry and Billy Boy placed their empty bowls in the dishwasher.
"Mom, did Mrs. Mitchell say this girl brought Trevor protein shakes?" I asked.
"Supposedly they are special shakes from Romania. I asked Mrs. Mitchell to get the recipe for me."
Delicious drink, I thought. Ingredients: One cup crushed ice. One banana. One vial vampire's blood.
"I don't think you'd like this particular Romanian drink."
Finally we got a reprieve from the gunfire, and a commercial for Garlic One gelcaps came on the TV. Billy Boy aimed the remote to switch it off.
"No, wait," I said.
"You're suddenly interested in history?" Billy Boy asked proudly. "Maybe I'm rubbing off on you after all."
"Shh…"
My mom followed Billy Boy and Henry as they headed for the front door.
"Garlic One," the commercial continued. "Natural and odorless. Helps promote cardiovascular- health with just one capsule a day."
Their slogan should say, "An odor-free way to keep the vampires away."
I was struck with an idea. Why hadn't I thought of it sooner? There was nothing I loved more than a brand-new plan!
9 Haunted House Calls
"Hey, Beck, do you mind stopping at Paxx Pharmacy?" I asked my best friend when I hopped into her pickup. "I just have to buy a few things on the way to school."
"But Matt will be waiting by the bleachers for us. I don't want to be late."
"It'll only take a sec," I pleaded.
The old girl was as hot-glued to her soccer sweetheart as I was to my vampire boyfriend. I would have been sickened if I didn't understand her amorous devotion.
"Okay," she finally agreed. "I could get Matt some candy. He loves red licorice."
I remember when Becky and I would hang outside Paxx's and eat twines of red licorice until we felt ill. Now, instead of creating new memories with me, she was creating them with Matt.
I turned to my best friend, who was wearing khakis and a pale blue button-down shirt. As long as I'd known Becky, she'd worn jeans and an oversized sweater. How long had I not noticed the change?
"Besides, it will give us a chance to hang out," she added kindly.
Becky was right. I'd been so wrapped up in diverting the union between Trevor and Luna that I hadn't any time left to talk, or even open my eyes!
Now that we had beaus, we didn't cling to each other like we had before. Did that mean we didn't need each other at all?
"It's been forever since we've had girl time," I agreed.
"I know, it's great we have boyfriends, but I'm missing our friendship."
"Me too!" I said. "We have to make time for us."
"It's a pact," she said, extending her pinky finger.
"A pact," I said, entwining my own in hers.
More than spending time apart, I felt like I was in the dark alone, not being able to share with my best friend the fact that our town was crawling with vampires.
"If I tell you something, can you promise not to tell anyone? Not even Matt?" I asked.
"Is it about sex?"