Ivy didn’t say anything, but suddenly her skin started turning a color Olivia had never seen before. It was pink, as if she was blushing.
“She’s going to faint!” Sophia cried.
Ivy’s eyelids fluttered and she slumped against the sink. Olivia rushed to hold her up. Sophia turned on the tap and threw a handful of water in Ivy’s face. Nothing happened, so Sophia tried again.
“Stop!” Ivy spluttered. “Stop it!” She stood on her own two feet and glared at Sophia. “What are you trying to do—drown me?”
“You fainted,” Sophia said apologetically.
“What? I never faint!” Ivy said in disbelief.
“Olivia asked you about Brendan,” Sophia explained gently.
Ivy blinked. Then she let out a tortured sigh. “Oh, yeah,” she whispered.
“I thought people were supposed to turn white before they faint,” Olivia said.
“Not vamps.” Sophia shook her head. “We blush.”
Ivy started drying her face with a paper towel. “I hadn’t even thought about Brendan,” she said hoarsely. “I guess I just didn’t want to think about it. Losing the two of you is bad enough.”
Olivia set her jaw. She didn’t want to start crying again.
“I’m going to the arcade with him tonight,” Ivy went on forlornly. “I guess I’ll have to tell him then.”
Facing the mirror, side by side, the three of them silently went about cleaning themselves up. After giving Ivy a hug, Sophia left first, because she had to get a book from her locker before next period.
As Ivy finished reapplying her mascara, Olivia stared at the floor. “Do you think we should keep looking for the truth about our parents?” she asked.
“The fact that you know about vampires’ existence isn’t going to change when I’m gone,” Ivy answered, though she only mouthed the word “vampires.”
“It’s probably even more important to justify your knowing the secret now, since I won’t be around to protect you.”
Olivia nodded and a small smile found its way to her lips. Her sister was right—and anyway she wanted to know the truth about their parents.
“Can I come visit you?” Olivia asked in a small voice.
Ivy’s reflection looked her in the eye. “You’d better.” She spun around, and they hugged.
In unison, they swung their bags onto their shoulders and prepared to walk out. “Are you still coming over for lunch tomorrow?” said Olivia. “My mom’s all excited to go shopping.”
“Absolutely.” Ivy grinned as she swung open the door and led Olivia into the bustling hallway. “I’m not gone yet.”
Friday night, Ivy stood in the shadows near the doorway of the mall arcade, squeezed between the wall and the side of a hulking airplane cockpit game. From there she could watch Brendan undetected, as he stood waiting for her by the air hockey table across the room.
His broad shoulders were cloaked in a dark gray, military-style jacket over a bright ghoul green T-shirt. His curly black hair, still wet from the rain, glistened in the dim blue light of the arcade. He was drop-dead in every way. He tapped an air hockey panel on the edge of the table absentmindedly.
Their first date had been here, not so long ago. Brendan had surprised Ivy by challenging her to a running air hockey competition, and Ivy had never had so much fun in her life. As their relationship had grown, so had their tournament: the score now stood at Ivy 23, Brendan 22.They were always neck and neck. Ivy wanted to be neck and neck forever.
She had spent so many years pining over Brendan Daniels without having the nerve to speak to him, and now he was her boyfriend. How am I going to leave him? she thought, a sharp pain piercing her heart. But she knew she didn’t have a choice.
Ivy was prepared for the possibility that tonight would be their final date. How could they stay together when an ocean was going to separate them?
Bracing herself, Ivy stepped out of the corner. Brendan spotted her right away. Bounding over, he kissed her on the cheek, grabbed her hand, and dragged her back to the air hockey table.
“I’ve been waiting all week to take the headlines away from you!” he announced. He paused at the side of the table, spreading his hands in the air as if imagining the cover of the next Scribe: “Daniels Beats Vega in Air Hockey Hullabaloo!” Brendan reached into his pocket and took out some tokens. He bent down to put them into the slot, but Ivy forced herself to put her hand on top of his at the last moment.
“Wait,” she said quietly. Brendan stopped and looked at her. Ivy entwined her pale fingers in his own and led him away from the table, deeper into the arcade. Finally they stood in the corner near the retro games, where it was quieter.
“Brendan”—her voice shook—“my dad has got a new job.”
“That’s great!” he responded, but his smile started to fade as his eyes searched her face. “Isn’t it?”
“It’s in Europe,” Ivy answered. She took a deep breath. “We’re moving in three weeks.”
Something dark flickered in Brendan’s eyes. Suddenly, he looked down at their hands. “You’re leaving?” he said without looking up.
Ivy nodded. He shook his head without meeting her eye.
This is the end, thought Ivy.
Then Brendan started to stroke Ivy’s fingers thoughtfully. Suddenly he looked up at her with determination. “Distance doesn’t matter,” he declared.
“Brendan . . .” she began, feeling for some reason like she should argue.