Olivia couldn’t deny it any more. Being near Jackson made her happier than tofu salads. Her heart raced.
‘Mia, I wish you didn’t have to leave.’
‘Me, too,’ Olivia whispered. She felt herself rising on to her tiptoes, ever so slightly, closing her eyes, then . . .
‘CUT!’ shouted Philippe and the spell was broken.
Olivia sank back on to her heels. She blinked in the glare of the lights and saw all the camera crew staring.
‘Good, good, yes.’ Philippe clapped. ‘Thank you all, ladies. We will think on this, watch these tapes and announce our decision tomorrow.’
Olivia sat down on one of the stools, feeling amazed by the moment she’d just had with Jackson and wondering if she’d done enough to get the part.
‘It’s almost like you were a different person that second time,’ Jackson said, sitting down next to her and swivelling in semi-circles. ‘You were so good!’
All Olivia could do was smile.
Jackson paused. ‘Is now later?’
‘What?’ Olivia had no idea what he meant.
‘Does now count as later? Can I ask you again?’
Olivia realised this must be something that happened when she was switched with Ivy. ‘Sure, you can ask me now.’
‘Well, like I said, I’ve never met anyone like you.’
Olivia’s heart started to pound. Is what I think is about to happen actually happening?
‘You are smart and beautiful and a really good actress.’
Olivia held her breath. Oh my pompoms, it is happening! she realised. Her mouth went dry.
‘Could we hang out off-set, away from all the craziness? Just you and me?’
Olivia gulped. Her movie-star crush was asking her out! Underneath all the Hollywood glamour, he was a normal guy. The kind of normal guy she would love as a boyfriend. It wasn’t like he was a vampire or anything. If he wants to take me out, I’m going to let him, she decided.
‘Yes,’ she said.
‘Yes?’ Jackson replied. ‘Yes!’ He got so excited that he spun all the way round in his chair.
‘Jackson!’ Amy stopped right in front of them, one hand on her hip. ‘Inside Hollywood wants to interview you on camera.’
‘Sorry to rush off. I’ll call you later,’ he said to Olivia and hurried away.
Olivia was stunned.
Camilla came up to her. ‘From the grin on your face, something big just happened.’
Olivia nodded. ‘He asked me out!’ This was major. She had to tell Ivy. She had to tell everyone! No, she shouldn’t tell people. ‘I’m calm,’ she said aloud. ‘I’m not freaking out.’ But she guessed she was smiling like an idiot.
‘I would be freaking out,’ Camilla admitted.
‘OK, I am.’ Olivia needed a rest. Today had been such a crazy day that she needed to sit down and take it all in.
But first she had to get out of the teeny sundress. Brr.
Ivy had slipped out of the back door of the diner. She had to hide out behind a dumpster, while the hoards of cameramen snapped away at the six Mia wannabes and shouted questions at them: ‘What can you tell us about Jackson?’ and ‘Which one of you is best at cooking?’
Olivia was at the opposite end to Charlotte, but Ivy smirked when she saw another candidate toss her hair right in Charlotte’s face.
She didn’t want anyone to catch on that there were two Olivias running around the set, but she didn’t dare risk moving until the Mias had gone back inside and the paparazzi had dispersed.
She dodged behind a truck when two security guards walked past and then hid behind a stack of boxes when she saw a lighting technician. Ivy had to get out of Olivia’s bunny clothes as soon as vampirically possible.
‘Oof!’ As she stepped out from behind the boxes, she ran smack into the broad back of a guy dressed all in black. ‘Uh, sorry.’
He turned around and smiled. ‘I’m not. It’s the closest I’ve got to you in days.’
‘Brendan!’ she exclaimed.
He gathered her up in a hug. ‘You look so cute with a tan.’
‘Ha ha,’ she replied. ‘How did you get on set?’
‘It turns out Jerome is almost as fond of the Breakfast Bun as my girlfriend is.’
Ivy smiled. ‘Well, I’m desperate to change before our double act is discovered.’
He pointed across the parking lot to a dark trailer. ‘I bet that’s someplace no one will see you.’
‘That’s Jessica’s trailer.’ Ivy caught on quickly. ‘Genius! Just wait here and I’ll grab my clothes from the costume trailer. I won’t be able to change there because there’s bound to be some extras hanging around, looking for accessories to “borrow”.’ Ivy ran between trailers to the costume trailer and ducked her head in, grabbing her bag before anyone saw her. Then she raced back to Brendan, crouching low in order to avoid being spotted.
‘Good rescue!’ Brendan whispered.
They looked both ways. No one was coming, so they scurried across to Jessica’s trailer.
‘I’ll be your watch dog,’ Brendan said.
Ivy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, yanked open the door and stepped inside. Jessica’s trailer was dark and, even though it was twice as big as every other trailer on the lot, it was crammed with stuff. Jessica had clearly just stormed off and left everything behind.
There were bunches of flowers, now wilting from lack of water, and a bowl full of chocolate candies with all the colours picked out except the red ones.
‘People actually demand that?’ Ivy muttered.
She switched back into her normal clothes and then rummaged through the drawers of Jessica’s vanity table to find some make-up remover. There were boxes of false eyelashes, bottles of hairspray and fake tan, and even some wart cream.
‘Ew,’ Ivy said.
She found some removal cream and wiped off as much of the tan as she could, until she felt almost herself again.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Brendan outside coughing loudly.
Oh no, Ivy thought. I’ve got nowhere to hide!
She could see out of a side window and there were people milling around outside the trailer opposite. She knew that was Jackson’s trailer; she could see him moving around inside, pausing by his dressing-table mirror.
Ivy watched as he leaned in close to the mirror.
What’s he doing? Ivy wondered.
He was hunched over. His fingers were going to his eye. Ivy gasped as he popped out a contact lens with one finger. CONTACT LENS! Just like the one she put in every day to protect her vampire eyes from the sun.
Garlic clause or no, Ivy thought. This is the evidence I’ve been waiting for! Jackson has to be a vampire.
Chapter Ten
Ivy couldn’t help feeling like she was tied to a stake while Olivia practically floated around her bedroom.
‘It was sweet,’ Olivia was saying. ‘He was so nervous.’
‘I know, but –’ Ivy started.
‘And the look on his face when I said yes!’ Olivia interrupted.
‘Yes, but –’ Ivy tried again.
‘And I couldn’t stop smiling after.’
‘Olivia!’ Ivy said.
‘What?’ Olivia froze in place, holding on to one of the bed posts.
‘You know how you said you wanted a normal boyfriend?’ Ivy began.
Olivia sat cross-legged on her bed and grinned at Ivy. ‘I know, but he is normal. He’s funny. He’s cute. He can quote lines from Count Vira novels.’
Ivy sighed. ‘But what if there is something you don’t know about him?’
‘There’s tons I don’t know about him,’ Olivia said. ‘And I hope I get to find out!’
Ivy had to tell her. ‘I mean, what if he had a special relationship with his dentist?’
Olivia crinkled her nose. ‘Do you mean he doesn’t floss?’
‘No.’ She tried another track. ‘I mean he wears contact lenses.’
Olivia looked confuse
d. ‘I don’t care if he’s near-sighted.’
There was no way to break it gently. ‘Jackson isn’t near-sighted – I think he’s a vampire.’
Olivia’s jaw dropped open. ‘What?’
Ivy went and sat next to her sister. ‘The make-up artist has to order in tons of fake tan; Jackson has a no-garlic clause in his contract and I saw him taking out his contact lenses in his trailer. I’m sure of it. He’s a night-walking, coffin-sleeping, sun-averse vampire.’
Ivy thought her sister’s eyes looked a little watery.
It took a moment, but then Olivia seemed to gather herself. ‘I know you can’t tell who’s a vampire and who’s not, but I never would have thought . . . Well, I mean . . . Jackson? Really?’ She sighed. ‘That explains the burger.’
‘I’m sorry. I had to tell you,’ Ivy said.
Olivia nodded. ‘He was just too perfect, I guess.’ Olivia put her head on Ivy’s shoulder. ‘I think I could’ve gotten over the distance and the chaos, but this . . .’ she trailed off and Ivy felt even worse. ‘Being with a vampire is just not how I see my life playing out.’ Olivia sniffled. ‘It just makes everything way too complicated.’
‘What are you going to do?’ Ivy asked gently.
‘I have to be honest with him. Tell him I know and call it off,’ Olivia said.
‘Are you sure you can’t have a vampire boyfriend?’ Ivy wondered if Olivia was making a choice she’d regret.
Olivia shook her head. ‘I’m just lucky you discovered it now, before we’d had a first real date. I’ve only just found out about all this vampire stuff. A vampire boyfriend is just too much to handle right now.’
Olivia wrapped her arms around herself. Ivy had to give her a big hug. ‘I’m really sorry,’ she whispered. Ivy’s first attempt at match-making had been a complete disaster.
‘Me, too,’ said Olivia. ‘I guess I’ll have to meet him somewhere we can talk without interruptions.’ Olivia crinkled her nose. ‘And I’ve got a good idea where that should be.’
‘It’s good to have you back,’ Brendan said as he and Ivy walked down aisle nine at FoodMart, towards the secret entrance to the BloodMart. ‘Air hockey isn’t as much fun by myself.’
Ivy’s black woolly beanie hat was pulled down over her ears and felt warm and cosy – no more sundresses in winter for her.
‘It has been a crazy past few days,’ Ivy admitted. Staying with Olivia was awesome but she was desperate for some real food. Her dad was coming back tonight, but she couldn’t wait that long. Brendan had promised her a box of Count Cocoa Chew bars, as long as he could eat one right away. ‘It’s almost like the movie was an alien invasion.’
Brendan shook his head. ‘Aliens wouldn’t have lured you away from me with silver bangles and promises of fame and fortune.’
‘Beetroot,’ Ivy said, poking her tongue out at her boyfriend. They were at the STAFF ONLY door and that was the new password. George unlocked the door and they headed down the quiet, dark stairwell.
‘I think my days as an extra are over,’ Ivy said. ‘Especially if Olivia gets the part. They wouldn’t want her double hovering in the background.’
‘When does she find out?’ Brendan wanted to know.
‘Sometime today,’ Ivy said. ‘Probably after her big conversation with Jackson.’ Olivia’s plan to call off their date was completely kooky, but Ivy didn’t want to interfere any more in her sister’s love life.
Ivy checked her watch – Olivia would be meeting Jackson any moment now.
She pushed open the door and made straight for the candy aisle but stopped so suddenly that Brendan bumped into the back of her.
Browsing through the chocolate bars was a blonde bombshell wearing super-high heels and being fawned over by an entourage.
‘It’s . . . it’s . . . Jessica Phelps!’ Ivy stuttered, taking a step back and knocking into a display of Marshmallow Platelets that were on sale. ‘What is she doing here?’ Jessica had stormed off the movie set a few days ago and it wasn’t like Franklin Grove was on the celebrity circuit.
‘Beating us to the last of the Count Cocoa Chews?’ Brendan said, with a longing glance down the candy aisle.
Jessica caught sight of Ivy staring and sighed. Then put on a huge fake smile. ‘Hi, there! Do you want my autograph?’
Ivy was so confused. Why would Jessica be in the BloodMart?
Jessica’s high heels clicked on the glossy floor as she came over, standing a little too close to Brendan for Ivy’s liking. ‘If you don’t have a pen, don’t worry!’ She pulled a pen covered in rhinestones out of her big beige bag and scrawled her name across a box of Puffy Plasma Cookies. ‘There you go!’
Ivy didn’t even like Puffy Plasmas but she took the box so that she could ask, ‘What brings you back to Franklin Grove? Didn’t you quit the movie?’
Jessica tossed her hair, making Brendan duck to avoid getting whacked. ‘There was a huge poll in Celeb Weekly and it turns out my fans would love to see J-Squared – that’s me and Jackson – together on screen. Isn’t that to die for? So I’m taking my part back. No more of that publicity stunt silliness trying to find some amateur.’
‘Uh, yeah,’ Ivy mumbled. ‘Killer.’
Poor Olivia, Ivy thought. That means even if Philippe picks her, she won’t get the part.
It took a second to register, but then Ivy realised: if Jessica was in the BloodMart, that meant . . . she was . . . a vampire!
Ivy’s head started to spin. Does that mean . . .?
Fake tan wasn’t entirely conclusive. And the J-02 could stand for Jessica, not Jackson. Ivy remembered the bowl of red candies in Jessica’s trailer and the fake tan in the drawer.
Maybe Jackson really was near-sighted.
‘Ivy, are you all right? You’re turning pink.’ Brendan put a hand on her shoulder.
‘Uh, hey,’ Ivy said to Jessica.
The movie star put one hand on her hip, and it was clear that Ivy had already worn out her welcome. ‘Is J-Squared a match made in the graveyard?’
‘You mean, is Jackson a creature of the night?’ Jessica laughed like Ivy had just suggested she take a supporting role. ‘Of course not!’
‘No. Of course not. Who would think such a thing?’ Ivy mumbled. ‘Thanks.’
She pulled Brendan into the cereal aisle.
‘Should I take you home?’ Brendan was looking worried, so Ivy had to explain.
‘I’ve done a stupid, stupid thing.’ She shook the autographed box of Plasma Puffs with every word. ‘Jessica is the vampire, not Jackson,’ she said. ‘And that means Olivia doesn’t have to break it off with him.’ There could be a silver lining to this cloud of doom. ‘I’ve got to tell her.’ But then the image of Olivia waiting for Jackson flashed into her mind. ‘Oh no.’
‘You’re turning pink again,’ Brendan said.
Ivy knew that any moment now, Olivia was going to make a big speech to Jackson about why they couldn’t be together – because he was a vampire. But since he wasn’t, it meant that Olivia was about to break the First Law of the Night! There were a tomb-load of reasons Ivy had to stop her.
‘Come on,’ Ivy said, shoving the Puffs in with the Marshmallow Platelets and charging full speed up the stairwell.
‘But what about my Count Cocoa Chew?’ Brendan called after her.
‘If you help me get to Olivia, you can have all the Count Cocoa Chews you like!’
Olivia was perched on the edge of a low stone table in the oldest cemetery in Franklin Grove waiting for Jackson. Even though it was daylight, and Olivia knew that vampires didn’t jump out of the shadows and bite people any more, she didn’t want to wait by herself for any longer than she had to.
She hoped Jackson would understand what she was trying to say by meeting here – she wanted him to understand that she wasn’t freaked out by him being a vampire. It just meant things couldn’t move forward between them.
A dark figure caught her eye, moving from one tree to the next on the other side of the grave
yard.
The figure came nearer and Olivia could see that whoever it was was trying not to be seen.
She slipped off the table, darted behind a statue of an angel and crouched down. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, she thought. Anyone could be wandering around this graveyard!
Then the person stepped out of the shadow. ‘Harker Films’ was written in big bold letters across his jacket. Jackson. He was in his security-guard disguise again.
He was looking right at the table where she’d been sitting. ‘Olivia?’ he called.
He must have seen her waiting there and now was wondering why she’d disappeared. ‘Sorry I’m late. I thought I had some paparazzi following me, so I did a couple of extra loops.’
Olivia felt like a goof ball as she straightened up and stepped out from behind the statue. ‘I, uh, was just doing a little weeding.’
Jackson smiled and came over. ‘You’ll have a tough time doing this whole place by hand.’
‘Oh, no. I just, uh . . .’ Olivia didn’t want her nerves to take over. She didn’t want to say anything stupid. And now that he was here, looking at her with his beautiful blue eyes, she didn’t really want to break it off either. But it was for the best.
‘I’m teasing,’ Jackson said, taking off his hat and looking around with a wry grin. ‘This isn’t exactly what I had in mind for our first date, but the place definitely has atmosphere.’
‘I just wanted to show you that I wasn’t scared,’ Olivia said.
‘OK,’ Jackson replied, but she wasn’t sure he completely understood her point. He leaned against the table next to her. ‘Look, I’ve got something to tell you and I’m pretty sure you’re not going to like it.’
Olivia’s heart went out to him. He was biting his lip and looked pretty worried about what he was going to say. She wanted to spare him the stress. ‘I already know.’
‘You know?’ Jackson looked shocked.
If he hadn’t read the Vamp! magazine article about Olivia and Ivy, then of course it would take him by surprise that a human could be in on the vampire secret. ‘Yes, and it doesn’t bother me.’
05 Take Two - My Sister the Vampire Page 10