by Spencer Baum
“That’s because there’s always at least one bitch at the table,” said Mary.
“Don’t look at me,” said Kim, pointing at Samantha. “She’s the one who’s gonna kill you.”
Keeping her head down, Samantha shoveled a forkful of eggs into her mouth.
“So the current standings have Samantha in the lead, and Mary in the rear,” Edith said. Nicky got the feeling that the old lady was trying to stir the pot.
“That’s right,” said Kim.
“And you’re in second place,” Edith said.
Kim nodded. Gesturing at Nicky, she said, “This one started the semester with a big lead on me, but it turns out she’s terrible at poker.”
Edith looked at Nicky. “The way I understand it, at one time, you weren’t just in second place, you were in first.”
Nicky nodded.
“It truly has been an interesting contest this year,” Edith said. “I expect that people will be talking about the four of you for generations to come.”
“Aw, isn’t that lovely girls?” Kim said. “If we can’t live forever in our own bodies, at least we’ll live on in the stories they tell about us.”
“That is what Coronation is all about,” said Edith. “Immortality, history, and tradition.”
Kim pointed at a bare spot on the wall behind the table.
“What do you think, Mary?” she said. “You want your portrait right there, or would you rather Edith find a place for it in the living room?”
“If you don’t shut your trap I’m going to shut it for you,” Mary said.
“Feisty today, aren’t we?” said Kim.
Mary pushed her chair away from the table and was about to stand up, but Edith put her hand on Mary’s shoulder, holding her in place.
“It’s time for us to speak about the ritual,” she said. “You all have a part to play, regardless of which girl ultimately ends up in this house.”
Still scowling at Kim, Mary took a deep breath and pulled her chair back towards the table.
“At the spring carnival, shortly after dusk, the four of you will be called to stand before your classmates and present your gifts,” Edith said. “I hope all of you have your gift for Daciana already prepared. If not, I suggest you immediately get to work on that. Tradition demands that you give Daciana something special. Something that is meaningful to you, and that will be pleasing to her. I needn’t remind any of you what can happen if Daciana is displeased with your gift.”
“I think we all understand what’s at stake,” Kim said.
The gift for Daciana was a tradition as old as Coronation. The night before prom, each of the girls wearing black honored the queen of the Samarin clan with an extravagant present. In years past, Daciana had received famous works of art, titles to family vacation homes, and large transfers of company stock. The better the gift, the more likely that the girl and her family would receive the favor of the clan in the future.
And God help the girl who gave an underwhelming gift. It was not unheard of for Daciana to change the final results of Coronation after being disappointed with one of her presents.
Fortunately for Nicky, the Network had planned out her gift long before she ever arrived at Thorndike, and it was a good one. There was no doubt in Nicky’s mind that Daciana would love it.
“In addition to your gift to Daciana,” Edith said, “you are each required to gather special items that must be on your person during prom. Three items are required. One item that honors the clan, another that honors the school, a third that honors the Coronation contest. When we do our tour of the house, I’ll give you some examples of what other girls have worn. It can be anything, from your dress to your jewelry, even your underwear.”
“You gals are going to love the tour,” Kim said. “My daddy made me do it a few months ago. It’s truly inspiring. Mary, you in particular-”
“Fuck you, Kim.”
“Hey, that’s your line, isn’t it, Nicky?” Kim said.
“There are a lot of people who’d like to say that to you,” Nicky said.
“You got that right,” said Kim.
“Is it time for the tour?” said Samantha.
“Almost,” said Edith. “First we must do a photograph. If you all would care to line up in front of the fireplace, I’ll take your picture beneath the portrait of Donna Stallworth.”
They stepped away from the table and made their way to the parlor. They lined up in front of the fireplace, Samantha on one end, Mary on the other.
Like four best friends taking a selfie at a party, the girls wearing black placed their arms on each other’s backs and smiled for the camera.
“Beautiful,” Edith said as she snapped the picture. “I expect your photo will become a very popular piece in our collection. The four candidates in what has turned out to be one of the most interesting of all Coronation contests.”
“And it isn’t even over yet,” said Kim.
“Too true,” said Edith. “Shall we begin the tour?”
Chapter 39
The Thorndike spring carnival was a tradition dating back to the 19th century. At one time it was a May Day celebration, but after Daciana and the clan took over the school, the spring carnival morphed into the final Coronation event, where students enjoyed food and fun, and then opened their checkbooks one last time.
Pizza, hot dogs, cotton candy, carnival rides and games, even a dunk tank for the teachers—all of this was merely window dressing for the main event of spring carnival: the kissing booths.
One for each girl wearing black, all of them set up in a row on the north lawn, traditionally, the kissing booths were the final opportunity to give money to one of the Coronation candidates. The idea was simple. Line up in front of the girl of your choice, get out your money, and pay for a kiss. The larger the payment, the better the kiss.
In theory, the kissing booths were meant to keep the contest interesting and competitive right up to the end. In practice, they were usually a school-wide celebration of the eventual winner, with the majority of students lining up for the girl who was already in the lead.
This year was no different. Samantha’s lead was enormous, and the Thorndike senior class was nearly unanimous in its opinion that Coronation was hers. When the kissing booths opened at dusk, a long line formed in front of Samantha’s booth.
Nicky watched as guys and girls alike, one at a time, went up to Samantha, gave her their money, and got a kiss in return. No longer another student among her peers, Samantha Kwan had passed over into the realm of celebrity. People wanted to be near her, and seemed genuinely moved at the chance to kiss her.
The only other booth with any activity was Kim’s, where Marshall, Rosalyn, Andrea, and Vince lined up for a kiss. Kim flashed a plastic smile at each of them, accepted their cash, and gave a quick, eyes-still-open kiss.
Nicky and Mary’s booths were silent, save a single student who decided to wander from one booth to another. Art Tremblay, once a part of Nicky’s grand plan to win, ambled between the booths of all four girls, seemingly unconcerned with the politics of Coronation that occupied his classmates. He started at Samantha’s booth, paying her a pittance that earned him a peck on the cheek. Then he went to Kim, where they had a conversation that began with Kim saying, “Are you kidding me?” and ended with Art saying, “I’d have more money to give you if you hadn’t tied it all up.” Kim kissed Art quickly then sent him on his way. With a grin on his face, he went to Mary’s booth, where, even though he only had a few dollars to give her, he received a passionate kiss in return.
Good for Mary, Nicky thought. If you only get to give out one kiss, might as well make it a good one.
Art seemed a little weak in the knees as he left Mary’s booth, but still he moved on, forging ahead to Nicky.
“May I?” he said, as he neared the front of her booth.
“Does it look like I’ve got anything else to do?” said Nicky.
Art stepped forward, reached into his pocket, and pull
ed out a one-dollar bill.
“This is all I’ve got left,” he said.
“I suppose I should be insulted,” said Nicky, “but at least that’s more than you offered for me at the Date Auction.”
Art laughed. “For real, this dollar is all I’ve got left. My entire supply of liquid assets is right here in my hand. My company accounts have been frozen since October thanks to Kim and my father. I’ve been living off the balance I had in my bank account the day my dad cut me off, and this one dollar bill is all I’ve got left.”
“Am I supposed to be moved by this little speech?”
“Look, Nicky, I know I was rude to you the other day.”
“It’s fine. You have a right to be angry.”
“Yes, I do. But that doesn’t mean…”
Art shook his head and gave an exaggerated sigh. He seemed convinced that he was about to say something profound.
“Last semester, I had feelings for you,” he said.
“I shouldn’t have led you on.”
“Doesn’t matter. My feelings were real. And even though you hurt me, a part of me still has those feelings. I want you to know that.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Art.”
He held out the dollar.
“Will you kiss me?”
“Sure,” Nicky said. “And you can keep your dollar. This one’s on the house.”
She reached out for Art, put her hand on the back of his head, and kissed him. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but it was enough, and when it was over, Art said, “Wow.”
“Go spend your dollar on a hot dog or something,” Nicky said.
“Will do,” said Art.
As he walked away, Nicky turned back to look at the other booths. Mary and Kim were both watching her. Mary had an angry look on her face. Kim was lightly tapping her palms together, like someone clapping at a golf course.
The kissing booths closed at nine o’clock and the students migrated to the courtyard, where the carnival committee had set up a stage for the girls wearing black. Nicky and the others climbed a small staircase to the stage, where they were each given a folding chair to sit on. Once all the girls were seated, a student named Terri Weingarten came onstage and approached the microphone.
“Is everyone enjoying the carnival?” Terri said.
Her voice echoed throughout the courtyard, and the students cheered.
“I’m so glad to hear it,” Terri said. “We on the carnival committee have worked hard to make this event a success, and I’d like to take a minute now to thank a few people.”
As Terri ran through a list of names of people on the committee, four of Daciana’s servants emerged from Sullivan Hall. Each servant carried a wicker basket. Moving quietly, the servants went behind the stage and set down the wicker baskets, one next to each chair.
“Last but not least, I need to thank Amy Thayer for keeping me sane these past three weeks,” Terri said, finishing her introductory remarks.
“And now,” she continued, “we move on to my favorite part of the evening, the presentation of gifts! Would Daciana please come join us on the stage?”
Daciana emerged from the audience and approached the stage. As she made her way up, Terri spoke nervously into the microphone.
“Daciana, on behalf of the carnival committee, and all the students of the Thorndike senior class, I would like to thank you for everything you’ve done for us. Coming to a school like Thorndike is one of the rarest of opportunities, and we, your students, will be forever grateful to you and the clan. As a sign of the undying loyalty of all your students, each of the girls wearing black has a gift for you. I will now turn the microphone over to them, and they will present in order of the current standings, starting with Samantha Kwan.”
Terri stepped aside, and Samantha came to the microphone, carrying the wicker basket that had been placed next to her chair.
“Daciana, you know I love you,” Samantha said. “With all my heart, I will always love you.”
Samantha gave a slow, saccharine speech about the gift of knowledge and the power of education. Then she reached into her wicker basket and removed a single sheet of paper.
“That’s why I would like to give you full ownership of my father’s most valuable patent,” she said.
The students applauded. It was a good gift. Samantha’s father, a scientist, held many industrial patents. Giving one of them to Daciana not only enriched the clan, but it also was a sign of subservience. The Kwan family had selected one of its most valuable possessions, and given it away.
Daciana walked across the stage, accepted the gift, and hugged Samantha, who returned to her seat crying tears of joy.
Kim was next. From her wicker basket, she retrieved a knife that belonged to a 16th century Spanish explorer.
“Fifteen years ago, my father paid three hundred thousand dollars for this knife at auction,” Kim said. “The explorer who owned this knife came to America looking for the fountain of youth. He died, never having found it. He died because the fountain of youth wasn’t here. Not until you arrived, Daciana.”
More applause from the students. As much as they hated Kim Renwick, there was no denying this was a clever gift. Not only was it valuable, but it was the sort of showpiece every vampire loved. An artifact they could proudly display while telling a story to their guests—Nicky could easily envision it hanging on the wall in Daciana’s house
“Thank you, Kim,” Daciana said, accepting the knife and giving Kim a hug.
Like Samantha, Kim returned to her seat with tears in her eyes, but hers weren’t tears of joy. Nicky didn’t know that she’d ever seen Kim cry before. Strange as it was, Nicky felt bad for her. How many years had Kim dreamed of this moment, only to get here and have it be nothing like she expected?
Kim looked at her, her eyes swollen and red. “What are you staring at?” she said. “It’s your turn. Get up there.”
“Right,” Nicky said.
She grabbed her wicker basket and went to the microphone.
“Daciana, I’ll keep this short,” she said. “You’ve been in love with my car from the moment you saw it. It’s yours now. You’ll find it parked in the senior lot.”
She reached into the basket and pulled out the keys to the Vicenza.
“Rock on,” Daciana said, rushing across the stage with a big smile on her face. Taking the keys from Nicky, she whispered, “Very well done. This is one of the best presents I’ve ever received.”
She gave Nicky a hug, and for a second Nicky’s heart was pressed close to Daciana’s, and she felt something.
Family. When she hugged Daciana, she felt like she was part of the family.
Part of Sergio’s family.
Still hugging Daciana, Nicky looked up at the moon, which hung low in the night sky. In twenty-four hours, Sergio would be approaching the house of the winner, preparing to make a new immortal.
Nicky returned to her seat and Mary took the stage. She gave Daciana the title to a vacation cottage in the barrier islands. As Daciana hugged her, she whispered, “There’s no shame in losing the Coronation contest.”
“I know,” Mary responded.
After Mary sat down, Daciana approached the microphone and spoke to the crowd.
“My friends, let us please have one more round of applause for our girls wearing black!”
The students cheered.
“Stand up, ladies,” Daciana said. Nicky and the others rose to their feet, and the applause grew louder. Looking to her left and right, Nicky found herself feeling connected to these girls. She had come to Thorndike to destroy Coronation, but now, as the contest neared its end, she felt like she was very much a part of it.
Daciana waited for the applause to die down, then she returned to the microphone.
“As you all know, the spring carnival ends when I announce the final standings in the Coronation contest. Normally, I would do that right now. But this year is hardly normal, is it? Before we know who will be the next immortal, we mus
t gather in the chapel one final time, and see if anyone has been clever enough to figure out the combination to my safe. My friends, I will see all of you there, and announce the winner when we are done!”
Chapter 40
Ryan had been repeating the numbers of the combination all week long.
In his bedroom at night he said them out loud. In the shower he traced the numbers on the wall using his finger.
In the evenings he sat at his computer, typing the numbers on a document, then erasing them, then typing them again. When he went to sleep, he dreamed about the numbers. When he woke up, he immediately said them aloud to make sure he still remembered them.
Ninety-eight, seventy-seven, nineteen, seventy-one.
A part of him knew he was being ridiculous. It was four numbers. How hard was it to remember four numbers?
He wanted to let it go. He wanted to quit repeating the numbers to himself over and over.
But he couldn’t stop. And the fact that he couldn’t stop was disturbing to him. Why had he become so obsessed? From the very beginning of the semester, when he was beaten up and broken down on a cot in a ratty old house in Alexandria, he had been obsessed with winning Coronation for Nicky. Everything else in his life had become secondary to that obsession.
It wasn’t healthy. But there was nothing he could do. The obsession consumed him.
Nicky must win Coronation. She belongs with Sergio. It is her destiny.
Listening to his own thoughts, he realized those words had been ringing in his mind for months now, playing on repeat, not unlike the numbers that would open the safe.
Ninety-eight, seventy-seven, nineteen, seventy-one. Ninety-eight, seventy-seven…
The numbers blared in Ryan’s mind as he walked into the chapel. This was it. Tonight Daciana would call him up to the altar. He would turn the dials to the correct numbers. He would open the safe and win the enormous prize inside. He would give the prize to Nicky and she would win Coronation.