“You’re kidding!” Olivia exclaimed with a grin. “Vampires?” Maybe if I can convince Toby that there’s nothing to the vampire angle, Olivia thought, he’ll convince Serena Star.
Toby nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Come on, Toby,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes. “Serena Star might as well be looking for werewolves—I mean, witches,” she added quickly, remembering Ivy and Sophia’s ambiguity on the werewolf front. “You don’t think there’s anything to it, do you?”
“Honestly?” whispered Toby, with a backward glance toward Serena Star. “I’ve known Garrick and those guys all my life, and they are pretty strange. But lots of kids have issues. My father says they’re just looking for attention.” He shrugged. “Nevertheless, I have to do what Serena Star says. This job is a stepping-stone for me. In a few years, I could be the youngest network anchorman in television history.”
Olivia believed he could, too—Toby was nothing if not driven. Suddenly, she thought she heard Charlotte mention Ivy’s name. From the look on Toby’s face, she knew he’d heard it, too. They exchanged glances and edged closer to Serena’s conversation.
“She is like the darkest Goth of all. She’s been wearing nothing but black since before kindergarten—I’ve even seen her wear black socks. Isn’t that gross? I live next door to her house, and sometimes you can see her lurking behind these thick dark curtains. Not that I would ever spy or anything.” Charlotte giggled uncomfortably. “Anyway, if there’s anything bizarre happening in Franklin Grove, I’d bet my poms that she’s behind it. Even Garrick and the Beasts listen to her!”
“And you say this girl’s name is Ivy Vega?” confirmed Serena. Olivia bit her lip.
Charlotte shuddered. “Just the sound of her name gives me the creeps! You should read some of the morbid propaganda she writes in the school paper.”
Serena held up a pink fingernail. “You mean, this is the same Ivy who’s on the school paper?”
Charlotte nodded disapprovingly. “I ask you: What is happening to journalism in our schools today?”
Serena Star narrowed her eyes. “I thought there was something odd about her.” Abruptly, she turned to Toby. “Toby, I want you to follow Ivy Vega’s every move and then report back to me. I want to know every single place she goes, every single person she talks to, and every single thing she does.”
Olivia looked on with dread as Toby said, “Right away, Ms. Star.” He turned and smiled at Olivia. “I look forward to speaking with you again when I’m not working, Olivia.”
“You, too, Toby,” Olivia quavered, as he hurried out of the gym.
I have to warn Ivy that she’s under surveillance! thought Olivia in a panic. Suddenly, Ms. Barnett, the gym teacher, appeared. “What’s going on in here? Ms. Star, this is cheerleading practice, not journalism club. You can talk to my squad some other time.We’ve got some serious cheering to do!” It was nearly 4:30 P.M. Ivy had stayed after school to do homework in the library, but she hadn’t been able to concentrate because she couldn’t stop worrying about Serena Star.
Now she was at her locker, packing up to go meet Sophia at the Meat & Greet. As she slammed her locker door shut, she thought she saw someone dart into a nearby doorway. She stared for a long moment, but no one reappeared. In fact, the hallway was almost completely empty.
This Serena Star thing has made me seriously paranoid, she decided with a shake of her head. In the library, she’d even convinced herself that someone was peeking in at her through the window.
Ivy turned and began making her way down the hall. No matter how many times she told herself nothing was amiss, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following her. Slowly, the hallways started filling up as people finished their clubs and sports practices.
At the corner of the main hall, Ivy set her jaw and abruptly spun around. Twenty feet behind her, a person in a blue shirt slipped behind a tall girl wearing a basketball jersey. The girl obviously found this odd, because she stepped aside to reveal . . . Toby Decker!
“Can I help you?” the tall girl demanded, peering down at Toby, her hands on her hips. Toby nervously caught Ivy’s eye and lunged to bury his face in a nearby water fountain.
Suddenly Olivia appeared at Ivy’s side. “I’ve been looking for you,” she said.
“Apparently you’re not the only one,” replied Ivy. “I think Toby Decker is following me.” She gestured toward the water fountain, where Toby was peering at them as water filled his mouth.
“That’s what I need to tell you,” Olivia murmured in a low voice. “Charlotte told Serena Star that you’re like queen of the Goths, and now Serena’s commanded Toby to follow your every move.”
“What!?” exclaimed Ivy.
“Shhh!” Olivia said and gestured for Ivy to start walking beside her. She spoke out of the side of her mouth. “Act natural. Serena also thinks people here are obsessed with vampires.”
Ivy’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder, only to see Toby snapping a huge telephoto lens onto a camera. She whipped her head back around. “He’s trying to take pictures of us!” she gulped.
“We shouldn’t be seen together like this,” Olivia said.
Ivy agreed with a tiny nod and whispered, “Meet me at the Meat & Greet in thirty.” They split off in different directions down the hall.