15 Secrets and Spies - My Sister the Vampire Read Online Free PDF Page B

travel books!’ Camilla declared. ‘I take it
all
back about “improv”. You were brilliant!’
    ‘Sorry?’ Olivia stared at her. ‘I thought that you had –’
    ‘Run away?’ Camilla grimaced. ‘I kind of did. But when I saw Lillian heading in the other direction, I thought I’d come back for just one more take – and I’m
so glad I did. You were fabulous! The whole symbolism of “escaping” because of the broken heart . . .’ She beamed. ‘. . . well, it couldn’t
be
more perfect
for the Pall Bearers video!’
    But why does Lillian want to escape?
Olivia could barely force a smile as her friend rattled on and on about the music video.
    If Lillian was secretly unhappy in Franklin Grove . . . what could Olivia do about it?
I can’t say anything to my bio-dad. He’d be devastated!
As for Ivy . . .
    No
, Olivia decided.
I can’t tell her. Not until I have real proof
. Ivy loved Lillian. The thought that their stepmom might want to leave . . .
I can’t scare her
like that.
    And as for Camilla . . .
    Olivia looked at her friend, who was racing on a mile-a-minute about symbolism, and she sighed. Camilla was too focused on her project to be much help.
    It was up to Olivia to keep a careful eye on Lillian . . . and desperately hope that her new stepmom wasn’t planning a
real
escape.
     

    Ivy braced herself the next morning as she stood outside the school guidance counsellor’s office. It was exactly the same spot where she’d overheard Olivia getting
verbally ripped to pieces the day before.
If Ms Milligan hated the nicest person in this school, then what’s she going to think of
me
?
    An investigative reporter never let hostile sources get in her way, though, and neither would Ivy. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.
    ‘If it’s not a disaster, go away!’ the counsellor snapped.
    Grimacing, Ivy knocked again.
    A loud, pointed sigh sounded inside the room. ‘Fine. What is it?’
    Forcing a smile, Ivy opened the door and stepped inside.
    She almost stepped right back out again as she was met by the ferocious glare of the woman at the desk, an expression that made even Ivy’s patented death-squint look like a welcoming smile
by comparison.
    Wearing a no-nonsense grey trouser suit and
huge
glasses, Ms Milligan had to be at least six feet tall, and from the way she was scowling, she looked ready to expel Ivy right that
moment for interrupting her.
    Ivy’s cheeks were starting to hurt from her fake smile, but she forced herself forwards. If she hadn’t been braced for self-defence, she might have laughed when she saw the nameplate
on the desk, which read: ‘Ms N.O. Milligan.’
    Talk about a perfect name
, Ivy thought.
She looks like she’s never said ‘yes’ to anything in her life!
    ‘Well?’ Ms Milligan snapped. ‘What do you want?’
    Ivy cleared her throat.
Vampires don’t get scared of humans
, she reminded herself.
Not even the really angry ones.
‘I just wanted to ask – if it’s
OK,’ she added hurriedly, as Ms Milligan’s scowl deepened, ‘about the new students who’ve just started here? I was thinking of writing an audition piece for the school
newspaper, and I thought I could profile the newbies . . .’ Her voice weakened as she saw Ms Milligan wince with obvious distaste.
    ‘Or, um, maybe their . . . their previous hometowns?’ With a final burst of determination, Ivy finished: ‘It might be a nice way of getting the other students to relate to her
– I mean, to
them
!’
    There
. She finished, almost panting from the effort.
At least one part of that was true
, she consoled herself. She really did want to try to join the school paper.
    But Ms Milligan didn’t look impressed. ‘Unfortunately for your grandiose plans, Miss Vega, the only new student is Olivia Abbott, who I believe is somehow your own sister –
not
that I have
any
interest whatsoever in learning the story of how that could possibly be!’ She snorted. ‘Believe me, what girls your