The following day Matt, Becky, and I met at our lockers, then headed to the gymnasium to purchase prom tickets. We squeezed through the claustrophobically crowded bustling hallways, past the main entrance, and turned the corner to the gym. There I saw something I'd never imagined—a huge line of kids snaking through the hall like the Loch Ness monster.
"Are they selling Rolling Stones tickets, too?" I joked.
"If so, I'm buying," Matt replied as we joined the end of the line. Every Dullsville High student must have been attending the upcoming prom. Some couples were holding hands, a few girls were on cell phones, another pair was having a fight. Matt put his arm around Becky and her face lit up like the New Year's Eve crystal ball at Times Square. I felt a pang in my heart because Alexander wasn't here to put his arm around me.
From my vantage point, I could barely see the entrance to the gym where several student ticket sellers were seated behind a folding table. Fortunately, the line seemed to be moving steadily along toward the destination. Our class treasurer was off to the side holding a clipboard like she was taking a survey.
"Sign-up sheet for volunteers. We need extra hands for the decorations," she said as we proceeded forward.
Becky waved over the girl in charge of our sophomore funds.
"Are you going to sign up?" Becky asked me as she scribbled her name on the paper.
"I don't have much free time these days."
When Becky was finished, the treasurer glared at me, quickly withdrew her clipboard before I had the chance to change my mind, and moved to the end of the line.
"Have you heard about a creepy-looking kid hanging out in town?" I overheard a couple say behind me as we moved a few feet ahead.
I angled my head slightly to get an earful. "Yes," the other answered. "I think he's related to those freaks from Romania that were at Trevor's Graveyard Gala. Supposedly he wanders the streets at night looking for souls."
I leaned back a little farther.
"I heard he was a ghost," the guy gossiped.
"Apparently the caretaker has been finding empty candy wrappers in the cemetery—"
"He wears that nasty goth clothing," she whispered, loud enough for me to hear.
I continued to lean back—this time a little too far. I lost my balance and stumbled back.
"Ouch," Heather Ryan complained. "That was my foot."
"Sorry," I said genuinely as I regained my footing.
If I had been a prep like her, she probably would have laughed it off. But instead she looked at me as if I, too, had just climbed out of the cemetery looking for souls. "These are brand-new Pradas," she whined.
"Well, these are vintage Doc Martens. What's the big deal?"
"I think you may have scuffed them," she said, scowling at me.
I stared at her bright white shoes.
"You should be thanking me. I'd be glad to scuff them some more, if you like."
Her boyfriend laughed.
"It's not nice to eavesdrop," she reprimanded me as if she were a teacher.
"It's even worse to gossip," I snarled. "And very tacky to designer-name drop." We were fast approaching the ticket table. "You still have time to ask someone else," I whispered to her boyfriend.
He laughed again and she slugged him in the arm.
"Come on, Raven," Becky ordered, pulling me away. "It's our turn."
I left the gossipmongers and approached the ticket table.
Becky beamed as Matt bought two tickets.
I pulled out a wad of cash from my Olivia Outcast purse.
"No cutting," I heard the couple say in back of me. I turned around. Trevor Mitchell was standing behind me.
"So have you found a date, Corpse Bride?" he asked in a seductive voice.
"Yes, I have," I said, putting the tickets safely in my purse.
"Your father? Or your first cousin?"
"Alexander," I said confidently.
"That's a shame. I would have escorted you. I could have used it for my community service hours."
Trevor handed the cashier a hundred-dollar bill as Matt, Becky, and I made our exit.
On the way home from school, Becky agreed to stop off at Henry's house.
"Billy Boy left something in the backyard. I'll only be a minute," I said, getting out of her pickup truck.
I raced up the driveway. No lights in Henry's house were lit. I peeked into the garage, empty of his parents' cars. Henry and Billy Boy were at Math Club, so the coast was clear.
I hurried past his gigantic pool and gazebo and ran through the pristinely mowed lawn.
I climbed the treehouse ladder, the rungs creaking with every step of my boots. I reached the treehouse deck and inspected the door.
The amulets were gone.
Shortly after sunset, Alexander arrived at my house to find me pacing on the front walkway.
I kissed him, bursting to tell him my news.
"I went to the treehouse. The amulets—they're gone!" I proclaimed, leading him inside. "Valentine has been back to the treehouse."
"Then we can set a trap. This time, I'll be waiting," Alexander said.
Alexander was giving me a huge squeeze when Billy Boy burst through the front door.
"Look what Henry and I found at the treehouse," my brother declared. In his smarmy little palm he held two shining amulets.
My heart dropped. "Those aren't yours!"
"Well, they certainly aren't yours. Finders keepers."
"Let me see those," I said, reaching for them.
"Here," he said, holding the clasps and letting the amulets swing, as if trying to hypnotize me. "See with your eyes, not with your—"
I tried to grab them, but my brother pulled them away.
"There were four," I said.
"How do you know?"
"Uh…amulets come in four; don't you know anything?" I stumbled.
"Henry kept the other two."
"Well, I think they are more my style than yours. Let me have them."
"Forget it. It looks like they're filled with blood," Billy Boy said with delight. "Henry plans to test them."
I paused.
"Then what will you do with them?"
"Use them for our Project Vampire."
8 The Bat Cave
That night, Billy Boy and Henry were hunkered in our family room, eagerly doing their vampire project while I was making the finishing touches to my hair.
I heard the doorbell ring.
"I'll get it!" I hollered.
I checked myself out in the hallway mirror. I made sure my teeth were lipstick-free and tightened my black lace sash around my waist.
I opened the door to find my dream guy, looking sexy in a shadowy oversized black shirt, silver-seamed black jeans, and combat boots riddled with straps.
Alexander pulled me to him and gave me a hello kiss.
"Alexander's here! I'll see you later," I called to anyone who was listening, and closed the front door behind me.
"Fortunately Billy Boy's in for the night," I said when I reached Alexander's waiting car. "Who does homework on Friday?"
"There's nothing wrong with being studious," Alexander defended, holding the door open for me.
"It is when the ultrastudious one is my brother," I said, half teasing. "I've always wanted a cool brother. Cryptic, clever, dangerous. Not a nerdy one. But I suppose Billy Boy's always wanted to have an honor student for an older sister, so I guess we're even."
I settled into the Mercedes and Alexander pulled out of the driveway.
"Did Ruby come over for dinner the other night?" I asked, checking my eyeliner in the rearview mirror.
"Yes. The old guy is getting to be quite the ladies' man. It's getting harder for me to borrow Jameson's car. He lent it to me for this evening, but he is taking Ruby out tomorrow night."