Vampalicious! by Sienna Mercer

is a lovely person and a talented artist, but I am perfectly capable of choosing my own dates. In any case, there’s no point in my starting a relationship when we’re about to move.”
     
    “But that’s exactly why we—” Ivy began to say, but Olivia stopped her with a look.
     
    It’s no use , Olivia thought sadly.
     
    “Olivia, I’ll drive you home now,” Mr. Vega said. The conversation was over.
     
    During the car ride, Olivia sat staring straight ahead, thinking about how miserably her plan had failed. Next to her, she could hear Mr. Vega occasionally sighing as the streetlights illuminated his pale face.
     
    This sucks , she thought, and she didn’t mean it in the good way vampires did.
     

Chapter 5
    The next day at lunch, Olivia slapped her tray down and slumped into a chair.
     
    Brendan eyed her suspiciously. “Wait a minute,” he said, looking from her to Ivy. “Did you two switch again?”
     
    “No, Brendan.” Ivy rolled her eyes.
     
    “He’s right.” Sophia studied Olivia’s face.
     
    “The real Olivia would never sulk like this.”
     
    Ivy blinked with frustration. “That is the real Olivia!” She waved her black-nailed hands in front of Sophia’s face. “And I’m the real Ivy!”
     
    “Likely story,” said Brendan, unconvinced.
     
    “Will you please tell them, Olivia?” Ivy begged. Something surged through Olivia’s chest, like a crowd doing the wave. “AREN’T I ALLOWED TO HAVE A BAD DAY?” she shouted.
     
    Everybody stared at her, speechless.
     
    “Sorry,” Olivia said softly, wrinkling her nose.
     
    “Ivy probably already told you that last night was a total failure.”
     
    “It’s okay,” Sophia said gently. “There’s always chaining ourselves to Ivy’s mailbox.”
     
    “It was a good plan,” Olivia said stubbornly.
     
    “Even if Alice wasn’t the right girl, there must be someone in Franklin Grove our father could fall in love with!” She angrily broke a celery stalk in half, and Brendan flinched.
     
    “We could try speed dating. We could hold a singles party. You people have online dating services, don’t you? There has to be something we can do!”
     
    “Olivia,” Ivy said, reaching across and touching her hand gently. “It’s a dead end. Even if we had a vamp goddess, we don’t have enough time to make a romance work. Besides, Dad would see it coming from a mile away.”
     
    Olivia nodded grudgingly. She knew her sister was right.
     
    Brendan tapped the table with his fork. “As the only male member of Operation FANGED,” he said, “I hereby pronounce Plan B—”
     
    “Dead,” they all said together.
     
    “Time to come up with Plan C,” Ivy said hopefully.
     
    Aren’t I usually the optimistic one? Olivia thought. “While we’re coming up with plans,” she said, her throat suddenly dry, “can we come up with one to get me out of tonight?”
     
    “Why? What’s happening tonight?” Ivy inquired. “My mom got me a surprise.” Olivia winced.
     
    Suddenly she realized that she had the worst headache ever. “She sprang it on me this morning. We have two tickets to see a show tonight.” Ivy looked confused. “I thought you love the theater.”
     
    “I do,” said Olivia. “Just not shows with flying monkeys in them.” Saying the words “flying monkeys” sent a horrible chill down her spine.
     
    “Flying monkeys?” Ivy turned to Sophia and
     
    Brendan, but they both shrugged. “Olivia,” she said finally, “did you take Bethany’s VitaVamp again?”
     
    Olivia shook her head and a heavy sigh racked her body. “I’m seeing Wicked .”
     
    “Isn’t that like The Wizard of Oz ?” asked Brendan.
     
    “Yes, but from the witch’s point of view,” Sophia told him. “How deadly is that? That show sold out ages ago!”
     
    “I’d kill to see Wicked ,” moaned Ivy.
     
    “Well I’d kill not to,” said Olivia weakly. “I saw The Wizard of Oz once, when I was eight years old, and I’ve had