triumph! And she could
already see how much they’d changed.
Amelia might still be pale of face and goth of fashion, but the stark black of her old attire was broken up with lashings of fabulous purple now. At Amelia’s side, Finn smiled broadly,
apparently in a permanent state of bliss. He obviously knew he was in exactly the right place, with exactly the right girl. Even Amelia, who used to wear a stony expression all day long, kept
breaking out into sunny grins. Although she regularly corrected herself into a tight smirk, as if she were trying to keep up appearances.
Aw
, Olivia thought fondly.
She can’t really help herself!
Amelia’s smirk turned into a look of genuine concern, though, as she looked down at Ivy. ‘Something’s really wrong, isn’t it?’ she asked.
‘Oh . . .’ Taking a deep breath, Ivy shook her head, keeping her eyes lowered. ‘I’m just being silly, that’s all.’
‘You need cheering up.’ Finn scooped his skateboard out of Amelia’s arms and held it out. ‘Why don’t you give this a try?’
Ivy just stared at him, looking as stunned – and wary – as Olivia felt.
Is he serious?
Finn wasn’t usually the type to be mean or sarcastic, but . . .
Oh, what was I thinking?
Meeting Ivy’s eyes, Olivia stifled a giggle.
Of course
Finn was genuine in his offer!
The skater-boy grinned, obviously unoffended by her laughter. ‘Why not?’ he said. ‘It’ll get the endorphins flowing. My gym teacher says that’s a good
thing.’
Despite her concern for Ivy, Olivia couldn’t help the big, goofy smile that spread across her face.
Lincoln Vale isn’t so dangerous after all, is it?
The people of this town
might be a kooky bunch, but most of them were sweet.
‘Thanks, Finn,’ Ivy said, ‘but I’ll pass this time.’
‘If you say so.’ Shrugging, he tucked the skateboard under his arm.
‘We’re on our way to get food,’ Amelia said. ‘Want to join us?’
‘Another time?’ Ivy suggested. ‘We really need to get back to Franklin Grove.’
‘See you at school, then!’ Famelia chorused, and the couple headed off, hand in hand, in perfect harmony.
Ivy jumped to her feet. ‘We should go home,’ she said. ‘Right now.’
Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and walked back towards the escalators. The conversation was clearly over.
Sophia shrugged, her expression hopeless. Olivia’s own shoulders sagged as she watched Ivy step on to the escalators. Her back was rigidly straight, and her fists were tightly
clenched.
She was wound more tightly than ever now their whole crazy mission to find out the truth about Maya had come to nothing. Worse yet, Olivia had no idea how they would even get home from Lincoln
Vale.
Most of all, she just couldn’t believe that Brendan would ever be
that
boy . . . the one who cheated on his girlfriend. Even if Ivy hadn’t been, in Olivia’s opinion,
pretty much the World’s Greatest Human (or
half-
human!), it wouldn’t make any sense.
But she couldn’t deny that something very strange was going on with Brendan. And she couldn’t bear it if he created real heartache for her sister.
Isn’t there enough heartache already in our family?
Judging by Lillian’s recent behaviour . . .
Olivia sighed as she hurried after her twin. Even if Ivy didn’t realise it, there were
two
couples in trouble in their own family, now.
I just have to try to help them
both!
Chapter Five
T hat evening, as twilight spread across Franklin Grove, Ivy started up the steps towards Brendan’s house . . . then turned around and walked
back down.
Stopping at the bottom step, she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
You have to do this
, she told herself.
. . .
But what if he tells me it’s all true?
The question brought a strange, heavy feeling to her stomach. It was the same feeling she used to get when her old middle school had served pizzas with garlic, and she’d taken a bite
without checking.
Tipping her head forwards,
already see how much they’d changed.
Amelia might still be pale of face and goth of fashion, but the stark black of her old attire was broken up with lashings of fabulous purple now. At Amelia’s side, Finn smiled broadly,
apparently in a permanent state of bliss. He obviously knew he was in exactly the right place, with exactly the right girl. Even Amelia, who used to wear a stony expression all day long, kept
breaking out into sunny grins. Although she regularly corrected herself into a tight smirk, as if she were trying to keep up appearances.
Aw
, Olivia thought fondly.
She can’t really help herself!
Amelia’s smirk turned into a look of genuine concern, though, as she looked down at Ivy. ‘Something’s really wrong, isn’t it?’ she asked.
‘Oh . . .’ Taking a deep breath, Ivy shook her head, keeping her eyes lowered. ‘I’m just being silly, that’s all.’
‘You need cheering up.’ Finn scooped his skateboard out of Amelia’s arms and held it out. ‘Why don’t you give this a try?’
Ivy just stared at him, looking as stunned – and wary – as Olivia felt.
Is he serious?
Finn wasn’t usually the type to be mean or sarcastic, but . . .
Oh, what was I thinking?
Meeting Ivy’s eyes, Olivia stifled a giggle.
Of course
Finn was genuine in his offer!
The skater-boy grinned, obviously unoffended by her laughter. ‘Why not?’ he said. ‘It’ll get the endorphins flowing. My gym teacher says that’s a good
thing.’
Despite her concern for Ivy, Olivia couldn’t help the big, goofy smile that spread across her face.
Lincoln Vale isn’t so dangerous after all, is it?
The people of this town
might be a kooky bunch, but most of them were sweet.
‘Thanks, Finn,’ Ivy said, ‘but I’ll pass this time.’
‘If you say so.’ Shrugging, he tucked the skateboard under his arm.
‘We’re on our way to get food,’ Amelia said. ‘Want to join us?’
‘Another time?’ Ivy suggested. ‘We really need to get back to Franklin Grove.’
‘See you at school, then!’ Famelia chorused, and the couple headed off, hand in hand, in perfect harmony.
Ivy jumped to her feet. ‘We should go home,’ she said. ‘Right now.’
Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and walked back towards the escalators. The conversation was clearly over.
Sophia shrugged, her expression hopeless. Olivia’s own shoulders sagged as she watched Ivy step on to the escalators. Her back was rigidly straight, and her fists were tightly
clenched.
She was wound more tightly than ever now their whole crazy mission to find out the truth about Maya had come to nothing. Worse yet, Olivia had no idea how they would even get home from Lincoln
Vale.
Most of all, she just couldn’t believe that Brendan would ever be
that
boy . . . the one who cheated on his girlfriend. Even if Ivy hadn’t been, in Olivia’s opinion,
pretty much the World’s Greatest Human (or
half-
human!), it wouldn’t make any sense.
But she couldn’t deny that something very strange was going on with Brendan. And she couldn’t bear it if he created real heartache for her sister.
Isn’t there enough heartache already in our family?
Judging by Lillian’s recent behaviour . . .
Olivia sighed as she hurried after her twin. Even if Ivy didn’t realise it, there were
two
couples in trouble in their own family, now.
I just have to try to help them
both!
Chapter Five
T hat evening, as twilight spread across Franklin Grove, Ivy started up the steps towards Brendan’s house . . . then turned around and walked
back down.
Stopping at the bottom step, she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
You have to do this
, she told herself.
. . .
But what if he tells me it’s all true?
The question brought a strange, heavy feeling to her stomach. It was the same feeling she used to get when her old middle school had served pizzas with garlic, and she’d taken a bite
without checking.
Tipping her head forwards,
Similar Books
