I rested my head on his shoulder as I fantasized about the Crypt; Alexander was lost in thought, too. I’d put a lot of ideas in his head. I decided to change the subject.
“Our birthdays are just around the corner,” I said. “Becky wants to know what we’re going to do.”
“We should celebrate them together,” he offered.
“That’s what I said!”
“We could throw a joint party,” he suggested.
“Really? That would be the best birthday ever!”
“And I think I know just the place,” Alexander said. “It’s called the Crypt.”
The following day, Becky caught up to me after Language Arts class.
She ran up and grabbed my arm, bursting to tell me major news. “I heard that Dullsville is getting a new club!” she said.
I was shocked. Gossip traveled so fast in Dullsville it was scary. But this breaking news had found its way to Becky particularly fast. I had to wonder if Jagger was spreading it himself.
“What did you hear?” I asked.
“Just that there’s going to be a club — for us!”
“A club? Here?” I acted surprised, but really I was. Not that there was going to be a club — but that the word was out about it already.
“Yes. And you don’t have to be twenty-one to get in. It’s going to be awesome!”
“Did you hear where it’s going to be?”
“No, but as soon as I find out, I’ll let you know.”
The irony was that Becky was telling me about the club I should have been telling her about all along. She was going to scavenge for information that I already knew. I felt guilty not telling her, but until I knew for sure about Jagger’s true intentions, I didn’t want to add gossip to the mill.
“I can’t wait,” Becky said. “It will be fun to have a place to hang out and dance with Matt.”
I froze. My innocent best friend was planning on coming to the club — the one that Jagger would be inviting unknown vampires to?
“You can’t go—” I blurted out. “I mean, I don’t think it will be your type of club.”
“Why not? It’s open to everyone.”
That’s the problem, I thought. Mortals and vampires, too.
Would I have to protect Becky from the modern vampire world forever? It appeared I would, at least for the near future.
“I’m just saying,” I began, “if the popular crowd is hanging out there, then it’s not going to be a fun place for us.”
“It’s supposed to be awesome. Matt and his friends will be going. I’m sure it will be fine — we can hang with just us.
We’ll just keep to ourselves. And besides, clubs are dark and loud. I’ve seen them on TV.”
“Did you hear that there’s going to be a place to rave?” a Prada-bee a few lockers away said to her friend.
“I’ve heard about it,” the friend said. “But I don’t have any info.”
“It would be so cool. We don’t have anywhere we can dance. At least not without a fake ID.” The Prada-bee laughed a snorty laugh.
“Where is it going to be?” her friend asked.
“I heard it’s going to be in that abandoned church.” The Prada-bee spoke in a whisper.
“I was told they’re renting out the country club on Friday nights,” her friend gushed.
“Who is ‘they’?” the Prada-bee asked.
I leaned in.
“I heard they’re going to have it in the graveyard. Surely you’d show up,” Trevor said, spotting me eavesdropping.
“Last to know, as usual?” he asked.
I didn’t even bother with a response.
“Perhaps another highly anticipated event you won’t be invited to?”
“What? You have to be invited?” I asked, breaking my short silence.
“For the opening, of course,” my nemesis said. “They aren’t going to let just anyone in.”
“They are my friends, not yours,” I said. “Believe me, I can make sure you don’t get past the bouncer.” I shut my locker.
“Don’t be so sure,” he said. “I’m on the VIP list.” He slithered up to me so close I could smell the peppermint gum he was chewing. “And if there is a new hot spot club, you’ll be needing a date,” he said coyly. He took my hand and before I could withdraw it, he wrote his number on my palm.
Becky passed me hand sanitizer and I did my best to rub it off.
So the Crypt’s grand opening was by invitation only? Jagger was killer on getting the buzz started. He hadn’t even started to decorate. By the time he did open, he’d have the whole high school lined up around the block waiting to get in.
And I wasn’t sure that was such a great thing after all. The students here would be exposed to unknown vampires.
Once the drinks were flowing and the heat of the dance floor kicked up, who knew which of these mortals would be hanging out with, kissing on, or being driven home by vampires from other towns? And though most of the students had contempt for me and had made my life here in Dullsville hell by either ignoring or teasing me, I couldn’t let their materialistic lives be in danger. And if anyone in this town was going to fall prey to a handsome vampire, it was going to be me.
Becky and I were hanging out on the soccer field’s bleachers shortly after the sun set. I was doodling in my journal, drawing pictures of what I wanted the club to be like and ideas for gifts for Alexander’s upcoming birthday. I was set to meet him in an hour, after he’d awoken and had dinner. I was killing time by doodling as the soccer snobs competitively kicked the black-and-white ball up and down the field against the opposing Tigers.
“Remember when we were here at the game with Sebastian?” Becky asked, referring to when Alexander’s best friend first arrived in Dullsville.
“Uh-huh. .”
“I took a picture. Of you and him.”
“Yes. . I remember,” I said. Then it hit me what Becky had just told me.
“Well, the weirdest thing happened. I was flipping through the photos on my phone and he’s not there.”
“You must not have saved the picture,” I said. “I do that all the time.”
“No — that’s not what I mean. He isn’t in the picture.”
That was what I was afraid of. “You probably moved it,” I told her.
She picked up the phone and showed me. “Look.”
I saw a picture of me, smiling and angled, as if I was leaning my body against someone. Only there wasn’t anyone else in the picture.
“Isn’t that odd?” she said, perplexed.
“Well. . maybe he shifted out of view.”
“I don’t remember him doing that.”
“Or maybe you moved the camera. That happens to me all the time.”
“I know. But the way you are sitting — if he had moved, you would have fallen over. And there is still this space. And if I moved — then there wouldn’t be all this blank space where he’d been. I can’t figure it out.”
“Looks like they are going to score. .” I said, attempting to change the subject.
“Don’t you admit it’s weird?” she stressed.
What was I going to say? You took a picture of a vampire. What do you expect?
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I thought you of all people would freak out. It’s almost like out of a scary movie.”
Becky shoved the picture in front of me again.
