"It's awesome," Trevor said, handing out flyers. "Nothing in town like it." "This will be cool," one student said. "I'll tell my friends." "I can't wait until it opens."
Nothing was cool in town without Trevor's stamp of approval. Even a few teachers were more interested in the club than they were in shutting down Trevor's makeshift promotional stand.
"I'm all out, people, but I'll have more tomorrow," Trevor said. Students dispersed with their plastic vampire teeth, stickers, and flyers. My nemesis spotted me and his smile grew even bigger.
"So now I'm part owner of a club," he said to me. "I'll definitely have all access. I might even be able to remove your name from the VIP guest list if you're not too careful."
"I don't think that will happen. You aren't that powerful." He got up in my face. "I'm not sure you know all the terms of our agreement," he said, his green eyes blazing through me.
"What does that mean?" I said, squaring off against him.
"The terms and conditions of me becoming part owner of said club, the Crypt. But that's not important now, because I also heard it's not too much longer till your birthday. Then you'll get the surprise you've been waiting for all your life."
"Your funeral?" He laughed.
It was hard for me to make direct eye contact with Trevor after I had had that lust-filled dream about him. I felt that somehow he knew I'd dreamed it - like it showed in my face.
As he packed up his iPod, he said, "I'm missing something, and I think that you might know where it is." "Geez, your brain? Intelligence? A sense of goodwill toward man? We could be here all day." "A certain necklace with a key. I thought you might know where it is."
"Hey - if you need to keep your house key around your neck, then you have bigger worries. Try pinning it to your mittens next time."
"It's not a big deal, really. Jagger can just make me another. Besides, it might have slipped off when I was making out with Scarlet in the woods."
"I'm sure that's what happened." He grasped my wrist. "Don't worry, Monster Girl, you'll get your chance when we have that one dance on opening night. Jagger promised me many things. And that was one."
"Jagger can't promise you anything about me!" I said, withdrawing my arm. "I'm not for sale!" "Fine, then I'll just stop telling people about the club. And tell them about the ghouls who live in the Sinclair Mill instead."
"You said you'd help!" I said, getting in his face. "For a small dance . . . ," he retorted, his gaze softening.
I imagined the Crypt's opening night. The vampires and me standing around, with rooms empty of clubsters. Jagger, Scarlet, and Sebastian tearing down the decorations, packing up their coffins, and driving the hearse, skull Beetle, and Mustang back to Hipsterville.
"Fine, you'll have your stupid dance," I said through gritted teeth. "Just keep posting and handing out those flyers." I turned away and stormed off. "I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking," he called after me. "You'll be begging for more."
Just after sunset, I stormed over to the Sinclair Mill. Jagger was at the bar on his cell while the rest of the gang was hanging out.
"How could you?" I shouted. "What's wrong?" Alexander asked. "He knows what's wrong!" I said, pointing to Jagger. "Me?" Jagger said naively. "How could he what?" Alexander said with great concern. "Sell me off to Trevor!" I was so upset my fists were balled up and my lips were quivering. "It's one dance," Jagger said. "I'm not for sale!" I said. "What did you do, Jagger?" Alexander's pale face flushed red with anger. "Dude, what were you thinking?" Sebastian said.
"That's all he asked for. I tried money, but he said he wanted one dance with Raven on opening night. I figured you wouldn't care. It's just one dance."
"Are you kidding? You've crossed the line!" Alexander rose. "Raven is not for sale." He was face-to-face with Jagger. Alexander was madder than I was.
"I figured Raven wouldn't care. It was for the good of the club, and she was so happy to have it open," Jagger said. "But fine. I'll call him and tell him the deal's off." He picked up his cell phone.
"Stop - " I said. "Don't call him." "Are you crazy?" Alexander exclaimed. "It's just one stupid dance. And it can be a fast dance. And you'll be right next to me," I told Alexander. "I'll be there, too," Sebastian said, to the chagrin of Luna. "And so will I," Jagger added firmly. I was truly touched with my vampire bodyguard entourage. "This sounds exciting now." I beamed. Scarlet was sulking. It should have been her Trevor was asking to dance with. "It's just to get back at me," I said, putting my arm around her. "It's all that boy lives for."
Chapter 15 - Birthday Bash
A year ago today, my mom presented me with two homemade cakes, one in the shape of a one and the other in the shape of a six; Becky gave me a pewter necklace with a tiny charm of a bat; and I heard the news of a family moving into the Mansion on Benson Hill.
The year that followed was a dream come true. Not only did I feel one year older, I felt many years wiser. I'd met and fallen in love with a vampire. I'd been shown the Underworld, his family, his friend, his nemesis, and experienced love on a level that was truly out of this world. It only made me excited for what this next year might bring me.
But most exciting was that the Crypt would be opening tonight. I came downstairs to the sound of "Happy Birthday" being sung at different octaves by my family.
Sweet sixteen had been received with more fanfare than not-so-sweet seventeen. But even so, my family didn't let my birthday go unnoticed.
My dad kissed me on the cheek. My mom gave me a huge squeeze and handed me a card. I quickly opened it to find a birthday check.
My brother slid a card to me across the table where he was eating breakfast. Enclosed was a gift card to our local coffee shop.