Olivia shook her head, concern overwhelming her earlier embarrassment. ‘This has to stop,’ she said. ‘You can’t hide in cupboards every day for four years, can you?’
‘Maybe not,’ Ivy muttered. ‘But I also can’t give fashion tips to every pale-faced, eyeliner-wearing ninth grader who thinks the Pall Bearers sold out . . . which they did not!’ She straightened, her face darkening with obvious outrage. ‘There’s absolutely nothing wrong with keyboards, no matter what any of those goths want to say!’
‘Ohh-kay,’ Olivia said, and put her hands up. ‘I didn’t criticise your favourite band, though. Remember?’
‘I know.’ Ivy sagged again, the energy seeming to drain out of her. ‘The thing is, I don’t want to change just because of this popularity nonsense . . . but right now, I don’t see how I can avoid it.’
Olivia reached out and took her sister’s hand in hers. ‘Maybe change is just inevitable,’ she said quietly. ‘I mean, look at us. We’re older now, and we’re in a new school, with new people all around us. Well . . .’ she glanced over her shoulder ‘new stationery around us, at the moment. But you know what I mean! We’re going to have to change whether we like it or not.’
Ivy squeezed her hand even as she scowled. ‘I wish I didn’t have to.’
‘Seriously?’ Olivia couldn’t help giggling as she imagined it. ‘Are you telling me you want to be fourteen for the rest of your life, Ivy Vega?’
‘Oh my darkness. No way!’ Ivy shuddered, dropping Olivia’s hand. ‘That would mean I’d be trapped in this school in a time-loop forever and ever. Do you know how long forever is?’
‘I know it’s too long to spend in high school!’ Olivia agreed. Their gazes met, and they both started laughing at once. Olivia darted forwards and wrapped her twin up in a hug. Ivy smelled of the incense she liked to burn, and she felt absolutely perfect to Olivia. ‘It is so, so good to be talking with you again!’
‘Even though it’s one of the most surreal, ridiculous conversations ever?’ Ivy’s arms closed around her tightly.
‘I only have these conversations with you,’ Olivia said honestly. ‘It’s one of the reasons I love them.’
‘Me, too. And we haven’t been talking at all this week, have we?’ Ivy sighed as she let go of the hug. ‘I’m so sorry about what happened in the cafeteria the other day. It was just a situation that slipped completely out of my control. I didn’t know what to do to fix it . . . and then everything got so weird after that.’
‘Don’t worry.’ Olivia smiled reassuringly as she stepped back. ‘It’s all forgotten now. Honestly.’
‘Are you sure?’ Ivy’s eyes looked dark and lost. ‘Things have just gotten so tangled up –’
‘Then we’ll untangle them.’ Olivia gave a firm nod. ‘You’re right, all of this nonsense has come to a head. Luckily, I’m here to help.’
Maybe Olivia didn’t know how to handle Ivy’s level of popularity . . . but she knew someone else who would. And Ivy and Olivia weren’t the only ones who’d changed, this past year.
Ivy’s eyes narrowed. ‘I know that look. Olivia Abbott, what are you planning?’
‘Don’t you worry,’ Olivia said, patting Ivy’s arm. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to get Finn and Amelia together after all – but she could at least help her own sister. And it always felt better to have a plan of action!
‘I know exactly what to do,’ she announced. ‘All that Hollywood training of mine is finally going to come in handy.’
‘It is?’ Ivy looked even more nervous than before. ‘I’m not so sure . . .’
‘I am,’ said Olivia. ‘All we need is an empty house – that’ll be yours, tonight – and . . .’ she braced herself, preparing for a trademark Ivy death-squint ‘. . . Charlotte Brown!’
‘What?!’ Ivy stared at her. ‘Are you serious? You want to ask Charlotte Brown for help with this? The girl who ruled Franklin Grove Middle with a sparkly pink fist? She was our least favourite person there!’
‘I can hardly believe it, either,’ Olivia admitted, ‘but . . . Charlotte may be our only hope at this stage. Can you think of anyone more qualified to give advice about popularity?’
‘Oh, ack.’ Ivy groaned. Her eyes darted furiously back and forth, as Olivia watched, holding her breath.
Finally, Ivy let out a heavy sigh. ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘I’ve run out of ideas of my own . . . so I can’t say no to any plan, no matter how much I hate it.’ She set her jaw, looking as grim as if she were preparing to be marched to her own execution. ‘Let’s do it,’ she said. ‘Let’s bring in Charlotte.’
Chapter Ten
The doorbell to Ivy’s house rang that evening like a warning. She trudged towards it with heavy steps and found Charlotte Brown waiting for her on the porch, looking as pop-star wannabe as ever. The neat suburban lawns of Undertaker Hill were quiet and plain behind her, making Charlotte look even more glitzy by contrast. Her blonde hair was sprayed into perfect waves, and a bright pink leather purse, studded with rhinestones, hung over her arm. All she’s missing is a tiny little dog to ride in the purse! Ivy thought.
‘Ivy Vega.’ Charlotte shook her head wonderingly as she looked Ivy up and down, from her black boots and combat trousers to her silver bat-wing top. ‘If someone had said a year ago that you and I would be voluntarily working together on anything . . . would you have believed it?’
‘Not in a million years.’ Thinking of a thousand different snide comments Charlotte had tossed at her over the years, Ivy drew a deep breath – and then let it out in a whoosh, all her bad memories flooding out with it. ‘But you know what? Since you helped us take down that awful Jessica Phelps last spring, I have no trouble believing it now. And that’s all that matters.’
‘Really?’ Charlotte’s lips quirked into a surprisingly shy-looking smile.