Up ahead, she spotted the real Olivia and Camilla sprinting towards the bathroom with all five photographers still after them. She couldn’t see Jackson and Sophia yet, but she was sure they were on their way.
Ivy and Brendan crouched behind a palm tree at the front of the food court and waited.
The paps lurked near the bathroom, waiting for any sign of Olivia and her mysterious friend.
There was a commotion from near the stationery store. It was Jackson and Sophia, with five more paparazzi in tow!
Sophia shouted in a fake British accent, ‘These people are invading my privacy!’
‘They won’t leave us alone!’ called Jackson.
The photographers that had been chasing Olivia and Camilla whirled around to capture whatever was happening.
The shoppers all turned to stare.
‘Help us!’ Jackson cried to a burly man with a bag from the Sewing Store.
He took one look at the mega-famous movie star and turned on the paparazzi, crossing his arms like an angry genie and blocking their path. Two paps got in a tangle, trying to run around him and a third got attacked by an old lady in a purple dress wielding her handbag.
‘It’s working!’ Ivy whispered to Brendan.
‘Wish I was out there with that lady,’ Brendan replied, grinning.
A gaggle of young girls shrieked when they saw Jackson and rushed over, trampling past the fourth pap. He had no chance of a photo now. There was only one left.
He seemed intent on staying in pursuit of Sophia and Jackson, who were almost at the bathroom. Then, a group of parents with toddlers walked past on their way to a coffee shop, sweeping him away.
‘Get out of the way!’ Ivy heard him cry. ‘I almost had an exclusive there!’
The five photographers near the bathroom were laughing at their colleagues, and still snapping away.
‘What’s going on here?’ demanded an overweight man in a bright orange uniform. ‘We don’t want your sort in here!’ It was the manager of the Hummus Are Us deli in the food court.
‘We have the right to be here!’ shouted a pap wearing a green sweater.
As they argued, Sophia and Jackson just had time to duck into the bathroom.
‘Showtime,’ said Ivy.
I may not be an actress, Ivy thought, but if I have to, I can put on a performance.
She shouted across to where the confused photographers were untangling themselves from the crowd.
‘Hey, paps!’ she shouted. ‘That should teach you!’ Then she turned on her heel and ran.
Ivy was hoping that the photographers would be convinced that Olivia had escaped and chase her and Brendan across the food court to catch up.
‘Hey!’ shouted Green Sweater. ‘There they go!’
One glance over her shoulder, and Ivy could see the photographers following.
She and Brendan ran back the way they had come, dodging a family of five, a delivery of beads to the bead shop, and the chocolate kiosk. When Ivy looked back she saw that Olivia’s five paps had been joined by Jackson’s five and now, as they headed out the east entrance to the mall, all ten photographers were in pursuit.
Exhilarated, Ivy shared a grin with Brendan. They were just turning a corner, out of sight of the paps. ‘Race ya!’ she said to her boyfriend, then put on a burst of vampire speed. Her powerful muscles worked overtime, going at least twice as fast as a human’s.
Brendan was surprised, but then boosted his own speed and soon they were practically flying down the street towards the final battleground.
Two blocks later, Ivy checked behind her to see the paps only just turning the corner. She made sure they saw her, and ducked into Patsy’s Pastry Shop, a cosy little store filled with wonderful baking smells, cupcakes with four-inch-high icing and fresh croissants.