Chapter 16 Secrets and Sundaes
There was a lot of tension between Billy and me as Alexander drove us home. I didn't know if he'd say anything to Alexander and Stormy about his discovery or what he'd say if he did.
Hey, Stormy - why don't you show up in pictures or reflect in mirrors? I heard him say in my mind.
I kept the conversation moving, and I bantered on about mundane topics and recent movies I'd seen. Anything to keep my brother from talking about what he'd seen - or rather, hadn't seen.
When we arrived home, we were saying our good-byes when Billy spoke up.
"I want that picture, remember?" my brother said to me. "Especially if Stormy is leaving soon, I want a picture of us together."
"I'm not leaving soon," she said for us all to hear.
"It's late," I interjected. "They have to leave. Maybe next time."
But Billy had already placed his phone in Alexander's hand.
Stormy gladly stood next to Billy. It was as if she liked playing the part of the happy mortal.
Alexander looked at me as if I knew what to do. I turned away in frustration.
Alexander took the picture, then handed me the phone. I tried to hang on to it but Billy snatched it from me before I could delete the picture.
"Good night, Stormy," Billy said. "Good night, Alexander."
"Good night," they both said.
Billy went inside, and I knew if I stayed for a long good-night kiss, he'd have that picture already plastered on a social network site.
It was one thing to have Becky know the truth about Alexander and the other vampires' real identities - but quite another for my little brother to know. Could he keep a secret? I'm sure he had already told Henry by now. The two must have been concocting their experiments like young Einsteins.
I blew Alexander a kiss and ran inside.
In the family room, my mom was reading a magazine and my dad was watching college football. Billy was already upstairs in his room. I ran up the stairs and charged over to my brother and tried to grab his phone away from him.
"What are you going toe yt Billy sn do?" he asked. "Kill me?"
"That would be too easy."
"What are you two doing?" I heard my mom call from downstairs.
"So you admit it?" he questioned.
"I admit nothing."
"You saw what I just saw in the alley mirror," Billy said. "Or rather, what I didn't see. You can't explain that away."
"I don't know what you saw," I said. "You need glasses."
"I have twenty-twenty vision," he asserted.
Billy was fiddling with the phone, and I was ready to pounce.
"What reason could there be for not seeing Stormy in a mirror?" he asked.
"You are just plain crazy!" I shouted.
"Like a fox," he said. "I should have known."
"Don't you like Stormy?" I asked. "You think you are harassing me, but don't you see it is her who you are really hurting?" For a moment Billy softened, until he saw the picture on his phone. Then his expression changed.
"It can't be...." he said, his voice trailing off.
"See, I told you that you were a fool."
"This means she's not the only one," he deduced.
"What?"
"You don't have many pictures of Alexander, either."
I didn't want to admit anything to my brother - but I didn't know what to do. I was running out of excuses.
"Why don't you have any pictures of Alexander - that aren't painted - or one that isn't computer generated?" Billy was fixated on me. "Why is Stormy afraid of mirrors?" he went on. "How come she didn't show up in the mirror outside Shirley's? I've never seen Stormy or Alexander in the daylight. And why are they all allergic to garlic?" he asked. "Even their parents were when they came over for dinner." He showed me his phone. There was just a picture of him - and an empty space where Stormy should have been.
"It doesn't mean anything!" I said. "Alexander moved, Stormy moved. Blah blah blah," I defended. "It happens all the time."
"No one moved," Billy argued. "I have another one like it taken on the night of the dance printed out upstairs. That is why Alexander made me a portrait of me and Stormy. Because he knew I'd never have a photo of her."
"So your phone is messed up," I charged. "That explains it all."
Then Billy looked at me right down in my soul. He was gearing up to take me down with his words.
He took the phone and shoved it in front of me.