Immortal Hearts Page 0,68

in my eyes.

"I'm happy for you but sad for me."

"Please don't think of it that way. You are so much more popular in school now. You are dating a jock. A handsome and nice one."

"But you've always been there."

"And I always will be. You can still drag me to games, and we can do our homework together at night. It's really only a few daylight hours that we'll miss."

"The ones that you missed with Alexander, now we'll miss."

"I'm not choosing him over you or anything like that," I said.

"I know. But we've been friends since third grade. It's just going to be a big change."

"I've seen you grow," I told my best friend. "You don't need me like you did."

"I always will. We're best friends."

"Yes, we are. That won't change. I want you to be there when it happens," I said. "I need you, too."

"Me?"

"Yes, you and Sebastian. You are the only ones we are inviting. And Stormy, of course." Becky smiled as if she was pleased to be the one I was inviting and excited that she'd be there to share it, too. "This is scary - and amazing. I can't believe this will really be happening," she said.

"I know, me too."

"What do I do?" she asked worriedly. "What do I wear?"

"You can wear whatever you want," I said, trying to calm her down. "Whatever you feel comfortable in." She began to spin, trying to think of outfits. "I have a new dress that I bought for fall." She began to spin, trying to think of outfits. "I have a new dress that I bought for fall."

"Whatever you want."

"But what happens at the ceremony?"

"Alexander and I will be at the altar. We'll stand by a coffin. There will be two goblets and some candles. He'll say some words in Romanian about our lives together, and then we'll drink from the cups."

"Okay ... then what?"

"Then he'll bite me."

"Oh, geez," she said. "That's what I was afraid of."

"It will be okay, really." I took her hand.

"I know ... but it's not something I'm used to. I'm used to seeing people kiss at the end of a ceremony." We both laughed, her nervously and me with excitement.

"And then what happens?" she asked as I withdrew my hand.

"Hopefully, I'll be a vampire."

"Just like that?"

"I think so."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Me? Afraid?" I said. "Just of not being one."

"It will be hard," she said, "but I'll be there."

We rose from our swings. She gave me a huge hug, and I knew then what I always had known since third grade - that I had the best friend on earth.

Dullsville had several stores to buy wedding, prom, and other special-occasion dresses but none that catered to cemetery covenant ceremonies. I had to think hard and fast on where to find one. I didn't have time to order one online or to find the fabric and make the perfect dress. One place came to my mind: Jack's Department Store. I'd shopped there before and last year had found a dress left over from Halloween to wear for the first dance Alexander and I attended together -

the Snow Ball. I was hoping I'd get lucky again.

Becky drove me to Jack's and I did a quick tour of the junior department.

"Nothing suitable for the cemetery," I told Becky. She agreed.

"Halloween is over," the clerk said when I asked her about any costumes they might have in stock.

Becky was cowering behind me as I challenged the saleslady. "But don't you have anything left over? On clearance? In the back?" I was desperate.

She shrugged her shoulders. She obviously didn't want to put herself out. But then I saw Jack Patterson, the owner of the store. He held a special place in his heart for me since I helped him sneak into the Mansion for a high school initiation when he was a senior and I was twelve.

"Raven. How are you?" he asked with that same handsome smile he had when I helped him get inside the Mansion.

"I'm fine. How are you doing?"

"And Becky. It's great to see you, t to tour oo."

"Thanks, Jack. It's so nice to see you."

Jack was Matt's uncle, and he was familiar with my best friend as well.

"So what brings you ladies here today?" he asked in a pleasant voice.

"A dress." I couldn't possibly tell him what I needed the dress for, only that I needed one. "I'm looking for a Halloween dress. I was hoping you had something left over. It's only been a few