got the dress out of the bag and began eyeing it instead.
Alexander took the now private opportunity and leaned in and kissed me. His lips were so tender that I became lost in them. Suddenly the car horn honked and we both jumped.
I tried to catch my breath, and Alexander was now frustrated with his sibling. Then we both burst out laughing.
“See, she’s not so mannerly after all,” my boyfriend said. “Thanks so much,” he added as I unlocked the door. “This meant a lot to me.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I said truthfully. “I’ve been waiting for nights like these for all my life.”
8 Surprise Invite
T he following evening at dinner, I was chomping on grilled herb chicken when Billy asked out of the blue, “How long will Stormy be in town?”
“Why?” I wondered.
“The fall dance is coming up at school. I thought I could invite her.”
I was stunned at my brother’s suggestion. First, I couldn’t imagine that my nerdy little brother had become brave enough to ask a girl to a dance, and two, the girl he wanted to be his date was a vampire.
“That would be so nice,” my mom gushed. “I think you should.”
“Sorry. No such luck,” I said. “I think you should go, by all means, but you should ask o Viv>
“Won’t she be in town?” he asked. “It’s this week.”
I knew she’d be in town and I wasn’t prepared to lie, even though it was the easiest solution.
“Uh … yes, she will be. But I don’t think taking her would be a very good idea.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Yes,” my dad said. “I think it’s a great idea.”
“Isn’t there that girl from Math Club that you’d like to invite?” I asked. I remembered going to one of his parties at the library and seeing a girl there who appeared to be really attached to him.
“Yes, but I just thought it would be fun to ask Stormy.”
“I’m dating Alexander. You can’t date his sister,” I said as if it were a fact.
“There isn’t a law against it,” he responded. “Besides, it’s not a date. It’s just a dance.”
“This would be a wonderful opportunity for both of you,” my mom said to Billy. “This will be Billy’s first dance, and Stormy’s first in America. She could learn a lot. I think it would be very special for them both.”
Nerd Boy attending a school dance? I knew he was growing up, and if he’d been someone else’s brother it might have been okay. But he was mine, and I knew his every smarmy quirk. I wasn’t ready to accept he was growing up, and I definitely wasn’t ready to see him falling for a vampire.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “Can we change the subject?”
“Why?” my mom pressed. It was just like her to get her nose into other people’s business—especially mine.
Because she’s a vampire , I wanted to say. But I knew I couldn’t share that information with them.
“She’s Alexander’s sister,” I said instead. “And I don’t want you to cramp my style.”
“You don’t have style!” my brother barked.
“Well, if you don’t think I do, then why do you want to invite Stormy? She dresses like I do.”
“Because…” he started, “I thought it was the nice thing to do.”
I felt awful. It was really sweet of him to want to take Stormy to the dance. But I couldn’t [I c>
Stormy was cool and cute. I could see why Billy Boy liked her, and I believed he genuinely did. But I had to think of a way out of the situation and ensure that Billy wouldn’t want to take her to the dance.
“Well, if she goes, then I do, too,” I threatened.
“I think that just killed the invite,” my dad said.
“I thought so.” I grinned like a chess champion.
“Fine,” Billy said. “But bring Alexander, too.”
My grin soured as I realized who was the champion after all. And it wasn’t me.
“But she can’t go!” I said to Alexander later that evening at the Mansion when I told him about Billy’s invitation to the middle school dance. We were in
Alexander took the now private opportunity and leaned in and kissed me. His lips were so tender that I became lost in them. Suddenly the car horn honked and we both jumped.
I tried to catch my breath, and Alexander was now frustrated with his sibling. Then we both burst out laughing.
“See, she’s not so mannerly after all,” my boyfriend said. “Thanks so much,” he added as I unlocked the door. “This meant a lot to me.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I said truthfully. “I’ve been waiting for nights like these for all my life.”
8 Surprise Invite
T he following evening at dinner, I was chomping on grilled herb chicken when Billy asked out of the blue, “How long will Stormy be in town?”
“Why?” I wondered.
“The fall dance is coming up at school. I thought I could invite her.”
I was stunned at my brother’s suggestion. First, I couldn’t imagine that my nerdy little brother had become brave enough to ask a girl to a dance, and two, the girl he wanted to be his date was a vampire.
“That would be so nice,” my mom gushed. “I think you should.”
“Sorry. No such luck,” I said. “I think you should go, by all means, but you should ask o Viv>
“Won’t she be in town?” he asked. “It’s this week.”
I knew she’d be in town and I wasn’t prepared to lie, even though it was the easiest solution.
“Uh … yes, she will be. But I don’t think taking her would be a very good idea.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Yes,” my dad said. “I think it’s a great idea.”
“Isn’t there that girl from Math Club that you’d like to invite?” I asked. I remembered going to one of his parties at the library and seeing a girl there who appeared to be really attached to him.
“Yes, but I just thought it would be fun to ask Stormy.”
“I’m dating Alexander. You can’t date his sister,” I said as if it were a fact.
“There isn’t a law against it,” he responded. “Besides, it’s not a date. It’s just a dance.”
“This would be a wonderful opportunity for both of you,” my mom said to Billy. “This will be Billy’s first dance, and Stormy’s first in America. She could learn a lot. I think it would be very special for them both.”
Nerd Boy attending a school dance? I knew he was growing up, and if he’d been someone else’s brother it might have been okay. But he was mine, and I knew his every smarmy quirk. I wasn’t ready to accept he was growing up, and I definitely wasn’t ready to see him falling for a vampire.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “Can we change the subject?”
“Why?” my mom pressed. It was just like her to get her nose into other people’s business—especially mine.
Because she’s a vampire , I wanted to say. But I knew I couldn’t share that information with them.
“She’s Alexander’s sister,” I said instead. “And I don’t want you to cramp my style.”
“You don’t have style!” my brother barked.
“Well, if you don’t think I do, then why do you want to invite Stormy? She dresses like I do.”
“Because…” he started, “I thought it was the nice thing to do.”
I felt awful. It was really sweet of him to want to take Stormy to the dance. But I couldn’t [I c>
Stormy was cool and cute. I could see why Billy Boy liked her, and I believed he genuinely did. But I had to think of a way out of the situation and ensure that Billy wouldn’t want to take her to the dance.
“Well, if she goes, then I do, too,” I threatened.
“I think that just killed the invite,” my dad said.
“I thought so.” I grinned like a chess champion.
“Fine,” Billy said. “But bring Alexander, too.”
My grin soured as I realized who was the champion after all. And it wasn’t me.
“But she can’t go!” I said to Alexander later that evening at the Mansion when I told him about Billy’s invitation to the middle school dance. We were in
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