Fashion Frightmare! (My Sister the Vampire) (6 page)

As the music thumped through the building, shaking the walls of the dressing room, each model stepped in turn through the open doorway, heads high and postures perfect. As they passed, just
enough light shone through the doorway to illuminate their dresses for the first time . . .

And Olivia sucked in a breath as she finally saw each dress in its final version.
Wow. These designs are amazing!
If Amelia and Penny were any sign of the calibre of young talents who
would be flocking to Lillian’s establishment after tonight, there was no doubt about it: Café Creative was going to be a hit!

Olivia heard a shaky sigh behind her. As the line continued to shuffle forwards, she turned and found Ivy’s hand in the darkness. ‘
Don’t
be nervous,’ she said
firmly.

‘Me, nervous?’ said Ivy, with a laugh that was a little too loud. ‘I’m just getting myself into “graceful” mode, that’s all.’

As the model in front of her stepped through the open door, Olivia gave Ivy’s hands a gentle squeeze. Squinting through the darkness, she tried to take a good look at her sister’s
dress, but all she could see was a dull, pale shine in the shadows. Still . . . ‘You have nothing to be afraid of. Remember?
No one
can pull off a fabulous goth look the way you
can!’

‘Go!’ Amelia hissed, from the doorway, while Penny made shooing motions with her hand.

Putting on a wide, confident smile, Olivia stepped through the doorway – and tried not to squint as bright light fell across her, after standing so long in the darkness.

Gasps sounded all around her as she strutted, half-blinded, toward the runway. Beneath the thumping music, she could hear murmurs of approval rising around her.
Whatever I’m wearing,
they really think it looks fantastic!

Olivia couldn’t help it. She had to see what final modifications Penny had made to her design! As she stepped on to the runway, she quickly looked down at herself.

Then she jerked her gaze upright again just in time to stop herself from tripping. Her mind whirling, she fixed her smile even more brightly on her face and sauntered forwards, just as
she’d practised in dress rehearsal.

The audience was right – she did look good.

But she’d never expected to look like
this
. . .

A
s the light from outside fell over Olivia, Ivy’s jaw dropped.

I know that dress!

Sleek, black, and mysterious, it was the goth gown Amelia had designed for Ivy . . . which meant that
she
must be wearing the super-bunnified dress that Penny had designed for
Olivia!

‘Stupid broken lights!’ Ivy groaned.

‘What was that?’ Amelia swung around sharply. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘Never mind,’ Ivy mumbled. She’d just have to brave this through – the last thing she needed right now was for the Goth-Queen to have a meltdown!

But I never thought I’d have to walk that runway in front of everybody while wearing pink . . . or is it blue?
She couldn’t even remember – she hadn’t paid
enough attention to Olivia’s gown at dress rehearsal.
Whatever it is, it’s definitely not goth!

‘Go! Go!’ Penny shooed her through.

Ivy tried to smile as she stepped out into the hot, bright spotlights. She had a horrible feeling, though, that her ‘modelling smile’ was coming off more like a sickly grimace . . .
especially after she took a quick, desperate look at what she was wearing.

If only this spotlight was sunlight and I
was
a movie vampire!
Right now, spontaneous combustion sounded
so
much better than half-walking, half-strutting towards the
runway in Olivia’s frilly blue-and-white dress!

Her smile faltered as she stepped up on to the runway and heard the audience gasp. The contrast between her and her goth-outfitted sister, on the other side of the catwalk, must have been
absolutely stunning . . . and it made her want to burst into sky-high flames just to escape!

Olivia’s perfect movie-star/model’s smile never faltered, but as they passed each other on the runway, she mumbled out of the corner of her mouth: ‘Sorry!’

Me, too,
Ivy thought. She bit back a sigh as she took in her sister’s appearance.

Olivia, of course, looked as fabulous as always – but hadn’t anyone ever told her that goths didn’t
do
delighted grins in public?

But then, bunnies aren’t supposed to do scowls, either,
she told herself. With an effort, she tried to notch up her own smile.
At least one of us should match her dress
tonight!

Walking all four points on the x-shaped runway seemed to take forever, with humiliation burning through her at every step . . . but finally, finally, she was finished. Ivy nearly ran down the
steps on the far side to join the other models who had congregated there.

‘And now,’ Lillian announced behind her, ‘our final model, presenting the young designers’ stunning new collaboration: “Altegular”!’

Even Ivy turned around for that.

Reiko’s blood-red hair gleamed in the spotlight . . . but nothing could take the focus away from her stunning dress. There was no whispering this time from the audience – only a
stunned silence as they took in the half-black, half-pink gown, with embroidered clasped hands running along the seams – and Tessa’s deep red pashmina cleverly arranged above it
all.

I bet no one in the audience has ever seen anything like it before,
Ivy thought. She sure hadn’t . . . but she knew exactly what the design of the dress meant, and she
couldn’t help the tiny smile that curved her lips as she took it in.

Together, Penny and Amelia had designed the perfect symbol of how Franklin Grove High had changed for the better in the past few weeks. Goths and bunnies had once been totally separate, but now
those barriers were broken down – and a lot of that was down to Penny and Amelia.

I don’t usually care much about fashion,
Ivy thought,
but this is actually kind of genius
. The choice to accessorise that dress with the priceless pashmina was
alternative
and
mainstream, both at once.

Perfectly Altegular!

Reiko strutted proudly down the runway as the stunned silence was gradually broken by more and more murmurs of appreciation . . . and then a swell of growing applause! As the cheers rose higher
and higher around the runway, Ivy felt her shoulders relax and an actual smile break across her face for the first time in hours.

‘Ohh . . .!’ Olivia’s own grin made her positively glow in the slinky goth gown. ‘Can you believe how great this is?’

Ivy shrugged, still smiling. ‘I guess they were right not to give any previews or hints about this one, huh?’

‘Absolutely.’ Olivia’s eyes never wavered from Reiko, who had struck a fabulous pose to soak in the applause like a true model. ‘This was just the right way to do
it.’

Flashbulbs clicked across the room as the gathered audience raced to snap photos before Reiko could end her turn onstage. As Ivy’s vampire hearing took in all the murmurs around the room,
she had to admit . . .

Maybe this fashion show hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

Ivy shuddered.
Between this bunnified dress and that scary thought, even
I
don’t know who I am any more!

Fifteen minutes later, Ivy was feeling even better, with the spotlights finally turned off and the runway dismantled to let the guests flood all the way into the room. She
might still have been wearing ‘the blue horror’, as she’d privately renamed her gown, but now that she was standing to one side with Olivia and their bio-dad, no one’s eyes
were on her any more.
Thank darkness!

Better yet, Charles looked absolutely giddy with pride in his wife, whose opening night had been truly spectacular. ‘You were both wonderful,’ he said, putting his hands on their
shoulders. ‘And Olivia?’ he turned to Ivy.

Ivy sighed.
Great, I’m a bunny.

‘That’s Ivy, Dad!’ cried Olivia. ‘We put the wrong dresses on by mistake. I can’t believe you couldn’t tell!’

Charles’ eyes widened as he stared at his daughters and then he burst out laughing, ‘Well, I was wondering why Ivy was smiling so much but that explains it! Anyway,’ he said,
turning to the real Olivia, ‘I’m very pleased that I let you talk me into using the Vein of Love as part of the fashion show.’

Ivy blinked. ‘Um . . . should I be grossed out?’

Charles laughed. ‘No, no, it’s only Tessa’s pashmina,’ he explained. ‘It was used at her wedding to fulfil a ritual that’s commonly known as the “Vein
of Love”. Other weddings have used a red scarf or a length of red velvet or silk, but Alex and Tessa’s pashmina worked perfectly for the ritual.’

‘Seriously?’ Ivy traded a wide-eyed glance with Olivia. ‘We were at that wedding, but I don’t remember any . . . “
rituals
”.’

‘No?’ Charles raised his eyebrows, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. ‘Tessa’s pashmina symbolises the deep bond between a prince and princess. Don’t you
remember, at the wedding reception, the moment when Alex and Tessa danced while each holding on to one end of the pashmina?’

‘Ohhh,’ Olivia breathed. ‘
That
was a ritual? I thought it was just a dance.’

‘It wasn’t just a dance,’ Charles told her. ‘It was also an ancient, Transylvanian tradition.’ He smiled faintly, dropping his voice to a whisper. ‘It
symbolised that their love is “everlasting” . . .
immortal
.’

‘Got it,’ Ivy murmured.

‘But . . .’ Olivia looked a little queasy. ‘Why does it have to be the
Vein
of Love? I mean, are vamps so committed to darkness, they have to make even romance feel
just a little bit . . .
bleurgh
?’

‘Ah, now there’s the downside.’ Charles shook his head ominously. ‘If the Vein of Love is ever broken – ruined or damaged – the marriage it once blessed is
doomed to fail!’

‘Yeah, right.’ Ivy scoffed. ‘I don’t see
that
happening, do you?’

Olivia laughed. ‘Even if that superstition was true, there would be
no
chance of it happening with Alex and Tessa! I’ve never seen any couple so in love.’

‘And speaking of
seeing
. . .’ Ivy winced as she glanced down at her frilly white sleeves. ‘We need to go get out of these dresses before I turn permanently
bunnified!’

Laughing, they stepped together into the still-darkened changing room. Someone had finally got hold of a torch, and by the light of its glow, they could see Amelia and Penny stroking the
pashmina fondly as it lay folded over Penny’s arm.

‘I hate to say goodbye to it,’ Penny said wistfully.

‘It was definitely the star of the show!’ Amelia agreed.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Reiko’s voice rang out cheekily from the darkness beyond. ‘It would have been nothing without me!’

Grinning, Ivy rolled her eyes. At least it was good to see that the exchange student had finally recovered from the shock of riding in Jackson Caulfield’s limousine tonight!

‘Do you want me to take the pashmina back to its display for you, as soon as I’ve changed?’ Ivy asked Amelia and Penny. ‘That way, you guys can go mingle and meet
everyone.’

‘You really should,’ Olivia agreed immediately. ‘There are so many people out there waiting to meet the designers!’

‘Thank you!’ Amelia gave the pashmina one last stroke, then stepped away. ‘And thanks again for taking part tonight, you guys.’

‘Actually . . .’ Penny held the pashmina over her arm, biting her lip. ‘If you don’t mind, Ivy, I’ll come with you. I haven’t seen much of the museum yet
– and, this way, I can put off saying goodbye to the pashmina for another couple of minutes!’

Ivy shook her head as she began to change.
Never again!
she promised herself. Putting on her own slinky black gown felt like coming home. She felt like a brand-new ‘Old Ivy’
five minutes later as she set off with Penny through the halls of the museum.

When she flicked on the lights of the display room where her dad kept the pashmina, as part of his Transylvanian history exhibit, Penny gasped.