can’t believe this is happening to me, Ivy thought miserably.
Reiko had insisted they play against Skylar Drew and Hayley Winston, two blonde bunny seniors who were tennis-obsessed. Both girls were super-athletic, and had promised to ‘go easy’ on the two freshmen girls but the truth was, they had very little hope of beating two vampires . . . even if one of those vampires didn’t even like tennis.
Why couldn’t I just say no? Ivy asked herself. But she already knew the answer.
She couldn’t be mean to the exchange student. Unfortunately, tactful dodges didn’t seem to work with Reiko; and Reiko – whose hair was a vivid blue today – apparently could not walk past the tennis court without challenging the girls already there to a ferocious game of doubles.
Now, Reiko fired a fast forehand that had Skylar scrambling to return. Ivy swung a half-hearted backhand . . . but a vampire’s half-hearted backhand still sent the ball flying across the court so fast it was almost invisible.
Hayley lunged forwards just in time to return the ball with a clever drop shot. It fell just over the net, and Skylar hooted with triumph before it could even land.
‘Yes!’
No normal player could possibly get to that ball in time . . . but Reiko was no normal player. She raced forwards in a green-yellow-and-blue blur to dive, racquet first and flick the ball back up and over the heads of their opponents. Hayley and Skylar collided into each other as they both leaped for it, collapsing in a tangle of tanned arms and legs.
‘Fifteen-love,’ the umpire announced, staring at Reiko in amazement.
Ouch. Ivy felt a wave of sympathy as she watched the bunnies pick themselves up, groaning. ‘Let’s take a minute, OK?’ she called out. ‘I’m, um, out of breath.’
Hayley and Skylar only waved their assent, panting too hard to talk.
Ivy pulled Reiko aside and lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Hey, cut it out with the super-vamp moves. We’re supposed to be making this game competitive, remember?’
‘No way.’ Reiko grinned. ‘I’m here to win. ’
‘We already are winning,’ Ivy hissed. ‘Plus, if you make any more plays like that last one, we’re going to get some serious questions. A normal human being can’t do things like that!’
Reiko shrugged. ‘I’ll take my game down to ninety-five per cent, but that’s the best I can do.’
Ivy groaned as they took their places once more.
The bunny girls both looked grimly determined to re-balance the score. Skylar fired in a serve that, by human standards, would have been considered “fierce”.
Ivy faked a sneeze, dropping her racquet, and the ball whistled past her head.
‘Fifteen-all,’ the umpire declared.
‘No way !’ Reiko shouted. ‘Ivy, how could you miss that?’
Even the bunnies were frowning. ‘You definitely would have gotten that, if you hadn’t had to sneeze,’ Skylar said. ‘Do you want to replay the point?’
‘No.’ Ivy shook her head emphatically. ‘It’s yours, fair and square.’
‘If you say so . . .’ Skylar looked worried.
Reiko just looked outraged. She shot Ivy a narrow-eyed look, then took her place, ready to receive the next serve.
This time, Skylar hit the ball just as fiercely as before – but Reiko returned it with a double-backhand that burned through the air.
‘Aaahh!’ Hayley fell to the ground with a scream of pain. The ball had hit her on the knee.
‘Time out,’ the umpire said. ‘I guess.’
Ivy threw aside her racquet to leap over the net and crouch beside Hayley. ‘Are you OK?’
‘I . . . I . . . ow !’ Hayley let out a moan of agony as Skylar gently massaged her knee. She closed her eyes, taking deep, ragged breaths as a whispering crowd gathered on the court. ‘I don’t think I can get up by myself,’ she mumbled.
‘She needs a doctor!’ Skylar said.
‘I know first aid!’ called the umpire, running over.
Good. Ivy’s shoulders relaxed. That meant she was free to deal with the other problem.
Ivy turned and shot Reiko a surreptitious death-squint.
‘What were you thinking? ’ she mouthed.
Reiko shrugged sheepishly, but Ivy didn’t spot any real regret on her face. Apparently, Reiko figured that losing the ability to walk was just an occupational hazard for anyone who was foolish enough to play tennis with her.
Gritting her teeth, Ivy started towards the other vampire . . .
But a cry of anguish shattered the air behind her, making her spin around.
The sound came not from Hayley, but from Amelia Thompson, who had shoved her way through the crowd to Olivia’s side. ‘She can’t walk ?’ Amelia demanded. ‘Is that true ?’
‘Sorry.’ Hayley just barely managed to raise herself up on her elbows, with Skylar’s help. ‘I know you were expecting me at the fashion show tonight, Amelia, but –’
‘I wasn’t just expecting you,’ Amelia said. ‘I need you there! You’re modelling our “Altegular” outfit tonight!’
Hayley looked like she might be blinking back tears. ‘I don’t think I’ll even be able to sit in the audience for the fashion show, much less strut down that catwalk.’
‘Ahh . . . ahhh . . .!’ Amelia looked as if she might faint. She grabbed out at Olivia for support.
If it weren’t for Hayley’s pain, and her own anger at Reiko’s carelessness, Ivy might have almost found it funny. She had never seen Amelia get so emotional about anything .
Reiko jogged over, swinging her tennis racquet by her side. ‘It’s my fault Hayley can’t do it,’ she said. ‘So, can I help? I could be her stand-in, if you need one.’
‘A stand-in?’ Amelia straightened, looking Reiko up and down. The despair in her eyes seemed to fade. ‘Yes . . . You might work. You’re about the right size, and I assume you can walk without falling over?’
Reiko raised her eyebrows, obviously taking it as a challenge. Tossing her racquet up into the air, she strutted forwards across the tennis court, catching it seven steps later – while twirling gracefully. ‘How’s that?’
‘Well . . .’ Amelia’s eyes narrowed. ‘It’s a bit more . . . forceful than I’d like, but I guess I can’t be choosy this close to showtime.’
‘Excellent.’ Reiko grinned.
‘Wait!’ Amelia snapped. ‘Your hair might not work.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’ Reiko shrugged. ‘I can change it to any colour you want.’
‘Hmm.’ Amelia considered her. ‘Something dark would be best. Maybe black or . . . no, wait – blood red!’
‘You want red,’ Reiko said cheerfully, ‘you’ll have red!’
‘Ohhh . . .’ Looking uncharacteristically misty-eyed, Amelia wrapped the exchange student in a hug. ‘Such school spirit from someone who’s only going to be here for two weeks. We’re so lucky to have you!’
I’m not sure Hayley would agree, Ivy thought.
Amelia’s phone rang, and she scooped it out of her black leather satchel. As she strode away in her heavy boots, Ivy’s vampire-strong