"That's great." I was really excited for Luna; after all, I was the one who set her up with Romeo, so naturally I wanted them to hit it off. But Luna Seshad a way of turning everything good into something adversarial. Instead of letting me find joy in her newfound happiness, she was tormenting me.
Luna twirled a piece of her Barbie-pink hair around her snow-white fingers. "He said he always liked me but thought I was younger than I am. I think it's because of my smooth skin."
"Yes, that's probably it." I did my best not to roll my eyes.
"And he knows what he wants out of life. He isn't floundering around like the guys in this town - freaking out at commitments. Romeo is mature - he's not a total commitment-phobe, unlike some people around here."
I did my best not to yank her off the barstool.
"I'm so happy you finally found someone," I said like a thrilled parent.
Luna stopped twirling her hair. Her smile stiffened, and I knew she didn't like my crack.
"Well, I'll have you know, we talked all last night about our future - that is, when we weren't making out. Romeo wants to take me downstairs to the covenant altar, bite me, and bond our lives together for eternity. Isn't that dreamy?" She batted her eyelashes purposefully.
My heart dropped. How could they make that decision so quickly? It had only been a few days - nights, in their case. Or was this one of Luna's lies to get me jealous? Or even worse, was this another Maxwell ploy, like it had been with Sebastian, to be bonded without his knowledge? I assumed that Romeo had heard by now that the downstairs club was built right over a Civil War burial site. I wasn't sure if this idea was something real or something Luna made up to spite me.
Instead of being mad, I decided to try the opposite approach.
"I'm the one that fixed you up, remember? I'm so happy that you found love so quickly."
"Oh yeah. That's right," she said as if she was disappointed it had been me who was the one who had found her true-love-for-the-moment. Her scowl brightened, and she gushed like a bride. "Then I have you to thank," she said. "You can be my bridesmaid!" She gave me a fake girlie hug - the kind that the popular girls at Dullsville High give when they greet each other at their lockers, then talk behind one another's backs.
The last thing I wanted was for Luna to beat me to the covenant altar. In Romania, fine. But here in Dullsville? I was first in line. And to be her bridesmaid?
Forget it. I wasn't even going to attend!
The Maxwell twins were known for their tricks. It wasn't too long ago that Jagger and Luna tried to trick Sebastian into bonding with her for eternity. Was Romeo the next ong ll the nee to be taken to the sacred altar unknowingly? That wasn't part of my plan when I had arranged for them to date.
"Does he even know he's the groom?" I charged. "You do have a history of leaving important information out when taking your boyfriends to a covenant altar.
Like the fact that it's on sacred ground."
"He knows. Romeo knows all about the Crypt. And about the burial sites below the Covenant. It was his idea to be bonded, not mine," she said, triumphantly flipping her nose at me. "Can you say the same about your boyfriend?"
Her words stung me. Always giving me a jab about Alexander and my relationship. And she was diverting me from the task at hand.
If Romeo really did want to be with Luna, perhaps it was a good thing. The more she knew that it made me jealous, the faster she'd be to get hitched. Maybe I was thinking about this in the wrong way. The sooner Luna was locked and loaded to some guy, the sooner I could breathe easy that she wouldn't be so stuck on Alexander. So what was there not to like about this plan?
"Sure," I said. "You should do it soon! Before he gets away. You name the time, and we'll go shopping for dresses."
"Well..."
"And even though you just met him, you'll have all of eternity to find out if you guys made the right decision so quickly." Just then, I spotted Jagger coming up from downstairs. "Let's go talk to your brother about the good news," I continued. "We'll make a huge affair for you. We can invite the whole town."
Suddenly Luna's waxlike face flushed cherry red, and her pink lips tensed. She wanted me to be mopey and in a jealous frenzy about her fast-moving relationship and obviously didn't like my enthusiasm.
"I'm not so sure..." she said, her bright tone darkening.
"Yeah, this will be great," I went on. "Alexander can be one of Romeo's groomsmen!" That image hit her hard. Alexander standing on the altar with her but not being the one she was bonding with for eternity. I thought she might explode.
"What?" she said. "Are you nuts? We just started dating!" She hopped off the stool and glared her baby-blue eyes at me. "Gosh, you are so immature!" She threw her hair back again and left me standing alone by the empty stool.
I spun the stool around in victory. I guess I didn't have to worry about Luna's covenant plans for now. I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything with her was tied up for a while into a nice pink-and-black-skull bow, and I could go back to normal - whatever "normal" meant.
up for a while into a nice pink-and-black-skull bow, and I could go back to normal - whatever "normal" meant.
I was starting to leave to join Scarlet and Onyx when someone grabbed my shirtsleeve. I turned back to find Luna suddenly by my side.
"By the way," she said, "I can't wait until Stormy comes here. It's as if the puzzle will be completed. She's like family to me, you know." My heart dropped. Like family to Luna? They were close - that close?
"Uh ... you know Stormy?"
"Know her? I practically raised her. I was her babysitter," Luna exclaimed as if I should have known. "We are like sisters. I guess you couldn't know," she continued. "You haven't even met her."
Now my lips were tensing. How did Luna even know Stormy was coming to town? And why was she so excited?
"She's coming to visit Alexander," I said emphatically.
"I know," she said, almost squealing. "I can't wait!"
This was something I hadn't even imagined. I knew Alexander had been in an arranged covenant with Luna - which he rejected - but I wasn't aware of Luna's history with Alexander's sister.
"I thought you were mortal then," I said. "Wouldn't it be hard to sit for her when she's up all night and you're not?" I was hoping she was lying.
"It was. But I'd stay up all night with her until the Sterlings got home. I was her favorite sitter. I can't wait to see her again!" Jealousy seared through me, this time in a big way. Not only did Luna know about a sister that Alexander had who I'd only recently learned about - but she had already had a relationship with her. I could only wonder what Luna was like as a babysitter. She had to be the coolest one ever. Making Count Chocula treats, telling ghost stories instead of bedtime stores, and sliding down banisters like witches on broomsticks.