I glanced at Billy Boy's Star Wars alarm clock. I didn't have much longer until he would arrive home. I rummaged through his desk drawers, filled with pens, computer games, and software.
I turned on his computer. I tried to access his history page to find out what he and Valentine had searched for, but I couldn't log on. I didn't know Billy Boy's password.
If I were Billy Boy, what would my password be? I typed in "E=MC2" and pressed the RETURN key.
Nothing.
I typed "Maytheforcebewithyou" and clicked on "Enter."
Denied.
Knowing my brother, he probably switched his password every week. Frustrated, I typed in "Billy Boy" and hit
RETURN.
Suddenly the computer signed on. Out of all the passwords--I never dreamed my brother would use the nickname I called him. For a moment, I felt flattered.
Then I heard the front door open and my brother start up the staircase. I glanced at Billy Boy's half-open bedroom door. If I bolted now, he might see me race out of the room. If Billy Boy found out I'd been searching his room, I'd be grounded until prom was over. I switched off his computer, but it seemed like forever until it logged off.
"Come on," I anxiously mumbled.
I could hear him coming up the stairs and down the hallway.
Finally the screen went blank.
I flew over to his closet, quietly slid open the door enough for me to squeeze through, and shut it behind me. Once I was safely inside, I cracked it open slightly.
I saw my brother enter his room.
I sandwiched myself between the wall and his coats. His jackets smelled like dirty air from outside, which was odd because Billy Boy spent most of his time inside his room like a hermit or at Henry's indoor laboratory. I could hear Billy Boy turn on his computer.
Underneath a pair of shoes in front of me, I saw a box marked PROJECT VAMPIRE.
I could hear the pinging sounds of Billy Boy instant messaging.
I quietly opened the plastic case, VAMPIRE'S NOURISHMENT was marked on a Ziploc bag. Inside were the four amulets. Another see-through bag was marked VAMPIRE'S HOME. Inside were two folded gravestone etchings of people's names I didn't recognize. The last bag was marked VAMPIRE. I opened it to find the back side of a three-by-five photo. I turned it over--it was a picture of me.
When I heard my brother leave his bedroom, I poked my head out the sliding door. Billy Boy must be heading downstairs for a snack, I thought. I had just a moment to make my escape. I climbed out of the closet and slid the door shut behind me.
I raced through his room and out the door.
Wham! I plowed into my brother head-on.
"What are you doing in my room?" he asked, stunned from our collision.
"What are you doing in the hallway?" I asked, rubbing my bruised arm.
"You were snooping around! What were you looking for?"
"I was doing a project for school and I needed your school picture. It's called Project Nerd."
I disappeared into my room and left my confused brother standing in the hallway. "Valentine is making his presence known," I told Alexander, who was waiting for me by the Mansion's gate shortly after sunset.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his dark eyes concerned.
"He was at Hatsy's last night."
"You saw him?"
"No, it was all over school. Something strange happened. I guess Trevor still pines for Luna, because he asked Valentine how she was doing."
"What's weird about that?"
Men, I wanted to say. Even after Luna double-crossed Trevor at the Graveyard Gala, her ghost white fairy image was still emblazoned in my nemesis's heart.
"It's weird," I continued, "because Valentine appeared confused. Like Valentine didn't know, himself."
"That is strange."
"It gets more bizarre. Valentine grabbed Trevor's neck like he grabbed mine in the cave."
"In the diner? That's really weird."
"I know..."
"Valentine is thirsting for something," Alexander said, "and if he's becoming this brazen, who knows what he'll do next."
"I'm not sure what he's trying to find out, but one thing is certain--he's searching for it in Henry's tree house, and through me, Billy Boy, and now Trevor." By the time Alexander and I arrived at the Oakley Park fountain, where Billy Boy had told me he'd be meeting Henry and Valentine, the boys were no longer there.
"We don't even have time to make a wish," I said, referring to the lit fountain, where a couple was throwing in a few pennies.
"Where could they be? They couldn't have gone too far."
Alexander led me by the hand and we hurried over to find the swings empty of any mortals, much less middle schoolers.
"There's a stage down there," I said, pointing to an outdoor domed amphitheater. "That's where Luna was waiting for me. They might be hanging out there."
Alexander and I hurried down the grassy hill and hopped over the few small bushes lining the sides of the amphitheater, then darted through the aisles of seats. The darkened stage, barely illuminated by the streetlight, was quiet and appeared empty as we headed around the orchestra pit. Alexander climbed onstage, then offered his hand and pulled me up.
We each searched a wing of the stage. All I found were cluttered chairs and music stands.
By the look on Alexander's face when he met me center stage, he hadn't found anything more than orchestra props on his side.
"We can try the rec center," I suggested.
Alexander nodded. "Point the way."
This time I took my boyfriend's hand and anxiously hurried back through the theater aisles and up a small hill.
We jogged around the fenced-in tennis courts and adjacent hoopless basketball courts, which had been worn down by years of players' squeaking sneakers. Oakley Park's rec center had seen better days. When Becky and I were younger, we spent many summer breaks hanging by the pool, Becky nursing her tan while I sequestered myself underneath a Hello Batty visor and an oversized umbrella. Now that many Dullsvillians belonged to Dullsville's new country club or the Y, the rec center had deteriorated.
The grungy dirt brown metal doors were locked and the handles were secured with padlocked chains. I leaned my head against the dusty windows. The few offices had their shades pulled closed. I peered into the game room. Several pool tables were still in good shape, while the Ping-Pong table was missing a net.
We heard voices.
"What's that?" I asked, pulling on Alexander's sleeve.
He put his index finger in front of his lips.
The voices seemed to be coming from the pool area.
Alexander crept past the pool gate and empty kiddie pool, now littered with leaves and debris, while I tiptoed close behind him. Who knew who we'd find hanging out at a park after hours.