The Vampire Stalker

Chapter 15

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I sat in front of the computer, unable to write a word.

This was ridiculous. I needed to write. It was my sanity, my way of releasing all of my pent-up emotions. Instead, I felt like I was in a creative deep freeze.

As usual, Alexander was all over my mind. His kisses had imprinted themselves on my soul — I relived them again and again. He was the one, I realized. The one I would always love. The one that no other guy could ever measure up to.

Katie and Luisa arrived around six, which forced me to get up from the computer. I had invited them to sleep over, hoping some time with my friends would distract me from everything that was going on.

I made our favorite dinner: grilled cheese, bacon, and tomato sandwiches. Luisa brought the movie Fool's Gold, since she worshipped Matthew McConaughey second only to James Banks.

Mom joined us for the movie. I invited Chrissy to join us, too, but her only answer was to shut her bedroom door in my face.

The movie's story line was so ridiculous that we decided it was funny. Mom, on the other hand, gave up halfway through, opting to watch TV in her room. We noshed on chips, and once we'd satisfied our salt fix, switched to brownies for our sugar fix.

After the movie, we chatted about random topics — whether Jake Levine was worthy of Luisa, and whether Katie and I would pass our upcoming Biology test. Luisa wanted to talk about all things Otherworld, but I managed to steer the conversation away with Katie's help. We turned on MTV. There was going to be an interview with Noise Pollution, a band Chrissy loved. I knew she'd be disappointed if she missed it. Since I didn't feel like being ignored, I asked Luisa to tell her. "She won't want to watch it with us, but Mom will put it on for her."

Luisa got up. "You're too nice." And she headed down the hall.

I really wasn't. But if I did a few nice things for Chrissy, she might stop giving me such a hard time. She was too good at holding a grudge. After two weeks, she was still giving me the silent treatment, still slamming doors, still clanging dishes.

Luisa came back. "Chrissy's not there."

"She must be in with Mom. Hang on." I went to Mom's room and opened the door to find Mom dozing in front of the TV. No Chrissy.

Puzzled, I looked toward the bathroom, but the door was open. I turned to my friends, my alarm growing.

"She must've gone through your room and climbed down the fire escape," Katie said, wide-eyed. She knew about Vigo, knew the threat that lurked outside when the sun went down.

I rushed to my room and found my window open. "Unbelievable." Chrissy's grounding ended tomorrow, and she had to go and risk messing it up now? What was she thinking?

I grabbed my phone and called Chrissy's cell, but the voice mail picked up. No surprise there. I texted her: Come home now or call. I haven't told Mom.

Luisa read the text over my shoulder. "You're not going to tell your mom?"

"We'll see. I know how to get Chrissy home." There was no need to panic yet. Madison's cell number was written on the white board in our kitchen. I dialed it.

"Hello?" Madison answered.

"It's Amy."

"Oh." It sounded more like an uh-oh.

"Chrissy snuck out. Is she with you?"

"No. I'm home sick on a Friday night and it sucks. It's not exactly where Chrissy or anyone else would want to be."