Secrets and Spies. Sienna Mercer

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      ‘If you really think you can miss weeks of school with no consequences, simply because of your little “acting” career . . .!’

      Hearing Olivia be verbally attacked by the mean guidance counsellor, without being able to step in and help, felt like torture to Ivy.

      Come on, Olivia, she urged silently as she passed back and forth outside the closed office door. Stand up to her!

      Ms Milligan the guidance counsellor was feared all through Franklin Grove High for her vicious lectures. Now it was Olivia’s turn to speak, though.

      ‘I have been taking time off school for my acting work, it’s true,’ Olivia was saying in a calm, confident voice. ‘But I’ve also made sure to get all the reading and homework done for all of my classes. You can check with my teachers, if you like, but they’ve told me they’re happy with my work.’

      ‘Hmm.’ Ms Milligan’s voice sounded sour, as if that were the last thing she wanted to hear.

      Take that, Milligan! Ivy cheered silently, feeling very proud of her twin.

      But Olivia wasn’t finished yet. ‘I can absolutely promise that I will not fall behind,’ she continued. ‘And remember, this is just until I finish this movie. As soon as Eternal Sunset wraps, I’m going to put my acting ambitions on hold until I’ve finished my education.’

      ‘Very commendable,’ Ms Milligan muttered, sounding like she’d bitten into a rotten egg.

      It really is, Ivy thought. She wished she could reach through the door to give her sister a hug.

      For any young actress, a choice between a normal life and Hollywood stardom would be huge . . . and it had to have been even harder for Olivia since her boyfriend, Jackson Caulfield, just happened to be a megastar, who would continue to travel the world shooting blockbuster movies without her. Ivy didn’t know if she would have had the strength to make the same decision in Olivia’s place . . .

      But she was very glad not to be losing her sister again so soon after being reunited with her – and so soon after they’d both finally managed to settle into their new school!

      I’m so relieved Olivia is genuinely happy with her decision, Ivy thought. Otherwise, I’d have to call myself really selfish right now!

      As she turned on her heel to pace back down the hall in front of the office, her gaze landed on an unfamiliar girl hovering nearby, covertly watching everything.

      Wait a minute. Coming to a halt, Ivy blinked. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that girl before.

      People didn’t usually start new schools in October. But this girl looked the same age as Ivy . . . and one of the few advantages of Ivy’s brief, and highly unwanted, stint as Ms Popularity in her new school was that she knew every student, especially those in her own grade.

      At one point or another, they almost all sucked up to me, she thought, cringing at the memories. Thank darkness that’s all settled down now!

      But she definitely did not recognise this girl. And, even more oddly, Ivy couldn’t figure out what social group the girl belonged to.

      With her long auburn hair and pale blue eyes free of kohl, she definitely wasn’t a typical goth . . . but with her plain jeans and dark blue top, she wasn’t an obvious bunny, either. And at Franklin Grove High – the most socially divided place Ivy had ever known – the fact that this girl didn’t wear group colours meant she was practically an alien!

      Inside the office, Ms Milligan had begun to speak again, her tone sharp and angry. ‘You may think you’ve solved everything with your plans, but I’ll be keeping my eye on you, Miss Abbott. And believe me, if your academic performance slips, even for a single minute . . .’

      Ivy’s jaw clenched as she listened. I’d better go talk to the new girl, she decided. Because if I listen to any more of this, I might just go charging in there!

      Forcing a smile, she started forwards. ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I’m Ivy. Are you new in town?’

      ‘Um . . .’ The girl stepped back a pace, but she didn’t look nervous. Instead, she looked annoyed. ‘Sort of,’ she mumbled.

      Ivy raised her eyebrows. What’s that supposed to mean? ‘And . . .?’ she prompted.

      As the silence stretched between them, the other girl sighed. ‘I’m Maya,’ she muttered, her body language making clear what she was not saying out loud: she did not want to be approached unless the school was on fire and she needed directions to the nearest exit.

      So much for my distraction! Ivy sighed.

      After her first few weeks at school, when the other students had treated her like a rock star, it was a relief not to be fawned over any more. But she’d never before seen a newbie flat-out reject a conversation on their first day of school! Maybe Maya just hated the whole world . . .

      No, wait. Ivy stopped herself, taking a deep breath. What would Olivia do? Maybe Maya has just moved to Franklin Grove and she’s homesick.

      As if thinking of her twin could make her magically appear, the door to Ms Milligan’s office swung open, and Olivia stepped outside.

      Oh, my darkness, that hair! Ivy had to put one hand over her mouth to hide her grin. Olivia’s completely frizzed, staticky hair billowed out from her head and clung to the doorway. The beehive style might be gone, but it had left some seriously scary after-effects that, Olivia insisted, only a trip to the salon could fix.

      I can’t believe I’m actually looking forward to going to a salon, Ivy СКАЧАТЬ