Abigail Rath Versus Bloodsucking Fiends

to show me how you did that.”
Coral shook her head. “Can’t give away my secret. You’d win for sure.”
Big Mel scooted toward us with a gift certificate for Coral. “Rematch next week?”
Coral studied me. “Yeah. I have to do this for, what, six more weeks?”
“Okay,” I said. “Rematch next week.”
I headed to Vince and Marty. William intersected the rink to cut me off.
“You were great,” he said.
“Thanks.” Even though I was hard core, I knew that winning wasn’t everything. I had done really well on notch six. “Coral was better.”
“She’s not all that.”
“Yeah, she is.”
William smiled. “I can’t say so. She’s my sister.”
Two insanely good-looking new people on the same night? “That makes sense.”
“We’re taking off, but I wondered if you’d be here next weekend?”
“I’m always here.”
“Cool.” He skated away toward Coral and her gift certificate. I was looking forward to seeing him next week. He was really nice, and I felt a little tingle whenever I looked at him.
Horror dawned as I realized that the attraction I felt for William was most likely…a crush! Forget vampires. Talk about something really scary.
On the sidelines, Ned had his arms crossed, body language all hostile. Marty and Vince flanked him on either side. Mrs. Cooper was making a purchase at the snack bar.
“You so deserved to win,” said Ned.
Ned on my side? I was at a loss for words.
“Good job, Abby.” Mrs. Cooper held out a bottle of water and I downed a healthy swig.
“Can’t win all the time,” I said.
“Hmph,” said Ned. He retreated behind his counter.
“Ned likes you,” said Mrs. Cooper.
I wasn’t sure I wanted Ned to be my little vampire friend. “Maybe,” I said.
“Another hour,” she said. “Then we’re heading home.”
“Yes, Mom,” said Vince.
“Did you make a date with Austin Von Trapp?” Marty asked.
“Hardly.” I scratched my elbow.
“Uh-huh.”
If Marty’d been Vince, I’d have slugged her. I was thinking about it anyway. I finished the water and took the bottle up to Ned for recycling. He threw it in a bin behind the counter.  Big Mel was environmental all the way.
“She cheated,” said Ned.
“Don’t sweat it. I’ll get her next time. I just gotta get more limber.”
“I doubt it.”
“Fine,” I said. “Give me,” I glanced through the snack selections, “the corn chips, and I’ll assume we’re back to eying each other with suspicion.”

CHAPTER FIVE
At the Mall,
No One Can Hear You Scream
Every Sunday previous to what we were now calling “the incident,” Dad and I always had special monster hunting training in the man cave. At least that’s what I’d thought it was. This Sunday, Mom announced a new plan. “I thought we would all watch a movie together in the family room.”
“Very good,” said Dad. I had the feeling this conversation had been rehearsed.
“What’s the movie?” I knew it wasn’t going to be a horror film, but if I were lucky, I might get a fantasy or a science fiction film. A future monster hunter could learn a lot from violent space aliens or even evil, mostly dead wizards.
“The ladies at the shop assured me girls your age really like this one.”
“Oh Mom, you didn’t get Dusk?”
Mom’s lips flatlined. “I could hardly get you Dusk.”
“Quite right,” Dad said. “That film’s full of worthless rubbish about vampires.”
“There’s nothing supernatural in this film.” Mom held up the DVD case.
A young woman in an evening gown held hands with a handsome young man in a sort of military uniform. They were gazing at each other. In elegant loopy writing above them was the title: My Princess Vacation.
Dad puffed out his cheeks and blew out a breath. “Looks wonderful. Don’t you think so, Abby?”
“Does she sword fight?”
“Let’s find out,” said Mom. She fiddled with the tech while Dad moved pillows on the couch so she could join him. I took one of the discarded white pillows and slipped it behind my back, so the edge of the couch would not dig into me as I sat on the floor.
This room was all wrong for movie watching. Sun streamed in the windows. I could see Mom’s iris bed outside. I felt like I should be wearing something frilly, and we should be drinking tea. At least popcorn was still in. Nothing too sinister about popcorn.
We watched for a while. This was the plot. American girl goes to Europe with aunt. Aunt is prohibitive, girl is adventurous. She decides she’s going to sneak out at night to go clubbing. Instead, she meets Prince European, slumming at the disco with Duke and Earl, his royal friends.  Cue the night of romance!
Mom paused the DVD. Dad was smothering laughter behind his fist. I was wide-eyed and expectant, looking between one and the other.
“Defying authority is a common plot device in stories and movies,” said Dad. “It often gets the adventure rolling and incites conflict.”
Mom tilted her head, considering. “I don’t like the portrayal of the aunt. Why is it that older women are portrayed as shrill and offensive in film?”
“Don’t worry,” said Dad. “I’m sure she’ll be revealed to be wiser than her years.”
“Or she will be the joke, all the way through.” Mom appraised my expectant self. “No, I don’t think these are the role models I want my daughter to be exposed to.”
I love Mom. I have more affinity with Dad, but there are some things about Mom that are very cool. She is the reason I’m at Wolfcroft. When I was going into the fourth grade, Mom and I talked about my educational future. She cited several statistical studies about how young women excel more when they attend single sex private schools. I had my career to focus on, so it made sense to me.