Fangtastic! by Sienna Mercer Read Free Book Online

moment.
    “What?
What is it?” Ivy asked eagerly.
    “Mr.
Slipson,” Olivia told her.
    Ivy
followed her sister’s gaze and saw the school guidance counselor, Mr. Slipson,
waving his arms wildly as he talked to Mrs. Klinter, the computer science
teacher, in front of his office. The buttons were nearly bursting off his
shirt, and a tiny paisley bow tie hung under his enormous chin. “It’s
outrageous!” Ivy heard him cry, his tiny eyeglasses nearly popping off his
round face.
    The
corners of Ivy’s mouth curled. Mr. Slipson was always going off on bizarre
tangents that made no sense, and he was constantly saying things that were
completely alarming but had no basis in reality. He was utterly perfect.
    Ivy
threw her arms around Olivia. “You are seriously the best twin sister I have
ever had,” she said.
    A few
moments later, Ivy was in position next to the guidance counselor. “Excuse me,”
she interrupted him. “Mr. Slipson?”
    “Miss
Vega!” Mr. Slipson bellowed. “I was just telling Mrs. Klinter here about the
problem with toilet brushes.” Mrs. Klinter smiled weakly before fleeing down
the hall as if her life depended on it.
    “Yes,”
Ivy said. “Um, Mr. Slipson, I wonder if I could talk to you about—”
    “Of
course you can talk to me. That’s my job— I’m a listener!”
    “Right.
Well, I’d love your thoughts for a story that Serena Star is doing,” said Ivy.
    “Serena
Star!” Mr. Slipson gasped in delight. “Her ‘Hygiene of the Rich and Famous’
exposé last year was riveting!”
    An
hour later, Ivy walked into the Scribe office with Sophia. This time,
they were the first ones to arrive, except Principal Whitehead and Serena Star
herself.
    “Good
morning,” Ivy said as brightly as she could, taking the seat next to Serena.
    “Good
morning,” replied Serena Star. “As the senior writer here, did you get your
quote?”
    Ivy
leaned closer to Serena and whispered, “Garrick Stephens is just the tip of the
iceberg.”
    Serena
Star’s wide eyes shone with excitement. “Well, I can’t wait to hear what you’ve
learned,” she said approvingly.
    Camilla
came in and went over to the cameraman. “This is that Eighth Dimension book I was telling you about,” Ivy heard her say as she handed him a dog-eared
paperback.
    “Thanks,
Camilla,” the cameraman replied with an appreciative nod.
    The
rest of the staff filed in. Toby sat down on the other side of Serena,
straightened his polkadot tie, and folded his hands on the table in front of
him.
    He
looks confident, thought Ivy, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
    “Let’s
get started,” announced Serena expectantly. “Who wants to go first?”
    Marnie
Squingle raised her hand, and Serena Star pointed to her.
    Marnie
cleared her throat and read from her notebook. “ ‘Justin Fairfax, a Franklin
Grove Middle School eighth-grader who has gym class with Garrick Stephens, told
me—and I quote— “Garrick Stephens has the worst BO ever. He smells like death.”’
” Marnie lifted her face with a look of smug satisfaction.
    “That’s
it?” said Serena.
    “He
smells ‘ like death. ’ ” Marnie nodded. “Isn’t that shocking?”
    “No,”
replied Serena, “not really. Who’s next?”
    Rudy
Preston waved his beefy arm in the air. He glanced at the piece of a paper in
front of him and then folded it up and put it in his pocket.
    He
must have memorized his quote ,
Ivy thought, impressed.
    Rudy
looked around the table and began. “I want to be Serena Star’s assistant
because she is the most beautiful, intelligent, interesting reporter working
today,” he said in a steady voice. “I admire her courage, her sense of justice,
and her perfect smile. I remember the first time I saw her on television. I was—”
    “Time
out,” Serena interrupted. “Is any of this going to be about Garrick Stephens
and his cult?”
    Rudy’s
eyes crossed. “I thought you just wanted the best quote.”
    “Next,”
Serena said dismissively.