"Maybe it's the real estate agency we should change," Mrs. Sterling offered.
There was a slight pause.
"Constantine," Mrs. Sterling began in a soft yet concerned voice. "Perhaps we are making a mistake by putting the Mansion up for sale at all."
"I know, Cassandra. I've been wrestling with that, too. This has not been an easy decision. I've tried to explain that to Alexander,But our lives are inEurope . And now it's time for us to return.All of us. Our home has always been inRomania . We are too old to change all that now."
"I guess you are right. But I do worry-"
"I don't understand it," Mr. Sterling added, changing his tone. "Mr. Berkley said not one person has shown interest. He explained that the townspeople have told him awful things about our home. I'm not sure why anyone would say such things. No one, besides the Madisons , has been inside,"
The floorboard underneath me squeaked so loudly, I thought one would be able to hear it inRomania .
The bedroom door creaked open.
Mr. Sterling appeared, and behind him a very tall and statuesque Mrs. Sterling.
The bathroom doorway that once looked so close now seemed miles away.
"Raven," Mrs. Sterling said, "We didn't know you were here."
"I was just on my way-"
"We've been meaning to talk to you," she said, "now that you've heard about the Mansion going on the market,"
I didn't move.
"I know it must be hard for you, Raven-as it is for us," Mrs. Sterling said in a soothing voice.
I nodded.
"You have done so much for Alexander," she continued. "I know it will be difficult for him being away from you. So you must promise me you'll visit."
Under normal conditions, the thought of going toRomania and seeing Alexander's family would be the thrill of a lifetime. However, if I had a choice, I'd rather vacation inRomania and visit my boyfriend on Benson Hill.
"I promise," I said in agreement.
Alexander appeared at the foot of the stairs.
"What's going on down here?"
"Nothing," Mrs. Sterling said. "We were just passing in the hall."
***
I felt a tinge of sorrow for the Sterlings . They were just as torn as we were about the move. They were making what they thought was the best decision, even if it wasn't the choice Alexander and I would make.
I couldn't concentrate on writing, and Alexander needed a break from painting. It was getting late, so he drove me home.
"I think our plan is working," I said as he walked me to my door. "At this rate, you'll be here longer than the Mansion has,"
Alexander leaned in and gave me a blissful kiss. For the first night in a long time, I actually got a good night's rest.
25
Unfortunately the next guy's face I had to see was Trevor's.
"We haven't answered everything," my nemesis said, finding me on the lawn after school.
"I think you can fill in the blanks," I replied.
"I can give you a lift home. We could do it in the car."
I glared back.
"I mean the assignment," Trevor said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'd rather walk."
"When are you going to admit that you are avoiding me because you're hot for me?"
"When hell freezes over."
"You should know about hell-you live there. How about you step up to the plate and finish the job?" Trevor challenged.
I thought for a moment. I was slightly taken with the idea of having my own goth fashion magazine like Becky and I had discussed, but I couldn't possibly share that with Trevor. I'd only be ridiculed. Instead I said, "Okay, Soccer Boy. Figure out a career for me. Something that will make me money so I can be self-reliant."
Trevor opened his notebook. I could see several typed pages of his essay were already complete.
"What's wrong with a man taking care of you?" he asked."Someone rich.And powerful."
"I already have that." I admitted.
"And blond."
"I like dark hair."
"And popular."
He did have me on that. Neither Alexander nor I were popular.But Trevor Mitchell? He could have been voted prom king in the first grade.
"Isn't fame important to you?" he asked, inching closer."Everyone knowing your name?"
"I think they already do."
"But not for the right reasons," he said with a chuckle.
"I'm not interested in being famous. I'm interested in being me."
Trevor shook his head and jotted a few notes down in his notebook. "So where did we leave off? Do your parents want you to follow in their footsteps? "
"No. Is this over yet?" I whined.
"What do you like to do on a rainy day?" he asked.
"Sit outside."
"What do you like to do on a sunny day?"
"Sleep."
"Do you think of yourself as creative?"
"No."
"You don't?" he asked, surprised. "With the way you dress and make yourself up? I think you've always been creative. Like a clown."
"Do you want me to take you down now? Or do it in front of the class?"
"Calm down. What is your favorite outfit?"
"Hmm.My corset prom dress."
"When you close your eyes, who do you dream about?"
"Alexander."
"If you had one guy in school to kiss, who would that be?" he asked, leaning toward me.
"This isn't on the sheet. None of these questions are, bonehead!"
With Trevor, sometimes it was difficult to keep straight who was kidding who.
"I was just making sure you were paying attention. Fve finished the interview portion. Now I can just write the essay."
"So- we don't have to meet again?"
"I've finished my part," he said coyly, and gave me the completed interview sheet. "Now it's time to finish your questions about me."
Trevor's interview sheet was blank. I quickly jotted down some answers to the questions and handed it to him.
"You won't get an A for handwriting," he said.
Trevor and I rose and dusted the dirt off our jeans. "Our next date will be in front of class," he said.
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of kindness toward him, as he had inadvertently helped Alexander remain in the Mansion.
"I'm off to meet my father," he said as he got into his Camaro . "Did you hear? My dad might buy the Mansion."
I stopped dead in my tracks.
"What did you say?"
Hegrinned a wicked grin. "I was waiting to tell you until after I got my interview portion completed We were talking about the Mansion at dinner last night and how word around town is no one will buy it because it's a hideous money pit. My dad said that the land upon which it sits is valuable property in its own right. It will be cheaper to hire a wrecking ball and bulldozer. Just thought you'd want to know. It'll make a great strip mall."
I was floored. I had no idea my own plan would turn against me. And of course, Trevor was just the person to do it.
"No- you can't buy it!" I said,my body filled with rage. "You can't buy it-and you can't tear it down."
"I know I can't, Monster Girl. But my dad can."
Trevor's father owned half the town ofDullsville . I wouldn't ever want Benson Hill to fall into that half.
"I'll tell my dad to save a few bricks when he tears it down. You can have them as a souvenir. I won't charge you very much, since they're worthless," he said, and rolled up his window and sped off.
26
Iwaited impatiently outside the Mansion's gate. "I need to speak with Alexander," I told Jameson as soon as he opened the front door.
"He's still sleeping, Miss Raven."
I guess Alexander, like me, was finally having a good night's-or in his case, day's-slumber.
"This can't wait." I spoke with authority and urgency.
"I'll see what I can do. Wait in the study."
I paced in the old, dusty, book-filled room. It was several minutes later when Alexander appeared in jeans and a T- shirt.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Everything!"I rushed over to him. "But we have to talk privately."
"The gazebo?" he suggested.a place where no one on earth can hear us."
***
Alexander parked the Mercedes in front of the cemetery's entrance. We hurried toward his grandmothers monument. The only sound we heard were a few crickets chirping.
"There is a buyer for the Mansion," I blurted out when we reached the monument.
"You are kidding!"
"No, and it gets worse. It's Trevor Mitchell's father." "This is awful. I thought our plan was working." "I did, too. He plans to tear down the house and built I a strip mall,"
"Tear it down?" Alexander's warm brown eves turned fiery red.
"I know. It's horrible. We did such a great job of convincing people that the Mansion was a money pit that no one wanted to buy it. Now they just want to tear it down.messed everything up, Alexander. I ruinedeverything "
I sat down on a cemetery bench and covered my face with my hands.
"This isn't your fault, Raven," Alexander said, comforting me. His dark mood brightened. "He hasn't bough I the house yet. There is still time."