"No, I've seen him about town, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him face-to-face."

Mrs. Mitchell extended her thin, flawless hand, complete with a French manicure and flaunting more dazzling jewelry than a saleswoman on QVC.

Alexander quickly reached his own hand to hers. I felt like he was shaking the hand of the Wicked Witch of the West—without the green skin.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you out in daylight," she stated flatly.

When Alexander and his family moved to Dullsville, Trevor had begun the rumor that the Sterlings were vampires, fueled by Mrs. Mitchell's remarks. I didn't want to give my nemesis's mother any more ammunition for her gossipmongering. Apparently, neither did my mother.

"Alexander's homeschooled," my mother announced.

You go, Sarah Madison, I thought to myself.

"Trevor was seeing a girl from Romania," Mrs. Mitchell said, then turned to Alexander. "I believe she was a friend of yours."

Alexander shrugged his shoulders. "We lived in the same town as the Maxwells, but we didn't see one another much."

"Interesting," Mrs. Mitchell retorted. "Anyway, she seems to have suddenly disappeared."

Then Mrs. Mitchell glared at me and raised one brown-pencil-drawn eyebrow, as if I'd had something to do with Luna's departure—which I did.

"Well, it was great seeing you," my dad interjected, forcing an end to the horribly awkward conversation.

"Of course. Mr. Mitchell will be arriving soon and I must get back to my table before they take it away. It was a delight to see you all," she said, and headed back to her booth.

"Thank you," I mouthed to my father.

We all breathed a collective sigh of relief, for different reasons, as we placed our blue linen napkins on our laps.

As we perused the menus, I racked my brain for a plan.

Just then a bearded waiter came over, recited the specials with a fake English accent, and dashed off with our drink orders.