The halls were lined with whispering vampires. Carter rolled her eyes; she'd had enough attention for one lifetime. Everyone scurried away as she approached her locker. Inside, her tutors had posted her assignments through the cracks, along with notes from other students.
"I'm glad you're not dead, Carter."
Thanks, Carter thought, screwing up the note and tossing it into the abyss at the back of her locker. She collected her assignments, her folders, everything she would need so that she didn't have to leave her room all weekend and risk being gawked at.
Carter spotted Max across the hall. He smiled towards her, but knew better than to make a scene. She slowly walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling her face into his chest.
"Hi," she muttered.
"I missed you, Carter," he smiled into her hair, kissing the top of her head.
"I missed you," she replied. "Where's Tay?"
"In your room I expect. I went to check up on her an hour ago and she had just come back from the R.C."
"Are we using code names now? Why was she at the Royal Court?"
"Just discussing things with your parents."
"Yeah, that's still weird," Carter declared. "I can't get over any of this. I feel like I need to get a disguise or something."
Max pulled her away from the crowds, walking towards the dorm buildings.
"It will die down in a few days. Melody Parker will probably fall over in the cafeteria tomorrow and then that will be news of the day. You being Moroi and sort of Royal will be yesterday's news."
"I just can't believe Lori turned Strigoi," said Carter. "She admitted to having a dark past and there were people she ran with that weren't good people, but she always said she would never turn."
"Yeah but Lori always said she was your Mom too, and look what happened."
"Yeah, you're right."
Carter pushed her dorm room open, knowing Taylor would be inside. Her sister, twin sister to be exact, sat crossed legged on the bed opposite hers, sorting through the mail.
"Oh my God, Hi!" Taylor rushed to get up and hugged her sister tightly. "I've been waiting up for you."
Carter hugged her in return. "I just got back."
"I thought maybe they were holding you for a while longer?"
"No, Lori gave me some pretty heavy drugs so I don't really remember a lot."
"Hey Max." Taylor smiled, pulling him in for a hug.
"Hey." He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a second too long.
Carter plonked down onto her bed, creasing the letters Taylor had left out for her.
"Oh crap. What are these?"
"Just stuff that came for you while you were gone." Taylor resumed her position on the bed whilst Max sat in the large armchair in the corner of the room.
"It's the forms to change my name," Carter declared.
"Do you know what you're going to change it to?" Max asked.
Carter looked awkwardly to Taylor.
"Don't do anything on my account," said Taylor. "We may be twins but it's your name – I won't get offended."
"Well let's do a process of elimination," said Max. "Carter, do you want to still be named Carter?"
"Yeah – I mean, I think so. I just don't see myself as Lyndon."
"And do you want to be associated with Lori?"
"Not really."
"So if you drop the 'Stevens' and keep the 'Carter'… Did you ever have a middle name growing up?"
"No. Lori didn't believe in middle names, I guess 'cause she didn't have one."
"Probably because it wasn't even her real name," Taylor chimed in.
"So could you see yourself being Carter Lyndon Dragomir?" Max asked.
"But I'm not a Dragomir," protested Carter. "I mean I am by blood, but I'm keeping my status as a guardian."
"Well your legal name and your given name don't have to be the same thing?" Taylor chimed in. "I mean legally I'm Taylor Elizabeth Dragomir, but when I want to go under the radar, I'm Tay Wilson. Same as Max."
"Right, so you could legally be Carter Lyndon Dragomir but socially be Carter Wilson? You could notify the Academy and let them know what you would like to be referred as."
Taylor began ripping up the empty envelopes and tossing them in the trash. "And both ways, you're still Carter."
"I like that idea." Carter smiled, picking up a pen from the bedside table and began filling in the gaps. Suddenly, she looked up. "My middle name was Joan?"
"Seriously?" Taylor laughed.
"Boy, am I glad to be rid of that burden."
Suddenly the bell sounded in the corridor outside, signalling for lights out.
"Max, you should go."
"Actually I'm going to stay," Max declared.
"You wanna stay here?" asked Taylor.
"To be honest, yes. Call me overprotective but I am a guardian…"
"We get it," Carter smiled. "You can have my bed. I'll tail with Taylor."
"Aw man!"
"Come on, it'll be fun. We never got to as kids so we've got a lot of catching up to do."
"Fine," Tay grumbled, shimmying over to make space for Carter.
"You may be pissed about it, but I know you're glad I'm back," Carter said.
"Yeah, I am," replied Taylor, her grown slowly cracking into a smile.
