After a quick change of clothes, Dani and I were able to get to class before the bell. I took the empty seat next to a girl named Andrea Markson.

"Hey, you jerk!" Andrea yelled. "My boyfriend's sitting there!"

Behind me was her boyfriend, who seemed really pissed at me.

"Howie, this nerd stole your seat!" she cried out.

I swiftly moved out of the way to let him sit down. All of a sudden, someone pulled me to the back of the room.

"First lesson," the kid said, "never associate with the 'Terrible Two-some'. They're risky business."

"Uh... thanks, I guess," I said back.

"The name's Mitch, This here's Nathan and his girlfriend, Carol. We're just waiting for Dani. Know where she is by any chance?"

"Yeah, right over there." I noticed that she was coming towards us. "Here she comes."

Dani smiled. "Cool, I see you're in with the Vamp Crew."

My eyes went wide. "They're vamps, too?"

"Um, DUH! Why else do their teeth look sharp?"

"Oh, right."

"Guys, this is Simon. We kinda 'found' him, I kinda snapped and attacked him, but we were able to save him just in time."

"Nice to meet all of you."

Mitch held out his hand to meet mine. "Same here, man."

Carol shot me a smile as the bell rang. "See ya 'round, cowboy. C'mon, Nathan."

"She's what we like to call a 'dixie chick'," Dani said as we made our way out. "She's a southern belle that knows how to whoop ass and bring on the boys, though she's only fourteen."

"I thought we were all ten here."

"We are, but ten in chipmunk years is fourteen in human years. So we're all fourteen, technically."

Not wanting to bother with the logic, I simply just shrugged.

"Attention students," Vinny called out over the intercom. "This Friday will be our Halloween Ball. Make sure you dress in costume. There will be a contest for best costume. See you then."

"Geez," Dani said. "Sometimes, Vinny can be such a stick in the mud."

"Yeah, I know," Mitch added. "She's a little over the top."

I froze and crossed my arms. "That's my mother you're talking about, you two."

From the looks on their faces, they seemed totally shocked.

Dani was the first to say anything. "She's your mom?"

Mitch laughed. "Damn... Sorry, man. We didn't mean that."

"It's alright. She's usually only like that when she's mad at Alvin."

"So, we shouldn't be worried, then?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Good," Dani said. "I thought she must've just been PMSing or something."

Mitch and I stood frozen.

"It's a girl thing." She turned to join Brittany, Savannah and Jeanette, waving. "See you guys later!"

"So, you going to that dance Friday?"

I sighed. "Probably not. If I am, I'm just going with friends. No big thing."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I was actually gonna ask Dani to the dance. Do you mind?"

"No, I guess not. I mean, we are just friends. And I'm sure it's something you can brag at Nathan about."

Mitch laughed. "That's true."

All of a sudden, the lights in the hallways shut completely off.

"What the hell just happened?" I asked, suddenly full of fear.

"Don't know, man," came Mitch's reply.

The two of us heard a whisper saying, "Get out..."

We ran like hell out of the building and back to our own dorms, where I made a call to the only mystery group I knew.

"Hello, this is the Blake residence," a woman answered on the other end. "May I ask who's calling?"

"Yes, Diane, this is Simon Seville," I told her.

"Oh, Simon! I haven't seen you since you came to Daphne's fashion show!"

"Daphne was actually who I wanted to talk to."

"I'll get her on the line..."

Waiting a second for a reply, I heard Daphne say, "Hello?"

"Hey, Daph. It's Simon."

"Oh, wow! I haven't heard your voice since-"

"I know, Daphne. I know... Listen, I need you guys to come check something out."

"You mean like a mystery?"

"Exactly."

Daphne squealed. "We'll be on our way!"

"Alright, Daph. I'll see you when you get here."

"Bye!"

Well, she seems happy, I thought as I lied down on the couch in my dorm and turned on the TV.