"Kimber! Kimber, hang on!"
Kimber swung around, stopping and casting the speaker a faint smile as she waited for them to catch up with her. Aja's blue eyes were clouded over and her expression troubled, but she did not look angry, and the redhead felt relieved. Aja was her closest confidant in so many ways, and she was already feeling shaken up enough.
"Did she jaw you out too?" She asked, as Aja came alongside her. Aja shrugged.
"Sort of." She admitted. "But to be honest, I'm not surprised. She just overreacted, that's all."
"Maybe." Kimber frowned. "Aja, what am I going to do now? I know I said that I was going to show Jerrica I didn't need her, but I really don't have any ideas in my head. It was temper talking, but I'm not going back on it. I'm fed up with her trying to run my life." She paused. "You don't think Stormer is using me, do you?"
"No, of course I don't." Aja shook her head. "The Misfits are all difficult characters to get a hold of, but Stormer's not like the rest of them. She's one of the sweetest, most genuine people I ever met and though I'm sure she has a wicked streak deep down, I don't believe she'd betray your friendship." She sighed. "It's very confusing for us all at the moment, not knowing quite how to take things. The trouble is that Jerrica hasn't let herself mingle with them like the rest of us have. She's still wary, whilst we're getting to understand them all the more."
"I saw a different side of Roxy last night." Kimber admitted. "I've always been kinda scared by her and her tough girl attitude, you know? But last night she was laughing and joking and making fun of Stormer and me - it was just like it was the most normal thing in the world for me to be there. She didn't care. And I realised exactly why Stormer is so fond of her. She might be rough and tough and violent sometimes, but she's a lot of fun to hang out with too."
"Yeah, I found that too." Aja pursed her lips. "But Jerrica won't see it. It's all right for Roxy to fix the roadster, but it's not all right for us to hang out with her. I don't know. Your sister needs a vacation very badly indeed, I think Raya had that exactly right. She's going to drive herself into the ground."
"So what am I going to do?"
"I suggest that right now you go home, take a swim in the pool and just relax and think things through." Aja suggested.
"I don't know...I don't want to go back there." Kimber admitted. "Staying under the same roof as her in this mood might not be a good idea, anyway. Think of the girls!"
"True." Aja frowned. "Then where will you go? Starlight Mansion belongs to all of us, Kimber. You shouldn't feel that it doesn't."
"I love Starlight Mansion, I just need a break." Kimber responded. "I think I'm going to beg sanctuary from Stormer, but I'm a little apprehensive about doing that. Pizzazz came back early this morning, and it was hard enough getting out of there without her seeing me. There's no way I could stop there now without her permission. Jetta almost bust a gut at me this morning as it was!"
"Well, if they can't help you, promise me that you'll come home." Aja begged.
"All right, I promise." Kimber agreed. "But I meant what I said about quitting, Aja. I don't want to be a Hologram right at the moment. I've always loved the group and our music but it's becoming such a chore - like a really bad summer class at high school which you only do because you need extra credit to pass!"
"Kimber, the Holograms aren't likely to be doing any playing for a while, anyway." Aja said quietly. Kimber looked startled.
"Huh?"
"Jerrica...pretty much threw me out." Aja admitted.
"What?" Kimber's jaw dropped.
"She said if I came after you I would be out of the band." Aja shrugged. A small smile touched Kimber's face.
"But you still came."
"Of course I did." Aja responded. "You're my sister and that's more important to me. Jerrica shouldn't have hit you, either. She needs time out to cool down and I wanted to make sure you were okay." She smiled. "If the Holograms are strong enough, things will work out somehow. If not, then I don't regret it. You mean more to me than the band, anyway."
"Maybe I really will go solo." Kimber looked thoughtful. "I could, you know. I can write, I can play, I'm talented enough. Dad always hinted that he'd promote me as a solo artist if it was what I wanted when I graduated. Even that jerk Eric Raymond tried to lure me away for a solo deal. I'm not saying I'd ever get involved in anything he ran, Aja," As her companion looked anxious, "But it means that other people think I have the potential to do it, too. I've struck out on my own before, too. I think I can do this."
"Don't jump into anything. Think it through first." Aja warned. "You won't have Stormer this time - I don't think she's looking to leave the Misfits."
"I know, and I wouldn't ask her to." Kimber responded. "Don't worry, Aja. Whatever I decide, I'll think it through." She dimpled. "Hey, though, here's an outrageous idea for the time being."
"Go on." Aja fixed her sister with a thoughtful look. "What kind of idea?"
"How about you and I team up and release a record, huh? We have our song...we could do this."
"I dunno, Kimber..."
"Look, the music company is half mine, and you're clever, you could handle the business junk that we'd need, right? We'd not have any trouble, and our song rocks, you know that!"
"Yes, maybe, but the problem was already that we didn't have enough musicians. How are we going to lay down the track with just two of us?"
"Let me think about it. I'll work something out." Kimber decided. "In the meantime, shall we go get ice cream and discuss it? I could use a banana split."
"Sounds good." Aja agreed, though her blue eyes were still troubled. "But I hope that somehow Jerrica will calm down and see sense, Kimber. We've been family for so long...I don't want to lose that!"