"You look like you've had a hell of a day."
Copper remarked, opening the front door of Starlight Mansion and casting Sylva a smile. Sylva rolled her eyes.
"I'll live." She said with a shrug. "Is Topaz back yet? I really need to talk to her."
"Yes, she's here." Copper nodded, allowing her friend inside. "But she's not in the best frame of mind either. I think she and Cameron had a spat, though she's not said much. There have been a few calls, though, from the local media. I don't know what's going down, but something most definitely is."
"Sucky." Sylva grimaced. "Great timing too, just when I need her!" She sighed. "Oh well. I guess I'll make hot chocolate and go watch a movie or something, unwind in my room. Where's Nancy?"
"Writing music." Copper replied. "She went out about half an hour ago, to the studio. Syl, if something is up, will I do? I'm not Topaz, but..."
"Hell, I guess you can try." Sylva sighed. "Though I don't see what can be done about it."
Slowly she outlined the situation with Jack and her encounter with Melanie earlier that day. Copper listened in silence, and once the younger girl was finished, gave her an instinctive hug.
"I'm sorry." She murmured. "It sucks to lose out in love."
"Well, that's the crazy thing." Sylva admitted. "I've never been in love. Not really. I mean, when you're sixteen you're in love with every guy who's cute and cool and all that...but man, I didn't know there was this kind of being in love too." She groaned. "I don't like it, Copper! The more I dwell on it the more wretched I feel. Jack likes Melanie, Melanie is sweet as hell, and she wasn't even embarrassed or unkind to Courtenay when she was rude. Heck, I think I'd like Melanie if I didn't hate her so much for being Jack's perfect woman, you know? There's nothing I can do. If I'd have known that I felt this way before I went to Europe I'd have made sure he knew about it. Now...well, I don't think I can. I...I know how bad splitting with Dad hurt my Mom, and I know how upset Jack was when Courtenay's Mom left, because he's told me about her. He's happy, dammit, how can I break his heart?"
"You know, that's probably the most unselfish thing I ever heard you say." Copper said gently. "And if I'd had any doubts about how you felt about Jack...that woulda dispelled them. But listen...if he is happy with Melanie, and it is right, then you will get over it, come to terms with it, even maybe become friends with her as well as him. Courtenay adores you, and you've a friend for life there."
Sylva bit her lip.
"It's so strange." She whispered. "But I can't bear to think of her calling someone else Mom...even thinking of someone else as a Mom figure. I know I'm just some flake keyboardist in a rock band, who can barely string a relationship together for more than two weeks, and who spends her earnings on makeup and clothes over food and bills...but I love that kid to death. Mom would freak if she knew I felt that way, but it's true."
"I guess you're growing up a little then." Copper winked. "Look. Courtenay could not have a more devoted big sister role model than you. She's never going to have another Mom - her real mother is too painful in Jack's memory for that. And as you said, you're young. Perhaps you're not meant to tie yourself down to this guy...perhaps you're meant to live a little more first. You're twenty-one in April...you have a lot of time yet."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I have to snap out of this and get my head back into Sylva mode." Sylva said with a sigh. "Okay. Enough moping. I'm gonna call Aaron's place and tell Gary that I'd love him to be my date for our party."
"When did he ask?" Copper looked startled.
"Oh, left a message on my phone. Cameron must've given him the number." Sylva shrugged. "I was considering it, anyhow. But hey, I'm young and pretty, I should be flaunting that, not moping over some guy who's taken." She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're right, I'll get over this. It's just another phase...I'll be fine. Thanks, Copper." She hugged the older girl impulsively. "You rock, you know that?"
"Thanks." Copper laughed. "That means a lot."
"Hey, you won't tell Nancy about this, will you?" Sylva sounded apprehensive.
"No, I swear." Copper made a crossing motion across her chest. "Cross my heart."
"Thanks." Sylva dimpled. "Right. Now I'm gonna go upstairs and see if Topaz is okay. Man, this Christmas is trauma from every angle!"
She hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and knocking on her friend's bedroom door. A tired voice called her in, and gently she pushed the door open, slipping inside.
"Afternoon." She said, casting the singer a smile. "Copper said you and Cameron had a spat...you need an ear to spill?"
"Noo..." Topaz sighed. "It's okay, Syl. I'm debating calling him to try and sort it out, anyhow. It was a silly fight and it shouldn't have happened. I think we were both kinda on edge and things spiralled." She shuffled up to make room for her friend on the end of the bed. "How did it go with Jack?"
"I didn't tell him." Sylva admitted. "Melanie is really sweet, and he likes her a whole lot. I'd hate myself forever for splitting them up when he's so happy. Sure, Courtenay's not cool with it yet, but it's a big change and I think she'll come round, Melanie is sweet enough to her. So." She spread her hands. "I give. I'm putting the whole thing behind me and I'm gonna make Gary my date for our Christmas bash."
"Fine words." A smile touched Topaz's lips, and she reached for her phone. "And now I'm gonna call Cameron and make things up with him. There's a club in town having some kind of big anniversary celebration tonight, we had a flier through the door. Sirena's playing, apparently. Anyhow, I'm going to invite him to come along with me, see if we can't get back to how things should be."
"Sounds wise." Sylva grinned. "Wow, how mature are we tonight?"
"I know, it's scary." Topaz laughed, dialling Cameron's number. "Okay, hush a minute, yeah? I...Cameron? It's Rora...listen, I wanted to apologise for walking out on you earlier. It wasn't the most....oh? Hey, it's cool. I forgive you. I guess I'm living with the press all the time and it's kinda a new thing for you to cope with. No, I know. It's okay. So we're cool? Great...because I have an idea to seal things. There's this place in town, Le Klub Kool...they...oh, you had a flier too? Well, you up for it? Brilliant. Mm, okay, I'll call a car and come by Aaron's about tenish, yeah? Fine. Bye, then. Yeah, I love you too...byee"
She clicked off the phone, casting her friend a triumphant smile, and generous Sylva willingly hi-fived her friend's success.
"I know you're gonna have a blast tonight." She said sincerely.
"Hey, you could come, you know." Topaz pointed out. Sylva grimaced.
"Play gooseberry? No thank you! Anyhow, this is reeally tragic and all that, but...well...I'm kinda tired. My head's aching some still over all the grown up stuff I've had to face today, so I'm just gonna have a quiet night in. Tomorrow we're playing Connie's Corner with the new single charting this weekend, anyhow. Need to be fresh for that."
"Yes, true." Topaz nodded. "Okay, then. And Syl?"
"Mm?"
"I'm sorry it didn't work out for you with Jack."
"Me too." Sylva sighed. "Ah well. Like I said...plenty more fish, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Topaz agreed. "And if it's any consolation, Syl, most guys would give their right arm to go out with you. If Jack doesn't see how special you are from a mile off, he doesn't deserve you...there'll be someone better."
"Thanks, Topaz." Sylva said sincerely. "And you, have a blast, huh? I wanna hear all about it tomorrow, okay? Every last detail!"
"I promise!" Topaz laughed. "I'm glad we cleared things up, him and me. It's less than a fortnight till Christmas...barely a week, actually. I don't want to be fighting with him on Christmas Day."