The Story So Far...
Chosen to appear on popular reality TV show the Public Eye, Jewel made the acquaintance of young presenter Benjamin Rayner, an old friend of Dean's from High School. Cynthia soon attracts Benjamin's attention, but, apprehensive about the filming Cynthia is uneasy at his presence. Despite her best attempts, Benjamin discovers Cynthia's true identity, though promising not to splice it into the film footage.
Meanwhile, Stefana's snooping has led her to overhear a conversation between Aaron and Copper about Cynthia. Curious, she decides to investigate. After a heated encounter with an angry Synergy in the basement of Starlight Mansion, Stefana retreats to the Diablo Estate, but Marissa refuses to believe her friend's tale is any more than a wild hallucination. Frustrated, Stefana decides to get even with Cynthia once and for all, and with Rory's help plots to enlist someone to infect the mainframe with a powerful, incurable virus...

"Everything seems very quiet now Ben isn't filming us any more." Sylva stretched out on her sun lounger, closing her eyes lazily against the hot California sunlight. "I don't know, I think I even kinda miss it."
"You just miss the attention." Nancy snorted, rolling onto her front and reaching for her manuscript book, skimming over the score with her usual critical gaze.
"How long will it be before it airs, anyone know?" Topaz wondered. Copper laughed.
"Someone's desperate to see her slippers on television!" She teased. Topaz grinned.
"That's me." She agreed good-humouredly. "Seriously, though...do we know?"
"Mom hasn't mentioned to me. She and Aunt Phyl will get a copy of the tape when it's cut and edited." Nancy glanced up from a particularly tricky sequence, sucking on the end of her pencil as she considered how best to harmonise it. "If you're thinking of Cynthia, though, I'm sure Ben will keep his word. He's a nice enough guy, Dean was right about that."
"Yes, he was." Copper agreed.
"Rather too nice for me." At that moment they were joined by the hologram herself, fresh and groomed as ever despite the spring heat. "However, I believe I have formed another friendship. He called by Misfit Music this afternoon and asked me if I'd like to hang out with him at the movie theatre this evening."
"Hang out?" Sylva raised an eyebrow. "Cynthia, this sounds suspiciously like a date!"
"No, it's not a date." Cynthia assured her, dropping down into a deckchair and making sure her watch - home of her remote projector - was protected from the direct glare of the sun. "I made it clear to him that I am not able to form that kind of relationship, it would require too much meddling with my circuitry and I really don't wish to complicate my life. He understood completely." She smiled. "I am going to the multiplex tonight, however. The film looks to be a good one."
Copper laughed.
"Well, noone can say you don't enjoy life." She teased. Cynthia shrugged.
"I try." She said simply. "After all, who knows what the future might bring?"
"Philosophical." Nancy observed. Cynthia smiled.
"Yes." She agreed, but there was a preoccupied look in her violet eyes.
"Something up, Cynnie?" Topaz asked. Cynthia sighed.
"Not really." She responded. "I just fear I have done something rather unwise and rash...something which might rebound on you in a bad manner if we're not careful."
"You, do something rash? Heaven forbid." Nancy rolled her eyes dryly. "What did you do?"
"I had an altercation with Stefana." Cynthia admitted. "The other night. She was the intruder."
"She was?" Copper stared. "But..."
"She knows about me." Cynthia glanced at her hands. "I frightened her with threats of violence and made her promise not to tell anyone about me, but still, I am fearful. She is a slippery creature and a girl of little moral good. She hates me, also. I am worried about what it might bring."
"Well, Stefana is a bitch but noone would believe her if she started going on about you not being human." Sylva said with a shrug. "Don't sweat it, Cyn. It'll be fine and it'll die down. Stefana is a weirdo anyway."
"A weirdo who bears grudges." Topaz pointed out. "She seems to think that I'm the devil even now after I slept with Luca two whole damn months ago and have barely spoken to him since."
"True." Sylva acknowledged. "But I wouldn't fret about it. Stefana hasn't got the guts to take us all on."

                                                    ****************

"Another busy day."
Aaron Pelligrini pushed the last of the heavy stage equipment into the back of the van, shutting the door firmly and letting out a sigh of relief. "Man, I need a weekend! Jewel have been so damn busy, and that's not the half of it!"
At twenty one years old, Aaron was one of Misfit Music's many employees, having taken on the role of road manager to the band his sister Nancy and longtime girlfriend Copper played in; Jewel. He was fond of his work and was a great favourite with all the girls, but recently there had been a major publicity blitz and he was feeling the strain. His usual ally, Cynthia, had the day off, so he had found himself hard at work alone.
"You look exhausted." A voice came from behind him and he turned, casting the speaker a smile. Stefana Ranieri was the lead guitarist of Jewel's rival band Diablo, but in general feeling between both groups was fairly good. In fact, had Aaron but known it, it was only Stefana who bore Jewel any hostilities. A girl of dangerous temperament and wicked temper, she was prone to outbursts of rage made worse by her dependancy on amphetamines, and she had a tendency to be possessive, especially where her elder brother Luca was concerned.
It was something of a contradiction, therefore, that her attitude to Aaron had never been anything but friendly. The truth was of course, that Stefana's subconscious harboured a festering crush on Jewel's amiable, attractive road manager, and, though Aaron viewed their friendship entirely as platonic, he had no idea of his friend's dark side.
"I am." He said now. "It's been a heavy week."
"Looks like it." Stefana observed. "Where's Cynthia? She abandon you?"
"No...boss called her in." Aaron looked rueful. "When Aunt Phyllis yells you don't say no."
"Hm." Stefana shrugged. "Well, you done now? I...kinda wanted your help on something. I mean, you know about computers, right?"
"Sure, a little." Aaron nodded. "And I'm more or less done, yes. What's the problem?"
"Can we go get a drink and talk? You look like you need a rest." Stefana offered him a small smile which he returned, not realising that in Stefana's perception of things that was close as could be to blind adoration.
"Sure, I s'pose there's no harm in that." He agreed warmly.
 "I didn't know you were interested in computers." Once they were in the warmth of a local coffee shop, Aaron cast her a curious look. Stefana glanced down, idly examining her nail paint.
"I never used to be." She admitted. "But recently I began to learn a little about them. We...got a new computer, well, Clay did, and I've been playing on it a little, getting a feel for it. But sometimes it's just the oddest thing - it shuts down on itself and restarts or it closes down the program I'm using for no apparent reason. Why does it do that?"
"Computers have minds of their own, that's why." Aaron rolled his eyes. "You could try getting a virus scanner, though. They'd protect against any bug getting into the system."
"I feel like I'm so dumb, I don't know anything." Stefana eyed him from beneath lowered lashes. What had begun as a conscious attempt to glean information had turned into an opportunity for her subconscious heart to admire his good looks and easy charm. "But I never learnt at school."
"You're from Connecticut, isn't that right?" Aaron took a sip of his coffee. Stefana looked startled.
"Yes, why?"
"What's it like?"
"Gee, dunno." Stefana shrugged, rather bewildered by his interest. "I mean, it's different from Cali, of course. But...noone ever asked me to describe it before, I'm a bit lost for how to begin."
"Were you happy there?" Aaron wondered. A shadow crossed Stefana's pretty face and for an instant her true emotions showed in her green eyes. Then she seemed to get a grip, and she shook her head.
"Not really." She admitted. "I like California better. Connecticut hasn't much to hold me."
"No family?" Aaron was interested. Stefana frowned.
"Mother." She replied shortly. "My father died, my Mom kicked me out of home."
"Kicked you out?" Aaron almost choked on his drink. "Why? Because you wanted to be a musician?"
"No, because she couldn't control me and make me do things her way." Now Stefana frowned. "I dropped out of school and she didn't forgive me."
"You don't strike me as the type to drop out." Aaron observed. "I wouldve pegged you as being pretty determined."
"I hated school." Stefana said shortly, suddenly realising how much she was revealing and quickly closing up. "I was damn glad to get out of it, if you wanna know. And I hate my mother. I wish she would die."
"You don't mean that, surely?" Aaron looked shocked, and somehow Stefana realised she'd crossed the line. She shrugged.
"She thinks the same way about me." She said flippantly. "It's not a big deal."
Aaron frowned.
"It's sad that you don't have family. My Mom, Dad and Nancy, they mean the world to me."
"I have Luca." Stefana met his gaze with a smile. Aaron grinned.
"True." He acknowledged. "You close?"
"Of course we are." Stefana said firmly. "We always have been."
"Nancy and I too." Aaron admitted. Stefana smiled.
"We have something in common then, in a way." She said softly. She drained the remains of her coffee. "This isn't teaching me how to use a computer, though. Aaron, I know you're busy, but...well, we're friends, yes?"
"Sure. There's no bad feeling between Jewel and Diablo far as I'm concerned." Aaron nodded.
"Well, would you come and give me a couple of lessons sometime, when you're free?" Stefana turned on the charm. "That is, if...if Copper doesn't mind."
"Copper isn't the jealous type." Aaron told her with a grin. "And sure, if you'd like me to. I'm free now, if you want me."
"Why not?" A hint of devilish Stefana sparked into the green eyes at these ambiguous words. "Thanks, Aaron. You're a gem."