"Well done, Janice. Another wonderful rehearsal." Oswald Whistler grunted, gathering up his sheet music.
"Thank you, Mr. Whistler." Janice replied quietly, brushing a stray lock away from her face. It had been a month now since she left her archaeology studies to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an opera singer.
She felt guilty for being here, instead in a lecture hall- her lecturer had been nothing short of wonderful; both supportive and inspirational (not to mention a little eccentric, with his puzzle solving addiction and his top hat).
Regardless, she missed him deeply- and her fellow students as well. They had been kind and helpful during her time at Gressenheller university and were understanding of her desire to become an opera singer. Some of them had come to visit her since, and they promised to attend her performances, but other than that, Janice was alone, and she was feeling homesick as well.
How much of her dream was worth her misery?
….
Janice watched as Oswald shuffled away from his prized Detragan. From what little she knew of him, he was a good man at heart, but very hard for one to talk to.
She adjusted her dress and went off the stage to make some tea in her dressing room, remembering the professor's age-old wisdom of having a cup of tea to keep the blues away.
The stairs creaked under her feet, and the carpet let out soft exhales as she tiptoed out of the grand auditorium.
….
Left, right, left again, then straight on- past the giant gold statues of Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of music and dance, and then she would need to take two rights and-
"Hey, c'mon, don't talk to me like that…" a male voice crooned from behind her. Janice froze- she hadn't spoken! Turning in confusion, she spotted a blond haired young man talking to someone she couldn't see. Pressing her body against the wall, the red-haired girl tiptoed closer
"Kelvin, please, leave me alone." A second voice murmured quietly. It sounded like a girl, and Janice felt her blood boil at the desperation in the girl's voice. It was obvious to her that the girl was being harassed, and she wasn't going to stand for it!
Sure enough, as she peeked around the corner, she saw a girl wearing a dark turquoise dress, embroidered with white and purple shapes. Her long, pale colored hair was tied in two ponytails with light pink bands. On her feet were pink boots.
But what caught Janice's eyes the most were both the girl's wide and kindly eyes, and the purple pendant glistening softly around her neck.
Janice didn't recognize the girl- but she looked like a meek and gentle person, which made her even angrier at Kelvin for his disrespectful behavior. Forgetting her original mission, she marched out of hiding place and towards the pair, intent on getting him to shove off and leave her alone.
"Excuse me, please stop that."
Kelvin stopped talking to the other girl and turned to face Janice. His green eyes glinted with greed and lust.
"Why, so you can get your turn?" He challenged.
"No, because my ex-professor would make a far better boyfriend than you would." Janice retorted. She meant it as well; but she hadn't meant to say it aloud!
She did find some satisfaction in noting that his cheeks went bright red at that statement- and the girl was giving her a wide-eyed look.
Regardless, she brushed off her momentary embarrassment at bringing the professor into the scenario, and put her hands on her hips, glaring at the young man. "Please, leave her alone. She has done nothing to deserve your sleazy attention. If I hear of you harassing her again, in any form, I will have you sacked. Understood?" She spoke, each word laced with clear intent.
"You can't get me sacked. My uncle owns this theatre." Kelvin smirked, confident that he had won the argument.
"My father is friends with your uncle." The girl informed him quietly. "I do not think Mr. Windley would appreciate losing the greatest composer he has ever hired."
Kelvin merely stuttered "S-s-so?"
Janice just narrowed her eyes. "And I am most certain your uncle would never dream of hiring a young man such as yourself whilst you keep up that misogynistic behavior." She hissed, and Kelvin glared back at her- but he never spoke another word. Instead, he just turned around, and scuttled away from them.
Satisfied with her result, Janice turned back to the girl, who was trembling slightly; but she appeared to be otherwise unharmed.
"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" She asked gently, and the other girl shook her head slowly in reply.
"No… no, Kelvin didn't hurt me. He just wanted to… well, he was trying to engage me in something I had no wish to do." She explained.
"I'm very sorry," Said the opera diva, offering her hand to her new companion. "My name is Janice Quatlane." She added.
"And I'm Melina Whistler." The girl in green added, shaking Janice's hand. "I have heard about you Janice. My father tells me you are a wonderful singer."
"Your father… you mean…?" Janice asked, and Melina nodded in reply. "Well, I never knew Mr. Whistler had a daughter."
Melina smiled. "I thought he would have said something." She said quietly. "Father never hesitates to say what a wonderful singer I am."
"You sing too?" Janice asked, excited at finally finding something in common with someone here. But before Melina could reply, she caught sight of the other girl's frame shaking every so slightly.
"Perhaps we could talk some more in my dressing room?" She offered. "You look as though you need some strong tea and a chance to sit down."
"I'm fine, really," Melina tried to protest; but her protest was in vain, as Janice took her arm and gently led her down the gilded corridor.
….
Janice's dressing room, unlike the rest of the theatre, was very modest. A white dressing table stood at one end of the room, and a small, royal purple chaise lounge on the other. A small door led to a small, but opulent and immaculate, bathroom.
Janice invited Melina to sit on the lounge, whilst she made tea for them both.
….
As she boiled some water the kettle, Janice caught sight of a box of old textbooks and excellent reports from archaeology- on top of which was a puzzle book, filled with one hundred and seven puzzles to solve. It was a parting gift from her dear professor, and it had been signed by everyone in the class.
She let out a soft sigh of sadness, suddenly remembering her feelings of loneliness following her rehearsal.
"Janice?"
Janice swung round, her cheeks flushing. "Yes, Melina?"
"I… I just want to say thank you for standing up for me earlier." Melina said quietly.
"You're welcome, Melina." And oddly, Janice meant it, too. She liked Melina, even though the two hadn't known each other very long. It would be nice to have a new friend around here…
Suddenly, Melina rose, breaking Janice out of her thoughts- the kettle had just boiled. "It's okay, I've got it," She said politely, and went to pour out two cups of hot water. She added two peppermint and licorice teabags, and stirred them in.
….
Bringing the tea over, she sat down next to Melina on the chaise lounge. For a long time, neither of them said a word- they just blew on their tea between taking tentative sips, each wary not to burn her lips, tongue or throat.
At last, Melina was the first to break the ice. "What was that you said about your…. Ex professor to Kelvin?"
"Oh, that?" Janice blushed furiously at that reminder. "I… I went to Gressenheller University in London before I came here- and he was the one who taught me."
"What subject did he teach?"
"Archaeology."
Melina nodded in a solemn silence.
"He was a wonderful professor," Janice continued, looking at her new companion with sparkling brown eyes "He's passionate about archaeology and puzzles, and he also wears a top hat. But he's wonderful- he knows how to make archaeology fascinating to the unteachable, and he's ever so polite and kindly as well," she said. "I'll never meet anyone like him."
"He does sound like a true gentleman." The blonde agreed.
"So, what about you, Melina? What's the story of your life before we met?"
Melina caught sight of Janice's curious eyes and kind smile, and her heart began beating just that little bit faster. "Well, there is hardly much to tell. I was born very weak, and my father…. Well, he is rather overprotective of me. But he and I are very close, as he would always play the piano, and I would sing along." She smiled fondly at the memories. "I was often saddened when he left for concerts, but he told me… he told me he would be back."
"So, did you start coming to his concerts and performances?" Janice asked.
"I was first allowed when I was twelve," Said Melina. "I had a wonderful time- I could listen to my father play on the Detragan, and we would converse on the philosophies of music whenever he was available from rehearsals."
For nearly two hours after, Janice and Melina ended up talking about their hobbies, their interests, their families and their dreams for the future, until eventually, a worried Mr. Whislter found the two girls giggling over a joke that Janice had told Melina.
…..
Two days after their meeting, Janice had once again wrapped up her rehearsal, to the sound of dainty clapping.
"Well done, Janice. That was lovely."
Janice curtseyed, and looked up to meet Melina's gaze. "Thank you," She replied.
Oswald tidied up his sheet music again- but instead of shuffling away, he approached Janice uncertainly.
"Listen, Jnice, I heard about what happened between Melina and that Kelvin, and I never got to thank you for helping her. To express my gratitude, we would like to have you join us for dinner tonight; provided you are available to."
Janice was most touched by Oswald's generous offer; catching Melina's sparkling coal black eyes, she found herself smiling broadly.
"I will join you tonight. Thank you for your invitation." She answered, politely, before sharing a smile with her newfound friend.
She still misses Professor Layton, but as time goes on, she feels more and more blessed for having Melina Whistler in her life.