"Wow, I had no idea you felt that way. Is there anything I can do to change your mind?"
Rio faltered for a second before answering. "No, Jerrica. I have to do this. If I don't quit, our relationship will suffer worse than it has. I don't want that, and I know you don't, either."
Tears welled up in Jerrica's blue eyes. "Rio, I've loved you since I was ten years old. I'm not sure I can stop.."
"But Jerrica, that's the point. If I don't leave, I won't have time to think and sort out my life from the lies. I love you, but I need to work out how to trust you again. If I stay, we'll end up hating eachother. I need to leave. Goodbye."
Staring at the spot where the hologram had just been, Jerrica began sobbing uncontrollably. "Syn…Synergy…why?"
"Jerrica," the one of a kind supercomputer responded, "you have run through all possible scenarios of telling Rio the truth about your identity. I am sorry that they do not work out positively. Perhaps I am not calculating Rio's personality factors correctly. Let me readjust and try again."
"No, Synergy, I'm afraid you've got him figured out correctly," Jerrica sighed. "Problem is, what do I do now? Any way I tell him, any way he finds out, I'll lose him!"
"Jerrica… what's wrong? Why aren't you Jem? The party's starting! Everyone's looking for you… er, for Jem!" Kimber rushed into the room, a whirlwind of energy, as usual. She stopped, noticing Jerrica's tear-streaked face and puffy red eyes. "Jerrica, what happened? Was it that snake Eric Raymond again?"
"Oh Kimber! I've been running scenarios with Synergy, trying to figure out how to tell Rio that I'm Jem… but they all end so badly! He either loses his temper and storms out, or tells me he's leaving… or… or…" She broke into tears again. "He swore he hated me! What am I going to do?"
Kimber pulled Jerrica into a tight hug. "Now look, big sis," she started," I'm not an expert in love by any means… but I do know that Rio loves you. Maybe Synergy's projections are right. Maybe he will storm out, or yell, or leave."
Jerrica stiffened. "This is not helping, Kimber!"
"Let me finish! Maybe he will do those things. BUT he loves you, and you love him. No matter what, that won't change! Did any of your projections include figuring out what will happen after Rio has some time to cool off? We all know he has a temper… but he's a good man, with a good heart. It'll work out how it was meant to!"
Jerrica stopped crying long enough to smile and look at her younger sister. "Kimber, when did you get so smart?"
"Hey! You didn't get all the brains in the family, you know! Now get dressed! Or rather, get changed." She winked at Synergy. "There's a party going on, and we're missing it! See you downstairs!" She flew out of the room as quickly as she had entered.
"Maybe Kimber's right," Jerrica thought. "Maybe Rio and I will make it last, afterall. But for now…
"Showtime, Synergy!"
