Chapter One - A Date
It had been two weeks since the incident, but Jem couldn't get it out of her head. Her solution was to remain Jerrica, the Jemstar earrings tucked safely away in her jewelry box. And though she delved into work at Starlight Music, burying herself in paperwork and keeping busy with business luncheons, the moment she lost concentration on a task, the second she laid her head to rest, her thoughts would return to that afternoon...
"Jerrica, are you listening to me? Sis?"
The Holograms were all staring at her, seated together in the living room at Starlight Mansion where they had been talking about their upcoming album. Kimber had been chattering excitedly about her music, and Jerrica had long since tuned her out.
"You don't have to scream, Kimber," Jerrica said with an agitated frown.
"Then look at me when I'm talking to you!" Kimber complained. She was lying on the floor on her stomach, clutching several sheets of music. "Where are you, anyway?"
"Probably still at work," Aja yawned from the couch she shared with Shana and Raya.
"How exciting," Shana said sarcastically.
Raya stood up from her seat between the two girls, sitting down on the loveseat with Jerrica and gently taking her hand. "Honestly, we all think you've been working too hard. No offense, but you need a break."
"Come on, sis!" Kimber pleaded. "There are circles under your eyes."
Aja let out a little laugh. "If I were you, I'd be asking Synergy to clear that up."
The Holograms giggled, but Jerrica jumped up angrily. "I don't need a machine to help me put on my makeup!"
"No, but you need one to become Jem," Kimber countered, examining her nails.
"Speaking of which..." Aja started.
"It's been a while since we've seen Jem," Shana said. "I think I'm starting to miss her."
"In preference to the alternative?" Jerrica challenged.
The girls looked around at one another, frowning.
"I'm sure Shana didn't mean that," Raya offered, looking down at her lap.
"And we are cutting a new album soon," Aja added. "Don't you think you should--"
"I'm tired of everybody dictating what I should and shouldn't be doing!" Jerrica shouted, storming out of the room.
"What in the world was that all about?" Kimber blinked in confusion. No one had an answer for her.
Jerrica slammed her bedroom door behind her, angry with herself for being so angry. It wasn't anyone's fault but her own. She felt disconnected from reality, and knew the reason why. This wasn't her problem; it was Jem's.
Both apprehensive and exhilerated, Jerrica slowly approached her dresser. She opened her jewelry box and reached inside, suddenly feeling so very weak and dizzy. Her fingertips tingled when they brushed what she was seeking. She tentatively put on the Jemstar earrings, now so strangely foreign. She licked her lips nervously, then whispered, "Show's on, Synergy."
Jerrica watched herself dissolve in her mirror, the beautiful pink-haired singer Jem left standing in her place.
She heaved a sigh of relief. She felt better just knowing that Jem's mind and her body were together again instead of being split apart. For the first time in two weeks she felt like herself, like she was right where she was supposed to be.
And then the phone rang.
Jem didn't move to answer it. She needed some quiet time to herself. She was going to sit down and think this thing through, face the problem and cope with it. She wasn't like Kimber; she couldn't just write down everything she felt into a diary and feel better. Besides, then she'd worry about being discovered. Nor was she like Aja, who seemed to keep things bottled inside all the time. No, she wasn't that kind of girl, either.
There was a gentle tap on her door, then it opened slowly. "Jerrica?" Kimber peeked her head into the room. "Oh!" She blinked at Jem, then nodded to the phone she held in her hand. "It's for Jerrica," she said quietly, reaching the phone to her sister. "It's Rio."
Disappointed by the interruption, and that the plan she had finally made had been ruined, Jem accepted the phone. "Hello?"
Kimber lingered only for a moment before leaving her sister to take her call in privacy.
"Rio?"
"Jerrica! Hi. I was wondering if you'd like to go see a movie tonight. There's a new film playing at the theater, and maybe we could get a bite to eat, too, if you're in the mood."
I'm not in the mood for anything, especially not company, Jem thought, but she said, "Fine, Rio. I'll be ready in half an hour."
She didn't wait for a response before hanging up the phone.
The Holograms were in the living room watching TV when Jerrica came down the stairs.
"Going somewhere?" Aja asked, her feet propped up on the ottoman.
"Dinner and a movie...with Rio." Jerrica's face burned at adding that last part, but she didn't know why.
"Sounds like fun!" Raya smiled.
"What movie are you going to see?" Kimber wanted to know.
"Oh, uh... I'm not sure..."
The distinctive sound of Rio's van horn honked from outside.
"Well..." Jerrica looked at her friends, unsure of what else to say. She left it at that.
When she had gone, the Holograms exchanged confused looks.
"Is she feeling all right?" Raya asked.
"How should I know?" Kimber answered. "She hasn't said a word to me about anything being wrong. You know, something funny happened when I took the phone upstairs to her, now that I think about it."
Shana turned the television off. "Oh?"
"She was Jem," Kimber said quietly.
"That's...odd," Raya said, her eyebrows knitted.
"It could be a good sign," Aja said. "It could mean she's getting ready to get back to work with the band. We haven't practiced in ages."
"That's true," Kimber said, staring at the floor.
"Look, worrying won't get us anywhere," Shana said, tossing her the remote control. "Let's relax. I bet she'll be good as new when she gets home."
"You really think so?" Raya asked hopefully.
"You're right, Shana," Aja agreed with a nod. "I'm sure Rio can cheer her up."
Rio pulled into the parking lot at McDonald's and cut the engine. Jerrica's door popped open immediately; she'd been riding with her fingers clasped around the handle, just waiting for the chance to escape. If Rio noticed her strange behavior, he made no mention of it. He politely held the door open for her as they walked into the restaurant. Jerrica left him to order for her as she excused herself to the restroom.
In the bathroom mirror her fingers flew to her earrings and in an instant she was Jem.
"Stop it, Jerrica," Jem scolded. "It's my problem, my life. You've no part in it. Leave me alone."
She turned her back on the mirror and became Jerrica again. "Yes," she whispered. "I'll leave you to your own problems." She hurried back out to find Rio.
At eleven-thirty Jerrica kissed Rio goodnight, smiling as she waved goodbye to his van. She felt much better, much happier to finally have put her mind at ease. She could have skipped up to the door, but noticed a few pairs of eyes spying out at her from the window. Just like high school, she thought, smiling faintly as she shook her head. The door opened before she reached it.
"Have a good time?" Aja asked.
"Of course." Jerrica gave her friends a strange look as she walked inside the mansion. "Why aren't all of you in bed?"
"We were worried about you, sis," Kimber said slowly.
"Well, as you can see, I'm fine," Jerrica said, sighing a little. "Let's get some sleep! I was hoping we could get to work on that new album first thing in the morning." She yawned. "Eight o'clock, girls!"
The Holograms stared as Jerrica retreated upstairs.
"Well, looks like everything's back to normal," Raya offered.
Shana shrugged. "I guess."