Story 8: "Harmony"
Sorry all, I wrote like 50,000 drafts of these next chapters each with different scenarios and I kept deleting them because I am crazy about my writing being "good" in my eyes. Special thanks to Yuri Space Pirate for pushing my ass to continue writing (and for writing amazing Meloxandra fiction to keep me entertained and motivated).
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Alexandra lounged in the Cabot mansion living room, stretched out on her favorite red chaise lounge as she read an Elite Cat magazine. Felicia the maid dusted the vases and other trinkets decorating the enormous living space. As usual, Sebastian slept on an ottoman near Alexandra.
"Are you going to the photo shoot today?" Felicia asked as she took a break from dusting to look out the large floor-to-ceiling windows and into the front yard.
Alexandra let out a huff. "No can do. Business, Felicia…it's complicated."
Felicia shrugged and adjusted the straps of her white French maid apron. "I guess it would be awkward."
Alexandra hated the fact that she couldn't watch Melody take part of the Revon shoot, but like her father always said, business came first. When she told Melody she wasn't able to go, Melody threatened divorce and pouted for the rest of the day. Luckily, Alexandra and Melody weren't married, so she just had to try her best to ignore the manipulative pouting the girl put on until she eventually forgot why she was mad in the first place.
"Oh, here comes Melody," Felicia announced and went to open the door.
Alexandra sighed to herself as she prepared for more pouting and begging. She felt bad for not being able to tell Melody exactly what her "business" was, but it was better this way…at least that's what she convinced herself.
"W-wait!" she heard Felicia yelp.
Alexandra's neck was suddenly grabbed in a hug by two strong arms. She choked with surprise and then actually began to choke as the air in her lungs couldn't make it up her throat.
"You must be Alexandra! Boy you are cute!" a sing-song voice that definitely was not Melody practically yelled.
The arms let go and Alexandra gasped for air. Felicia instantly joined her side and slapped her back to help her breathe.
Alexandra gasped for air but managed to blurt, "Who the-?!"
She looked up at her offender to see a curvy blonde woman wandering around the living room with awe. The woman had the same light-almost-white blonde hair that Melody had, but her figure was heavier than Melody's; more like Anna Nicole Smith than Marilyn Monroe.
"Wow-ee! Look at the decoration of this room!" the blonde chirped as she admired a golden figure of an eagle sitting on top of the fire place.
Felicia crept over to a broom sitting against the wall. She picked it up and crept back over to Alexandra. Alexandra stood and put her hands up in a defensive karate stance.
"Felicia," Alexandra whispered out of the side of her mouth, eyes locked on the woman. "Who is that?"
"I don't know," Felicia replied out of the corner of her own mouth. "She just rushed past me."
They got closer to the woman who was looking up at the giant family portrait that hung over the fireplace. The portrait was painted with Mr. Cabot and Mrs. Cabot seated. Mr. Cabot had a four year old Alexandra on his knee, while Mrs. Cabot held a four year old Alex on her lap.
"I mean, she can't be a serial killer, right?" Felicia asked as they stopped a foot away from her. "Otherwise the gate guard would not have let her in."
Alexandra raised an eyebrow, but kept her eyes glued to the girl. "I don't think serial killers announce themselves as such, Felicia-dear."
Suddenly, the blonde twirled around like a ballerina to face Alexandra and Felicia. The two jumped and readied themselves.
"Is Melody here yet?" the blonde asked as she happily looked back and forth between the two dumbfounded girls.
"Melody?" Alexandra repeated with a surprised tone.
As if on cue, the front door of the mansion slammed open and three high-pitched girlish shrieks filled the air. The mysterious blonde woman screamed back and rushed past Felicia and Alexandra. The two turned with hung jaws as Josie and the Pussycats greeted the blonde by jumping up and down in a tight circle and shrieking.
"Uh…girls?" Alexandra asked as she lowered her hands.
Felicia lowered her broom and hung her head with a sigh of relief. The girls continued their shrieking.
"…Girls?" Alexandra called a bit louder.
The shrieking only got louder.
"GIRLS! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Alexandra finally exploded as she threw her fists into the air.
The band and the blonde finally stopped and turned to Alexandra with big grins.
"The photo shoot, of course!" Josie proclaimed, hopping up and down on the soles of her feet.
"Okay…well…who is this woman?" Alexandra sniffed and pointed to the blonde.
Melody stepped forward and waved her hand at Alexandra. "Silly! I'm Melody, this is Josie-"
Alexandra sighed and facepalmed. "I know, Dumb-Dumb. I meant the blonde."
Melody turned and pointed at Alan who stood far away from the girls. Both he and Alex were covering their ears. "That's Alan M.!"
Alexandra growled, "Melody…!"
Valerie laughed, "Okay, okay. We had our fun." She motioned to the trespassing blonde woman. "This is Harmony, Melody's cousin, and the one in charge of our photo shoot."
Felicia and Alexandra exchanged glances.
"Melody and Harmony?" Felicia asked slowly.
Melody and Harmony nodded happily at the same time, both with matching happy expressions.
Felicia turned and shook her head of short, light brown hair. "I, uh…I need to clean something."
She walked out of the living room and towards the kitchen.
"We're like sisters!" Harmony announced.
Alexandra looked the cousins up and down. "You two certainly look like sisters…"
Josie giggled, "Sorry about that, Alexandra. Harmony likes to wander off like Melody does." She turned to see Harmony approaching Alexandra again. Harmony stopped right infront of the shorter heiress and looked down at her. "…Uh…and they both don't know about personal space…"
Harmony brought one hand up and landed it on Alexandra's head. She rubbed the heiress' hair and stared down at the white lightning bolt in Alexandra's hair. Harmony used her other hand to pull apart the hair that made up the lightning bolt, and inspected the white roots.
Alexandra stood still with an annoyed scowl on her face. Finally, she managed to tilt her body to one side to look past Harmony. "Uh…girls? What is she doing and how do I make it stop?"
Alexander facepalmed and sighed, "Melody… Control your cousin…"
Melody laughed and tugged her cousin away. "Come on, Harmony, and don't do that to Alexandra! She's sensitive about her hair."
Alexandra turned bright red and snapped, "Am not!"
Harmony pouted her glossy, pink lips. "Aw, but she has such pretty hair!"
Valerie smirked at Melody. "I think it's time we talked to Harmony about boundaries."
Melody nodded. "Right! I'll do it right now." She turned to Harmony wisely. "So at the bottom of our country is a long line that separates us from Canada. On the top there's an even longer line that separates us from Mexico…"
Valerie groaned and held her head, "I asked for that."
Alan walked over and put his arms around Josie and Valerie with a laugh. "Okay, gang, it's time to go."
"Roger Rabbit!" Harmony said with an affirmative salute.
Alexandra fixed her hair and smirked in the others' direction. "Have fun with that."
Melody pouted in her direction, bottom lip quivering. Alexandra caught the pathetic look and quickly turned away to feign disinterest.
"You're not going, Sis?" Alexander asked as his eyebrows rose over his sunglasses.
Alexandra sniffed, "No thank you. You know the reason why, don't you, Brother-dearest?"
Alexander scratched his head. "Huh. Yeah. I guess."
Josie looked confused. "What's going on? Are you okay, Alexandra?"
Alexandra smirked, walked back to her chaise lounge and settled back down. "Nothing to worry about, Josie-kins. Just business."
Josie flashed a confused and concerned look at Valerie who shrugged in response.
"Too bad," Harmony sighed as she trailed her eyes up and down Alexandra's body. "I would've used you in my shoot!"
Alexandra sputtered and looked at Harmony with a surprised look. "Y-you would?"
Valerie grinned. "Oh boy, she's coming now."
Alexandra shook herself: there was no way she could go. She looked at Harmony grinning at Melody and realized the promise of being in the photo shoot was most likely a lie to get her to go. The way Harmony grinned and winked at Melody disturbed Alexandra though: did she know? Harmony was basically a slightly older Melody, so there was a very good chance of the girl slipping out the secret. Alexandra groaned to herself and squeezed her nails into her palm.
"Sorry, it looks like you'll be stuck with three pretty models…but none of them as gorgeous as me," Alexandra announced stuffily.
Josie looked at Valerie with surprise. "Did she just call us pretty?"
Valerie smirked. "Aw, our pain-in-the-butt is growing up…a little."
Alexander looked at his watch impatiently. "All-right, all-right! Time to go!"
"Bye Alexandra!" Alan called with a wave as he led Josie and Valerie out.
Alexander waited until they were out the door and turned to his sister. "Are you sure you can't go? I know it'll be weird, but..."
Alexandra smirked. "You actually want me to go? Sure! Maybe I'll mess with their make-up, or sabotage the cameras…"
Alexander quickly walked away. "Uh, on second thought, we really need to go now, no time to wait!"
Harmony watched Alexander hurry out the door and turned to Alexandra. "It was nice meeting you – I'm sure we'll see much, much more of each other."
She smiled and bit her bottom lip, eyes roaming one last time over Alexandra before she skipped after Alexander. Alexandra stared after her, open mouthed.
Then Alexandra turned to Melody with wide eyes and whispered, "You told her?"
Melody looked guilty. "Yes." When Alexandra opened her mouth to protest Melody cut her off. "I can't keep it from her! We tell each other everything! We're like sisters…"
Alexandra sighed, leaned back, and put her palm over her eyes. She felt her blood pressure sky-rocket and her face turn red.
"Are you mad?" Melody asked with a trembling voice.
Alexandra's mouth twisted. It was impossible to be mad at Melody for more than a few seconds. "No, Melody. I understand…I think."
Melody beamed and gave Alexandra a quick peck on her lips. "I promise, she won't tell another ghost!"
Alexandra uncovered her eyes to roll them. "Okay…as long as Casper is the only ghost that knows."
Melody gave her neck a quick hug and rushed out after the others. "Bye Alexandra!"
Alexandra sighed in defeat and flopped back down on her lounge. Sebastian opened one eye and snickered at her. Alexandra glared at him as she reached down to pick up her other magazine: Womanly Magazine.
Sebastian sat up and let out a skeptical yowl.
Alexandra replied, "I'm not going, Sebastian. I've got better things to do anyway." She looked around the empty living room. "…Plenty of things to do…all by myself…yup…"
Sebastian yowled again, but this time in a mocking tone.
"Oh…shut up," Alexandra grumbled and went back to reading her magazine.
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"Sooo what's up with your sister?" Alan tried to ask as casually as possible as he drove the band van towards the Womanly Magazine office.
Alexander leaned back in the passenger's seat, smug. "Sorry – it's one of those Cabot family secrets."
"Heh, I'm sure there are lots of those…" Alan mumbled to himself.
Melody sulked in the seat next to Harmony. "Too bad…"
Harmony patted her shoulder. "It's okay, Melody! Now the photos will be a surprise for her!"
Melody perked up. "Golly, you're right!"
Josie giggled, "I'm sure she'll try to find some way to sneak a peek at them."
Alexander let out an extended, sneaky laugh. Everyone stopped and stared at him.
"Cabot family secret again?" Valerie asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Alexander snickered.
Alan rolled his eyes. "Alex is going to hold this over our heads, isn't he?" He leaned over the steering wheel and looked up a tall office building coming into view. "Here we are! The publisher's building – and we're going to the top floor."
Once parked and inside the building, the crew walked up to the security desk.
Harmony strode up to the tired-looking security guard seated at the desk and showed her ID badge. "These are the models for our shoot."
He inspected it and then looked at the others. "Okay, have them sign in."
Harmony looked confused. "Gee! What a silly thing to ask! I don't even think they know sign language."
"I think we have to draw stop signs like I did on my contract!" Melody answered.
Alexander burst between Harmony and the guard, face bright red. "Oooh no! Not this again!" He grabbed the clipboard on the desk and signed in. "That's how we almost didn't get this gig!"
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Josie looked at herself in the full-length mirror propped against the studio wall. She was dressed in a short, black leather coat with spikes on its shoulders, a leopard-printed belly shirt, and tight, black leather pants. Josie looked down at her feet and lifted one foot to inspect her black boots with metal buttons.
"You look positively rock-n-roll, Josie," Valerie laughed as she walked up behind her friend.
She wore a similar outfit except her leather jacket was red. Josie frowned slightly and turned side to side to look at her outfit from different angles.
"I dunno, Val…I kind of like our other outfits better," she replied.
Valerie chuckled a shook her head. She patted Josie on the back and motioned her friend to follow. "Come on, they're ready to start."
The band gathered around Harmony who stood at a table with several photographers and crew around her. She spread out several pieces of paper with sketches and plans on them. Josie recognized Valerie and Melody in them and realized they were ideas for what the Revon ad should look like in the magazine.
"Did you draw these, Harmony?" Josie asked.
Harmony nodded happily. "Uh-huh! I was an intern here, but now I help design the look of the magazine. This ad is really important to this magazine, because Revon is interested in sponsoring us. So, they left it up to us to make a full-page ad."
"Huh. To see what this magazine is capable of, right?" Valerie asked.
Harmony gave an affirmative nod. "So, let's get started!"
They began taking pictures of the band in different poses, standing around different props, and under different lighting. Alan and Alexander watched on the sidelines, both wearing matching grins. Suddenly, the opening of the studio doors got their attention.
In stepped a thin, older woman with graying blonde hair. Her face was carved into a frown that appeared permanent and her nose wrinkled into a sneer. She came in, ignored the photo shoot, and went to the table to stare at the sketches. Some of the crew noticed she was in the room and quickly got the others' attentions. The atmosphere in the room darkened considerably as the crew and Harmony gathered around the woman.
"Let me see the photos," the woman said.
An intern stumbled over to her laptop connected to the cameras and brought it back to the woman. "H-here you go, Ms. Kelly!"
Kelly sniffed as she inspected the pictures on the laptop. She lifted up a hand near Harmony's face and snapped her fingers. "Hello, you, Harmony, hello! Get me my coffee!"
Harmony almost fell over as she turned to run towards the coffee machine at the back of the room. "Y-yes!"
Valerie's brow furrowed. "Uh…she's the one in charge in here."
Alexander motioned her to keep quiet, but Valerie shook her head at him.
Kelly looked up. "Who are they?"
"Josie and the Pussycats, the Revon models for their new campaign," the intern sputtered.
Kelly looked over the band with a raised lip. Harmony rushed back with a mug of coffee and placed it on the table.
"I thought that comedian won the contract," Kelly said. "We would've had to Photoshop the wrinkles out of her face, but at least it would've been a lot easier than using Photoshop to make these three look somewhat appealing."
Valerie bristled, but Josie held her back. "Val, calm down… She's not in charge here, Harmony is."
Melody was pale. "That's the head poncho of the magazine…"
Josie whispered, "Head poncho? Oh…she's the head honcho…the boss."
"Harmony, I don't understand your…vision…here," Kelly continued as she waved a finger at the laptop. "This is a very important ad campaign we're running here, and we have these girls dressed like that?"
"They're rock stars," a dark-haired man meekly spoke.
Harmony leaned over to reach the laptop. "Yeah, so I was thinking about putting in this background…"
As she leaned over, Harmony knocked over the coffee mug. The coffee splashed out on Kelly's immaculately white suit jacket. The coffee seared a few tiny stains into the sleeve of the jacket while the crew hurried to get the laptop and the sketches out of the coffee's path. Kelly looked down at her sleeve with great offense.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Harmony apologized as she looked around for a napkin.
Josie quickly offered, "We'll pay for the dry cleaning!"
Kelly sneered as she stood straight up and turned to look at Harmony and the band. She motioned to the tiny specks of coffee on her sleeve. "This horrible stain won't come out of these clothes!" She sighed loudly and dramatically as the interns hurried over with napkins and towels to clean the mess. "This entire project is a mess!"
Valerie couldn't hold back any longer. "A mess? Everything was fine until you came in."
Kelly sniffed, "A good thing I did too – Harmony's ad would've turned this magazine into a laughing stock."
Harmony looked down at her feet as she fought back tears. "I…I'm sorry."
Melody looked at her cousin with shock and then turned to Kelly angrily. "You…you terrible person! Harmony is very good at taking photographs and making the magazine look pretty! If she wasn't, she would not have gotten this really important project to do!"
Kelly raised an eyebrow at Melody. "Normally, I trust my underlings to put the right people onto the right projects…but it looks like I'll have to run this entire magazine myself." The crew around her winced visibly, but were too afraid to say anything. "Oh, and I'll be managing this project from now on too. Harmony, you may leave here and pack up all your things. You are no longer needed."
Harmony paled. "I'm fired?"
"Hold on! If you fire Harmony, then we're not posing for the ad," Valerie challenged.
Melody agreed, "Yeah! We don't work with mean people!"
Kelly stepped over to the band and walked right up against Melody. "Please, leave. I'm sure Revon will love to know your band broke their contract because I was 'mean.' If there was a law that said anyone could break their contract because someone was 'mean' to them, then there would be no more businesses, no more Hollywood, and certainly no more advertising."
Josie looked helplessly at Alexander. Alexander's teeth were gritted, but with his dark sunglasses on there was no way to tell if he was angry at Kelly or angry at the band. Alan looked like he wanted to say something, but was visibly holding himself back.
Kelly turned to Alexander. "If your band leaves today, be prepared for a massive lawsuit."
Alexander inhaled slowly. "Girls…we do have a contract to keep. If we get sued, it'll be the beginning of the end for the band, trust me."
Josie glared at Kelly. "Fine."
Kelly dismissed them with a wave. "The re-shoot will be tomorrow at noon. Goodbye."
Harmony ran out of the studio, hands covering her eyes. Alan ran after her and left Alexander looking at the band with a twisted mouth. Melody approached Alexander as she ripped out the earrings the magazine had given her to wear.
"How could you?" Melody asked him in a low voice. "You're our manager. You're our friend…"
She jogged out of the studio after Harmony. Josie and Valerie looked at Alexander whose shoulders slumped. He took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes with a hand before going after Melody.
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Alexandra lied on her chaise lounge, asleep with her Elite Cat magazine open and on her face. Felicia approached her and looked down at the heiress. She had somehow fallen asleep with her back on the raised part of the lounge, one arm dangling off the lounge and the other resting limply on top of the lounge. One leg also dangled off the edge while the other rested on the end. Felicia looked down at Sebastian on the ottoman: the cat was in almost the exact same pose as his master, except he had a fish bone on his face.
She rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Business, huh?"
Mr. Cabot sat in his chair further away, nose stuck in a newspaper while Mrs. Cabot lounged on one of the couches while she filed her nails.
"I'm sure my daughter is very busy dreaming about business," Mrs. Cabot offered as she inspected her nails.
Felicia went over to the hall closet and returned with a vacuum. Felicia turned on the power and began purposely vacuuming around Alexandra. Neither the heiress nor the cat stirred. Felicia sighed and lifted the vacuum and vacuumed Alexandra's stomach and then Sebastian's fur.
Suddenly, the front door slammed open. There was arguing so loud that it could be heard over the vacuum.
"Good heavens!" Mr. Cabot yelped as he stood up and tossed the paper onto the chair.
Alexandra sleepily sat up with the magazine stuck to the side of her mouth. "Wha? What's going on?"
Melody marched into the room and crossed her arms. Alexander came after her, arms open in a pleading motion.
"Come on, Melody! She's talented – she'll find another job!" Alexander pleaded.
Alexandra pulled the magazine off her lips and stood up, watching Melody's furious expression with wide eyes. Sebastian also became interested at what was going on and sat by Alexandra's feet. Josie and Alan sneaked into the room, both wearing nervous expressions. Valerie trailed after them, studying her cell phone with an intense expression on her face.
"It took her a long time to find this job!" Melody retorted.
Alexander shrugged. "Well, she has a cousin who is a rock star and her manager who is a Cabot, so she can use that to find a job."
Josie meekly agreed. "We'll get her a better gig, Melody."
Melody turned red in the face. "None of you understand! I thought you were my friends!"
Alexandra took a step towards Melody but Josie and Alan shook their heads at her. Melody noticed the two shaking their heads and turned to Alexandra.
"Did…Harmony lose her job?" Alexandra asked.
Melody burst into tears. "Why don't you ask your brother?!" She turned and raced upstairs the mansion stairs. "I'm going to my room! Just leave! All of you!"
"Uh…" Mr. Cabot managed as he looked after Melody. "…She doesn't live here, does she?"
Alexandra sighed, "She's going to my room, isn't she?"
Josie let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, Alexandra. When she gets upset like this she forgets where she is."
Valerie shook her head. "Let her cool off. She's not thinking straight…or as straight as Melody's dizzy brain can."
Mrs. Cabot joined Alexander's side as his son dug his hands into his pockets and looked down at his feet. "What happened?"
Josie explained what happened in great detail. As Alexandra listened, she noticed Valerie keep looking at her with an unreadable expression on her face. The bassist still had her phone out and she looked like she was reading through several websites. Alexandra dug her nails into her arm when Josie got to the part about Kelly going nose to nose with Melody.
Alexander shook his head with a sigh when Josie finished. "I feel awful."
Mr. Cabot shook his head. "My boy, you did the right thing. When you're in charge of a business, or in your case, a band, you have to make tough decisions to put the business first."
Josie put her hand on Alexander's shoulder. "Melody will cool off, and then we can help Harmony find a better job."
Alexander sighed again. "Yeah, I guess."
As the others comforted Alexander, Mrs. Cabot turned her head to Alexandra and nodded up the stairs. She mouthed, 'Go, I'll cover for you.'
Alexandra interrupted the others. "Well, I don't want her crying all over my sheets. I'm going to check on her."
"That's probably a good idea," Mrs. Cabot agreed as casually as possible. "Melody is upset at everyone here except for us three…and my husband and I can't relate to young people problems."
Mr. Cabot agreed as he searched his pockets for a cigar, "Hrumph. Certainly not. And tell Melody if she wants to actually live here, I'm going to charge her rent!"
Alexandra turned and walked out of the room, trying to keep her stride nonchalant.
As Alexandra turned the corner of the living room entrance and into the entranceway of the mansion, Valerie stuck her head out after her.
"Alexandra?" Valerie called after her.
Alexandra stopped her ascent up the stairs and looked down casually at Valerie.
"…Nevermind. You be nice now," Valerie said after a short pause.
She disappeared back into the living room. Once Alexandra knew she was in the clear, she rushed up the stairs. As she predicted, the door to her room was open and she heard distinct sniffling from inside. Alexandra let out a breath and then pushed the door the rest of the way open. She entered the dark room and closed the door behind her.
Melody was on her bed, hugging the pillows to her face as she wept softly. Alexandra always noted how dramatically the girl cried – it was like a scene out of a Disney princess movie except without the talking animals surrounding her with sympathetic expressions. In their own ways, Alexandra had to admit, both she and Melody were overly-dramatic people.
Alexandra wordlessly sat down on the edge of her bed and put one hand on Melody's back. Melody's crying died down to pathetic sniffles and deep, shaking breaths.
"Why didn't Alex say anything? All he cared about was using being sewed!" Melody sniffed.
"He cares about your futures," Alexandra gently said.
Melody buried her face back into the pillows. "No he doesn't. He only cares about money. He didn't even stand up for Harmony when her mean boss was being…being…mean!"
Alexandra was glad it was dark, because the little outburst made her grin. "It wasn't his place to stand up for her. If he did, he would have gotten you all in trouble."
Melody was silent so Alexandra stroked her back in soothing circles.
"I know…I'm being a baby," Melody finally said, her voice muffled against the pillows.
"You and Harmony are really close, huh?" Alexandra asked.
Melody suddenly pushed herself up and reached into the back pocket of her jeans. She pulled out her phone and got up on her knees on the bed. Melody maneuvered herself to sit next to Alexandra and held out the phone for her to see.
Alexandra looked down at the phone to see a picture of a young Melody and Harmony hugging each other with huge, toothy grins.
"Harmony is like my sister," Melody said, eyes softening as a few loose tears fell down her cheeks. She smiled when Alexandra reached up and brushed them away. "We did everything together…and when Josie got the band together…" She flicked her thumb on the screen to reveal a new picture of Harmony standing with Josie, Melody, and Valerie, all of them in their early teens. "…Harmony created all our promotional signs and things."
Alexandra studied the picture. "Huh…"
Melody turned her head to Alexandra. The phone's light was the only light in the room, and it illuminated their faces in a faded yellow light.
"Harmony was always there for me and for the band. She always put aside her dreams of working in the magazines for everyone else. When she finally got this job, she was so happy. And I was happy too, because I thought she could finally do what she wanted to do," Melody explained softly. "And now…it's ruined…because of us."
Alexandra felt her blood boil. Kelly would definitely pay for this.
"Alexandra?" Melody asked as she looked at Alexandra with concern.
Alexandra turned and looked Melody in the eyes. Melody blushed at the intense eyes she loved. In regular light, they were a light green-hazel color, but in bright lights like her phone, they appeared almost yellow. They reminded Melody of Sebastian Cabot's yellow, spiraling eyes in the portrait hanging in the tunnels under the mansion.
"Melody, Alexander and I aren't always good at friendship stuff," Alexandra began. "But we do love you and everyone else."
Melody smiled weakly. "I know, Alexandra. I just got carried away because it's Harmony."
Alexandra kissed her forehead and smiled down at Melody. "Then why are you here talking to me? I'm sure Harmony needs you now."
Melody's eyes widened. "Oh no! You're right! I got so mad that I…" She got up and hurried around the room. "I have to get ready and go!"
Alexandra grinned. "Melody? This isn't your room, remember?"
Melody stopped and giggled, "Oh yeah!"
Alexandra stood up and almost toppled over when Melody ran into her arms to hug her.
"Thanks, Alexandra. I love you," Melody said, burying her nose into Alexandra's neck.
Alexandra shivered at the girl's hot breath on her neck and collar bone, but managed to keep herself together. "I love you too, Darling. It's all going to be okay, trust me."
Melody looked up at Alexandra. Alexandra was strangely calm, one side of her lips quirked up into a smirk. "It will?"
A familiar, almost vicious grin plastered across Alexandra's face. "Like I said – Alex and I aren't good at friendship, but we are good at business. Harmony will be okay, okay?"
Melody decided to trust Alexandra, so she gave the heiress an affirmative nod. Alexandra separated herself from Melody and stepped back. Melody took it as her cue to go and she rushed out the door and down the stairs.
Meanwhile, Josie jumped when she heard and saw Melody clambering down the stairs at full speed. "Melody?!"
Melody didn't pause as she ran out the door. "IhavetoseeHarmonybye!"
Josie, Alan, and Valerie exchanged perplexed looks and then ran after her.
"Melody! Wait!" Alan called.
Alexandra strode down the stairs as she pulled on a long, red jacket over her red and black dress. Once down the stairs, she casually pushed the button on an intercom on the wall.
"Jenkins? Be a dear and bring the family limo to the front. I need to go out," Alexandra spoke into the device.
"Yes, Ms. Cabot," Jenkins voice answered.
Alexandra stepped outside and stood at the top of the driveway to wait for the limo. Sebastian trailed after her and sat down by her feet. Alexander joined her side as well, hands still buried in his pockets.
"You're going over there?" he asked.
"Of course I am," Alexandra replied coolly. "As much as it would amuse me, I don't want to end up ten years from now on some True Hollywood Story documentary talking about the fall of Josie and the Pussycats. Valerie would probably be okay, but Josie would probably go crazy and start a band where all her band mates are potatoes."
Alexander raised an eyebrow at her.
Alexandra shrugged. "It was a weird dream I had once."
Alexander shifted on his feet. "Well… Is it okay if I go with you?"
Alexandra pulled down her sunglasses to reveal a devilish sparkle in her eyes. "Sure, we'll twin terror tag team that woman." She pushed up her sunglasses and looked to see the limo approach. "Humph. Just who does she think she is anyway?"
The limo stopped infront of them and Alexandra opened the door. Sebastian jumped in first and settled down on one of the seats.
Alexander let out a bitter chuckle. "Heh, yeah." He watched Alexandra climb into the limo. "I'm surprised she didn't recognize the brother of their biggest investor, and basically the owner of that entire publishing company."
Alexandra smirked. "Basically? Brother-dearest, I own that place – no question about that."
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Alexandra strode through the publishing company's building while she tried her best not to laugh at how everyone in the building reacted to her presence. Some employees actually bowed to her while other ran and hid behind anything they could find. The managers and the other employees with the most important titles were running amuck while they spread the news of her coming. Sebastian on the other hand openly snickered and mocked the terrified employees with howls and swipes of his claws. Alexander strode behind his sister with a puffed-out chest. Finally, they reached Womanly Magazine's office.
"A-Alexandra Cabot!" a middle-aged man greeted her as sweat poured down his forehead like a fountain. "W-what a surprise!"
"Where is Kelly?" Alexandra bluntly asked.
The man wiped his sweat off with his tie held by a trembling hand. "She's…she stepped out of the building. C-can I help you with anything?"
Alexandra shook her head. "No, I need to speak to her. Where is her office? I will wait in there."
The man opened his mouth momentarily to object but shook his head. He gave Alexandra his most pleasant smile and agreed to take her there.
Twenty minutes later, Alexander waited by the open front door of the office.
"Is she here yet?" Alexandra's voice asked.
Alexander turned to see his sister still in the enormous, black leather office chair behind Kelly's desk. Sebastian was in her lap, eyes focused on the door as Alexandra stroked his fur.
"Not yet," Alexander reported.
Alexandra frowned and looked at Kelly's desk. A golden award for Womanly Magazine shaped like a half-clothed angel with wings holding a diamond newspaper sat next to the computer. "Well, remember to let me know if you see her coming. We have to play this right."
Alexander suddenly perked up and motioned frantically to his sister. "I hear someone coming! Quick! Turn the chair around!"
Alexandra jumped and spun the chair around to face the office window. In this position, nothing but the back of the enormous chair could be seen. She waited as footsteps entered the room.
"Why, hello…" Alexandra said in her best evil villain voice as she slowly spun the chair around.
A short, plump middle aged woman dressed in a post office uniform smiled and waved at her. "Hello!"
Alexandra growled, grabbed the award off the desk and chucked it at her brother. "Alexander!" Alexander dodged the award with a yelp. "That's not Kelly!"
The mail woman dropped an envelope on the desk. "Oh! You're waiting for her? She came in right after I did! Bye!"
Alexander and Alexandra gawked after the mailwoman. Suddenly, the sharp sounds of heels marching towards the office got their attention.
"Quick!" Alexander whispered frantically to his sister.
Alexandra quickly spun the chair around to the window once again. Alexander fumbled around until he finally settled on leaning on a bookshelf in the office with his arms crossed and nose in the air.
Kelly entered the office, eyebrows scrunched down in a mix of confusion and offense. "You! What are you doing in here?! Who let you in?!"
"Kelly-dear…why would I ever need to be let into my own building?" Alexandra spoke up as she slowly turned the chair around the reveal herself.
Kelly's skin went sheet white. "M-M-Miss Cabot!"
Alexander grinned and began to circle the frozen-in-place woman. "You should've done your research, Kelly. Isn't the head honcho of a magazine supposed to know everything about who comes in and out of their office?"
Alexandra got up with Sebastian still in her arms and circled the opposite way around Kelly. "You did my brother, Alexander Cabot III, a great offense. Josie and the Pussycats is his investment – this publishing company, and your magazine, is mine."
Kelly's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
"Speaking of which," Alexander continued as he passed his sister once again in their stalking circle. "Wasn't this magazine tanking until just a little while ago?"
"Oh dear, why yes it was Brother-dearest," Alexandra replied with a mock gasp. "The only thing keeping it afloat was my money. All the other magazines had to resort to giving out entire one-year subscriptions for pennies or, excuse me if I vomit a little while saying so, for free."
"Ugh! Don't even say that word infront of me," Alexander gagged.
Alexandra paused and picked up the award off the floor. She walked up to Kelly and held the award infront of her face. "But then, all of a sudden, the other CEOs came to me with a new plan for a 'total magazine reboot.' It was so sudden…but I can't remember why…who was one of the people in charge of re-designing the layouts and looks of the magazines?"
Alexander grinned. "Harmony Valentine – my drummer's cousin whom you fired today."
Kelly let out an audible gulp as sweat began to form on her head.
"And then you threatened my brother with a lawsuit, no less?" Alexandra said. "My, my, my… What are we going to do about you?"
Sebastian howled and bared his fangs at Kelly. That's when Alexandra noticed the entire office spying on the conversation. With Kelly's door wide open, the entire conversation could be heard and seen in the silence.
"W-wait, Miss Cabot, we can fix this! I-I-I was in a foul mood today and-" Kelly began.
Alexander shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Sis. When she entered that studio, everyone there looked and acted like abused pets. She must be this poor of a leader and human being every day."
Alexandra laughed stuffily, "We should know, shouldn't we, Brother?"
Sebastian snickered loudly.
Alexandra pointed at Kelly. "Remember who you owe your miserable existence to, peasant." She turned to Alexander. "Dear Brother, will you please leave us to talk about business?"
Alexander walked backwards out of the office as Alexandra sat back down in Kelly's chair. "Of course."
He closed the door behind him and the entire office erupted into cheers.
+0+0+0+0+0+
"Ugh, I can't believe we're back," Valerie groaned as the band, Alan and Alexander entered the Womanly Magazine office the next day.
Alexander smirked. "Don't worry about it, Val. We'll just get in, take the photos, and get out."
Melody chewed her lip. "I don't want to see that mean lady again."
Alexander put a hand on her shoulder and pulled down his sunglasses to wink at her. "I got your back."
Melody offered him a weak smile and nodded. Josie and Alan led the way to the studio doors and paused infront of them.
Josie turned to the others. "Okay, Cats, let's just keep our cool and get this done as quickly as possible."
Alan pushed open the doors and stopped in the middle of the doorway with the others, all their jaws falling open at once.
Harmony turned happily from her spot at the table and waved. "Hiya everybody!"
Melody beamed and ran over to give her cousin a bear hug. "Harmony! You got your job back?!"
Harmony nodded. "Yup!"
The others joined their sides, happily congratulating her.
"How did you do it?" Valerie asked.
Harmony shrugged. "I dunno! Kelly called me in last night and I had a meeting with her and Dr. Claw."
Josie blinked several times. "Dr. Claw? Like Inspector Gadget's Dr. Claw?"
Harmony gave a single, big nod. "Yeah! All I could see was the back of a large chair and a hand once in awhile. Also, Dr. Claw had the strangest laugh…it didn't sound human." She shook her head. "But anyway, Kelly told me that she and Dr. Claw wanted me to have my job back with a raise!" She paused and looked at her feet. "I'm still waiting to fly off the ground, though. I think they lied about that part."
Alexander sighed and nursed his forehead between his fingers. "It means you'll get more money in your paycheck."
Harmony brightened. "Gee! How nice of Dr. Claw! …Not as good as flying though, but I'll take it."
Josie laughed, "Well, whoever it was, we owe him. Right, Val?"
Valerie looked lost in thought as she scratched her chin. She opened her mouth to say something when the studio doors suddenly creaked open. Everyone in the room turned to see Kelly slink over like a guilty dog whose master just came home to see the mess it made.
"Good morning…" she greeted meekly.
Josie looked around the room and noticed many of the staff smirking to themselves. Harmony, much like her cousin, was unaware.
"Good morning, Kelly!" she greeted happily.
Kelly meekly approached the table. "Everything okay here? Do you need anything?"
Harmony shook her head. "Nope! We're all set!"
Kelly nodded and turned to walk out. Harmony bit her lip.
"Kelly?" Harmony called after her. Kelly stopped and turned around, eyes wide. "Um…I saw your ideas this morning, and I really liked them. I was thinking…maybe we can work together on this ad?"
Kelly brightened but turned fearfully to Alexander. "Is…would…would that be okay?"
Alexander shrugged. "Don't ask me – Harmony's in charge here."
Valerie's eyebrow popped up and she pushed out her lips with a slow nod.
"Oh, r-right," Kelly coughed. She turned back to Harmony with a grateful smile. "That sounds good, Harmony."
As the two women gathered around the table to discuss the photo shoot, Valerie crossed her arms and looked at Alexander.
"Band meeting…our manager included," Valerie announced.
The band gathered around a far corner of the room.
"Okay, Alex, what happened?" Valerie asked.
Alexander feigned innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Valerie."
Valerie rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. "The internet will explain it then."
Melody's eyes widened. "The internet can talk?"
Valerie ignored that and presented her phone to the group. "I was doing some research on our mean boss lady and I came across something interesting." She turned to Alexander who was beginning to sweat. "Did you know your sister basically owns this entire company?"
"Does she?" Alexander laughed a little too loudly. "Wow! I had no idea! The things your own twin won't tell you!" He paused at everyone's disbelieving expressions. He sighed and hung his head. "Look – after you all left, Alexandra and I came here and had a…talk…with Kelly."
Melody's eyes brightened. "Alexandra?"
"You two did that so we won't get sued?" Josie asked.
Alexander rubbed the back of his neck and stuck one hand in his pocket. "Not really…we just…I guess we just…c…ca…caaaare?"
Alan burst out into laughter. "Aw, I knew it!"
Alexander waved his hands frantically infront of his body. "Don't tell my sister I told you! My dorky sister thinks she has some sort of cool reputation that she needs to keep, and she didn't want any of you to find out what we did!"
Melody held her heart with both of her hands and smiled to herself.
"Wow…uh…thanks, Alexander," Valerie finally spoke, dumbfounded.
Josie grinned. "Yeah. I knew you two were all-right."
Harmony skipped over to the group. "Are you guys having a party over here? Can I join?"
Melody looked up at her cousin and smiled, eyes brimming with tears. Harmony didn't notice because the others were once again congratulating her and complimenting her on how forgiving she was. Melody watched with a smile and decided she had the best girlfriend in the world.
+0+0+0+0+0+
Alexandra and Sebastian were both perched on a couch pressed against one of the windows in the living room. They stared at the window, heads moving in unison when the occasional bird or squirrel caught their eyes.
"They should've been done with the shoot by now," Alexandra grumbled.
Felicia watched the scene with an amused smirk. "Anxious to hear?"
Alexandra nearly toppled off the couch. She composed herself and looked back at Felicia with her nose stuck in the air. "Hmph, like I care."
Sebastian meowed loudly and pointed out the window.
Alexandra whipped her head around to look out the window. "They're back!"
She and Sebastian jumped off the couch and leaped onto the chaise lounge they normally occupied. The two tried to put on their best casual expressions and poses but failed miserably. After a minute, the front doors opened and the band entered.
"Hello?!" Alexander called. "We're back!"
Felicia greeted them in the hallway. "Alexandra and Sebastian are in the living room, as usual."
"Of course," Alexander replied.
The band entered to see Alexandra spread out on her lounge. She was "reading" her magazine upside down while Sebastian sat on top with an awkward, forced kitty grin.
"Hiii Alexandra," Josie sang with a grin.
Alexander shot her a pleading look, but Josie just winked at him.
"Oh, I didn't hear you all come in," Alexandra said as casually as she could. "How did the photo shoot go? Did that…what's her name….Kathy person give you trouble?"
Melody giggled, "Kelly, and no, Harmony got her job back!"
Valerie couldn't hide her grin. "Yeah, Kelly told us Harmony was so talented that she instantly regretted firing her. She called her back that night and begged her to come back."
Alexandra stood up and looked down at her nails to feign disinterest. "Is that so? So…Harmony is back on the project, right?"
"Yup!" Melody sang. "Isn't that amazing?"
Alan snickered but quickly covered his mouth and turned away from the others.
"Heh, good," Alexandra said with a devious grin. She shook her head. "I mean, whatever, I'm sure the ad would've been fine either way."
"Uh-huh," Valerie said as she playfully shouldered Josie.
Alexander suggested, "Hey, uh, Sis. We're all going out with Harmony for lunch to celebrate. You should come too."
Alexandra glanced at her brother. "Huh? Oh, uh…" She looked at Melody who gave her a meek shrug. Alexandra decided not to risk going and the conversation somehow ending up on her and Melody. "…Uh…no thank you. I have much better things to do."
Valerie chuckled, "Like reading your magazines upside down?"
Alexandra blushed. "That was…it's an art form!"
"Okay, Alexandra, whatever you say," Valerie teased.
Alexander looked disheartened. "Are you…sure you don't want to go?"
Alexandra bit her lip and looked at Melody again. The blonde girl smiled, her eyes hooded. [What kind of expression is that?] Alexandra wondered.
"I'm sure," Alexandra replied.
Valerie sighed and turned to walk back to the door with the others. "Great – I was hoping Alexandra would go so Harmony could play with her hair instead of mine."
Alexandra watched them leave. When she was alone in the living room with Sebastian and Felicia, she muttered. "Have fun."
+0+0+0+0+0+
That night Alexandra lied on her bed. She was still wide-awake in her room, the moonlight streaming through her thin curtains. Sebastian snuck off a while ago to go for a stroll.
Alexandra groaned and turned over to look out her window. "What's the point of being nice to everyone when I can't hang around with them normally without being afraid?"
She sighed and turned onto her back. Suddenly, her phone buzzed on her vanity. She grabbed it and looked at the message.
Melody: I'm coming up to your room – don't get scared again! ;)
Alexandra sighed, relieved that Melody remembered their talk about appearing seemingly out of nowhere to scare the hell out of Alexandra. She sat up on her bed and waited for Melody to come in. The door finally opened and Melody entered with a smirk.
"Hey, Lover. Did you have a nice lunch?" Alexandra asked.
Melody walked past her bed and drew the curtains all the way shut.
"…I'm sorry I didn't go," Alexandra continued as she peered into the total darkness to try to watch Melody. The blonde went back to the door to make sure it was locked. "I was just nervous that Harmony would-" She stopped when Melody's silhouette lifted her shirt off her body. "Uh…I uhhhh…"
Alexandra was sure her blush would light up the entire room as Melody's silhouette pulled down her pants next.
"W-what's all this?" Alexandra tried to ask calmly, but her voice broke and gave her excitement away.
Melody laughed. "Oh, nothing…"
She climbed on the bed and began kissing Alexandra's neck. Alexandra lied back and let Melody continue.
"Nothing? Looks like I'm just lucky to get lucky, huh?" Alexandra joked.
Melody hummed, "Maybe." She paused and hugged Alexandra's neck. "But I think I'm the really lucky one."
Alexandra smiled to herself. While she disagreed completely, it was nice that someone loved her so much.
Melody sat up on her knees and smacked Alexandra's shoulder. "Now get naked!"
Alexandra burst out into laughter. "Sheesh! Someone's feisty! Am I going to need a safe word tonight?"
Melody giggled naughtily and pounced back on top of Alexandra.
+0+0+0+0+0+
A few weeks later, Alexander stood anxiously by the Cabot mansion door. He paced back and forth from the door to one of the windows in the living room like a dog waiting for its owner to come home. Alexandra tried to ignore him while she read her latest Elite Cats magazine with Sebastian on top of her lounge.
"Dear Brother, you are simply exhausting," Alexandra sighed. "Sit down."
Alexander practically danced over to the lounge to look down at Alexandra. "Aren't you the least bit curious about what the ad will look like? You're the one that made this happen, after all."
Alexandra smirked. "I am, aren't I?" She casually went back to reading her magazine as Sebastian grinned at Alexander. "You still owe me."
Alexander rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, but a smile played on his lips. "Uh-huh."
Suddenly, the front door swung open and Mrs. Cabot stepped in. Alexander rushed over to her and waited. Mrs. Cabot held up three copies of Womanly Magazine triumphantly in the air.
"Gimme! Gimmeeee!" Alexander wailed like an eager child.
Mrs. Cabot laughed and handed Alexander an issue. "Someone's excited."
Alexander ran into the living room where Alexandra now stood in the middle of the room with Sebastian to wait for the reveal. Mrs. Cabot strolled in after her son and handed Alexandra a copy with a sly wink. Alexandra rolled her eyes at her mother and turned to flip through the pages.
"Nice! A page for each of my lovely ladies!" Alexander proclaimed.
Alexandra found the ads her brother was currently drooling over.
The first page had Valerie in heavy make-up posing with her bass guitar strapped around her shoulders. She appeared covered in sweat, her clothes and hair messy from what the ad suggested was from a rock-n-roll concert Photoshopped in the background. The ad read: She rocks and rolls all night, but her make-up is still on point.
Alexandra couldn't help but make an amused snort. She turned to the next page and froze.
Melody sat on her drummer's seat, legs spread slightly in a short, tight jeans skirt. She had one hand in her hair as if pulling it away from her face while her blue eyes stared out of the picture. A fake audience was also Photoshopped in the background and she also wore as much make-up as Valerie wore in her ad. The ad read: Her drums lead the music, and her make-up leads men on.
Alexandra smirked to herself. [Men? That's what they think.] She flipped to the next page to see Josie's ad.
Josie stood holding a microphone-okay that was enough of that.
Alexandra flipped back to Melody's ad and ran her eyes over Melody's body.
"Alexandra!" Alexander's voice loudly interrupted.
Alexandra yelped and jumped, causing the magazine to fly into the air and land on Alexander's head. Alexander grimaced and plucked the magazine off his head.
"…I said: what do you think of the ads?" he asked as he handed back Alexandra her copy.
"Melody is fine—I mean! They look fine to me," Alexandra stuttered.
Alexander was too busy staring at Josie's ad to notice the Freudian slip. "This ad campaign is going to be a huge hit." He grinned. "I can't wait for the commercials!"
Alexandra breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the front doors of the mansion burst open and once again the air was pierced by high-pitched girlish screaming. Alexander and Alexandra covered their ears while Mrs. Cabot watched as Josie, Valerie, Melody, and Harmony ran into the room screaming and jumping.
"We look so good!" Valerie cheered.
Alan followed, hands over his own ears. "Hi, Mrs. Cabot."
Mrs. Cabot smiled as the girls hopped around her in a circle. "It looks like they're done screaming for now."
Alan, Alexandra, and Alexander uncovered their ears with sighs of relief.
Alexander grinned and rubbed his hands together. "I can't wait! You girls are going to be super-stars thanks to this Revon deal. And it's all thanks to me!" The girls rolled their eyes. "It's okay, no need to thank me all at once."
Alexandra scoffed, "Oh brother."
Melody came up to Alexandra with an impish smile. "What did you think of the ads, Alexandra?"
Alexandra's face turned red as she stared into Melody's eyes. "Hot…" She quickly coughed and turned her head. "I mean! The air in here is hot! Jeez, Mel, quit breathing on me!"
Melody grinned. "Oops, sorry!"
She gave Alexandra a knowing and playful look as she stepped away from the heiress.
"Well, you did a wonderful job, Harmony," Mrs. Cabot praised.
"Thank you! I like them too! My husband really liked the photos of Melody for some funny reason!" Harmony said.
The others groaned to themselves.
Harmony held up a few 8x10s of the ads. "And look what I have! Presents!"
Mrs. Cabot accepted the ad of Valerie. "Wow, professionally done…"
Mrs. Cabot turned to Alexandra. "Alexandra, don't you have extra frames somewhere? Let's put these up on a wall!"
Alexandra shrugged as she turned and headed out of the living room. "Great, now I will have to look at these dumb-dumbs all day long."
"You love us, Alexandra," Josie teased.
Alexandra stuck out her tongue at them and turned the corner out of the room. She heard the conversations resume inside of the living room as she headed down to one of the many storage rooms. Once inside, she dug around for the box of frames she had left over after she redecorated her room. After a minute or two of digging, she heard footsteps close in on her. Alexandra paused and began to straighten up, but two arms wrapped around her waist.
"Melody?" Alexandra laughed. "We can't-"
She stopped when she realized it wasn't Melody – it was Harmony. Alexandra pulled away and almost toppled over the pile of boxes she was digging through.
"H-hi…Harmony…" Alexandra greeted slowly, stepping over the boxes so she could back away further.
"I know what you did for me," Harmony spoke. "Everyone at the office was talking about it."
Alexandra sighed, "Ooo… I knew I should've told Alexander to close the door."
Harmony smiled and touched Alexandra's arm.
"If you ever get bored of Melody…come find me," Harmony suggested. "I'm married, but I'll still take care of you."
Alexandra pulled away, lip upturned and eyes wide. Harmony smiled and slowly walked out the door. Alexandra stood frozen for a bit before she shook herself.
"Oooo…! What the hell is going on in my life?!" she shouted and waved her bawled fists into the air.
Outside the room, hidden in the doorway of the bathroom near the storage closet, Felicia watched Harmony walk back towards the living room.
"That's what I would like to know, Alexandra…"
