Story 10: "Interlude"

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Alexandra's dreams had always been strange since she was a child. As she got older and her dreams got weirder, she became bored of them. Even while dreaming, she could hear her own voice reminding her it was just a dumb dream and she would wake up and everything would be okay.

But tonight was different. One dream repeated itself over and over, every time she closed her eyes. In the dream, she found herself on top of the Ferris Wheel, seated next to Ancestor Sebastian Cabot. The freaky, yellow-spiraled-eyed, messy white lightning bolted haired, bushy-bearded man sat and cackled at her much like Sebastian the cat would laugh at her: a hissing snicker. Alexandra would jump out of her seat and look down for a way to get off the ride. When she turned around, Ancestor Sebastian was replaced by a scowling Harmony who would promptly push Alexandra off the Ferris Wheel.

Alexandra's hand violently shook as she poured her tenth cup of coffee in the hotel's dining room. The morning buffet stretched for a mile, but Alexandra was only interested in their terrible coffee. She slowly made her way back to one of the dining corners set in the back corner of the room where Melody ate her fourth plate of pancakes.

Melody beamed as Alexandra lowered herself to her seat. "I finally found the perfect combination: blueberry pancakes in between two chocolate chip pancakes topped with pineapples and whipped cream!"

Alexandra couldn't help but smile at the proud girl. "Sounds delicious, Darling."

She lifted her coffee to her mouth and quickly sucked it down so she wouldn't taste it.

Melody studied Alexandra closely. The heiress looked uncharacteristically unkempt with dark bags under her eyes. She noticed that Alexandra kept getting in and out of bed a lot during the night but when she would ask what was wrong Alexandra just said it was a stomachache from the fairgrounds food.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Melody asked again.

"I'm fine, Melody. I promise," Alexandra reassured. "I think the food just gave me a stomachache and weird dreams."

Melody cocked her head. "Weird dreams?"

Alexandra's fingers tensed around her mug. "Yeah."

Melody waited for Alexandra to explain but when the heiress said nothing, Melody decided to leave it at that. "Come on, Alexandra, try my pancake creation."

Alexandra smirked and playfully rolled her eyes. "Fine, Melody. I will taste your masterpiece creation."

Melody beamed and pushed her plate over to Alexandra. Alexandra put down her mug and took a piece of the layered pancakes onto a fork. She ate it and suddenly realized how hungry she was.

"Good job, Chef Valentine," Alexandra teased as she took another bite.

Melody giggled, happy that Alexandra was starting to feel better. Alexandra paused and looked down as a blush appeared on her cheeks. Melody looked at her, confused, until Alexandra stretched her hand across the table to put it on Melody's.

"I love you, and only you. You know that, right Melody?" Alexandra asked with an uncharacteristically pleading look in her eyes.

A light bulb turned on inside Melody's head. She pulled her hand away and then slapped it down on top of Alexandra's. Alexandra screeched and pulled her hand away.

"OUCH! Melody?!" Alexandra yelped as she rubbed her offended hand.

Melody jumped in her seat and reached out to stroke the reddened hand. "Sorry! Sorry! I was just upset! You think, that I think, that you think, that I think-"

"Get to the point!" Alexandra barked as her previous shy pink blush grew dark red in an angry blush.

Melody laughed, "Sorry, sorry!" She pulled her hand away and let Alexandra sulk and blow on her offended hand. "But how could you think that I think that you like Harmony? That's why you're upset, isn't it?" Alexandra growled and flushed. "I knew it! I bet that's what you were dreaming about too!"

Alexandra turned in her seat and crossed her arms and legs at the same time like an angry child would. "Fine! Okay! Yes! I was worried because you had no reaction to when I showed you those texts!" She pouted again. "I dunno, maybe, I thought you were mad at me but didn't want to say anything."

Melody shook her head. "Oh, no. Harmony just likes to flirt with anyone. When we were in school, I would tell her who I liked and then she would like them too! I guess we have the same good taste…"

She smirked playfully at Alexandra and winked. Alexandra's entire body flushed.

"Well, that's a relief," Alexandra sighed.

Alexandra began to pick at Melody's pancakes again as the blonde stared off thoughtfully.

"You know, now that I think about it, she's kind-of like you trying to steal Alan away from Josie all those years!" Melody laughed.

Alexandra grinned. "Humph. I wasn't trying to steal him – I was merely letting him know there was a better option out there."

Melody laughed, smiled, put her elbows on the table, folded her hands, and laid her chin on top. "By the way…I love you too, Alexandra."

"I know, Darling, who doesn't?" Alexandra teased.

"Don't make me hit your hand again!" Melody giggled.

Alexandra laughed, "First you break my phone, and now you want to break my hand!" She paused, looked thoughtfully into her purse, and pulled out Alexander's credit card. "By the way, let's find a cell phone store before we leave tonight. Alexander is going to buy me a new phone."

Melody gasped, "Wow! Alex is so nice!"

Alexandra grinned. "He sure is."

They fell into a comfortable silence.

"What do you think my new phone number should be?" Alexandra asked with a smirk.

Melody threw her arms into the air. "1-800-LOVEBUG!"

Alexandra sunk into her seat as other diners turned to stare at the girl's outburst. Melody realized how loud her suggestion was and sunk too, hands covering her mouth. Their eyes met and they both burst into laughter.

"Well, that's an option, but I think it would be too many numbers, Darling," Alexandra concluded.

"Boo," Melody sulked.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her jeans pocket. Melody pulled it out and looked down at the screen.

"I remember when I had a phone," Alexandra teased and dodged the swipe of Melody's hand that came towards her previously hurt hand.

"Hey, it's your mom!" Melody cheered.

She ignored the embarrassed groan from Alexandra. Alexandra was continuously embarrassed that her mother and Melody had exchanged numbers and texted each other behind Alexandra's back.

Melody giggled, "Hey, one day she'll be my mommy-in-law…"

Melody smirked when Alexandra's entire body blushed and her lips pulled together. That always worked.

Melody continued to read the text. "She says it snowed in Midvale and the private jet can't pick us up until tomorrow night."

Alexandra's eyebrows lifted suggestively. "Oh dear! It looks like we'll be stuck here together again. Whatever shall we do to pass the time?"

Melody's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I have a few ideas…"

Soon, Alexandra found herself back at the Fair standing in line for the roller coaster ride. Melody's ideas were much different than her ideas.

At least she got her new phone before they came back to the Fair. She looked down at her new phone. It was empty – no more pictures of Sebastian, her family, or…Melody. She looked over at Melody who had turned to look at Alexandra with a smile on her face.

"Selfie!" Melody cheered and wrapped herself around Alexandra's shoulders.

Alexandra regained her balance with a laugh, lifted her phone into the air, and took the first picture on her new phone.

"Melody! Why'd you have to do the fish lips thing? Let's take another."

"Okay!"

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Meanwhile, Valerie sat in her bed and stared out the window. The snow piled high onto her yard and everything in it. She sighed and wished she had gone to Arkansas with Melody and Alexandra.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She checked her text messages and saw that Melody was sending her video clips. Valerie opened the first one on her phone and was greeted with a video of Archie unnaturally tangled in a bunch of band equipment while several small fires blazed around the stage. Her mouth fell open and she opened the last video. It was a view from high up of the stage burning and two ambulance cars being towed away.

Valerie dropped her phone, stared off into space, and then exploded into uncontrollable laughter.