I Should Have Told You Sooner

"Oh, Rio! It's beautiful!" Jerrica exclaimed, as Rio fastened the clasp. 
It was Valentine's day, and Rio had just given Jerrica a necklace with a golden locket on it.
"I thought you might like it. I saw it, and knew it was for you." Rio told her.
"Than you so much! I love it!" Jerrica said. Jerrica hugged her long time boyfriend. 
"Oh, Jerrica. I totally forgot. I'm supposed to meet Jem for coffee." Rio said, as he stood up.
"But you just got here! I'm sure Jem can wait!" Jerrica said, trying to make him sit down again.
"I know. But I promised her. I better go." Rio said, without any feeling of guilt. He walked towards the door, and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll call ya tonight."
"But....Okay. See ya later." Jerrica reluctantly said.
Rio left. Jerrica stood at the door, and watched him leave. He didn't even wave.
"Maybe I should've told him sooner. It would definitly have been easier for the both of us." Jerrica said to herself as she walked up stairs to change. "Showtime Synergy."
Jem appeared, in her short pink dress. She dashed down the stairs, and ran for the roadster. She started the car, and sped all the way to the coffee shop. She arrived seconds before he did.
"Rio! Your early!" Jem exclaimed, when she saw him beside her.
"Yeah. I thought it would be a nice change to always being late. Oh, I have something for ya." He suddenly said.
He produced a box, and handed it to Jem.
"Oh Rio! You shouldn't have!" Jem said, as she opened the box and found a beautiful and expensive looking diamond ring.
"Yeah. Well, there was something I wanted to ask you." He said slowly.
"What is it, Rio?" Jem asked wide eyed.
"I want to know, if...if... you would marry me." He said, looking hopefully in her eyes.
Jem was floored. She nearly fainted. "I...I don't know....I..uh....I...can't." She finally answered, not making eye contact with him.
"Why?" A surprised and hurt Rio asked.
"I can't do this to Jerrica. She is my best friend. You belong with her, not me." Jem said, tears running down her face. "I'm so desperatly sorry, Rio."
Rio was still in shock as Jem ran from the shop, out to her car. She started the roadster, and drove home.
"I can't believe I said no. Jem, you should've said yes." She said to herself. "Oh well. He wouldn't like the truth, if he does find it out."
She walked inside to see Aja, Kimber, Shana and Raya waiting for her.
"Rio called. He said it was important that you, er, I mean, Jerrica call him right away." Aja reported.
"Thank you." A teary eyed Jem said.
"Jem, why are you crying? What happened?" Shana asked.
"It's Rio. Shows over Synergy" Jem told her earring. 
Jerrica appeared again, and went to call Rio. He answered on the third ring.
"Rio. You called?" Jerrica said, trying to control her tears from the earlier event.
"Yeah. I..uh...Things aren't working out. I don't think we should see each other anymore." He said, quietly.
"What! Why!?" Jerrica demanded, as fresh tears formed.
"I don't want to hurt you anymore." He answered.
"What do you mean anymore?" Jerrica questioned, knowing the answer.
"I've been dating you and Jem at the same time." Rio confessed.
"And you are going to trade me, your long time girlfriend, for Jem, the pink haired rock goddess? Thank you so much Rio. I never want to hear from you again!" Jerrica cried into the reciever.
She slammed the phone down, and collapsed on the floor.
"Kimber! Aja, Shana, Raya! Come quickly!" Jerrica cried.
The holograms ran in to see Jerrica, crying in a heap on the floor.
"Jerrica! What's wrong?" Her worried sister asked.
"Rio dumped me for myself!" Jerrica slowly said.
"Why?" Raya asked.
"I don't know.....Well, actually I do. He proposed to Jem, and when she said no, because of me, he decided to get me out of the picture. So, he dumped Jerrica for Jem." Jerrica said, as she walked over to the couch.
The holograms walked over, and sat down. Aja was beside Jerrica as was Kimber. Shana and Raya were sitting on the ground in front of her.
"Oh, Jerrica. We're sorry." Shana sympathised.
"Yeah. Hey! Why don't we go out. Just us." Aja suggested.
"Yeah. Okay. I'll just go get changed." Jerrica said, as she walked over to the stairs.
She walked into her room, and became Jem again. This time in her yellow dress and pink tights. As she walked down the stairs, she heard Aja arguing with somebody.
"No, you may not come in! Go away!" She was saying.
"Jem!" She heard Kimber whisper. She looked over to see Kimber in the kitchen with Raya and Shana. Raya waved for her to come over.
"Who's Aja arguing with this time?" Jem asked quietly, smiling.
"Rio. He came over, and is desperate to see you." Kimber whispered in response.
The smile faded. "Jem or Jerrica?" 
"Jem."
Jem couldn't hide the look of disappointment that crossed her face. "Let's go."
"Rio, get out of this house!! Aja was yelling.
"Aja, stop." Jem said, in a sad tired voice. The tear stains from the earlier events were still evident on her cheeks.
"Jem! I really need to talk to you." Rio said, running up to her.
"Why? What are you gonna say? You dumped Jerrica, so you could have me. That is lower than low. Well, now Jerrica has decided to move away, and I've decided to go with her. So, looks like you lost both of us." Jem said, as she pushed him out of the house, and slammed the door. "Aja, Raya, go make sure all the doors and windows are locked on the second floor. Shana, Kimber and I will make sure they're locked down her."
The group split up for a few slight minutes, than met and walked out the back door.
"Remember to lock it." Aja told Jem as she walked over to the car.
"Of course." Jem called as she locked the door.
"Hey? Where is the spare key?" Aja asked, when she dropped her keys on the doormat.
"You mean it's not there!?" Jem looked herself. "Rio took it. I'm positive."
"OH NO! JEM COME QUICKLY!" Kimber cried from the garage.
"What's wrong Kimber?" Jem asked as she walked inside. She couldn't believe her eyes. The roadster was gone, and so was the car's spare key. 
"Oh no! I just gave it a tune up too!' Aja sobbed, as a few stray tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Rio. Why would he do this?" Jem asked herself.
"Who knows, Jem." Aja siad, still sobbing.
"Let's go inside. We'll figure out what to do in there." Shana suggested.
"Okay." Came the reluctant response from the girls.
Once inside, they decided on what to do.
"Well, the Starlight girls are old enough to take care of themselves. We can give them the mansion. Now, what about Starlight Music?" Jem wondered aloud.
"You can give it to Lindsey Pierce. Tell her to run it, but in Jerrica's name. That way we'll still be able to get some profit from it." Raya said.
"That's a great idea. Now, I'll just go call her." Jem said, standing up.
Five minutes later Jem walked back. "She said she would love to."
"Great. Now, where are we gonna move?" Kimber asked.
"Well. Why don't we move to.....Florida?" Jem said.
"Yeah!" Raya said.
"Wow! That would be truly outrageous!" Kimber cried.
"Okay. we can start packing tomorrow." Jem said. "Let's go to bed now."
"Night y'all!" Aja said as she walked for her room.
"Night!" The other four chorused as they walked to their rooms.
"Shows over Synergy." Jem said, when she was in her room. She just got into bed, when Kimber came rushing in.
"Jerrica, there is someone in the house!" Kimber whispered frantically.
"Do you know who?" Jerrica asked in a panicy voice.
"No. But we should go look." Kimber said.
"Go get the others." Jerrica ordered.
Within seconds the others were in her room. "Jerrica, what should we do?" Kimber asked.
"Come on. Synergy, can you make us appear invisible?" Jerrica asked her earring.
"Yes." Came the answer.
"Okay, make me and the holograms invisible. Please." Jerrica asked.
"As you wish Jerrica." Synergy replied, and then they vanished.
"Okay, now we need to be as quiet as possible." Jerrica said. "You are still here, right?"
"Yes."Aja replied.
"Okay. Everyone hold hands." Raya said. "That way we can't lose anyone."
"Good idea." Jerrica said, as she grabbed someone's hand. "Okay, let's go."
They walked quietly down the stairs to see the kitchen lights on. They walked into the kitchen and saw Rio. It looked like he was looking for something. Then he produced a tape recorder from under the table.
"Found you." he said, pressing play. The girls couldn't believe their ears as they heard their conversation from  earlier that night.
"Well. Why don't we move to.....Florida?" 
"Yeah!"
"Wow! That would be truly outrageous!"
"Okay. we can start packing tomorrow."
Jerrica started to walk up the stairs, the others followed with some difficulty. 
When they were upstairs, Jerrica dropped Kimbers hand. "Shows over Synergy."
They all reappeared. "Jerrica, you've got to get that tape back! If Rio finds out who you... I mean, who Jem...I mean what your secret is...."Aja started.
"Shhhh! I know! Don't worry. I'll go down and set him straight."  Jerrica said. "Showtime Synergy."
Jem appeared, and ran down the stairs. She crept over to the kitchen, and saw Rio there, rewinding the tape.
"Rio!" Jem cried. "What are you doing in my house!"
"I, was um....just leaving. I forgot my books here." He said, as he put something in his coat pocket.
Jerrica walked over, and took the tape recorder out of his jacket. "This doesn't look like a book. Have you been spying, or recording us?" Jem asked, holding the tape in front of his nose.
"No. Of course not." Rio said, as he reached for the tape recorder.
"Why is this so important, then?" Jem challenged.
"It, has my thoughts on writing on it." Rio said quickly.
"Oh. Then wouldn't it be too bad, if I did this." Jem took the tape, broke it in half, ripped the tape up, and dropped it in the ground.
"NO!" Rio said, as he crashed to the ground, trying to fix the tape.
"Oh," Jem  said as she grabbed the tape, "I have a better idea."
She walked out to the pool, and dropped the tape into the deep end.
"No!" Rio said. Jem just stood there, waiting for him to do something. Just as she turned to leave, he grabbed her wrist.
"Let go of me!" Jem cried.
"Not until you tell me Jerrica's secret! She had one, and I want to know what it was!" Rio cried. He tightened his grip of Jem wrist.
"OWWW! Let go! Jerrica didn't have a secret!" Jem cried. "AJA! RAY------"
Rio put his hand over her mouth. "Why, won't you tell me? I am her boyfriend."
Jem bit his had, and stepped on his foot. Rio fell back in pain, and Jem dashed for the house. By now the others were up, and ran out to see what was wrong.
"Kimber! Close and lock all the doors! Aja, and Shana do the same. Raya, call the cops!" Jem cried as she ran into the house. Rio was chasing after her, and she was scared. 
"Jem, what's happening?" Synergy was asking.
"Rio's gone mad. He's trying to get me to tell him Jerrica's, I mean, my, um, our secret." Jem told her earring.
She walked into the living room, and turned on all the lights. She sank onto the couch, and let the depression wrap itself around her. She was in that daze for a good twenty minutes. She thought she heard a loud bang, but she was too out of it to tell. Aja's cry woke her from her daze.
"Jem! Come quickly!" Aja called from upstairs.
Jem dashed up the stairs, tripping about three times. She ran into the starlight girls lounge and saw Aja and Kimber being held captive by Rio. The starlight girls were in the room too, but they were tied up.
"Jem! Help us!" Ashley pleaded, with fear in her eyes.
"Wait. Now, Jem. If you tell me what I want to know, I will release all of the girls. If you don't, Aja and Kimber come with me." He threatened.
"Jem, don't worry about me. I'll be fine" Aja mouthed.
"Yeah, ditto!" Kimber signaled.
"Jerrica doesn't have a secret. Why do you think she does?" Jem asked.
"Because she was never around. When I would get time to do something, she would be busy. And she never told me why." Rio barked.
"But......She is the manager of Starlight Music, of course she would be busy!" Jem reasoned.
"No, it was something else." Rio insisted.
"No. She didn't have a secret." Jem persisted.
"Oh really? How can you be so sure? How do you know everything about her?" Rio challenged.
"Because, we were like sisters. We were really close. We had a lot in common." Jem answered.
"I know that!" Rio cried. He took out a gun. "Now, tell me what I want to know, or Aja pays the price!"
"Aja!" Jem cried, as Rio pushed Kimber away, and tightned his grip of Aja's arms. Aja cried out in pain. "Don't tell him anything, Jem! I'll be okay!"
"So, you are hiding something! WHAT IS IT!!" Rio screamed. 
"Jem, watch out! He's gone mad!" Ashley yelled.
"Shut up! Or you'll be gone long before Aja!" Rio threatened, pointing the gun at her.
"Eek!" Ashley shrieked.
"Hey? Where are the others?" Jem asked.
"Look in the pool." Rio said, pointing to the window.
There, in what now can be described as an actual pool of blood, was Raya and Shana. Jem crashed to the floor. Fresh tears started to pour donw her face. Rio watched, and smiled.
"What did you do to them?" Jem asked in a small, wavering voice.
"They were in my way. I snook into the house through the kitchen. They were locking the doors, and saw me. I pulled out my gun and shot both of them. And now," Said a triumphant Rio, "They are swimming in peace."
Jem let out a cry of grief. "You killed two of my best friends."
"I know. Oh well. And the same will happen to Aja, if you don't tell me what I want to know." Rio said, with out any guilt.
He is mad, Jem thought. "Okay. I'll tell you her secret. As long as you let Aja go before I tell you."
Rio smirked, triumphantly. "You can have her. Now, tell me what I want to know."
"Alright. Come with me." Jem said, motioning for him to follow.
As soon as they were out of the room, Aja dashed downstairs, and called the cops. They walked into the spare bedroom.
"Okay, Rio. I will tell you, on one condition." Jem said in a reluctant tone of voice.
"What?" Rio asked.
"You must swear that whatever you see or hear will never be told or shown to another person." Jem said, as she started to cry again.
"Why should I?" Rio asked, looking coldly into Jem's sad blue eyes.
"Because, Jerrica would be in danger. And so would I." Jem answered simply.
"Okay. I swear." Rio said, quickly.
"Okay. Jerrica's secret was-----"
"You're under arrest!" A cop came in, and grabbed Rio.
"NO!" Rio said, pulling out his gun again.
"Put the gun down!" The cop ordered.
"Never!" Rio said, pointing it at Jem. "If you don't tell me what I want to know, Jem, I'll shoot you!"
Jem panicked. I can't tell him with the cops here! "I can't."
"You'll make the perfect angel!" Rio said, and prepared to shoot.
A loud noise went off, and a gun dropped to the ground, as well as a body.  Rio cried out in pain. The cops had shot him first. In the stomach. He'd be dead in about five minutes. Jem dashed to his side.
"Tell me." He begged. "Please! I need to know!"
"Okay. Will you leave us, please?" Jem asked the cops. They left. "I guess I shood have told you sooner." Making sure the door was closed, Jem confessed her secret. "Shows over, Synergy."
Jerrica appeard in front of Rio. He was amazed. "You mean, you are Jem?"
"Yes. I wish I had of told you sooner." Jerrica said regrettably.
"Why didn't you?" Rio asked.
"I was afraid. I thought I would lose you." Jerrica answered.
"You wouldn't have." 
"I wish I'd have known that." Jerrica said sadly.
"I think I'm gonna die in the next minute." Rio said softly.
"One thing. Who did you love more? Jerrica or Jem?" Jerrica asked desperatly.
"I.....I...l..Loved...J....Je....." Rio never finished.
Jerrica watched as he took his last breath. She felt as if she had died too. "Good night, sweet prince."
Jerrica transformed back into Jem, and walked out of the room. She saw Kimber and Aja, hugging each other for support in the living room. The cops were questioning them. They turned their attention to Jem.
"He's dead." Jem said sadly in the doorway.
"We'll go get him out." The cops said.
"Yeah, and I'll go untie the girls." Aja volunteered.
They walked up the stairs, leaving Kimber and her sister alone.
"Jem, are you okay?" Kimber asked.
"Yes. I'm gonna be okay." Jem said, in a strong voice.
"Did you tell him?" Kimber looked into her sisters eyes, and felt sympathy for her.
"Yes. Just before he died." Jem answered, looking back into Kimber's eyes.
"Well, now what will we do? Our two drummers are gone. How can we keep the group going?" Kimber questioned.
"I think we'll have to disband." Jem decided.
"But, Jem! Are you sure?" Kimber asked.
"Yes. I'm tired of this charade." Jem said.
"Okay. Let's go tell Aja." Kimber said, walking for the stairs.
The two walked up the stairs, and told Aja their descision. "If you feel it right." Aja said.
"Yes. We should get away from this house. Move to another one not far away." Jem suggested.
"Okay." Kimber said.
"We'll pack tomorrow." Jem told them.
It was now about 4:56 am. The girls went to bed. Jem couldn't sleep, though. She kept replaying that night's scenes. She slipped out of her room, and walked out to the pool. Shana and raya's bodies weren't there, but the blood was. Jem wished they were still there, though for some unknown reason. She looked around, making sure no one was there. "Shows over Synergy."
Jerrica appeared. Taking of her earrings, she decided to say goodbye to her counterpart once and for all. She got into the roadster, which the cops had found and returned, and drove to the nearby ocean beach. She walked to a secluded part. Looking one last time at the beautiful earrings, she threw them into the ocean, watching them sink, gracefully, to the ocean floor.
"Good bye, Jem."

The End.

Goddess Aja