Sylvie was all out of it as she mindlessly doodled in her notebook, trying to undo the mess of the yarn boll in her head she called her thoughts. After her talk with Stacey and Jessica, she started thinking that maybe she should take the deal. She loved the band with everything in her heart, but this had been her dream since she was little. Shouldn't they be supportive of her?
"Sylvester, duck!" Sylvie looked up and just managed to dodge the football that was flying straight towards her face.
"What the hell?" She cried out in shock. "Who did that?" She demanded and everyone immediately pointed at Emmett.
"Um... sorry?" He tried sheepishly and Sylvie sent him a smile before throwing the football straight at him with a glare. Sam chuckled softly before looking back at his girlfriend, quickly frowning when he saw her face fall back into a blank face. Something that normally didn't mean anything good.
Sylvie was like a blank canvas. Confusing, blank and hard to read. But then she'll show everything all at once. Shocking people and hurting them. But Sam knew she was trying to unlearn that habit, something that she was still working on.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked Sylvie as he sat down next to her and push some hair out of her face. After he heard her talk to Jessica at the gala, he was starting to think she was taking the deal. Something he was thinking all more often as he watched the guilty look in her eyes and her nervous habit of fiddling with her locket. Their locket.
"I'm fine, just stuck on this song." She said and Sam looked at her notebook, confused when he didn't see Determinate, a song they all liked.
"I didn't know you were working on this one again." He said as he scanned the scribbling of As Long As I Have You.
"Marcus and Jessica suggested that I finish this to see if we're on the same line song writing-wise," Sylvie explained as she felt she was betraying the guys. She hadn't excepted anything yet, but the fact she was talking with Orpheum Records felt like stabbing them in the back.
"They don't like Determinate?" Oliver asked as he, Evan and Emmett joined the conversation.
"They liked it, but they just asked me if I had something close to Perfect Harmony."
"So, they want you to be what? A girl writing love and breakup songs?" Emmett asked.
"Excuse me, there's nothing wrong with that. Look at Taylor Swift, Adele and Olivia Rodrigo." Sylvie shot back and Emmett put his hands up in defence.
"Well, do you like the song you're working on?" Evan asked as he put on his jacket for warmth. There were many pins on his jacket including ones of fandoms, bands and the pan flag.
"I do like it, but my head's just kinda full right now," Sylvie replied as she let out a small sigh.
"Then let's empty it," Oliver said as he sprung up and pulled Sylvie with him.
"What are you doing?" She asked him confused as he started twirling her around and moving around the room.
"Dancing, wait," He grabbed his phone and put on Shake It Off. "That's better." He smirked as Emmett jumped up.
"I stay out too late" He sang and pointed at Oliver while Evan and Sam stood up.
"Got nothing in my brain" Oliver continued as the guys started dancing if that was what you could call it.
"That's what people say, mm, mm" Evan picked up.
"That's what people say, mm, mm" Sam finished as they all looked at Sylvie who chuckled before letting go.
"I go on too many dates
But I can't make 'em stay
At least that's what people say, mm, mm
That's what people say, mm, mm" She sang as she started dancing. Together, they all basically screamed the rest of the song while doing the weirdest dance moves. Emmett and Oliver tried to salsa together and Sam twirled around Sylvie while Evan did the running man.
No matter what she chose, Sylvie would make sure she would never lose these guys.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
Sylvie sat next to Stacey as they looked through the photos with the other girls.
"Ooh, this one is so cute," Mary Anne gushed as she picked up a photo of Sylvie and Sam.
"Yeah, but I don't want photos of my brother to be in this," Kristy complained as the others laughed and Sylvie took the photo.
"Then I'll take it." She said.
"Wait, Dawn, is this you?" Kristy asked as she picked up a photo.
"Yeah,"
"You look great."
"Thanks, Kristy."
"Logan just texted," Mary Anne panicked as she rushed over to the McGill sisters, the 'boy experts'. "He said, 'Playing,' then ramen emoji?" She asked and Sylvie frowned in confusion.
"Sam's a normal human being and uses words, Stacey, she's your." She said and left the two to join the others.
"Made it!" Jessi exclaimed as she rushed in. "Sorry." She said as Kristy's timer went off.
"An alarm? Kristy, really?" Claudia asked as Sylvie chuckled and grabbed some gummy bears.
"When was this?" Jessi asked as they cleaned up the pictures. "You guys look cute."
"Last week, after the girls came to watch a Sunset Curve rehearsal," Sylvie replied as she grabbed some pictures Claudia took of the band.
"It was magic hour, so I did an impromptu shoot on the way back from the pizza place where we went after the rehearsal," Claudia added.
"You were at ballet," Mallory informed Jessi while Sylvie didn't feel very guilty. She liked Jessi, but she wasn't very close to her.
"It looks like you guys had fun," Jessi said as Sylvie sat down in a chair.
"This meeting is officially in session," Kristy announced. "Now, first order of business, my mom said there's this big town hall meeting in a couple of weeks. They're discussing adding a stop sign on Edgarstone and Kimball."
"Finally!" Jessi and Dawn exclaimed at the same time.
"Anyway, all the adults in that neighbourhood are going to the meeting and they'll all need sitters for the whole afternoon, so I figured we could plan something fun for the kids and offer a special, discounted group rate," Kristy explained and Sylvie smiled at the idea.
"Supporting community engagement—" Dawn started.
"And special event services. I love it." Stacey finished.
"Right? Mary Anne and I counted up all the kids in that general area and we came up with 12. We can watch 12 kids. Two for each sitter. Minus Sylvie. And without Jessi, of course." Kristy said and Sylvie nodded while Jessi frowned.
"Wait, why without Sylvie and Jessi? Why are we not counted?" Jessi asked.
"Oh, because you two are unavail," Kristy explained.
"You gave me all your dance conflicts when you enrolled at your new school. Your winter dance recital is that night. See?" Mary Anne added and showed Jessi the calendar.
"Oh," Jessi sighed. "Sylvie, why aren't you available?"
"I'm going to that same recital," Sylvie replied and Jessi looked at her shocked. "My friend Effie's new girlfriend, Miranda, she's also in that show. I think in your group even. Effie didn't want to go alone so invited me over." She explained.
"Wait until you see Jessi dance. I cried when she was in The Nutcracker." Mallory smiled.
"I actually did that show once too." Sylvie smiled.
"You did ballet?" Jessi asked, again shocked.
"Yeah, my mom enrolled me when I saw three and I did it until I was eight. I had one of the little kid rolls in The Nutcracker." Sylvie explained.
"Jessi, what time's the show? Maybe we can do both." Dawn suggested.
"Oh, don't worry about it. It's all the way in Stamford and I don't even have a part yet." Jessi brushed it off.
"But you will. You're gonna be the star. I know it." Mallory smiled brightly at her.
"Please hold," Stacey said to the person on the phone. "Guys, Derek Masters's dad is on the phone. Derek needs a sitter every Thursday for the next few weeks."
"Wait, TikTok 'Derek the Superbrat' Derek Masters?" Jessi asked.
"Oh my God. He is the most followed TikTokker under ten." Mallory gushed.
"He's from Stoneybrook?" Dawn asked.
"Apparently," Sylvie replied with a mouth full of gummy bears.
"When he's in town. He used to be friends with the triplets back in the day." Mallory added.
"Claudia, you're free. Oh, and Jessi too!" Mary Anne smiled. "No ballet on Thursday."
"I'm free? I'll take it! Can I take it? Do you mind?" Jessi asked Claudia.
"No. Take it." Jessi smiled brightly and Sylvie felt her phone vibrate. She checked it and saw a text from Jessica.
Jessica Shine OR
Sylvie, we absolutely LOVE As Long As I Have You. We would love to have you come over and record it for a demo. See if we can work together on that page.
Sylvie looked down at the next with a bright and proud smile before it softly fell. Would she hurt the boys if she excepted the offer? She wouldn't be saying yes to the offer. But still.
<Thomas3
ALAIHY turned out awesome
Can't wait to play it with the band
Love you <3
And that text did not help Sylvie make a decision one bit.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
To say Sam was worried about Sylvie was an understatement. They were hanging out in her room and every time he would look at her when she wasn't looking, she looked gloomy and like how she looked when they first met. Closed off.
"Psstt, hey," Sam whispered and Sylvie looked at him. She was lying on her back horizontally and he rolled over to her so he was on his belly vertically, his head hanging over hers. "I love you." He smiled and Sylvie chuckled at him.
"You're an idiot," She smiled before they shared a sweet kiss filled with love. "But I love you, too."
"Enough to tell me what's going on?" Sam asked and Sylvie frowned in confusion.
"Are you guilt-tripping me?" She asked. "That's so gaslight gatekeep girl boss of you."
"Sylv, I'm serious," Sam said as he sat up and Sylvie followed him. "You've been acting off lately. Like..."
"Like what?" Sylvie asked, getting a feeling of what he wanted to say and she could feel anger boil inside her.
"Like how you used to be," Sam admitted and he watched as Sylvie's eyes had flashes of hurt in them before they turned stormy and angry. Like how they used to be.
"Well, if you don't like that then leave." She scoffed, but Sam didn't leave.
"Sylvie, if this is because of Orpheum Records and—"
"God, Sam! Not everything is about that or the band or you!" She yelled but quickly regretted it when Sam looked at her in disbelieve and hurt. "Sam, I'm so sorry I didn't mean that I just—"
"Snapped? Yeah, well, you've been using that as an excuse an awful amount lately," Sam said as he stood up, Sylvie quickly following him. "Sylvie, when will you realize that you can talk to me." He asked as Sylvie looked down in shame. She wanted to reply that she was ready when he was ready to support her, but it wasn't the right time.
"I know that—"
"Then do it! Talk to me, please?" Sam softly begged her at this point. And for the first time, Sylvie was glad she could hear her parents argue from the kitchen.
"Edward, this is the third time—"
"I know that! You've been nagging on about that the whole week!" Sylvie could feel Sam's gaze on her but she could only stare at the door which stood as a barrier between her and the world outside.
"Oh," Sam whispered and Sylvie broke her gaze from the door.
"Yeah, oh." She said as she felt the comfort of Sam's embrace around her. But she didn't cry. Because crying meant having to talk.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
She had so many people to talk to. Sam, Stacey, Evan, the girls from the club, the guys from the band and now also Effie. But there was always that one person Sylvie went to when she was completely lost.
"Tea?" Mimi asked Sylvie as they sat down in the living room.
"Yes, thank you," Sylvie replied as Mimi poured some tea in a cup for her.
"Now, talk." Mimi smiled and Sylvie took a deep breath.
"I'm not sure what to do with the band. After the meeting with Orpheum Records, everything is just so different. I can see how they're slowly splitting into two groups and it's all my fault because I can't make a decision." Sylvie started before taking a sip of tea.
"Go on." Mimi encouraged.
"Orpheum Records offered to record a song I wrote together to see if we're on the same page that way. I sort of want to do it. Just to see how it is, of course. But I can't help but feel as if I'm betraying the guys." She continued.
"Would you be leaving band?" Mimi asked.
"No, it's just a trial."
"Then you not hurting them," Mimi said and Sylvie looked at the old woman. "You talented, and friends love you. But is this you want?" Mimi asked and Sylvie thought about it.
"It has been my dream since I was a little girl." She admitted as she thought back to how she used to sing all day long, pretending she was the next Taylor Swift.
"Then they will support. If no, then they no friends." Mimi stated and Sylvie nodded while finishing her tea.
"Thank you, Mimi. I always feel better after talking to you." She smiled at hugged the woman goodbye before going to Claudia's room for the club meeting. She sat down next to Stacey and grabbed some gummy bears.
"You okay?" Stacey asked carefully and Sylvie nodded as Kristy began talking.
"So the nature scavenger hunt might work, but... Hey, Stace, do you think poison ivy still grows in winter?" She joked and Sylvie laughed loudly as she watched her sister's face.
"Too soon, Kristy. Still! God." Stacey glared.
"What about the movies? What's wrong with the movies? It's fun and it's warm." Claudia suggested as Kristy wrote it down.
"It's also screen time," Kristy added.
"Okay, but what if we did like an educational talk-back at the end? About what we thought worked and what didn't." Stacey suggested.
"Oh, yeah. And we could get the kids to figure out, like, how much a single Sour Patch Kid costs depending on the price of the box and other boring math stuff." Claudia added.
"Stacey will help with the math," Sylvie said and the girls all giggled.
"Mary Anne, see what's opening and check for available showtimes." Kristy decided on and Stacey and Claudia high-fived.
"Showtimes. That reminds me. Jessi, how'd it go with the recital?" Mary Anne asked Jessi. Sylvie already knew Miranda got the lead and sent Jessi a kind smile.
"She got the lead!" Mallory smiled in excitement and all the girls joined, all but Sylvie who was sending Jessi a look, one that made Jessi look away.
After the meeting was done, Sylvie pulled Jessi aside to talk.
"Why'd you lie?" She asked and could see Jessi panic.
"What do you mean?" She stuttered.
"Jessi, you're a great dancer but not a great liar. I know you didn't get the lead."
"How?"
"As I said previously, Effie's girlfriend is Miranda from your group. And Miranda got the lead," Sylvie explained and Jessi looked away in shame. "So, I'll ask you again. Why did you lie?"
"I had never gotten such a small role before. I didn't want to tell anyone." She admitted.
"So, you lied. Because not saying the truth is better than not saying anything at all, which could reveal the truth you don't want to be revealed," Sylvie said and Jessi looked at her with wide eyes. "I know the feeling. But I also know you can't lie forever." Sylvie finished and left.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
Nerves went all through Sylvie's mind at the next band rehearsal. Evan and Oliver were working on some new sound ideas while Sam and Emmett joked around with some clothes that were lying around.
"Guys," Sylvie finally spoke up and they all stopped with what they were doing and looked at her. "I have something to say."
"What is it?" Evan asked.
"Orpheum Records offered me to record As Long As I Have You, to see if we work on that page. And I said yes." She revealed and all the guys did was look at her.
"Wait, does that mean you're taking the deal?" Emmett asked.
"No, it's just to see... I guess," Sylvie replied as she grew worried at the guys' silence. "Are you gonna say something?"
"Congratulations," Oliver smiled softly. "This is an amazing opportunity."
"Yeah, and you deserve all of it." Evan agreed. Sylvie sent them a smile before looking at Emmett and Sam. Emmett was looking down and Sam was glancing at Oliver which no one noticed.
"Emmett?" Sylvie asked carefully, knowing he was the most sensitive. After moving so many times in his life, Sylvie learned Emmett had grown abandonment issues. Sacred people were leaving him like he would lose his friends when he moved.
"Alright, you're gonna record a song and what comes next? Record a whole album? Go on tour?" Emmett asked with anger lacing his voice.
"Emmett—" Sam tried but got stopped.
"No, we're a band. Sunset Curve. But clearly, Sylvie is having other ideas." Emmett scoffed.
"Okay, that's enough." Evan tried but failed.
"What are we? Sylvie the Star and the Guys That Don't Matter?" Emmett snapped and Sylvie could feel her emotions go crazy and her face go blank.
"Really?" Oliver exclaimed as they started arguing back and forth. And all Sylvie could think of doing was run, but someone stopped her.
"You're really going to run away now?" Sam asked her. "This is what was on your mind, wasn't it?" He asked and Sylvie nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you're the one person I need that doesn't support me," Sylvie replied, her face blank and her voice cold. Sam let go of her hand as emotions Sylvie couldn't place flashed across his face.
"Fine, run." He said with no emotions and Sylvie took off, her outside cool and blank like a canvas. But her inside chaotic and hurtful like a piece of art made from tears and your worst emotions.
And all she could think of was that if she could do it all over, she'd do it different. That maybe she wouldn't be here in this position.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
"Whenever you're ready, Sylvie." Marcus smiled through the intercom as Sylvie stood in front of the microphone in the sound booth. She took a deep breath and listened to the music Orpheum Records had created for the song.
"I tried on my own, I thought I'd get there
Around and round, but I was only getting nowhere
Then you came along and gave me something
Something that I could believe in, trust in
And I won't go back again" She sang as she felt guilt and pure happiness battle inside of her.
"As long as I have you
I can live like there's nothing left to lose
Unbreak every fracture in my heart
Nothing in this world could ever tear this love apart
They say you gotta take the good with the bad
I'll take it all as long as I have
You, oooh" She could feel happiness win as her childhood dreams were slowly becoming real.
"And I realize that now I'm better with you
You got here right on time
Yeah, you were my breakthrough
You are my breakthrough" She smiled with passion as Marcus and Jessica shared a happy look. If Sylvie excepted the deal, she could be the next big thing.
"As long as I have you
I can live like there's nothing left to lose
Unbreak every fracture in my heart
Nothing in this world could ever tear this love apart
They say you gotta take the good with the bad
I'll take it all as long as I have
You, oooh
As long as I have
You, oooh" Sylvie finished the song and removed her headphones and looked at Marcus and Jessica through the screen.
"What do you think?" She asked with a smile.
"I think we're looking at a superstar." Jessica smiled brightly and happiness won inside of Sylvie.
☁️✨💿✨☁️
Ohhh it's getting spicy!!
But on a different note, last week I updated a lot because I was on autumn break, now I'm back at school and learning for my test week so updates might be slow.
anyway, leave your theories behind I'd love to hear them!!
XOXO Kat