Title: Overrated

Series: Breakthrough (Part 12)

Author: Alan Hitchen

Email: darkmere2000@yahoo.co.uk

Archive: http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/alan.htm

Disclaimer: Popular is property of Touchstone Television.

Pairing: Sam/Nicole

Rating: PG-13

Information: Follows on from Seven Days to Noon.

Summary: Sam has to deal with the consequences of Nicole's actions.

"Hey! I just saw Mrs Julian's limousine pull away from the house," Brooke said as she descended the stairs. Catching sight of Sam's downcast expression she went on, "I always thought that black Mercedes looked like a funeral car, and now I see your face I know that's true. What's happened, Sam?"

Sam looked up from her clenched fist to focus on the blonde intruder but she didn't say anything.

"C'mon," said Brooke gently, moving forward and linking arms with her almost-sibling, "let's go and talk."

Brooke guided Sam upstairs and into her bedroom, a rarely granted privilege.

"I thought you might like a change of scenery," Brooke explained with a smile she also hoped might cheer.

Sam still didn't reply, but took a seat on the bed next to Brooke anyway, her shoulders hunched in defeat.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not? What did Judy want to see you about?" Brooke prompted.

"Not much," Sam said at last, "she just forced Nic to break up with me is all. She marched her in, we broke up, then she marched her out again."

"Just as well the 'rentals are out then," Brooke mused.

"Yeah," Sam agreed dully. "She slipped me this," she went on, showing Brooke the note she held crushed in her fist.

"Please forgive me. I can explain. Love, Nic."

"That's it? So what's the sitch?"

"I don't really know," sighed Sam. "We went out on Saturday as you know, but Nic was unusually quiet and withdrawn all evening. I didn't call her on it as I hoped she'd explain in her own time. Then as I dropped her back home she dropped the bombshell. She said she was going to tell Judy about us."

Brooke was puzzled. "Without discussing it with you first?"

"Yes. I suppose I could've said no, but I could see she was determined. I figured she'd spent all day nerving herself up to do it. So I said yes."

"And Judy didn't take it well."

"You think?!" Sam snapped harshly.

"What do you think?" Brooke replied soothingly.

Sam paused before voicing her darkest fear. "I think perhaps Nic set this up. That she wanted out but couldn't tell me so she got Judy to do it for her."

"So why the note?"

"A figleaf," Sam spat out. "Something to salve her guilty conscience with."

"Don't you mean an olive branch? If she wanted out she'd tell you," said Brooke. "Or let you catch her sleeping with Josh," she added with a hint of inappropriate humour.

"Hey!" Sam protested. "But, yeah, you're right, she'd have told me to my face... like she just did. Whatever, I don't want to lose her. What am I going to do, Brooke?"

"Hang on, stay calm, hear what she has to say and take it from there."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

"I thought not. Thanks."

"That's okay."

Sam turned and took Brooke's hands in hers. "No, really, thanks."

"What else are sisters for?" Brooke smiled at Sam.

"Sisters." Sam was thoughtful for a moment. "So, this wedding we were both going to put a stop to?"

Brooke continued to smile. "May not be such a bad idea after all."

...

It wasn't until lunch time the next day that Sam finally had a chance to speak to Nicole alone. Behind the bleachers they were safely hidden from anyone's view.

"So?" Sam said, arms folded angrily. Nicole seemed to cringe. "I can explain?" Sam said in a softer tone. Nicole started to cry.

Sam forgot to be angry and swept her errant girlfriend into her comforting arms. "Tell me," she crooned.

"I got scared," sobbed Nicole.

"Scared? Of what?"

"You and Lily. The other day I saw you coming out of the Novak together, hand-in-hand. I was jealous at first and then I was terrified."

"Oh God," Sam moaned in disbelief. How could she...

"I thought you were going to dump me. I didn't know what to do. I was going to confront you on Saturday, but then I thought that'd just give you the excuse you needed to end it. So I had another idea."

"Telling Judy?"

"Yes. I thought if we went 'official' it would be harder for you to break it off."

"So that's why you sprung it on me at the last minute, so I couldn't object?"

"And there was another reason. I hoped if I could show Judy I was in a serious relationship she wouldn't go on treating me like a child anymore. Perhaps she'd be a proper mother to me."

"But it all went wrong?"

"I'm so stupid. It's not as if I don't know what she's like. She went postal. She was going to send me abroad - to Switzerland! So I had to do what she said. At least this way I have a chance of changing her mind."

Sam laughed but in a strangulated way that sounded just like she was crying.

"You know what's the funny thing? I was scared too. I thought I'd lost you. I thought you'd got Judy to get rid of me. To erase me - your little mistake - from your perfect hetero life. But Brooke said no, you wouldn't do that because you loved me."

Nicole was incredulous. "Brooke said that?"

Sam nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, she did. Well, that's all my good news, what's yours?"

"Judy is having Ellis drive me to and from school. I'm permanently grounded and one false step will see me on the next plane to Zurich. There is no good news. Unless I can change Judy's mind, it's over between us."

...

Funkytown by Lipps Inc was blasting out over the crowded roller rink. The Nuptial Sk8terfest was in full swing and Mary Cherry was smiling fit to bust. Everything was going exactly to plan, she looked at her watch, it was nearly time for the grand finale of the evening.

"Say cheese!"

The digital camera flashed and another pair of smiling skaters were captured for posterity by Brooke.

"Haven't you done enough already?" enquired Poppy, who was protecting her friend's back from the melee in the rink. "I need to sit down."

"Nearly finished. Mary Cherry wanted me to get everyone that's here."

"Ouch! That's gotta hurt!"

Brooke turned to see April and May Tuna wedged firmly underneath SD's ample frame and Exquisite Woo struggling to help him back up, but her attention was caught by a momentary glimpse of Emory standing on his own, right at the back near the fire doors.

"Right, that's it," she conceded and followed Poppy to the exit. Just as she did so Mary Cherry took to the mike in a piercing squeal of feedback.

"Thank you'all for comin'. Now, as you'all know, mah beloved is a major talent who has been cruelly overlooked up till now. Harrison John, musically speaking, is no more, now is the time for Larry Lurex!"

On that cue Harrison took to the stage in a blaze of laser light, and a din of taped applause to augment the rather tepid response from the audience.

"And here in support, all the way from lil' ol' England and Stars of the Seventies, the original Glitter Band!"

Again the lights and applause heralded the arrival of a group of elderly men on stage.

"They look like my grandad's grandad," said Lily to Carmen and Josh, who, like her, had opted for the comfort of the rink-side seats. And then the main lights went out and the concert began.

An hour later the lights came back on. The rink was empty. The crowd had gone. Only one person was left standing at the back. Emory stepped forward, clapping his hands slowly in derision as he did. "Great show, Larry," he sneered, "great show." Then he left.

Harrison turned to find Mary Cherry, but she was gone too. Only Sam could be seen in the corner, writing the review that would also be Larry Lurex's obituary.

...

"Harrison John, a handsome but hopelessly incompetent amateur, last night opened, and hopefully closed, his career as Disco Rock/Pop God Larry Lurex, at what was supposed to be the climax of the party to celebrate his recent engagement to noted Texan beauty, Mary Cherry."

Brooke stopped reading from the laptop. "You can't print this," she said.

"Why not? It's true," countered Sam.

Brooke quirked an eyebrow. "Noted Texan beauty?"

"Okay, she paid me to write that bit."

"But he's your friend. This'll hurt him."

"Yeah, well, the truth always hurts and in my opinion pain is overrated. You get used to it."

Brooke instantly saw through the lie. "Do you?"

Sam tore herself away from Nicole's picture to look despairingly at Brooke. "No."

The blonde cheerleader could bear it no longer, she'd thought of something that just might work and perhaps now was the time to tell.

"Sam," she said, "I think I have an idea!"

TBC