new

Darren went home to SF for a bit of a vacation after the news of Savage Garden breakup. Daniel had began his work with Halogen. Darren was starting his work on the solo cd soon. Leonie had started employing people to work for Darren. Right now she was interwieving people to help her on the Darren Hayes website.
"Next!" Leonie tried to cover a yawn as a young woman entered. "Good this conversations are killing me!" she thought. She hadn`t met someone she wanted for this job.
"Tired?" Mel smiled "I better be quick then". And she were. In 3 sentences she managed to tell Leonie her name, school and why she wanted this job. Leonie leaned back, happy......, knowing that the interwievs were over. The woman seemed proffesional, warm and enthusiastic. Leonie knew in an instant that they would get along great.
"Congratulations! You got the job!" Leonie smiled when she saw Mel`s happy face. "We`ll start as soon as possible. There`s a lot of planning to do! And you have to get to know people around here.
Mel nodded. "Thank you so much!"
"I`ll call you, when I have further news. ok?"
Mel walked towards the door.
"You are aware that you`ll be travelling a lot? You can`t actually start any new relationship on the way."
Mel stopped and turned to Leonie when she spoke.
"That`s the way I want it!" she said , then closed the door after her.

Leonie thought about these words a few seconds, wondering what she had ment by that, but then shook her head and went back to work.
Mel went home to her small apartment, staring at the blank walls. No photos or anything, they were all rapped up in a box.
"I can`t wait to get moving" she thought, and sighed.
Leonie called her 4 days later, and told her to come down and meet some people. Mel stressed to the shower. She decided to just put a pair of light blue jeans on, and her DG t-shirt.
By the time she knocked on Leonie`s door her nervousity had passed, and she were as calm as she always were.
"Enter" Leonie looked up at her and smiled. "Good morning Mel! Good, you didn`t overdress....a lot of people do, and that doesn`t fit in with us her!" Mel smiled back at her, she felt at ease with Leonie. She seemed alright. Leonie stood up and grabbed her dayplanner. "I always have it with me. I rarely have any plans, but it makes me seem important!" Mel laughed and followed her. They stopped by some people on their way down to the car.
"We`re going downtown to the studio Darren`s in. If we are lucky, he tear himself away for a while, and buy us dinner!"

Leonie walked in the studio and introduced Mel to everyone. Darren walked over and shook her hand. She looked over at Leonie. "Let me guess....you want dinner right?" They all decided to go to the little cafeteria on the corner. And while they ate their bagels, Mel discovered that Darren was easy to like. He was relaxed, entertaining and quite funny. And his laugh made everyone around him feel happy. Mel had to swallow hard to repress the feelings it brought to her. She had struggled for a long time not to feel anymore....cause feelings made her think less clear, and she needed to be awake at all times.
When they said goodbye and Mel drove home. She still heard Darren`s laugh in the back of her mind, but his laughter mixed with another laugh, that she tried to forget about.

"So?" Leonie looked anxious at Darren. "Did you like her?"
"Yup! She seems nice. What`s her story?" Darren wanted to know more about her, as he felt Mel had avoided any questions about her life.
"I don`t know actually. She`s 23. Borned in England, went to school in Scotland...and that`s about all I know. Why?"
"Hmm.....she seems sad in a way...or angry..I can`t explain!"
Leonie was silent for a while. "Come to think of it she does seem sad." She paused ".....or scared."

Mel sat in her sofa and ate an apple, when her phone rang, she jumped up to answer as she thought it was Leonie or her parents, afterall they were the only ones to have her number.
"Hello!" There was silence, all she could her was breathing, and she knew in an instant who it was. She started to hang up, but stopped as she heard him speak.."When are you going to realize that you can`t run from me? I always find you.......and you can`t get away. You are mine......mine!" And he started to laugh, that sick twisted laugh. She hung up and stood there trembling for a while, not knowing what to do. "Pull yourself together Melody! You can`t afford to loose control now....!" She quickly gathered the few things she had and packed it in her car, and drove from her apartment and didn`t look back. She was used to leaving in a hurry. If she had looked in the mirror she would have seen the siloutte of a man, leaning against the corner of her house, watching her in silence.

"Yeah, this is Darren!" Darren leaned back in his chair.
"Hey mate! How are things going?" It was Daniel.
"Oh they are going fine. How about you? Are you surviving without me?" he laughed
"Barely mate, barely......haha.....Any news at all?"
"Daniel, I spoke with you two days ago. Even in the life of the amazing Dazza nothing big can happen in so short time. Leonie hired a new girl for the website though, so there won`t be just as much work to do for her......I think it was a good idea."
"Is she hot?"
"Daniel!! You never surprise me!"
"You didn`t answer!!"
"Ahh....well I guess she is kinda pretty. Beautiful eyes, long blond hair, about 1.65cm. The most beautiful thing about her is the name though. Melody......"
"Melody? Kinda unusual name.......I just read about a girl with that name.....hmm...Where is she from?"
"Ah...borned in England I think...why?"
"Oh nothing, just curious. Listen I just wanted to say hi and......." Darren interrupted
"....and that you miss me....I know I know....."
"Ha....you wish!" Dan laughed "Say hi to everyone for me ok?"
"Will do. Bye!"
"Bye"
Daniel hung up, and stared at the phone a few seconds. "Melody, Melody.....where have I seen that name before!" He decided to go and check on the internett for articles and stuff on the name Melody. To his surprise there were more hits for the name Melody than he had first thought. "Oh...this is going to take time...."
he thought. But started the search. He had the strangest feeling about this name....
His eyes fell on a newspaper add; "The De Lamarre family in grief. Friday 19th, nov. The husband of their youngest daughter, MELODY, where killed in a car crash. The police investigate the death in the suspect that something criminal is behind this accident." Daniel read on, but couldn`t find anything more interesting. But on the bottom of the page there was a picture of the family. And the girl referred to as Melody, had long blond hair. Daniel had the feeling that this Melody, was the one that now worked for Darren. "But why would a girl from such a rich family move to USA, and work on webdesign? She could have had all that in England, and the wealth of her family....I have to send the article to Darren, maybe it isn`t the same girl."

Mel booked a hotel room, and tried to calm down enough to go to sleep. She had to be up early to meet Leonie. It took her a long time before she finally drifted into sleep.
"She was running down a long road....screaming and crying. There were red and blue lights at the end of the road, and she saw Michael`s car lying upside down at the side of the road. She saw the ambulance personell zip the bag over a body..Michael!! MICHAEL......!" She woke up, all sweaty and shivering. Knowing that she wouldn`t be able to sleep again, she stood up and went to take a long shower.
3 hours later she walked inside hers and Leonie`s "Office". Leonie wasn`t there yet, but Darren was. He looked up from a notebook he was writing in. "Good morning!"
"Good morning....Are you feeling inspired?" she cast a glance at his notes. He had a nice handwriting for a man.
"Yup, It`s actually my second song today!"
"Oh my! I better hurry up with the website then! When are you planning to be finished with the album?"
Darren closed one eye and looked at her. He looked so funny with that grimace, that she had to laugh. He smiled back." Ahh...I planned to have it finished next month. The website should be up before that, so the fans can get the latest news, and maybe.....if I`m in the mood....a small preview of some of my songs. By the way, you should do that more often!"
"What?" Mel was confused
Darren made that grimace again, and she laughed. "Smile!" he said.
Mel looked down, and felt the need to change the subject. "I`m gonna get some coffee. Do you want some?" He nodded and she left the room. Darren was watching her. "I think I said something wrong! Ok.....no comment`s about her smile! Maybe I should write that down!" He smiled and shook his head. He knew he had the tendency to speak before he though. "I better warn Leonie, she is worse than me!"
When Mel came back, Leonie had arrived and were telling Darren exactly what she felt about the American drivers. "They are....and I mean this! Like monkey`s on a football field!! I would start to take a cab, but they are the ones that judge the game!!" Mel held back a smile at this statement. "Strange...I haven`t felt the urge to smile this much for ages!" she thought to herself. Not knowing that with Leonie and Darren in the same room, there would be a lot of funny moments. She didn`t think about last nights phonecall, or nightmare once during the day.

"Where do you live?" Leonie`s voice stopped her as she was walking down the hall. "In a hotel." Leonie rinkled her forehead. "Isn`t that expensive?"
"Oh...not really. I manage."
Leonie said goodbye and walked back to Darren who was sitting with his huge earphones. "There`s something about that girl....." Leonie mumbled to herself.
"WHAT?" Darren`s yell made her jump.
"Darren! Even if you can`t hear me, I can hear you....LOUD and clear!" He looked confused at her and wondered why she was speaking so low. She pointed to his head.
"Oh...." Darren removed the earphones. "Sorry! I forgot I had them on!" He smiled and raised his sholders. Leonie melted, he looked like a little boy. "I wonder how you are able to forget that you have those on......they are about the size of two speakers."
"What were you saying when you came in?"
"I just said that there is something weird about that girl."
"Who?"
"Which planet are you on at the moment Darren? Melody!"
"Oh...yeah...she seems scared or something. She got better during the day, but there is something in her eyes...."
"Yeah...I know what you mean! hmm.....we`ll find out eventually I guess."
"Find out what?"
Leonie looked at him. "I give up!! Do you know that you are impossible when you feel inspired....you can`t keep track of anything other than your music." she smiled and rubbed her hand against his hair.
"That`s what`s paying your food!! Hey....Hey don`t mess with my hair.....It took me forever to make it look like this."
Leonie grabbed her jacket and walked towards the door. "Make sure you get some sleep tonight Daz!"
He put his earphones on, smiled and waived at her. "Bye mom!!"
She laughed, and left the building.

Dan was trying desperatly to call Darren, but noone answered. He hadn`t received a reply at the e-mail he send. And Dan didn`t like to go about and wonder about things. "Damn!" He slammed the phone. It was the 10th time he called today.
Mel was sitting on her bed, writing down some ideas she had come up with, about the webpage. But she felt her eyelids were heavier for each time she winked.
She finally caved and, pullet the blanket over her. This time she slept peacefully throughout the night.
She woke up by the sound of her cellphone. "Mel!" she sounded groggy.
"Melody? I`m sorry. Did I wake you? Oh...this time difference."
"Oh..no it`s ok mom! I was about to get up anyway. How are you, how`s dad?"
"We`re fine...we really miss you though. How are you? We got the mail about your new job. Have you started? Is it fun?"
Mel sighed, but smiled. "I`m fine. Yes I started yesterday, and yes it is fun. Darren is a really great guy, not like I thought a star would be. And Leonie is the best."
"Sounds like you are fine then. You haven`t heard anything from.....?"
"No I haven`t." Mel lied. Didn`t want to tell her mom about the phonecall. Didn`t want her to worry about her anymore.
"Good! If only the police could catch him.....I would feel a whole lot better."
"Yeah.....Mom I gotta go, if not I will be late. I`ll talk to you later. Say hi to dad for me! I love you mom..."
"I love you to Melody. Take care!"
Mel hung up, and felt the tear come to her eyes. But she quickly winked them away. She didn`t cry anymore.