Chapter Four – Deluded Blonde
The song at the end of this chapter is Celine Dion's "Thats The Way It Is." Again, I don't own the copyright, yada yada. : - )
Jessie watched the new doll from afar. She'd watched her show, and now she was watching her chatting to Barbie about her accessories, and the two girls were giggling and complimenting each other, it looked like.
Jessie sighed and rested her chin on her hands. She was bored. Woody was off playing cards with Buzz and Slinky, the Potato heads were playing checkers (Mr Potatohead was letting Mrs Potatohead win), and several of the other toys were playing skipping in the corner. Jessie didn't feel like she belonged. She'd been pretty much the only humanoid girl for so long and now there was a newcomer.
"It's Jessie, isn't it?" The voice near her made her look up. The new doll was standing next to her, extending her hand. "I'm Rochelle, nice to meet you," she said proudly.
"Uh, yeah," Jessie responded vaguely, taking the hand un-enthusiastically. "Yeah, it's Jessie."
The newcomer didn't question Jessie's lack of hospitality. In fact she seemed to welcome it as a chance to talk.
"So I hear you landed the spaceman himself," she giggled, and Jessie glanced at her.
"I didn't realise my lovelife was on your personal agenda," she responded tersely. She felt Rochelle tense for a moment besides her.
"It's not, its just that I noticed you two earlier having a bit of a...heated discussion of ideas..." she said tactfully.
"He's just being Buzz, it happens," Jessie said dismissively, folding her arms.
"Right." Rochelle could see this line of converse wasn't going to go anywhere. "Did you catch my show?" she asked.
"What, your singing? Yeah, I saw it," Jessie said bluntly, but she didn't elaborate any further.
"So what did you think?" Rochelle prompted.
"Your voice is good," Jessie said. "Listen, Rochelle, I'm not in the mood for other toys today, so why don't you go and practise or something equally useful."
Rochelle blinked in shock. "You think I need to practise? Did I sound that awful?" She wailed, and Jessie started at her screeching.
"Rochelle, please," she sighed, but Rochelle was on her feet already.
"This is awful," she continued, "I can't believe they let me out in front of a real audience without even giving me a sound test."
Jessie stared at the blonde doll as she flounced off. She sounded as deluded as Buzz did when he was in Demo mode. And that was pretty deluded, she surmised.
"Earth to Buzz, do you copy," Woody chuckled, waving a hand in front of Buzz's face. The three of them had been playing cards only half an hour, but Buzz was miles away in space, or so Woody could tell.
"Hm? My turn?" Buzz asked, throwing down a three of spades.
"Buzz, it was my turn," Slinky complained, but Buzz took no notice of the dog's whining, or the fact Woody was trying to get his attention.
"Buzz, snap out of it," Woody commanded, and smacked the laser light on his best friends arm. The laser immediately went off with a beeping sound and Buzz broke out of his thoughts.
"Sorry, Woody, did you say it was my turn again?" He said vaguely, but without waiting for an answer, he threw down a four of diamonds.
"That was my turn - again," Slinky yapped in annoyance. Woody rolled his eyes at Buzz and threw down his cards.
"Buzz, what in Sunnyside is the matter with you today? I mean, I've seen you off your rocker before now, but these beats all those other times hands down." He said firmly, shaking the spacetoy by the shoulder.
"I don't know Woody. I'm just so confused," Buzz sighed, throwing down his cards. "Full house, I win," he said, and Woody glanced over. Buzz's cards were a four, a six, a jack, and a king. This toy was losing his mind, Woody decided.
"Slink, could you give us a minute," the cowboy doll murmured to the springy dog, and Woody shrugged, getting up.
"Okay Woody. But don't forget, you owe me 10 new batteries from that game of poker," he grinned as he literally slunk down the bedsheets and wandered off. Woody waited until Slinky was out of earshot, and then pulled Buzz around to face him.
"Right, space ranger. What the heck is going on?"
"It's that new doll. I think Jessie's jealous of her."
"Now why would you think that?"
"Because she's spent the entire day almost, on the shelf." Buzz omitted the detail about the fight they'd had that morning.
"She's probably just having an off day. Is that what this is all about?" Woody laughed softly and started to gather up the cards.
"It's not just that. Rochelle, the new toy," Buzz added as Woody looked around at the unfamiliar name, "She's so vibrant...she's almost exactly like Jessie. I don't know what to do when I'm around her, it's like I'm back at square one," he finished sadly.
"Whoa whoa pard'ner. I don't think I'm the person you should be speaking to. Remember, Jessie's my sister," Woody warned Buzz.
"I know Woody, but who else can I really talk to about these things?"
"How about talking to Jessie about her jealousy problems?" Woody suggested.
"You know that won't work, she gets offended if I try and bring it up."
Woody knew Buzz had a point – this was the same cowgirl doll that got jealous over Woody having an owner in the first place, back in the apartment block near Al's Toy Barn.
"I still don't think you should be bringing this up in front of me, Buzz," Woody repeated, and turned away, unable to see the look of panic crossing Buzz's face as he wrestled with his innermost feelings.
Rochelle couldn't believe it. All those months – no - years of training her voice to perfection, and her agent had let her out into the world without letting her know she couldn't really sing after all.
Rather than embarrass herself in front of the others with her singing practise though, she decided to concentrate on her dance routine for one of her other songs she loved. In another room.
"1, 2, 3, 4," Rochelle muttered to herself. She was so out of her mind with worry, she kept getting those wrong too. "One, two, three, kick," she went on, "turn, tuck, slide, step back," She glanced around as she felt curious eyes on her, and looked around to see Jessie looking at her from the side of the room by the door.
"Hey you," she called cheerfully to the cowgirl. "Fancy a bit of exercise? I can learn you some dance steps!"
"Uhm, no thanks," Jessie responded. "I was just taking a walk."
"Okay, suit yourself," Rochelle called back. She continued, wary of Jessie's eyes on her. She was sure the cowgirl doll was there watching just to pick out the bad parts. "You gonna just watch then?" she asked, as Jessie picked her way around the room carefully.
"No, just taking a walk," Jessie reaffirmed.
"Uh, ok," Rochelle murmured, continuing to kick and step in time to the imaginary beat in her head. From the other side of her, Jessie suddenly spoke.
"What is that you're trying to dance?"
"It's a version of a salsa step," Rochelle answered, not breaking concentration. "Tap in tap out, step forward, one, two, three back." She concentrated fiercely, finally giving up when she kicked instead of sliding her foot back.
"Drat," she muttered, and stopped.
"That looks interesting," Jessie murmured, and Rochelle looked around.
"Interesting meaning bad, no doubt," she said blandly, continuing with her dance, in order to fend Jessie off.
"Fine, think what you like," Jessie snapped, and started to walk off. Rochelle spun on her heel and sang softly after her,
I can read your mind and I know your story, I see what you're going through
It's an uphill climb, and I'm feeling sorry, but I know it will come to you,
Don't surrender 'cause you can win, in this thing called love
Jessie turned to look at the blonde hair doll in amazement, as she continued,
When you want it the most there's no easy way out, when you're ready to go and your heart's left in doubt, don't give up on your faith, Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
"What? What are you on about?" Jessie demanded, taking a step closer to the singing doll, who ignored her question and simply went on singing;
When you question me for a simple answer, I don't know what to say, no
But it's plain to see, if you stick together, you're gonna find a way, yeah,
So don't surrender 'cause you can win, in this thing called love
When you want it the most there's no easy way out, When you're ready to go and your heart's left in doubt, don't give up on your faith, Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
She paused, letting the meaning of the song sink into Jessie's brain, and her next words caused the cowgirl doll to take a step back again in shock,
When life is empty with no tomorrow, and loneliness starts to call
Baby, don't worry, forget your sorrow, 'cause love's gonna conquer it all,
When you want it the most there's no easy way out, When you're ready to go and your heart's left in doubt don't give up on your faith, Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
Rochelle turned genuine eyes on Jessie as she finished;
That's the way it is, That's the way it is, babe
Don't give up on your faith, Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is.
Without another sound, Rochelle turned her back, and returned to her dance practise, leaving Jessie to wander off into the darkness of the room, wondering what it all really meant.