CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

4 months later……

Jody woke-up and smiled. She turned her head and saw Cooper next to he, smiling at her. Jody rolled over and his her boyfriend softly. They were sharing a one-bedroom apartment because they were both sort of tight on money. Jody didn't really mind sleeping next to Cooper, as long as she wouldn't always have to sleep with him. She got dressed and looked over at Cooper. He was still lying under the covers.

Jody went over to him. "Are you going to come out of there today?" She teased him playfully.

"Yep." Cooper said, smiling at Jody with his big, happy blue eyes.

Jody's heart melted. "Come on!"

Cooper jumped out the bed wearing his boxers. He grabbed Jody and flew back to the bed. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled again. For some reason, Cooper couldn't help but smile when he was around Jody. Jody ruffled his messy dirty-blond hair and went to the kitchen.

She grabbed a granola bar and ate it, going over ballet steps in her head. Cooper was choreographing a new ballet and Jody was the lead female. Charlie was the lead male.

Jody finished eating and grabbed her small duffel bag. "Come on Coop!" She called from the front door of their apartment.

"Coming Sweets!" Cooper yelled from their room. He ran out of it and leaped down the hall. Jody locked the door and ran after him.

When they reached Cooper's Company, they both went into Cooper's office. Marindia, the assistant director, came in and caught them kissing. Jody was sitting in Cooper's lap and he was sitting on the edge of his desk. She cleared her throat and Jody jumped down, laughing. Cooper jumped down and grinned at her.

"Yes?" He said, politely.

Marindia handed him a stack of papers. "These are some résumés that we got in the last couple of weeks.

Cooper shuffled through the pile. "John Morris, Anne Peters, Joe McDollan, Sarah Jacobson, Missy Rivers, Julie Havord, Erik Jones, Matt Sanders, Justin Walters, Sam Truman, Eva Rodregez, Ellie Johnson, and Brad Anderson."

"Erik? Eva? No way!"

"Guess they don't like ABC anymore!" Cooper smiled at Jody. Marindia left and went to the rehearsal room.

Jody smiled back. "We should get to rehearsal soon" Jody noted.

Cooper nodded and they left. Jody joined the other dancers in the bar-warm-up. After the warm-up Cooper instructed everyone to get into the opening places. Jody walked casually over to Charlie and stood in front of him. He put his hands silently on her waist and lifted her up. He placed her on his shoulders and held her waist. Jody held her arms out. Charlie's hands were warm and began to relax. She had felt more or less like a nervous wreck the whole morning. She had discovered that the only things that could calm her down then were Cooper and dancing with Charlie.

Cooper whistled and announced, "From the top!"

The music began and Charlie lifted Jody off his shoulders and spun her around in his hands before putting her down. Jody danced and did a few jumps until Charlie came and grabbed her mid-jump. He flipped her in the air and then let go. Jody was supposed to land and then jump back up, but she landed and fell instead.

Cooper instantly ran over to her and kneeled down. Jody grabbed his hand and he helped her stand up. She walked over to a chair and sat down. A few minutes later they tried it again and it worked. They ran through what they had a few times, and Cooper adjusted some things and added more. Then they took a break.

Cooper stayed at his company and Jody went out to lunch. Charlie went to lunch at a local salad bar and saw Jody sitting on the other side. He looked at her and sighed. She turned around and saw him and he quickly looked back down at his half-eaten salad. She grabbed her food and stuff and brought it over to him. She sat down next to him and smiled.

"Hey!" She said cheerfully.

"Hi."

"So, how have you been? We haven't talked in a couple of weeks."

"Okay." Charlie said blankly.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Erik and Eva are joining here!"

"Really?"

"Yup."

"That's cool."

"Yeah, I know." Jody said, smiling.

"So……"

"So, I heard you were seeing Lara Clark. When did that start?"

"Yeah. About a month ago I guess."

"So, um… How's that going?"

"Ok."

"Does she mind that you have to dance with me in stead of her?"

"No, I don't think so. Does Cooper mind?"

"No, that's why he paired us together."

"Oh, yeah, that's cool. So, how's Coop anyway?"

"Ok, you know, the usual."

"Hum." Charlie muttered. "Well, I have to go, ok? Bye!"

"Bye Charlie!" Jody called.

Charlie got up and paid at the cash resister and then left. Jody watched him go, and then ate the rest of her salad. After she left, she ran back to the company. She knocked on Cooper's office door and when there was no answer, she walked in. Cooper was sitting on the edge of his desk, and Charlie was sitting on the small couch, looking at Cooper.

Charlie looked up at Jody and stood. "Sorry, I, uh, was just leaving."

"No! That's okay, really. You can stay. I an leave."

Charlie looked at Cooper and he nodded. Charlie sat back down nervously and Jody turned to leave.

"Jody, wait!" Cooper said, "You can stay. We were just talking about the ballet."

"Um, ok." Jody said, and sat next to Charlie.

She smiled warmly at Charlie and he half-smiled at her before turning back to Cooper. Jody looked at Cooper and waited for him to say something. When he didn't, she sunk into the couch as much as she could. She put her hands under the cushions and starred out the window behind Cooper.

Charlie shifted and waited for Cooper as well. When he still didn't say anything Charlie scooted and went up to the front of the couch.

Finally Cooper broke the awkward silence. "So, how do you too think the ballet's going?"

"Ok." Jody said instantly.

"Pretty Good." Charlie said.

"Ok then. Charlie, think about what I said, Ok?"

Charlie looked at the floor and nodded.

"Uh, Jody, can you excuse us for a minute, sorry."

"Sure, not at all." Jody said. She got up and shut the door behind her. She looked around for something to do. All she could see was the closed door, calling her. She leaned her body against the door and listened.

"Cooper, why are you doing this?"

"Because she's my girlfriend!"

"So?"

"And she's your dancing partner!"

"So? I didn't ask for that part!"

"Yeah, so?" Cooper dared him.

Charlie sighed. "What you getting at? Is this one of those 'Pluto isn't just a dog' things?"

"Pluto is just a dog, you freak."

"Well, Yeah, but also a planet."

"Cooper thought about that for a minute. "Yeah, that works pretty well for my point."

"What Point??"

"My point that she's my girlfriend, not yours!"

"I'm not saying she is mine."

"What the hell?"

"Look, Cooper, I have a girlfriend."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Lara Clark."

Cooper took this all in. "Our Lara Clark, from the company?"

"Well yeah!"

"Ok then. She's still mine though."

"You know, you would think that out of all people, I would know that."

Cooper chuckled. "Nice touch there Chuck."

"Chuck?"

"Yeah. Charles is Charlie, also Chuck."

"Well, not me."

"Yeah, well at least my parents don't call her Jonnie."

"What?"

"She told me all about it, Chuck, you can't hide it now."

"Oh yeah, like she even met your parents."

"Not that that even matters!" Cooper stated angrily.

"Cooper-" Charlie began, getting mad.

"Shut up Chuck!"

Jody could see Charlie's shadow stand up.

"CHRALIE!!" Charlie shouted.

"Whoa! Chill out, geesh!"

"Well?"

"Well?"

"Look, I know she's your girlfriend. You apparently never knew she was mine, but I do know. I haven't done anything but dance with her, and its not like that was all me. You know, that was you. So just stop freaking out, ok?"

"I'm not Freaking out! I just know you still love her. But she doesn't love you. That's why you broke up with her. You moron!"

Charlie felt like punching Cooper. "Yeah, well, she's all yours now." Charlie said.

He opened the door and Jody sprang back. He looked at her and got this embarrassed/ashamed look on his face.

Jody blocked his path, forcing him to go back in to Cooper's office. She looked at both of them and blinked.

"Look, you two. You don't have to fight over me, ok? If you do, I'll never go out with either of you ever again. Ok?"

Charlie looked down at the floor. "Sure."

Cooper rolled his eyes at Charlie and smiled at Jody. She didn't smile back and he quickly dropped it. "Yeah, ok."

Jody looked at Charlie and waited for him to look up at her. He didn't. He just walked out of the room, brushing his arm against Jody's. Jody watched him leave and turned back to Cooper. She glared at him angrily.

"You don't have to do that you know! I'm not with him! I'm with you! Ok? So, just stop!"

Cooper shifted his eyes. "Sure."

Jody looked at him and sighed.

She walked out of the office and went to find Charlie. He was sitting in a dark corner of a small rehearsal room. The lights were off and he was all scrunched up in a ball.

"Charlie?" Jody asked.

"What?"

"I'm sorry about Cooper."

"It's okay."

Jody sat down next to him. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Jody put her hands on his head and turned it so he was looking at her. "Charlie, I, I, Oh my God!" She exclaimed and let go of his face. She stood up and stomped her foot several times.

Charlie stood up and out his hand on Jody's shoulder. "What?"

Jody pulled back. "Nothing." She said, and ran out of the room. She grabbed her duffel bag and ran out of the company. She hailed a cab and went to her apartment.

She changed into jeans and a spaghetti strap and plopped down on the couch to think. After an hour she grabbed her purse and locked the door. She ran out. She got another cab and went to another apartment building.

She ran up to the 4th floor and found apartment 46. She looked at the door and sighed. She knocked gently and waited.

Charlie opened the door. "Jody? What are you doing here?" He asked.

Jody was about to answer when she heard a faint voice come from inside the apartment. "Charlie? Who's there Honey?"

Charlie stepped outside and shut the door. "What are you doing here?"

Jody looked at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company I'm sorry."

"It's just Lara. Why'd you come?"

"Just Lara?"

"You know what I mean. Just, what are you doing here?"

"Charlie!" Lara called. She opened the door. "Oh, hey Jo! What's up?"

"Uh, nothing."

Charlie turned around. "Uh, Lara, can you excuse us for a minute?"

"Um, ok." Lara said. She turned and went back inside, shutting he door.

Charlie put his hand on Jody's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Charlie? I don't like Cooper."

"You don't like him? What does that mean?"

"I mean, I don't love him."

Charlie looked into her eyes. "What? What are you saying? That you love-"

"Yes."