CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18

Charlie watched Jody leave, not sure what to do next. His phone rang, making the decision.

"Hello?" Charlie groaned into the phone.

"Hello Charlie." The voice sighed painfully. "This is Cooper… is Jody there?"

Charlie scowled. "No, she just left."

"So she was there?? Figures." Cooper said sadly. "Where did she go?"

"Didn't say."

"Ok… bye then."

"Bye." Charlie mumbled.

Charlie still loved Jody, he always had. After all the pain and heartbreak she had caused him, he still loved her. And in one small way, he was even sort of happy with what had happened with Cooper. At least now she knew how it felt to be cheated on like that. But, it killed Charlie to see Jody like that too. So he wasn't really all that happy.

Jody got in her car and drove away. She didn't know what to do, she was so confused. She knocked on Eva's apartment door several minutes later.

Eva opened the door. "Hey girl… why have you been crying?"

"Cooper…he was… cheating on me… and stuff." Jody sighed.

"And your surprised?" Eva asked, regretting it a moment later. "I'm sorry. This is horrible, I'm really sorry."

"Yeah… and I just came from Charlie's. I don't even wanna go into that. This is just so messed up! Because… I still love Charlie."

"WHAT????" Eva exploded.

"I've been trying to ignore this feeling for like… what? The past year and a half now… but I just… I looked into his eyes today. I've been phasing myself out enough, wrapped in Charlie mentally, I didn't realize how much wrapping myself in Cooper, actually, was a lie. Ugh. Eva, HELP!!?"

"What am I supposed to do??"

"I dunno… I have to think."

"You can go lay in my room." Eva offered.

Jody thanked her best friend (who by the way, yes, did join Cooper's company several months ago along with Erik) and went into her room. Eva watched her shut the door, thinking about what had just happened.

About an hour later Jody was still thinking in Eva's room and Eva was reading a magazine out in her small living room thing. There was a knock on the door and Eva pushed herself up off the couch, thinking of any other of her friends that could possibly beat Jody's problems. Cooper was standing outside her apartment holding a large bouquet of roses, a box of chocolates, and a videotape.

"What do you want Cooper?" Eva asked coldly.

"Is Jody here?"

"Yea, she's in my room. But I think you should leave before I kick your ass."

"Chill out, will ya!? I'm here to apologize… she's in that room?" Cooper pointed to a shut door inside the apartment.

Eva nodded and Cooper pushed his way past her and into her room. He shut the door and turned to face Jody, who was sitting on the bed.

"Go away." Jody snapped after a minute.

Cooper got down on both his knees. "Have you ever seen me do this before?" He asked, referring to his position.

Jody shook her head.

"Okay. Please, I'm begging you, please. Take me back. I can't live without you. I love you. Yes, I made a mistake, a really horrible one, and I'm truly sorry. I realize… I was just afraid of getting hurt again, but now I realize… you are worth the risk. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, I love you. Please?" Cooper pleaded.

Jody's emotionless expression stayed the same as she said nothing.

Cooper sighed deeply and stood up, placing the bouquet, candy, and tape next to her. He looked at her one last time with sad eyes, and left Eva's small apartment.

Jody looked at the things at her side. She took the flowers and smelled them quickly before rushing over to the open window and throwing them out.

Cooper walked out to his car and saw something fall from the middle window on the 2nd floor. He walked over to the mess and picked up one of the roses. He looked up and saw Jody staring at his from the window. He blew her a small kiss and ran hurriedly back to his car.

Jody watched him drive away, clutching the rose. She shrugged and sat back down on the bed. What did she care if she was heart-broken… but she did care. Even if most of her love for Cooper had been based off Charlie… she really did love him.

She opened the box of chocolate and frowned. Getting fat wasn't going to get her or Cooper anywhere, so she shut it and slipped it under the bed. She inspected the tape, but there was no label or anything.

Eva knocked on the door to her room and pushed it open.

"You okay? What did he say?" Eva asked.

Jody made a face and shrugged. "He said he was sorry, and that he loved me. That he was afraid of getting hurt so he made bad choices, but that now he'd gotten over it. He kept on saying 'please'. And he gave me a bunch or roses. I chucked them out the window…" Jody pulled out the box of chocolate, "And he gave me these. And then this tape… I can't figure out what it is."

Eva took the tape and inspected it, finding nothing. "Oh… well… you wanna go watch it out on my tv?"

Jody shrugged and stood up. "Why not?"

They sat down on the couch after Eva inserted to tape in her vcr. Eva pushed play on the remote and lounged across the couch, waiting to see what was on it.

Cooper appeared on the tv, and Jody could tell he was at one of the rehearsal rooms at his company.

"Jody? I hope you're watching this. I want you to know… I've been looking all over for you… I went to Erik's and everywhere… even Charlie's. But I want you to know… I'm really sorry. I just made the worst mistake of my life. The only other thing I can do worse than this is… give you up without a fight… and that's still not as bad. I love you Jody… and I just sorta made this dance up on the spot. I hope it's not to bad… here goes." Cooper walked over to a cd player and pressed play. He walked to the middle of the room and "You look Beautiful Tonight" by Eric Clapton started playing in the background.

Jody grabbed up the remote and pressed stop. "I don't wanna watch this… now." She said, starting to cry again.

Eva nodded and handed her the tape. "You wanna stay here for a while?"

Jody shook her head. "No… I have… I wanna… get a hotel room or something. Ok?"

"Sure…"

"I think… I'm just… gonna go now." Jody snatched her bag up and opened the door.

"Ok, bye Jody!" Eva called as she left. "Ha! Who knew Cooper was such a romantic… ass hole?" Eva smiled.

Jody drove around, tears streaming down her face, trying to find a hotel. Never needing to stay in one, she hadn't paid much attention to where they were along the roads. She finally found one and went inside. Getting herself together enough to get a room for a few days, she ran up to the 3rd floor and pulled out the card key.

She leaned against the door, causing it to open. She stumbled inside and flopped down onto the bed. "What am I going to do?" She cried out to the room.

Jody looked around the room, desperately wanting to do something. There was a small bathroom with a shower and everything. There was one queen-sized bed, with a tiny desk with a drawer next to it. There was a small table and 2 chairs on opposite sides. There was along dresser with several drawers, and a bunch of papers, and a TV sitting on top of it. Jody looked at the tv and n saw the vcr. She didn't want to watch the tape, but there didn't seem to be much else to do.

She pushed in the tape and the play button.

Cooper's introduction came on and then the song started playing. Cooper knew how much Jody loved that song… she began to cry as Cooper danced. By the end of the song, Jody was sobbing uncontrollably and didn't think she'd ever stop. Cooper stuck his face in the camera again.

"Jody?? I love you (sniff sniff- Cooper can't believes he's crying). I've always loved you. I hope… someday… you can forgive me for what I've done to you. Until then… I love you… and good-bye." He walked back over to the cd player and put in another cd. After pushing play he dances playfully for the camera to "The Sweetest Thing" by U2.

Jody knew that the song had been written as an apology, and she began to cry more. Cooper rushed up to the camera, tears starting to fall down his face. Fumbling with the camera, he knocked it over, which finally turned it off.

Jody lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep. She dreamt about Cooper and Charlie, fighting over her.

~*~~*~~*~

Charlie lunged at Cooper, who pulled out a knife. After screaming at them, she used all her force to pull the knife out of Cooper's tight grip. A look of horror on hid face, Charlie pushed Cooper off him and tackled him to the ground. Jody dropped the knife in surprise and Cooper grabbed it up with his free hand. Struggling to breathe as Charlie strangled him, he stabbed Charlie. A few seconds later Charlie fell limp onto the ground.

Jody rushed over, sobbing. She lay her head on Charlie's bloody chest and prayed to hear his heart beating. No such luck. Jody stood up in anger and jumped on Cooper. Screaming at him, she started to bounce up and down, causing him to eventually crumble weakly to the ground. Cooper lay there as Jody ran over to Charlie. Cooped hugged her and said that now they could finally be together, forever. Jody screamed no, but Cooper couldn't hear her. She scrambled around, and found the bloody knife. Stabbing herself, she fell into Charlie's open arm. Cooper watched in horror, realizing he had lost her forever. But at least, she'd be happy, with Charlie, for eternity.

~*~~*~~*~

Jody woke up, crying and sweating. She knew what the dream meant, but didn't want to face the truth. The truth was she had bad feet, not enough turnout, a loving husband, an ex-boyfriend who she totally did not love. Those were the things Jody had convinced herself were true… but she couldn't hide the real truth anymore. But she didn't know what to do. She pulled out her cell phone and pressed speed dial #3.

"Hello?"

"EVA!!! HELP ME!"

"What's wrong?"

"I am in love with Charlie. I don't think… I can stand to be away from him any longer."

"So… you're going back to Charlie?"

"I dunno! I don't wanna get a divorce…"

"You're going back to Cooper?"

"No… I dunno! I'm gonna… go… call Charlie. Ok?"

"Sure, bye JoJo."

"See ya." Jody hung up and looked around her room, hopelessly trying to avoid her next call. Eventually she gave in and pressed speed dial 1.

"Hello?"

"Hey Charlie… It's me."

"Jody? Uh, hey, what's up?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"And you promise you won't get freaked out?" Jody was wasting time.

"Yeah… sure. As long as you're not gonna tell me you're really dead right now or something."

Jody smiled. "No, I'm not dead… at least not since a few minutes ago…" Jody recalled her dream. "Um, are you ready?"

"Yes." Charlie said, wondering if he should sit down, because Jody sounded really off.

"I am really… I love you."