CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE

Charlie looked at them and smiled. Jody looked at his warm smile and her heart melted. He was wearing lose black jeans and a light blue tank with a white button down shirt over it. Charlie tried to avoid looking at Jody, but it didn't work. They locked eyes but Jody forced herself to tear away and look desperately at Eva for help.

"Hey." Charlie said before Eva could say anything.

"Hey." Erik and Eva chorused.

Jody waved and picked up 2 of her bags. "Which one is mine again?" She asked nervously to break the awkward silence.

Charlie smiled and picked up the rest of her bags (the ones that took both Erik and Eva to carry) and walked into her room. "This one!" he called.

Charlie dropped Jody's bags on the floor and shook his arms out. He sat down on the double bed they had left in there for her and bounced. Jody walked in and shut the door. She threw her bags across the floor and they made a big thud hitting the floor. Then she sat down next to Charlie on the bed. "Hey Charlie." She said quietly.

"Hey… Jody."

Jody turned to face him. "Look, I know this is going to be really weird, but we can still be friends. And we can date other people. I mean… Is that ok?"

"Sure, friends, no problem." Charlie said softly.

They looked at each other before hugging. Jody pulled back after a few quick seconds and swallowed.

"I should get changed for dinner. Are we going out anywhere fancy?"

"Not really, you could probably stay in those clothes if you wanted to." Charlie said as he stood up.

"Ok." Jody watched hi leave and shut the door.

She picked up one of her large duffel bags and placed it on the bed. She unzipped it and put al the clothes out on the bed. She put on a yellow spaghetti strap and blue overall jean shorts. She put on some slip on sandals and opened the door a crack. She cautiously stepped out, hoping the situation would get better within time… a short amount of time.

Charlie and Erik were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, pretending to watch the news on tv as if it were the best thing in the world. Eva was sitting in between them trying to get then to change the channel. Charlie was laughing his head off and Erik was sitting on the remote. Jody smiled at them but went unnoticed. She shrugged and moved to stand in front of them.

"What, no room for me?" she teased.

They all looked up at her and then at each other.

"Well," Eva said in her deep scientific voice, "we have four options. I can sit on Erik. I can sit on Charlie. You can sit on Erik. You can sit on Charlie."

Everyone stared at her and then cracked up. Eva smiled and got up. She casually sat on Erik and Jody sat in the spot she left open. Charlie immediately put his arm around her (actually on the couch back behind her) out of old habit. Jody didn't notice at first, but when she did she gave him a cold look that sent shivers down his spine. He lifted his arm.

They fought over the station for awhile until it was time for dinner. When they got to the pizza placed Jody groaned and looked at Charlie.

"Don't worry about." He said, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "You can just order vegetarian or something."

Jody smiled and followed Charlie through the door.

After the food got to their table, they all started talking about memories they had together.

"The Salsa Club!" Eva said, half-chewed pizza still in her mouth. "That was so funny with Sergei and that old lady!"

Charlie rubbed his eyes. "You are spitting all over me!"

Eva swallowed. "Sorry/."

"It's ok. You're right, that was funny and the next day with the water fight, that was so fun!"

Jody looked at Charlie, remembering that that was when he fell in love with her. She smiled. "Oh! And remember the fair carnival thing we went to the summer after ABA?"

"Yes." Charlie smiled. "And those mimes who were walking around in their boxes. They were scary."

"Why?" Erik asked.

"Cuz, you know, they were all…"

"In a box?" Jody offered.

Charlie laughed. "Yeah."

"Remember that one mime who thought you were hot so she trapped you in her box!?"

"Oh God, don't remind me." Charlie smiled.

"What on Earth are you guys talking about?" Eva asked.

"The carnival thing! Come one, you remember! You guys were there."

"No they weren't. Remember, they had a meeting with Jonathan or something. We went with Sergei and Galina, and Maureen and Jim." Charlie said.

"Oh that's right!" Jody exclaimed.

After dinner they all went back home. Jody fell asleep in her clothes on the couch. She was exhausted. Charlie covered her up with the warm comforter from his bed. He didn't seem to care that he'd be cold.

When they woke up the next morning, Erik, Eva, and Charlie all rushed off to ABC. Jody unpacked some stuff and waited for her dad to arrive with the U-HAUL. He come around noon and helped Jody assemble her dresser and stuff. Jody invited him to stay a while and have lunch and stuff, so he did.

When everyone got home, Jody and her dad were talking on the couch. Charlie wanted to disappear suddenly, but there was no way to get to his room without Mr. Sawyer seeing him.

"Hey Jody, Who's this?" Eva asked from where she now stood in front of the couch.

"This is my dad, remember? Dad, this is Eva, remember, you guys met at the ABA party a few years ago."

Eva hit her head. "Oh right! Hi Mr. Sawyer."

"Hello Eva." Mr. Sawyer said kindly.

Erik came and stood next to Eva.

"Dad, remember my friend Erik?"

"Sure, it's nice to see you again Erik."

Erik nodded as they shook hands.

Jody turned around to face their small kitchen. Charlie was leaned up against the counter, facing away from. Jody smiled. "Eh hem!" She coughed. Charlie didn't budge. "Excuse me, Earth to counter boy, get over here!"

Charlie sighed and turned around. Jody suddenly remembered that she hadn't told her parents they had broken up. She quickly went over to Charlie and talk quietly with him for a minute.

"He doesn't know we've broken up yet."

"So?" Charlie looked at her confused.

Jody bit her lip. "Ok, here is what we are gonna do. We'll tell him later, after he's left in a few days. He went from Indiana to California to here in a few days, so he'll stay here for a while. Then he'll go home. But until he does…" Jody sighed, "We have to act like we are still together."

Charlie bit his tongue and tried not t smiled. It didn't work. "Ok… how do we do that?"

"Uh… ok. I'll put the ring back on and sleep in your room. That way it will look good and he'll have my new room to himself. Uh, just flirt a lot, that shouldn't be a big problem for you. Just don't kiss me. If we need to make it look really good, I'll kiss you. Ok?"

Charlie nodded. "OK, great. I just hope this works. How long is he staying?"

"About a week I think."

Charlie made a face that was clearly his way of trying not to grin. "Ok."

"Gee Charlie, don't act so sad about it." Jody said sarcastically.

She grabbed his hand and dragged him into her room and shut the door. She picked up a roller suitcase and put it on the bed. She unzipped it and flipped open the top. It was full of shoeboxes.

"What's all this?" Charlie asked, eyeing the colorful boxes.

"Stuff." Jody mumbled.

She lifted some of the lids until she found what she was looking for. Charlie looked over her shoulder and saw a bunch of stuff he recognized. A ticket stub from a ride from the carnival after ABA was sitting on top of a small white box. Jody picked up the box and flipped it open. She took out the engagement ring Charlie recognized all to well and slipped it her finger. She admired it for a second before shoving the stuff back into the box and stuffing the lid back on. She quickly shut the suitcase and turned around. Charlie looked at her and smiled.

"Are you sure you want to do this? What about Eva and Erik?"

Jody blinked. "Oh! Stay here!" Jody commanded as she rushed out. She pulled Erik and Eva into her room. "Ok. My dad is staying here for a week. He'll be sleeping in here. I'll be sleeping in Charlie's room. He doesn't know we've broken up yet, so play along, ok?" Jody said in one breath.

Erik and Eva nodded. Jody shoved then out of her room. "Go talk to him for a minute, but don't tell him I'm with Charlie."

Jody had a whole plan laid out in her head how she was going to do this. After a few minutes she grabbed Charlie and dragged him back out of her room. She shut the door and turned to face her dad.

"Hi Dad, sorry about that. You remember Charlie right?"

Mr. Sawyer nodded. "Hello Charlie. Keeping my daughter busy are you?"

Charlie's jaw dropped open and he blushed. Jody put her finger under his chin and pushed it up. She gave Charlie a look and he turned to face her father.

"Uh… sure." Charlie said nervously.

Mr. Sawyer laughed and turned to Jody. "You still engaged?"

Jody held out her hand. "Yeah."

They talked a while longer, explaining to Mr. Sawyer the rooming arrangements. Charlie and Jody waited nervously for him to find out the truth, but he never did. They ate dinner and watched some tv before going to bed. Jody shoved all her stuff into one corner of her room and fixed the bed for her dad.

"Why didn't we put the dresser in you and Charlie's room?"

Jody froze. "I, uh, there's not enough room. Besides, this really is supposed to be my room. So I keep all my clothes and stuff in here."

"Why doesn't Erik or Eva sleep in here instead of in that room?"

Jody shrugged. "I dunno. They don't wanna I guess."

"Want to." Mr. Sawyer corrected.

"Right, of course. Well, here you are." Jody stepped back from her bed.

"Thank you honey. Good-night." Mr. Sawyer hugged Jody before shooing her out.

Jody shut the door and walked out into the main room. "You guys have to be really quiet, he falls asleep really fast and can be woken up by an ant."

Erik nodded and went into his room. Eva followed and Charlie stayed on the couch.

"Did he buy it?" Charlie asked, still looking at the black tv screen.

"I think so. I'm just glad he's only gonna stay here for a week. It's hard fooling him. I changed my mind, you can kiss me. You're gonna have to to get him to believe us."

Charlie nodded. "Ok, can do."

Charlie got up and Jody followed him onto his room.

"Oh Great." Jody said after she shut the door.

"What?"

"I left all my clothes and stuff in my room. I can't get it now."

Charlie looked over at his shut closet. Then he looked at his dresser. "You can… um… borrow some of my stuff to sleep in if you want." He offered.

Jody nodded. "Ok, thanks."

"No sweat. But do you think it will fit?"

"Sure."

Charlie grabbed a white tee shirt out of his closet and gave it to her. "You want pants or what?"

"It's not that cold, I don't need pants."

Charlie nodded and sat on the bed.

Jody waited, but he did nothing. "CHARLIE!! I do need something to wear! You… whatever."

Charlie made a face. "Oh. Sorry." He pulled out something from one of his dresser drawers and gave it to Jody.

She wasn't sure if they were shorts or boxers, but she didn't want to know. She had the feeling that Charlie didn't own and shorts this short, but she tried not to think about that. She was about to go out to the bathroom but stopped.

"What now?" Charlie asked.

"This bathroom is connected to my room. And the other one you can only get to through Erik and Eva's room. This whole thing is just not working out!" Jody said. "Oh great. I just realized now we have to be really quiet too. We don't want to wake up my dad. He gets so mad when you wake him up."

Charlie nodded. "So now what?"

Jody looked down. "I could always sleep in this I guess."

"Or you could just change."

"Where?"

Charlie waved his arms around. "Here!"

Jody made a face. "In front of you?"

Charlie made a face back at her. "What. We want him to believe don't we?"

Jody threw the shirt at him. "Charlie! Eh… wha… no! You are so weird."

"What? It's nothing I haven't seen on you before."

Jody threw the boxers on his head. "Ew!" Jody yelled. She quickly put her hand over her mouth and looked towards her room. "Oops"

"Ok, Ok. I'll go out there while you change." Charlie stood up.

Jody nodded. "Thank you."

Charlie left and shut the door. He turned around to face the couch and saw Mr. Sawyer sitting on it reading a magazine.

He looked up. "Charlie, what are you doing out here?"

"She's changing." Charlie said without thinking.

Mr. Sawyer looked at him and Charlie realized how weird that sounded. "So?"

"Uh… she doesn't feel good." He blabbed.

"So?" Mr. Sawyer was getting more confused.

"Uh… she's practicing her new dance."

"So?"

Charlie groaned. Jody knocked on the door. "Ok, Charlie, you can come back in."

Charlie smiled. "Good-night Mr. Sawyer." He said as he quickly rushed back into his room.

"Mr. Sawyer?" Jody asked.

Charlie looked at her. The shirt was too big and his boxers were really loose. She looked great.

"Charlie! Yoo hooo! My face is up here!"

Charlie smiled. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"Why did you say Mr. Sawyer?"

"Your dad is out there reading."

Jody rolled her eyes. "Great. So this whole mess was for nothing."

Charlie smiled and shrugged. "I guess. Come on, I'm tired." He crawled under the covers.

Jody smiled and crawled under on the other side.

"Good night Charlie." Jody said sleepily.

"Night Jody." Charlie said.

Jody turned on her stomach and faced the wall. There was a knock on the door. Charlie sat up and looked at Jody. She flipped over.

"Hold on!" She called.

Jody sat up next to Charlie and he flung his arm around her.

"Come in!" Jody called.

Her dad walked in and smiled at him. "Feeling better Jody?" He asked.

Jody looked at Charlie confused and he made a small nod.

"Oh, yes." Jody said.

"Rehearsal over?" Her father asked.

Jody looked back over at Charlie and smiled. He nodded again and she turned back to her dad.

"Yeah."

Mr. Sawyer smiled. "Well, good night."

"Night." Charlie said.

"Good night Dad."

Jody's father left and shut the door.

Charlie lifted his arms and looked at Jody.

"What was that about??" Jody asked.

"He wanted to know why I was out of my room. So I said you were changing, but that didn't work. So I said you weren't feeling well. That didn't work either, so I said you were dancing."

Jody laughed and flipped back over. "Goooooood night Charlie."

"Night Jody." Charlie said as she slowly fell asleep.

The next morning Jody woke up and rubbed her face. She couldn't feel the ring so she looked at her hand. It wasn't there.