CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Jody entered Cooper's small office. He was sitting at his desk (actually he was sitting on top of it) looking over some ballet steps he had written down the night before. He had on a dark blue tee shirt and loose red cotton pants. He looked up at Jody and jumped down off his desk. He threw his papers down and smiled at her.

"Hey! Welcome back Jody!"

"Uh, thanks Coop."

"When did you get here?"

"3 days ago."

"Really? Where are you staying?"

"I moved in with Eva, Erik, and Charlie."

"Oh really? Are you two back together?"

Jody sighed. "We got back together before I moved to California, then we broke up. Then we got back together and Charlie came to California. Then we broke up and he moved back here. So now we are off for good."

Cooper made a face and smiled. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Oh, don't be. It's fine."

Cooper nodded and they talked a while longer about Jody coming back to dance as a principle. Cooper invited her out to lunch, so they went to a small salad bar a few blocks away. They talked there for a long time until Cooper realized he had to go back to work. He left and Jody drove to ABC.

When she got there she went to the main office. She went up to a large desk and the brown haired woman sitting at it looked up and smiled at Jody.

"May I help you?" She asked politely.

"Um, I'm not sure, maybe. I was looking for Erik Jones or Eva Rodreigez."

"I'm sorry, I don't know where they'd be. I only know a little about the principles."

Jody bit her lip. "Oh. In that case, what about Charlie Sims?"

The woman shuffled through some papers on her desk. "Ah, here we go! His rehearsal ends in 10 minutes."

"Ok, thank you. Sorry to be such a bother, but do you know what hallway he's in?"

The secretary scanned over her papers. "No, I'm sorry."

"That's ok. Thank you." Jody said as she left the office.

She wandered up and down the different hallways trying to find Charlie for almost a half an hour. She thought she was lost when a hand tapped her shoulder.

Jody spun around. "Oh! It's just you Charlie. Thank God!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh, looking for you… or Erik… or Eva. The lady in the office only knew that you had a rehearsal that ended at 1:00."

Jody explained.

Charlie nodded. "Oh. Well, come on, let's go to lunch. I'm starved.

"What about Eva and Erik?"

"Eva gets out at 1:30, but she's going on a lunch date with Billy Grinman. Erik doesn't get out until almost 3:00."

"Oh." Jody nodded. "Well, I already ate, but I'll come anyway."

"You already ate?"

"Yeah. I had my meeting with Cooper today and we had lunch."

"Look, Jody, I know we can see other people, and I shouldn't get in your business but… be careful. Just… remember last time."

"Last time Cooper was great." Jody said without thinking.

"What??"

Jody bit her lip. "Uh, nothing."

"Last time you went out with Cooper was in ABA, right?"

Jody nodded slightly.

"Oh my God! Jody, when else did you go out with him?"

Jody looked down. "A few days after the whole Jake thing. The first Jake thing I mean. He came to my apartment to apologize for yelling at me… and…"

Charlie glared at her. "Don't bother going into detail. I get the picture." Charlie turned and left.

Jody sighed. Why didn't she ever think before she told Charlie stuff? She drove back to the Cooper Neilson Dance Company to find Cooper. She knew under the circumstances, that was a stupid thing to do, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't talk to Charlie or Eva or Erik. She wasn't about to go call Dirk or Jake, because Jake still didn't know she wasn't in California. So her only choice was Cooper.

She ran into his office, almost crying. Cooper comforted her and less than 2 hours they were back together. Jody and Cooper together again. Jody knew Charlie would be mad, but it was his fault in the first place. Besides, Cooper had gotten more human, and treated her a lot better.

"I should really get back home." Jody noted looking at her watch.

"Ok, are you ok now?" Cooper asked.

Jody smiled and nodded. "Yes, thanks."

Jody kissed Cooper goodbye and went out to her car. He dad had brought her car along with her other stuff when he came. She drove back to the apartment. When she got there Charlie was sitting on the couch.

"Where did you go?" He asked flatly.

"No where."

"No really, you can tell me."

"No where!" Jody exclaimed.

"Come on Jody!"

"Ok, fine! I was talking to Cooper."

Charlie sunk into the couch. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you think we'll ever get back together?"

"No." Jody said quickly.

"Oh."

"I mean, I'd like to, but I know we won't."

"I understand. But can I ask you something else?"

"Sure, why not?" Jody shrugged.

"Do you think you'll ever get back with Cooper?"