CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Charlie shrugged. "I don't know. It's just that Cooper may love you, and that's great for him, but you and I both know what kind of person he really is… and I don't want you to get hurt."
"He'd hurt me less than you did." Jody snapped.
"Jody, I told you I was sorry."
"That's good for you. But Cooper… he's changed. And just so you know, yes. I do think me and Cooper will get back together. And also… we are back together! That's why I stayed there so long."
"What? Are you just doing this to get me mad or something?"
"So what if I am? It's working isn't it?" Jody replied coldly.
Charlie sighed. "Look, I don't know what you're trying to prove here, but whatever it is… it's not getting across to well."
"All I'm saying is that Cooper has changed and won't hurt me as bad as you did. He loves me. And I might not love him at this very moment… but who really cares??"
"I do. I love you. We belong together. Can't you see that?" Charlie stood up and went to stand in front of Jody. "We… we're supposed to be together. Not you and Cooper… not me and anyone else. You and me!"
Jody was speechless. She knew Charlie was right. "Yeah, but Cooper didn't sleep with someone else now did he?!" Jody stormed off into her room.
Charlie sighed and sat back down on the couch. So much for that, he thought. Why did they ever let Brownie talk them into hiring those dancers? They got paid to dance badly, and ruin people's lives. Why didn't Sergei have to suffer through this as well? Charlie had thought about telling Galina… but he always decided not to. They were in love. Why spoil that just because Charlie blabbed it out to Jody.
Jody sat on her bed. She knew Charlie was right. She knew from the first time they kissed, on the last day of ABA, that they were meant for each other. Jody still loved Charlie, though she wanted to bury her feelings in some graveyard where they'd never get out. But love never seemed to work out that way. No matter how hard you try to hide it, it gets to a point where you have to let it out. Jody wasn't at that point yet, but she could feel it coming closer. She didn't want it to come. She'd rather just go to Cooper.
Several Days Later…
Charlie, Erik, and Eva sat on the couch watching tv and eating breakfast when Jody emerged from her room.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHADY DEAR JODY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" Eva and Erik sang at the top of their lungs.
Jody smiled. "Oh my God you guys! That's great!"
Eva grinned. "We have a great day planned! Go get dressed! HURRY!"
Jody smiled anxiously and ran back into her room. Charlie looked at Eva. "It's her birthday?" He asked. "Why didn't you guys tell me?"
Erik looked surprised. "Didn't you know?"
"NO! And what's this about a whole day planned? Why wasn't I involved in this??"
Eva smiled. "We figured you had something planned for yourself…"
Charlie frowned. "Well now I'm gonna have to think of something… fast." He mumbled.
Jody came out of her room again a few minutes later. She was wearing a small orange skirt and a purple and green spaghetti strap shirt. Charlie looked at her and half-smiled. She looked so great… and he was suddenly very jealous of Cooper.
"Let's Go!" Jody shouted excitedly.
"Calm down girl! We still have some time… have some breakfast!" Eva said.
Jody smiled and stuck out her tongue. "Ok."
Jody got herself a small bowl of cereal and sat down next to Charlie. They hadn't been talking to each other since their fight the other day, so Jody didn't say anything to him. Charlie seemed too wrapped up in his thoughts anyway. He couldn't think of anything that would be good enough for Jody. He could propose… but she'd say no, of course. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe he had forgotten Jody's birthday! He usually didn't do that. He had always been pretty good at remembering important dates like that… especially if they had to do with Jody.
After breakfast they talked a while, Jody getting a little impatient.
"What are we gonna do? And when are we gonna start??!?"
Eva smiled. "Soon! Just…" Eva checked her watch, "Oh! Let's go!"
Jody jumped up and ran to the door full speed. She turned the handle as she ran through the door, but it didn't open. "OW!" She cried as she held her nose.
Erik rushed over to her trying not to laugh. "Are you okay??"
"Yeah." Jody slowly took down her hands. "That hurt." She smiled.
They all left and went down the elevator. When the stepped out side a long white limo was waiting outside for them.
Jody starred at it in amazement. "OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!!! This… wow… thank you so much! This is great. How… God!"
Eva smiled. "You haven't seen anything yet!"
The tall thin limo driver opened the door and Jody crawled in. Waiting inside for her were Maureen, Jim, Anna… and Emily. Jody smiled.
"Oh my God, hi! Eva! This is amazing! This is to much!" Jody exclaimed as she hugged her friends.
"Nothing's too much for you! And the big 2-5!" Emily smiled.
"I thought the 'big' one was 4-0!"
Anna giggled. "Well, we all wanted to get together anyway… I haven't seen half you guys in years!"
After everyone was settled in the limo, they drove away.
"So, where are we going?" Jody asked.
Jim smiled. "Away."
"What??" Jody asked.
Maureen gave Jim a look that said "Don't spoil it!" before smiling at Jody. "Don't pay attention to him. You'll find out soon enough."
Jody smiled. "I cannot believe all of you are here! I mean, if we had Sergei… and Galina, this would be like the ABA reunion or something!"
"Yeah. Sergei… Galina sorta because she did go to ABA for a while… and Cooper!" Maureen laughed wickedly.
Jody gave her a look. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, you know. Cooper! Cooper Neilson! The way you make-a me feel!" Anna sang playfully.
Jody shrugged. "Ok… whatever."
"So, speaking of, how is the famous Cooper Neilson?" Emily asked.
"Jody's dating him again!" Eva announced.
Everyone got quite and looked at Jody. Jody blushed. "WHAT??"
"Nothing!" Everyone mumbled.
"He's not that bad…" Jody defended. She looked at Charlie and sighed. It wouldn't be like this if she had been dating Charlie instead. "So! Where are we going today… beside away?!" Jody asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
Erik smiled at Charlie and then at Jody. "Just wait!"
Jody stuck her tongue out again. "This isn't fair!!!" She wailed.
Just then the limo stopped. Jody grinned and everyone looked at Charlie.
"Why are you guys all staring at me??" Charlie demanded.
Everyone shrugged and climbed over each other in a heap to get outside. Once outside Jody looked around.
"Where Are We?" She asked.
Eva smiled. "You'll see."
The group walked down a few streets until they reached a large cinema movie theater type building. Jody looked up at it.
"This place looks abandoned or something."
"It's not…" Maureen said happily as she opened the door.
Everyone walked in and down a small hallway. Eva talked to a man inside and then led them into one of the screening rooms. They all sat down in the front row. It was Eva, Erik, Charlie, Jody, Emily, Anna, Maureen, and then Jim.
"What is going on?" Jody asked Charlie.
Charlie turned to face her. "Oh, you're talking to me again." He sarcastically smiled. "Actually I have no idea what's happening. No one told me anything."
Jody nodded. "Why aren't I allowed to talk to you?"
"I didn't mean that…"
"Then what did you mean?" Jody snapped.
Emily watched as her friends fought.
"I just meant… that you haven't talked to me at all in the last few days."
"I was waiting for you to talk to me!" Jody defended.
Charlie sighed. "Look… I was just mad. It's been hard to see you with Cooper… and being so happy with Cooper. I just… it's a little hard to believe that Cooper would change for anyone. I'm sorry. I just really don't want you to get hurt."
Jody sighed. "We already had this conversation! You say you don't want me to get hurt and I say Cooper would never hurt me as much as you did. I'm still convinced that's true. This is why we weren't talking before! So, just… let's just stop."
Charlie swallowed and nodded. "Sure."
Emily tapped Jody on the shoulder. "What happened to you two?" She asked quietly.
Jody shook her head. "It's a long story… maybe I'll tell you later."
Emily nodded and looked back up at the large black screen. "What exactly are we doing here Eva?" She asked loudly.
Eva smiled. "Hold your horses!! You'll see soon… I hope." Eva looked at her watch.
Suddenly the screen flickered. After some static a big red curtain showed. Everyone gasped and smiled and looked at Eva, who was grinning.
The music started and the curtain went back. Several girls ran on the stage, shortly followed by Anna flying around. Jody listened to the music and remembered what was happening downstairs.
~~*~~
Jody had been sitting on the stairs trying to warm up. Charlie was against the wall warming up. Cooper came flying down the stairs.
"How you feeling? You ready?" Cooper asked.
Jody nodded nervously. "I guess so."
"Look, those sveateas (**I Dunno**) at the end, I really need you to be on your leg."
Jody nodded. "I know."
"Because in rehearsals it hasn't been going well."
Jody nodded again. "I know."
"And it's at the end of the ballet… and we need everything together, everything tight…"
"Cooper, I know!" Jody stated firmly.
Cooper made a face. "Sorry, of course you do. I just want everything to be perfect."
Jody nodded slightly. "Why don't you let me finish warming up."
Cooper caressed her check. "You're gonna be great." He ran his hand down to her shoulder and nodded.
Cooper stood up and walked over to where Charlie had been watching. "See you out there?" Cooper dared.
Charlie leaned his head. "See ya." Charlie watched Cooper leave sourly before walking over to Jody. "Listen, forget him. Just dance it like you feel it."
"Easy as that huh? I gotta warm up." Jody said as she left the staircase.
~~*~~
Jody snapped out of her memories and looked at Charlie. His face was scrunched up and she could tell he was thinking the same thing. The screen showed a curtain again. When it rose, Sergei walked down an isle of boys in puffy blouses lifting girls in puffy skirts. Eva stepped out and began to dance with Sergei.
Maureen watched. She wasn't sure if she should be jealous or sad or happy or what. Sometimes she missed dancing… it was hard not to miss something that had been her whole life since before she was even 10. But she loved Jim and was almost done college. She was going to become a teacher. She wasn't as thin anymore, which she missed sometimes. Slipping back into old habit seemed so easy… and now she was overweight instead of underweight. She looked at Jim who smiled reassuringly at her. Maureen smiled back and snuggled closer to him.
"Are we gonna tell them today?" She asked softly.
Jim nodded and smiled. "Yeah, later, when the time is right." Jim let his eyes wander over to Charlie.
Jody watched the ballet, getting more nervous as the ending neared. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to see her workshop performance. It would just be weird, sitting right next to Charlie. Remembering that they both loved each other at that point… and how later that day they had kissed. And how magical it felt to be kissing the person you loved and who you were meant to be with for the first time, on the best day of your life for more than one reason.
The curtain roes again and there were several girls on-stage wearing white outfits. Charlie was standing off to the side. He began to count and a few seconds later they began to dance. Suddenly Cooper Neilson rides in on his motorcycle, looking all cool. Jody smiled and watched.
Charlie watched, not sure what to feel. It was hard to watch this. He was just beginning to realize how much he loved Jody then. He knew he loved her, but watching her dance with Cooper like that really bugged him. More than it should have. Hearing everyone clap for Cooper instead of himself… how incredibly jealous had he gotten! He watched in almost agony for the next scene. He was glad it was short. Then he got to fight Cooper. He would have liked to really hurt him, not just stage fight.
Almost no one seemed to be watching to screen anymore. They we all looking at Charlie and Jody, who were watching. They were both trying to hide their smiles during the slow part. Then Cooper came and everyone could see how stiff Charlie's face got. Charlie did his solo spins at the end and when he landed he gave that look to Cooper. Charlie sunk down in his seat, praying no one had seen it. But they all had. They smiled and Emily thrust her hand over her mouth to stop the laughter.
The next part came on and everyone turned to watch it. Jody was amazing on stage. She was amazed in her seat. Seeing herself dance on big screen was something she'd never thought she'd do… dance, dance, dance. The curtain went down and the movie stopped rolling.
Eva stood up. "Well Jody, was that worth it?"
"Worth what?"
Eva made a face. "I dunno, I just sorta felt like saying that… anyway. Did you like it?"
"Yes! Thank you so much! Guys, this is amazing. How did you pull it off?"
Erik smiled. "Nevermind. Come on! Let's get back to the limo! Next stop… uh… yeah."
Anna cracked up as everyone headed back to the limo. Charlie suddenly knew what he was going to do. As they drove off again Jody sat in the limo surrounded by her best friends. Then why wasn't she happy? She looked out the window and could see the building she knew Cooper lived in. It didn't make her any happier. She looked over at Charlie and sighed. "How am I ever going to make it through this life without him…" Jody sighed under her breath.
"What?" Emily asked.
Jody looked at Emily and sighed. "Nevermind…"
"You miss him don't you?" Emily glanced at Charlie.
Jody shrugged. "I dunno. I mean Cooper's great… but…"
"But you don't love him." Emily finished for her.
Jody bit her lip. "It's just really complicated."
"Are you gonna tell me now?"
"No… we can't. Not here."
Emily nodded. "Ok."
The limo stopped again.
"Where are we going now?" Jody teased half-heartedly.
"Lunch…" Maureen noted the building they stopped in front of.
Jody checked her watch. "Already??"
"No… we are gonna walk to rest of the way…" Maureen said after Eva told her something.
They all piled out of the limo again and walked down the road, Jody and Emily trailing behind.
"He seriously did that? Charlie Sims did that? I can't believe it!! Charlie Sims, madly in love with you Charlie Sims, did that to you???"
Jody nodded. "Yeah… and we're trying really hard to be friends… but it's not working out to well. He still loves me… and for some reason… I still love him. But what he did… and now with me and Cooper… it's just turning into a living nightmare!"
"I'm sorry…" Emily said softly.
Jody shook her head and shrugged. "Come on!" She called as they ran to catch up with their friends who had stopped walking.
"Why aren't we going anywhere?" Jody asked Eva.
"Charlie… wanted to stop in some store really quick with Erik and Jim… guys stuff or something." Eva said, trying to keep Jody from seeing what store they were in.
Jody shrugged and they waited a long time. Pretty soon everyone was squished up against each other on a small bench by a shop outside. More than half an hour later Charlie, Jim, and Erik came running out of a store and ran up to the group.
"Sorry we took so long… let's go!" Charlie said.
Everyone stood up and started running down the street.
"Where are we going?" Jody shouted.
No one answered her. Only Eva and Erik knew what else was ahead. They finally stopped in front of another large building.
"Why didn't… the limo just… drop us off here?" Anna asked, trying to catch her breath.
Eva shrugged. "Exercise?" She offered.
Maureen looked up at the building. "Laser tag??" She read the sign.
Erik laughed. "SURPRISE!!!"
Everyone laughed and pushed their way through the door. They divided into two teams: Charlie, Eva, Erik, and Anna VS. Jim, Maureen, Jody, and Emily. They got the gear and went into the large room. Charlie just ran around the whole time, trying not to get hit. Everyone tried to hit him, and it soon became the whole point of the game. "HIT CHARLIE!!!" Someone had yelled randomly as he flew by. After that everyone started chasing him around.
Charlie was running and laughing so hard he tripped and fell. He clasped in laugher, his face turning red. He tried to stand up when he saw the other closing in on him. Jody raced up to him and hit the little target on his vest thing. Jody laughed and Charlie got up and hit her target.
"SCORE!!! AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!! YAY!!" Charlie shouted as he tackled Jody to the ground.
All their friends watched, very amused by their flirty scene. Jody sprang up and aimed at Charlie again. He rolled away so he wouldn't get hit with the light. That went on for a while until Jody saw everybody watching them. She stood up from where she was on the floor and looked embarrassed.
"What are you guys staring at?" Charlie demanded.
"Oh nothing… flirts." Eva said, mumbling the last part so they wouldn't hear.
Everyone around her heard and cracked up.
"What?" Jody asked.
Everyone went back to playing, making Erik the new main target. Charlie and Jody weren't up for much of that anymore so they sat down under a big plastic rock thing in the middle of the room and talked. Anna ran by trying to find Erik and found them instead. They were squished up against each other (there wasn't much room) and they were giggling in each other's faces. Anna smiled, not sure what to do. She wanted to hit one of them, but didn't want to spoil the moment. Just then Erik ran by so she shot off after him.
"This is the best day of my life… thank you guys so much!" Jody squeaked into Charlie's ear.
Charlie smiled. "Really? Well… actually… I didn't have anything to do with it. It was all Eva and Erik."
Jody shrugged. "Oh well… thank you anyway. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. I wonder what they were laughing about…"
Charlie blushed, he had pretty much figured it out. "Yeah… but hey! You were the first to get me!"
Jody giggled. "Yeah… you were the first to get me to."
"Really? But I thought I saw Jim get you."
"No… I escaped… sorta… it was pretty funny. Jim aimed for me and I started running and then Maureen came by and fell down and Jim got her. So I ran off before he could try for me again."
Charlie laughed. "All I could do was run. Whose idea was it anyway to make me the only target??"
"That would be Anna. She saw someone run by and thought it was you, so she just yelled for everyone to get you. Even though it had been Eva that ran by."
Charlie made a face. "Anna thought Eva was me?"
Jody giggled again. "Well… she ran by really fast…" She started laughing mid-sentence.
Charlie laughed.
"EVERYBODY COME IN!!!" Eva screamed from across the room.
Charlie sighed. "Come on, let's go…"
"Ok." Jody stood up, stepping on Charlie several times.
"Ouch! Watch it!" He teased, rubbing his elbow.
Jody laughed and looked down at him. "Race you!" She dared.
"Ok." Charlie started to stand but Jody was already off. "Hey! Come back! That's cheating!!" Charlie exclaimed as he came up behind her.
Jody slowed down and she and Charlie jogged back to their friends side by side. When they got their Anna gave Jody a weird smile.
"As much as I hate to say this," Eva glanced at Charlie and Jody, "We have to go now. It's time for lunch!"
Everyone cheered and groaned at the same time as they left. They ran back down a few streets to the limo.
"Can't we get dropped off at the restaurant?" Jody huffed as she climbed into the limo after Charlie.
"Apparently… something's up with them…" Maureen whispered to Jim.
Jim smiled knowingly. "Oh yeah." He shifted in his seat.
Maureen looked at him. "What? What do you know?"
"Nothing!" Jim smiled smugly.
"What? Tell me! Does this have to do with that little detour you and the guys made before laser tag?"
Jim winked. "Maybe…" Jim whispered something into Maureen's ear and her eyes lit up.
"Really?" She cooed.
Jim smiled. "You can't tell anyone!'
"Ok." Maureen nodded.
"Whatcha guys talking about over there?" Anna teased Maureen and Jim from across the limo.
Jim laughed. "Not much…" He said.
Emily and Anna cracked up and pretty soon the whole limo was filled with echoing laughter. The limo pulled up in front of a park and everyone got out.
"Uh! We have to walk to lunch too?" Jody groaned.
Erik smiled. "No… it's here."
Jody looked around and shrugged at Charlie. "Well then let's go! I'm starved!" She said to no one in particular. "Where exactly are we going again?"
"It's a picnic!" Erik said excitedly.
Jody smiled. "Yum!"
They all raced across the baseball field and sat under a big tree.
"So, where's the picnic?" Charlie asked.
Erik stood up and grabbed Charlie and Jim. "We have to go get it, come on!"
The tree walked off, deep in conversation by the time they were 10 feet away. Jim looked back at Jody and Maureen before he and the other took off towards the limo. They returned a few minutes later with the food Erik and Eva had hidden in the limo. Everyone helped spread out the blankets and lay out the food. After everyone had their sandwich or salad, or whatever they wanted, they all sat down in a circle to eat and talk.
"Jim, what was it you were saying about some secret over at the limo?" Erik hinted, like Jim had instructed.
Jim smiled at Maureen, who was sitting next to him. "We are engaged!!" Jim announced.
Everyone just looked at them for a minute before exploding and congratulating them. Everyone was hugged and screaming, they had forgotten all about their lunch, which was getting stepped on.
"Uh oh! The food…" Anna looked down at the salad she had just stepped in.
Everyone groaned. They threw out that squashed food and made new lunches with what was left, which wasn't much. Charlie's first salad hadn't been ruined, so he let Jody have it, since her salad was all over Eva's shoes.
After lunch Erik gave Charlie some weird looks and they had a conversation with their eyes. Jody watched, wondering what they were "saying". They all ran off over to the swings. The girls all sat down, and had the boys push them all. The guys complained, but had fun with it anyway. They were coming up with tricks to push all 5 girls at once, with only 3 guys.
After that they wandered around the park for a while until they started heading back to the limo. Jim and Erik were giving Charlie more looks, but he stared to just ignore them after a while. His birthday present surprise for Jody was going to have to wait until the right time. If that meant waiting until they were back at the apartment, then so be it. Charlie wasn't about to let bad timing ruin it for him… or Jody.
