A/N: Just a quick note to let ya'll know that we're coming down to the last
few chapters. I'm guessing about 5 more. Maybe less, maybe more. But I'm
guessing about 5. But don't worry, ya'll. There's still the rest of
Without You and the third and last story in that series, plus I'll be
starting a new story. I've already got some of it typed up. But here's
the next chapter!
************
"So when's prince charming coming to get you for the dance?" Lizzie asked Cinder as her cousin walked in to raid her closet.
"He's not. I have to go over there. He's having a late wrestling practice. So I'm going to his place and wait for him to get cleaned up, then we're going," Cinder smiled stepping in front of Lizzie's full length mirror, holding up a black muscle tee with a purple star on the front.
"Please, take my clothes," Lizzie said sarcastically.
"I think I will, thanks," Cinder smiled stepping back in Lizzie's closet.
"You're awfully cheery lately. Why?" Lizzie asked setting down the Rolling Stone magazine she was reading.
"Well, I just keep thinking about how well the party went last Saturday and how we'll be getting more gigs with you as manager. Plus, tonite, Charlie is getting us a hotel room for a romantic nite," Cinder answered walking out of the closet wearing a long sleeved purple netted top under the muscle tee she was looking at before. "I'm wearing this tonite."
"K, but if anything happens to it, I'm permanently stealing these jeans from you," Lizzie laughed.
"Deal," Cinder said. "Anyways, I'm gonna go finish getting ready. I'll see you at the dance."
"Sure thing!" Lizzie called after her as the door shut. Lizzie shook her head and went back to reading an article on Evanescence in her magazine.
Cinder quickly finished getting ready for the dance and jumped in her car. She didn't go straight to Charlie's, she made a stop at the Hardy house first, having not been there since Gil and Leeann had broken up. She walked into the house, no knocking or anything, and found Jeff flipping through a moto-X magazine at the kitchen table while eating a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. He looked up and threw the magazine on an empty chair next to him.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" he smiled before lifting the bowl to drink the remaining milk. She laughed at him and sat across from him.
"Just thought I'd stop by. Haven't been here since, ya know," she said.
"Yeah, I know. My Dad was just asking about you and Adam yesterday. Too bad he's not here," he said with a shrug. "Well, you look good. Goin to the dance I suppose?"
"Yeah, aren't you?"
"Nah, I don't see the point to going to a date oriented function."
"Come on Jeff. Please come? You'll have fun!"
"Right, cause no one is going to be leaving early to get a room at the hotel down the street, right?" he laughed.
"Well, Charlie and I have a room, but we'll stick around for awhile."
"Yeah, cause that's exactly what I want to do. Hang out with my best friend and her beater of a boyfriend."
"Jeff," she growled.
"Sorry. But I just don't think so."
"Please?! I'd really love it if you'd go," she pleaded.
"Alright, I'll be there. I'll go with Matt and Amy or something."
"You promise?!" she said giving him an innocent smile.
"Yes, I promise. I'll go get ready now," he said shaking his head, causing his newly dyed purple and turquoise hair to bounce around his face. Cinder jumped up and kissed him quickly.
"I gotta get to Charlie's. But I'll see you in an hour," she said excitedly running out of the house.
"Cinder, hi honey," Charlie's mother greeted her as she walked into the house.
"Hi Mrs. Haas," Cinder replied looking at the woman's face. "Um, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you just have that bruise on your face, I was just wondering if you were alright."
"Oh, yes, I was very clumsy tonite and hit my head on the corner of the table. No big deal. You know how it is," she joked.
"Yeah, I've been clumsy lately too," Cinder smiled. She could see right through Mrs. Haas' lie. She had been making the same lies for a month, almost two, now. Charlie's mother was being abused, and that was no old bruise. It was a fresh one, so his father must be doing this. It all was starting to make sense. Charlie learned everything from his father. She shook her head and told his mother she'd be waiting for him in his room.
************
"Jeff! I'm so glad you actually came. I kinda didn't think you would!" Cinder said loudly over 50 Cent.
"Hey, a promise is a promise! I never break em!" he replied with a smile. "How long you been here?"
"Oh about a half hour! Charlie's been making me stand with him and his friends! I snuck away," she laughed. "Seen Shannon and Lizzie?"
"Nah, I heard they made a quick appearance and left for the hotel," Jeff laughed. "Matt and Amy didn't even make an appearance!"
"Oh Jesus. So you've been standing here by yourself?"
"No, I've been standing here with Andrew and Stacy," he replied with disgust in his tone.
"Ready to pull your hair out?" she asked.
"I've already got a bald spot!" he joked lifting up his hair. "I'll probably hang out with Rob and Sonya or something."
"You wanna hang out with me and Charlie?"
"Not ever," he laughed. "No offence to you or anything. I just don't want to be near him."
"I understand that. I'll see you later?" she asked.
"I'll be here," he smiled waving to her as she walked back to Charlie.
About an hour later, Cinder had left Charlie to go talk to Trish. She didn't know how long she had been with Trish, but it felt like forever. Charlie finally came over and Trish excused herself when she saw the smile on Charlie's face.
"Hey baby," Charlie said kissing Cinder gently. She smiled up at him before he took a seat next to her. "Okay, I have the key to the hotel room."
"Are we goin now?" Cinder smiled picking her stuff up off the table.
"Well, you are. I'm gonna be there in about 10 minutes. The guys want me to show them a move in the training room. So go to the room and wait for me?" he smiled. She nodded, taking the key from him. He kissed her cheek and left to join the guys he had been with all nite.
He left the gym and she shortly after left for the hotel. Thinking she was being sexy, she got undressed and turned off the lights, standing in front of the door waiting for him in her underwear. She had been standing for so long, about a half hour, before she decided to curl up on the bed and watch some tv because she had no clue how much longer he'd be.
"Hey, Jeff," Charlie smiled walking up to Jeff and Rob.
"Charlie, um, hi," Jeff replied unsure of why he was talking to him.
"I need you to do me a favor man," Charlie said pulling him aside.
"Oh?" Jeff questioned.
"Yeah, Cinder is at the hotel waiting for me, and I can't make it. I need you to go tell her that I won't be coming," he said.
"And why's that, Charlie?" Jeff asked crossing his arms angrily.
"Well, I have plans with the boys. I'm sure you can understand that," Charlie smirked.
"No, I don't understand. I don't understand why you'd leave a beautiful girl in a hotel room by herself, making her think she was gonna have a wonderful nite with you, and then running off to go hang out with 'the boys'," Jeff said.
"Well, anyways, are you gonna do it?" Charlie said.
"Yeah, I'll do it. But not for you. For her," Jeff said.
"Honestly, I don't give a shit why you're doing it. I just wanted you to do it. And now that you are, I'm leaving. Bye. Oh, by the way, she's in room 13," Charlie said running off.
"Asshole," Jeff said.
"What's goin on?" Rob asked.
"I have to go tell Cinder that her romantic nite is ruined because Charlie is a dick," Jeff explained grabbing his coat. "I'll see ya man."
Jeff walked down the road and into a rather nice looking hotel. He found room 12 on the second floor and sighed before knocking. At the first sound of the knock, Cinder sat up straight. She threw the covers off of her and turned everything off. She stood in front of the door and smiled.
"Come in," she said. The door opened and was instantly shut as soon as Jeff stepped into the room. Cinder forced her mouth on his and began ripping clothes off him, believing it was Charlie.
"Cinder?" Jeff questioned breathlessly.
"JEFF?!" Cinder screamed in shock rushing to turn the lights on. "Oh shit!" She looked him over, he was left in his boxers, and hung her head in shame.
"What was that all about?" he asked staring at her, trying to keep his eyes from wondering down her body.
"I thought you were Charlie! He told me to wait for him here like an hour ago!" she exclaimed placing her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, I have a message from him for you," he said.
"Oh no, what?"
"He's not coming. He's decided to go hang out with 'the boys'," Jeff answered as Cinder collapsed on the bed.
"He's such a fuckin asshole!" she cried as Jeff ran over to hold her. "God, why didn't I listen to you all and break up with him?!"
"Because you thought you were in love," Jeff answered. "Cin, I'm sorry. He had no right to do this to you."
"I'm so stupid," Cinder said as tears ran down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry for jumping on you like that. And for ripping off your clothes. You must think I'm like a whore now or something."
"Oh God no. You're nothing like that. Don't worry about it," he smiled. He looked into her eyes and ran his hand down her wet cheeks gently. 'Come on Jeff. Don't be an idiot. She's so vulnerable right now!' his thoughts yelled to him. He ignored them and kissed her deeply, running his hands through her hair. She responded instantly, kissing him back. They fell back on the bed, kissing every part of each other. Jeff leaned over Cinder and smiled down at her. Her eyes had that sparkle they had when they had first met. She smiled back at him, the same Copeland smile he remembered. And then, everything just exploded.
*********************
"Chris, I'm so sorry for walkin out on the last part of your game during the playoffs," Cinder apologized sitting next to him in the cafeteria. He turned away from his food to glare at her. "Chris, there are just some things about my relationship with Charlie that you'd never understand."
"Oh really? I understand your relationship perfectly. You two fuck, he smacks you around a bit, and you go back for more. I understand it perfectly," he replied angrily.
"No, you DON'T understand. You couldn't possibly! Listen, Chris, all I wanted to do was apologize. And I have, so I'm going to leave now. Be an asshole about this if you want. I don't give a fuck," she cried slamming her hands on the table as she stood. "I just want you to know that I hate myself for what I did. I love watching you play. I love cheering you on. And if you don't know this by now, then you obviously don't know me as well as I thought you did." She gave him one last look and walked towards her table. She sat next Shannon and played with the now melted ice cream she bought when she walked into lunch. "I now understand why ya'll hate him sometimes."
"You did walk out on one of the most important games," Matt said.
"Yeah, but I had good reasons!" she exclaimed.
"And what are those reasons?" Jay asked setting his tray down next to Adam's.
"What difference does it make?! You'll just be on his side anyways!" she said throwing her empty container in the trash by the entrance.
"Nice shot," Andrew grinned just barely being missed by the trash.
"Shove it Drew!" Cinder said walking out on her friends.
"What? I was just sayin nice shot," he replied sitting next to Stacy and Dawn Marie in the prissy girl's corner of the room.
"Dude, your sister is being a prize bitch today," Jay commented.
"Yeah, no kidding. She kicked me out of the bathroom this morning. I didn't even have time to finish my hair!" Adam complained. Every just shot him looks of disbelief before resuming to eating their food.
"Lizzie, you must know what's goin on, right?" Amy asked.
"I wish I did. But I don't. She's been weird all vacation," she answered tightening her ponytail.
"Yeah, Jeff hasn't exactly been Mr. Personality either," Matt added.
"Speaking of Jeff, where is he?" Shannon wondered out loud.
"God only knows. He's like become this weird silent guy. I hardly speak to him anymore," Matt answered as the bell rang.
"All I know is that neither one of them have hung out with each other for like a week now," Lizzie said as Shannon placed his arm around her waist.
"And they've been blowing off band practice!" Shannon exclaimed.
"They're probably just going through some sort of phase. C is always doing that," Adam joked as he walked ahead of everyone else with Alanah on his arm to class.
"I don't really think this is a joking matter," Amy said.
"Neither do I, but who knows C better than Adam?" Lizzie said.
"I just hope they both come out of whatever it is they're in," Matt said before they all broke off to go to their class.
************
"So when's prince charming coming to get you for the dance?" Lizzie asked Cinder as her cousin walked in to raid her closet.
"He's not. I have to go over there. He's having a late wrestling practice. So I'm going to his place and wait for him to get cleaned up, then we're going," Cinder smiled stepping in front of Lizzie's full length mirror, holding up a black muscle tee with a purple star on the front.
"Please, take my clothes," Lizzie said sarcastically.
"I think I will, thanks," Cinder smiled stepping back in Lizzie's closet.
"You're awfully cheery lately. Why?" Lizzie asked setting down the Rolling Stone magazine she was reading.
"Well, I just keep thinking about how well the party went last Saturday and how we'll be getting more gigs with you as manager. Plus, tonite, Charlie is getting us a hotel room for a romantic nite," Cinder answered walking out of the closet wearing a long sleeved purple netted top under the muscle tee she was looking at before. "I'm wearing this tonite."
"K, but if anything happens to it, I'm permanently stealing these jeans from you," Lizzie laughed.
"Deal," Cinder said. "Anyways, I'm gonna go finish getting ready. I'll see you at the dance."
"Sure thing!" Lizzie called after her as the door shut. Lizzie shook her head and went back to reading an article on Evanescence in her magazine.
Cinder quickly finished getting ready for the dance and jumped in her car. She didn't go straight to Charlie's, she made a stop at the Hardy house first, having not been there since Gil and Leeann had broken up. She walked into the house, no knocking or anything, and found Jeff flipping through a moto-X magazine at the kitchen table while eating a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. He looked up and threw the magazine on an empty chair next to him.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" he smiled before lifting the bowl to drink the remaining milk. She laughed at him and sat across from him.
"Just thought I'd stop by. Haven't been here since, ya know," she said.
"Yeah, I know. My Dad was just asking about you and Adam yesterday. Too bad he's not here," he said with a shrug. "Well, you look good. Goin to the dance I suppose?"
"Yeah, aren't you?"
"Nah, I don't see the point to going to a date oriented function."
"Come on Jeff. Please come? You'll have fun!"
"Right, cause no one is going to be leaving early to get a room at the hotel down the street, right?" he laughed.
"Well, Charlie and I have a room, but we'll stick around for awhile."
"Yeah, cause that's exactly what I want to do. Hang out with my best friend and her beater of a boyfriend."
"Jeff," she growled.
"Sorry. But I just don't think so."
"Please?! I'd really love it if you'd go," she pleaded.
"Alright, I'll be there. I'll go with Matt and Amy or something."
"You promise?!" she said giving him an innocent smile.
"Yes, I promise. I'll go get ready now," he said shaking his head, causing his newly dyed purple and turquoise hair to bounce around his face. Cinder jumped up and kissed him quickly.
"I gotta get to Charlie's. But I'll see you in an hour," she said excitedly running out of the house.
"Cinder, hi honey," Charlie's mother greeted her as she walked into the house.
"Hi Mrs. Haas," Cinder replied looking at the woman's face. "Um, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you just have that bruise on your face, I was just wondering if you were alright."
"Oh, yes, I was very clumsy tonite and hit my head on the corner of the table. No big deal. You know how it is," she joked.
"Yeah, I've been clumsy lately too," Cinder smiled. She could see right through Mrs. Haas' lie. She had been making the same lies for a month, almost two, now. Charlie's mother was being abused, and that was no old bruise. It was a fresh one, so his father must be doing this. It all was starting to make sense. Charlie learned everything from his father. She shook her head and told his mother she'd be waiting for him in his room.
************
"Jeff! I'm so glad you actually came. I kinda didn't think you would!" Cinder said loudly over 50 Cent.
"Hey, a promise is a promise! I never break em!" he replied with a smile. "How long you been here?"
"Oh about a half hour! Charlie's been making me stand with him and his friends! I snuck away," she laughed. "Seen Shannon and Lizzie?"
"Nah, I heard they made a quick appearance and left for the hotel," Jeff laughed. "Matt and Amy didn't even make an appearance!"
"Oh Jesus. So you've been standing here by yourself?"
"No, I've been standing here with Andrew and Stacy," he replied with disgust in his tone.
"Ready to pull your hair out?" she asked.
"I've already got a bald spot!" he joked lifting up his hair. "I'll probably hang out with Rob and Sonya or something."
"You wanna hang out with me and Charlie?"
"Not ever," he laughed. "No offence to you or anything. I just don't want to be near him."
"I understand that. I'll see you later?" she asked.
"I'll be here," he smiled waving to her as she walked back to Charlie.
About an hour later, Cinder had left Charlie to go talk to Trish. She didn't know how long she had been with Trish, but it felt like forever. Charlie finally came over and Trish excused herself when she saw the smile on Charlie's face.
"Hey baby," Charlie said kissing Cinder gently. She smiled up at him before he took a seat next to her. "Okay, I have the key to the hotel room."
"Are we goin now?" Cinder smiled picking her stuff up off the table.
"Well, you are. I'm gonna be there in about 10 minutes. The guys want me to show them a move in the training room. So go to the room and wait for me?" he smiled. She nodded, taking the key from him. He kissed her cheek and left to join the guys he had been with all nite.
He left the gym and she shortly after left for the hotel. Thinking she was being sexy, she got undressed and turned off the lights, standing in front of the door waiting for him in her underwear. She had been standing for so long, about a half hour, before she decided to curl up on the bed and watch some tv because she had no clue how much longer he'd be.
"Hey, Jeff," Charlie smiled walking up to Jeff and Rob.
"Charlie, um, hi," Jeff replied unsure of why he was talking to him.
"I need you to do me a favor man," Charlie said pulling him aside.
"Oh?" Jeff questioned.
"Yeah, Cinder is at the hotel waiting for me, and I can't make it. I need you to go tell her that I won't be coming," he said.
"And why's that, Charlie?" Jeff asked crossing his arms angrily.
"Well, I have plans with the boys. I'm sure you can understand that," Charlie smirked.
"No, I don't understand. I don't understand why you'd leave a beautiful girl in a hotel room by herself, making her think she was gonna have a wonderful nite with you, and then running off to go hang out with 'the boys'," Jeff said.
"Well, anyways, are you gonna do it?" Charlie said.
"Yeah, I'll do it. But not for you. For her," Jeff said.
"Honestly, I don't give a shit why you're doing it. I just wanted you to do it. And now that you are, I'm leaving. Bye. Oh, by the way, she's in room 13," Charlie said running off.
"Asshole," Jeff said.
"What's goin on?" Rob asked.
"I have to go tell Cinder that her romantic nite is ruined because Charlie is a dick," Jeff explained grabbing his coat. "I'll see ya man."
Jeff walked down the road and into a rather nice looking hotel. He found room 12 on the second floor and sighed before knocking. At the first sound of the knock, Cinder sat up straight. She threw the covers off of her and turned everything off. She stood in front of the door and smiled.
"Come in," she said. The door opened and was instantly shut as soon as Jeff stepped into the room. Cinder forced her mouth on his and began ripping clothes off him, believing it was Charlie.
"Cinder?" Jeff questioned breathlessly.
"JEFF?!" Cinder screamed in shock rushing to turn the lights on. "Oh shit!" She looked him over, he was left in his boxers, and hung her head in shame.
"What was that all about?" he asked staring at her, trying to keep his eyes from wondering down her body.
"I thought you were Charlie! He told me to wait for him here like an hour ago!" she exclaimed placing her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, I have a message from him for you," he said.
"Oh no, what?"
"He's not coming. He's decided to go hang out with 'the boys'," Jeff answered as Cinder collapsed on the bed.
"He's such a fuckin asshole!" she cried as Jeff ran over to hold her. "God, why didn't I listen to you all and break up with him?!"
"Because you thought you were in love," Jeff answered. "Cin, I'm sorry. He had no right to do this to you."
"I'm so stupid," Cinder said as tears ran down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry for jumping on you like that. And for ripping off your clothes. You must think I'm like a whore now or something."
"Oh God no. You're nothing like that. Don't worry about it," he smiled. He looked into her eyes and ran his hand down her wet cheeks gently. 'Come on Jeff. Don't be an idiot. She's so vulnerable right now!' his thoughts yelled to him. He ignored them and kissed her deeply, running his hands through her hair. She responded instantly, kissing him back. They fell back on the bed, kissing every part of each other. Jeff leaned over Cinder and smiled down at her. Her eyes had that sparkle they had when they had first met. She smiled back at him, the same Copeland smile he remembered. And then, everything just exploded.
*********************
"Chris, I'm so sorry for walkin out on the last part of your game during the playoffs," Cinder apologized sitting next to him in the cafeteria. He turned away from his food to glare at her. "Chris, there are just some things about my relationship with Charlie that you'd never understand."
"Oh really? I understand your relationship perfectly. You two fuck, he smacks you around a bit, and you go back for more. I understand it perfectly," he replied angrily.
"No, you DON'T understand. You couldn't possibly! Listen, Chris, all I wanted to do was apologize. And I have, so I'm going to leave now. Be an asshole about this if you want. I don't give a fuck," she cried slamming her hands on the table as she stood. "I just want you to know that I hate myself for what I did. I love watching you play. I love cheering you on. And if you don't know this by now, then you obviously don't know me as well as I thought you did." She gave him one last look and walked towards her table. She sat next Shannon and played with the now melted ice cream she bought when she walked into lunch. "I now understand why ya'll hate him sometimes."
"You did walk out on one of the most important games," Matt said.
"Yeah, but I had good reasons!" she exclaimed.
"And what are those reasons?" Jay asked setting his tray down next to Adam's.
"What difference does it make?! You'll just be on his side anyways!" she said throwing her empty container in the trash by the entrance.
"Nice shot," Andrew grinned just barely being missed by the trash.
"Shove it Drew!" Cinder said walking out on her friends.
"What? I was just sayin nice shot," he replied sitting next to Stacy and Dawn Marie in the prissy girl's corner of the room.
"Dude, your sister is being a prize bitch today," Jay commented.
"Yeah, no kidding. She kicked me out of the bathroom this morning. I didn't even have time to finish my hair!" Adam complained. Every just shot him looks of disbelief before resuming to eating their food.
"Lizzie, you must know what's goin on, right?" Amy asked.
"I wish I did. But I don't. She's been weird all vacation," she answered tightening her ponytail.
"Yeah, Jeff hasn't exactly been Mr. Personality either," Matt added.
"Speaking of Jeff, where is he?" Shannon wondered out loud.
"God only knows. He's like become this weird silent guy. I hardly speak to him anymore," Matt answered as the bell rang.
"All I know is that neither one of them have hung out with each other for like a week now," Lizzie said as Shannon placed his arm around her waist.
"And they've been blowing off band practice!" Shannon exclaimed.
"They're probably just going through some sort of phase. C is always doing that," Adam joked as he walked ahead of everyone else with Alanah on his arm to class.
"I don't really think this is a joking matter," Amy said.
"Neither do I, but who knows C better than Adam?" Lizzie said.
"I just hope they both come out of whatever it is they're in," Matt said before they all broke off to go to their class.