Chapter Eight – Meant To Be
The song used in this chapter is 'Not Meant To Be' by Theory of a Deadman. I don't own copyright, yada yada. : - )
"Have you thought anymore about what I said?" Woody questioned Jessie. They were sitting in the corner of the bed by the pillow the next day, quietly playing snakes and ladders. Woody wasn't immune to Jessie' spitting rage from the performance the night before.
"About building bridges over troubled waters? No." Jessie responded flatly.
"How about if I come with you?" Woody offered. Jessie looked up.
"Promise you won't gawp at her like you did the other night?" she asked, and Woody blushed.
"Aw, sorry Jess. I got a bit too taken in. But after what she did last night, I think you may have a point. Anyway," he went back, "do you need some company tonight?"
Jessie shrugged, "I guess it'd be nice. But don't be expecting miracles."
"I won't," Woody promised, as Jessie threw the dice at him.
Rochelle was warming up under the bed when Woody approached her later that day.
"Hey Rochelle," he called and she stopped in mid-stretch to see him in front of her.
"Yes?" She asked, continuing with her warm up.
"A word about tonight?" Woody asked.
"Tonight?" Rochelle questioned. "No can do, cowboy. I'm off tonight. Sundays are the one day I don't perform, sorry."
"Not that," Woody said, irritated. "You said something to Jessie about some dancing therapy?"
"What of it?"
"Well, I managed to persuade her, so if you'd still be willing to join us..."
"Us?"
"I said to Jessie I'd come as her support. She's been through more than her fair share of trouble, Rochelle," Woody explained, and the blonde softened at his words.
"Ok, Woody," she accepted, then after a moment's pause she added, "Ooh, I'll bring Buzz. He needs to work stuff out of his system too."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Woody was skeptical.
"Sure, I'll talk to him right after I've finished my morning exercise." Rochelle said, and shooed the cowboy doll. "Scat! I have push ups to do and I don't want you staring at my butt."
Later that night Woody and Jessie met Rochelle by the top of the stairs. Buzz was with her and Woody noticed the fiery cowgirl doll shoot the space toy a withering look. Woody put an arm around her shoulders for comfort, but she shrugged him off.
"Okay, come on. I thought we could use the main TV room for the party, so we don't disturb the other toys," Rochelle explained, as they started to make their way downstairs.
About fifteen minutes later they were creeping along the passageway to the TV room. They all wandered inside, looking around. The TV stood opposite the door, and the rest of the room held various furniture – sofas, chairs and tables, and shelves on the walls with assorted trinkets and media items.
"We need something to turn the TV on with," Rochelle looked around.
"We need a remote," Woody confirmed. "Spread out and look for it."
They eventually found the remote down the side of the sofa, and Woody stepped on the power button. The TV flickered into life and he began to flip through the channels. He got up into the music channels at last and Rochelle shrieked as a dance channel popped up. The last song was just finishing, but the next one started straight away.
"I Like It" by Enrique Iglesias blared from the TV and Rochelle was entranced by the music immediately, shimmying her hips to the beat and raising her arms in the air. The others watched her until she broke her gaze from the TV and swung round to face them. Her face dropped when she saw they hadn't joined in too.
"What's the matter? Lost your rhythm?" She teased, and Jessie huffed.
"I have plenty of rhythm, I just don't choose to use it like that," she folded her arms and Rochelle sighed.
"Lighten up Jessie. It's only a bit of hip swaying."
"Yet it's all I ever see you do," Jessie bit back.
"And just WHAT is that supposed to mean?" Rochelle demanded.
"It means if you're gonna dance, at least vary it a bit," Jessie snapped.
"Ok, doll! You're on!" Rochelle stepped closer to Jessie. "Tomorrow night, before my performance. Deal?"
"Done!" Jessie said bluntly.
"Done." Rochelle repeated. Woody threw up his hands at the two girls arguing and walked off, jumping down to the floor. Jessie didn't need his support, that was certain!
The song on the TV had now merged to adverts, and Rochelle decided nothing in the line of dance therapy was going to be accomplished that night, so she started to climb down off the sofa too. "Waste of my time, that was," she muttered, "Stupid do-" she stopped short of the main door to the room, mid sentence.
Doll.
Her and Jessie were made of the same stuff.
Although in Jessie's case more stuffing and in her more plastic – but they were still what it stated on the box.
Dolls.
She didn't understand why Jessie was so mad at her. She really hadn't taken to her at all, even without the whole Buzz fiasco yesterday. Turning back to glance up at the sofa again, she noticed Buzz and Jessie standing there facing each other. Jessie still had her arms folded and Buzz had his arms outstretched. Behind them the TV had started to play its next song.
"Jessie, look, I'm sorry for the other day on Bonnie's shelves."
"Sorry? Oh no, sorry doesn't cut it," Jessie had kept her arms folded from the disagreement with Rochelle, and Buzz stretched his arms out to her.
"Please Jessie. I want to try and make this work again. I care for you, surely you must know that."
"I don't know anything anymore," she replied, dropping her gaze to the floor.
It's never enough to say I'm sorry
It's never enough to say I care
But I'm caught between what you're wanting from me,
Knowing if I give that to ya
I might just disappear.
Nobody wins when everyone's losing
Its like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I can't change your mind,
It's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you wan, And it's killing me
And I, I'm starting to see
Maybe we're not meant to be
It's never enough to say I love you
No, it's never enough to say I try
It's hard to believe that's there's
No way out for you and me
And it seems to be the story of our life
Nobody wins when everyone's losing
It's like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I can't change your mind,
It's like trying to turn around on a one way street.
I can't give you what you want and it's killing me
And I, I'm starting to see
That maybe we're not meant to be
"Come on Jessie, I was trying to help her out."
"That explains why she was draped all over you," Jessie responded coldly, and Buzz flinched, his shoulders slumping as she added, "not to mention since she turned up, you've been at her beck and call 24/7."
"So?"
"So? What about me, Buzz, your girlfriend?"
"You're still my girlfriend, Jessie. That hasn't changed."
"Hasn't it? I'm not so sure." Jessie turned sorrowful, yet angry eyes on him and Buzz could feel her slipping through his fingers. He took a step towards her and she stepped back.
"No, I don't want to touch you, Buzz, knowing that bimbo blonde has been all over you."
"So where does that leave us?" Buzz queried, and Jessie shook her head.
"How do I know you aren't going to chase the next Barbie that strolls into the room?"
"And that means...?"
"It means I can't trust you, Buzz." Jessie shook her head sadly and Buzz was horrified," I can't depend on you to be there for me when I need you. You go running off to the next new, best, or more interesting thing." She turned away.
Buzz was dumbstruck. He suddenly realised what a complete moron he'd been, swanning around after Rochelle like Buster used to scamper around after Andy as a puppy.
"So, there's nothing we can do? You don't want to work on it?" he asked feebly, and Jessie shrugged. "What's the point, Buzz?
There's still time to turn this around
Should we be building this up, instead of tearing it down
But I keep thinking maybe it's too late.
It's like one step forward, and two steps back,
No matter what I do, you're always mad
And I, can't change your mind
"Because it's me and you, Jessie!" Buzz shouted.
"And what does that mean to you, Buzz? Not a lot I'd reckon, judging by how you've been behaving."
Buzz opened his mouth to defend himself but she cut him off before he could get the words out.
"You know I've had a lot of time to think it over the past few days, but I never thought I'd want to actually do it." Buzz looked at her, not completely understanding, and she whispered, "I'm sorry Buzz. I think it's over."
It's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want, and it's killing me and I,
I finally see, baby, that we're not meant to be
Buzz blinked as her words hit home, and his face dropped into misery as he watched the cowgirl jump down off the sofa and run for the door.
Over by the door, Rochelle ducked behind the large cat doorstop as Jessie fled, sobbing, into the passageway. She watched her go before stepping out into the half light, turning her attention back up to the sofa, her eyes finding Buzz, who was slumped against the arm rest with his head buried in his hands.
In the background the song on the TV played out.
It's like one step forward, and two steps back,
No matter what I do, you're always mad,
And I, baby I'm sorry to see,
Maybe that we're not meant to be.