As The World Turns

Chapter 24

"Stop looking at me like that," Taylor giggled as Jodie scolded at her. All Taylor had been doing the entire night was coming over and drunkenly telling Jodie how cute Marshall and she were.

"But it's just sooo sweeet," Taylor hiccuped as she laughed again, nearly falling off the barstool.

"Right that's it Tiff is gonna take you home she finishes about now, wait here ok," Taylor lazily nodded twiddling a tiny umbrella between her fingers as she started to hum 'umbrella,' under her breath.

Shaking her head in utter despair Jodie went in Search of Tiff. It didn't take her long to find the dark-skinned girl, who was just collecting her money from one of the men she had been entertaining. As soon as she spotted Jodie she brought her into a hug before winking at the guy she'd been with, so she now had her full attention on Jodie.

''What's up, ya never stray this far away from your little enclosure,' Tiff joked placing her hand on Jodie's shoulder, ''what's up though?'' She then asked seeing the serious expression falling across Jodie's face.

''Taylors, had a little too much to drink and I was wondering, since your about to go home if you could drop her off. I can't afford to cut my shift off this early,'' Tiff nodded along to Jodie's explanation, her smiling face turning to a neutral one.

''Of course, you know I don't mind,'' she smiled linking her arm with Jodies, ''come on take me to our girl, I wanna see her wasted she is this time.''

As good as her word Tiff took Taylor home for Jodie; it took a good ten minutes to get her out of the club and into the car. Jodie, however, was just glad she was in a safe pair of hands because she knew Tiff would get her home safe. However, with Taylor gone, the bar seemed awfully silent; Mitch hadn't come by either, which seemed odd to Jodie. Then she remembered his sick dog from the night before and figured he was with his dog. The club itself seemed pretty quiet, so quiet Jodie prayed for something interesting to happen. It turned out she may have prayed a little too hard.

''Two cokes, please,'' Jodie didn't even look up to see who had ordered, she knew the voice anyway. She pulled to bottles from out of the fridge and poured them into glasses before placing them on the bar.

''Didn't expect you to come back,'' she smiled at Ryan who gave her a wink, causing her to shake her head, ''I'm hoping the other coke is for someone else cause you got a problem if you order two wherever you go.''

''I'd say something like I'm addicted to coke, but these eavesdroppers around us might take that a little out of context,'' he laughed lifting his glass to his lips before finishing, ''but yeah they ain't both for me I got friends you know.''

''Really, I don't believe that,'' Jodie leant over the bar smirking at him.

''Man you're married, fucking flirting with the barmaid,'' Jodie pulled back, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, she knew that voice and when she looked up her suspicions were confused.

''You need new friends,'' she deadpanned.

''I take you and Joe have met?'' Royce questioned, but he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

''Yeah we've met,'' Jodie mumbled, wanting to excuse herself from the conversation, but didn't want to be rude to Royce.

''Come on Jodie don't be like that,'' Joe smirked slipping onto the barstool that Jodie wished Taylor or Mitch were occuping instead of Joe, ''we weren't just friends,'' he added.

''Hmmm, pretty sure we were just friends.''

''Really you forgetting something?'' Joe raised a brow and Jodie just ignored him.

''Nah, don't think I am. You gonna pay for your coke since Royce didn't,'' Ryan was about to say he did, but Jodie sent him a look which told him to keep his mouth shut. A little worried about what the consequence would be if he didn't, he kept his argument to himself.

''Jodieee,'' he whinned and she scoffed.

''Will you shut up. It doesn't matter what we were or weren't, you've got a fiance and I have a boyfriend, so let's just leave it at that,'' it was then Jodie regretted saying had a boyfriend.

''Damn he really grew some fucking balls and asked,'' Royce grinned to himself, knowing full well who she was referring too, ''who knew stalking chicks on the internet worked,'' he mumbled to himself as he drunk a little more from his glass.

''Wait are you dating Denaun cause I know you know him; having those little chats every morning at the Diner I remember you saying he was sweet and cute,'' Royce nearly spit out his drink at Joe's words.

''You called Porter cute?''

''What he is, and I ain't lying when I say he's super sweet, but he's just my friend,'' Joe looked over to Royce hoping to find out the truth of what Jodie had said.

''She's right man, she ain't with Porter,'' he confirmed placing his empty glass on the bar.

''Then who?''

''Why do you care so much, it's none of you're business,'' Jodie snapped.

''Just wanna know if you're happy that's all,'' Joe shrugged and Jodie immediately shrugged.

''Yo I need a piss, I'll be back,'' Ryan jumped off the stool in search of the bathroom. Leaving Jodie alone with Joe.

''Happier than I'd be with you,'' she grumbled.

''What'd I ever do to you, we were friends. I don't fucking get it?''

''You don't get it. You don't get that you thought my hobbies were stupid and that I'd make a better living as a stripper. Let me explain it to you then, I thought that was rude and it hurt me, Joe, you insulted me and I thought you were my friend. The first person I ever met in this damn city. Now you're the last person I wanna know,'' she seethed swiping the empty glasses out from in front of him, ''now take Royce and leave now.''

''I... I sorry.''

''Too late, now go,'' she waved her hand in a shooing motion. Her spirits rose as he turned to leave, but he didn't leave soon enough because just as he met up with Royce Marshall walked in.

''Hey I got your call about wanting to be picked up after Taylor got taken home in your car,.''

''Yeah, just let me get my stuff,'' Jodie let Marshall kiss her on the cheek unaware of Budden glaring holes in the back of his head. Jodie was glad Royce pulled him away before anything happened.

When it came to past friendships and relationships, Jodie constantly found them haunting her and as she made her way to her dad's office to say goodnight; a wave of nausea hit her and she made a detour to the bathroom. She figured she'd been ill because of the stress of seeing Joe again, at least that is what she told herself.