Two parter. How different things would be if Lauren could confide in Joey, and not carry another heavy secret around. Let me know what you think. xo
"Oh there's my drunken mess of a girlfriend" he called across to her, her just rolling her eyes in response. He doesn't even know how she managed to get in this state so quickly, she was fine earlier. He wonders what goes on in her head sometimes. But then he doubts she'd always know. "A hot mess though?" she sarcastically replied, causing him to chuckle. "Always" he said, stepping in front of her, where she was leaning against the bar.
"What's up with you anyway?" he muttered, pulling the fresh glass of champagne she just picked up out of her hand, causing her to groan. "Nothing." He rolled his eyes in response. Holding the glass in front of her, he spoke. "Ain't getting this back unless you spill." She let out a short laugh. "I'll just get another one then" she threw back, going to turn away from him. "Lauren." He said, trying not to lose his patience with her, but not understanding why she was acting this way.
She sighed. "Just leave it Joey." Looking at him, he saw past the drunkenness and just saw hurt written across her face. Oh babe. "Trust me, you don't wanna know" she said, disappointment in her tone. She went to walk off, him grabbing her wrist in response. Jerking her back towards him, he spoke. "If it's affecting you like this, I do." She couldn't miss the serious aspect in his voice. He could tell she was torn, so many emotions playing out across her face and he knew how much she wanted to just walk away, carry on drinking herself silly.
"It's nothing" she shrugged. He let go off her, like she burnt him. "Don't." She looked up at him surprised. "Don't lie to me." She looked hurt, by what he's said. "I'd rather you just not talk, than lie." She sighed deeply again. "Babe..." he tried again, softer this time.
"I want to." She took a breath and he honestly thought she was about to tell him what was bothering her. "I just can't." He sighed in frustration. "Why not?" He could see she was frustrated he wasn't dropping it either. "I just can't." He rolled his eyes. "Leave it Joey. It's not up to me to tell".
It's not up to me to tell. It's not up to me to tell. It's not up to me to... his mind was repeating. He got it. It wasn't about her. It was something else. Something that was making her unhappy. She couldn't tell him, which meant it was a secret. A secret she didn't like. A secret she'd promised not to tell.
"Is Jack gay?" he knew he wasn't, but he got the reaction he wanted. Laughter. The tension halved. "What? No you idiot" she said, wobbling on her feet slightly because of her laughter, him steadying her. He just shrugged. "Well if you can't tell me, I'm going to have to guess." She sighed, wanting him to drop it. "Joey."
"I'm not just going to watch you drown yourself in vodka because someone's told you something that you have to keep quiet" He bit out. "Nothing's that life-changing" She rolled her eyes. "You have no idea" she said bitterly.