Chapter 1
Lauren's p.o.v
"Happy birthday Lo"Joey my best friend whispered in my ear me squealing before turning round and hugging him tightly.
"Thank you Joe... I feel like i haven't seen you in ages" i said sighing as we pulled away.
"Yer well you can blame my parents and Lucy for that i still can't believe she got that drunk that we ended getting caught drinking and of course i got grounded. I honestly think the only reason they have let me come today is cause they know they would never hear the end of it otherwise" he said smiling as he passed me a present.
"Aww Joe your so sweet you didn't have to get me anything" i said as i opened the present to see he had got me gorgeous charm bracelet which has some beautiful charms on it. My favorite by far though i have to say is a heart that says J+L best friends for ever on it.
"Its beautiful thank you so much Joey" i said before reaching up on my tip toes and kissing him on the cheek.
"Your welcome and of course i had to get you something we are best friends remember and you always get me stuff... Anyway erm talking of friends who else is here" he questioned smiling brightly.
"Well Erm Whitney, Peter ,Luce, Tyler , Fats, Anthony, Poppy and now your here so we are only really waiting for Jodie now and she has text me to says she will be here in about 5 minutes so.." i said excitedly as i grabbed Joeys hand and dragged him into the living room and i heard him chuckle as i did.
"Joey dude you here i wasn't sure you were ever going to be allowed out again your parents were so pissed when they found have been grounded for what a month at least " Tyler said before giving Joey a 'man hug'
"Yer and who's faults that" Joey said pulling away from him and raising an eyebrow at Lucy.
"Yer I'm sorry about that Joey i think i had a little bit too much to drink that night" she said looking as if she still feels guilty about that night.
"Oh you only think cause i know I'm the one who practically had to carry you home remember and to say dad wasn't happy was a huge understatement" Peter said.
"Yer but we all ended up grounded Although yours probably lasted the longest apart from Lauren who was grounded up until last week"Poppy said.
"Well i guess i forgive you Luce seen as i wasn't the only one who had to suffer" Joey said trying to muster up a serious face but instead he ended up bursting out laughing.
"I'm glad your not grounded anymore though Joe cause this means we can all spend the last 2 weeks of the summer holidays hanging out before we go back to school" i said.
"Yer and i thought i would bring this to help us have fun tonight see as its your birthday "Whitney said pulling a vodka bottle out of her bag.
"What" me and Joey hissed in unison."Are you trying to get us grounded again" i said sighing.
"Oh lighten up will you lets have some fun we are only going to get into trouble if they find out" Whitney said smiling.
"Yer cause that worked so well the last time didn't it keeping it from our parents " Joey questioned "No you know what you can count me out there is no way I'm getting grounded again it was annoying enough before today" He said as Tyler grabbed the bottle and poured some into his drink Joey shaking his head when he did.
"Yer you can count me out too there is no way I'm getting grounded on my birthday you can get drunk if you want but if you get found out you better make it clear i haven't had any" i said.
"Fine be boring if you want see if we care" Whitney joked sticking her tongue out at me.
"We will... Joey can you come and help me pick what to wear cause the party is going to be starting soon and i can't decide." i said as i turned round to see my dad had turned up already.
My parents are not together anymore and haven't been since just after my mum found out she was pregnant with my little brother Oscar but it was very amicable and we go and stay with my dad every weekend. No one did anything wrong they just broke up and as much and me ,my sister Abi and Oscar would love them to get back together they just don't love each other anymore and we would all end miserable if they did it just for us.
"Daddy your here " i said running up to him and hugging him.
"Of course i am babe I'm hardly going to miss my babies birthday was i. I still can't believe your 15 already you are growing up way to fast" he said smiling.
"Okay can you please stop embarrassing me in front of my friends now " i asked blushing furiously before i grabbed Joeys hand and led him up to my room."Right so i was thinking either this one or this one" i said holding up my black and pink strapy dress that zips up the middle and is quite short and my black mini skirt with my red with black hearts corset top.
"Erm listen Lo I'm not sure i should really be the one who is helping you i mean I'm not a girl wouldn't you rather one of the girls were up here" Joey said scratching the back of his neck.
"No your my best friend i come to you when i need help no matter what its with you know that... I have really missed you this past month you know, don't get me wrong i love hanging out with the others but its just not the same" i said."Now please help me " i said pulling my best puppy dog face.
"Oh fine" he said smirking "The dress but just so you know you would look beautiful in either of those outfits" he said as i slipped my top and trousers off before stepping into my dress.
"Aww thank you your so sweet" i said.
"Maybe i should go and wait for you downstairs so you can get dressed" he said clearing his throat while turning around.
"Eh its up to you I'm really not bothered either way" i said shrugging my has been plenty of times when we have gotten changed while being in the same room as each we were a lot younger back then and over the holidays after we met on our first day of reception we have pretty much lived at each others house apart from this summer of course when we have all been grounded for most of it.
"Right ill see you downstairs then" he said while opening the door before quickly running down the stairs.
End of Lauren's p.o.v
Joey's p.o.v
I took a deep breath before walking downstairs seeing Lauren getting changed and in that dress took my breath away.
"Alright man where's Lauren " Fats asked as i walked back into the living room.
"Right here" she said and we both turned to look at her.
"My my baby girl you look amazing " Fats said as he walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Okay that's enough... I know exactly what teenage boys think and you are all only 15 so keep your eyes and hand off my daughter" Max said faking a stern look before he chuckled at the scared look on Fats face.
"Hes just joking sweetheart hes knows your just friends" Tanya said smiling as she hugged Lauren and then gave Max an awkward looking hug.
"When are you going to tell her" Fats said turning to face me a while later as we sat on the sofa me just gazing at Lauren not really paying attention until he clicked his fingers in front of my face and repeated himself.
"Huh tell who what" i said finally dragging my eyes from Lauren and looking down at my plate.
"Lauren that you love her and that you have done since she walked through the door that first day of reception even if you didn't know it yet."Fats said.
"Will you keep your voice down your the only one that knows and i want to keep it that way. Besides all Lauren see me as is her best friend and if i was to tell her she probably wouldn't want me in her life at all it would ruin everything.. No i would rather be her best friend then nothing at all" i whispered.
"So what. Your going to spend the rest of your life being in love with her and not tell her. Man if you try and do that at some point your not going to be able to take it anymore and you will end up blurting it out to her anyway" he said." i mean what if she gets a boyfriend" he questioned.
"Can we please not go into that its the last thing i want to think about" i said sighing.
"My point exactly but its going to happen some day Lauren's a beautiful girl and guy can see that" he said.
"Are you telling me you fancy Lauren cause you cant do that to me you just cant " i said as a wild smile broke out on his face.
"You are kidding right... Lo is baby girl she is like a sister to me so ..." he chuckled.
"Hey guys you have been sat here all night. Come and dance with me Joe" Lauren said as she walked over to us and started tugging on my arm.
"Lo you know i cant dance" i moaned as i stood up and she pulled me really close to her when a slow song came on.
"Isn't this a little bit too close for comfort i mean we are stood really really close" i said swallowing a huge lump that seems to have formed in my throat in what feels like the last 2 seconds.
"No i like it. You make me feel safe you always have" she said making me smile.
"Good I'm glad about that... So have you had a good day today " i questioned smiling.
"I have had a grate day but i have to say the best part is i got to spend time with you for the first time in ages" she said smiling. As i got thinking back to the many times i have tried to tell her how i feel. In fact one time i even told her that i love her but she didn't take it the way i meant it.
X Flashback X
"So Marcelo what are we doing today " Lauren said as she came and sat next to me.
"Well Branning seen as its just us and everyone else is busy today i was thinking we could do what we normally do when its just us. You can draw me and ill sit here and look perfect as normal" i said smiling sweetly to which she chuckled.
"you know i think that's one of the best things about you Joe. You love yourself and you don't care what people think about you. You have no idea how many people who would love to be like that"she said.
"Oh yer and your one of them are you" i asked.
"No I'm fabulous everyone knows that"She joked."But sure ill draw you it has been a while since the last time so... We should do this a lot more you know it just being us i mean its what the first time in about a year" she said as she grabbed her sketch pad and pens.
After a while i couldn't help but smile at the concentration on Lauren's face its one of the reason i love our time along so much. When shes concentrating like this its when she looks her most beautiful. There is one more reason i love our time alone so much and that cause i get to sit here for hours staring at her which is definitely my favorite hobby.
"What" she said putting the pad down briefly.
"Nothing its just you look cute when you concentrating" i said.
"Erm thank you i guess. You know you really are the best person to draw Joe you just sit there perfectly still staring at me... Now I'm not sure how good it is but i have finished" she said passing me the pad and as normal i was blown away by just how amazing it was.
"Its perfect Lo i love it" i said looking into her eyes. I know we are only 14 but i know no matter how much i have tried to fight it in the past I love Lauren and i have for a very long time."And i love you Lo" i said not knowing what had really come over me.
"I love you too Joe" she said shocking me completely.
"Really you do " i asked.
"Yer course i do your my best friend" she said and i felt like my heart broke in to a million pieces but i know she obviously didn't get the way i meant it. "No Lauren i meant..." i started saying only to get interrupted.
"Oh good Lauren your home. You need to go and get your stuff ready your dads going to be here to pick you up soon" Tanya said as she walked into the living room.
"Okay... Ill see you later Joe. Ill call you when i get to my dads and we can finish what we were talking about then" Lauren said hugging me quickly before running upstairs to grab her stuff me sighing as she did.
X End of flashback X
End of Joey's p.o.v
Lauren's p.o.v
"Are you okay Joey you zoned out for a minute then " i said as i finally got his attention after a few minutes of calling his name.
" Oh sorry i was just thinking" he said before pulling me into a hug.
"So do you want to hang out tomorrow" i questioned smiling.
" Sure is it just going to be us or are some of the others coming" he asked.
" Well at the moment its just. Tyler,Anthony,Poppy and Jodie and now you if you want to come why" i questioned.
"Oh erm no reason of course i want to hang out .i think we should probably go and sit down now cause the music stopped about 20 minutes ago now and we most likely look really stupid right now" he said chuckling softly.
"Sure sorry " i said laughing lightly as we headed back to the others.
About 2 hours later...
"Oh do you have to go now ... Stay the night and we can sit up watching films and talking all night like we always used to " i pleaded as Joey put his coat on.
"Babe my parents would kill me they are already still quite annoyed at me and if we are going to hang out tomorrow i have to go back tonight I'm sorry" he said smiling before pulling me into a hug and then kissing me on the cheek.
"Oh okay ill see you tomorrow then but you better be round here early so we can spend some together before the others come round" i said as he left and i went to my room to get my stuff ready before i headed to my dads.
Hey everyone this is my new story what do you think? I'm not sure how long or short this story is going to be yet its just an idea that popped into my head... In this story Joey and Lauren are not cousins :)
please let me know if your think i should continue
thank you for reading and i hope you like it.
Also i just want to say a huge thank you to my best friend eastend Gal for helping me with the name of the story and Joey's last name
xxxx