Dare To Believe (title changed because this was going to chapter name but I realised it fitted the whole story in general. So don't be confused)

Chapter 2- Mistaken Identities

Lauren found it hard to be the same room with Joey for more than 5 minutes over the next few days as her developing feelings for him were ever growing.

Joey, on the other hand, selfishly wished Lauren could remember their kiss so they could talk about it and work it out but he came to the conclusion, if she can't remember, then it must of not meant anything to her. This thought made him depressed , angry and upset but it was the only feasible explanation he could think of but it didn't stop him falling more in love with Lauren everyday. Love? Joey stopped at that thought, not believing he had let himself think that but he knew it was the truth.

4 days after the kiss, Tanya was struck with a bad case of the flu. So Lauren was placed in change of everything whilst Abi was at sixth form and Max and Joey were working. Whitney called around in her lunch break as Lauren was struggling to feed Oscar who she feared had the flu like her mother.

"Having fun?" Whitney asked, laughing a little as she walked into the kitchen.

"Not really. I think Oscar has the flu too. I can deal with Mum with it but not both of them" Lauren replied, sighing. Whitney gave her a reassuring smile.

"Welcome to the life of being the older sibling" Whitney told her. Lauren rolled her eyes as she washed the pots. Whitney offered to help and Lauren gratefully expected when Abi returned home for lunch.

"I have to go. Tyler's lunch break is soon. I said I would meet him" Whitney said. Lauren nodded and they exchanged goodbyes.

"So you can take the drying out of the dryer or go to the shop, your choice" Lauren shot at Abi who raised an eyebrow then sighed.

"Drying. I got it" Abi replied. Lauren nodded and took her purse, heading out. Abi headed towards the dryer and sorted her and Lauren's clothes in a basket when she received a text from Lola, begging her to meet her in square for a moment. Abi groaned as she placed the rest of the clothes in the basket as Joey entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Abi. Alright?" Joey asked her. Abi checked her phone again and put it in her pocket.

"Could you do me a favour? Put this in mine and Lauren's room. I gotta go out" Abi replied, holding up the clothes basket. Joey nodded and took the basket from her. Abi smiled and said thanks then left.

Joey headed upstairs, towards the girls room and placed the basket in front on one of the wardrobes. He guessed it was Lauren's and then he looked around. He had never been in her room before. Just as Joey turned around to leave, a open book caught his eye on a bedside table. He walked towards it and worked out it was Lauren's bedside table. The words "Dear Diary" stood out to him. Joey was looking at Lauren's diary and he was fighting a battle to read or run. She barely spoke to him anymore. He just wanted to know what she was feeling. Joey's curiosity got the better of him and he read the days entry.

8th November-

Dear Diary,

Mum has the flu and given I'm the only one not in employment or not in education, I'm stuck at home with Oscar who has suspected flu too. Great. What an amazing life I lead.

One bad thing I know will come of today. I will be alone with thoughts of Joey and

That's where the days entry finished. She must of got busy . So Lauren was worried about thinking about Joey. This confused him if she couldn't remember the kiss. He sighed as he turned the diary entry of 3 days before. The Morning After.

Dear Diary,

I'm dying. I'm literally dying of shame and embarrassment. I can't believe what I did last night. I kissed Joey and I'm seriously freaking out about it.

Joey reread that sentence a few times before reading more. So she remembered but she was lying. Why?

It doesn't matter how great or amazing it was or the goosebumps that appeared all over my body or I felt like a firework on Bonfire Night or New Years. It was stupid and he probably thinks I am. His pathetic younger cousin who randomly makes a drunken move on him. I'm not supposed to feel like this. I know it's a one sided feeling and I need to keep quiet about until this feeling goes away but I know I'm falling for him which is so wrong. I can't tell myself the fact he is my cousin enough but that doesn't matter when it's just the two of us. Argh, I'm getting carried away. Pathetic, stupid, Lauren always falling for the wrong people but this is different, really different. I'm going to stop this now. I'm going to lie and say I can't remember. Save myself the embarrassment of him laughing in my face. I can't possibly hate myself more than I do this moment.

Joey was shocked at what he read. Not only did Lauren remember but she was putting herself down about it. He then realised the page of her diary felt weird, as if something has been spilled on it and it had dried. His first thought was water then it hit Joey it wasn't water. It was tears. Lauren had been crying when she wrote this diary entry and this made Joey upset himself.