Whitney stared at Lauren puzzled "What do you mean?"
"I thought I did i even thought of him this morning and how much better this year would be if he was here but now he is, I don't feel anything"
"Lauren you have to talk to him,although i have heard that if you are in love with someone a bond forms straight away and you click with each other"
"I am just so confused about everything right now"
"Go, talk to him" she insisted, Lauren stood up from the swings and walked through the square she noticed Peter walking towards her "Hey do you want help with work today, I can finish early on the stall" he smiled
"Thanks Peter but uhm not now okay? i'm sorry but there's something else I have to do"
"Anything I can help with?" Lauren smiled at him "Thank you Peter but I- I gotta go" she walked passed him, he stared as she made her way around the corner back to her house Lauren stood at her door and took a deep breath before opening it, she closed it and walked into the living room, she stared at Joey and took another deep breath Joey turned and smiled he stood up and walked towards her "Where did you get to? I was about to send a search party for you" he laughed
"I need to talk to you"
"Everything okay babe?"
"I know you want to get back together but it's too soon for me I don't expect you to understand but-"
"I understand, course I do" he replied sadly "So should I go?"
"Leave this house? yes but don't go, not again"
"Where am I supposed to go?"
"The B&B I dunno"
"Is that still open?" he quizzed confused "So you don't want to be around me but you want me to stay?"
"I never said that of course I want to be around you, but I want to do it as cousins"
Joey smiled softly and opened the door and turned to face her "I should have never left, I know that now" he turned and walked down the steps Lauren watched him walk away and closed the door lightly, her phone then buzzed it was a text from Peter asking her to meet him in the caf, she turned and opened the door and walked to through the square and walked into the caf, she met eyes with Peter he smiled and ushered her over, she sat opposite him and smiled "You wanted to see me?"
"I talked to Jake, you were right, guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't mean he didn't do it!"
"It also doesn't mean he did it's complicated Peter I remember those times, the blackouts, waking up the next morning and not remembering a thing you did the night before, it sucks"
"It's no excuse though Lauren"
"I never said it was an excuse, I just need more evidence"
"Alright calm down Mrs Fletcher" he joked Lauren stared at him and laughed "Knew I could make you laugh" Lauren stared and cleared her throat "We've been talking a lot about Jake and Lucy these past few days...how are you, Peter?"
"Well i feel a bit better since Easter week but i'm not there yet"
"You will I promise I remember when Bradley died, I never thought i'd get over that...but I did eventually"
"How did you do it?"
"The wrong way...but we'll get through this together" she smiled, he smiled back and checked the time "Oh i better get back on the stall" he replied standing up "I'll walk out with you" Lauren stood up and followed him, "So i guess i'll talk to you later on yeah?" he smiled and nodded.
Lauren walked to the B&B and was met with Joey walking down the stairs "How's your room?" she joked, he stared at her and smiled "This is punishment isn't it?"
"For?"
"For leaving you" Lauren smiled "And for missing my birthday too"
"Happy Birthday" Lauren shook her head "What?" he laughed "You're too late now!"
"You know if you're not busy later maybe we could go out, you know for something to eat.." He quizzed Lauren's expression "as friends" he concluded Lauren nodded "That sounds great" Joey smiled "What time shall I pick you up at?" he joked "About 7" she smiled walking out the door
Lauren walked up the steps to her house and opened the door she walked into the kitchen she noticed her dad sitting at the table and turned to walk back out the door quickly. Max noticing this followed her "Where you going?"
"I uhm left something at the caf" she lied
"Don't lie to me Lauren!"
"How could you?" she yelled, Max stared at her puzzled "How could I what?"
"How could you sleep with Lucy? do you understand how sick and vile that makes you!"
"Lauren-"
"Do not try to explain this, you're a vile person and i'm done with you!" Lauren stormed out and slammed the door behind her she walked down the steps and walked towards the vic, she stared at the doors opening and closing "Lauren!" she heard she turned quickly and moved away "Oh my god, please go away!" Jake stared at her "You don't believe me do you?"
"I don't know all I know is you don't have a great alibi"
"Lauren you have to believe me I didn't kill Lucy!" Lauren didn't answer she just turned and walked away, Jake grabbed her arm "Get off me!" she yelled, "You heard her get off her!" Joey yelled pulling him off her "Oi you might want to go a bit easy there mate, you almost ripped my arm out of it's socket!" Joey shrugged "Wouldn't be a bad thing" Jake stared at Joey and swung for him Joey ducked and hit Jake to the ground "I wanted to do that for a long time...mate" Lauren pushed Joey aside and glared "What babe?"
"Why did you do that?" Joey stared "I could see how scared you looked, did he do anything to you while I was away?"Lauren stared at Jake he looked angry he continued to stare at Joey until he was out of sight "Lauren?" Joey quizzed snapping her back to reality "Sorry, no he didn't...well not that I'm aware of" Joey stared "Well whatever he did, he's stupid to let a girl like you and as fit as you get away"
"Joey!" she warned, he smiled and laughed "Said as just a friend" Lauren smiled "See you at 7" Joey smiled and watched her walk away.
Lauren entered her house once again, she walked into the kitchen no Max she breathed a sigh of relief and walked up the stairs to get ready for her dinner with Joey, a while later she re-appeared down the stairs "Where are you going?" Abi smiled
"To dinner with Joey" Abi continued to smile "No don't give me that look we're just friends"
"Of course you are" she laughed walking away, Lauren scoffed and walked out the door "Well, you're certainly dressed well for dinner with a friend" Joey smiled upon seeing her "I like to make a good impression don't I?" Joey smiled and opened the passenger seat door for her "You're certainly making an impression on me babe" he replied closing her door "So-" he continued getting into the car "Where to M'Lady?"
"Somewhere out of Walford I need new scenery or i'll go mad" Joey stared "I think I know a place" He drove about 20 minutes out of Walford and helped Lauren out of the car, they walked in together and Joey helped her into her seat "This place is nice" she replied looking around "Yeah Alice and I came up here 2 or 3 times"
"So how is it?"
"How's what?"
"Being away from Walford? Bet it's quite"
"It really is actually, there comes a time where you miss all the drama"
"And then you just have to come back?" Joey shook his head "You don't come back for the drama you come back for the people"
After an hour and a half they left the restaraunt, Joey held the door open for her she smiled at him, he let go of the door and opened the door on her side, he closed the door lightly and got into his side, he drove them home and walked Lauren to her door "Thanks for a great evening" she smiled "Thank you for agreeing to come out with me" he tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned forward "Goodnight Joey" she smiled as he neared her lips, "So if you're not into me anymore can I go out with-"
"Yeah, go out with anyone i don't care" Joey smiled, "Ok fine then thank you" he replied walking down the steps, Lauren closed the door and smiled "How did it go?" asked Abi "Fine"
"So you're still just friends?" she teased "Yeah of course" Lauren walked into the living room and sat down her phone buzzed, she reached for it in her pocket and stared a message from Whitney saying Joey just asked her out, Lauren stared clearly she didn't care...or did she
N/A: And so the first of the drama appears update will be tomorrow :)