Rawr :)

I'm really sorry about the lack of updates! I honestly am but I've been rushed off my feet because of all the family coming round for Christmas and my brothers being idiots =/

As always the reviews really help cause they help me know what kinda things I'm doing right (or wrong as the case may be) and thanks for reading. Hope you're all doing well and you guy all had a great Christmas! (Just to pre-warn you this chapter contains some rather rude language :O )

Carrie :)

X

Joey didn't tell Charlie that night because Roman and Leah arrived back at the table before she had a chance to. Neither did she tell her the next night because she was too happy and planning her birthday party. Nor did she tell her the night after that because she was too depressed that her father wouldn't let her rent a club out for said birthday party. Days were passing and Joey was getting more and more frantic. She avoided going out with the group because she couldn't bear to see the fugitive glances that Leah and Roman kept swapping and how oblivious Charlie was. However since today was Sunday and everyone had to go back to school the next day Joey was aware that she was running out of time. After four days of being avoided by Joey Charlie decided to call her on it and went to find her. She found her lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling and sat down next to her.

'What's up Jo?' she asked quietly. Joey, noticing for the first time that there was someone else in the room jumped before laughing when she saw it was only Charlie.

'What? Oh nothing' she smiled

'Don't lie. You've been acting weird for days now. Is it me? Have I upset you or something?'

'No! No of course you haven't. I've just had a lot on my mind I mean we have exams coming up and...' At this point Charlie burst out laughing. Joey hadn't so much as looked at a book to study so the idea of her being stressed over their exams was nonexistent. Joey sighed and looked at Charlie, realising that now was the perfect time to tell her.

'Okay I'll tell you but you're not going to like it' Joey said, sitting up on her bed. Charlie looked confused at the sudden change in her friend's tone. Joey's voice generally had a light-hearted and cheeky quality but now it had turned serious and her face matched it.

'...what's up?' Charlie asked quite nervously.

'It's about Roman and Leah they -' Joey started to say but was cut off by Charlie who stood up.

'Oh not this again Joey! For heaven's sake I'd know if my own boyfriend was cheating on me. How stupid do you think I am? I've asked him and –' Now it was Joey's time to cut Charlie off.

'I saw them making out at that club we went to'

'...what?' Charlie asked after a few seconds of silence.

'Charlz I'm sorry. I know I should have told you sooner but...' Joey trailed off as she saw the look of anger on Charlie's face. Before she knew it the girl was on top of her punching and pulling at her hair. Joey pushed her off but as soon as they were both standing Charlie was back at her again, screaming and throwing wild punches.

'Charlie stop it!' Joey shouted.

'Quit trying to fuck up my life!'

'Charlie!'

'My boyfriend loves me, just cause nobody loves you!'

'Charlie I don't want to hurt you!' Throughout this Joey had refrained from hitting Charlie and had just been grabbing the other girl's wrists in the hope of calming her down. Though Charlie was by no means weak Joey had been used to getting into scraps at her old school and with some deft hand movements she had Charlie pinned down on her stomach with herself kneeling on her back.

'Charlie this is stupid, I don't want to fight you but you have to know!'

'Get off me you fucking bitch' Charlie yelled as she strained to get up and spit her own hair out of her mouth

'Just calm down!' Joey pleaded and she relaxed her hold on her friend. She was quite shocked, she had guessed Charlie wouldn't believe her straight away but she had always been a calm and rational person but right now she looked possessed. As soon as Joey released her Charlie sprang to her feet and pushed Joey over again. She stood above her and stared down.

'Don't think this is over Collins' she growled as she kicked Joey, not overly viciously, in the belly and stormed out. A few minutes later Joey heard the front door slam as she lay on the floor in disbelief and holding a bleeding lip. Charlie had never reacted to anything quite like this and Joey had no idea what to do.

Charlie ran crying down to the beach and lay in the sand. Part of her wanted to go back home and apologise to Joey. She knew she was out of order but Joey shouldn't have been making up lies about Roman. Roman. She sighed and curled up into the foetal position. It hadn't felt right. She'd always assumed that during her first time she would feel butterflies and fireworks explode in her but she hadn't. It had been hasty and rushed in the back of Roman's older brother's car last weekend and whenever she thought about it she felt sick. It had been the day before the group went to the club so if Joey was telling the truth then Roman had jumped straight from her to Leah in the space of 24 hours. But Joey wasn't telling the truth, she couldn't be. Feeling more confused than ever Charlie forced herself to stop crying when she heard voices coming towards her.

'Charlie?' Charlie heard her boyfriend's voice above her sounding surprised and guilty. She looked up and saw him standing with Leah about 1 metre away. As she looked up she saw the pair quickly stop holding hands and something clicked in her brain.

'Joey was right wasn't she?' she gasped in disbelief

'Charlie what are you talking about? Have you been crying?' Roman moved towards her in genuine concern but she shoved him when he came within reach and sprang to her feet.

'Charlie!' Leah protested when she saw Roman being pushed but she quickly shut up when Charlie swung round to her.

'And you! I thought we were mates!'

'Charlie we are mates, I don't know what you think but-'

'You fucking whore!' Charlie screamed and started to launch herself at the other girl but was prevented by Roman who had got himself up by this time holding her back.

'Charlie what's gotten into you?!' He asked and Charlie whirled back round to him.

'You' she pointed at him 'and her' she stuck a thumb back towards Leah 'behind my back' she spat out. At this point Leah gasped and Roman looked at the ground.

'Charlie' he tried to explain but she cut him off with a quick laugh and another shove which caught him by surprise.

'As far as I'm concerned you can have him' she said to Leah and gestured to Roman who was hurriedly trying to stand up again 'the both of you are pathetic.' With that she stormed back home so neither of them could see her tears.

When she arrived her house she found a note lying on the kitchen table written in her father's handwriting. 'Fiona and I have gone out for dinner and Brett is staying with a friend. I've left money on the side for you and Joey to order yourselves a pizza or something. Don't wait up ;). Dad'. Amidst her tears Charlie still cringed that her father had actually put a wink at the end and hurried upstairs to find Joey. When she wasn't in their bedroom Charlie started to panic and yelled 'Joey!' at the top of her lungs.

'In here! Jeez calm down' Joey replied poking her head out of the bathroom and rolling her eyes. Charlie followed her back into the room and saw that Joey was applying some TCP to the various cuts on her arms and one on her cheek. Charlie flinched when she saw them and immediately apologised but Joey waved her 'sorry' away with her hand.

'What do you want?' Joey asked bluntly when she had returned to the mirror and Charlie was sitting awkwardly on the side of the bath.

'I want to apologise...again. I should've believed you.'

'Why the sudden change of heart?' Joey replied coldly.

'Because I saw...on the beach...I saw...' Charlie trailed off as she dissolved into tears once again. Joey seeing this immediately set the TCP back into a cupboard and rushed over to kneel at Charlie's feet. 'Hey don't cry, seriously I'm crap when people cry. Erm, erm, erm' Joey looked round frantically for something which might help 'Mint?' she asked timidly as she pulled a packet out of her pocket. Charlie laughed through her crying and shook her head. She flung her arms round Joey and the pair sunk onto the floor with their backs against the side of the bath; Joey supporting a tearful Charlie by holding her and stroking her hair. After a few minutes when Charlie's sobs had subsided a little bit Joey ventured to question her.

'What did you see Charlz?'

'Roman and Leah 'she replied after a moment's hesitation. Joey quickly drew in her breath in a sympathetic gesture.

'I'm sorry' she offered.

'Don't be. It's not your fault, it's mine I must have done something or –'

'No you don't get to think that okay?' Joey quickly interrupted 'You don't ever get to think that. You're amazing Charlie and if Roman can't see that then he's just an idiot.'

'But I don't understand. If he wasn't happy then why did he...' Charlie trailed off as she realised what she was about to say. Joey looked confused.

'Why did he what?' she asked.

'...sleep with me.' Charlie whispered.

'He did what?!' Joey shouted, making them both jump at the sound after so long in relative quietness. 'You slept together?! When?'

'Last weekend. The night before the club but Joey please it's not –'

'I'll fucking kill him' Joey growled, jumping to her feet and heading for the door.

'No Jo please just leave it.'

'I won't leave it, he's a cheating bastard and he'll get what's coming to him even if I have to go to his house and –'

'Joey!' Charlie interrupted her ranting friend. 'Please. We'll have to see him at school tomorrow anyway and tonight I just want to stay relaxed.' Joey had halted by the door and Charlie could see she was wavering 'Please?' Joey sighed at returned to Charlie's side.

'Fine' she conceded 'but tomorrow that twat is mine'

'Why not, everybody else seems to have had him.' Charlie said sarcastically taking them both by surprise when she lightly laughed. 'Joey' she smiled at her friend who was still standing beside her 'how do you do it?'

'Do what?' Joey replied, confused.

'Make me feel so happy when I should be crying.'

Joey laughed softly and smiled down at Charlie and they stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds before Joey offering Charlie a hand and pulled her to her feet. 'Well y'know I'm pretty damn awesome' she said modestly which caused Charlie to laugh and hit her gently round the back of the head.

'Let's get some pizza' they said at the same time. Laughing they joined hands and made their way downstairs to the phone.

A/N - Bear with me. First kiss should be in the next chapter if all goes to plan. That sounds weird but seriously these characters have a life of their own. Sometimes I sit down to write a chapter with a plot set in my mind then it changes halfway through because of something one of them says which triggers something else in my mind! It's dead irritating. Today for example – they were meant to kiss in this chapter when Charlie says the line 'Make me feel so happy when I should be crying.' But it didn't seem like the right time cause I expected Joey to make some kind of sarcastic remark (which she obviously does in -'Well y'know I'm pretty damn awesome') so it just couldn't happen!

I'm babbling now but just to let you know that a kiss is coming – I promise!

Carrie :)

x