Here's chapter 10 so sorry this story as dragged on a bit, but now that weve got this bit out of the way we can get down to the good stuff, that's if you can still be bothered readinghe he, well I hope you enjoy and thanks for your great comments an any feedback or constructive critisiscm is welcomed xx
Ali and Joey lay naked in bed together, Joey was laying on her back whilst Ali was stradling her they had just finished having sex when Ali looked down at Joey, Joey lay there staring into space so much so that she hadn't noticed ali staring at her.
"What is it Jo" said a disgruntled Ali climbing off her and wrapping the sheets around her, looking at Joey she felt like it wasn't even Joey she had just been making love too.
Joey quickly shook her head of the blank thoughts and snapped back into life.
"didn't you enjoy it or something" snapped a very hurt Ali
"What................." said Joey as if to say why are you asking me that.
"I mean of course I enjoyed it" said Joey lying, she had just lay there the whole time her head amass with empty thoughts.
"you looked like you were somwhere else the whole time" said Ali frowning, the hurt etched on her face.
"Don't be stupid Ali" replied Joey just trying to brush it off
"don't be stupid....................... I am not being stupid, you havn't been the same since we got here" snapped Ali angrily
"your just being dramatic" oh my god Joey thought she couldn't belive how nasty she was being to Ali when Ali had done nothing wrong.
Ali looked at Joey shaking her head in disbelief.
Joey felt full of remorse, she knew Ali was right and that she hadn't been the same since she got here!
"I'm sorry Ali, I didn't mean it, I guess I'm just a bit tired today thats all, but I shouldn't be taking out on you" she said patting the bed beside her as if inviting Ali to sit back down on the bed.
Ali desperatley wanted to belive her but she knew there was more to it than this, but although she had never said it she was in love with Joey and wanted the closness they had once shared and she wanted to belive that Joey loved her even if it was only half as much as she loved her so she reluctantly moved back over to the bed
"Jo I just want us to go back to the way things were" said Ali half smiling
"everythings fine, don't worry about it" said Joey pulling Ali into a hug, Joey rested her head on Ali's shoulder and just stared ahead, Joey had no idea how she had gotten herelf into this position or what she was going to do about it.
*************
Later that evening ...........
Joey and Ali were sat in Noah's bar they had had a few wines each, Joey was feeling fine but Ali was a little tipsy, Ali and Joey hardly ever drank but when they did , the affect of the achol would always hit Ali first
Joey was sat with her back to the door she hadn't even noticed Charlie and Ruby who had just been to the diner walking in, Ali immidietley noticed and tried to distract Joey so that Joey wouldn't turn around and see them walking in. Ali was overcome with jealousy she couldn't belive she would allow herself to get like this, she had never been the jealous type but Charlie was effortlesley stunning and it would be hard for any woman to not be jealous of her especially since she had a history with her girlfried.
Charlie was dressed in black skinny jeans that were tucked into a pair of black leather knee high boots, she had a long gray fitted top on under a small leather jacket, her long wavy brown hair cascaded down her back, Charlie always looked effortlesley stunning
Charlie hadn't bothered to look around her when she walked in and took a seat at a table with Ruby so she hadn't even noticed that Joey and Ali were sat at the other side of the room.
Charlie and Ruby chatted away , Charlie looked up from her drink, laughing at something Ruby had said when suddenly she caught Ali's eye Charlie's laugh immidietley turned to a look of horror, Ali had thrown her stare that had 'if looks could kill' written all over it.
"what's up Charlz" said Ruby noticing the look on Charlie's face
Charlie in an attempt to deter Ruby replied "nothing" and returned her gaze back to her drink, but she couldn't help but look up again at Ali who was still looking right through her.
Ruby noticed the direction Charlie was looking and turned round to look, she spotted Ali giving Charlie the daggers so she just smiled akwardly and turned back round to face Charlie.
"Oh my god" laughed a shocked Ruby "did you see the looks Joey's girlfriend was giving you" continued Ruby almost finding it funny "if looks could kill they'd have to bury you twice Charlie" Ruby laughed
Charlie was mortified she hoped Ruby wasn't going to turn back around and say something to Joey's girlfriend.
"let's just enjoy ourselves ye Rubes" said Charlie taking a deep breath in and smiling
"yeah sure but..........aren't you gonna say hello to Joey" asked Ruby
"I don't think she's noticed were here and I don't want to interrupt her" Charlie said trying to make an excuse, she didn't want to tell Ruby that the real reason she hadn't said hello was because she had been a total bitch with Joey that morning and told her that they couldn't even be friends, Charlie cursed herself at the situation she had gotten herself into with joey and all because she just couldn't be honest with her feelings.
Before Charlie had another second to think Ruby shouted
"hey Jo, wanna join us"
Joey turned around in her chair she hadn't even noticed Ruby sat there.
"Hey Rube" she said all cheerfully until she seen Charlie also sat there.
Charlie's face immiditley turned to a look of discomfort, as too had Joey's.
What had started out as a good night for both Charlie and Joey had turned to a disaster in the space of those few seconds.
"Ruby please" charlie coughed and muttered under her breath so that no one else but ruby would hear
"what Charles" ruby said out loud not catching on that Charlie had only intended for her alone to hear
Oh my god thought Charlie shutting her eyes for a second, she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her, Ruby had a habit of dropping Charie in it.
"nothing" Charlie replied shaking her head and putting on a false smile, pretending she hadn't said anything in the first place, underneath the smile Charlie was squirming.
Ali was a little tipsy and unable to hide her jealousy she piped up "yeah shall we join them" anything to rub Charlie's nose in it she thought.
Ali was normally so sweet and placid, but fuelled by alchol and Charlie's beauty , her jealousy side was rearing its ugly head it was a jealous side she never even knew she had.
Joey didn't like the way Ali was acting and there was no way on this earth she was going to go over and sit with Charlie who had been so cold hearted towards her that morning all she could do was sit there and try and think of an excuse. I wish I hadn't even come here Joey thought.
"Urm-no-its okay Rubes –Thanks but I'm just gonna sit here " oh my god thought Joey at the akward situation she had found herself in , she didn't dare let her eyes meet Charlies because that would just make things a thousand times worse.
"but ill catch up with you later though yeah" Joey said smiling not wanting to let her good friend Ruby down, when all really she wanted to curl up and die because she felt so akward at the situation she had found herself in.
"Oh okay" replied Ruby a bit confused why Joey was acting like that, she turned to Charlie and frowned "Okay -that was a bit odd" she said scrunching her eye brows
Charlie was relived that Joey had managed to wriggle out of accepting ruby's offer of joinig them, no way could Charlie have sat there with them all
Charlie just looked at Ruby and shrugged as if to say she had no idea what was going on when really she knew full well why joey didn't want to sit with them.
**************
A while later ..............
Charlie herself had had a few drinks by now and was feeling a little intoxicated, anything to numb the pain of seeing Joey sat a few tables away with her girlfriend. Ruby just sat there bored fiddling with her phone, she had been enjoying herself until Charlie's mood had suddenly changed and she seemed hell bent on getting drunk, She couldn't even go over and talk to Joey because her girlfriend was all over her like a lepper.
"Charlie will you stop staring at them" asked ruby
"I'm not" barked Charlie, but she was, she couldn't hide her jealousy
"Do you want me to go and ask if you can join them" replied Ruby ever so sarcastically
Charlie just rolled her eyes at Ruby
Charlie watched as Ali rubbed Joey's cheek then traced her hands down Joey's front, the whole while Ali was doing this she was watching Charlie in the corner of her eye, she wanted to make Charlie jealous and let her know that Joey was hers, Joey kept sitting upright trying to shake Ali off, however much Charlie had hurt her Joey wasn't the type to try and play silly jealousy games, she was better than that.
Joey was becoming increasingly uncomfortable at the way Ali was all over her especially in front of Charlie, despite what happened on the beach that morning with Charlie Joey still cared what Charlie thought.
Charlie couldn't help but watch, she had tried not to let it bother her but she couldn't stop it, she was consumed with jealousy and she was sure she couldn't hide it much longer, the alchol wasn't helping matters either.
"Can we go Charlie please" said a bored Ruby
"Just wait a minute Rube" replied Charlie not even bothering to look at Ruby whilst she was talking to her, she was still transfixed on Joey and Ali.
"Oh right, so Ive just got to sit here all night and watch you drink yourself stupid because them two are eating each other alive" said Ruby rolling her eyes and slouching back in her chair
Ruby had a habit of saying what she was thinking and not what she thought she ought to say.
Charlie wasn't aknowledging anything Ruby was saying, she just stared in anger at the other couple.
"Oh whatever Charlie" said disgruntled Ruby looking and realising Charlie wasn't even listening to a word she was saying.
On the other table Joey sat feeling so akward, Ali was becoming a bit much the way she was all over her and although Joey had nothing wrong with public displays of affection Ali was being a bit too over the top and in front of Charlie definitely wasn't the time nor place.
The tension and atmosphere in the air could be felt and it had been an akward night that seemed to drag on forever.
Ali spotted Charlie looking up at them from her drink so she got up and leaned over to Joey to kiss her, she had started kissing Joey really passionatley when her phone rang.
Charlie had watched her and decided to herself couldn't sit there any longer seeing them like this so she got ready to leave.
Joey who was sober and thankfull for the interuption Ali's phone ringing had brought, leaned out of the kiss and said "don't you think you'd better get that"
Ali got to her feet fumbled her phone out of her pocket.
"hello" shouted Ali down the phone slurring her words slightly, she wasn't acting drunk but she was definitley merry.
"Jo, it's my mun,do you mind If I go outside, my phones got a crap signal in here"
"no thats fine" said Joey glad of the time out,she hoped the fresh air would maybe cool Ali off, she had been all over Joey all night, Joey had never seen Ali act like this before in full view of everyone, it was definitley out of character
Ali went outside to answer her phone .
"C'mon Rubes, were leaving" said a furious Charlie, she was sure Ali had been all over Joey purposley to get at her, Joey had had her back to Charlie so Charlie hadn't even noticed how uncomfortable Joey had felt all night.
Charlie noticed Joey get up and walk into to the ladies toilets,.
Charlie didn't know what came over her but she felt the urge to vent her anger and frustrations she couldn't keep it in a moment longer and without being able to stop herself she followed Joey to confront her.
Ruby got up to leave with her sister as charlie had said seconds earlier that they were leaving.
"Rubes can you just sit here a minute, I'm just going to the bathroom" said Charlie
"God ,make your mind up Charlie" sighed Ruby slumping back down in her chair.
Charlie marched into the bathroom Joey had just come out of a cubicle and was washing her hands, Joey looked up from the basin straight towards Charlie who had just entered the bathroom, Joey immiditley turned her gaze back to the basin and proceded to wash her hands.
"If that was for my benefit you needn't have bothered" said Charlie with spite in her voice
"What" said a shocked Joey not having a clue where Charlie was coming from
"you and your girlfriend all over each other like a rash"
"How dare you speak to me like that, and I was not all over her and anyway what gives you the right to think you can talk to me like that,this morning you didn't even want to know me" snapped Joey angrily
"you know what I think, I think you need to calm down Charlie and get a grip" joey said looking at Charlie, she had never seen her this angry before, they were both angry.
"and anyway what I do as nothing to do with you anymore" replied an angry Joey, how dare Charlie lay into her like this.
"This morning you didn't even want us to be friends and now you come in here on some jealousy trip shouting the odds" Joey laid into charlie, Charlie had really wound her up.
"Joey you can't expect me to just sit there watching her put her hands all over you like that" said Charlie shaking her head with a look of disgust on her face
Joey looked up from the sink, she couldn't belive what she was hearing.
"Charlie you of all people have no right to be jealous after the way youve treated me and what's it to you anyway, and anyway so what if Ali was being over the top at least she's not ashamed to be with me"
Charlie stopped in her tracks, she knew what Joey was saying was partly true, the whole time she was with Joey although she had never been ashamed of there relationship she had had trouble accepting it publicly.
"you know that's not true" said Charlie shaking her head.
"Yes, yes it is true and you know it, I mean wasn't that why you slept with Hugo to prove you wern't gay" Joey was really angry and she wanted Charlie to know it.
"You know what Charlie youv'e ruined my life and I won't let you do it again" continued Joey
Charlie couldn't find any words to say, Joey was speaking so much truth that it really hit a nerve with Charlie and she felt like such a let down, she just stood there silent with her head bowed, she felt defeated all the anger left her body and she was just left feeling like a total let down to Joey.
Joey's emotions were really running away from her she wanted to hurt Charlie the way she had hurt her so many times.
"You know what Charlie, I wish I never met you" said Joey with wiping a single tear from her eye "all youv'e done is cheated on me, broke my heart and pushed me away, Why Charlie?"
"I'm sorry " said Charlie realising she was way out of order, she hated seeing Joey cry
"all you do is push me away Charlie and I hate myself for being so stupid" said Joey gritting her teeth
Charlie just shook her head as if to say your not stupid
Joey looked up at Charlie "If only you knew Charlie, If only you knew how much........" Joey paused before she went any further
With that Ali had walked in the door, Charlie drew a deep breath, Joey just looked up at Ali and without a word walked past her out of the bathroom she just wanted to get out of there.
Ali stood there stunned, she looked towards Charlie asif looking for answers why her girlfriend had just stormed out without a word.
Charlie looked at Ali and immidietley went after Joey she didn't care that Ali was there she needed to know what Joey meant, what did she mean by 'if only you knew'
All this happened in seconds.
Charlie barged past Ali and out of the ladies toilets, she grabbed hold of Joey's arm , Joey turned and looked Charlie straight in the eye, Joey's big brown eyes were filled with tears, at this moment Charlie was oblivious to whoever else was there, at that point she only cared about Joey
Ruby who was watching sat bolt upright in her chair, Ali was stood by the entrance to the ladies toilets just looking on in total shock.
"What did you mean when you said if only you knew" Charlie begged Joey
Joey shook her arm out of Charlie's grip.
"Don't touch me Charlie" said a teary Joey all her emotions from the last few months had all come to breaking point, she couldn't even say it like she meant it.
"Charlie grabbed both of Joey's hands in her own.
"Joey I'm not letting you go,not until you tell me what you meant" said charlie meaning every word, she wan't letting Joey go, not again!
Joey didn't even try to release her hands from Charlie's, in that moment thereand the while there hands touched they both felt that connection they had felt all them months ago when they had danced on the deck of the boat. Both their body's shook inside, the spark was there and all the love they had both felt had come flying back and hit the both like a lightning bolt .
They both stood staring deep into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity
Angelo who had walked in to get something to eat before heading back to the city had been watching and had heard every word.
"Ruining someone else's life Charlie, your a real pro at this now" interupted Angelo smuggly
Charlie looked up at him in horror, seconds ago she didn't care who was there watching she was lost in the moment, she had been ready to be truley honest with Joey despite who was watching. But hearing Angeo had made her snap out of it and back into the insecure reality that was Charlie ,all her doubts where there again, Angelo was probably right I would break Joey's heart again and she didn't deserve that.
Charlie just looked at Angelo and swollowed hard.
"She think's she's in love with you, ya know " Angelo said to Joey nodding in Charlies direction "she admitted it on the beach this morning after you two had had your little bitchfest"
Joey looked up at Charlie in disbelief, they both just stared deep into each others eyes, Joey searched deep into Charlie's eyes, she knew there and then that Charlie was still in love with her and that she was without a doubt still in love with Charlie, her heart was pounding and she couldn't speak.
Angelo sniggered and continued "That ice cold bitch is incapable of loving anyone, she can't even love herself"
Joey broke off from looking at Charlie to turn to Angelo.
"Don't you dare talk about Charlie like that" Joey overwhelmed with all the love found herself defending Charlie.
"Oh-my-god" said Ali walking over to the pair who were still holding hands.
Charlie let go of Joey's hands.
Ali just stood shaking her head at Joey, she looked up and down Joey with disgust all over her face.
"Your still in love with her too" said Ali realising by the look on Joey's face
Joey couldn't look her in the eye and she found herself unable to lie so she didn't answer.
"you make me sick" said Ali storming out of the diner in tears
Joey looked at Charlie then ran after Ali, she had hurt Ali and she hated herself for it, how heartless would she be just to let her run off without going after her.
Ruby walked over to Charlie and put two arms around Charlie's shoulders, Charlie just stood there looking broken, everything had built up for so long that now it was finally out she felt exhausted and confused.
"C'mon Charlz, let's go home" said Ruby wanting to try and comfort her sister who was clearly shaken by everything.
"Yeah why don't you go home, back to that bubble you live in" said Angelo smirking.
Charlie just loked at him disgusted .
"another heart broken" he said referring to Ali's heart "all in a days work for Constable Charlie Buckton" he clapped his hands as if in celebration
"oh my god get a life Angelo you creep" barked Ruby defending her sister
"I had one, until that whore came along and ruined it" he replied
"well I hope your happy now ,because that was some show you put on thereCharlie" said Angelo spitfully
"Oh fuck off Angelo" snapped ruby guiding Charlie out of the surf club,she never swore but it was definitley deemed suitble now.
"What about Joey" charlie whispered sadly to Ruby
"I think you should leave it for tonight Charlie she's got her own problems"
Nd with that they both left
**********************
Joey had followed Ali onto the beach to where she was stood crying.
Joey gently touched Ali's shoulder from behind.
"Joey get off me, I won't be held responsible for what I might do"
Joey immidietley removed her hand, she knew she was to blame, what could she do she thought
"Ali I'm sorry" said Joey she was filled with remorse, she knew what it was like to be hurt.
"You know what's really funny Jo" said Ali turning round to face Joey
Joey just shrugged, she felt overwhelmed with guilt
"I was in love you" Ali said the words with such feeling that Joey knew she meant it.
"Well maybe we can work it out" said Joey feeling as though she owed Ali that much.
"Joey don't patronise me, do you think that little of me that you think I would be stupid enough to play second fiddle to your feelings for Charlie"
"I'm sorry" repeated Joey "If id have known......................."
"what" interupted Ali "If youd have known I was in love with you, you would have what....................tried to love me back" said ali looking Joey straight in the eye
"I'm not that desperate Joey, not like you are for Charlie, you would settle for anything wih her, well I'm not like that"
Joey was speechless she felt disgusted with herself for hurting Ali like this, Ali didn't even deserve any of it, she had been a rock to Joey whilst they were at sea.
"Ali you know I never set out for any of this to happen and you know Ive never cheated on you, I never would"
Joey really meant what she was saying , she would never have cheated not with Charlie or anyone else, sheknows how it feels to be betrayed and she wouldn't wish that upon her worst enemy.
Ali just stood there sobbing.
"Its my fault I should never have come here with you, this is your home" sobbed Ali
"none of this is your fault Ali, I wanted you to come here with me, its me that should never have come back, I hate myself for what I've done to us, for what I've done to you" said Joey shouldering the blame.
"If anyones to blame its me" continued Joey
Ali felt so alone, she didn't even have the energy to argue with Joey and what was the point, it was obvious she was still in love with her ex.
"Ali , tell me what I can do to make it up to you, whatever it is ill do it" Joey felt really bad she would do anything to ease Ali's hurt.
"I just want to be left alone" replied a deflated Ali
"I'm not leaving you alone, all this is my fault , there's no way I'm leaving you here on your own" answered Joey
"Please Jo ,Ive already called a cab I'm gonna go back to the house is there anywhere you can stay tonight because I need to be on my own I need time to think" pleaded Ali
"I can't just leave you Ali"
"you said you would do anything to make it up to me, and all I'm asking for his some space, just tonight, I can go and get a B&B somwhere if its easier" said Ali
"No-no. ill go,ill stay at Aidens, but promise we can talk properley in the morning yeah" asked Joey, she couldn't argue with Ali, she had to grant her the space she needed
"yeah " replied a downbeat Ali as her cab pulled up
"despite everything I did enoy the time we shared" ali said with a smile before getting in the cab.
Joey stood there for a while thinking, trying to take in everything that had happened it had been a rollercoaster of emotions since she arrived back.
Her mind snapped back to Charlie Oh my god is she really still in love with me, I can't belive she admitted to Angelo. Finding out Charlie was maybe still in love with her changed everything