Chapter Ten

Joey surprised herself by bursting into tears. Instinctively, Charlie reached for her, pulling her into a hug. Joey appreciated the warmth of Charlie's body. She wrapped her arms around her waist, holding on tight, too distressed even to revel in the fact that her vision was directly in line with Charlie's cleavage. Charlie stroked Joey's hair, feeling helpless. It wasn't like her to show emotion and yet here she was, crying for her friend and allowing Charlie to hold her. She felt tears drip down her front, tracing their way down her skin. Regaining control of herself, Joey stood back up and rubbed her eyes, apologising.

"It's fine," Charlie said tenderly.

"I have to um... I have to get to the hospital," Joey said, her throat aching with emotion. "Sorry about your coffee."

"Joey, don't worry about the coffee," Charlie said. "I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Oh, you don't have to..."

"I don't mind."

Joey nodded and grabbed her keys, shakily following Charlie out of the house. Seeing the way Joey was struggling, Charlie took hold of her hand and led her to the car, opening the door for her and making sure she got safely inside.

***

"You need to calm down," the young police officer said, struggling with his own temper.

The blonde high school boy was tearing at his last nerve. It was only Angelo Rosetta's first day in his new job in Summer Bay and he already wanted to go back to the city. This kid was seriously pissing him off.

"And you need to get the fuck out of here and find the guys that beat up my friend!"

Shane shoved the cop in the chest.

"If you push me one more time, I'll be arresting you," Angelo warned.

"That's why criminals don't get caught!" Shane exploded, pushing him again. "You're too busy fucking around with people like me!"

Walking up the corridor, Joey spotted the altercation ahead of her, left Charlie and broke into a run just as Shane became even more aggressive.

"Shane!" she yelled.

Her friend turned in surprise.

"He's not helping Chris!" he yelled.

"He will," Joey insisted, wondering where Angel had got to and why she wasn't controlling her boyfriend.

"He's just standing here, Joey!"

Shane turned back to Angelo who had folded his arms across his chest.

"You're just standing here!"

"I'm doing my job by getting statements," Angelo said, keeping his voice level.

"Shane, why don't we just sit down?" Joey suggested.

She knew his anger was masking fear.

"I don't want to sit down!" Shane yelled. "I want someone to do something for a change! I want my best mate to stop ending up in fucking hospital just because he's gay!"

Charlie caught up with them. Shane glared at her and turned to Joey.

"What the hell is she doing here?"

"She's here to help and don't be so fucking rude!" Joey snapped.

She grabbed him by his shoulders, having given up on the nice approach, and slung him into a chair. Sulking, he stayed there.

"Sorry," Joey said to Charlie.

"It's fine," Charlie said.

Angel emerged from the bathroom wondering what had happened in her absence.

"Sit," Joey said to her, taking control.

Angel sat down and put her arm around Shane.

"Are you the responsible adult here?" Angelo asked Charlie, who looked uncomfortable.

"I'm their teacher," she said.

"My partner and I brought Christian in. He's going to be fine but he's still with the Doctor. Can you stay here with them and make sure nobody kicks off?"

He jerked his head in Shane's direction.

"Sure," Charlie said uncertainly.

Joey seemed to have the situation in hand. She didn't want to step on anyone's toes by interfering. Angelo left and Charlie turned to Joey who looked like she was fighting tears again. Maybe she does need support after all, Charlie thought. She placed a gentle hand on Joey's back, guiding her to her own seat and sitting down next to her.

***

Joey felt like she had been waiting at the hospital for hours. Nobody seemed willing to tell her, Shane or Angel anything and she hadn't managed to get in touch with either Aden or Chris's parents. The only information she could gather was that at some point on Chris's date with James, they'd been jumped by a group of guys. James had run off in fright and Chris had taken a beating. Shane was a wreck and Angel's main job had been to calm him down. Charlie had stayed and for that, Joey was eternally grateful. She was aware that when she went to bed tonight and the drama was over and she knew Chris was going to be fine, she'd kick herself for not taking advantage of being temporarily clutched to her teacher's chest. But for now she was still too tense. She leapt to her feet when she saw Rachel walk past.

"Rachel!" she said desperately.

The curly haired woman stopped and looked at her, feeling compassionate.

"Please?" Joey said. "Is he okay?"

"He's going to be fine," Rachel said. "He's a little broken but he'll be okay. He's still in theatre right now. I'll let you know as soon as you can see him, Joey. Just sit tight."

Joey swallowed and nodded, sinking back down in her chair. She saw Angel and Shane breathe sighs of relief and felt Charlie's comforting hand on her back.

"Why don't we take a walk to the drinks machine?" the older woman suggested when Rachel had hurried on by.

Joey nodded. She needed to move and get out of the claustrophobic corridor.

"Do you guys want drinks?" she offered.

"Coffee, please," Angel said.

Shane shook his head. Together, Charlie and Joey walked off down to corridor. Charlie thought it was lovely that the friends all loved each other so much. Granted, she didn't really know Joey that well but she guessed it would only ever be something like this that would make her fall apart. And Charlie felt honoured to have been around when she did – that Joey felt comfortable enough to cry in front of her and to let herself be held. She was also surprised at Shane. On the surface, he seemed like the typical, good looking, non-academic guy who cared only about girls and football. The fact that had had been so moved, so desperately hurt by a homophobic attack on his friend, suggested just how much he loved him. It showed hidden depths. Reaching the drinks machine, Charlie put money in and began to get their drinks poured. She turned to Joey who hadn't regained her colour since the first phone call.

"Are you alright, Joey?" she asked softly.

Joey nodded.

"I just hate the thought of him being hurt like that," she said. "And for no reason, you know?"

"I know."

"He's the sweetest guy in the world, Charlie. He'd never hurt a fly."

"Has anything like this happened before?"

"We get hassle now and again," Joey admitted. "He's been in for a few stitches now and again. Nothing as bad as this."

"Have you had hassle?" Charlie asked, immediately worried for the girl she had come to care about so much.

"A little. Like I said, nothing that important. You get people shoving you around now and again, making comments. It's the price you pay for being gay in a small town, I guess. But this... this is something else."

Charlie sighed. She handed Joey's hot chocolate to her and carried her own and Angel's coffee back to their little, plastic chairs as they prepared to wait for Chris to come round.

"Thanks for staying," Joey said. "It means a lot."

"It's no problem at all, Joey. When you're all ready, I'll take you home."

***

Aden cursed himself for staying late at football practice and not bothering to switch his phone on. As soon as he had, he'd received frantic messages from Shane, Angel and Joey telling him that Chris was in hospital. Breathing heavily, he charged through the doors of the emergency department. Just as he was about to speak to the nurse a little less politely and a little more worriedly than he wanted to, he spotted his friends waiting in the corridor. Hurrying away from the nurse, he rushed up to them. Shane considered yelling at him about taking so long but suddenly he didn't have the energy. He stayed where he was as Joey came up and hugged him, explaining that Chris was going to be okay and they were just waiting for him to come out of surgery.

***

Chris's head hurt as he slowly blinked his eyes open. He looked around the room as it came into focus. Memories flooded his brain and he closed his eyes again. He wondered what had happened to James and if he was okay. Sighing heavily, he opened his eyes again, noting that his leg was in a cast. The door opened and Rachel approached the bed.

"Chris!" she said, sounded delighted to see him. "You're awake!"

"Looks like it," he croaked.

"Well, there are a few people out there desperate to see you once I've checked you over."

***

Joey sat on her chair, wedged between Charlie and Aden. She was touched that her teacher had opted to stay with them until Chris was awake and that she was willing to drive them home. Every time Joey thought Charlie had reached the epitome of kind, she pushed herself over the edge. Everyone looked up when Rachel emerged from Chris's room. She was smiling.

"He's awake," the Doctor said.

Joey and her friends leapt to their feet. Charlie rose more slowly and stayed back as her students bombarded the medical worker with questions.

"He has a broken leg, some cuts and bruises and a small head injury but he's going to be perfectly fine," Rachel explained.

"Can we see him?" Shane asked.

"Yes, of course you can," Rachel said.

She gestured for them to go through. Joey cast a fleeting glance at Charlie who politely waited outside.

***

Chris grinned as Shane, Angel, Aden and Joey entered his side room. Each of them in turn hugged him and then settled themselves in chairs and on the edge of the bed.

"You didn't have to go this far for attention, you know," Aden teased.

Chris chuckled and then winced. His ribs were also bruised.

"What happened, mate?" Shane asked.

"James and I were just hanging out and we just got jumped. Does anyone know what happened to him?"

"He ran," Shane said coldly.

"He did call the cops though," Angel said, sticking up for the man that she knew Chris liked.

"At least that's something," Chris said.

"Did Rachel say how long you'd be in here for?" Joey asked.

"A couple of days. She said I'd be able to get a week or so off school too."

"Speaking of school," Aden piped up. "You even got the hottie teacher here for you."

Chris looked quizzically at him.

"Charlie," Joey explained.

"Why's Charlie here?" Chris asked.

Everyone looked at Joey.

"Yeah," Shane said, relaxing for the first time now that he knew his friend was safe. "Why exactly is Charlie here?"

"We happened to be in the same room when you called me so she offered to drive me in," Joey explained, deciding not to mention the room was her kitchen.

"It was kind of her to stay," Angel said.

"She said she'd drive us all home when we were ready," Joey said.

"Tell her thanks from me," Chris requested.

"We will," Joey promised.

"Chris, who attacked you?" Shane asked seriously.

Chris attempted but failed to shrug.

"I think I've seen them hang out with Rob and those guys before but I don't know them," he said.

"I knew it!" Shane said angrily.

Angel put a soothing hand on her boyfriend's arm.

"I knew Rob and Bea and their crowd would be behind this somehow. They're responsible for everything."

"The cops were round earlier," Joey told Chris.

"One of them was seriously cute," Angel added, trying to lighten the mood.

Chris's eyes lit up. Shane glared.

"For Chris, not me!" Angel protested.

"How cute?" Chris asked.

"You'll like him," Joey and Angel told him.

"Maybe this whole thing wasn't so bad after all," Chris giggled.

***

With visiting time over, Charlie, Joey, Aden, Shane and Angel were in Charlie's car. Shane, Angel and Aden were crammed in the back while Joey had called shotgun.

"Hey, guys?" Joey said, twisting round in her seat. "Fancy the Diner?"

Her friends nodded in agreement. Joey turned back to Charlie.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" she asked.

Charlie knew she ought to be getting home. It was already seven o'clock. But she was tired and it had turned into such a long day. The idea of having a nice meal that she didn't have to cook was very tempting, although she didn't want to impose on her students.

"Oh, you don't need to include me in your plans," she said. "I'll just drop you off."

"No, we'd like you to come," Joey insisted.

She turned back to her friends for confirmation.

"Of course we would," Angel said. "You've been amazing to us today."

The boys agreed. Charlie chewed her lip, considering her options.

"Please?" Joey asked earnestly.

"Oh, go on then," she said, pulling into a parking space.

Joey grinned triumphantly.

***

Half an hour later, the small group were tucking in their meals. Charlie found herself seated between Joey and Angel and was having a surprisingly nice time.

"Chris is totally going to milk his injuries, isn't he?" Aden said with a smile.

"And we're totally going to indulge him," Joey said certainly.

She could already picture them all helping him with homework and bringing him gifts and grapes. She was particularly looking forward to going round and watching endless DVD's with him.

"You guys are such a nice group of friends," Charlie commented.

"We try," Angel said.

"We have to be," Shane added. "We all know too much embarrassing stuff about each other!"

The others giggled and nodded their agreement. Charlie smirked and raised her eyebrows, intrigued to hear more, especially about Joey. Noticing, Joey shook her head.

"No way," she said. "You get no embarrassing stories!"

"Oh, I'm sure we could share a few!" Shane laughed.

"About yourself only!" Joey warned.

"Okay, maybe I don't want to take you on," Shane said, tucking back into his food.

Charlie giggled and focussed on her own meal. She stopped eating when her phone rang.

"Excuse me," she said, pulling it out of her pocket.

Hugo's name flashed up on the screen. She chastised herself for not having called him to let him know that she would be back late. Joey watched her leave the table.

"Keep your eyes in your head," Aden teased his friend.

She flicked his hand and poked at her jacket potato.

"Hi, Hugo," Charlie said into her phone.

"Are you coming home at all today?" Hugo snapped immediately.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I got held up."

"Doing what?"

"One of my students got assaulted so I had to go to the hospital."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm eating in the Diner with my other students – his friends."

"And you didn't think to call me?"

"I'm sorry, Hugo."

"One text wouldn't have hurt, Charlie."

He sounded wounded and disappointed.

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"Will you be home soon?"

"I won't be long," Charlie promised.

"Okay."

He hung up. Not quite sure whether she'd been forgiven yet, Charlie put her phone away and headed back to the table.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked.

"Yeah," Charlie said. "I just forgot to tell my partner that I was running late so I'm in trouble."

"Sorry, Charlie," Joey said, feeling guilty for taking up her time.

"Oh, it's not your fault," Charlie said quickly. "It was me who forgot to call."

"Still, you were helping us out," Angel said, also feeling bad.

"Don't worry about it. I can handle him. And I was happy to be there. I was worried about all of you."