Things aren't going to be very easy between Charlie and Joey over the next few chapters but I hope you enjoy the drama. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Twenty Five

"Nothing," Joey lied, her voice far too high pitched.

She exchanged an awkward glance with Brax. Charlie studied her too hard.

"What am I not meant to find out?" she asked urgently.

"Nothing," Joey repeated. "Nothing."

"She just lost a bet, that's all," Brax said.

Joey struggled to figure out whether he was trying to help or not. Charlie moved closer.

"What bet?" she asked. "And what has it got to do with me?"

Joey opened her mouth to answer, panicking and finding she had nothing to say. She shut her mouth again, looking rather goldfish-like.

"Look, you may as well tell her," Brax said, folding his arms and leaning against the door frame to his bedroom. "If she loves you, it'll be okay."

Joey looked horrified. She shot her friend a look that could kill and then turned helplessly back to Charlie. The way her girlfriend searched her eyes was heartbreaking. She hated herself for the way she had inevitably let her down.

"What's going on, Joey?" Charlie asked, sounding particularly vulnerable.

Joey shoved her hands in her pockets and struggled over what to say. She opened and shut her mouth again several times.

"She bet that she could get you into bed within three months," Brax said.

Charlie stared at her and almost physically felt her heart breaking.

"I hate you," Joey said bitterly, storming past Brax and towards Charlie.

Unfortunately, the wannabe police officer turned and hurried into her own room, slamming the door in Joey's face and quickly turning the lock. Outside, Joey pressed her face against the door, calling her girlfriend's name. Inside, Charlie lay on her bed, overcome with bitter tears.

Half an hour later, Joey still hadn't stopped trying to get Charlie to open the door. She knocked and called and begged. She'd sunk down onto the floor, tearfully pleading with the woman she loved.

"Jo, maybe you should give up for tonight," Shannon said, crouching beside her. "She'll just need some time to cool off."

Joey shook her head.

"She's never going to forgive me," she said sadly.

Shannon sighed and sat down cross legged on the floor.

"I don't mean to say I told you so but..."

"You can say it to me as much as you like," Joey said quietly, leaning away from the door. "But don't let Charlie know that you knew. She's going to be feeling really alone right now. She needs friends. Don't ruin your relationship with her the way I have. Please? Please be there for her."

Shannon nodded. She squeezed Joey's hand and left her to it. Joey returned to the door, leaning her full weight against it as she balanced on her knees.

"Charlie, please open the door. We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you," was the first, bitter reply.

"I love you," Joey said.

Suddenly she fell forward, landing on her hands just inside the room as Charlie opened up. She towered over her, looking bitter, tearful and angry.

"I want you to stay the hell away from me, Joey," she warned.

"But I lost the bet!" Joey said desperately, still on her knees. "I lost it because I love you."

"If you really loved me, you wouldn't have made it in the first place," Charlie said.

She nudged her quickly out of the room and slammed the door again. Joey sank onto the carpet in the hallway in tears.

Charlie hadn't slept all night. She'd curled up in bed and sobbed her heart out. She considered leaving University early and going back home several times. But she didn't want Ruby to see her heartbroken and she doubted her parents would be very sympathetic. They liked Joey and they had no objection to their daughter being gay but they were generally very cold. Unfortunately, without Joey, they were now all she had in the world and that only made her feel sadder.

Hauling herself out of bed, aware that she had to get ready for a ten o'clock lecture, Charlie grabbed her towel and wash bag. Heading out of the room, she landed clumsily on the floor. Coming to her senses, she looked back at what she'd fallen over. Joey lay, sprawled on the floor looking tearful, sleepy and messy.

"You slept out here all night?" Charlie realised.

"I'm so sorry I let you down," Joey said earnestly. "Please, can we at least talk about it?"

"We don't have anything to say to each other," Charlie decided.

Leaving Joey a heap on the floor, Charlie scrambled to her feet and locked herself quickly in the shower. Stripping off and turning the water on, Charlie stepped beneath the spray. Heaving sobs took over. Of all the ways she had imagined spending this particular morning, this was not it. She was just relieved that she'd realised what Joey Collins was really like before it had been too late.

"Joey, get over it," Brax said, finding his friend still on the floor as he headed out for a lecture.

The young woman, with messy hair and the same clothes on from yesterday, leapt up quickly and punched him square in the jaw.

"How could you do that to me?" she demanded.

"Would it have been better to lie?" Brax asked, clutching his face.

Joey struggled over what to say.

"You started this, Joey and it backfired on you," Brax told her. "So dust yourself off, get over the frigid cow and be the person you used to be. She was fun. The lesbian urge to merge or whatever you've called it over the last few months has been seriously dull. I want my friend back."

Without another word, he marched off. Joey sank onto the floor again as a fresh wave of tears engulfed her.

Next time… Charlie turns to Ruby and Joey turns to alcohol…