Arranging

"I felt so stupid." Rey shook her head, sitting on her couch the next morning with Joanne who she had invited round to tell her about the tragic night she had.

"Why? You shouldn't. It's not your fault his parents are assholes." Joanne said, "It's not like you to get down about anything like this."

"I don't know, I think it's cause I like him." She shrugged, "I really wanted to try and… impress them but they just looked right through me." She shook her head.

"But Josh isn't like that. I mean that's really all you should care about. What he treats you like and he treats you really well." Joanne nodded.

"Yeah, he does. He's not like his parents but I just… I can't help feel like some sort of weird rebellious experiment for him. Like he's moved away from his rich life and decided to go hang out with the poor people now." Rey shrugged, "It sucks."

"Hey, I'm sure that's not what he's doing. He probably wanted away because they're horrible people. I'm sure he likes you for you." Joanne nodded, "Try and not let it get to your head too much." She sighed as Rey just nodded.

"Hopefully speaking to my own parents won't be as difficult." She sighed, "I never feel like shit because of someone else but they were… I don't know, they were mean. And it was worse because I was trying really hard to not even by myself." She shook her head.

"Well fuck them. Josh likes you for you. You don't have to pretend to be someone else for him. Just tell him how it made you feel and I'm sure he'll understand." Joanne nodded.

"I think he knows how it made me feel." Rey shook her head, "He's probably dated all these… smart, beautiful college girls before." She sighed, "And then there's me."

"Yeah and then there's you, an equally smart, beautiful and amazing person. You're nineteen years old and you run your own apartment. People are still living with their parents when they're in their twenties. You're doing great-"

"Well I didn't really have that choice of living with my parents." Rey tutted, "Everything just feels so shit right now." She sighed, pulling her blanket over her face and groaning loudly.

"Hey, it'll pass." Joanne nodded, "But don't push Josh away because of this. I know you like him and I think he really likes you." She said, "I know he wouldn't want you to change."

"I just want a day to feel sorry for myself." Rey told her, "I guess I need to arrange to see my parents too." She nodded.

"Where you gonna go?" Joanne asked her.

"I have no idea. Out for a drink or something." Rey said, "I'm just fed up of trying to sell myself to people like I have to act a certain way." She shook her head.

"Well then don't. Be yourself. I'm sure your mom and dad aren't gonna behave the way Josh's parents did."

"If they did I'll punch them both." Rey grumbled as Joanne smiled.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with them." Joanne nodded.

"Well here's hoping. I guess it can't get much worse." Rey shrugged.

Rey eventually got herself up and ready, knowing she couldn't just lie on her couch all day. She decided that she was going to approach her father's apartment to schedule something with him and her mother. She was nervous but after the mental beat down she'd taken last night, she really felt like nothing anyone could say could hurt her at this point.

She knocked on the apartment door, waiting in the landing until it opened up where she saw her uncle standing. She'd served him so many times before and never knew this man was her uncle. It was bizarre and surreal.

"H-Hey." Rey nodded as Dean smiled.

"Hi." Dean nodded, "This is a little strange." He admitted as Rey nodded.

"Yeah, it is." Rey agreed.

"I'm Dean." Dean nodded, extending his hand as Rey shook it.

"Rey." Rey smiled, "All this time pulling you pints and… you've been my uncle." She shook her head, "It's crazy." She said as Dean nodded.

"Yeah, tell me about it. If I knew I would have helped you in fighting all those local slime balls that harass you." He said as Rey smiled.

"I can handle myself." Rey assured him. He was an edgy looking character. Shaggy blonde hair, a cigarette between his fingers, a croak in his voice.

"I'm sure you can." Dean said, "I assume you're looking for Phil? Or I should say your dad, shouldn't I? Damn, that's weird." He shook his head.

"Yeah, is he around?" Rey asked him.

"He is." Dean said, "He's just out the shower. Come in." He nodded as Rey walked into the apartment, "You hungry? You want some food?" He asked her, "Cigarette? You smoke?"

"Uh no… I'm good." Rey assured him, walking into the living room, looking on at the dog lying on the couch, "Oh, he… wasn't here before. I love dogs." Rey smiled, crouching down by the couch and scratching his cheeks lovingly.

"Yeah, he's April's. He's a stupid big thing. Been falling off the couch all day. Keeps falling asleep and rolling over." Dean scoffed as Rey smiled.

"He's adorable. What's his name?" Rey asked.

"Spike." Dean said, "He's the little ones. Amelia. Well, she says he's her dog." Dean said as Rey smiled.

"Are they both here?" Rey asked him.

"No they've gone back to their house. April is dealing with stuff with her husband. She'll be back later, though." Dean nodded just as Punk walked into the living room.

"What'd I tell you about doing that shit in here?" Punk shoved Dean over, "Go to the back door." He said, turning around and noticing Rey was there, "Oh… Hi." Punk shook his head.

"Hey." Rey nodded, standing up straight.

"Ok, I'm going." Dean whistled, walking off out of the living room.

"I'm sorry about the smell in here." Punk waved his hand as Rey just shook her head.

"Hey, it's fine. I'm used to it." She shrugged.

"Are you ok?" He asked her as Rey nodded.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." Rey said, "I was just coming to see if… maybe we could set a date to talk, the three of us." She nodded, "I know a lot of good places if you wanna go for a drink somewhere or-"

"I… I don't really drink." Punk nodded, "Neither does April." He shook his head.

"Oh." Rey shook her head with confusion, "Like… nothing?" She asked as he shook his head. She only assumed that he'd like a beer every now and then and she felt terrible for assuming, "Oh, wait are you like recovering addicts?" Rey realised as Punk laughed a little.

"No." Punk shook his head, "No, it's just not for me." Punk said, "You're nineteen, you shouldn't really be drinking." He folded his arms as Rey shrugged.

"You're gonna tell me what to do now?" Rey raised a brow, "Don't get ahead of yourself now." She warned as he shrugged.

"Wherever you wanna go, we'll go." Punk nodded, "Just name a time and a place."

"Let me check my shifts." Rey nodded, emptying out her purse onto the couch as Punk raised a brow, folding his arms as he watched her scramble through all the things to find a diary.

"You like ginger snaps." He noticed all the wrappers as she looked up at him.

"Yeah, what about it?" She snapped as he just smiled and shrugged. A part of her still felt like she was vulnerable in this situation. She didn't want to let any sort of guard down. She still didn't know these people.

"I get off work tomorrow at 5. I guess I'm free after that." Rey nodded, looking at the shifts in her diary.

"Yeah, sure." Punk nodded, "I'll check it with April but she's taking time off work so it should be fine." He said as Rey nodded, gathering all her things back in her purse, "Where you have in mind?" He asked her.

"Well since you're both boring…" She rolled her eyes as he smiled a little, "I guess I can trade wine for a milkshake." She nodded, "You obviously know Frank's diner so… why don't we just go there?" She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, sure." Punk nodded.

"7?" She asked as Punk nodded, "Ok." She nodded, getting distracted by the dog again as she crouched down and squished his face sweetly as Punk laughed a little, "I like this guy."

"Yeah, he's April's." Punk said.

"Dean said." Rey nodded.

"Yeah, I apologise for my brother." Punk rolled his eyes.

"For what?" Rey looked up.

"Oh, just for him in general. He's a nightmare." Punk said as Rey smiled a little.

"Oh, he's ok." Rey nodded, clapping Spike on the head as the Pitbull lay on the cushion enjoying the love, "I should get to work." She said, standing back up straight as Punk nodded.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow then." Punk said as Rey nodded.

"Yeah, ok." Rey said, "I'll see myself out." She said as he nodded, watching her walk out of the living and out of the apartment.

He walked through to the kitchen where Dean was sat at the back door having his cigarette.

"What'd she want?" Dean asked.

"Arranging to see me and April tomorrow." Punk smiled. He couldn't help it. It was something hopeful and he knew he and April would do their best to do all they could to win her over in some way, even if it took months. He wasn't going to give up.

"Nice." Dean nodded, "You know she hangs around trouble though, right?" He looked over.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"That kid you gave a job to, her boyfriend." Dean nodded, taking a drag, "When I'm in Hooters I always see them arguing in the back. Seen him doing drugs outside too." Dean said, "Bad news." He said as Punk just shook his head.

"He's probably just an ex or something." Punk shrugged.

"I'm just saying, now I know she's my niece, if I see that shit when I'm there having a beer I'm not just gonna stand and watch." Dean shrugged, "Kid's gonna get knocked on his ass."

"You think he's still with her?" Punk asked. It was a little difficult knowing the fact his daughter really wasn't a little girl. She made her own decisions and choices. She worked. She lived alone. She was practically an adult.

"I don't know." Dean shrugged, "But I'm telling you right now, he ain't good news." Dean nodded as Punk folded his arms, leaning against the counter, "And I know you have a temper. I don't want this whole thing to blow up before it begins."

"I'll be fine." Punk shrugged as Dean nodded.