A/N: Hello. I can't believe how long this story is. I'm sorry. I hate
long stories. It looks so much shorter on the word document. I'm on page
35 and have writer's block on what will happen in the very end. Oh well.
If you have any suggestions, comments, raves, go ahead and write them.
BUT NO FLAMES! Luv y'all!
Disclaimer: I disclaim what I don't own but own what I don't disclaim.
"Joey, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm giving up. They didn't even give me a chance."
"Do you want me to come to Illinois yet?"
"Yes. I do. I want you over here."
"I already am."
"What?"
"I'm standing outside your door."
Emily got up from her bed and opened her hotel room door. There was Joey, clad in an orange t-shirt and jeans. He closed is cell phone and smiled. Emily hugged him and started crying. He hugged her back and kissed her forehead.
"Joey, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think? I'm here for you."
"You're the best."
"Wanna talk Em?"
"Yeah. And no."
"Want a back rub?"
"Yeah."
"Go lay down. I'll get lotion."
Joey went and grabbed some lotion from the bathroom. Emily laid down on the bed and lifted the back of her shirt up. If this wasn't a guy she grew up with, Emily wouldn't have let him go near her with lotion. Especially with her shirt lifted up. But he was a guy she grew up with, and he was her best friend.
He came back, sat down by her, and massaged her back. She smiled because of the feeling. It was pure bliss. They were quiet, not wanting to disturb the peace in the room. He rubbed her shoulders and neck as her mind cleared. The only thing Emily could think of was how good the kneading felt.
"Em, you still up?" whispered Joey into her ear.
"Mmm hmmm," she answered.
"Em, you know you're gonna have to talk to them, right?"
"But I don't want to."
"I know you don't."
"Then don't make me."
"I can't make anybody do anything. I wouldn't want to."
"Joey?"
"Yeah?"
"Up."
Joey moved his hand up a little, to her shoulders. Emily fell asleep after five more minutes and Joey pulled her shirt down, put up the lotion, laid down next to her, like they used to do at sleepovers when they were five, and fell dead to the world. Around eight, they both woke up, hungry. Emily picked up the phone and called a cab. She fixed her hair and Joey and her went downstairs to wait.
"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Emily asked Joey as they sat in the lobby.
"Yeah. I reserved a room here," said Joey. "It's on the top floor."
"Joey, thank you. For everything." Emily laid her head on his shoulder.
"You're my best friend. I wouldn't leave you like that to fend on your own."
"I know but you didn't have to come."
"I know that."
Emily sat up straight. "Where are we going to eat?"
"I have no clue. How about Johnny Rocket's? I read in one of the pamphlets that there's one close."
"Okay, fine with me. I've never had it before. Maybe I should invite Bender and Claire."
"All right."
Emily pulled out her mom's cell phone and called Bender.
"Hello?" John asked on the other line. He sounded stressed and upset.
"Hi Mr. Bender. It's Emily. Wanna meet Mom, a friend, and I at Johnny Rocket's?"
"I'm not sure. Who's the friend? Your mom's fiancé?"
"She doesn't have a fiancé."
"She told me she did. Do you know Martin?"
"I have to go. Call you later. Bye." Emily hung up and sat there quietly.
"Em? Baby Girl, are you okay?" asked Joey.
"Ummm. I haven't a clue."
"Your mom is engaged?"
"Uh huh."
"And you didn't know? Had no indication?"
"Huh uh."
"Anything I can do?"
"No. I'll be okay."
"Let's stay in."
"No. I'll be okay."
"Still wanna go to Johnny Rocket's?"
"No. I'll be okay."
"Em, let's just order some pizza to your room and some sodas."
Emily thought about it and eventually whispered, "Peanut M&Ms?"
"Already have them in my room. We can go in there. Is that okay with you?"
"Mmm hmm. I don't want to be left alone tonight."
"I know. Come on, we'll talk about it more upstairs."
Just then, the cab pulled up. Joey told them he was sorry but they didn't need it anymore and handed him a five dollar bill. He then went back to Emily, took her hand, and led her to the elevator where they went upstairs and into his room. Emily took off her shoes and sat on his bed. She was silent ever since they were downstairs and Joey was worried. She was never that quiet, unless she was sleeping.
"Baby Girl, are you okay?"
Silence.
"Em, please say something."
More silence.
"Should I call somebody?"
Emily slowly shook her head.
"Want another massage?"
Her head kept shaking 'no' in an extremely measured manner. She didn't want to sleep, not yet anyways.
"I'll order the pizza then." He picked up the phone, called the main desk, got a pizza place's number, then called it and ordered some to be delivered to his room along with two two-liters, one Sprite and another of Coca-Cola. He put the phone back on the hook and sat by Emily, holding her hands in-between both of his.
She looked up and whispered, "I'm really a mess this time, huh?"
"Nah," Joey whispered back.
"Did I make a huge mess or a medium one?"
"You didn't make any mess. I promise."
"Hold me?"
"Anytime." Joey wrapped his arms around Emily and she closed her eyes, trying not to go insane in her best friend's arms. Joey leaned down till his eyes were level with hers. He kissed her eyelids as an attempt to comfort her. When she was going to respond, there was a knock at the door. Joey let go of Emily and opened the door. He paid the delivery guy, plus tip, and took all the things into his pretty-much-all-muscle arms. He put the food onto the office table and pulled out two huge bags of Peanut M&Ms. Emily stayed stationary on the bed, watching Joey with interest. He was doing everything for her. And she was letting him.
"Joey?" she whispered.
He turned around and smiled at her, "Uh huh?"
"Thank you. For everything."
"Anytime Em."
"Hand me one of the M&M bags?"
He threw one at her and she caught it. She opened it up and started to eat the brown ones first and saving the red ones, her favorite, for last. She then got an idea and moved to sit on the other side of the bed, where she would be out of reach of Joey, who was still preparing the food. She took out a brown M&M and threw it at him, getting his shoulder. Then she ducked down on the other side of the bed, M&M bag in hand, so he couldn't see her.
She heard an M&M bag opening and inwardly cursed the bottom of the bed because she couldn't hide under it. She heard Joey creep into the bathroom and throw an M&M and she giggled as inaudibly as possible. He got nailed in the back of the head by Em and he was about to throw one at her but the hotel phone started ringing. Joey picked it up and after a small conversation, hung up.
"Em, wherever you are, Clarissa's here," said Joey. He faced the closet and Emily got him with a blue M&M on his back.
"You suck at this," said Emily. Joey went to the side of the bed that Emily was on and was ready to throw one at her when she got a hold of his hand and got the M&M out of his hand and threw it across the room. He made a grab for her bag of M&Ms and she put one in his mouth. "And what do you mean 'Clarissa's here'?"
"I figured that if you needed to talk girl stuff, Callie could listen to you." He smiled, showing that he loved her but he wasn't about to listen about Vin Diesel the whole night.
Emily sighed. "I don't want her to be engaged Joey."
"I know Baby Girl."
"I don't like him. I'm another patient to him."
"I know."
"Then why can you understand it and she can't?"
"Because she doesn't know you like I do. You probably remind her of him."
"I need to shut up about it all. I'm feeling too sorry for myself."
"I think that, in this situation, you're allowed to. Want a piece of pizza?"
"Yeah, pepperoni?"
"Uh huh."
"Mmm k."
The phone rang again and there was a knock at the door. Emily got the door as Joey got the phone.
"Hey Callie!" she said as Clarissa gave her a hug. Em pulled back out of it and went over to Joey, who was still on the phone. She sat on the bed, next to where he was standing and looked into his eyes for an answer to who was on the other end and why he looked and sounded so serious.
Finally he said "Yes ma'am, I'll tell her." and hung up the phone.
"Joey, what's up?" asked Callie.
"Alison wants you to meet all of the Breakfast Club tonight at eight. She's picking you up here at the hotel. She said for me to tell you because she knew you'd probably listen to me since I'm your friend. I guess your mom told her about me or something. Anyways, it's a part of some plan she has."
"Okay. I trust her. She's up to something that I could go with totally, I bet," said Emily.
"Y'all, I'm totally jetlagged, so I'm gonna go sleep and I'll call later," said Callie.
"Okay, Cal."
"Night," said Joey.
Callie left and Emily threw an M&M that she found on the floor at Joey and giggled. "Joseph, do you forfeit?"
"Never!" he tickled her and she laughed harder, trying to get away from his tickling hands. "Do you?"
"Me? Yeah right." She grabbed her bag of M&Ms out of her pocket, where she put them last, and snatched a handful, with Joey still tickling her. She smashed them on his shirt, face, and arms.
He stopped tickling, put his arms up, and said "I surrender."
"Good. I win yet again."
"How about a hug?"
"Don't you dare Joseph Frances Klein!"
He hugged her and smiled as he got chocolate all over her. Then they pulled away. "Love ya, Em."
They started laughing as Emily started hitting him. She paused for a moment. "Do your parents know you're here?"
"Nope. All they know is that I'm off on a vacation. They don't care."
"Wanna be my knight in shining armor and pour me a drink while I find something to put our pizza on?"
"Sure." He got the drinks as Emily grabbed some paper plates that Joey had brought up and got two slices for Joey and one for herself. They ate and drank some and then were done. Then Emily went down to her room to change into a bathing suit since her and Joey had decided to go swimming, and Clarissa was coming too.
They all met down at the pool and jumped in. They all had a splashing contest and Callie dunked Joey. Then she ran to the hot tub so Joey couldn't get her. When he got out of the water, Callie told him that he better not do anything or she'll call her boyfriend to beat him up. He just laughed and went over to Emily, who was reading The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. He picked her up and she dropped the book on her chair and kicked and screamed and then gave up. she acted like she fainted. Callie laughed at all of it and Joey threw Emily in the deep end, which was seven feet. Then he dove in after her. She got to the top of the water and slapped Joey on his head as many times as possible while he surfaced. Afterwards, they all went to their separate rooms and hung out or took a shower or watched TV. After awhile, Emily was totally ready and called Joey and Callie to tell them that she was leaving and that she'd be back soon.
Disclaimer: I disclaim what I don't own but own what I don't disclaim.
"Joey, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm giving up. They didn't even give me a chance."
"Do you want me to come to Illinois yet?"
"Yes. I do. I want you over here."
"I already am."
"What?"
"I'm standing outside your door."
Emily got up from her bed and opened her hotel room door. There was Joey, clad in an orange t-shirt and jeans. He closed is cell phone and smiled. Emily hugged him and started crying. He hugged her back and kissed her forehead.
"Joey, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think? I'm here for you."
"You're the best."
"Wanna talk Em?"
"Yeah. And no."
"Want a back rub?"
"Yeah."
"Go lay down. I'll get lotion."
Joey went and grabbed some lotion from the bathroom. Emily laid down on the bed and lifted the back of her shirt up. If this wasn't a guy she grew up with, Emily wouldn't have let him go near her with lotion. Especially with her shirt lifted up. But he was a guy she grew up with, and he was her best friend.
He came back, sat down by her, and massaged her back. She smiled because of the feeling. It was pure bliss. They were quiet, not wanting to disturb the peace in the room. He rubbed her shoulders and neck as her mind cleared. The only thing Emily could think of was how good the kneading felt.
"Em, you still up?" whispered Joey into her ear.
"Mmm hmmm," she answered.
"Em, you know you're gonna have to talk to them, right?"
"But I don't want to."
"I know you don't."
"Then don't make me."
"I can't make anybody do anything. I wouldn't want to."
"Joey?"
"Yeah?"
"Up."
Joey moved his hand up a little, to her shoulders. Emily fell asleep after five more minutes and Joey pulled her shirt down, put up the lotion, laid down next to her, like they used to do at sleepovers when they were five, and fell dead to the world. Around eight, they both woke up, hungry. Emily picked up the phone and called a cab. She fixed her hair and Joey and her went downstairs to wait.
"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Emily asked Joey as they sat in the lobby.
"Yeah. I reserved a room here," said Joey. "It's on the top floor."
"Joey, thank you. For everything." Emily laid her head on his shoulder.
"You're my best friend. I wouldn't leave you like that to fend on your own."
"I know but you didn't have to come."
"I know that."
Emily sat up straight. "Where are we going to eat?"
"I have no clue. How about Johnny Rocket's? I read in one of the pamphlets that there's one close."
"Okay, fine with me. I've never had it before. Maybe I should invite Bender and Claire."
"All right."
Emily pulled out her mom's cell phone and called Bender.
"Hello?" John asked on the other line. He sounded stressed and upset.
"Hi Mr. Bender. It's Emily. Wanna meet Mom, a friend, and I at Johnny Rocket's?"
"I'm not sure. Who's the friend? Your mom's fiancé?"
"She doesn't have a fiancé."
"She told me she did. Do you know Martin?"
"I have to go. Call you later. Bye." Emily hung up and sat there quietly.
"Em? Baby Girl, are you okay?" asked Joey.
"Ummm. I haven't a clue."
"Your mom is engaged?"
"Uh huh."
"And you didn't know? Had no indication?"
"Huh uh."
"Anything I can do?"
"No. I'll be okay."
"Let's stay in."
"No. I'll be okay."
"Still wanna go to Johnny Rocket's?"
"No. I'll be okay."
"Em, let's just order some pizza to your room and some sodas."
Emily thought about it and eventually whispered, "Peanut M&Ms?"
"Already have them in my room. We can go in there. Is that okay with you?"
"Mmm hmm. I don't want to be left alone tonight."
"I know. Come on, we'll talk about it more upstairs."
Just then, the cab pulled up. Joey told them he was sorry but they didn't need it anymore and handed him a five dollar bill. He then went back to Emily, took her hand, and led her to the elevator where they went upstairs and into his room. Emily took off her shoes and sat on his bed. She was silent ever since they were downstairs and Joey was worried. She was never that quiet, unless she was sleeping.
"Baby Girl, are you okay?"
Silence.
"Em, please say something."
More silence.
"Should I call somebody?"
Emily slowly shook her head.
"Want another massage?"
Her head kept shaking 'no' in an extremely measured manner. She didn't want to sleep, not yet anyways.
"I'll order the pizza then." He picked up the phone, called the main desk, got a pizza place's number, then called it and ordered some to be delivered to his room along with two two-liters, one Sprite and another of Coca-Cola. He put the phone back on the hook and sat by Emily, holding her hands in-between both of his.
She looked up and whispered, "I'm really a mess this time, huh?"
"Nah," Joey whispered back.
"Did I make a huge mess or a medium one?"
"You didn't make any mess. I promise."
"Hold me?"
"Anytime." Joey wrapped his arms around Emily and she closed her eyes, trying not to go insane in her best friend's arms. Joey leaned down till his eyes were level with hers. He kissed her eyelids as an attempt to comfort her. When she was going to respond, there was a knock at the door. Joey let go of Emily and opened the door. He paid the delivery guy, plus tip, and took all the things into his pretty-much-all-muscle arms. He put the food onto the office table and pulled out two huge bags of Peanut M&Ms. Emily stayed stationary on the bed, watching Joey with interest. He was doing everything for her. And she was letting him.
"Joey?" she whispered.
He turned around and smiled at her, "Uh huh?"
"Thank you. For everything."
"Anytime Em."
"Hand me one of the M&M bags?"
He threw one at her and she caught it. She opened it up and started to eat the brown ones first and saving the red ones, her favorite, for last. She then got an idea and moved to sit on the other side of the bed, where she would be out of reach of Joey, who was still preparing the food. She took out a brown M&M and threw it at him, getting his shoulder. Then she ducked down on the other side of the bed, M&M bag in hand, so he couldn't see her.
She heard an M&M bag opening and inwardly cursed the bottom of the bed because she couldn't hide under it. She heard Joey creep into the bathroom and throw an M&M and she giggled as inaudibly as possible. He got nailed in the back of the head by Em and he was about to throw one at her but the hotel phone started ringing. Joey picked it up and after a small conversation, hung up.
"Em, wherever you are, Clarissa's here," said Joey. He faced the closet and Emily got him with a blue M&M on his back.
"You suck at this," said Emily. Joey went to the side of the bed that Emily was on and was ready to throw one at her when she got a hold of his hand and got the M&M out of his hand and threw it across the room. He made a grab for her bag of M&Ms and she put one in his mouth. "And what do you mean 'Clarissa's here'?"
"I figured that if you needed to talk girl stuff, Callie could listen to you." He smiled, showing that he loved her but he wasn't about to listen about Vin Diesel the whole night.
Emily sighed. "I don't want her to be engaged Joey."
"I know Baby Girl."
"I don't like him. I'm another patient to him."
"I know."
"Then why can you understand it and she can't?"
"Because she doesn't know you like I do. You probably remind her of him."
"I need to shut up about it all. I'm feeling too sorry for myself."
"I think that, in this situation, you're allowed to. Want a piece of pizza?"
"Yeah, pepperoni?"
"Uh huh."
"Mmm k."
The phone rang again and there was a knock at the door. Emily got the door as Joey got the phone.
"Hey Callie!" she said as Clarissa gave her a hug. Em pulled back out of it and went over to Joey, who was still on the phone. She sat on the bed, next to where he was standing and looked into his eyes for an answer to who was on the other end and why he looked and sounded so serious.
Finally he said "Yes ma'am, I'll tell her." and hung up the phone.
"Joey, what's up?" asked Callie.
"Alison wants you to meet all of the Breakfast Club tonight at eight. She's picking you up here at the hotel. She said for me to tell you because she knew you'd probably listen to me since I'm your friend. I guess your mom told her about me or something. Anyways, it's a part of some plan she has."
"Okay. I trust her. She's up to something that I could go with totally, I bet," said Emily.
"Y'all, I'm totally jetlagged, so I'm gonna go sleep and I'll call later," said Callie.
"Okay, Cal."
"Night," said Joey.
Callie left and Emily threw an M&M that she found on the floor at Joey and giggled. "Joseph, do you forfeit?"
"Never!" he tickled her and she laughed harder, trying to get away from his tickling hands. "Do you?"
"Me? Yeah right." She grabbed her bag of M&Ms out of her pocket, where she put them last, and snatched a handful, with Joey still tickling her. She smashed them on his shirt, face, and arms.
He stopped tickling, put his arms up, and said "I surrender."
"Good. I win yet again."
"How about a hug?"
"Don't you dare Joseph Frances Klein!"
He hugged her and smiled as he got chocolate all over her. Then they pulled away. "Love ya, Em."
They started laughing as Emily started hitting him. She paused for a moment. "Do your parents know you're here?"
"Nope. All they know is that I'm off on a vacation. They don't care."
"Wanna be my knight in shining armor and pour me a drink while I find something to put our pizza on?"
"Sure." He got the drinks as Emily grabbed some paper plates that Joey had brought up and got two slices for Joey and one for herself. They ate and drank some and then were done. Then Emily went down to her room to change into a bathing suit since her and Joey had decided to go swimming, and Clarissa was coming too.
They all met down at the pool and jumped in. They all had a splashing contest and Callie dunked Joey. Then she ran to the hot tub so Joey couldn't get her. When he got out of the water, Callie told him that he better not do anything or she'll call her boyfriend to beat him up. He just laughed and went over to Emily, who was reading The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. He picked her up and she dropped the book on her chair and kicked and screamed and then gave up. she acted like she fainted. Callie laughed at all of it and Joey threw Emily in the deep end, which was seven feet. Then he dove in after her. She got to the top of the water and slapped Joey on his head as many times as possible while he surfaced. Afterwards, they all went to their separate rooms and hung out or took a shower or watched TV. After awhile, Emily was totally ready and called Joey and Callie to tell them that she was leaving and that she'd be back soon.