Hi
Thanks to those of you who have read, reviewed and added this story to their favourites. I'm shocked that it's reached triple figures for the reviews, so thanks a lot for taking the time to hit that review button…
Anyway, here's the next chapter for you. It was originally written to coincide with the previous chapter.
I hope you enjoy it.
Paperheart18
Chapter seventeen
I miss you too x
Joey Collins stared at the text message on her mobile phone. She smiled inwardly, as a huge grin spread across her face. Joey was powerless to prevent herself from basking in the warmth the message conveyed thanks to those four simple words. Four powerful words. Words that mirrored the desire and longing that Joey felt in equal measures.
"Charlie, by any chance?"
Still beaming, Joey nodded, as Becca slid down onto the couch next to her.
"You really like her huh?" Becca inquired, as she handed Joey a beer before taking a sip of her own.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Pretty much. I can't remember the last time I ever saw you get like this over a girl."
"Get like what?"
"Oh, you know, acting all mushy and loved up." Becca said, with a knowing smile.
"Excuse me?"
"You know, Jo… loved up. Smitten. Glowing. In lurve."
"What?" Joey spluttered, before taking an unusually large sip of her beer.
"Oh, come on Jo. It's so obvious. For starters, you're easily distracted. Secondly, you haven't nagged me for days about tidying up after myself or restocking the fridge with groceries. Third, you haven't even mentioned once that I'm overdue with my share of this month's rent. And last but not least, you've had the same stupid cheesy grin plastered across your face for the past few days."
"Bec, I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but Charlie and I are just…"
"Just what?"
"We're friends. I like her. A lot. We just enjoy spending time with each other."
"I see. So you're what… just friends with benefits then?"
Joey rolled her eyes and groaned. "You know I absolutely hate that expression."
"So you're not friends with benefits?"
Joey started to toy with her beer bottle, picking at the label. "I'm not sure what we are exactly."
"You do know that's a classic sign of sexual frustration," Bec said, smiling at her friend before giving her shoulder a slight nudge.
"Believe you me, I am not sexually frustrated."
"Oh so you are friends with benefits then?" Becca continued to tease Joey.
"No. I'm not about that. You so know I'm not about that."
"But you are… you know," Bec said, making a totally inappropriate gesture with her fingers." It wasn't a question. "So what about Charlie. I mean, what does she want? No strings sex? A relationship?"
"What's with all the twenty questions Bec? We're just enjoying each other's company. Can't that be enough? At least for now."
"Sure. But sooner or later it won't be. Look, the way I see it there's like six levels of "lesbian dating," said Becca, pondering before taking a sip of her beer. "The first level is where you're just hanging out. The second level is seeing each other. Third, there's dating. Then you're in that emotionally attached territory, where you become emotionally into one another but continue to skirt the issue to avoid the risk or responsibility of plunging into an actual proper full on relationship. After that, it's when things start to get semi-serious and you make that huge jump into girlfriend and girlfriend territory."
"And what's the sixth level?" Joey asked, surprisingly intrigued by the conversation.
"Oh, that's the end of the road… that's where you move in together. And we all know how lesbians have a tendency to go straight from level one to level six, don't we!"
Joey laughed: "Tell me about it!"
"So which "level" are you and Charlie at?"
"I dunno." Joey replied with a sigh. "I mean we've only really known each other for a few weeks. I know I like her and I'm pretty sure she likes me too. Does there have to be a level?"
Becca looked at the sudden seriousness on Joey's face. "Of course not, I'm just messing with you!" she said, laughing in an attempt to lighten the suddenly serious mood. "Don't look so scared Jo. As annoying as a flatmate as you can be at times, I'm not trying to get you to pick out a wedding dress or get you marching down that aisle."
Somewhat relieved, Joey smiled at her friend's good natured humour.
"Don't mind me. I'm just curious. That's all. Particularly when it comes to your love life."
"Why, is yours really that boring that you have to start dissecting mine?" Joey smiled, taking another sip of beer.
"Nope, not at all. Riley and I are all good, thank you very much." Becca smiled, as she took a couple of sips of her beer.
"That's good to hear. So this is just you being… nosy then?"
"Ah you know me only too well." Becca said with a laugh.
"Yeah, I guess I do. Thing is Bec, I'm just not sure I do relationships." Joey said, once again picking at the label on her beer bottle. "Or at least do them well."
"You're just not sure you "do" relationships? Seriously Jo, please don't do yourself an injustice…"
"Bec, Charlie and I have only known each other for a few weeks. I'm just… enjoying getting to know her. We have fun. But I… I guess… I guess the whole Jenna two-timing me with her ex has kinda put me off any kind of serious relationship."
"Oh, please! Jenna was a total waste of space, Jo. She never deserved you. Not for a second. She didn't realise how lucky she was to have you. And she proved that by cheating on you. But that doesn't mean there aren't totally decent and genuine women out there that do deserve you."
"Like Charlie?"
"Maybe. Perhaps. That's for you to discover honey. All I know is you're far too special to be left on the shelf. I know Jenna hurt you. Badly. But you can't let fear of the unknown hold you back because if you do, you'll be the only one to lose out in the end."
"Left on the shelf? You make me sound like canned goods or something!"
"You know what I mean. I've known you for what seems like my whole life Jo, and I just want you to be happy. With someone wonderful who deserves you and who'll appreciate you. Obviously I hardly know Charlie. But one thing I do know is that you were never this happy and smiley or laid back with Jenna. Or any of the others for that matter. So for that reason alone Charlie gets my vote."
"I do like Charlie. I mean I really like her. I can't deny that I'm extremely attracted to her. She's gorgeous. But there's so much more to Charlie than just aesthetics. It's like… it's like she takes my breath away. Literally. Just by looking at me."
"Ah the early stages of young lurve." Becca interrupted, teasing.
"But…"
"I hate it when there's a "but". So what's the "but" Jo?"
"But it's been a year since I've dated anyone, at least properly."
"And you're what… nervous… scared?"
"Terrified! Charlie… well… Charlie's totally the kind of woman I could so easily fall head over heels for. And I know I might sound pathetic, but that scares the hell out of me."
Becca looked at Joey with a warm smile, before moving closer to put her arm around Joey's shoulders.
"Jo, I'm not the wisest person in the world. I mean, I can be a bit of an airhead at times. But even I know that if you're brave enough to give someone your heart, the chances are they are gonna end up hurting you. Eventually. Some times in small insignificant ways… other times in massively irrepairable ways. I guess the trick is picking the ones who you think are worthy of that hurt. And just hoping for the best."
"When did you get so wise?"
"Wisdom comes with age Jo. Didn't you know?"
"What utter tosh," Joey said, laughing before playfully breaking away from their friendly embrace. "You're only a couple of years older than I am!"
"I know. And sometimes it is so obvious, Collins!" Becca laughed, momentarily patting Joey on the head affectionately.
"Hey, watch it!" Joey said, playfully punching her friend on the arm in return.
"Seriously Jo," Becca said, her voice suddenly taking on a more serious tone. "Sometimes we don't know what we've got until it's gone. The trick is hoping we realise that… before it's too late."
Joey couldn't help but notice the sudden sadness in her friend's voice: "Is this about you and Riley?"
"No. This is about you and Charlie. I've seen the way you look at her. And I've seen the way she looks at you. I don't know Charlie but I do know you, Joey Collins. I know you're very protective of your heart. And I know you're scared of getting your heart broken. Believe me, the last thing in the world I want is for you to get hurt, Jo. But I guess… I guess what I'm trying to say is sometimes the risk is worth the reward. And that's something I learned the hard way."
The two girls shared a knowing smile before they were unceremoniously interrupted by Becca's girlfriend, Riley, who blew into the apartment like a whirlwind.
"Hey girlies. I come baring gifts."
"Hey baby." Becca said, casting Joey a small smile as she peeled herself from off the couch and walked towards her girlfriend.
"Hey you." Riley smiled as she placed two large pizza boxes and a case of beer onto the kitchen counter.
"Mmmm… pizza. And more beer." Becca said, embracing Riley's waist from behind as she planted a tender kiss on her girlfriend's neck. "Did I tell you recently that I kinda love you?"
"Yes but tell me again."
"I kinda love you."
"I kinda love you too."
Jo smiled at her friends' open affection towards one another. Becca and Riley had been dating for just over a year and a half. Looks wise, they were total opposites of one another. Becca was tall and slender, with shoulder length blonde hair. Everything about Becca screamed "gay". From the boyish clothes she wore to the way she conducted herself. Whereas Riley was equally as slim, but she was a good eight inches shorter, with long wavy black hair. She was considerably more feminine in her appearance and for that reason alone didn't fit the traditional and antiquated gay stereotype mold. On paper, they were chalk and cheese. But get them in the same room together and you'd have to be blind not to see how much they adored one another. At just twenty, Riley was five years younger than Becca. She was at university, studying media and worked part time as an assistant manager at a local Hoyts cinema.
After managing to detach herself somewhat reluctantly from Riley, Becca started rummaging in the kitchen for plates whilst Riley concentrated on sorting out the drinks.
"So, what's new Jo? And how are things going with that hot cop of yours?" Riley inquired, as she handed Joey a beer, before proceeding to sit on the couch opposite Joey in the open plan apartment.
"Didn't you know baby… Joey's in lurve." Becca said, sniggering, as she set about dishing up the pizzas.
"Don't mind her Jo. My girlfriend can't help being annoying sometimes." Riley said, winking at Joey.
"Gee, thanks babe."
"Baby, I love you to pieces, but you know it's true."
Joey continued to giggle as Becca gingerly walked over, trying to balance three pizza-laidened plates.
"There we go girlies… tuck in."
"This looks delicious… thanks Bec… thanks Riley." Joey said, reaching for a slice of pepperoni pizza.
"By the way Jo," Becca said, as she took a seat next to her girlfriend."Ry and I were wondering… what with Charlie being a cop…. is she into the whole handcuffs and bondage stuff?"
Joey almost choked on her first mouthful of pizza. She had a feeling it was going to be one of those nights.
TBC
Author's note: here's a very brief teaser for the next chapter… Charlie gets hit on - by more than one person… Joey gets jealous… and we also get introduced to Georgie's girl, firefighter Alex.