Part IV
Newt awoke sleepily, feeling the body of someone else curling into him.
"Lauren?" he asked groggily.
Lauren stirred and murmured something incoherent.
He opened his eyes and found he was nearly lying on top of her; she had curled down to so much that her lower body was firmly underneath his and her top just angling to the side.
"Lauren" he nudged her gently, sitting up properly.
Lauren smiled softly and opened her eyes. "Hello Sleeping Beauty".
Newt grinned and looked away, slightly embarrassed.
"What time is it?" she yawned.
"Past 10" Newt replied, looking at his alarm clock.
Lauren nodded. "Better get dressed then...".
"You are dressed" Newt stated.
Lauren looked down, remembering that she had just slept in her clothes.
She laughed. "Right...Then I better just get up" she sat up and yawned again.
She glanced at his door. "You think Frankie knows I'm not on the couch?".
Newt shrugged. "Can't tell".
Lauren stood, stretching up and revealing smooth stomach that made him swallow. Hard.
She turned back to him. "Should I go out first?".
Newt nodded "Go to the toilet or something and then I'll go out and see if Frankie's up".
Lauren nodded and left his bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Newt went to his mirror and sighed at the smeared eyeliner going down his face and his messed up hair.
He scoffed and decided it was probably safe to go out now.
He walked into a silent living-room and glanced in at the kitchen.
No-one was up. Which wasn't surprising; the Niall thing must have sobered them up because the last time he saw Frankie she was downing another vodka bottle and giggling like mad.
The toilet flushed and Lauren walked out moments later, looking around.
"Everyone's still asleep" Newt told her quietly.
"No wonder" Lauren sighed "Last night was..." she trailed off, sinking into the couch.
Newt looked down. "You wanna do something? It's a Saturday...We could go to the cinema or something...".
Lauren shook her head. "I might just go home...Go back to sleep, get ready for this whole police statement".
"We'll have to give statements...In court" Newt said quietly "They usually let you do video links if you're young but...".
Lauren rubbed her temples. "This...is such a bad situation".
"Who knew?" Newt replied, sitting down beside.
"He did" she replied bitterly "He knew he was gonnah inject Michaela with heroin...".
"But he didn't" Newt added. "We stopped him...".
Lauren nodded. "Only in time...".
Newt nodded and stood. "You want anything to eat?".
Lauren stood and picked up her school bag.
"No...I'm gonnah just go home" she replied.
"You sure?" Newt added.
Lauren nodded. "I better go face the music sometime...".
"Well, I'll call you later" Newt said.
Lauren walked over and hugged him tightly. "Thanks...For...".
She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"My hero" she beamed.
Newt blushed. "Well...—".
"See you later" Lauren grinned, walking off.
Newt felt his cheek and slowly felt himself redden.
He hoped to god that she didn't know about how he felt about her. That would be embarrassing but...with everything going on right now; it probably wouldn't be the best thing to blurt out.
-
"Hey" Darren mumbled to Newt.
Newt glanced up from his position of the couch. He shook his head and went into his room, slamming the door shut.
Darren sighed heavily. He sat down at the kitchen table and put his head down.
-
Lauren opened her door quietly and walked in, closing it behind her.
"Where have you been?" Calvin asked.
Lauren jumped around to see Calvin, in the kitchen.
"Hey" she forced a smile.
"How are you holding up?" he asked quietly.
Lauren folded her arms "You mean before or after the psycho-path tried to inject me with heroin?".
Calvin smiled and shrugged.
Lauren dropped her bag down and yawned. "I'm just gonnah go back to bed...".
She walked up the stairs, leaving Calvin to stare after her.
-
Amy walked through the kitchen, glancing back at Ste and Leah, both fast asleep on the couch.
She smiled fondly and suddenly glanced back.
Niall had kept her up all night, she was beginning to think he would jump out at her, grinning madly and trying to kill her.
She shook her head firmly and walked back into the kitchen, searching for chocolate.
-
Myra stared shrewdly at the sleeping Michaela on the couch.
John-Paul, Mercedes, Jacqui, Carmel and Tina all sat beside her, staring just as numbly as Myra was doing.
"I can't believe..." John-Paul whispered "That he—" his voice broke off and Tine reached out for him.
Myra nodded. "I can't believe it either".
"I could kill him" Jacqui hissed. "I could rung his pathetic neck and string him up by his—".
"Jacq!" Carmel cried "That isn't helping".
"She woke up around 5" John-Paul added "Murmured something about Amy and then went back to sleep".
Myra jumped suddenly as the phone rang and zoomed straight over to answer it.
"Hello?".
The rest looked up and waited.
Myra gasped. "What!?".
"Mum, what is it?" Mercedes asked.
Myra shushed her and continued to listen to the phone.
She nodded slowly. "Okay...Thank-you...B-b-bye".
"Mum, who was that?" John-Paul asked.
"The police" Myra replied. "It's about Niall".
They waited patiently.
"He saying he's my son" Myra blurted out.
Jacqui stood, obvious anger in her eyes. "What!? That's it! I'm gonnah—".
"Stop it, Jacq" Myra interrupted.
She swallowed hard.
"What is it?" Tina asked, standing. "Mum?".
"The thing is" Myra began, turning her back. "I think he's right".
-
Frankie hung up the phone, obvious shock in her face.
"What's up, love?" Jack asked, yawning as he walked into the kitchen.
"That was Myra" Frankie replied quietly "The police called...Niall's claiming that he's Myra's son".
"What?" Jack gasped "That lying...—".
"She thinks he might be right" Frankie cut him off "She's just letting us know...for the trial".
"That's a bit of a shock" Jack added, walking back into the living-room. "Newt up?".
"In his room" Frankie replied, her mind still somewhere else.
"And Lauren?" Jack added.
"Must of went home when she woke up" Frankie replied.
"Can't be easy" Jack murmured "Imagine being cornered by that maniac".
Frankie smiled tightly and began making tea. It was always best to keep busy when something bad had happened. That's what she thought anyway.
-
Newt pushed his earphones in and turned his iPod on.
He sat in the pub, staring numbly at the wall. He probably reckoned that the pub was haunted, due to all the terrible things that happened there.
"Alright love?" Frankie asked, opening the pub door.
Newt glanced up and stayed silent.
Frankie went back behind the bar and started cleaning furiously.
Steph suddenly bounced in, all glamed up, wearing a pink mini-skirt and a black halter top.
"Steph..." Frankie began "Isn't that a bit...".
"Slutty?" Newt cut her off.
Steph twirled around and pulled a face at Newt.
"Just because some pervert psycho tried to kill a couple kids doesn't mean the world should stop" she replied "Besides, worser things have happened in Hollyoaks".
Newt raised his eyebrows.
"Craig's coming back" Steph told Frankie matter-of-factly.
Frankie sighed and looked up. "Look, I know we all want him back but to a point...We've got to let go—".
"He called" Steph interrupted.
Frankie's head shot up. "What? When?".
"Five minutes ago" Steph smiled "Something about missing a certain person".
Frankie beamed. "Probably—".
"John-Paul" Steph cut her off.
Frankie shot her a look and went off into a daze. "Well, when is he coming back?".
"This Wednesday" Steph replied, smiling idly.
Frankie grinned "This is fantastic news!".
"He's bringing Jared and Sophia" Steph added.
Frankie's face fell. "What? We don't have enough room for them!".
Steph shrugged and turned to Newt. "They were the first taste we ever had of your lot".
Newt folded his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?".
"They're..." Frankie trailed off, biting her lip. "Well, they're—".
"Emotionally unstable" Steph interrupted "Sophia's not so bad, wears black, loves heavy rock, sometimes chants weird language but Jared...He's like Marylyn Manson on a good day".
"Who are they?" Newt asked.
"My niece and nephew" Frankie replied "I didn't get on well with my sister...And we lost contact".
Steph smiled as she put on lip-gloss.
"What are you so happy about?" Frankie asked Steph.
Steph glanced down and smirked. "Well...O.B and Summer have got Tom for the day so...I'm going over to Max's and we are...Well, let's just say it's the only time I like not having to act".
Newt winced. "Thanks for the visual image I didn't need".
Steph twirled around again happily and bounced back out the door.
"Ignore her, love" Frankie said distantly.
"Can I go see Lauren?" Newt asked.
Frankie frowned "Isn't it a bit soon? What if she's asleep?".
Newt shrugged. "So?".
Frankie sighed "Off you go then...I need to talk to Jack" she walked off upstairs.
Newt stood and walked out the pub, smiling slightly.
-
"It was not Newt's fault!" Lauren cried.
Valerie scoffed and flipped her hair. "Look sweetheart, I know you're upset but I think it's for the best".
Lauren sighed exhaustingly. "You can't ban me from seeing him! Dad won't let you".
Lauren and Valerie both looked at Leo with folded arms and stubborn faces.
Leo shrugged uneasily. "Lauren...If you're mum thinks its best then maybe—".
Oh come on!" Lauren cried "You are such a pushover!".
"Don't talk to your father like that" Valerie scolded her.
"Like what?" Lauren retorted "Like you?".
A knock at the door interrupted Valerie saying anything else as she rushed to answer it. "Oh...you".
Lauren pushed her out the way to see Newt, at the door, hands in pockets and glaring at Valerie.
"Let me get my jacket" she told him.
"You are not going anywhere with him!" Valerie cried. "Leo!?".
Leo sighed and waved his hands up, gesturing to the fact that he was trying to stay out of it.
Lauren left her jacket and just walked out the door.
"Lauren Valentine!" Valerie shrieked "You get back here this instance!".
Lauren ignored her and continued walking, Newt behind her.
They got to the corner shop before Lauren leant against the wall and sighed.
"I've had that all...day" Lauren whispered. "I wish she'd never come back".
Newt sighed and leant on the wall beside her. "Hasn't been so bad at mine...Though Craig and a couple other relatives are coming to stay with us".
Lauren sighed. "More Deans? How can you handle it?".
"Apparently the brother and sister aren't exactly pink skirts and flowers in your hair type of people" Newt shrugged.
Lauren looked up. "What do you mean?".
"I mean" Newt began "Buy a mirror".
Lauren laughed "God, looks like everyone's getting in on the band wagon".
Newt shrugged again. "I suppose it won't be that bad...Did the police come yet to yours?".
Lauren nodded "I got home and went upstairs then 5 minutes later, they showed...How about you?".
"They appeared about half an hour after you left" he replied "Then everybody had to get up".
"Think they've been to Amy's yet?" Lauren asked.
Newt nodded "Probably".
"Something exciting finally happens in Hollyoaks and it turns out to be a homicidal maniac" she whispered.
Newt laughed. "Better than nothing, I suppose".
They carried on their walk.
-
"This sucks!" Darren cried.
"Darren, calm down" Jack muttered.
"Four emos!?" Darren continued "You have got to be kidding me..!".
"Maybe they've changed..." Jack murmured.
"Yeah" Darren nodded "Like Newt wants to change into a hippy".
"I called Craig and left a message" Frankie added.
"How did they even get with Craig?" Darren frowned "It's not like they live close to him".
"Which is why I called him, Darren" Frankie snapped.
"If they do come" Jack began "We can't turn them away...We can find room...Jared can share with Newt, Sophia can share with Steph and...Craig can share with Darren".
Darren's head shot up. "What!? No no no! I don't have room...at all".
Frankie narrowed her eyes. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the fact that Craig is gay, does it?".
Darren shrugged. "Look, I have no problem with it at all but—".
"Good" Frankie smiled "Then you won't mind sharing" she trotted off back down stairs.
Darren looked at Jack.
Jack shrugged. "Life's tough, son. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think your Craig's type".
Darren mock-laughed as Jack followed after Frankie. He sighed and fell into the couch with a sigh.