Hi guys
Hope you liked the surprise character I threw in there and are wondering her place in this fic :P
Lil20 - Will Charlie regret telling Rebecca everything? We'll soon find out :P
JSCO81 - Always throwing in new twists - you should all come to expect it by now lol! Hope you enjoy the way I do take this!
Fili - The plot indeed thickens but no I can tell you Becca ain't crazy or evil as you'll soon find out
Kim - Yes Charlie does want Joey back so will she do anything about it?
CJ4eva - You love your CJ lovin' - gotta love it! Well we'll see what's coming up for the pair...
Oniz - The drama always gets amped up every chapter! Hope you enjoy this one!
Okay guys here's the link for Switchfoot's song - 'This is Your Life'
.com/watch?v=q3ChmTwli7U
I think this song is perfect for Charlie so let's see if she's 'who she wants to be' or if she'll do something to change it...
Enjoy guys and don't forget to review and let me know what you think :P
"This Is Your Life"
"Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you've broken
Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes
This is your life and today is all you've got now
Yeah, and today is all you'll ever have
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose
Yesterday is a kid in the corner
Yesterday is dead and over
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life are you who you want to be?
This is your life are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose
And you had everything to lose"
The following morning Joey and Rebecca were seated at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Joey stood up to pour them some coffee. "So Gabby still doesn't know I'm here?" Rebecca asked. "The lazy one is still asleep upstairs so no I haven't had the chance to tell her," Joey answered. "So…are you annoyed at me for talking to Charlie last night?" Rebecca questioned meekly.
Joey sat back at the table, placing a mug of coffee in front of Rebecca, "I'm not annoyed Becca. You had a random conversation with a random woman who turned out to be my ex…not like you did it on purpose. It's just…the thing I don't get…why'd you even tell me last night? Why'd you tell me that Charlie's still in love with me?"
"It's the truth Jo…you deserved to know," Rebecca explained. Joey frowned, "Okay you do realize that by telling me this…there was a small chance that I would…" "End up hurting Gabby and breaking it off with her to be with Charlie," Rebecca finished for her. Joey nodded, "Not saying you're right but…you're Gabs best friend…thought you'd be doing everything to protect her from getting hurt."
Rebecca took a sip of her coffee, "Yes Gabby is my best friend and I'd do anything to protect her. But you and I are friends too and I knew I couldn't lie to you…'sides it'd be awkward if we bumped into Charlie and she spilled the beans. She'd probably think we were double crossing her and you used me to get answers out of her. It wasn't like that…though I admit when she introduced herself…I was slightly keen to find out if she was gonna make trouble for you and Gabs."
Joey nodded, lightly biting the inside of her cheek, "So…she told you she thinks she's still in love with me…?" Rebecca placed her hand on top of Joey's on the table, entangling their fingers, "No…she told me she is still in love with you and that she feels that she's strong enough to be with you publicly." "Please…this is Charlie we're talking about here…the one who completely freaked out at the 'idea' of being out with me," Joey shrugged.
"She's changed. Look I know it's not just enough for me to say it but from what you told me about her to the girl I had a heart to heart with last night…she's changed. She's decided her sexuality as 'irrelevant' and if she was given a chance…she would be proud to be with you," Rebecca replied. Joey hung her head, shaking it lightly, "I still don't think we're talking about the same person here."
"We are, trust me," Rebecca insisted, "She's changed and she's done that for you." "You really know how to confuse a girl don't you?" Joey confessed. "Yeah well you deserved to know how she feels. She was completely honest to me last night when she told me about her feelings for you. She didn't hold back and she really seemed to mean it when she said she would never be ashamed to be with you. Just think it through. I know it'll hurt Gabby if you still have feelings for Charlie but it's better then stringing her along," Rebecca told her softly. "I know and as much as I want to believe you when you say Charlie's changed…I'll believe it when I see it," Joey decided.
"Believe what when you see it?" Gabby asked sleepily as she walked into the kitchen. Joey looked up at her, "It's nothing Gabs. I'm surprised to see you up and about at this hour. You looked like you were gonna sleep all day." "Yeah well we don't all work at a bakery that opens at six in the morning," Gabby replied, yawning as she moved to stand behind Joey, squeezing her shoulders. "She's always such a pleasure in the morning isn't she Jo?" Rebecca giggled.
Gabby suddenly noticed Rebecca sitting next to Joey, "Oh my God, Becca what are you doing here?" Before Rebecca could respond, Gabby flung her arms around her tightly, "Didn't even see you sitting there." The girls broke their embrace. Rebecca smiled, "Well who did you think Joey was talking to, herself?" "It's not even seven in the morning, as if I was thinking at all," Gabby joked, as she sat down next to Joey, and entangled their hands.
"Well Grumpy Gabs is definitely up. Remind me why I came here to hang out with you guys instead of enjoying the empty apartment all to myself?" Rebecca sighed. "Aww Becca did you miss me already?" Gabby giggled. "She won't admit it but we know she did," Joey laughed, "Couldn't even go half a day without her sidekick around." "Who you calling a sidekick missy?" Gabby demanded playfully, before leaning forwards and pecking Joey on the lips.
"Urgh now I feel right at home with you two making fun of me then ending up with you two making out," Rebecca groaned. Joey kissed Gabby again shyly, "Becca's just jealous huh?" Gabby wriggled her eyebrows, "Yep just 'cause she hasn't got a girlfriend who's as hot as you." Rebecca nearly choked on her coffee she had just sipped, "Please…that is so not why I'm jealous…hello so not my type." Joey and Gabby giggled with laughter as Rebecca began blushing.
The three women were then interrupted as Aden stumbled into the kitchen sleepily. Aden raised his eyebrows at his best friend and the two other women with her. "Sorry about the City chick invasion," Gabby ventured. Aden broke into a smile, "Well the other day I was a guy with no housemates of my own and now God you send me three fine lookin' women…three gay women but hey…points for effort man!"
Joey stood up and walked over to Aden, ruffling his hair, "Morning Aid!" Rebecca screwed up her face playfully, "Why does everybody assume that I'm gay?" Gabby glanced at Joey, "Becca's a little bit slow isn't she? Don't worry Bec we'll be here to support you when you finally come bounding out of the closet." Rebecca tore off a piece of her toast and threw it at Gabby, hitting her in the face, "Sorry babe you know I'm straight. How many boyfriends will it take to convince you two to give it up already?"
"How many boyfriends have lasted longer than a few weeks 'cause they're just…'not right'?" Gabby challenged, then winking mischievously at Rebecca, "Face it Becca you'll realize the reason why one of these days. We're just hoping you realize it a little sooner." Rebecca sat there pouting, then looked up at Aden, "You didn't seriously think I was gay when you walked in here right?" Aden glanced nervously at Joey, then replied unconvincingly, "Nah…'course not."
Aden walked over to the counter to pour himself a coffee, while Joey sat back down next to Gabby. Aden turned back to the women, "So not that I mind the whole…City chick invasion but the pair of you would be…?" Joey took Gabby's hand again, "Aid this would be Gabby, the girl I told you about. And this one over here is Gabby's best friend, Rebecca." Aden nodded politely at each girl, "And the pair of you ladies followed our Joey all the way here to Summer Bay?"
"Well Gabby came to see me and Rebecca followed Gabby," Joey explained, "You don't mind them staying do you Aid?" "Don't bother me," Aden smiled. Joey giggled, "Obviously considering you came home last night and didn't even notice Rebecca sleeping on the couch. Mind too full of the gorgeous Nicole huh?" "Shut up," Aden blushed, "So anyway…what are you ladies planning on doing today?"
Half hour later the foursome were down at the beach. Aden had his surf board and was going to attempt to show Rebecca the basics on how to surf, before he had a shift in an hour at the bait shop. Joey and Gabby took a quick walk along the beach, hand in hand. They giggled as they kept glancing back to watch Rebecca's attempts at standing on the board – while it was on dry land of course.
"She's so uncoordinated, I don't know why she's even attempting it," Gabby laughed. "How is it that she has no coordination skills for surfing but managed to make it as a Personal Trainer?" Joey questioned. "Probably 'cause they hired her for her looks and personality over her lack of Personal Training skills," Gabby joked, "I mean she got you to sign up for self-defence classes. You can't tell me when she did that you weren't hopeful that she would be your instructor."
Joey blushed, then stared back at Aden trying to hold Rebecca on the board until she fell over again, "Oh c'mon…looking at her falling over like that…what kind of self-defence moves would I learn? Lesson One: Beating the bad guys by falling over and tripping over yourself!"
The girls turned around and began walking back to the pair when Alf walked up to them, "Hey Joey, have you got a moment love?" "Sure Alf, what's up? Oh ah Alf this is Gabby, Gabby this is our resident Mr. Summer Bay himself, Alf Stewart," Joey introduced the pair.
Alf nodded politely at Gabby, "Joey I was wondering if you could help me out. I'm sure Aden's told you he's working down at the Bait Shop for me. Well I was just in the Diner and Irene mentioned that her and Leah were gonna ask Aden to work a few shifts at the Diner for them. I mean Aden's been good for the Bait Shop but I don't think he sees it as a long term job. I'm looking for someone who might be able to do some work down there for me to cover a few shifts and was wondering if you knew anybody."
"Well no sorry Alf I – oww!" Joey winced and glanced at Gabby questioningly as Gabby elbowed her softly in the ribs. "Well you know…you're looking for work, Mr. Stewart is offering some work that I'm sure you'd be good at so…" Gabby pointed out. Joey frowned, "Yeah but…we're not exactly planning on staying in town for long and I don't want to take a job that I'll probably have to give up in a week or so."
Alf grinned, "Joey love you'd be perfect. Don't you worry that you won't be in town for long. A week or so is more than okay with me and if you decide to stick around town then I'd love to have you and Aden working for me. Come see me at the Surf Club tomorrow and we'll talk about it some more."
Joey blinked shocked as Alf walked away from the pair, "What just happened?" "I think you…just got yourself a job girlfriend," Gabby grinned. Joey raised her eyebrow, "No…really?" "C'mon Jo that's great for you. Even if it's just temporary. It might be nice to stick around town for a couple weeks. Let's go share the good news with your new workmate," Gabby insisted as she gently dragged Joey back over to Aden and Rebecca.
A few hours later, Joey was lying on the beach sunbaking as she watched Gabby and Rebecca swimming in the surf, and attempting to surf on Aden's surfboard which he'd left for them when he went off to work. Ruby was out walking along the beach when she spotted Joey lying in the sand. She went over and sat next to Joey, "Hey Joey. How's things?" "Hey Rubes. Things are really good. What about you?" Joey asked. Ruby shrugged, "Yeah not bad. Went over to Charlie's this morning and had breakfast with her. It was okay I guess."
"Things are still weird between you two aren't they?" Joey realized. Ruby sighed, "I really want them to get better between us. I just don't know how. I still don't know how I'm supposed to act around her. She hasn't really…made it clear on whether or not she just wants to be my sister or my…mother. Maybe she's waiting for me to work out what I want."
"Maybe she is but…she's the adult and she probably needs to be the one to take the lead. She's probably just too afraid of pushing too hard and losing you again. I'll talk to her for you if you want," Joey offered.
Ruby smiled, "Thanks Jo. That'd be nice. So how are things with you and Charlie?" Joey bit her lip, "They're good I think. I got the feeling she was…a little annoyed at me yesterday at lunch." "Oh you mean 'cause halfway through the new girlfriend showed up and you invited her to join us for lunch? Not your finest hour Jo I gotta be honest," Ruby chuckled. Joey hung her head, "Is she okay? I didn't mean to…hurt her."
"Yeah I know you didn't. She knows it too. Charlie just needs to realize that she's made some mistakes and you deserve to be happy…but it's up to you on who that's with," Ruby hinted innocently. "Well…we'll see what happens but I'm…kinda happy right now," Joey admitted.
Ruby glanced up at the two women in the surf, "So who's that other chick with Gabby?" "Oh that's her best friend, Rebecca. She kinda followed Gabs here to hang out with us. The pair of them are kinda inseparable. Their mums were best friends so they were pretty much raised together," Joey told her.
"They look pretty close," Ruby observed, "Are you sure they're not…?" Joey rolled her eyes, "They're friends Ruby, like me and…duh…never mind." Ruby broke into a huge grin, "What...? Like you and Charlie? Nice one Jo, I'll be sure not to tell Gabby that one." Joey blushed, "Shut up…that so wasn't what I was about to say…"
"Sure it wasn't," Ruby giggled, "Well I think it's nice that the pair of them are really good friends and have been their whole lives. And hey look they're on their way over here now so I'll quit teasing you about Charlie." Gabby sat down next to the girls, while Rebecca offered to go get the group some drinks from the Diner.
Walking up towards the Diner, Rebecca spotted Charlie standing against the fence watching the group, "So we cross paths again Charlie Buckton." "Like you didn't know that was gonna happen, Rebecca," Charlie said angrily. Rebecca held out her hands calmly, "Hey now it's not what you think. Guessing you spotted us all down at the beach there and now know that Gabby and I are…"
"Pretty good friends," Charlie finished, "Was that fun last night for you? Asking me all those questions? Trying to find out if I was trying to win back Joey, breaking your friends' heart in the process?"
"C'mon now Charlie I think you know it wasn't like that. Trust me I had no idea who you were when I met you at the bar last night…okay well I knew of you from what Joey had told me but it's not like I went there to hunt you down and tell you to stay away from Joey," Rebecca began explaining. "Okay…I believe you," Charlie decided, trusting Rebecca's honesty, "So why did you ask all those questions last night?"
Rebecca tilted her head to the side, "Well maybe I was just…mildly curious about you when you introduced yourself. After what I've heard about you anyone would be. I'm sorry if you think I was using what you said last night. I promise I haven't even told Gabby that we met and even though I don't want her getting hurt by all this…if you and Joey are meant to be then I'm not gonna get in the way by telling Gabby that she needs to keep Joey away from you. Gabby wouldn't do that to Joey anyway, she loves Joey enough not to hurt her. But you know I ah…I told Joey a little bit of what you said last night."
Charlie's eyes widened, "What'd you say to her…? What'd she say to you?" Rebecca smiled softly, "Told her you've changed and if you have a chance…you'd be proud to be with her." Charlie swallowed hard, then repeated, "And Joey…she said…?" "Well…honestly Charlie…she said that she wished she could believe me…but she'll believe it when she sees it…," Rebecca confessed, "I'm gonna…go get the group some drinks from the Diner. Maybe I'll see you down at the beach with the others when I get back."
Charlie watched Rebecca take off towards the Diner, then pursing her lips she repeated to herself, "She'll believe it when she sees it."
Later that evening, Joey was making herself dinner at Aden's. Hearing a knock on the front door, she went to answer the door. "Charlie," Joey whispered breathlessly as she found Charlie on her doorstep. Joey blushed nervously as she stared at Charlie gently, noticing that Charlie was dressed beautifully in a short black dress, with her hair straightened and flowing down her back.
"Hey Jo," Charlie whispered anxiously as she felt Joey's eyes roaming her body. "Ah…what are you doing here?" Joey asked softly. Charlie bit her lip, "Are…um…Gabby and Rebecca here?" Joey shook her head, "They wanted to go see a movie with Aden and Nicole. I wasn't really up for it…kinda tired after the last couple days…so I was just making myself some dinner. Do you…want to come in and join me?"
"Actually I'm here to…come out with me tonight," Charlie stated confidently, making sure it wasn't a question. "Excuse me?" Joey whispered confused. "Come out with me tonight," Charlie repeated, "Come out and have dinner with me." Joey's heart skipped a beat, "Are you asking me out on a date Charlie?"
Charlie nervously slipped some strands of hair behind her ear, "It's not a date…it's just two friends enjoying some conversation over a meal. Come out with me tonight." Joey sighed gently, "So it's…not a date?" "It's not a date," Charlie confirmed convincingly to Joey.
"Not a date," Joey repeated, surprised by how disappointed she felt. "It's just dinner," Charlie whispered. Joey nodded, "Okay…dinner between two friends…I think I can manage that." Charlie grinned happily, but silently had to keep reminding herself – It's not a date.
***
So...is it a date? :P