Chapter Seven

It was Joey's nineteenth birthday and she was looking forward to a night out with her friends, although in fairness, partying really did seem to be their number one activity. So far, University was proving to be a riot and Joey was even enjoying the study part too. She had been a very different person before leaving her family and coming to live in halls of residence. Now she felt like a whole world had been opened up for her and she was determined to enjoy every moment.

Strolling up the corridor, Joey spotted Charlie coming out of her room.

"Hey," she greeted warmly.

Charlie just stared at her, making her wonder why she even bothered trying to be nice.

"It's my birthday today," she ventured.

"Happy birthday," Charlie said politely.

"A few of us are going out to get dinner and then maybe heading to a bar or something if you'd like to come," Joey offered.

Charlie hesitated. Privately, despite the loud sex and drunken antics, she quite liked Joey. She thought she was pretty and kind and maybe in a different life, she'd like to get to know her.

"I have plans tonight," she lied. "But thank you for the invitation."

Joey nodded, although she didn't believe her. Then she headed past and towards her bedroom. Charlie turned and watched her go.

"Why did you invite me?" she asked awkwardly.

Joey spun back round and shoved her hands in her pockets. She looked Charlie up and down. Uptight or not, there was no mistaking that she was gorgeous. And even though she was rude to them all so often, Joey couldn't help but want to include her. She got the distinct impression that Charlie wanted to join in. She just didn't know how.

"Because I thought it would be nice."

"Nobody likes me," Charlie pointed out.

"Maybe they would if you let them get to know you," Joey suggested. "And maybe you'd get to like us too."

Charlie chewed her lip. It was a Friday night and Charlie was most disappointed to have found out the day before that her parents were taking Ruby away for the weekend. She had neither been invited nor forewarned and now had a lonely weekend ahead of her instead of the two days she had expected to spend with her daughter.

"It's too late," she said doubtfully.

"It's never too late," Joey said, stepping forward. "Why don't you just try and make friends with people, Charlie? Aren't you lonely?"

"I'm fine," Charlie said quickly.

"Well, if you do want to come out then we're all meeting downstairs at seven, okay?"

Charlie nodded anxiously, watching Joey let herself into her bedroom.

At 18:58, just as everyone was ready to leave, Charlie appeared in the lobby of the building. Everyone was surprised. Joey was pleased. Brax wolf whistled and Charlie blushed. She'd gone to some effort, wearing a little, black dress and putting her hair up.

"Glad you could make it," Joey said honestly. "Ready?"

Charlie nodded, still not convinced that this was a good idea. Hanging at the back, she followed everyone out of the building.

It was nearing nine thirty and despite her misgivings, Charlie was having a nice time. She was relieved to have found herself seated between Joey and Watson – the two least offensive residents of Halls. Watson was a gentle, unassuming character and Joey always seemed to make an effort to be nice to her. Having paid the bill between them all, Brax suggested that they all headed to a bar.

"Sounds like a plan!" Joey readily agreed.

She turned to Charlie.

"Will you join us?" she asked.

"Um... yeah, okay," Charlie said uncertainly, although she still wasn't convinced that it was a good idea.

The gang crowded round a large table in the corner of a bar. Joey was already three sheets to the wind and she and Brax seemed to be a good double act.

"Thanks for indulging me in a gay bar," she said cheerfully.

"Yep!" Shannon agreed. "I am so off men right now."

Charlie looked bewildered. She'd thought Shannon was dating Curtis.

"Even you can't have missed the break up of the Century," Brax remarked, noting her expression.

"Don't say it like that," Joey protested, elbowing him.

"Curtis and Selena are together now," Shannon explained to Charlie. "Hence my swearing off men for the next forever. I need to indulge my bisexual side."

Charlie nodded, a little uncomfortable.

"What about you, Charlie?" Angelo asked. "Do you have a bisexual side?"

He grinned to show he was joking.

"Does it matter?" Charlie snapped, without thinking.

"I think he was joking," Joey said quietly.

"Although, now we all genuinely want to know the answer!" Shane laughed.

"I'm gay, if you must know," Charlie blurted out.

Everyone looked stunned. Charlie was sure she had already come out to them all on the first night but then, she had hardly made the effort to get to know them. Her absence had obviously made them forget her.

"Damn," Brax said. "I think Angelo was hoping he had a shot."

Charlie looked horrified.

"Maybe you two should hook up," Shane remarked, nodding between Charlie and Shannon.

"I don't think so," Charlie said.

"Rejected!" Shannon said, pretending to sound heartbroken.

Joey snorted.

"What kind of girls do you like?" Watson asked.

With this apparently new piece of information, she was suddenly regarding Charlie with more interest.

"I don't know," Charlie said vaguely.

She was starting to think she had outstayed her welcome with these people already.

"But I don't just hook up with people," she added. "If I ever end up with someone, it'd have to be something real. I know you guys are all into one night stands and stuff but that's not me."

"We're not all into one night stands," Aden said a little defensively.

His relationship with Belle was new and scary. She'd dated plenty of boys but he'd never really had a relationship before, and he had certainly never slept with anyone. And he was growing increasingly nervous about it all.

"When you said 'if'," Angelo ventured curiously. "Does that mean you've never slept with anyone?"

All eyes turned to Charlie. She tried not to panic. Her instinct was to run away. She didn't like sharing things about herself; it made her feel vulnerable.

"It's none of your business," she snapped.

"Okay, different subject," Joey said, trying to move the conversation on.

It was getting late and Charlie was tired. She was relieved at least the attention had shifted from her and she was able to fit into the background a little more. Mostly, everyone was nagging Watson to go for it with a girl that she liked on her course.

"I don't even know how!" Watson protested.

"Just ask her out on a date," Shannon said.

"What if she says 'no'?"

"Then she's missed out big time," Joey smirked.

"Hardly!" Watson laughed. "There's a reason I never date."

"Yeah, because you're too shy," Brax said.

"And I'm unattractive," Watson frowned.

"As if!" Joey said. "You're gorgeous."

Watson snorted. Charlie sat back and watched the conversation with interest. She wondered how everyone could be so open with each other.

"I wouldn't even know what to do if she said yes," Watson said, unable to take the compliment.

"That's the part where you go on the date," Aden said helpfully.

Watson shook her head and mumbled that she'd barely kissed anyone before, let alone anything else.

"Joey will give you a whirl," Brax said, patting his friend on the back.

Joey looked shocked, as did Watson.

"Um..."

"You'd show Watson the ropes, wouldn't you?" Brax said. "So she knows what she's doing with the Sociology hottie."

Joey was about to refuse when she saw Watson look strangely hopeful.

"I guess..." she said awkwardly.

"Would you?" Watson asked.

"Uh..."

"I just don't want to look stupid if I do ask her out," Watson said, opting to leave her crush on Joey out of the equation.

"Okay," Joey said quietly.

She supposed she had nothing to lose.

"I can't believe you people," Charlie blurted out.

She cringed when everyone looked at her. She hadn't actually meant to say the words out loud.

"What's your problem now?" Brax asked her.

"Losing your virginity should be something special," Charlie said. "Watson shouldn't be throwing it away for the sake of practice. That's a stupid idea."

"Why?" Brax asked. "It's just sex."

"That's exactly my point," Charlie said. "Sex should be something you do with someone you care about. You're all wasting your lives and taking stupid risks by sleeping with anyone that asks."

With that, having had quite enough, Charlie stood, wished Joey happy birthday and stalked out of the bar.

"She really needs to get laid," Brax concluded.

Next time… Joey struggles with her memory of the night before…