Chapter Nine
It was a Tuesday lunch time, halfway through their first term and Joey was eating cereal for lunch. Charlie walked into the kitchen and eyed her curiously.
"You realise that's a breakfast dish, right?" the future cop remarked.
"I like to think of cereal as an anytime kind of snack," Joey told her. "Plus it was the cheapest thing in the store."
"Money isn't all the easy to manage at Uni, is it?" Charlie said.
They were both surprised at the way she was attempting to make conversation. She busied herself with making a cup of tea, offering Joey one.
"Uh... yes please," Joey said.
She'd run out of tea bags herself so an extra cup was definitely a bonus. Charlie nodded and took an extra mug from the shelf.
"How's your studying going?" Joey asked, watching Charlie's every move.
She had a lovely figure. Joey wondered why she hadn't noticed her properly before.
"Yeah, fine," Charlie said, pouring hot water into each mug. "Although I always feel like I'm behind."
Joey nodded.
"I seem to be chasing my tail constantly," she said. "Although in fairness, I don't spend quite as much time working as you do."
She grinned as Charlie moved to sit opposite her, handing over her cup of tea. Charlie managed to smile back.
"My Dad still doesn't think I work hard enough," she admitted.
"Seriously?" Joey said. "But you're always studying. Unless you're actually just sitting around your room surfing the Internet."
She smirked. Charlie laughed.
"I'm definitely working," she said. "I've just got to learn to be a bit quicker."
"Maybe you need to learn to cut yourself some slack," Joey suggested.
Charlie shook her head and sipped her tea, although it was still a little too hot.
"You need to have fun as well, Charlie," Joey told her. "Don't you want to make friends here?"
"Not especially," Charlie said bluntly but honestly. "I mean, in an ideal world but..."
She shrugged.
"There's an LGBT meeting tonight," Joey said. "Maybe you could come?"
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Well, you said last week that you were gay so I thought..."
"Just because I like girls, it doesn't mean I want to start marching in a parade," Charlie said.
"You don't have to," Joey said. "We just all get together on a Tuesday evening and hang out. It's fun. You do know what fun is, right?"
Charlie looked a little startled. Joey smiled and touched her hand, making her jump.
"That question wasn't mean to be that bewildering," she remarked.
Charlie managed a weak smile and withdrew her hand carefully, clutching her tea. The truth was that she hadn't had real fun for a long time. The only true joy in her life was spending time with Ruby and now that was restricted to weekends. She looked back at Joey's pretty face. She had mischievous eyes and a sweet smile. Maybe it would be nice to build up some friendships while she was studying.
"What time are you meeting?" she asked.
"Seven thirty," Joey said. "I could knock on your door at quarter past if you like?"
Charlie hesitated and sipped some more of her tea.
"Okay," she finally agreed.
Joey smiled. The bet she'd made with Brax wasn't far from her mind, although she wasn't about to be honest about it. She was well aware that every time she saw a nice side to Charlie, it was quickly ruined so she wasn't about to feel guilty. Well, not as guilty as she should anyway.
"Well, I'm going to go and prepare for my next class," Charlie said, standing up.
"Have fun," Joey said. "And thanks for the tea."
"No worries," Charlie said.
She paused at the door.
"If um... well, if you've run out of tea or coffee or something then you can use mine," she offered.
Joey smiled, thanking her.
"I'll see you later," Charlie said, still awkward.
Then she left. Joey sat back in her seat, puzzling over why Charlie had been suddenly nice to her. It was certainly an interesting turn of events and she might just win the bet after all if she played her cards right.
That evening, dressed in a figure hugging t-shirt and skinny jeans that showed off the shape of her legs, Joey knocked on Charlie's door. When she opened up, Joey was struck by how beautiful her neighbour was. Her hair, which was usually tied tightly back, hung loose around her shoulders and she wore a pretty top with jeans.
"Wow," Joey said without thinking.
Then she blushed. Charlie panicked.
"Do I look bad?" she worried. "Should I change?"
"Usually when someone says 'wow', it's a good thing, Charlie," Joey said easily.
She flashed her most charming smile. Charlie blushed and they headed on out.
A short while later, Charlie and Joey were sitting in the meeting with Angel, Watson and Shannon. Charlie was surprised to find herself having a nice time and she was particularly enjoying Joey's company. Of everyone on their corridor, Joey was the most likeable, as far as Charlie was concerned. She wasn't very impressed with her choice of friends though. Joey and Brax made quite the double act and Charlie was fairly sure that at least half of that team ran along the other side of the law.
"What do you guys do after this?" she asked curiously.
"We usually go to a bar," Shannon said. "There are a couple of nice, gay friendly clubs in town."
Charlie nodded. Joey smiled, studying her new companion curiously.
"You'd be welcome to come with us if you like," she offered.
Looking immediately awkward, Charlie hesitated. She'd been out drinking with these people a couple of times now and none of them had ended all that well.
"Aw, come on..." Shannon said, trying to coax her out. "It'll be fun."
Charlie looked immediately at Joey, remembering her question from earlier.
"Okay," she said somewhat stiffly. "I like fun. I can do fun."
Joey grinned at her and patted her hand.
"That's the spirit!" she enthused.
Three hours later, Charlie was a little tipsier than she would usually be and she was thoroughly enjoying herself. She and the other people from the group had danced and laughed and talked together. Charlie had stayed rather close to Joey, seeing her as the bridge between herself and the outside world.
"Are you aware that Watson has been swooning over you all night?" Charlie asked.
Joey looked confused. Charlie nodded towards the dance floor where Watson was indeed staring at Joey.
"Oops," the brunette mumbled. "I really don't think I made the best decision the other week."
"No kidding," Charlie remarked.
"Oh yes, I remember you telling me how disgusting I am for it," Joey said.
Charlie cringed a little and apologised, conceding that she might have been a little harsh.
"I wasn't expecting it to mean anything," Joey admitted. "She liked that other girl. That was the point."
"Did she ever make a move on her?" Charlie asked, surprised to find herself interested in somebody else's life.
"Yeah," Joey sighed. "But she had a girlfriend and wasn't interested. She totally led poor Watson on."
Charlie merely raised her eyebrows.
"I didn't!" Joey squeaked, although she wasn't offended. "I was very clear from the start."
"Unfortunately feelings happen, even if you don't want them to," Charlie said.
"Speaking from experience?" Joey asked, hoping to get to know her better.
"Speaking from spending a lot of time on the outside looking in on other people's mistakes," Charlie replied.
She finished her drink and offered to buy Joey another. Joey accepted gratefully and couldn't help but check her new friend out as she walked up to the bar. Angel and Shannon approached with raised eyebrows.
"What's all this?" Shannon asked.
"All what?" Joey asked, feigning innocence.
"You and Charlie," Angel said, as if she was stupid.
"I just thought it was about time she tried to make some friends," Joey said. "I gave her the opportunity and she took it."
"Nothing about trying to get her into bed then?" Shannon asked.
Joey looked very guilty.
"Joey, if that's all this is about then maybe you should just go back on the bet," Angel said. "I know she's a bitch and all that but it's not very nice."
"I know," Joey sighed. "I made the bet when I was drunk and then when I tried to go back on it, Brax wouldn't let me. What am I meant to do?"
"Lose the bet on purpose?" Shannon suggested.
Joey turned and gazed back to Charlie who was paying for their drinks at the bar.
"Come on, Jo," Angel coaxed. "I know it's all a bit of fun to you but it probably wouldn't be to her. Someone that highly strung really isn't going to appreciate being messed around... like, more than a normal person."
Joey sighed and nodded.
"I don't want to hurt her," she admitted. "But I also can't afford to pay Brax's rent on top of my own. And he really won't let me back out."
"Maybe you need to focus on finding the money instead of seducing Charlie?" Shannon suggested.
The conversation broke up when Charlie reappeared.
"Sorry," she said to the new arrivals. "I didn't get you guys anything."
"That's fine," Angel said. "I think I've drunk too much anyway!"
"So, what have you guys been talking about?" Charlie asked, settling back in her seat beside Joey.
"Nothing special," Joey said. "Although we all agree that it's really great you came out tonight."
Charlie blushed a little, grateful that the lighting was poor. She thanked them politely. This was the best night out she'd had in her entire life.
Next time… Charlie's parents disappoint her but Joey provides a welcome distraction…