For Born2Try. I hope you all enjoy Charlie and Joey's date as much as they do! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Fourteen

The meal had been lovely and the company, exquisite. Charlie felt relaxed for the first time in a long time.

"Can I interest you in the dessert menu?" the waiter asked when he came to take their plates away.

Charlie glanced shyly at Joey. She had never done anything like this before. She wasn't sure what the etiquette was when someone took you out to dinner.

"We'll have a look," Joey decided, smiling her thanks.

She caught Charlie's nervous look.

"You can have anything you like," she said.

"I don't know if I could eat a whole one," Charlie said. "And I don't want to waste it if you're paying for it..."

"Well, why don't we share something then?" Joey suggested.

Charlie beamed at her.

"Perfect," she said.

"I know I am," Joey said playfully.

Charlie giggled.

"And so modest too!" she remarked.

Half an hour later, having finished their meals and a second bottle of wine, Charlie and Joey left the restaurant.

"What would you like to do now?" Joey asked, catching hold of her friend's hand.

Charlie froze for a second and then relaxed into Joey's touch. She smiled and glanced at her watch.

"Whatever you'd like to do," she said pleasantly.

Joey raised her eyebrows. Charlie laughed nervously and reminded her that sex wasn't on the agenda.

"Who said I was talking about sex?" she smirked. "I didn't know you were so dirty minded!"

Charlie giggled.

"I'm not," she said. "I've just shared a wall with you for two months."

"Okay, good point," Joey conceded. "Fancy rounding the evening off with a couple more glasses of wine?"

"Sounds good," Charlie said.

Smiling, Joey led the way to a quiet bar, hoping that they would have the chance to really sit and talk.

Sitting at a corner table in a moderately busy bar, Charlie and Joey sipped a glass of wine each.

"So, tell me about your life," Charlie said.

"I'm sure I've told you everything already..."

"I know you come from Summer Bay and that you want to follow in your father's footsteps with the whole fishing thing..."

"Make it sound impressive, why don't you?" Joey teased.

"Well, tell me more about it then!" Charlie replied. "Do you miss your family now you're away? What are your plans after graduation?"

"Honestly? No, I don't miss my family," Joey admitted. "I never quite fitted in with them."

"How come?"

"They really don't like the gay thing," Joey explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Charlie sympathised.

Joey shrugged and sipped her wine.

"You get used to it, I guess. That's why I love being at Uni so much – because I get to be exactly who I am. Although, to be honest, I don't think I've quite done that yet."

"What do you mean?"

"When I started here, I was a virgin," Joey admitted. "I'd never drunk alcohol in my whole life. I was really shy and didn't find it easy to get to know new people."

Charlie's eyes widened in shock.

"So when I moved into Halls, I kind of rebelled against myself," Joey continued. "I went a bit crazy for a couple of months, doing all the things I would never have been able to do at home. But now I think it's time to settle down a bit."

"Is that why you're being nice to me?" Charlie teased. "Because I'm boring?"

"You are not boring!" Joey insisted. "You're one of the most interesting people I've ever met."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing," Charlie said doubtfully.

"It is," Joey said.

Charlie continued to look puzzled.

"For starters, you're a world of contradictions," Joey continued. "I mean, you're the most beautiful woman ever, the kind of girl people fall over themselves to date. And yet you've never been kissed."

Charlie shifted a little, feeling shy.

"Pretty pathetic, hey?" she said.

"It's not pathetic," Joey said. "Again, that's something great about you."

"It is?"

"You're so focussed, Charlie," Joey said. "You know exactly what you want out of life and you're going to achieve it. You don't get easily distracted. You're not flimsy with your feelings. You're not easily led, which I admit I am!"

She grinned.

"I'd love to be more like you," she said.

"If it helps then I'd kind of like to be more like you," Charlie admitted. "I wish I could relax a bit more, let people in. But I automatically hold people at arm's length. So I don't have any friends."

"You have friends," Joey said.

"I really don't."

"I'm your friend," Joey told her. "Unless you don't want me to be, of course."

Charlie studied Joey's face. She was overwhelmed by how beautiful she was, how her smile lit up her eyes.

"I'd very much like you to be my friend," she said honestly. "I know we didn't exactly get off to a good start but I think you're wonderful."

Joey smiled shyly, thanking her.

"So, you were really a virgin when you first moved into Halls?" Charlie asked, changing the subject and making her blush a little more.

"Don't tell anyone," Joey said. "I have a rep to maintain!"

Charlie laughed.

"Your secret dies with me," she promised. "And confuses me somewhat."

"Confuses you?"

"Well, you know, through a wall you really sound like you know what you're doing!"

Joey snorted, choking on her drink. Charlie laughed at her.

"What can I say?" Joey grinned. "I am the queen of blagging my way through any situation!"

It was past midnight by the time Charlie and Joey arrived home. Joey politely walked Charlie to her door and watched her unlock it. Charlie turned back, her heart pounding. She hoped Joey couldn't hear it. Personally, she found it deafening.

"Thank you for the best date I've ever had," she said with a coy smile.

"Thank you," Joey replied. "I had a really nice time."

"Would you like to do it again sometime?" Charlie asked.

"I'd love to."

They smiled shyly at each other. Joey moved a little closer, aware of how differently she had to play things with Charlie than she had with other girls.

"Could I kiss you goodnight?" she asked quietly.

Charlie licked her lips and took a breath. She met Joey's eyes and then looked away.

"If you want to," she almost whispered.

Joey gently caught hold of her hand and brushed her lips softly against Charlie's. Closing her eyes, Charlie melted against Joey's mouth. She could hardly believe that she was having her first proper kiss. If it had been with anyone but Joey, she would have been embarrassed to admit that. But now, in the dimly lit hallway, Charlie felt like this was the moment she had been waiting for all her life.

Next time… Charlie nearly catches Joey out…