Chapter 5
SENTITIVE TOPIC! SENTITIVE TOPIC IN THIS CHAPTER!
Max and Tanya arrived at the Queen Vic, hand in hand with big smiles on their faces. They stepped out of the car and looked at each other.
'Welcome back, Mrs Branning' said Max, smiling. Tanya giggled and clutched her husband's hand tighter.
'Thank you, Mr Branning. Now, shall we see our family?' she asked. Max laughed and nodded, pushing the doors open to the pitch black Queen Vic. Tanya frowned in the darkness.
'Hello?' she said. Suddenly, the lights came on, party poppers went off and confetti was flying everywhere. Max and Tanya laughed, as they made their ways fully into the pub. Tanya saw Lauren stood with Joey and Abi and smiled at her. Lauren raised her glass in a silent toast and took a sip…
As the evening wore on, The Branning's and the rest of the residents were having fun. Abi was currently dancing with Lauren; however she spotted Jay and shot straight over to him.
'Oh thanks Abi, leave me on my own' Lauren shouted over to her sister, rolling her eyes as Jay and Abi kissed. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Joey.
'Want to dance?' he asked
'What about our family? They'll see us' said Lauren
'Don't stand as close to me then' said Joey. Lauren pouted, but put her arms round his neck, while his slid round her waist, both fighting their willpower not to pull each other closer. Seeing as a slow song was playing, they started swaying and to avoid looking so close, Lauren started a conversation.
'By the way, I never said thanks… for today' she said. Joey looked confused, but it clicked in his head
'No worries. You know I'm always here for you, and I always will be' he said. Locking their eyes together. Lauren swallowed.
'Thanks, Joey. And same to you' she said, smiling at him. Joey smiled back and hugged her. Lauren tensed up for minute slightly, but then relaxed. She opened her eyes to find herself staring at her Uncle Derek from across the room, who had a murderous expression on his face. Lauren's whole body tensed and Joey noticed.
'Lauren?' he asked, as she pulled away from the hug and went to sit down. Earlier in the day, when Lauren was telling Joey what had happened in the gym, she had failed to mention the 'whole-staying-away-from-Joey' threat. Joey frowned and looked over to see his Dad, then he looked at Lauren and then back to his Dad, as the pieces clicked in his mind. He walked back to the table and sat down, just as Derek did the same.
'Well, I must say congratulations to the happy couple' laughed Derek, raising his drink. Max did the same and drank from his glass. Lauren and Joey both swallowed. Derek opened his mouth to say something, but Abi catch across him.
'Photo time..' she announced, pulling her camera from her bag. The Brannings groaned, but Abi scowled.
'This is a special day, I want some photos of it' she said, piercing her eyes on Lauren.
'Lauren, one with Joey… come on' said Abi, putting camera up to her eye and waiting. Lauren swallowed, but edged closer to Joey and smiled.
'Put you arm round her, Joey. She may be a Branning, but she won't bite' said Abi. The rest of the Brannings laughed. Joey put his arm round Lauren, and they both smiled as Abi took a picture.
'Aww that's so cute!' she cooed, turning her attention to her mum and dad, who groaned, but obeyed their daughters orders…
Lauren was feeling suffocated. Derek was watching hers and Joeys every movement and Derek looked like he was bound to say something at any moment, making Lauren tred on eggshells. Lauren phone signalled a message, so she took it out and read it, a smile of relief gracing her face.
'Oh thank god' she exclaimed, grabbing her winter button up coat and clutch as she got to her feet. The rest of the Brannings looked at her
'Where are you going?' asked Tanya, as Lauren finished buttoning up her coat
'Somewhere' said Lauren, dashing out of the Vic, ignoring her mum's calls to come back. Lauren stepped out of the Vic and headed for the train station, glad to be out of her Uncle's suffocating looks. She smiled as Whitney and Lucy came into view and hugged them.
'Thank God you got me out of there. I was going mental' said Lauren. Lucy and Whitney laughed, as they got their tickets and headed for the platform for a night out…
Lauren woke up as a booming voice shouted 'Merry Christmas' downstairs, she groaned and rolled, not realising she was on the edge of her bed and landed on the floor in a heap. To her surprise, she didn't feel as hung over as normal. She got up and headed for the bathroom, washing her face and cleaning her teeth. After doing that, she scrapped her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head and headed for her bedroom, just as Joey appeared at the top of the stairs.
'Your mum just told me to come and wake up' said Joey. Lauren yawned and nodded.
'What time is it?' she asked. Joey looked at his watch
'Seven in the morning' he replied, smiling as Lauren silently groaned and rubbed her eyes. Lauren leant over the banister, hearing everyone talking downstairs. She took Joeys hand and pulled him into her room, shutting her door. She pushed him against it, quietly and kissed him. Her fingers hooking through the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him towards the bed. Joey had a good idea of where it would to, but with their family downstairs, he wasn't going to risk letting them get suspicious and reluctantly pulled away, Lauren making a disapproving sound.
'We've got to go down. What if someone comes up?' he asked. Lauren let out a sound of defeat and sat up, locking hers and Joey eyes together.
'Fine. But you owe later' she said. Joey smiled and nodded, before getting on the bed and heading downstairs, Lauren following closely behind him…
As the day wore on, Joey and Lauren were finding it difficult not to be in each others arms and Derek noticed. As Tanya brought the food out, Derek noticed Lauren shuffling around in her seat. He chuckled quietly to himself. As Tanya brought the turkey out and sat down, Derek decided to taunt Lauren.
'Now, this looks delicious, Tan. All this hard work will be payed off, eh Lauren? Once we start eating it' said Derek. Lauren looked up at him through her lashes, as her mouth placed a plateful of food in front of her.
'Yeah, it will' said Lauren, her fingers playing with cuffs of her long sleeved top. As Tanya placed the last plateful of food down on the table, everyone started to eat. Derek kept staring at Lauren, making her more uncomfortable than ever.
'So Lauren did you like your presents?' asked Max. Lauren blinked and looked at her Dad.
'Yeah, I love them, thanks guys' Lauren said, smiling. Halfway through dinner, Joey started to watch Lauren. She was a jumpy whenever anyone talked to her. He watched as Lauren reached over to grab some more turkey and saw a red stain on her sleeve.
'Lauren, what's that?' he asked, his eyes fixed on her sleeve
'What's what?' she asked, sitting back down. Joey tapped the sleeve of his grey jumper and Lauren looked down at her sleeve, her eyes widening.
'Oh man, I got cranberry sauce on my new top! I've got to go and change!' she exclaimed, quickly excusing herself. However, Joey knew differently and shot after her. He crept along the landing towards the bathroom…
Lauren rushed from the dining room and up the stairs, into the bathroom. She shut the door and rolled up her sleeve, her eyes watering. She put the cold tap on and reached into the cupboard, finding what she needed and rushing back to sink. Suddenly the door banged open, to reveal Joey. He walked in, his eyes locked with hers, as he reached for her wrist, turning it over to see faint scars running across her wrist, as well a new cut, which needed tending to…
The rest of Christmas Day is yet to come :D :D Hope your enjoying this so far :D