"Lola, what are you doing here?" Jay demanded as he gently pulled the blonde female away from his body and pressing down on her shoulders softly to ensure that there was quite a bit of space between them, with his arms outstretch and his green eyes locked onto hers. Although, his touch was gentle, his eyes were telling a different story. Jay's eyes were staring down at Lola with a hard expression.
Lola sighed. She should have known. Of course it would have been a shock to Jay for her to turn up out of the blue and expect things to be alright. If this was her, she would go mental if someone acted like everything was okay when it most certainly wasn't, therefore she wouldn't dare to expect things to be alright the other way round. She knew what she had to do.
"Jay…I made a mistake," Lola stumbled on her words, as she stared down at her white converses.
"I'm sure Dexter would love to hear you say that," Jay stated sarcastically with his eyes rolling to the back of his head.
"I should never have left you!" Lola whined, "I don't know why I even went with Dexter."
"Maybe because you started your life in Newcastle with Lexi without me and you just couldn't wait until I got there so you took an interest in my best mate," Jay responded bitterly.
Lola gulped, "Jay, it wasn't like that," she tried to reason.
"Then, what was it like eh Lo?!" Jay cutted in, raising his voice slightly, "Actually, where is Lexi?"
"I left her with Pops and Honey," Lola replied quietly, tucking a strand of her bleach blond hair behind her ear awkwardly. "Anyway, this isn't about Lexi, this is about me and you." She added, reaching out towards his arm and rubbing it up and down his arm.
Jay twisted to his side to yank Lola's hand away, "Yeah, well there is no me and you," he spat.
"Jay, please," Lola pleaded. "I should never have left you. I'm sorry that I forgot your birthday. I mean, I didn't have Pops around and he always reminded me of birthdays."
"Oh dear," Jay said with a condescending tone, rolling his eyes. "So come on, I think I have a right to know," Jay began as he perched himself on the edge of the open bonnet of a car that he was working on. "You and Dexter, my best mate, how did it happen?"
"Well Lexi and I were staying with him and Ava until you came and joined us. Ava was out for the night, Dexter had put Lexi to bed and we just opened a bottle of wine. We started talking about the old times and then we got tipsy and I admitted how when he first came to the Square how I fancied him and Abi knew it. Then Dexter admitted how he had always liked me and as Lexi and I had been with him for the past month or so, the both of us had started to grow on him and the alcohol was getting to me and I was missing you and I just kissed him for comfort at first and then it went to the bedroom. It's just…the reason I went with Dex was because he gave me fireworks, gave me the excitement that I needed in my life y'know."
"What and I didn't?!" Jay exclaimed.
"I didn't say that," Lola rolled her eyes. "The problem was I fell for you Jay, I liked you but for years I had to keep that to myself and they were hidden away and the feelings weren't there because you were so convinced that you loved Abi. Then within time, you said that you loved me and I felt that you gave me stability, you knew what you wanted. And that's where Dexter was different- we just went with the flow. Him and Ava gave Lexi and I a nice home, we weren't worried about where we were going to end up. I wanted stability for Lexi and plus Dexter wanted me from the start, he gave me the excitement and the fireworks."
"So as you sound so convinced that Dexter is the one then why are you back here?" Jay demanded.
"I guess it weren't all cracked up to be and it blinded me and made me realise that I made a mistake and that I still want you, I still love you," Lola responded, sadly.
"And why's that?" Jay raised his eyebrow, folding his arms arrogantly across his chest. "What happened to the honeymoon period eh?"
"I realised that he wasn't committed. He wasn't committed in being a family, he just wanted me and to have fun with me, it felt like he didn't care about the baggage that I had, like Lexi. He goes out with his friends up Newcastle every night and gets drunk and gambles. Them, occasionally he use to bring a few of his friends back and continue drinking. I had enough. Then there was you, you accepted me and Lexi together and you loved us and I was so stupid to let you go and I am so sorry for missing your birthday and ditching you on your birthday. I love you…"
"Yeah, well you're too late," Jay spoke bluntly as he grabbed a spanner and turned back to his work, bending over the bonnet.
"What do you mean?" Lola started to panic, "Jay please, I'm sorry. I should never have left. I love you, please give us another chance!" She pleaded, running round to Jay's side.
"I don't love you Lola," Jay stated calmly. "I think it was a moment of madness to be honest with ya."
"What's that supposed to me?" Lola cried, "You told me that you had always liked me and how you had done for ages. What possibly changed?"
"When I found out what you were really like," Jay mumbled.
"And what am I like exactly?" Lola said, feeling offended, "I mean, you've always known what I was like."
"I meant how you were when we were together," Jay interrupted. "I saw how you were with Peter and I thought 'Yeah, a girl that was willing to do anything for their relationship' which is what I felt what I needed but when you went with me, you left me and you could have come back until I was off tag but you decided not to and then you go off with my best mate. I mean, I use to wind Dexter up saying how you two were going to get together but I would have never expected the two of you to do this to me. All I can say is that I'm glad that I found out sooner and that I was better of knowing."
"I'm so sorry," Lola apologised. "I got scared and I was without you and my head was all over the place. Jay, I love you."
"Well like I said," Jay gulped as he continued working on the car. "You're too late."
"What as in there's someone else?" Lola raised her eyebrow, alarmed, feeling her heart slowly breaking.
"Could say that, yeah," Jay shrugged. "I'm actually waiting for her to turn up so y'know you're cramping my style."
"Charming! So come on then, do I know her?" Lola demanded.
"What's it got to do with you, eh?" Jay stated defensively. "Don't forget that you left me for my best friend so what did you expect me to do? Sit around and mope for the rest of my life? You might know the girl, you might not, but I'll tell you something- she's worth fighting for!"
"It's Abi isn't it?" Lola gulped.
"What if it is?" Jay questioned, challengingly.
"She's with Ben?" Lola chuckled, awkwardly.
"Not anymore."
"I'm never going to live up to Miss Marple's standards am I?!"
"Oh no, don't pull that one on me Lo! I actually chose you over Abi a year ago but you ditched me for Dexter. It just taught me a lesson and made me realise that I was a complete and utter prat for leaving Abi- I mean, what have achieved from it, eh?"
"Erm me and Lexi, that's what you achieved," Lola stated like it was obvious.
"A ready-made family that's all I need," Jay mumbled.
"Are you dissing my little girl?!" Lola exclaimed, outraged.
"No I'm not," Jay shook his head. "In fact, you should be getting back to Lexi. I'm sure she needs her mum. It's better than running off and chasing after your next bloke. I don't care what you do Lola, we're finished for good. You had your chance."
"Flammin' Scabi," Lola growled before stomping out of the Arches.
Jay rolled his eyes. He was serious when it came to Lola. He didn't care what she did from now on. Yes, he liked her once but he didn't love her. He realised that the feelings he had for Lola were nowhere near as close to the feelings that he had for Abi. He believed that he would always have these feelings for her.
Yes, he had always heard people say how you never forget your first love which is correct, as when Jay was with Lola and Abi was with Ben, he didn't forget her but just felt that he didn't have romantic feelings for her. If you saw your first love, maybe you would develop some feelings for them as they were your first love but you could move on from them, but with Abi, he felt like he couldn't move on and that he never would. She was the one and he was going to win her back, whatever it took.
"I don't stand a chance, I should never have even considered going," Abi argued as she ranted over the phone to Holly as she was bowling through the busy market.
"Abi, for the hundredth time, it might be different," Holly reassured. "What are you even doing on the phone to me? Go to Jay and get him before Lola does. You never know, he probably told her to go away. For what she did, I don't think Jay's that stupid."
"Oh no, sooner or later, Lola will get her claws into him," Abi growled. "So I might as well save myself from the hurt and walk away. I should just look forward to New Zealand, spend some time with my immediate family and maybe I will start a new life there. I think it's for the best."
"Oh Abi, you can't give up now!" Holly whined, "Just go to Jay and talk to him."
"No Holly, I'm not going to talk to Jay," Abi snapped. "That's it for me and him. I'm going to go now because I'm fed up of talking about Jay!"
Despite Holly's pleas of telling Abi not to go, Abi still hung up the phone. Abi sighed frustratedly as she stared at her phone and continued walking. Little did she know that she was about to suddenly bash into a figure until she did.
"Oh!" Abi exclaimed alarmed as she got faced with reality. However, she felt her blood start to fizz rapidly when she realised who she was up close to- Ben Mitchell.
"Abi," Ben said calmly. "Can we talk?"
"Get out of my way," Abi spat, getting angrier by the second.
"Please Abs, can we just talk?" Ben pleaded, "While it's just you and me. I didn't mean to react the way I did last night, I just wanted to talk to you."
"Just get out of my way!" Abi cried as she shoved Ben out of her way, but soon a familiar hand grabbed hold of her wrist and dragged her into the Vic alleyway despite Abi's attempts of trying to get away.
Ben shut the gate, leaving him and Abi alone in the alleyway.
"Ben, what the hell do you think you are playing at?" Abi hissed angrily, "You can't do this!"
"Abi, can you please just let me talk to you?" Ben asked, growing impatient. He hadn't even had the chance to talk to Abi since they broke up and despite how much he wanted to be with Paul, he wanted to be with Abi and for once in his life, he did not want Jay to be better than him. He didn't want Jay to have Abi.
"You have one minute," Abi growled as she leant her back against the wall and folded her arms across her chest stubbornly.
"I know I'm an idiot for going with Paul behind your back but whenever I met him, I couldn't stop thinking about you," said Ben. "I never stopped feeling guilty because I loved you and I still do."
"Okay, next joke," Abi rolled her eyes.
"I'm being serious Abi!" Ben exclaimed, "Just listen to me. Yes, I slept with Paul but you also slept with Jay so that makes us even."
"How could that possibly make us even?!" Abi raised her voice in disbelief, "Yes I slept with Jay, but you slept with Paul multiple times! To be honest, if Jay and I hadn't have caught you at the crime, you would have still kept on going behind my back now. It's only now that you've been caught, you suddenly realise that you have to have me back. I'm not being treated like a mug, Ben. I'm not going to let you or anyone walk all over me."
"I haven't been walking all over you, Abi," Ben added.
"Oh so what had you been doing for almost our entire relationship Ben?!"
Ben gulped, "Yeah well same goes for you really, if I hadn't have walked in on you and Jay at the Arches then I wouldn't have found out and maybe you two would have been going on behind my back."
Abi laughed bitterly before staring at him coldly, "A) I'd never do that to you, b) if you hadn't have cheated on me with Paul and then caught you at it, then I probably wouldn't have slept with Jay or even dreamt of it, and c) it would have been none of your business if you didn't find out anyway."
"I think you'll find that it is my business as Jay is my brother," Ben stated. "Like I said, we're both even but please, give us another chance? To prove to you that you're the only one for me."
Abi shook her head, "I'm sorry Ben, but no. I am not being treated like a doormat. I'm not going to be like my mum, going back to my dad after everything he did time and time again. I'm not doing that to myself, I'm not putting myself through that. Thinking about it, I think if I got back with you, I'd be an even bigger joke than my mum!"
"Abi, please," Ben pleaded softly, feeling hot tears burn up within his pupils. "Don't do this."
"I'm sorry Ben but we're over, for good. I should have known that you weren't straight, we should never have got together. I find it really sad that this is what we've become as we used to be so close when we were kids but I guess things happen for a reason. Maybe in the future, perhaps we will be friends but we will never go back to being an item," Abi stated sternly and with meaning dripping out of her voice. "And don't worry- I'm not going to get back with Jay either so there's no need to lose sleep over that. Yes, I recall you saying how you think that Jay's better than you during our late night conversations, how you think that Phil prefers Jay over you." With that, Abi went over to the gate and grabbed hold of the latch.
"I love you Abs," Ben choked. "Please don't go."
Abi turned round to face the guy who she had known for oh so many years. She wasn't emotionless; she was nowhere near that. Yes, she was upset that they had finished but she wasn't burnt out over that, she was devastated that her childhood best friend would consider doing this to her. Ben didn't just destroy a relationship, he destroyed a pure friendship that had lasted for almost up to 10 years.
"If you really do love me, then I suggest that you keep your distance," Abi ordered quietly before she silently disappeared out of the gate and made her way into the café.
Abi felt that she needed a break from relationships. She couldn't deal with all the drama and the heartbreak. She needed time to herself and let her find herself and who she really is.
Abi entered the café, gasping for a cup of coffee. She walked over to the counter and waiting patiently to be served.
"Oh hello Abs!"
Abi turned her head to the side and flashed a smile at the person who was standing beside her, "Jordan!"
"How you keeping up after last night?" Jordan chuckled.
"Just had a run in with Ben," Abi rolled her eyes. "But that's all sorted now."
"You know what you need," Jordan immediately stated. "A night out- what do you say? How about you and I go out tonight if you're not doing anything? As friends, I mean. But let's not go to the Vic, I hear that Denise's sister's husband owns half of the Albert."
"Yeah and the Mitchells own the other half," Abi rolled her eyes. "But only Sharon goes there so it wouldn't be too bad, it would be nice to go out with a male that's just a friend."
"Okay great," Jordan smiled. "So I'll pick you up at 7?"
"Yeah great," Abi said excitedly. "I live at Grandma Dot's now."
"I'll come for you there then," Jordan added cheekily which made Abi laugh.
"There you go, love," Marie interrupted, which made Jordan and Abi's eyes divert to the counter where Marie placed a cup of coffee in a takeaway cup in front of Jordan.
"Thanks," Jordan said briefly as he picked up the cup of coffee before turning to Abi, "I better get going. I'll see you tonight!"
"See you tonight," Abi flashed her old friend a smile before he evacuated out of the café.
"Alright Abi, what can I get ya?" Marie asked Abi politely.
Jay sighed sadly as he closed up the Arches for the day. It was 4 'o' clock in the afternoon. Abi was supposed to turn up hours ago. What was she playing at? She never stood him up. Maybe she got cold feet; maybe she changed her mind about meeting him. That girl has a mind of her own! His subconscious contemplated in which Jay just rolled his eyes at. It didn't really bother Jay. He would still go after her because Abi was not Lola. He loved Abi and was certain that he always will, for as long as he lived. Abi not turning up just made Jay even more determined to go after Abi and prove how much he loves her.
Jay inhaled the early evening's air as he took a stroll past the play park. He decided that he was going to grab a doughnut from the café before he went home. He wasn't necessarily looking forward to going home, nowadays he saw it as just a place where he can rest his head for the night.
Jay went straight over to the counter when he entered the café. The café was strangely quiet with just some low key music playing in the background. He spun his head round to engross on his surroundings when he noticed Abi sitting on the far back table, staring into her mug as her hands clasped around it. Jay let out a sigh as he slowly but quietly made his way over to her.
"It's not like you to stitch me up," Jay said casually as he went and sat beside Abi on the light blue sofa. Abi looked at Jay and swallowed some salvia before she turned her head away.
"Yeah well you seemed pretty occupied when I arrived," Abi stated sadly.
"What do you mean?" Jay frowned, "Abs, you knew I was working."
Abi turned to Jay coldly, "I'm not talking about working, you dummy," she spoke abruptly. "I'm talking about Lola."
The penny dropped. Jay's mouth stood in a perfect 'o' shape with his eyes widened, "Oh!"
"Yeah 'Oh!'" She mocked, "Couldn't keep her hands off you!"
"It wasn't like that Abs," He tried to reason with her by using a gentle approach.
"Then, what was it like Jay?!" Abi raised her voice, "You going to fob me off with another story? You know what, just forget it." Abi cried as she quickly got up and ran out of the café.
Jay sighed heavily as he got up and practically ran after her, "Abs, just let me explain!" He pleaded as he followed closely behind her as she paced through the market and towards the Square gardens.
"What is it with boys and explaining?" Abi questioned. "I don't want to know Jay, just go back to Lola."
"I don't want Lola, I want you," Jay stated firmly.
"Yeah it really looked like it when she had her hands all over you," Abi responded sarcastically, "Her arms wrapped around your neck."
"Yeah but if you stayed longer, you would have seen me push her away," Jay stated smugly. "I told her where to go, I told her that I'm not interested, she can go to Australia for all I care!"
"Yeah as if she'd listen to that," Abi scoffed.
"Well if she doesn't, I will keep telling her until she gets the message," Jay promised.
"We all know that she'll get you eventually," Abi argued.
"Well she won't and that I can promise ya," Jay said reassuringly.
"I've had enough of everyone's promises, promises that they can't keep, I've had enough!"
"I will keep my promises."
"Yeah like you made such a good job of it last time," Abi rolled her eyes as she walked towards Dot's house and got her keys out of her pocket.
"Yeah well this time I will do better," Jay insisted as he rested his arm on the wall by the house. "Come on Abi, please."
Abi shook her head sadly, "You know Jay, I wanted to meet you this afternoon because I thought that maybe we could put everything behind us and start again but after what I saw with Lola, that changes everything."
"How does this change anything? So what if Lola's back? I wish she'd go away if I'm honest. I want to be with you, you're all I want."
"Yeah, that's what I convinced myself through all of my A level exams and trying to get into uni, but I was wrong!"
"Things will be different this time I promise you!"
"I'm sorry Jay, but I can't! Just go back to Lola," Abi growled.
"I don't want to go back to Lola, I want to be with you," Jay stated firmly.
"Yeah well you can't," Abi responded in a blunt and stern manner. "I can't do this to myself, not again, I'm sorry."
With that, Abi opened the front door and stepped inside the house. Without hesitation and without looking back, she slammed the front door shut. Jay sighed frustratedly as he walked away from the house. This was all Lola's fault. If she had just stayed in Newcastle, then maybe him and Abi would have been back together by now. Jay growled angrily as he kicked the black railings of the Square gardens hard.
"You remind me of your father every time that I see you."
Jay had his hands wrapped around two of the railings as he turned his head to the side, taking deep and steady breathes in order to compose himself. From a distance, outside of Stacey's old flat stood a black jeep. Standing in front of the old jeep and smiling at him was his stepmother Dawn Swann with Gary Hobbs against the bonnet with a little girl with blonde bunches sitting in the bonnet, facing Gary. Gary was chuckling softly in Jay's direction whereas Dawn was smiling widely at him.
"Dawn," Jay gulped as he slowly made his way over to the small family.
"Hello darling," Dawn giggled as she opened her arms out wide towards Jay as he willingly leapt into her welcoming arms.
A/N: So what do you think of Dawn, Gary and Summer returning to Walford?!
Please, please, please let me know what you think of this chapter by commenting, favouriting and following, it doesn't take a second and it really does mean the world to me as your support and knowing that people are enjoying my story is what really motivates me.
Until the next time…x