Thank you for all the reviews and guest reviews which I couldn't reply to- I'm happy you're all enjoying it! Also, thanks for the reviews I've been getting on the last two stories I posted- they were one shots though so there won't be second chapters for either of them! Sorry for taking so long to update- Eastenders is annoying atm especially yesterday's episode and it's reall putting me off :P This chapter is a little more positive though so hope you like it and let me know what you think :)
Someone for me at the door? Since I got dumped and spent my days drinking myself stupid, I kind of alienated the few friends I had left. Not even Whitney has been round to see me. Maybe it's her. I go back into my room and comb my hair then put a bit of lippy on. Like mum said, eh. I take a deep breath and go downstairs to see Joey in the living room, with a mug in his hand, looking way too comfortable for someone who broke my heart.
"What are you doing here?" It comes out sounding unintentionally harsh.
"Lauren!" He exclaims, jumping up. He reaches out to hug me, and then stops himself. Instead, he puts his hand on my arm.
"You alright, babe?" He looks at me, concerned.
"Yeah. Are you?" I nod slowly, still confused.
"Yeah. I just wanted to check you were okay." He tells me.
"I'll leave you to it; I need to get to the salon." Mum says and wanders off into the kitchen.
"You wanted to check I was okay?" I repeat.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" He raises an eyebrow.
"See you later, love." Mum calls, then the front door bangs shut.
"No, I just didn't know that's where we were at. Visiting each other and checking on each other." I shrug.
"Well, like you said. We're still cousins ain't we?" He smirks.
"So, are we friends now?" I frown, unsure.
"Yeah if you wanna be?" He grins.
"That's new territory for us. I'll give it a shot." I nod and a small smile crosses my lips.
"I wish you'd smile all the time." Joey murmurs. I laugh awkwardly, not sure what I'm supposed to say. His words hang in the air, just chilling there awkwardly, between us.
"Erm, here your mum made me this but I haven't had none so you have it. I'll make another." He clears his throat and hands me the mug. I take it wordlessly and Joey disappears into the kitchen. He comes back almost straightaway with the sugar pot and a spoon, and mixes two more sugars in to the tea.
"How you don't have diabetes, I'll never know." He smiles, affectionately and I'm touched he still remembers how much sugar I take.
"I'll take this back in there; don't want you launching it at me if I piss you off." He smirks.
"Oi." I protest and chuck a cushion at his retreating back. Hmm, this is different. Me and Joey, being friends. Just hanging out together at my house, not having sex. Hmm. Maybe we'll be better friends than we were a couple. After a bit, he comes back into the room with a mug and the biscuit tin. He sits down next to me, and we share a comfortable silence. There's no need for us to talk; I guess this is his way of showing he's here for me.
"You haven't drunk since that night?" He asks. I shake my head, and he puts an arm around me, squeezing the top of my arm.
"I'm glad. Really glad." He looks at me and the desire to reach up and kiss him overwhelms me. I should be able to kiss him. I still love him and I know he still loves me. But we're friends, now. It's all different.
"Shall I put the telly on?" I offer and he nods so I put it on, flicking through the channels, finally settling on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
"Lauren!" He groans.
"You wanted to come round." I shrug, laughing.
"But I don't wanna watch this." He exclaims.
"You know where the door is then." I smirk and he shuts up instantly, wrapping his arm tighter around me. We watch two whole episodes and I don't think about the bottle of vodka, underneath my bed. Not even once. I have Joey sitting so close next to me; we could literally be joined at the hip. I don't need to drink to get through this, because I want to savour this moment and remember it, always.
"No more, I can't take it." Joey groans as the third episode starts and he turns the telly off.
"I was watching that!" I protest, trying to get the remote back off him but he hides it behind his back and doesn't let me reach it.
"Why don't we talk instead?" He offers.
"You preferred doing other things with your mouth, instead of talking. Talking was never your strong point." I remind him.
"Well, maybe now I wanna talk." He shrugs.
"And maybe I wanna find out if Rob manages to have a date without his sisters ruining it." I slide my hand behind his back to get the remote but he traps my hand with his and doesn't let go.
"Just hear me out." He looks me straight in the eye, and I feel myself weakening. He still has a hold over me; he still affects me.
"I can't really handle another chat without vodka inside me." I grimace, jokingly.
"That's not even funny, babe." He frowns.
"Sorry, I didn't know I wasn't even allowed to make jokes anymore. Jesus." I snap. I'm about to go off on one when his next words leave my mouth hanging open.
"I believe you. Lucy spiked your drink." Joey tells me.
"What?" I ask gob-smacked. Maybe I didn't hear him right.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I should have, I know that. But it made sense; even if you were knowingly drinking, you could have still told me it was Lucy's fault. I felt like I'd lost you and I couldn't remember a time you hadn't been completely shit-faced; I couldn't handle it. I fucked up and I'm sorry." He tells me, quietly.
"What made you believe me?" I frown.
"I spoke to her, just now. She wanted me to go down the police station to give a statement about you hitting her. And I just realised that she actually is that spiteful." Joey admits.
"She's gonna report it?" I ask, in disbelief.
"Not anymore. But when I realised that she was prepared to press charges against her best friend, it all just made sense and I just knew. I'm sorry, babe." Joey tucks a hair behind my ear.
"You believe me." A huge grin lights up my face and I feel properly happy for the first time since that night.
"Sorry it took so long." Joey smiles.
"Better late than never, ay." I grin.
"I never wanna see her again." He says, angrily.
"You don't have to. We can boycott the caff, hang out here instead." I offer.
"And play twister? Or we could go somewhere more up market." His smile causes his dimples to appear on his face and I ache to touch them.
"Let's play twister now!" I run upstairs to grab it from my room, and on my way out I dash past my mirror. I hardly recognise my own face. I'm smiling and laughing; my cheeks are pink again and I actually look alive! Maybe everything will be okay.