Joey's POV.
A knock on the door early in the morning, rouses me from a broken sleep. Who on earth would call round at this hour?! I turn over, burying my head in the pillow, knowing Alice will answer it. I hear the door open then a female voice.
"Joe! Get down here." Alice shouts up the stairs. Eh? Grumbling and groaning, I get out of bed, quickly going to the loo then go downstairs, wondering who it was. I walk into the living room to see Chloe, one of my oldest friends from home, sitting on the sofa and looking up at me expectantly when I walk in.
"Chlo!" I gasp, surprised to see her. She jumps up and I give her a massive hug, almost squashing her. She's probably the only female friend I have and that's because we've been mates since we were about 8 so despite her being gorgeous, I never really looked at her in that way.
"What are you doing here?" I exclaim, and usher her to sit down then sit next to her.
"I saw your mam and she told me I'd just missed you by a few days! I was annoyed as hell so I thought fuck it and I got on the tube." She grins. Alice walks in with two mugs of tea and biscuits which she places in front of us.
"You're a diamond, Al." I grin.
"I've gotta go to work. Don't forget you've got a shift later on." She reminds me, before saying bye to Chloe and leaving the house.
"I can't believe you're here, babe." I grin, staring at her just to double check she's actually there and not a mirage.
"I had to come! Especially when your mam told me about some bird you're in love with. I heard her right, didn't I? In love?" Chloe gapes at me.
"Did she tell you anything else?" I roll my eyes.
"She might have mentioned that she's your cousin." Chloe states, nonchalantly.
"Why doesn't that surprise me."
"Oi, you know I don't judge. Remember Chris's birthday party?"
"Drunk snogging your sister's boyfriend isn't quite the same as shacking up with your cousin."
"Shacking up?"
"What do you want me to say then, regularly fucking?"
"Is that all it is?"
"No. No way."
"So you do love her?"
"Like crazy."
"So, what's the problem?"
"How long you got?"
"She was supposed to be here. Abi said she'd be here." I frown at my phone for the millionth time and jab at it just to make sure it's working.
"She must've got held up. She hasn't seen you in ages; she probably wanted to look her best." Chloe pats my arm reassuringly, as we sit in the caff waiting for Lauren. I invited Chloe along because I wanted her to meet Lauren, except Lauren hasn't turned up. I call her once again, and again it goes to voicemail. Helplessly, I call Abi and it rings a couple of times but she doesn't answer.
"I'm gonna have to go round there." I sigh, heavily.
"Her old man doesn't like you, does he?" Chloe raises an eyebrow.
"What can I do? Something might have happened. I have to check she's okay." I groan, banging my fist down on the table.
"Go to work and keep trying her. If she still doesn't answer then go round. Yeah?" Chloe suggests. Reluctantly, I agree and after a couple more coffees I slope off to work.
By the time the end of my shift rolls around, neither of them have answered or returned my calls so with a swig of Vodka for courage, I determinedly go over to no. 5, and knock loudly on the door. Uncle Max opens it, and his face darkens with anger.
"I don't believe this. I really don't believe this." He shakes his head, laughing dryly.
"I need to see Lauren." I tell him.
"When hell freezes over, son."
"Please, you've gotta let me see her. I'm sorry about what happened. I was really drunk."
"Yet another reason why you're not getting anywhere near my daughter. Go on, sling yer hook." He snarls, and then the living room door opens and Abi appears behind him.
"Let me talk to him, Dad." She urges, and ushers him back into the living room.
"You did tell her, didn't you?" I ask Abi, frowning.
"Yeah. Course. But-" Abi starts to say something else but I cut her off.
"And she said she'll come?" I ask, desperately.
"Yeah, but-" She starts and again I cut her off.
"So, let me talk to her. Please. Is she upstairs?"
"Look, Joey. She's not here."
"What?" I stare at her, confused.
"She's gone."
"Gone? What do you mean, gone? She just got back. Gone where?"
"She's gone to live with Mum."
"What the hell are you going on about? That doesn't even make sense. A few hours ago she was here, and now she's gone? Without seeing me? Why?"
"I don't know. She went to meet you, came back almost as soon as she left and an hour later mum picked her up."
"And she didn't say why?"
"She said it was too hard here. And she told me to tell you 'maybe in another life.' "
"Maybe in another life?" I snap, incredulously.
"That's what she said. I'm sorry, Joey. I honestly don't know what happened because when she came home she seemed really happy. She even painted her room." Abi shrugs.
"Why would she just go?" I whisper, hollowly.
"Maybe she saw Lucy or something." Abi suggests.
"That wouldn't surprise me. Fuck. And she's not answering my calls. I've gotta speak to her. Can you call her?" I ask Abi, urgently.
"I guess." Abi agrees, pulling out her phone and calling Lauren. She answers on the second ring and my ears prick up.
"Hiya. You got there okay? Good. And you're okay? I'm glad. Wish you were still here though. Erm, so Joey's here. He wants to talk to you. Erm, I could pass him the phone and you could tell him that yourself? Okay. Yeah. Yeah, I'll tell him. I'll speak to you tomorrow then. Bye. Love you." Abi ends the call, turning to me with a grim expression.
"What?" I ask.
"She said to tell you sorry but she really can't speak to you right now."
"You what? So she left cos of me?"
"That's all she said. I'm sorry. Try again tomorrow, though."
"You know what? I'll just go find myself a nice little corner table in there and forget all about it. That makes it easier." I shake my head angrily, pointing at the Vic.
"Oh, yeah. Get drunk. Cos that worked so well for the both of you before, didn't it? Jesus, you're pathetic." Abi spits at me and holds the door open for me to leave, then slams it shut. She's right. I am pathetic. So for the first time in a month, I resist the urge to drink and instead take out my phone and dial, holding it to my ear:
"Hiya, it's Joey. Please, just hear me out. I really need to talk to you."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for the reviews and the guest reviews I couldn't reply to. All your comments are much appreciated and glad you enjoyed it. As always, please let me know your thoughts :)