so here's your first proper chapter ...

Chapter 2

With a suffered sigh he stared in the mirror, his head looking downwards as he fastened the last button on his freshly ironed shirt. It had been a while since he'd worn a suit of such quality, and in all honesty he wasn't too impressed he'd been forced to wear it that night either. Nonetheless, he looked good, really good. You needed a certain stature to make a suit look good, and Joey definitely did. It did feel good to make an effort once in a while, he had to admit, even if it was under duress.

Stretching his arms out to test the flexibility of the suit, he eyed his reflection in the mirror and decided he'd do. He had no other choice really. His father had brought him the suit and usually in the Branning household, what Derek said, was done. Noticing the time on the clock on his bedside table, Joey quickly ran his fingers through his already perfect hair and darted out of his room and down the stairs into the living room.

"Ah, there you are, sit" Derek stated, indicating to a spot on the sofa next to the chair he was perched in, glass of whisky poised in his hand "drink, son?"

"No thanks, Dad, I'll wait for dinner" Joey replied, smiling at his Dad. He wasn't a heavy drinker, unlike Derek, who was rarely seen without some form of tipple in his hand. Joey would much rather be at home with a soft drink or a can of beer. Derek however, liked his spirits, rather loved his spirits should he say. Whisky and brandy were his poison, and to Joey though that's exactly what his father was. Poisonous. He'd learnt the hard way over the years that his Dad was someone who demanded respect, even when he didn't deserve it.

Derek Branning was well known for his ways. People knew not to mess with him. He was a figure of almost fear in the community, but people also saw his softer side, especially when it came to his pride and joy – his daughter.

"Nonsense, you'll have a drink" he proclaimed. Moving from his chair to the dresser where the alcohol sat neatly. Derek was one of those people who liked his house clean and tidy, making sure his wife kept it up to his specific high standards. Moving back to Joey, he handed him his drink and sat down again. "so, how's my boy getting on at school then?"

"Good thanks" he replied, taking a sip of his drink, wincing as it stung his throat "I'm still not sure I wanna carry on after this year though, in education, I mean, I'd much rather work in the gym with uncle Jack."

"You'll be going to university, son, no doubt about it" Derek informed him.

Joey was a very talented 18 year old, who was pretty much the model student, his talents lay inside and outside of the classroom. He'd had a dream from a very small age of becoming a professional sports coach, ever since he'd spent his summer working in the gym his with Uncle Jack a few years ago he'd not really furthered the thought. But it was something he was sure he would persist with. Unlike his father he didn't have a hunger for business, he was good at it, very good at it to be precise, but he didn't have the passion for it like he did with sport.

"university boy that's where you belong…"

As Joey was about to argue his Mum and Alice; his younger sister, walked into the room. They looked amazing as they always did, but that night particularly they'd made an effort. Alice was a beautiful girl. She had the brains to match and would do anything to please her Daddy… she was a little blind to his downfalls and misdemeanours, truly living life as a Daddy's girl.

"You look beautiful, Al" Joey admitted, pulling his younger sister in for a hug.

"Thanks, Joe" she replied "Mum looks good too, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, you do, Mum" he informed her "it's nice to see you dressed up"

"Thank you, Joey" she stated

"He was christened, Joseph, you should use his proper name" Derek stated with distaste.

"Yes, sorry, my fault" she sighed, forcing a smile onto her face "you look very handsome tonight, Joseph. Now would you be a dear and help me bring the bread from the kitchen?"

Joey and his Mum left the room, returning a minute later. Following his Mum's instructions, they both began to organise the table ready for the dinner, his Mum was pulling out all the stops.

"Mum, how come there's only 11 places set out? I thought the new family had 2 sons?" Joey questioned.

"They do, son" she informed him smiling "Lauren isn't coming though. Max and Tanya called earlier. She's not feeling too well so we only need 11"

Joey shook his head and sighed heavily. Lauren would've been the only person who was able to make the evening bearable and now she wasn't going to be there. He knew she wasn't ill and that Max and Tanya were just being overprotective (of themselves, not Lauren.) He hadn't seem her for a while, which was odd, considering they went to the same sixth form and were in the same class. He made a mental note to call her later, if he could secretly find the time.

"You should forget about her, son" Derek admitted from the lounge "she's nothing more than a slapper. Pretty little thing though, I'll give her that"

"Don't talk about her like that" Joey hissed, glaring at his father, who had a smirk on his face.

Derek chuckled, "Oh, Joseph, one day you'll learn your lesson. I've warned you in the past, stay away from her, she's trouble"

"Please, let's not argue tonight" Sara, Joey's Mum, begged, receiving a silencing hand from Derek. The doorbell rang, cutting the tense atmosphere.

"I believe that was the door, Sara?" Derek inquired, raising an eyebrow at his wife

Quickly escaping the room, Sara went to answer the door, Joey's eyes on her as she left. There was a bustle in the hallway as Sara greeted their guests and showed them into the dining room. Their house wasn't overly extravagant but Derek like the best of everything, from his home to his food. "Please come on in…" she greeted the new residents, taking their coats and then leading them to the Lounge. "Max, Tanya, Abi...make yourselves at home"

She inhaled deeply and brushed away the invisible specks from her dress, composing herself for the rest of the evening.

There we go... what do we think ? Secrets becoming apparent already ? Back with the next part of the dinner party later on xx