Chapter Twenty-Four
Monday had arrived and Charlie and Joey had been in drama class for nearly two hours. Joey had been nervous and Charlie pretended not to be. It was exclusively a female class. Joey hadn't yet felt ready to trust men again and this particular class felt safest to her. Charlie felt willing to do almost anything for her so if an all female drama group was what she wanted, that was what she was going to get, even if it might take Charlie out of her own comfort zone. So far, there had been a lot of laughter and various exercises as everybody got to know each other. The class had officially started two weeks ago but it didn't take very long for Charlie and Joey to catch up and feel comfortable enough to join in.
"Now, for the last few minutes, I want to talk about the production we're going to put on over the summer," the teacher, Ms Harboard began.
Joey looked at Charlie, completely panicked. Charlie held her hand to reassure her.
"We're doing Romeo and Juliet."
There was a murmur of interest and discussion amid the group.
"Back in Shakespeare's time, all the parts were played by men. Since then, women have been playing the female roles and in this group, us girls are playing all the roles!"
She got the reaction she'd hoped for.
"Okay, so, go and read the play, at least a little, figure out what part you'd like to audition for and come prepared next week for auditions," Ms Harboard told them.
The class of women, ranging from being in their twenties to their fifties, stood up and began to mill out of the room. Joey stuck close to Charlie at all times.
"It was great to meet you guys," said a woman around their age.
Her name was Amber and she had provided a lot of amusement in class with her funny routines and skits.
"It was good to meet you too," Charlie and Joey said in unison.
Amber smiled at them.
"So, do you live nearby?" she asked.
"Just over in Summer Bay," Charlie said.
"That's so funny, me too. I just moved there a couple of weeks ago."
She glanced at her watch.
"Saying that, I'm going to miss my bus. I'll catch you guys next week."
"Do you want a lift?" Charlie offered.
"Oh, are you sure?" Amber asked, pleasantly and genuinely surprised.
"We're going back that way anyway," Charlie said. "It's no problem."
"Well, great, thanks."
The three of them headed to the car and climbed in. From the backseat, Amber leant forward, keen to find out more about her new friends.
"So, what do you both do then?" she asked.
"I'm a cop," Charlie said, glancing at her in the rear view mirror.
"Do I need to be worried?" Amber asked with mock fear.
"I don't know. Do you?" Charlie joked.
"Don't worry. She only beats up the bad guys," Joey put in.
Amber grinned. Joey was adorable and Charlie was hot.
"And what about you, Joey? What do you do?"
"Well, I'm kind of between jobs right now but by trade I'm a deckhand."
"She's absolutely obsessed with boats," Charlie confirmed.
"I am not!" Joey protested.
"Obsessed," Charlie mouthed to Amber, making her giggle and Joey pout dramatically.
"So, have you guys been together long?" Amber asked.
Charlie and Joey exchanged glances. Charlie momentarily lost concentration on the road.
"Together?" she squeaked.
"Sorry, I just presumed…" Amber said, kicking herself.
In her head it hadn't even been a question. They just acted like a couple.
"We're not a couple," Joey explained. "Just best friends."
"Oh, right. Sorry, I hope I didn't offend you. You just seemed…"
"It's fine," Charlie said. "Don't worry about it."
Amber studied them both, intrigued by the story that was obviously there. She hoped she would get to know them better to find it out.
***
The following morning, Joey studied Romeo and Juliet looking for the tiniest part possible to audition for. Charlie put a cup of coffee in front of her and sat down opposite.
"What's your audition going to be? 'Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo'?" she teased.
Joey looked horrified.
"I'm looking for the smallest and least interesting part," she informed her.
"Why? You'd make a good Juliet."
Joey just looked disgusted and returned her book.
"Thanks for the coffee, by the way," she added politely.
"Seriously, Joey, I thought the whole point of this class was to test yourself and your boundaries, get your confidence back up?"
"It is."
"So, why are you still hiding?"
Joey attempted and failed to glare. She hated that Charlie knew her so well but she was so sincere that Joey didn't think she could ever be truly angry with her.
"I'm not saying you should go and be a diva and demand to be Romeo or Juliet but don't go hunting for the smallest role," Charlie continued. "You could be amazing if you put your mind to it. What's the worst that could happen?"
"I could die!" Joey said seriously.
"Use that kind of drama and you're in!"
She finished her own drink, stood, squeezed Joey's shoulder affectionately and excused herself to go to work.
***
That night, Charlie, Joey, Martha, Hugo, Leah and Roman met up for drinks. Having observed Leah and Roman closely, Charlie was convinced that they were an item and were trying desperately to hide it, presumably for her sake. She approached her housemate.
"Leah," she ventured. "You and Roman…?"
Leah blanched and launched into a full scale apology. Charlie waved her hands, trying to get her to stop.
"It's really, really okay," she assured her.
"It is? Are you sure?" Leah asked.
Charlie hadn't thought about Roman for a long time and any residual feeling she might have had for him had evaporated the moment Joey came into her life.
"It's really not a problem," Charlie promised. "I'm happy for you."
She glanced around and spotted Joey leaning against the bar. Hugo was leaning into her. A mixture of jealousy and concern filled Charlie. She excused herself and hurried over.
"Well, between us and both our expertise, I'm sure we'd have a great time out on the water," Hugo said.
Charlie stepped in close to Joey.
"Hi," Joey greeted, a little relieved that Charlie's arrival would hopefully stop this train of conversation.
"Hi, Charlie. How's it going?" Hugo asked.
"Great thanks. Joey, can I borrow you?"
"Sure!" Joey agreed immediately, allowing Charlie to pull her away.
"Well, let me know about that boat trip," Hugo called to Joey.
***
Half an hour later, Hugo approached Charlie. Joey's lack of answer suggested a lack of interest. He was disappointed but then it was really Charlie that he wanted to sleep with.
"So, how about that dinner?" he asked.
Charlie felt awkward. She was also aware that Joey was within hearing distance.
"I don't think so, Hugo," she declined.
"Oh come on, it'll be fun."
"Hugo, you're a great guy but I'm just… I don't really want to date anyone right now."
He looked disappointed.
"Well, if you change your mind…"
She nodded and smiled politely before heading back to Joey, who was now talking to someone Charlie thought she recognised. Coming closer, she realised it was Amber.
"Oh, hey Charlie," Amber greeted.
"Hi, Amber. How are you?"
"Yeah, I'm good, thanks. I just popped in for a drink and bumped into Joey."
She turned back to her.
"So, would you like to go for that run later in the week?"
Charlie's happiness drained from her.
"Yeah, well, maybe. Shall I take your number and we can arrange something?" Joey suggested.
Charlie miserably watched them exchange phone numbers. She looked back at Hugo, still standing at the bar and then told herself off for even contemplating the idea. Going for a run with someone was different to going to dinner. At least, she hoped it was anyway.
***
Charlie and Joey headed out of the Surf Club together arm in arm.
"Charlie, I heard you talking to Hugo," Joey said anxiously.
Charlie tensed a little but kept walking.
"If you want to go out with him, you can. Don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything."
She offered a forced smile.
"I don't want to go out with him," Charlie told her.
"You don't?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I just… I just don't. But um, you and Amber, hey?"
"Me and Amber?" Joey asked, confused.
"Well, you're going for a run and you exchanged numbers…"
"Oh, that was just a friendship thing."
Charlie stopped walking and looked at Joey, wondering how she could be so naïve.
"Wasn't it?" Joey asked worriedly.
"I don't think so, Joey," Charlie told her.
"Oh," Joey said quietly.
They started walking again in silence. Charlie stopped suddenly, nearly tripping Joey up because she still had hold of her arm.
"I don't want you to go out with Amber!" she blurted out.
Joey just stared at her, unsure of what to say. She hadn't expected such an outburst from her friend who usually remained so in control of herself and her feelings.
"I don't want you to go out with anyone," Charlie added more quietly.
Joey thought about their strange situation for a few moments, thinking it was actually quite amusing if she understood it correctly.
"So, you don't want to be with me," she ventured. "You don't want to be with anyone else. And you don't want me to be with anyone else. Is that right?"
"Yes, that's exactly right," Charlie said, knowing how unreasonable she was being. "I'm glad we're clear."
Joey laughed and gazed into Charlie's eyes. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight.
"You're lucky you're cute, you know," she said, continuing to walk again.
Charlie laughed and nodded.
"So, do I get my unreasonable way?" she asked hopefully.
"I think I can live with it," Joey replied.
