2 weeks later
The group were well into rehearsals now; they'd ran most songs and today was to be focused on Granger Danger and Different as can Be.
Lauren was extremely nervous. Neither of them have mentioned that evening when Joey walked Lauren home since it happened and things were pretty much back to normal between them, but Lauren had no idea what Julia had up her sleeve for their duet and she didn't want things to change between them now.
"Brian and Joe?" Nick's head appeared around the door. "Can I borrow you in the next room to do your duet please?" The two requested boys followed him out of the rehearsal space, leaving Joey sitting on his own.
Lauren saw that he was sitting alone and decided to go and sit with him. He was her best friend and that shouldn't change. Everything had been fine for the past two weeks so it should be now.
"Hey," She smiles.
Joey looked up at her and smiles back. "Hey!" He moved some of his stuff around him so she could sit down. Lauren took a seat and crossed her legs, feeling happy to be around him again.
"You ready to practice Granger Danger?" She joked and Joey laughed. "We've performed that song so many times it plays in my head on repeat." He raised his eyebrows and Lauren laughed too; this felt normal and she liked that.
"Honestly, but the fans love it so much." She shook her head and Joey pushed her arm gently.
"They love you." He corrected her with a smirk.
Lauren frowned at him. "What? No, they love us both." She forced.
Joey shook his head with a laugh. "Whatever you say."
Before Lauren could protest, Julia walked over to them. "Hey guys, I want to run through your song with you now if that's alright?"
Joey stood up and helped Lauren to her feet. "Sounds good."
The three of them walked into the middle of the room in front of the mirrors. Julia grabbed two stools from the corner and passed them to Lauren and Joey. Lauren frowned. "What are these for?"
Julia pulled out various pieces of paper and passes those over as well. "There are your scripts, you'll be sitting on the stools throughout the song, up until the last chorus." She explained and Joey nodded as he looked through the script.
He laughed and pointed to a certain part. "Lauren's hand on Joey's leg?" He read out and Lauren's eyes widened. She scanned through the script quickly, feeling her chest tighten until she landed on that part.
"The fuck?" She blurted out. Julia laughed and rolled her eyes. "Just let me teach you it and it will make sense."
***
"Okay so Lauren what's your line?" Julia stands in front of the two of them who are sitting on the stools.
"Uh, 'well tell me your problems my dearest and most precious friend and I'll help you out as best as I can." She reads out, clearly not impressed.
Joey laughs and shakes his head. "Wow."
Julia takes Lauren's hand and presses it to Joey's cheek. "So on that part you're just going to stroke and play with his face." She explains.
Lauren leans forward a little, not expecting that to be her direction. "Uh, what?"
She thought that they would just be singing the song together, maybe moving around the stage a little but she definitely wasn't expecting any physical interaction.
Joey looks down, trying to hide a smile and Lauren feels her cheeks burn. Julia rolls her eyes. "Touch his face, Lauren."
Lauren clears her throat and then places her hand under Joey's chin. She proceeds to stroke his chin and then guides her hand up his face before pushing it through his hair, trying to ignore how much she's shaking. Joey's laughing the whole time.
