Jaime knocked on Lauren's door. "Lauren! Let me in, we have to be at rehearsals in an hour. I thought you were buying me coffee!!"
Lauren appeared at the door in purple tartan pyjama bottoms and a blue t- shirt and holding a box of tissues.
"Lauren, you look terrible!" Jaime exclaimed.
"Hey, that's not very nice," Lauren sniffed.
"No," Jaime said putting her arm around Lauren. "I mean you look really ill. How do you feel?"
"Not so good," Lauren snuffled. "The flu has decided to invade my personal bubble."
"Well that's rude of it! "
"I know," Lauren said. "It's a bitch."
"Yeah," Jaime replied pulling a tissue out of the tissue box on the counter in the hall. "You'd better stay here for the day," Jaime said. "You're too ill to rehearse."
"No, no, I'm fine," Lauren said before blowing into a tissue.
"Lauren," Jaime said with her hands on her hips. "Look at yourself!"
"I know. I'm beautiful."
Jaime laughed. "Listen, Lauren," Jaime said grabbing Lauren by the shoulders and plonking her down on the sofa. "You're staying here for the day and you are going to get better, okay?"
Lauren crossed her arms. "...Fine."
"But I have something to make you feel better..."
"Ooh, ooh, have you got me twizzlers?"
"Ew, no, those things are disgusting. I got you something much better..." Jaime said as a knock was heard at the door. "Its open!" Lauren shouted. They heard the door open and then close.
"Heeeeey!" Joey shouted appearing in front of Lauren.
"What is he doing here?!" Lauren whispered to Jaime.
"I thought it would make you feel better. You love spending time with him."
Joey sat down on the sofa beside Lauren and put his arm around her. Lauren jerked away and stood up. "Well uh, thanks for coming Joey," she said motioning towards the front door. "You can go now."
"But I just got here..." Joey said the confusion being shown on his face.
"Yeah and I'm grateful that you came but...you're getting very close to outstaying your welcome," Lauren said grabbing a pack of tissues from on top of the coffee table. She blew her nose into one. "So uh, bye," she sniffed.
"Lauren, don't be silly!" Jaime said. "Joey drove over here to meet us for rehearsals, and now that he's here he's not leaving until you get better, am I right Joey?"
"Yes you are!" Joey replied.
"Well you know what?" Lauren said. "I'm feeling 100% better!" she exclaimed before bursting into a violent coughing fit. Jaime guided Lauren out of the living room and into the kitchen. After getting her a glass of water to stop her coughing, Jaime closed the door so that the conversation didn't carry to the next room and sat opposite Lauren at the kitchen table. "Right," Jaime started. "Lauren, what the hell is up with you today?"
"I have a cold," Lauren sniffed.
"Other than that...why are you trying to get rid of Joey? I thought you'd have loved spending the day with him cuddled up on the sofa watching a film or something."
"Well I'm tired, Jaime, I want to be by myself..."
"No because you hate being by yourself, you've told me before you don't like being alone...and you love spending time with Joey...you were getting along great at the rehearsals yesterday so whats changed?"
Lauren bit her lip. "Joey kissed me."
These three words were followed by a large intake of breath from Jaime. "I FREAKING KNEW IT!!" she shrieked.
"Jaime shut up!" Lauren hissed.
"Are you girls alright in there?" Joey shouted from the next room.
"YES!" Lauren shouted back quickly. "Jaime be quiet!" she whispered.
"Oh my god, Lauren! You and Joey kissed!"
"No, no, no, no!! He kissed me! I didn't kiss him back..."
"What?"
"I pushed him away."
"What!? I thought you liked Joey!"
"I do like him! Just not like that..."
Jaime moved her hair out of her face. "Soooo, you didn't feel anything when he kissed you? No emotion or love for him?"
Lauren was silent whilst Jaime looked at her expectantly. "Well?" Jaime pestered. Lauren sighed. "I don't know! I mean, I felt something...but me and Joey are friends and nothing more..."
"Well what has Joey said?"
"After he kissed me he said that there were no feelings so we didn't need to worry about you guys teasing us...now we knew for sure..." Lauren paused. "But I don't know for sure...and now I don't know what to do..."
The door opened and Joey walked into the kitchen, proceeding to look through the kitchen cupboards. "Where does your cousin keep the red vines?"
"Beth doesn't like red vines," Lauren replied. Joey's mouth opened in shock. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER?!"
Jaime got up from the table. "Well I'd better get going. I've got to go and tell the others there won't be rehearsals this afternoon. Have fun, you guys," she said winking at Lauren. When Jaime had left the flat, Joey closed the cupboards and walked over to Lauren. "So we need to cheer you up, huh?" he asked as Lauren smiled. "Where does your cousin keep her DVD'S? We need to find you a good chick flick."
