TW: abusive relationship. I don't know if this portrayal is actually good enough to enact any type of triggering or trauma but better safe than sorry.
I am not the kind of girl
Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion
But you are not the kind of boy
Who should be marrying the wrong girl
Lauren allows the door to close behind her and scans the cafe for his familiar brown locks. As punctual as ever waiting for her as usual. Seeing him sitting at the table beside the window, sunlight glowing around him makes her heart flutter like it always does. But just like she always does, she pushes all her feelings down, bouncing on the balls of her feet allowing her curls to flounce and she makes a beeline towards him. She covers his eyes with her hands but grew bored of the game before he could even guess a name. She slides her hands down to his shoulders and then the front of his chest giving him a hug before settling in the chair across from him. They play a normal game of catchup as it's been a few weeks since they last met in person. Lauren squirming around on her seat waiting for a conversation lull before nearly bursting
"I met a guy! We met at the bar and have been out a few times. His name is Paul and I really really like him." Lauren blurts out grinning ear to ear. Joey is visibly shocked by the news but puts a hand on hers and looks into her eyes very genuinely.
"I'm so happy for you and I hope to meet him soon if you're moving in a serious direction. Gotta check him out and make sure he is worthy." Joey chuckles and the pair resumes their conversation from before.
I sneak in and see your friends
And her snotty little family all dressed in pastel
And she is yelling at a bridesmaid
Somewhere back inside a room
Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry
This is surely not what you thought it would be
I lose myself in a daydream
Where I stand and say
"So you're living together? Lo, I'm not judging you but you've been together for what, a month? That's kind of fast right?" He looks up to her over the lip of his cup before lowering it back onto the table. Before she could even attempt to defend herself from her seemingly rash decision, Joey places a hand over hers and said "I just want whatever makes you happy."
She sighs. She knows that it was a bit crazy and the circumstances were strange but she was really happy with Paul in a way she couldn't explain.
"I still wanna meet him though. I gotta make sure he's good enough for my best friend."
Any tension that was in the air had fully disappeared as always does when Lauren is with Joey. She supposed it was due to the nature of how close they were but she couldn't stop her mind from wondering if this was what was normal. She stopped herself in her own thoughts because she loves Paul so what was she so worried about. It hadn't been that long but they too would get to this point she was sure of it.
Don't say "Yes", run away now
I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door
Don't wait or say a single vow
You need to hear me out
And they said, "Speak now."
"No coffee today Lo? What's the matter? You're not pregnant are you?" Joey jokes with a hint of seriousness in his tone. Her coffee lays untouched on the table between them. Joey normally grabs both of their orders when he arrives on time and Lauren typically stumbles in fifteen minutes late and downs the order he got for her. Lauren picks up on his genuine concern and jumps to placate him immediately.
"Not pregnant! Paul just has some concerns about my exorbitant coffee intake and its effect on my teeth and general health. I figured coffee is not that important to me that I can easily just do this small thing to make him happy." Lauren shrugs picking up her tea for another sip. Joey reaches across the table and pokes her cheekbone.
