Lauren wasn't in the mood to speak much to anyone the next day at rehearsal. A few times one of her castmates would try to make conversation with her, but her replies were mostly monosyllabic, her mind far away. She tried to look anywhere but at Joey, but her eyes were habitually drawn back to him. She was sure she was imagining it, but to her he looked as heartbroken as she felt.
She hadn't responded to any of the texts he'd sent her last night, but he'd still greeted her with a cautious hello when she came into rehearsal. So waves of guilt washed over her when she turned away from him, and she was grateful for the small mercy that she didn't have to see his face. She hated not talking to him, not even offering him an explanation, but she didn't know what to say to him. She wanted to make things better, try and fix things between them, but she didn't know how to do that without acknowledging his feelings for her. And by extension, her feelings for him.
Even David noticed there was something off with them, because he pulled her aside after one of their scenes together.
"I thought you got over the issues with Joey. What's going on?" he prompted.
"Nothing!" she said, too defensively. "We're fine."
"Okay, but you wouldn't look at him for the entire scene, Lauren."
"Did you ask him about this?"
David sighed. "He said there was nothing wrong too."
Lauren gave him a look as if to say 'well there you go'. She waited for him to say something else, but he just ran his hand over his face wearily.
"Just remember we open in three days," he told her. She nodded, and walked away.
"Lauren!" Her head turned at the sound of her name. Elise was walking up to her, her steps so purposeful that something kept Lauren there even though part of her wanted to keep walking. Despite initially seeming so sure of herself, Elise hesitated before she spoke.
"Look, I know we haven't known each other that long. But I'd say we're friends."
"Of course we are," Lauren said, smiling even though she wasn't sure she liked where this was going.
"So I just want to know if you're okay." Lauren opened her mouth, but Elise didn't give her the chance to speak. "And I mean really okay, not the bullshit answer you've been giving everyone."
That stunned Lauren into silence, and Elise kept going.
"You've been weirdly quiet, and I don't know what's going on, but I'm here for you. Joey's been acting the same way-"
"Joey?" Lauren found her tongue. "Why would you even bring him up?"
She could feel the sharpness in her own voice, but Elise didn't even flinch. The look in her eyes was one of pity, and it made Lauren more furious until Elise's next words stopped her in her tracks.
"I saw him crying earlier, and-"
"He was crying?" Her heart lurched. She didn't even know if it was anything to do with her, and she realised suddenly that it didn't matter. He was her best friend. Elise was still talking to her, but she spun around blindly, searching the room for Joey but not seeing him.
"Where is he now? Do you know?" she asked, the words tumbling out of her.
"I saw him a few minutes ago... oh, here he comes."
Lauren turned around again. Before she had time to register Joey walking up to her, he'd enveloped her in a hug that took the breath out of her, and without even thinking about it she hugged him back. It felt good to be in his arms again.
