Chapter 14

Lauren's PoV

"Lo?" he asked, breaking the silence. I didn't know what to do. I had so many emotions. I just did what came to my head first. I pulled myself close to him, hugging him with all of my strength. He grabbed me back just as tight and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I began to sob into him. My world was spinning and he was the only thing supporting me. I let my body go limp and we gently fell to the ground, Joey holding me in his lap. We sat for some time as Joey stroked my hair. Finally I felt I had the courage and strength to stand up.

"Joey... Oh, Joey. You have no idea how great it is to hear you say that. I've been having so many feelings for you as well and they've been quite overwhelming, but I knew if you just told me to stay, my mind would be made up." I saw his eyes light up when I said this which made the next bit that much harder. "But, Joey... it's too late" I said as my heart sank. The tears were beginning again so I finished what I needed to say. "I have to leave tomorrow. It's too late. I can't back out now... I'm sorry Jo." I looked into his eyes, but couldn't bear his pain. I turned my head and walked back into the apartment.

Joey's Pov

"Lo?" I asked. She looked up at me out of her trance. I could see sadness in her eyes, but there was also fear. Before I knew it, she pulled me into a hug tighter than any I'd ever experienced. I felt her tears on my shirt and then her small body started to fall to the grip. I fell with her so that she landed in my lap. I stroked her head along with giving her some calming "shushes." This seemed to help and eventually she rose out of my lap.

I couldn't believe what she said. That she felt the same and if I told her to stay she would. She's staying! "It's too late" is what I heard next. Too late? What dos she mean? How could I have been so stupid? If I had just told her a little sooner, could we have been together? She said she was sorry, looked at me, and walked back inside.

As the realization that I was losing her sank in, I began to cry. I just stood there in the cold as I felt tear after tear run down my face. That was it. She would be gone from me tomorrow and nothing I could do could stop her now. It's all my own fault.

Lauren's PoV

As I walked back in I thought I might have hear Joey whimper, but I ignored it. Tears were beginning to fall from my own eyes again and, through blurry vision, I saw Julia come up to me with a concerned look on her face.

"Lauren... what's wrong?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"No, Julia, I'm not" I quietly said. "I think I need everyone to leave now."

"Okay I'll clear them out. You just wait here, okay?" I nodded and sat down in the chair that was next to me as watched Julia tell everyone it was time to go. People began filing out. Near the end I saw Jaime and Joe.

"Wait. Jaime!" I called. She and Joe turned to look at me. "Could you please stay?" I asked.

"Sure" she said giving me a loving smile. She gave Joe a kiss goodbye and dropped his hand to come walk over to me. I thought about how that could have been Joey and I, getting to be all cute and lovey with each other. But that chance was gone now.

Jaime and Julia walked me to my room and laid me down on my bed. They both stayed for a while, eventually taking turns checking on me to make sure I was okay. Finally, I drifted off to sleep. This was good as I would need my rest for tomorrow.

Joey's PoV

I walked a little bit away from the apartment and leaned up against a building down the street. Then I saw a flood of people walking out of the apartment. Some were coming towards me. Should I keep walking and get away from them? Or should I wait for them to see me? Before I could answer myself, my decision had been made as Meredith and Brian walked up to me.

Meredith must have noticed my puffy eyes because she asked, "Hey Jo, you okay?"

I sort of shrugged in response and then Brian, sensing what was really going on, said, "Well why don't you come back to my apartment with us and you can stay a while. How does that sound?"

"Yeah... that sounds good" I said. It would be good to have the comfort off some friendly faces for a while. It would make it easier that Lauren was leaving if I had some friends close by. We walked back to Brian's apartment, his arm around my shoulder and Meredith with her arm wrapped through mine on the other side. Maybe, just maybe, I would be alright.