𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐲 - 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐩𝐞𝐳 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

Lauren was stood in an empty IT room, save for a large white desk, waiting for the girls to come get her so they could blow off the rest of the day.

She was soon joined by Jaime, Julia and Meredith, and while Lauren packed up her laptop, they made small talk about the boring ass day they'd had so far.

"So where are we gonna go?" Jaime asked, looking around at the unused room.

"I don't know, we could get sushi?" Mere suggested, raising an eyebrow hopefully.

"First of all, gross," Lauren smirked. "Second of all, none of us like sushi apart from you. And third of all, the only sushi place in town is way overpriced."

"They charged me five dollars for a half glass of water, Mere, you can't deny it," Julia agreed with Lauren.

Mere pouted, folding her arms across her chest. "McDonalds it is I guess."

"Now that's something we can agree on," Jaime smiled, rubbing her hands together.

Suddenly, a tall brunette appeared at the door, something in hand, hair falling onto his forehead.

"Hey Lo- oh I didn't know you had company," he smiled, each of the girls checking him out and trying to figure out if they'd seen him before.

"Oh that's ok. Joey, this is Jaime, Julia and Meredith," Lauren smiled back, pointing at each girl respectively. "Girls, this is Joey."

They greeted him politely, Jaime smirking at Lauren before turning to look at him once more.

"We've heard a lot about you." She grinned, watching as he blushed slightly.

"You talk about me?" Joey chuckled, leaning on the doorframe.

Lauren crossed her arms, shifting her weight. "And you don't talk about me? You forget I talk to your friends." 

"Fair enough," he bowed his head a little, before locking eyes with her and laughing, as did she.

"So what can I do for you?"

"Uh well me and the guys found this little river stream thing at lunch and Walker found this pretty rock," he said, eyes lighting up as he walked forward, holding out the object for her to look at.

She took the rock in her hand, holding it up to see it in the light. It was light grey, and she could faintly see something sparkly in it. There was random little curls on the surface, piquing her interest.

"Woah, Joey, this is so cool..." she trailed off. "Are those little tiny fossils?"

"Yeah, the little curly things. Well, they're either snail fossils or prehistoric locks of Darren's hair," he shrugged, watching her as she smiled, turning it over in her hands.

She laughed, shoving his shoulder, before directing her attention at the rock once more.

Over where the girls stood, Jaime nudged Julia and Meredith, and the three exchanged knowing glances.

"Wow, of all people, Joe found this?" Lauren joked, looking at Joey, her hand falling to her side.

"I know, that's what I said."

An idea popped into her head, her eyes lighting up. "Would you wanna take me to this river after school? Well we're bunking off, but after that?"

"Yeah sure," he nodded, hands in pockets. "If you want to."

"Sounds like a plan."

He smiled at her, before walking backwards. "I'll see you later then?"

"Joey you forgot your rock," she held it out to him, rolling back and forth on the balls of her feet.

"Oh that's ok, I want you to have it," he scratched the back of his neck, almost nervously.

"Aw thank you," she blushed a little, before running a hand through her hair. "I'll see you later, Joey."

"Ok, it's been nice to meet you girls," Joey said, smiling as he wandered backwards towards the door. "Uh bye Lo."

"Bye," she sighed, holding her breath till he was gone.

She relaxed a little, her shoulders falling back as she turned the rock over in her hands.

"Oooooooh!" The girls mocked her.

Her cheeks flared up. "What?"

"He is so into you, that's what," Jaime squealed, her voice up an octave.

"No he's not," she waved them off, placing the rock in her backpack.

Julia folded her arms, glaring at the girl. "He gave you a pretty rock."

"So what?" Lauren shrugged, leaning on the table behind her. "He does stuff like that every da- oh."

"There you go," Mere chuckled. "And he's gonna take you to a river, how cute?"

"And you've met his friends," Jaime added, poking her tongue out at the girl after Lauren had stuck her middle finger out at her.

She rolled her eyes. "So? I knew Darren anyways."

"One person big whoop," Julia drawled over-dramatically.

Jaime grabbed the girls' wrists, prepared to mock their friend. "I bet he wants to take you on a ferris wheel to watch the sunset and kiss you."

"I bet he wants to take you out on a picnic with roses and cute little cakes and hand holding!" Mere swooned, hand on her heart.

To cap off the mocking, Julia smirked and said, "I bet he wants to drive you to a hill and sit on the hood of the car and look out onto the city and stargaze."

"We're not starring in a cheesy teen rom-com, you know?" She threw her bag onto her back, trying not to blush at the thought of her and Joey going on dates like that.

"Oh well he definitely likes you," Julia said confidently.

"This question is," Mere smiled, eyes glinting, closing in on the short girl, as did the other two. "Do you like him?"

Lauren looked to the floor, her efforts to avoid blushing coming to an end as her face heated up instantly.

"I-I'm really hungry why don't we go get lunch?" She stuttered, walking round the girls and heading for the door.

"Ahhhhh!"