Walking in Dreams

Chapter 20 - To Date Or Not To Date

We had finished playing the game. Caroline, Livi and Siva were already verging on being completely out of it after only twenty minutes of the drinking game. Nathan was slightly tipsy. Me, Steph, Jay and Max were all fine.

“Race you outside” Jay suddenly exclaimed to Steph. He got up and ran outside, Steph followed not far behind.

Steph followed Jay out onto the decking outside “Not fair you had a head start”. I laughed at them under my breath they were perfect for each other.

The rest of the day was pretty much the same, we watched Avatar because Jay nagged so much. I talked to Max for four hours straight it was so much fun. Caroline and Livi were getting to know the boys and Steph and Jay stayed outside sunbathing and talking until they came to watch Avatar. The boys had to go at four because of a signing in Manchester that they had forgotten about.

We left the house and travelled back home in the limo. ”I am going on a date with Jay tonight” Steph almost squealed into my ear.

“That’s awesome” I said grinning.

I was watching Steph and laughing she was bobbing up and down in the seat opposite me, her face was red with excitement. However as I watched her she suddenly stopped moving and the colour drained completely from her face.

“I-I am g-going on a-a d-date with J-Jay McGuiness” She stuttered.

For the rest of the journey she didn’t speak just stared out of the window, her skin still as white as before.

I said goodbye to everyone and wished Steph good luck for tonight, she smiled weakly, and I could tell that it was all sinking in. She was understandably nervous.

*

I sat down on my couch next to my sister, with a bowl of popcorn, we were about to watch a movie. Steph would be just finishing her date now. I wondered how it went.

Just then my doorbell rang so I got up to answer it. I didn’t know who would be coming round at ten o clock at night.

I opened the door into the night to reveal Steph. She had tears rolling down her face and her makeup was washed down her cheeks with her tears. She collapsed into me as soon as I had opened the door.

“Oh my gosh Steph what the hell happened?” I asked worried, I had never seen Steph in this state before, it worried me.

She couldn’t speak; her whole body trembled each time she tried to tell me. I brought her into the house and sat her on the couch. “H-he… D-didn’t come” She said from behind tears.

All I could think to do was hug her, I couldn’t think of anything else. I was so angry at Jay. He had made my Best friend hurt, and hurt bad. I wanted to know what his game was. I got Steph something to eat, as she hadn’t eaten, but she refused it. Eventually she fell asleep on my couch so I covered her up and went to bed.

I couldn’t sleep because I was still so angry at Jay, why would he do something like that?

I couldn’t take it anymore I had to know the reason. I took my phone from under my pillow and created a new message to Nathan.

To Nathan: What is Jay’s Problem?! Steph has been crying her eyes out.

A few minutes later Nathan replied.

From Nathan: I have no Idea whats happened, Jay came back bout an hour ago and he was in a right mood, told me and Tom to Fuck off when we asked him whats wrong and he has locked himself in his room.

This was really strange, why would Jay be in a bad mood, he was the one that stood Steph up.

I sent a message back.

To Nathan: I have no idea what is happening, is it okay if I come over tomorrow to get to the bottom of it?

I needed to find the truth. Nathan told me that it was okay for tomorrow.

The next morning I went downstairs to see my little 10 year old sister, Molly, energetically talking to Steph. She wanted to know every little detail about our experiences with The Wanted, especially my times with Max as I wouldn’t tell her. But Steph was not animatedly engaged as thought she would be, but had a blank vacant expression on her face. Then I remembered last night.

I forced Steph to come with me, she was reluctant as she didn’t want her heart to break again. But I just had to know what was going on. We got the bus to the Boys house.

When we got there I marched up the drive and knocked on the door, slightly harder than I meant to. Steph was stood behind me, I could tell that she was close to tears again.

Nathan answered the door, “Finally, we have been worried about Jay he still won’t come out of his room”.

“Not even to eat” Siva added.

“Well Steph came to me last night at about ten in tears, she said that she was stood up, but I don’t understand what is wrong with Jay”

“That doesn’t sound like something Jay would do!” Tom said raising his voice, obviously angry that I would even say something like that.

“That’s what I thought” I reassured him.

Just then Max entered with a depressed looking Jay, he was wearing his pyjamas still and his hair was all over the place.

Steph’s and Jay’s eyes met at that moment. The tension between them was unbearable.

“Please go” Jay simply said aimed at me and Steph.