STARKID 13 Going on 30

chapter six

When I got back to New York the first thing I did was call Joey. I had a huge surprise for him that would change everything. Not like as a relationship thing no, he's with Denise and I respect that.....

I sat on a bench at the park and waited for Joey to get there.

"Hey Lauren, what's going on it looks like a photo shoots going on down there." Joey said as he walked up.

"Did you bring them?" I asked him totally ignoring what he said.

"Yea, what's going on?"

"This is your photo shoot, poise is hiring you for the weekend." I said handing him a check.

"Lauren you don't have to do this." He said.

"But I wanted to." I said as I took his hand and led him to the shoot. "So this is the class of 2004 at Randy Lane High. Joey for thus magazine redesign I want it to be real full of real people."

"Lauren that is a brilliant idea." Joey said as he set up his camera. All of the students piled up on the bleachers. I moved to the big fan I had rented and began helping blow leaves on them. Thus magazine was starting to come together.

The next photo session was the theme of a winter dance just like the one we apparently had in high school. I started helping one of the girls with there hair pixing it up real nice for her. Joey walked by with a flower in his hand and handed it to me. My stomach felt like it was doing somersaults, and my heart was bound to beat right out of my chest.

The girl got up to join the others. I walked up twirling the flower in my had and watch Joey take pictures.

"Is that really how you dance with a girl?" Joey asked one of the boys then chuckled. "Watch." He said then came over to me and took me by the hand and pulled me in as we did a small dance. I could feel his heart beating as fast as mine. He twirled me around then led me into a dip.

The final shoot consisted of people from the community. Mother's, father's, children, office workers, construction workers, police officer's, and more people. Joey started snapping then I pulled the rope causing tons of balloons to fall.

I headed back to poise to pick up a couple of things from my office. I also told Jaime about everything we would have to do before tomorrow's presentation. I headed for the elevator witch was closing. I quickly ran to it to stop it from shutting. I walked in and Meredith inside.

"Lauren," She exclaimed, "I'm sorry I haven't seen you much lately, I left you some voice mails did you get them?"

"No I didn't get any from you." I told her.

"Oh well hey I hope you don't mind but I went ahead and did my own thing with this whole redesign." She said probably hoping I would be hurt about it. The elevator stopped.

"It's okay because I'm doing my own thing to." I said then walked off leaving her stunned.

I headed over to Joeys place so we could pick out the pictures we wanted to use for the presentation.

"I'm here." I called as I walked into his apartment.

"I'm in the back." He called, and I ran to the back to meet him. "Here they all are." He said then motion to the table full of pictures.

"Oh they are all amazing." I said looking at them.

We spent the next two hours putting together the presentation. The sun had set over New York and we were still working. Every now and then I would catch Joey watching me, and he would catch me watching him.

"Hey Lauren, I think it's getting late we can finish this tomorrow." Joey said standing up.

"Hey Joey, you know what I want, red vines." I told him randomly.

"Oh my, I haven't had red vines in years."

He gave me a smile and we both grabbed our coats and left. We found a quaint little candy shop down town. And sitting on the shelf was red vines. We purchased a psck and went back out side. I opened them up and handed one to him.

"I forgot how good they were." Joey said. We began to walk and chat. The night felt like the night I was with Darren, but this time, I think I feel something for the person walking with me. We stopped by a fence that was over looking the river.

"Can I tell you something." I said looking Joey straight in the eyes.

"Anything." Joey said looking back into my eyes, giving me butterflies in my stomach.

"I think you are the sweetest person in the entire world."

He smiled at me. His eyes looked as if they wanted to do more. When he realized what was happening he looked away.

"Lauren look a swing set." He said.

"Wanna have a jumping contest." I asked him.

"Of course." Joey said then we ran to the swing set.

"Okay the loser has to buy the winner dinner tomorrow night when our magazine is chosen as the winner." I told him and he chuckled at me.

"You've got yourself a deal." He said and we began to swing.

"1, 2, 3!" We counted together and then jumped Joey hit the grown first and I landed on top of him. I rolled off him and layed beside him on the ground. We both began laughing like crazy. Joey rolled over and held him self up above me.

"Oh I'm getting to old." Joey said then chuckled looking me right in the eyes.

"No your not because then that means I'm getting old." I said. He smiled down at me with his adorable crooked jaw. Then he leaned down and kissed me. The world felt right. It sounded like a symptome was playing in the background. It felt like fire works were going off. Everything just felt right.