I Never Knew.

Chapter 19 - Another Day, Another Date

(Joe's POV)

~little later~

"Joe, what's the plan?" Joey asked me yet I didn't hear it.

I'm looking in the distance not realizing it-looking at Lauren. I'm so focused that I'm not paying attention.

"Joe?" Joey asked a little loud so I could hear him.

I get brung back to reality by my name, "Yeah-what!?" I say frantic.

"You zoned out... You were gunna tell me the plan for me and" he looks around to see Jamie near and looks back, "you-know-who." He completes.

"Oh-yes-well, my plan is not complex, it's the simplest thing ever." I pause thinking. I don't know what to do! I just asked Lauren I didn't do much... Wait. Thinking back to when it all started, I grabbed her hand at the get-together party. Maybe, just maybe, I can get Joey and Jamie together... alone. "It's that...-"

"-Uh-huh?" Joey looks at me hopeful

"-I need you guys to get together.. Alone." I say.

"Alone!? Oh hell no. No. No. No. I'd be too scared! I can't do that Joe..." He says getting quiet.

"Yes you can. Please. She'll know you care." I pause, "you can do it. Ask her outside. Maybe an after the first show dinner? She'd like that." I comfort.

"I-I don't know... I. Can. Try. I. Guess..." He says slowly.

"You can do it." I say and as I start to turn around he pulls my arm back.

"Joe-" he says pulling me around and I look at him in the eyes, "Joe, I can't be with her alone. If we do the dinner thing," he looks down, "you and Lauren have to come too." He looks up at me again.

"....but-ugh-" he gives me puppy dog eyes, "-fine." And he smiles.

"Thanks Joe. Just-just- when should I ask her?" He asks lastly.

"Whenever you want. I know you can do it." I say holding one of his shoulders with my hand, "I'm gunna go ask Lauren." I say finally and walk off and Joey walks on backstage to find Jamie I'm sure.

(Lauren's POV)

I hate call time. We have like fifty hours till the show!!! Ugh. Id usually talk to Jamie, put she's mad at me. I need to talk to her... I can't let her be mad at me for something I didn't do. She was being nice to me over text today and I don't know what's up with that so she may be nice to me now.... Oh well, let's see.

I walk on backstage to find Jamie
And I yell to her: "Jamie! Come over here real quick!" Happily.

She walks over and stands in front of me and says in a plain tone, "Hi Lauren, what do you want?" She asks.

"Well, I wanted to ask you a question.." I say knowing we've had this talk before but she always stomps off.

"Yeah?" She asks waiting for me to ask.

"Well, can you tell me why you're mad at me?" I say quickly.

She seemed to have picked it up, "Lauren. We've been over this-"

"-but you need to talk to me! I don't know why you're so mad. Why can't you just tell me what's going on?..." I interrupt.

"-Fine!" She says  a little loud, "Well, you-you went out with Joey and-and, you knew that I like him and you totally stabbed me in the back by kissing him and I don't know why you think I'll let you off the hook for that!" She finishes looking down.

"Jamie." She lifts her head up, "I never kissed Joey, I've never liked Joey, and I know you like him a lot a lot. Just- don't be mad at me. I never did anything to hurt you." I say looking down.