Even Though (Joey Richter fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Jr 8

"Um." I said nervously. "I actually already have a boyfriend. But thanks anyway."

At that, the elevator doors opened with a 'ping!' and I ducked out of the elevator before he could say anything else.

•

I walked into Starbucks a few minutes later, having ran up the stairs. I stormed over to Lauren, where she was sitting with Jaime and Devin, and glared at her furiously.

She smiled sheepishly. "Hey Ali.." she said slowly. I chose to ignore her.

Jaime grinned at me. "Was flirting with that guy a way to get back at Joey for kissing me in the play?"

My mouth fell open and I felt my eyes grow huge. "What?!" I said in shock. "I was NOT flirting! And I wouldn't do that! Lauren just abandoned me with him in an elevator!"

Lauren smirked at me. "Yes, and you were a very long time.."

I looked at her furiously. "Because the doors closed and I couldn't. Get. Out."

Lauren smirked again . "Whatever.."

Jaime could obviously tell by my face that I was about to jump across the table and throttle Lauren, because she broke in by saying "Er- maybe we should go shopping now...?"

•

"Remind me to kick Lopez's ass" Joey growled furiously. I laughed at him. My initial anger at Lauren had died down since the elevator incident yesterday, and now I found what had happened almost amusing. Unfortunately, Joey had yet to see the funny side.

"I'm not going to remind you to do that." I said, smiling up at him. We were sitting at the side of the football pitch in the park, watching Walker, Nick, Matt,Brian, Darren, AJ and another guy called Joe Moses were playing football. I had only met Joe that morning, and I already knew that his favourite animal is a panda, he has a "twin" called Herbert Sherbert, (A.N, if you've ever seen the videos with Joe as Herbert Sherbert, you'll get it :P) and people called him 'JoMo' or Moses.

Joey's eyes were following the guys as they ran around the pitch. I rolled my eyes and pushed his arm gently. "Go and play." I said softly, smiling at him. He glanced at me in surprise. "Really?" he said, evidently shocked.

I laughed at him. "Yes! Why?"

He looked slightly sheepish. "Because you're my girlfriend...?"

I laughed disbelievingly. "So? That doesn't mean I'm not going to let you hang out with your friends!" I said, grinning at him. He still looked uncertain. "Why would you think that?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Because my ex-girlfriend would definitely not have been happy if I told her I wanted to hang out with my friends and not her." he glanced at me as I nodded slightly. "Not that I don't want to spend time with you!" he added quickly.

I smiled absently and nodded again. Joey had never mentioned any ex-girlfriend before. "I see..." I said calmly. He glanced at me out of the corner if his eye, and then seemed to resign himself to telling me about her. "Her name was Ashley. She was- uh.. Controlling. Paranoid. She always was so sure that I was cheating on her. With everyone. Whenever we went out she accused me of cheating with whoever happened to walk past, and whenever I'd so much as look at another girl she'd completely freak out. She even went as far as to accuse me of having an affair with Walker." Joey's face scrunched up in disgust, and I let out a hysterical giggle. He smiled at me, and then looked back at the boys playing football.

I put my chin on his shoulder and whispered into his ear "Go and play.". Joey looked at me again, and than finally grinned.

"Really?" he said, making me laugh again.