Can you keep up?

Chapter 27

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY LOVES! Here's my gift to you ;) 

xo

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Lauren's POV

"Lauren! Lauren!" My eyebrows knitted together as my sister came running over to my lunch table. The cheerleaders were snickering at her out of breath state and I quickly stood up and pulled her outside into the hall. 

"Okay what?" I asked impatiently, although the smile I had been fighting since hearing Charlie and Jenna's conversation this morning was not going away.

"Wait- are you smiling?" She grinned having put up with my constant depressive mood for two weeks.

I rolled my eyes and nodded, "yes, now talk!"

She dragged me further away from eavesdroppers. "So you'll never guess who's just become a late sign up for the benefit concert this weekend."

I sighed, "you're right Dan, I won't, so just tell me."

"Someone's ex maybe?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, "Charlie doesn't sing..."

Dani shrugged, "you sure about that?"

Wait does she sing? She would've told me surely. 

Cimorelli are opening up the show on Saturday night which is cool for us because it means we get to actually enjoy the rest of it. All the schools in the area are being represented by performers to raise money for the funding cuts schools have been receiving for the arts departments. We'll be singing a few songs from our new album 'Up At Night' so I'm actually really looking forward to it.

"Well whatever, I don't know why she would sign up for a concert."

"Who knows, now why are you in such a good mood today?" She smiled as she watched my face light up.

"I may have accidentally overheard a conversation..."

"Lauren," Dani scolded me.

"I was in the bathroom! I couldn't do anything!"

"What was the conversation then?"

"Charlie telling Jenna she wasn't over me basically and that she wanted to talk to me!"

Dani squealed and jumped up and down gleefully as I beamed.

"Heck yes! I knew she was still caught up on your ass! Dating Stacey was totally just a distraction.."

"Wait, you knew she was dating Stacey?" I crossed my arms and cocked an eyebrow.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights, "uhmm... no? Gotta go, see you for rehearsal later!" She made a quick escape and I chuckled and headed back to lunch.

"Everything okay?" Holly asked as I sat down, all eyes on me.

"Yeah, just wanted to talk about the concert on Saturday," she nodded and my eyes drifted around the room. Charlie was watching me and I immediately blushed and turned away when we made eye contact. Stacey squinted her eyes dangerously at me but said nothing as she stood up, strutted past us and slid onto the bench next to Charlie, intertwining their hands. 

I swallowed the rising jealousy that was bubbling up inside me and took a long gulp of water. Jazz leaned in next to me and whispered so only I could hear, "she's doing this on purpose. Ignore her."

I snapped my head in her direction, shock horror apparent in my expression. "W-what?"

"Relax Lauren, it's okay," she said quietly, although nobody was paying us any attention anyway. "It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out you and Charlie had something going on."