Until There Was You

Start Spreading The News

7. 

A couple of days after Joey and Lauren's study date as Joey was calling it he received a text from the girl in question.

'Too chicken to send red ones?' followed by a winking emoji and a picture of the roses he had had delivered to her house. Joey's heart rate increased dramatically. Did she want him to send red ones? Red was romantic right? He'd sent yellow to be on the safe side (and they matched the colour scheme of her room from what he'd seen on FaceTime). In the time that he took to even think about writing a response Lauren had sent another message. 'I'm only messing. You didn't have to buy me flowers at all.'

'I wanted to, it's a thanks for the cookies and help.'

'Thank you for the thank you.' Joey laughed at Lauren's text and slid his phone back in his pocket.

Whilst they hadn't arranged to meet up since she had last been over they had spoken a couple of times on the phone and via text or FaceTime. It seemed their friendship was growing more and more with each passing day and Joey couldn't be more thrilled about it. Even if she did end up marrying Darren and he was best man at their wedding at least she would be his friend, that was more than enough for him. It seemed he was slowly getting over his crush on her. Every day that they spoke he grew more comfortable with their budding friendship and would end up telling her things he used to only tell Darren. He even told her about a girl in his Script Writing class who he thought was cute. She was a bit quieter after that remark, but nothing out of the ordinary, she even helped give him some advice on how to ask her out. Actually, she just told him to be himself because he was great just the way he was, but he appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

The day after the flowers arrived at Lauren's, he had had a super angry text from Darren.

'Why the fuck are you sending my girlfriend flowers?'

'She helped me with an essay I was just saying thanks.' Joey replied rolling his eyes at his friends behaviour. At least Darren had made it abundantly clear that him and Lauren were still together.

'With flowers?'

Not wanting to drop Lauren in it by saying that it was her who had mentioned the flowers Joey sent back a very sarcastic reply.

'Next time you help me with an essay I'll buy you flowers if it makes you feel better.'

'I'd prefer pizza' Darren had replied and Joey heaved a sigh of relief knowing he had dodged a bullet, but only just.

-

The doorbell rang and Joey jumped up from the couch to answer it knowing it was his best friend. Darren had called him earlier that day telling him he had some exciting news he couldn't wait to share. Joey had invited him over without hesitation and now twenty minutes later Darren was stood on his doorstep.

"Alright mate?" Joey grinned as he pulled his friend into a quick hug. He clapped him on the back and stepped aside to let him into the house.

"Yeah man, how are you?" Darren replied walking straight into the lounge and flopping on the couch.

"Good, you want a drink?"

"Coke would be great, thanks."

"Sure," Joey grabbed two cans from the fridge and returned to the couch to find Darren turning the Playstation on, two controllers in his hand. "I've been waiting for you to get back, I downloaded the new Madden last night."

"I figured you would have," Darren grinned as he handed Joey a controller. He put the Coke down on the coffee table and grabbed the gamepad from his friend. "Let's play."