Even Though (Joey Richter fanfiction)

Chapter 23

Jr 23

"Ali? Ali. Wake up." someone was saying softly in my ear, shaking my shoulder.

I turned over on my other side in my bed. "Go away." I groaned.

"Ali. Please?"

I blew out a sigh and cracked open my eyes slowly. "What?" I asked sleepily, turning to face Lauren, who was kneeling beside my bed.

"I'm scared." she whispered.

I opened my eyes fully and sat up to face her. "Wh- what?" I yawned.

"I think someone is robbing the apartment." she hissed.

"Seriously, Lauren? What time is it?" I asked, looking around for my phone.

"3.15." she whispered back.

"What? You are NOT serious. You woke me up at 3 o'clock in the effing morning?!" I whisper/screeched.

"I think someone is robbing the apartment!" she whisper/shouted back at me.

"Lauren!" I groaned furiously, swinging my legs out of bed and walking to the bedroom door.

"No!" she hissed, jumping on me from behind just as I reached for the door handle. I yelped and fell backwards, both of us landing heavily on the floor.

"Lauren!" I objected, pushing her legs off me.

"You can't go out there! What if they're armed or something?!" she asked, panicked.

"There is no one out there! That's what I was trying to prove before you attacked me from behind!" I glared at her.

"I heard someone!" Lauren insisted.

"Well, let's prove it! Come on. And do NOT attack me this time, okay?" I said firmly, getting up and walking to the door again.

Lauren nodded mutely and followed behind me quietly as we made our way to the living room, which was being slightly illuminated by a street lamp from outside. It was empty.

"See? No one's here, we're perfectly safe- what's with the bat?" I blinked, staring at Lauren.

She just gripped the baseball bat she was holding even tighter and hefted it up to shoulder level. "Just in case." she said, looking around suspiciously, clearly expecting someone to jump out at her.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I think you just had too much to drink last night. Can we go back to bed now? I have such a headache. I'm going to have a killer hangover."

Lauren shook her head. "We haven't checked the kitchen." she whispered, stealthily making her way across the room to the kitchen.

I sighed, but followed her. The kitchen was in total darkness, so I flicked on the light switch.

The kitchen lights flickered on, revealing Jaime, who was sitting at the table eating Oreos.

I stared at her in disbelief. "Jaime? What the hell are you doing up at three o'clock in the morning?"

Jaime didn't respond. She didn't even seem to acknowledge that I had said anything; she just kept eating her cookies and staring ahead.

Lauren lowered the bat. "Is she.. Asleep?" she asked slowly.

I tilted my head. It definitely looked like she was completely out of it, and sleepwalking wasn't out of the question. "I think she is."

Lauren snorted. "Damn. I thought I was gonna finally get to use this thing." she said, looking wistfully at her bat.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, thank god you didn't. I'm pretty sure it would be a felony." I said, relaxing slightly and watching Jaime eat.

"Nu-uh. It wouldn't be a felony if it was self defence." Lauren argued.

I just smiled and walked over to Jaime. "Come on. We'd better put her back to bed." I said to Lauren, gently plucking the pack of Oreos out of Jaime's hands.

Lauren nodded and came over. She picked up Jaime's arm and wrapped it around her shoulder to support her. I did the same on the other side and together we managed to carry her back to her bedroom. It must have looked pretty funny though, considering that both me and Lauren are considerably smaller than Jaime.

We laid her on the bed and tucked her in before returning to our bedroom. I flopped back down on my bed and let out a huge sigh. "Never again." I swore.

Lauren looked over at me. "Never again what?"

"Never again will I get up in the middle of the night to investigate a 'robbery' with you." I said, pulling my blankets back around me.

Lauren frowned slightly. "Well, it's technically morning, so-" she was cut off by a pillow hitting her in the face. "Nice shot." she said, spitting out the pillow.

"Thanks." I said, already half asleep

_______________________________

"So," Lauren began conversationally. All three of us were sitting on the couch in the living room, eating cereal and watching a morning talk show. "Did you sleep well, Jaime?"

Jaime glanced up, surprised. "What? Yeah, I suppose so.."

Lauren snickered and I rolled my eyes at her. "Smooth, Lo."

She grinned and shrugged. Jaime looked at us confusedly. "What are you two not telling me?"

Lauren smiled innocently. "Whatever do you mean, dear Jaime?"

Jaime narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Tell me." she demanded, turning to face me.

"Uh.. Lauren thought the apartment was being robbed-" I began, but Lauren interrupted me.

"It was being robbed. The intruder just slipped out before we could confront him with my bat." she stated firmly, crossing her arms and staring at the tv.

I shook my head and continued. "Anyway, we checked the kitchen and you were there eating Oreos at the table."

Jaime blinked. "No I wasn't."

"You were. You were sleepwalking." Lauren said, looking away from the tv.

Jaime scowled. "I deny that that ever happened."

I laughed and shook my head at them.

Jaime turned her attention to me. "So.. Uh.." it was pretty clear she was trying to ask a sensitive question, so naturally Lauren butted in to help.

"What the hell was with Joey and Ashley last night?" she demanded.

I closed my eyes slightly. I really didn't want to talk about it. I just wanted to forget that it ever happened. "I don't know. I guess.. He probably- I seriously don't know." I sighed in defeat.

Jaime looked at me sympathetically, which made me feel worse. "I think you should talk to him."

"Nu uh. Just kick his ass." Lauren advised.

I groaned and buried my head in my hands. "I don't know what to do. I think I should forget about it."

At this, both of them shook their heads. "No, because then he won't know that what he did hurt you. Just talk to him." Jaime recommended.

"When did you turn into a freaking therapist." I muttered, digging my phone out of my pocket and sending him a text asking if he wanted to meet up.

I got a reply a few minutes later, asking where. I simply sent back 'coffee shop'.

I stood up. "I'm going to get dressed and meet Joey in the coffee shop." I said, running my hand through my hair.

Jaime nodded and as I turned and began to walk towards my room to get dressed I heard Lauren whisper "Good luck."