Joe and Dianne: Life away from you

Breaking down

Narrator's POV:

As ever London's hectic train schedual was a complete mess. Southern rail living up to their standard settings, meaning that delayed, canceled and slow trains made the usually chill journey down to Brighton, an absolute nightmare. So the expected arrival time of 10 o'clock seemed nothing but wishful thinking by the time that Joe turned up at the station for nearing on 12. But nonetheless, Joe found his way through the dodgy ticket barriers and crowds of people with music in his ears and a smile on his face, making his way to the carpark to find Alfie waiting patiently in his car to take Joe back to his sisters.  Getting in, Joe noticed the mildly pissed off face of his sisters boyfriend.

"Sorry, mate. Have you been waiting long?" Joe asked, concerned that this whole plan of Zoe's , which may or may not work, was a waste of time for not only himself but also for her and Alfie.

"No, not long at all only an hour and a bit." Alfie replied sarcastically as he started up the car, before heading slowly out into the stand still traffic of Brighton's weekend swell. Joe looked down guiltily, his ever changing mood instantly peaking Alfie's interest. Despite Zoe telling him what had happened to her little brother, Alfie was keen to know more. "How are you doing anyway?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the stationary traffic in front of them.

To Joe this was a more complicated question then it should have been. If he was asked that question just over 24 hours ago, he would have been perfectly fine - still in the dark about what Dianne had done. Likewise if he had been asked that question 12 hours ago, at around midnight last night, he would have for sure broken into tears there and then, the hurt and hatred he was having to deal with back then stopping him from giving an actual answer. But now...

Now things were different. Confusingly different.

Because after Anthony's words at the early hours of the morning, and the reassurance from both him and Zoe that Dianne still loved him, Joe found himself in an unusual state of calm, given the situation. If it was anyone else, then Joe for sure would not have believed a word that was said to him by a stranger who happened to show up at his door at one o'clock in the morning. But because it was Anthony, a man he knew was kind and honest and nothing but a nice guy, he believed him. He believed that Dianne was not to blame for this situation, and in some way, it made Joe forgive her. Forgive her for what part she played in that fateful night over a month ago. Anthony's words gave him the forgiveness he needed to sleep peacefully last night, and wake up this morning ready for the day ahead. But there was also another side to Joe's emotions. A side that was still angry. Still synical at what had been said to him. Ever since he could walk, Joe has never been the sort of person to hold a grudge against anyone. But for some unknown reason, this was different. And the way in which Dianne had managed to break his heart that had only ever held love for her seemed to change him slightly. And it was that very change in Joe that created a new side to Joe that was most certainly uncharted teritory. It was a side that was still angry at Dianne, a side that made him feel things he was certain he had never felt before. And it was the same side that was conflicting with another thought. The thaught of forgetting it ever happened and just being able to feel Dianne in his arms again, conflicting with the side of him that never wanted to see her again.

"I.... Um.... It's complicated." Joe uttered back to Alfie, now raising his eyeline onto the finally clearing road ahead of them.

"I understand that. I think Zoe wants to go out for a late afternoon lunch/ dinner sort of thing later, to get you to chill. Fancy a roast at about four?" Alfie asked, hoping the promise of food would get Joe's mid off of what he was feeling for at least a few more minutes.

Giving Alfie a smile, Joe chuckled slightly before returning to his usual state of happiness. "My god Alfie Deyes,  you know just how to make me smile."