Never Let Me Go: A StarKid Fanfic

Chapter 21

BERNADETTE'S POV

"I, uh, don't...I'm sorry, that wasn't..." Joey stammered, the rain subsiding slightly. People continued bustling past us, fighting against the torrential downpour. I felt shocked, and not by the cold water. Joey had really, properly, finally kissed me, and I felt it. That spark that I hadn't experienced in what felt like forever since Darren had left for LA.

"We should probably get out of the rain," I mustered. We ran almost half a block to the park and found sanctuary under a pavilion, not saying a word to each other along the way.

As I wrung the icy cold rain out my hair, I could feel Joey's eyes burning into my back. What was he going to say? What was I going to say? I had never been in a situation like this before.

"Bernadette, I-"

"I want us to go out," I blurted, "Like, on a date." Joey blinked at me for a few seconds, his hair matted to his forehead.

"Wow, um," he replied, "I just...did not expect that."

"That seems to be a habit of ours, huh?" I said, smiling a bit, "Doing the unexpected."

"But wait, what about Darren?" he answered. I tensed at Darren's name, and Joey noticed.

"Joey, as far as I'm concerned, Darren let any chance of a relationship with me go up in smoke when he forgot to mention the fact that he had an on-and-off, gorgeous Hollywood girlfriend," I stated without skipping a beat, "Plus...he hasn't called or texted me in over a week now. It's time for me to just let him go."

"But, what about all the stuff you said about not wanting to lose our friendship?" he added, "I care about you Bernadette, and not just as someone I'm interested in." It touched me that Joey valued our friendship that much, but there was no denying there was something else between us. I just had to figure out if it was the real deal.

"I still stick by what I said," I replied, "But we don't have to worry about that. It's just one measly date. I mean, it's not like we're getting married or anything." He cracked a smile and I felt my cheeks got red hot.

"So, uh, I'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow?" he said, wincing at the loud clap of thunder that made us both jump. I held back a stupid grin from my face. Without the stupid Darren distraction, I was much more willing to accept Joey's date proposal.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" I said, slightly over-zealously, "Um, where are we going, exactly?" Joey smiled deviously.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out."

-oOo-

"You're absolutely shitting me right now."

"Um...no? I'm pretty sure I'm not."

"No no no, you have to be," Natalie said with utter disbelief, "You did not have a hot make out session with Joey Richter in the rain, and then basically confirm your relationship." She squealed excitedly and one of our throw pillows.

"Look, I don't know what to do!" I said, completely exasperated, "I don't want to fuck up our friendship, and I still don't know how to feel about Darren, even after everything, and I just want to have a normal, healthy relationship for once in my life, and-" Natalie cupped her hand over my mouth to keep me from having a complete mental breakdown.

"Do you want some advice?" she asked calmly. I nodded, her hand still covering my mouth. "Just go on the date."

"Okay, okay," I said, pulling my hair into a loose ponytail, "This should be interesting."

-oOo-

"Why in the name of sweet heaven have you dressed me up like Rachel Berry?" Natalie had picked out my clothes for my date with Joey, and I was feeling the instant regret of letting her choose my outfit. She had dressed me in a light pink Peter Pan collar blouse, a floral black, white, and pink skirt, and black oxfords with white knee socks. I looked like a bargain brand Blair Waldorf.

"Oh hush, you look adorable!" Natalie sung giddily, "Now get going, it's almost 7." Her happiness was slightly off-putting, seeing as she's usually hating life like the rest of the world, but it was nice to know someone had my back. I made my way down to the lobby of our apartment building, reminding myself of the address to the restaurant that Joey said we were going to. As I advanced towards State Street, I was overwhelmed with the sense that I was, somehow, doing something wrong.

As much as I forced myself to preoccupy my mind with other things--work, the new friends, Joey--I kept thinking of Darren. Everything about him enticed me, and our whirlwind attempt at romance, however short lived, affected me deeply. And every time I remembered he had an actual girlfriend, my heart broke a little bit more. But, no matter how much I tried, I still felt attached to him, tied to him by some kind of invisible tether. As much as I tried to shake it, I couldn't get my mind off of the feeling that I was somehow betraying him by going on a date with what seemed to be his best friend. Although I had convinced Joey that I was done with Darren, I still had a bit of trouble convincing myself.

"Oh, get off the fantasy train, honey," a voice in my head mocked, "Whatever you and Darren had was done before it even started. Let him go and focus on the guy who's actually in front of you."

I straightened my back and attempted to walk with a purpose. I finally made it to a tiny pizza shop on the corner of West Polk and and South Clark street. It was a tiny hole-in-the-wall, a dimming Cal's Pizza sign flickering hopelessly. Before I could wonder if I had gotten the wrong address, I saw Joey crossing the street, waving manically. He looked ever so adorable, in a black polo and khakis, a gray windbreaker slung over his forearm.

"Hey, Bernadette!" he called cheerfully, "I was worried you wouldn't find the place." His eyes sparkled in the early spring sunset.

"Oh yeah, I found it," I said, feeling a bit put off by the shiftiness of the area we were in.

"Okay, I know this place looks shady," he answered, as if he could read my mind, "But trust me, this place will make you pleasantly surprised." He raised his eyebrows, seeing I was unconvinced, "You'll love it, I promise."

"Alright, fine," I said, half-faking my disappointment. I was just happy to see him, and I really didn't care where we were. Joey made me feel safe. He opened the door for me and we entered the dimly lit restaurant. An old P!nk song was blaring over the loudspeakers, and the whole place was buzzing with excited chatter.

"You look really nice, by the way," Joey said sweetly, "It's different...I like it." I smirked and raised a eyebrow. "N-Not that you don't look nice usually, and not that I don't like the way you dress or anything, because, believe me you should wear whatever you want--"

"You're digging a deep hole, Richter," I said with a smirk, "I'd hate to see you get trapped." He let out a nervous laugh and I smiled back.

"Ya know, I've never met anyone quite like you, Bernadette," Joey remarked, "You really are one of a kind." His words made my body fill up with happiness. He was so genuine, so honest. He had absolutely nothing to hide, and I realized I could trust him a thousand times more than any other guy I have met. I know this sounds like the cheesiest, most bullshit statement I could possibly say, but here it goes: he completed me. And not just in a "oh my god we're perfect for each other and let's get married because we're so in love' way. It was more than that. Joey and I just clicked. And it felt amazing.

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Welp. That chapter only took 8 months. I know so many people have been wondering if I had fallen off the face of the earth and was going to become one of the dreaded fanfic writers who never updated ever again, but I assure you, that has not happened. I don't really have a good excuse for not updating except for the fact that my life has slowly been spiraling out of control for the past 8 months, but I am happy to report that my senior year is upon me, which only means one more year of hell aka high school! I will try to get the chapters out as regularly as possible, but I can't promise anything, due to things like college apps and many, many AP classes. Anyways, enjoy, and sorry again for the extended hiatus!

-Maria