richpez for mae

22

Days had passed since their argument and Joey had travelled home to his parents for Christmas break.

He hadn't tried to communicate or interact with any of his friends who knew about him and Lauren, having already received a string of messages from all his friends bar Darren about the situation and asking if he was okay.

He just felt angry. He tried to stop himself from thinking about that moment when he saw Daren and Lauren together, but it was the only thought that wouldn't leave his mind. And then thinking of Lauren trying to apologise when he had clearly seen what was happening between the two of them made him angrier.

He had shed plenty of tears about the situation, but he just wanted to know why she had done it. But he wanted to know without speaking to her. Speaking to Lauren was the last thing he wanted to do which was so alien to him since they spoke every day. From the party on the 14th to him being sat at home on the 23rd was the longest they'd gone without speaking to each other since they became friends. And even though all he did was think about her all day every day, he could cry reliving their argument in the garden. The way he shouted at her. The way she cried. The way he cried. The way he told her he loved her. He didn't know if he could or would forgive her, or if things would ever go back to the way they were. But he thought she should at least know how he felt if that were to be the last time they ever spoke.

As much as he was despising Lauren, he missed her so much. And not speaking to her the 9 days they were apart was driving him crazy.

-

Joey was sat in his parents garden on a deck chair. A book was in his hand and he was staring at the paper, but what was written on the page he couldn't say. He was too deep in thought to read.

He tried his best to stay positive while with his parents, not wanting to bring up the Lauren conversation and had opted not to say anything about it, but his mum had been watching him sit silently not turning a page in the book for nearly 30 minutes, and she was worried.

"Joey, dear," Denise asked, and Joey snapped back to reality, turning to face his mother with such speed that he could cause himself whiplash. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled. "Why?"

"I was watching you, you've not turned a single page of that book since I got out here."

Joey's face fell slightly but immediately put a smile back on his face.

"Just thinking, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

Joey turned back to looking at the book and Denise reluctantly dropped the conversation, not believing Joey for a second but knowing he wasn't budging.

-

They made it to Christmas Day, and Joey's mood had only worsened from when he arrived. His parents were trying to be as accommodating as possible for Joey, especially since they had no clue as to why he was acting that way. He had been fine during thanksgiving break, so they figured out that something had happened in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Break.

Joey felt so guilty for being miserable at home when he knew he was only seeing his parents for a short amount of time. But he tried to put on a happy face as the three of them exchanged gifts by the Christmas tree in his lounge.

He hadn't heard from Lauren at all, and he didn't know if he was happy or upset about it. He had eventually pulled himself together enough to send short texts to some of his friends, replying to their messages and wishing them a Merry Christmas. But his eyes still lingered over her contact name, reluctantly wishing she would say something. Anything.