So You're Trapped in an Alternate Universe?

Richpez - Hands (4)

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Joey yelled over the music to the shorter girl on the stairs.

She nodded up at him sadly, and reached down to grab his hand. If she wasn't drunk, she could have sucked it up and smiled and pretended she was okay, especially since she barely knew the boy wanting to help her escape, but the alcohol and the look on her recently new friends face was enough to get her to accept his offer and leave the party.

The party wasn't bad, and nothing had happened, but Laurens seasonal depression had hit her pretty hard and all she had wanted to do for the past two weeks is lay in bed. She'd even missed a few classes because she had accidentally slept in. She had only come to this party because Darren had begged her to, and then ended up not even hanging out with her. Just another mark on a reason her depression was destroying her life, everyone hated her and no one wanted to hang out even when they said they did.

A rush of cold air hit the pair, and Lauren shivered, it being a party and all, she wasn't really dressed for Michigan winter.

"Here," Joey said, letting go of her hand.

The warmth of his hand shocked Lauren into panic, and she quickly looked up at the boy standing across from her to see him holding out his jacket for her to wear. "Joey... you're from California, I think you need that a little more than me."

"I'm good! Come on you know you want it!"

Lauren paused for a moment and silently let him help her into the jacket, he even zipped it up, and made sure it was buttoned at the end of the sleeves to try and keep her hands warm. She felt like a toddler who still needed help getting dressed, but she'd blame it on the alcohol and let Joey help her keep warm. She was probably too imobile to do it herself anyway, hell, even Julia had picked out her outfit for the night!

"You ready?" Joey said, smiling down at her, and reaching back out his hand to grab hers.

She didn't return his smile, which he seemed unbothered by, and grabbed his hand, clinging to his arm with the rest of her body. Lauren held on to him like he would disappear if she let go, if she was hurting him or he minded, he didn't say anything. She felt him shift oddly next to her, as he was trying to use his hand that wasn't holding hers to reach across his body and into his jacket pocket to find his car key.

"Did you not drink?" She asked, as he pressed the fob, and the lights on the car a few paces down blinked.

"Nah. I decided to DD tonight in case anyone wanted to go home or didn't have a ride."

"You're sweet."

Joey smiled at her and opened the door to the passenger side, helping her in, and even buckling the seat belt for her. Sure people in her friend group, and at Michigan, and especially in the theatre department were especially nice, but Joey Richter seemed like the pure and loving once in a lifetime nice. Lauren had only met him a few weeks ago at one of the many theatre functions for freshman. She was one of the leaders, and had finally been paired with the famous Joey after the couple of months of Darren talking about him, you think she would've met him before then, but he seemed to have come into her life at the right time.

"It's gonna take a minute for the car to heat up, so what's up, Lo?"

"Can you keep holding my hand, please?" She asked quietly, missing the warmth and protection she felt from it.

Joey quickly grabbed her hand, and placed it in between both of his, blowing warm air from his mouth into the small opening between his hands to try and keep her fingers warm.

"Promise you won't let go?"

"Cross my heart," he said moving his top hand back, and placing a kiss to her fingers, "are you alright?"

For the first time that night, Lauren met her friends eyes. His brow was furrowed with concern, and his chocolate eyes seemed to have been replaced by a dog, because he was giving her the saddest most concerning look she had ever seen in her life. Again, she didn't know if it was the alcohol, or Joey as a person, but his question and concern had ignited a spark and the water works started pouring out.

Lauren sat in his car, holding his hand, and told him everything. She told him how she couldn't and didn't want to go to class and how lonely she felt even in a room full of people, she even expressed her concerns that her medicine dosage needed to be higher or changed because she didn't feel like it was working anymore. She's been at Michigan for 2 ½ years now and Joey is only the fourth person she had ever mentioned anything about her depression and anxiety to, and he sat by her letting her talk and holding her hand the entire time.

When her crying had started to cease, Joey reached over and wiped a few remaining tears from her face. "I'm so sorry to hear that you feel that way, Lo," he said giving her hand a squeeze, "but I appreciate you telling me, you're very brave and so strong for putting up with that all the time."

Lauren wanted to cry at his kindness, if he was this nice after two weeks what would he be like in two years.

"I know you can't have gluten but is there any food you want? I think a nice meal and sitting back and watching some good TV is just what you need to end the night."

"You don't have to-"

"I want to." Joey said cutting her off, and looking at her until she was forced to look back at him.

-

The next day she was happy to remember that Joey hadn't let go of her hand that night besides to carry her up to her room and tuck her in bed. Yup, he really was once in a lifetime.

A/N: This is specifically for Sam, but wattpad hates me and wont let me tag her!! Anyway all thank you for reading this mess! Just a lil idea that came out of nowhere!