Friends with Benefits | Joanne

8- Netflix and...

Before Joe knew it, training had begun.

Dianne hadn't been joking when she said she would expect him to work hard. He had pushed himself so much over the last couple of days. He was taking everything she said seriously and trying his best to put in the work.

He had tried to prank her back many times, jumping out of doorways and convincing her she had something in her hair or on her face. But she was the master at manipulation and Joe fell for it every time.

Dianne leaned back, laughing, during one of their breaks. They were a week into training and both of them were determined that the routine would be perfect for Saturday night. "I can't believe you fell for that!"

Joe folded his arms in front of himself in half-faked annoyance. "I can't believe you managed to string me along this whole time! You're such a liar!" He leaned in and lightly punched Dianne's arm.

She laughed again. "No, I'm a goodliar. I just can't believe you fell for it. As if I could possibly have a kid- I can barely look after myself!"

Joe laughed. "That's true. What did you call that thing this morning? The thing you look at the stars with?"

Dianne flushed a little. "A scaleposcope."

Joe laughed. "Adorable."

Dianne had gone quiet. Joe leaned in a little. "Sorry... did I... did I take that too far? I know you don't like people calling you out or saying you're dumb and stuff."

Dianne held her sad expression for a moment longer before bursting into laughter. "Oh my god. You fall for it every time".

Joe groaned and rolled his head back. "We'd better go out next week. I can't cope with much more of this. I'm going to trip over my own leg on purpose- kamikaze myself out of this competition and get you out of my hair."

Dianne turned to face him. "Number one. If you do that, I will personally hunt you down. And two, if you don't get your footwork in the right order before Saturday you won't even need to try because you will trip over. Come on, sparrow legs. Let's go through it again."

///

I was pushing Joe as hard as I would push any young pro I had trained before. He was fit, and he had moves. He just needed to be confident.

Training with Joe felt really easy. We were a great match physically, and he got my sense of humour. It was odd, really. I didn't think I'd ever had anyone laugh at my jokes as much as him. Especially not any guys. They didn't really seem to care what I said; just stared at my chest or my ass when I spoke.

Joe was different.

We were training every day and texting every night. Our sessions in the studio had been going later and later, but we would still text or call until the early hours. I blamed it partly on my loneliness. I couldn't chat to my family at normal times because of the time difference between London and Perth. And I like to chat.

Joe didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, he was the one calling me most nights.

"Hey, Di." Joe approached me as we packed away for the night. It was early, but we had cracked the routine and I didn't want to push it too far. I looked up at him, straight into his deep blue eyes. "Yeah?"

"Do.. do you fancy getting some food or something? I feel like I haven't seen you outside of this studio in ages and it would be nice to hang out. We can get whatever you want, maybe take it back to mine?"

I stopped for a moment, confused. "Is this... are you...?"

Joe shook his head. "Oh, no. I'm not asking you out or anything. God, no. I'm... I just wanted to hang out. You're fun. And my roommate is away for the night so I haven't got anyone to play Mario Kart with."

The idea of playing Mario Kart again made me smile. "Fine. But please don't pass out on the couch again. I don't have the physical strength to do a whole face of makeup on you after dragging you around this dancefloor all day."

Joe laughed and pulled me into him, his arm around my shoulder. "Come on. What do you want to eat?"

///

"You know, this movie is really stupid." Joe commented as he leaned into Dianne. "None of this would ever happen in real life. Like, as if you break up with someone and then they come running after you. No."

Dianne leaned forward to take a sip from her glass of wine. "Exactly. You break up, you drink, you cry, you move on. If I went running after every guy I'd ever broken up with, claiming I'd made some terrible mistake... well. It would be like that bit in Forest Gump."

Joe laughed heartily. "Really? That many times?" Dianne nodded.

"I fall in love too easily. It's my worst attribute."

Joe leaned back into the cushion, resting his head so he was looking at the ceiling.

"I don't think I've ever let myself fall in love. Not really. I've definitely been close, but those words just haven't come out of my mouth. I wonder sometimes if that's why people think I'm immature."

Dianne rested her hand on his thigh and patted gently. "It'll happen when it happens. I need to learn not to let people take advantage. I've got better at it; I think I used to let people buy me. Not like a prostitute, but... perfume, jewellery, fast cars, attention. I think I thought that was what love was."

Joe turned to face her. "I just wish there was a way to have the good bits of a relationship without all the shit, you know. I just want to enjoy myself. Have fun with someone I like. Without playing games and having to have emotions involved."

"That's not how it happens in the movies" Dianne said as he looked into his eyes.

"No, but it is how it happens in porn."

Dianne gasped as she laughed, pushing Joe playfully. "You're not wrong! Oh my god, if the world was like a porno..."

"No emotions. Bang whoever you want. If you're interested, they're interested. No responsibility."

"Massive tits". Joe giggled at Dianne's comment.

There was a moment of silence. Dianne leaned back with a sigh. "God, I miss sex."