Don't Get Close

Lucy let her head drop on the table and let out a sigh. It may have only been a day since she discovered her problem, but it was driving her nuts that she couldn't remember a thing. Plus the whole ordeal with James only made her headache and frustration worse.

Joey walked into the room as her head hit the table. He cringed at the loud 'thud' and approached Lucy cautiously.

"You okay?"

Without moving she replied, "Just peachy."

Joey pulled out the chair next to her and attempted to sit down, but was thrown to the side as the bus jerked and he landed on the floor instead. Lucy's head thudded against the table with the bumps, and Joey continued to fall over every time he tried to get up.

The bus came to a stop and Joey noticed they were on the side of the road. He heard the bus driver yell obscenities and something about blowing a tire.

He sighed and sat down, this time successful, next to Lucy. He put an elbow on the table and resting his head on his fist while he studied Lucy.

"I don't believe you."

She kept her head still, "I have issues."

He chuckled, "So I've noticed."

She got him a glare before roughly setting her head back on the table.

"You really need to stop doing that," he said, reaching to pat Lucy on the head.

She shook him off, "I'm fine."

"You're obviously not, or you wouldn't be banging your head on the table every five seconds."

Lucy grunted and lifted her head off the table. She leaned back in the chair and folded her arms over her chest, staring at Joey.

"Ok fine, you got me. I'm not 'just peachy'."

He gestured for her to go on.

"Is anyone around?" she asked, peeking through the small doors on either side of the bus kitchen for anyone that could be outside.

Joey shook his head, "Shawn, Paul, and Chris are in the living room, but I don't think anyone else is up. Even after the bus shaking like that, I doubt they'll even stir."

Lucy shifted in her seat, "I almost kissed James yesterday."

Joey stared at her like she had grown a second head, "Come again?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and leaned closer so she wouldn't have to speak louder, "I said I almost kissed James yesterday!"

"That's what I thought you said," Joey replied, sitting back in his chair.

Lucy half expected him to yell at her for some reason. Needless to say she was confused when a huge smile broke out over his face instead and he started laughing.

She sent a glare his way, "What's so funny?"

He waved her off, "Nothing."

"I don't find it funny. I find it very confusing and it's only making my headache worse!" she cried, slamming her head on the table again.

Joey stopped laughing and reached out and held her head in his hands, causing her to look at him.

"Why is it confusing?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She stared at him, "Because! I have no idea what it means!"

"What? It only means one thing!"

Lucy gave him a confused look, "Huh?"

Joey removed his hands from her head and put them on her shoulders instead, "It means he likes you!"

She continued staring at him for a few seconds before she burst out laughing, "Hah! I highly doubt that he feels the same way, Joey."

Joey sighed; she was just as stubborn as James!

"I don't think you understand, Lucy," he said, shaking her with every word he spoke, "James likes you too! He wants you!"

She jerked out of Joey's grip, "Wants me!?"

"To be with him! You know, he likes you and wants to be with you? I thought you would know how this works-"

She punched him lightly on the arm, "Of course I know how it works!"

Joey threw his hands up, clearly frustrated, "Then what's so confusing? I can't believe it's taken you two this long to even get that far!"

Lucy looked at him questioningly, "What do you mean by that?"

He put his arms back down, "What I mean is-"

"Yo guys!" Sid announced, waltzing into the kitchen and heading straight for the toaster.

Lucy shook her head at him, "I swear you're in love with that toaster."

Sid gasped and put an arm around the toaster, using his other arm to point his finger at Joey, "You! You told her of my love affair with the toaster!"

Joey looked mock offended, "I did no such thing!"

Sid plugged his ear with his free arm, the other still wrapped tightly around the toaster, "I can't hear you!"

Joey stood up and pointed a finger at Sid and the toaster, "You know what? Fine! If that's the way you want it then I'll just leave you and Marlena to be!"

Lucy watched with an amused expression as Joey stormed out of the room. She turned to Sid to find him caressing the toaster and whispering sweet nothings in her...ear?

Mick walked into the room as Joey ran out, running into him the process. Joey just huffed, threw his hands in the air, and went off somewhere else to find James and have a chat.

Mick raised an eyebrow when he saw Sid hugging the toaster, "What'd I miss?"

"Oh nothing. Apparently Joey ratted out Sid and told me of his love affair with Marlena," she said, nodding her head in the direction of Sid.

"Who's Marlena?" Serena asked, walking into the room in just her tank top and short pajama shorts.

"You do realize it's November, right?" Lucy asked, gesturing to Serena's choice of clothes.

Serena shrugged, "They're comfy."

Lucy noticed Mick staring at Serena's legs for a little longer than necessary. She chuckled, "Right. Well, Marlena is Sid's secret lover."

Sid scoffed, rubbingthe toaster Marlena affectionately, "It's certainly not a secret anymore!"

Serena and Mick stared at him like he was crazy, while Lucy put on a face of mock anger and stormed up to Sid, painfully poking him in the chest.

"I thought you loved me!" she cried dramatically. She stumbled back and put a hand on her forehead, the other one holding herself up on the counter.

Sid set the toaster down and ran to Lucy, taking her in his arms. He dipped her down and just as he was about to "kiss" her, Corey walked into the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the sight before him.

"I-I wow," he said looking around the small space, "I'm not sure I know what to say."

"Say that you love me!" Lucy yelled, still dipped down and in Sid's grip.

Corey jumped on a chair and struck a dramatic pose, "I love you, Lucy Barret!"

Sid let Lucy go and she ran to Corey and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around him and put her hands on each side of his face. He smirked at her as she leaned in and planted a sloppy kiss on his mouth.

The two burst out laughing, along with the other 3 in the room. Sid was practically rolling on the floor, Serena was using Mick to hold herself up as she laughed, and Mick was bracing himself on the counter with his other hand clutching his side.

"What the fuck-"

All 5 stopped laughing and looked to see that Joey had returned and brought Shawn and James with him.

At first, James thought he was seeing things. Lucy was in Corey's arms, wrapped around him, and the two just kissed. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Maybe he was going crazy.

Joey refrained from laughing because he knew James would probably smack him upside the head for it. He turned to Lucy. The poor thing, she looked like a deer in headlights. She got caught joking around by James, the guy she wants, who thinks she's not into him. To make matters worse, it was Corey she was with. Only Sid and Joey knew of James' liking of Lucy, so it wasn't like Corey was doing it on purpose, but James thought Lucy was going after Corey and not him. It wouldn't be the first time a girl left James for another guy, so Joey could understand his worry. But Lucy didn't seem like that, at least he didn't think so.

Joey shook his head. Lucy wasn't kidding when she said it was confusing. He would have to somehow explain it to James. He was probably thinking the worst possible scenario right now. Joey sighed; what a mess.

Shawn cleared his throat, "Well. Now that we've all had our fun, maybe we should help the bus driver fix the blown tire. Or at least do something useful..."

Corey gently let Lucy down, a bit worried because of the way she looked. He felt partially at fault for the way she must feel about James seeing everything, but it's not like it meant anything. They were just joking around...

Right?

James stared at Lucy as she stared at the ground, or anywhere but James. Serena noticed the tension between them on walked over to pat Lucy on the shoulder.

Lucy turned to her, "Yeah?"

"I have to pee," Serena said, grabbing Lucy's hand, "and I want you to come with me."

The guys, obviously being guys, stared strangely at the two as they made their exit. Mick looked from the doorway to the guys and back to the doorway again, "Is that normal?"

Shawn and Joey shrugged, Corey looked too deep in thought to be bothered by the question, Sid was back to romancing the toaster, and James was too busy staring at the spot where Lucy was.

Mick sighed, "Maybe 'normal' isn't the right word."

--------------------------------

The two girls made their way to the bathroom. Once inside Serena locked the door and the two began talking in hushed voices.

Lucy ran her hands over her face, "Serena what do I do?"

Serena shrugged, "Tell James how you feel?"

"After that little display I doubt he's really gunna listen to me."

Serena shook her head, "I'm sure he will. I keep telling you, Luce, he has a thing for you! You don't see the way he looks at you, or the way he talks about you! He likes you!"

Lucy snickered, "That sounds so cheesey and cliche."

Serena rolled her eyes, "I know, okay. But it's true! Seriously! I can't be the first one to tell you this. We all see the sexual tension-"

"Woah, woah, hold on a second," Lucy said, shaking her head as if to get the words out, "sexual tension? I don't believe there's anything sexual about it."

Serena chuckled, "If you say so. But really, am I the first one to tell you this?"

"No..."

"Well then!"

Lucy sighed, "I dunno, Serena. I can't remember any past relationships and I have no idea how they even work. How am I supposed to know what to do?"

Serena grinned, "Oh, I'm sure it'll all come back."

Lucy ignored her, "What if I do something wrong? Or he finds someone better? Or-"

Serena cut her off, "Seriously, Luce! That won't happen! You may not remember but at least you act the same way. You never did think that you were good enough for anyone."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But no worries! Oh and just so you know, if you don't make a move on James voluntarily, I'll force you to," Serena said mischieviously smiling.

Lucy gulped. She had a bad feeling about this.