You come around and the armor falls
Pierce the room like a cannon ball
Now all we know is don't let go
We are alone, just you and me

Lauren sat across from Julia in their favorite coffee shop, which was about a block away from the apartment they shared with Jaime. Lauren was staring down at her steaming cup, trying not to have the conversation with Julia she was so close to having.

Julia was forcing her to do this, telling her that it'd be a good way to get over her break up, regardless of the reminiscent nature.

"Come on. Just start from the beginning," Julia said, placing a hand on Lauren's forearm. She looked at her with raised eyebrows and small smile. Lauren shook her head quickly.

"No. I don't wanna do this," she said.

"Come on, it'll set everything straight in your head. It may even make you realize what you should do. If you should move on…or try and talk to him. You guys were together for a while, and it can't just end like that," Julia said, and Lauren glowered at her. The girl was always right.

Lauren took a deep breath. "Okay. We'll start with the day I fell for Joseph Walker. It was the first party, freshman year of college, back when I didn't really like you…"

And the flashback began.

Lauren ran a hand through her long hair. She really needed it cut. She spun around in her desk chair and looked across the dorm at Julia, who was trying to finish getting ready.

"Jules, hurry up," Lauren was having no sort of patience with her roommate. She was too put together and organized, which was a good thing, but set Lauren off. It was only Freshman year, she told herself, she wouldn't talk to Julia after this year.

"I'm sorry, I just wanna look good tonight. Alright?" she said, pulling on a black shirt, before grimacing at her reflection in the mirror and taking it off, and searching in her drawers for a new one.

"Is that guy gonna be there? The one in our Acting I class?" Laurens eyebrows flicked up. There was a curly haired boy that Julia couldn't keep her eyes off of. If she was gonna spend the year living with Julia, she should at least have something to tease her about.

"Yes. His name is Darren," Julia said, a smile spreading across her face. "He's from California. He plays like, 7 instruments and-"

"Whoa, girl. Calm down," Lauren smiled a little at Julia. Alright, maybe she wasn't that bad. It was funny seeing her fret over a guy.

"It's just, it's my first party I'm going to this year and he'll be there…"

Lauren stood and rifled through Julia's drawers. She smiled and pulled out a little black dress. "This."

"No, Lauren. It's too much, I don't even know I brought that," Julia shook her head nervously.

"It'll be perfect. And please, call me Lo." Lauren smiled a genuine smile and turned so Julia could get dress.

"Oh, god. I can't wear this," she heard Julia mumble. Lauren turned and looked at her roommate with wide eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about? It looks perfect!" Lauren said, and it was true. The dark dress smoothed over Julia's body and looked amazing.

Julia smoothed the dress and looked in the mirror again. "I guess it doesn't look so bad."

"Now that that's out of the way, let's go," she opened the door and gestured for Julia to come with her.

They walked down the hall, down the stairs, and out of the dorm. The party was at an off campus apartment that belonged to one of the Junior's in their major. They were doing a weird thing, letting Freshman come to a party. But that one Junior was overly nice, and Lauren and Julia were ecstatic. It was to start off the year.

When Lauren and Julia got there, red solo cups immediately found their way into their hands. Julia went off to find Darren, and Lauren hung back by the kitchen, a little shy. She never really liked meeting new people.

Then, she saw him. Well, she'd seen him before, him being in one of her classes. She'd thought he was handsome from the first time she'd seen him. His name was Joseph Walker, but that's all she knew. He could be a serial killer, gay, an asshole…the possibilities were endless. He was standing with Darren, when Julia walked over to them. Julia, who smiled wide and greeted them, and Darren who's jaw just about dropped when he saw her. She smiled and shook her head. Julia would be thanking her for weeks. She watched as they walked off talking. Feeling awkward, she took another sip of her drink. Her eyes kept going back to Joseph, who was talking to some guy with light hair and glasses. Dylan, she thought. A figure bumped into her and drink spilled a bit onto her.

"Ohmygod! I'm so sorry!" said the curly haired girl.

"It's fine, really." Laurent took a napkin and dabbed at her shirt. It'd be alright, no stain would appear.

"I'm such a klutz. Oh, I'm Meredith," she said, before running off back into the party. Lauren could tell she'd already had a little too much to drink.

She saw Joseph turn his head away from her direction, a small smirk on his face. Shit, she though. She already made an ass of herself in front of him.

Another person bumped into her and Lauren rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, try to walk like a human." Lauren's eyes widened when she saw who bumped into her, as it wasn't Meredith. It was a Senior, and she looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Oh, I'm sorry…"

"It's fine. I…were you looking at Joe Walker?" she said, a little bit of smile on her face.

"Uh…" she didn't know what to say.

"You were, it's fine. The guy hasn't been here for a month and he's already got a bit of a reputation. Apparently, he's already gotten around with a few girls…" she said, crossing her arms. Lauren had a sneaking suspicion she was one of them.

"I don't really believe rumors," Lauren said thickly. He seemed alright. Granted, she didn't know him. The girl could be right.

"Whatever. Good luck, freshman," and the girl turned and walked off.

Lauren swallowed the rest of what was in her cup.

"Whew, that was a lot at once," said a slightly raspy voice from in front of her. She looked up into ice blue eyes. "I'm Joe."

"Lauren," she said, stuttering a little. She couldn't tell if it was nervousness or the beer. She was a lightweight.

"Did that girl bother you?" he said, an eyebrow cocked. "She likes to scare people off, that's what this guy Jeff said. Likes to make shit up about incoming Freshman. His first year, she told everyone he didn't have a dick. Still hasn't died down for some people."

Lauren smiled a bit. "Well, she's not a saint herself. She pretty much just said she almost slept with him. And she insinuated she slept with you."

"Oh, really now? How many girls have I slept with?" he asked with a laugh.

"A few, she had said. But I don't believe it." Lauren laughed. It felt as if it was just them in that room.

"The best she can do? Wow, I got off easy," he said, and smiled at her. "Hey, you came her with that girl Julia, right? I saw you guys come in together."

"Yeah, she's my roommate."

"Well, I don't think her and Darren will be leaving any time soon. But I know this great place for dinner. You wanna come?"

"Uh, sure. Yeah," she smiled, placed her cup on a counter and followed Joe out of the party.

They walked through the darkness of Ann Arbor. Even though it was close to midnight, the streets were still busy, and the people going through them were busy as well. They moved fast, trying to make each crosswalk light as soon as they could.

Before long, they were seated in the small restaurant, eating burgers and drinking Cokes, and telling high school stories. A song came on the radio that was playing, it was slow enough for dancing and Joe stood.

"Come on, dance with me. I love this song,"

"What?"

"Stand up, and dance with me," he pulled her up and they danced through the end of the song, and through a few more.

It was early to say, but she could already feel herself falling in love with Joe Walker.

Lauren smiled at the memory and took a sip of her coffee, waiting for a reaction from Julia.

"I remember that night. I was so freaked out when I couldn't find you. Then Darren said he lost Joe as well, and we simply guessed you had met and left together. Although, I thought the possible situation was more decent than was Darren guessed," she smiled and looked down at the ring on her finger. "That was a fun night. So, what else ya got for me?"