Finding You. | BRUNOL & SIMUEL

Part 19: Manuel

"So what do you want to do now, Manu? Are you moving out?" Simo asks. I don't know. There's so much to think about. This time yesterday me and Pol were walking around the city, looking for a stranger that we weren't even sure we were going to find. And now...I don't know. I still have to pay off some debts. There's also my job at the food truck, and Pol's luggage in my room.

Where even is Pol, anyway? I hope he's not lost or anything.

It would be kind of funny though if he did get lost.

Our footsteps echo as we climb up the stairs of my apartment building. "I don't know yet, Simo. I still have a lot of things to sort out," I tell him.

He nods. "Well, I'm right here when you need me." We continue to make our way up the stairs when I notice someone waiting by my apartment door. He turns around and it's...it's Bruno. How? What is going on? Did Pol find him?

We continue to walk up. I see Pol who's looking at the other doors and scratching his head. He absentmindedly says something to Bruno in Spanish. "Er...Pol?" I say.

He turns around and sees me. His face brightens up. "Pasta!" he exclaims. Shut up, Pol. Fucking embarrassing. He immediately sprints towards me and gives me the tightest hug in the world. He seems happy. I guess it went well for him too, last night. I awkwardly pull away.

"Who is he?" Simo asks me. At first I think of explaining everything to him right away. But I stop myself. Because I won't lie, Simo's kind of sexy when he's mad.

"Erm—" Pol cuts off what I was about to say. He says something to Bruno. I don't understand what it is.

"Hi, I'm Bruno," he says to me in Italian.

I take his hand and shake it. "I know!" I say, almost too excitedly like I'm meeting a celebrity for the first time. He looks at Pol, bemused. Right, I forgot he doesn't know me yet. I've been looking at his photos for a while now. And Pol and I have talked about him a lot that it feels like I already know him. "You did not tell him?" I ask Pol.

He shakes his head. He notices Simo."Who is that?" he asks, smiling at him. Really, Pol? In front of me and Bruno?

My neighbor from next door passes by us on his way out. He judgmentally eyes us as he makes his way down the stairs.

For a moment we're all just standing there, staring at each other awkwardly, absolutely dumbfounded by what's going on.

Pol suddenly bursts out laughing. I join him. "Joder," he says, as soon as my neighbor is out of sight.

I look and see that Bruno and Simo look overwhelmed.

I adjust my throat and walk towards my door to open it. "Let's go...inside?" I tell everyone in English. Pol hesitates at first. He looks at Bruno and gestures towards the apartment. I give them a weak smile at them as they pass by me. Simo trails behind them, looking pissed, his jaw clenched and both his hands in his pockets. Sexy. He makes his way through the door. "Hey." I put my hand on his shoulder and shake my head. "It's okay. Don't worry. You don't have to be jealous," I tell him.

His expression softens a little. "I'm not jealous," he says.

"What? But I want you to be jealous."

He tries not to smile but fails to do it. "I hate you."

"Okay." I put my arms around his shoulder as we walk inside together.

"You sound stupid when you speak English, by the way," he says.

Simone and I sit down on the edge of the bed. Pol is pacing around the room, probably unsure of what to do next. Bruno takes a seat on the other side of the bed, checking out my James Bond poster above the headboard.