Bravo 🤍

Five

Present

Nikki wakes up in the middle of the night to a hushed voice outside her apartment door. She crawls out of bed, careful not to disturb Théo as she walks quietly toward her apartment door. She opens it, cracking it enough to see Alba sitting on the stairs with her back to Nikki, on the phone.

"I know, Justin! I have to fly to London to meet them on the first. I'm gonna fly home to Portugal first. And then you guys can come with me to the US after Christmas."

There's a long pause before she laughs. "Don't worry about Lucas. It will be fine. Besides, I may not need him after this."

Nikki scoffs quietly to herself before closing the door and walking back to the bedroom, slipping back beside Théo. He groans quietly, pulling her closer to him. "Where did you go?"

"I heard something in the hallway. Go back to sleep." She stares up at the ceiling as she feels Théo snuggle up beside her, resting his head on her shoulder.

***

Nikki opens the door to her apartment, kissing Théo as she sees Lucas leave his apartment. "I'll talk to you later."

Théo sighs, looking between Nikki and Lucas hovering outside his door before nodding. "Yeah."

"Luke, where is the child girlfriend?"

He frowns as Nikki crosses her arms over her chest, leaning against the doorjamb. "She left early this morning back to Portugal. Don't tease me just because you don't like her."

"It isn't just that I don't like her. I don't trust her, Luke." She drops her hands, taking a step toward him to grab his hand. "She was out here in the hallway on the phone last night, talking to someone named Justin."

"So?" He pulls his hand away as she sighs, stepping away from him again.

"So... she was talking about meeting someone on the first and that she won't need you anymore soon. And she invited him to go to the US with her after Christmas. She's up to something. And she's manipulated you into thinking she is someone she isn't."

"You think I'm stupid?" He spits, leaning against the railing beside the stairs.

"Of course not, Luke! I care about you... Please." She tries to reach for his hand, but he moves away from her.

"Just stay out of my relationship, Nik. We're friends, nothing else. Maybe we should just go back to being neighbors."

"Luke!"

He shakes his head, turning away from her toward the stairs. "I'll be going out of town for a few weeks. I'll see you around."

"Fine!' She scoffs, slamming the door as Lucas descends the stairs alone.

***

"Nikki... Nikki?"

Nikki looks up from her computer she was staring into to see Théo standing behind her desk. "Théo. Sorry... I didn't hear you come in." She closes her computer as he frowns down at her.

"Have you been avoiding me? I haven't seen you in a week."

"Oh... no. Just a lot on my mind. I'm sorry, Théo."

He sighs, coming around to lean on her desk beside her chair. "What's going on?"

"Um..." she hesitates, resting her hand on his thigh. "It's nothing. I'm sorry."

"No. Don't lie to me." He leans down toward her, bringing his hand up to her cheek. "If this is going to work, we should be able to talk about stuff that is bothering us."

She sighs, leaning into his hand, soaking in the comfort she knew was about to be taken back. "It's Lucas. We're sort of fighting right now."

Théo groans, pulling his hand away and standing up. "Fighting?"

"Disagreement about his girlfriend."

"Yeah, she's something." They both laugh before he sighs. "Look, I really like you. I really don't want to come second to another man though. Friend or not."

"We're just friends. There is nothing else." She stands up in front of him as he grabs her hand. "There was one kiss back in April, and nothing since then."

"Why?"

"Why what?" She chuckles, confused at what his question means as he lets go of her hand.

"I mean, why was it just a kiss and nothing else? Why didn't it go anywhere?" She hesitates, staring past him at the wall. "Nikki?"

Nikki groans, looking back at Théo. "Because he started dating that girl. So nothing happened between us."

"But you wanted it to?"

"Well, yeah. I guess I did. But it doesn't matter now."

"Of course it does," he scoffs, stalking to the door. "You still have feelings for him and as long as you do, nothing can happen here. I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I'm sorry."

"Théo, wait." Nikki groans, plopping back into her chair as Théo disappears out of her office. "Merde," she mumbles to herself as she closes her eyes, resting her head back on the chair.

***

5 months ago

Nikki hears Lucas's door slam shut as she sits and watches tv in her living room. She grins, rushing to his apartment and letting herself in. "Luke! You're back!" He turns toward her with a smile, grunting just as she throws herself into his arms.

He chuckles, wrapping his arms around her. "I missed you too, Nik."

She laughs, pulling back to look at him. "Me too, Luke." She leans up on her toes, placing her hand on the back of his neck, kissing him.

Lucas groans, pulling her tighter against his chest as he kisses her back. He pulls away abruptly, resting his head against hers with his eyes shut. "I can't."

"Why?" She pulls away from him, out of his grip as he sighs, looking back at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sort of seeing someone now."

She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest as her heart plummets to the floor. "But, you kissed me before you left. I thought when you got back..."

"Me too. Really. I'm sorry, Nik."

"Who?"

He sighs, pulling out his phone. "An actress. We worked together last fall." He shows her the picture as she laughs.

"Come on, how old is she? I guess I get why you don't want to be with me..."

"What do you mean?" He huffs, shoving his phone back into his pocket. "She's twenty-four."

"Yeah," Nikki rolls her eyes, pulling her hand away before he could grab it, "and I'm thirty-three. Obviously too old for you."

"Oh come on, don't be like that. That's ridiculous."

"I thought you didn't date women, or girls, you work with." She shakes her head as he groans again. "I waited here for you. I thought..." She sighs, avoiding Lucas's gaze before smiling. "Doesn't matter. Obviously it was stupid of me to think you would want me over— Whatever. Best we just stay friends anyhow. I'm glad you're back."

"Nik!" Lucas calls for her as she turns away, slamming the door to his apartment. "Merde!"

**Merde means shit/fuck