Bravo 🤍

Nineteen

"Louis, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" Nikki hangs up the phone as she juggles the box in her hand. She knocks on the door of Lucas's new apartment, surprised to find Marie answer the door.

"Oh mon Dieu! Nikki!" She pulls her into a hug before pulling her into the apartment. "I'm so glad you're here."

Nikki glances around at the apartment full of people, music playing. "Having a party?"

"Oh, you aren't here for the housewarming?"

"No." She holds up the box in her hands. "I have a box of stuff that is Lucas's that was in my apartment." She sees Lucas having a heated conversation with François in the corner of the living room away from everyone else. "Maybe I should just go."

"No... stay." Marie takes the box from her and sets it on the coffee table and grabs a drink to hand to her. "I miss you," she whispers as Lucas glances up to notice her for the first time.

Lucas crosses the room to her as Marie backs away. "What are you doing here, Nik?"

"I..." she points to the box on the table. "I brought you some stuff from my place. I got your forwarding address from the building manager. You're having a party."

"Yeah, just some friends."

She nods as he frowns at her, his emphasis of friends telling her all she needed to know. She set the drink down on the table beside the box. "Right, I should go."

"Don't go, Nikki." François grabs her hand as she turns away from them as Lucas groans.

"Of course you don't want her go." Lucas scoffs, shaking his head. "It's my place, and I didn't invite her."

"Lucas!" Marie reprimands him as Nikki turns back to him to say something.

She opens her mouth and snaps it back shut again as Céline steps up beside Lucas, grinning at Nikki. "Hey! Nikki, right?"

Nikki ignores her as her eyes dart down to the necklace around her neck. She pulls on it hard as Céline gasps. "You gave her my necklace?!"

"Well, you didn't want it." He shrugs, nonchalantly.

Nikki pulls it harder until it breaks, falling onto the floor as people start to turn toward them. "That's not true, and you know it!"

"What the fuck?!" Céline steps toward her but Nikki raises her finger toward her.

"Back off! Putain de salope!" Everyone gasps as Lucas scoffs, stepping in front of Céline.

François grabs Nikki's hand, "maybe you shouldn't do this here."

"Leave her be, Frank!" Lucas crosses his arms over his chest. "Why are you here? I told you to leave me alone. And here you are, calling my new girlfriend a whore. Jealous?"

"Of her?" She scoffs, laughing as she pushes him back. "Fuck you, Lucas!" She turns to Céline. "Won't be long before he moves on to someone else. And then he'll give the necklace to the next girl. It's what he does. You're girl number three to receive that necklace."

Lucas watches her turn away to leave as he curses under his breath. "That's a lie! When are you going to stop punishing me?!" She stops in her tracks, hanging her head down, still facing away from them.

"Luke..." François rests his hand on his brother's chest. "Calm down, brother."

"No!" He pushing François away and grabs Nikki's shoulder, forcing her to turn back to him with tears streaking her cheeks. "I fucked up! And I've groveled and begged! But it isn't enough for you!"

"That's not the problem and you know it! I don't need begging!"

"Then what is the problem?"

Céline grabs his arm, but he yanks it out of her grip. "Baby..."

Nikki scoffs, pointing at Céline. "It's always being your second choice, Luke! I want to be your first choice!"

"You're insane!" He hits his palms on his head as he closes his eyes. "You've always been the first choice! It just took too long for me to see it!"

"The girls, the drinking." She motions to Céline, "giving my necklace to whores. You have a funny way of showing it, Luke."

"Come on, let me take you home." François grabs her hand as she nods.

"I'll come with you." Marie follows them as Lucas scoffs from behind them.

"You're choosing her over your brother?"

"Yes." They both answer simultaneously as they lead her out of the apartment.

***

Nikki stops at the top of the stairs as she watches an attractive blond man carry a box into what used to be Lucas's apartment. "Hi." She wipes away tears as François and Marie take a step back from them.

"Hello there, sad girl." He grins as she chuckles, handing her key to Marie to open the door. "I'm Sam..."

"Are you... English?"

Sam laughs, nodding. "An American in Paris? And she's sad? That's a shame." He brings his thumb up to wipe away a stray tear as François clears his throat behind them, forcing him to drop his hand.

Nikki chuckles, motioning to François. "That is just my guard dog, Frank. I'm Nikki. It's nice to meet you Sam. I'll see you around."

"Guard dog?" François rolls his eyes as he follows Nikki into the apartment, shutting the door behind them.

Nikki shrugs, "sorry." She sighs, trying to avoid Marie and François staring at her. "I guess that could have gone better. Lucas is right, I've been punishing him." She plops onto the couch as they both sigh, following her.

"Maybe. But you didn't do anything wrong, sweetheart." François sits on the coffee table in front of her, grabbing her hand. "What do you need?"

"To be alone, François. Thank you for making sure I got home. Both of you." She smiles at Marie as she hovers beside François with a hand on his shoulder. "But I really just want to be alone, please."

"Sure." He leans forward to kiss her on the forehead before standing up to usher Marie away. "Call me if you need anything."

She only nods, watching them both leave before resting her head back on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

***

Nikki wakes up to a loud knock on the door just after 10 pm. She groans, rushing to the door to find Sam standing with a bottle of whiskey. "Sam? It's late."

"Sorry, love. I just got done unpacking. Mostly. I wanted to see if I could cheer my American in Paris up."

She laughs as he smirks, holding up the bottle, teasing her. "Come in." She moves to the side to let him in, closing the door behind him.