Bravo 🤍

Twenty

Nikki's eyes shoot open as her phone rings, falling off the nightstand. "Fuck." She groans as Sam opens his blue eyes into hers, smirking sleepily at her.

"We already did. Going to answer that, love?"

She jolts out of bed, grabbing the phone and throwing on a robe. "Hello?"

Louis laughs on the other line. "Mon amour, open the door."

"What?" She hangs up, rushing to the apartment door, throwing it open to find Louis in front of her with coffees and a bag. "Louis..."

"Did I wake you? I brought you breakfast."

"Now isn't really a good time, Louis. I... had a bad night."

"Oh." He frowns, pushing past her to set the stuff on the kitchen counter, turning to grab her waist. "Do you want to talk about it?" He tenses, looking past her as she groans, closing her eyes. She turns around to find Sam pulling on a shirt.

"Morning." He pauses in the living room, raising a hand as Louis curses, turning and storming from the apartment.

"Louis!" Nikki chased him out into the hallway as he turned back to her from the top of the stairs. "It was an accident! It just happened."

"You know..." he takes a step toward her so he's inches away and she's forced to see the pain in his eyes, "you've never quite been all the way there with me. Always keeping a part of yourself from me. I let it go because I guess I stupidly thought the more I loved you, the less you would want your ex. But this is too much. This is not what I signed up for. This is not what I want. You are not what I want. Goodbye, Nichole."

"Louis, I'm sorry." Tears roll down her cheeks as she groans, watching him rush down the stairs before she turns back to her apartment. She stops in the kitchen to find Sam eating a croissant that Louis brought. "Sam, fuck off."

"Right. Sorry about your boyfriend, love."

"It isn't your fault, I didn't tell you." She plops on the stool beside his as he stands up.

"Now my sad girl is even more sad. You know where to find me if you want an encore of last night."

He smirks at her as she rolls her eyes, throwing another croissant at him. "Oh my god! Get out!"

He catches the croissant, laughing at her. "Seriously, you know where I am if you need anything, even if that's just someone to talk to."

"Thank you, Sam. Really. But I need you to leave now."

"Sure." He crosses the kitchen back to her side, kissing her cheek. "See you later."

***

Gérard groans, entering Lucas's apartment to find him passed out on the couch, an open whiskey bottle on the floor beside him. He shakes him, "Lucas..." He shakes him harder as he begins to groan. "Lucas! Allez, mec." (come on, man)

Lucas grumbles, pushing him back. "Stop shaking me." He sits up, groaning. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Gérard sighs, helping his friend to the bathroom just in time to hear him throw up in the toilet. He leans against the doorjamb for a moment before leaving him to make him tea in the kitchen. "How long are you going to keep this up, Bravo?" He asks as Lucas stumbles into the kitchen, sitting at the counter as Gérard pushes the mug toward him.

"Keep what up?"

"The drinking and the girls. This isn't you. It never has been." Gérard raises his voice toward the end of the sentence, becoming more and more annoyed. 

"Maybe it is now."

Gérard slams his hand on the counter, causing Lucas to jump slightly. "All this for a girl?"

"Not just a girl, Gerry. The girl."

Gérard sighs, hanging his head. "Then do something about it besides drinking yourself into an early grave."

Lucas laughs, waving his hand. "Come on, we are French, we have a higher tolerance for alcohol." Gérard only frowns at him as he rolls his eyes. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

"I'm just worried about you, Luke. If this is the girl, then pull your head out of your ass and go get her."

"It's not that simple. You saw how awful last night went. I've tried everything."

"Have you though? If she's the girl, then you try again."

"At what point do you realize it isn't worth it and you give up?" Lucas sighs, resting his head on his hands.

"Ugh..." Gérard walks around the counter around rests his hand on Lucas's shoulder. "Are you in love with her? Is she the girl you want to wake up to every day? Fall asleep with every night? The girl you see growing old with?"

"Yes... all of it."

"Then stop it! Stop whining! You want the girl, then get the girl. I have to go to work."

"Thank you!" Lucas shouts at Gérard as he leaves his apartment. He sighs, finishing his tea before getting up to clean up his apartment.

***

Gérard leans against the wall as he hears Nikki giggle as she climbs the stairs. He stands up straight as she reaches the top of the stairs, stopping when she sees him.

Nikki turns to Sam as he glances between Gérard and her. "Thanks for the ice cream, Sam."

"Sure. See you later, love."

He enters his apartment quietly as Nikki leans against her own door. "Gérard, right? I'd offer you my hand, but you were rude last time."

Gérard rolls his eyes. "French people are rude; I would think you would be used to it by now."

She scoffs, unlocking her door, leaving it open as she sets her stuff in the kitchen. "What do you want, Gérard?"

"I'm worried about Lucas." He hovers in the doorway before she gestures him in.

"I saw you there last night, Lucas wants nothing to do with me."

"Of course he does!" He curses loudly in French, pacing in front of her.

"Anglais, s'il vois plait, Gérard."

"Casse-toi! Bites!" (Fuck off! Dicks!) He chuckles as Nikki giggles, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. "You both are so stubborn. The drinking and the girls. That isn't Luke. And I think you know that. You both need to let go of the past if you have any chance of moving forward. I just want to see my friend happy."

"I know. Thank you."

He sighs, squeezing her shoulders. "Let him in or let him go. Either way, you need to fix this once and for all. I'm begging you."

"I will." He nods, sighing before leaving her alone. She groans, resting her head on the counter.