𝐓𝐮 𝐦'𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐬; 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐠

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐪𝐮'à 𝐜𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

As we entered the club, the strong smell of alcohol and the loud music hit us. It was crowded, but not much different from the clubs back in Milan.''Shall we get a drink?'' Mohamed suggested. 

We walked over to the bar and ordered some drinks. ''Jack Daniel's for us,'' Mohamed told the bartender as we took our seats at the bar. Across from me was a group of girls, dressed provocatively, chatting and laughing. ''Look, it seems like we have a catch,'' Mohamed said as he got off his barstool and walked over to them.

Me, Aziz, Amine, Sami, and Omar watched the scene unfold. We observed how he was flirting with them and how they clung to him. Mohamed gave us a look as the girls laughed loudly around him. ''Shall we join?'' Aziz asked, glancing at us. 

We walked over to Mohamed and the girls and started talking to them. They were wearing short dresses, showing a lot of skin, which I didn't like and saw as a sign of promiscuity. 

After a few hours, the girls were wasted. We had moved to the couch area, each of us with a girl clinging to us, except for Aziz since there were only five girls and six of us. ''Aziz, don't just sit there, go find yourself a girl,'' Amine said, laughing at his friend.

''Shut up, you were the one crying a few hours ago because your chick left you,'' Aziz replied, leaving the couches angrily. 

''Actually, we are with six, but our other friend is somewhere else,'' the most sober girl said as she took another shot.''Who is this girl?'' Sacky asked. ''Her name is Naila, a sweet girl but totally boring,'' the girl replied, giving Sacky a kiss on the lips.

''Why is she boring?'' Mohamed asked, amused. ''We've been here for hours, and she's been sitting at the bar, scrolling on her phone.'' Mohamed asked his girl to get Naila. Since she was too wasted, another girl went to fetch her.

I watched as the girl dragged Naila towards us. ''This is our friend, Naila,'' she said, sitting down again. Everything around me seemed to stop as I looked at Naila. She was beautiful, with long dark brown hair, big red lips, and the most captivating eyes.

''Would you like to sit here?'' I asked, pointing to the spot her friend was occupying. ''It's fine, Alessandra can stay there,'' she said, awkwardly grabbing a chair and sitting down. 

She was dressed casually, like she was going to school or the mall.''Kiara, can you please take me home? It's 11 o'clock, I need to study for my exam on Monday, and I told you I couldn't stay long,'' Naila said, sounding stressed. 

Kiara was too busy with Sacky, so Naila had to find her own way home. I watched her weave through the dancing crowd towards the exit.

 ''Sorry, Alessandra, but I have to leave. Boys, see you at the hotel,'' I said, taking the last sip of my drink and following Naila. 

I didn't hear my friends' protests. I was too focused on her. Outside, I saw her sitting on a small wall, enjoying the fresh air. I lit a cigarette and sat next to her.''Would you like one?'' I asked, holding out the pack. 

She shook her head and looked at her feet.''What? You don't smoke?'' I asked, already knowing the answer. ''No,'' she replied shortly.

''Who are you waiting for?'' I asked, tossing my cigarette butt on the ground. ''No one, I just needed fresh air from all that alcohol and sweat,'' she said, making me laugh.

''This scene isn't for me, these clubs and stuff,'' she said. ''Where are you from?'' I asked.''I'm studying here in France for a trimester, but I'm originally from Italy. I met these girls here in France,'' she explained. 

''What part of Italy?'' I asked. ''Milan. I moved there when I was 7,'' she replied. ''Where did you live before?''''Holland. My mom is from Holland,'' she said. ''And your dad?'' I asked, cautiously.

 ''My dad is Moroccan, but my parents are divorced. My mom moved back to Holland with her new boyfriend, so it's just me now,'' she explained, a hint of sadness in her voice.

''I'm from Italy too, from Lecco. Maybe we could grab a coffee sometime?'' I suggested, not knowing why.

 Her sweet laugh made me smile.''Well, I don't drink coffee, but if you buy me a Fanta, I'll go with you,'' she said, making me laugh.

 ''Hmm, alright then,'' I agreed.It was quiet for a moment. Then she broke the silence. ''Sorry, I have to go now,'' she said, standing up to leave.

''Wait!'' I called, walking towards her. ''What's wrong?'' she asked.''You didn't tell me your name,'' I said. 

She smiled and held out her hand. ''Naila. And you?''''Zakaria, my name is Zakaria,'' I said.She smiled and let go of my hand. ''Jusqu'à ce que nous nous revoyions.'' And with that, she disappeared into the night.

I stood there for a moment, watching Naila disappear into the night. The sounds of the club seemed distant now, replaced by the quiet rustle of leaves and the occasional passing car. I felt an odd sense of anticipation mixed with regret. Why hadn't I asked for her number? I took a deep breath and headed back inside the club, my mind still on Naila.

Inside, the atmosphere was the same—loud music, people dancing, and the smell of alcohol. I found my friends where I had left them, each engrossed in their own world. Mohamed looked up as I approached.

''Where have you been?'' he asked, raising an eyebrow.

''Just needed some fresh air,'' I replied, not wanting to go into details.

''Well, you missed the fun,'' Sami said, a mischievous grin on his face. ''These girls are wild.''

I forced a smile and nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere. As the night wore on, I couldn't shake the image of Naila from my mind. Her eyes, her smile, the way she had carried herself with such quiet confidence—it was all so captivating. I knew I had to see her again, but how? I didn't even have her contact information.

The night ended with us heading back to the hotel. We stumbled into our rooms, laughing and joking about the events of the evening. But as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind was still on Naila. I replayed our brief conversation over and over, wondering if I would ever see her again.

The next morning, the sunlight filtered through the curtains, and I woke up with a slight headache. The events of the previous night seemed almost surreal. I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my messages, hoping for some distraction. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Naila.

''You alright?'' Amine asked from the bed across the room.

''Yeah, just thinking,'' I replied.

''About the girl from last night?'' he guessed, a knowing look on his face.

''Yeah, Naila,'' I admitted.

''You really liked her, didn't you?''

''I did,'' I said, surprised at how true the words felt.

In the days that followed, I found myself haunted by memories of Naila. Her image lingered like a hazy dream, her laughter echoing in the recesses of my mind. I searched for her in crowded cafes and along the lively streets, hoping for another chance encounter that never came.

Each passing day deepened the longing I felt for her. I couldn't escape the pull of what might have been, the connection that seemed to defy the briefness of our meeting. Her absence felt like a void, a missing piece that I couldn't fill.

I tried to distract myself with friends and work, but Naila's presence remained palpable, a constant reminder of the fleeting nature of chance. I wondered if I would ever see her again, if fate would grant us another moment to share.

___

Jusqu'à ce que nous nous revoyions. = Till we meet again

𝐇𝐞𝐲𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐱