Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

101: De Koning's in the...wait, not there

'Lotte'

No answer came.

'Lotte!'

The small girl trembled, standing by the entrance of the club, hand on the doorway, anxiously peering in. 'Jordan, I don't want to' she whispered. He hadn't heard her, but he knew what she'd said.

'I thought you wanted to thank Tom?' Claudia Piva asked, suddenly sneaking up beside Lotte. Her hands shook, and she habitually reached for the pepper spray, anxiety pumping through her body, chest aching. 'Not in here' she said, shaking her head.

'Come on! He's right over there' Jordan Boyd said, yelling above the music. She slightly shook her head. 'I should go back to my twins' she said, turning around. Claudia stopped her.

'This might be your only chance!' She said, in a singsong voice.

'I don't do nightclubs, loud music or alcohol' Lotte said, shaking her head profusely. Claudia gave her a doubtful look.

'I think your Josh Daicos is somewhere in there' Jordan Boyd said, noticing a familiar looking mullet talking to somewhere else. Lotte shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek. 'You can thank Tom for me. I'm out. Goodnight' she said, turning around again and ducking under Claudia's arm as she made a run for it.

'Stupid parties. Why does everyone insist on having a party at a nightclub? What on earth is the draw card for them?' Lotte muttered to herself, as she raced around, trying to find an exit.

'Oomph'

She didn't stop running when she accidentally hit another person, taking him down to the ground. She felt in her pocket, realising her phone wasn't there, and she stopped.

'Phone. Phone. Where's my phone?' She asked, feeling around her body and bag like a madman. 'My...phone?' She stuttered, glancing around the room.

'Lotte? What the hell?' Nick Daicos asked, picking himself up from the floor. In her panic, she hadn't recognised him.

'Have you seen my phone?' She asked carelessly. He shrugged.

'Haven't seen you for months and that's the reaction I'm met with' he said, sounding like the life had been sucked out of him.

Jordan Boyd suddenly stepped out of the club room, an iPhone dangling from his rainbow painted nails. Her whole face lit up.

'Oh my god, Jordan, thank you' she said, relieved. She ran over to her phone, only he held it away from her.

'If you want it back, you know what you have to do' he said, smiling and running into the club rooms as if it was a joke.

'Is he insane? Does he not know what you do in clubs? My poor brother is STILL trying to wash the pepper out of his eyes!' Nick explained, seriously concerned for people's safety.

'I want my phone, but I can't do it. I can't go in there' she said, in a tiny voice.

'Why does he want you to?' Nick asked, stepping forward and glancing in with her. She turned, and noticed all the severe bruising and cuts on his face. How his hair was no longer perfectly shaped. The pain in his eyes.

'He wants me to thank one of his teammates for something. This is ridiculous' Lotte said, folding her arms over her chest. 'I only JUST got out of the hospital three weeks ago!' She exclaimed.

'Yeah, I heard about that. Congrats, by the way. Sorry we didn't call or text. Been too busy dealing with medical appointments, lawyers and the like' Nick explained.

'I heard you have your own child now anyway' Lotte said, smiling up at him, even if she was unsure.

'Yeah, Ginnivan Nicholas Daicos' Nick said, sounding proud although looking uncomfortable when he said the first name.