Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

38.

It was an anxious wait; one that made knees bounce and hearts rage against their ribcages.

They couldn't even have the TV playing an episode of South Park, not even on mute. The colourful cartoon was too much along with the thick air in the living space.

So, with the free-standing lamp on, Joost's team sat across the sofas in an agonising intensity.

Fenne's finger mindlessly circled on her laptop's mousepad. She sat in between Hanna and Teun. Joost was on the other sofa with Apson and Daan, while Stuntje leant on the back over their heads. Enzo was stood with his arms crossed, too anxious to even sit on the rug.

Everyone's attention was on Joost's phone which was on speaker. With it's screen facing the ceiling and the crackles from microphone painfully loud, the phone held the fate of Joost's music career in its cracked device.

'Are you still there, Joost?' the voice said aloud.

'Yeah, I'm here.'

Me and almost everyone I know is still here, Joost thought to himself.

'Well, I'm delighted to inform you that you have been selected to represent The Netherlands at the Eurovision song contest for 2024.'

What was heard on the other end of the line was unintelligble. Stuntje fell from the back of the sofa onto the three men below with a mighty roar. Teun made it across the living space, knocked his shin against the coffee table, and collapsed on the same sofa. Apson was heard screaming in unison with Joost, grabbing his head and putting the blonde in a headlock. Enzo tried to get his hands in between the flurry of limbs to grab his long time friend, but had to settle on jumping in his place while screaming.

'Oh my god! We have to go get alcohol! We have to call everyone to celebrate!' Hanna cried. 'I'll head to the shop! Appie, get your mum on the phone!'

Hanna was already heading down the hallway before Fenne could stand from the sofa. Not wanting to completely destroy her laptop made her ascent slower, but she was ecstactic all the same. Her cheeks hurt from her grin and she desperately wanted to join in on the dog pile that was unwravelling on the opposite sofa. But from Teun's groans at the pain in his shin, Fenne waited for her boyfriend to become visible once again.

'Thank you! Thank you so much!' he was heard saying into the phone that was still, somehow, in his hand.

'You'll be hearing from us soon. Enjoy the celebrations, Mr Klein.'

Enzo got to him first, placing a hand on either side of his face and talking uncomfortably close. Joost didn't seem to care, only grinned with a beetroot face. His hair had been ruffled from the commotion and once Stuntje had been heaved off of his lap, Joost stood up to embrace the tall, slim man.

'Maybe I'll get Europapa tattooed,' Enzo laughed.

'Get it in red.'

Stepping away, Enzo went to jump along with Daan and Apson, allowing Joost to be free for a split second. This time, when Joost's face was grabbed, it was teamed with a passionate kiss. His arms flew around Fenne's waist and his eyes fluttered shut in surprise. Even with the force at which Fenne flew into his front, her lips were unbelievably soft, and Joost kissed back in an instant.

'You did it, Joost. You're in Eurovision,' she said in between kisses which she kept catching.

'I can't believe it. I love you, so much, liefje. Oh, my god...'

'I love you, too, Joost.'

They pulled away with red cheeks but remained close.

'I'm going with Hanna to the shop. I'll be back soon.'