rosie | griezmann

10

"Antoine, it's been too long! I'm so glad you're back." Olivier heartily patted Antoine's back as he smiled coyly and thanked his fellow Frenchman, speaking quietly.

"I am, too. It feels like it's been forever since I've been here." Even though he never really looked to Olivier for advice, Olivier was still one of the few people that knew the true reasons of why Antoine had to take a small break from his football career.

But now, Antoine was back, and it was all kudos to Rosie. "So, how are things with the little one? We should try to get Jade and Angel together again soon." Olivier spoke, as they stood in the hotel lounge. They were waiting for the rest of the team to arrive, as they were told to meet in Clairefontaine no later than 4:30 in the afternoon and while Antoine had flown in from Spain, Olivier was coming from England, so this was the first time they'd been face to face with one another in a while.

"Yeah, that would be great. I think Angel misses her." Antoine grinned a little, scratching his head. "She's supposed to fly over for the match tomorrow with—" He paused. What did he say? With my girlfriend? No, that was weird. They didn't have a title.

Olivier wriggled his eyebrows. "With that girl I've been seeing you in the tabloids with lately, no? The one who everyone is always asking to talk about you and why you've taken a break. Elle est trop belle—she's gorgeous—is she your girlfriend?"  

Antoine blushed. "Well...I don't know, really."

"You...don't...know." Olivier rose his eyebrows. "You have this beautiful woman by your side, yet she's not your girlfriend?"

"I don't know how to ask her or even talk about it. I love her, but I don't think she loves me in the same way." Antoine stated, a blush coloring his soft, porcelain cheeks.

Olivier stared down at the younger Frenchman with a slight chuckle. "Dieu, Antoine, you're a mess. A good mess," He quickly added on. "Have you really forgotten how to get a woman? I remember when you began to date Erika...things were like the complete opposite. You didn't want to stop being single, because it gave you the freedom to flirt."

Antoine shrugged. No, he certainly wasn't "cured" of his depression, but both Rosie and him knew that he was definitely ready to start football again; he was at the stage in which he could separate his personal life from the field and leave it on the sidelines. "I've changed a lot since then."

"You have, mon frère. But that's okay." Olivier patted his back, heartily. He had been Antoine's best friend for as long as he could remember, and this was why. Even if he didn't—which, in this case, he certainly didn't—relate, he could still talk with Antoine as though he did. Almost like Rosie, just not in a way that made Antoine want to fall in love over and over again.

One by one, the members of Les Bleus began to file into the lounge, all more than happy to see Antoine again. For the first time in forever, the Frenchman felt what he deemed normal, and it was all thanks to his beloved Rosie.