Through the Fire (a Les Twins fanfic)

Chapter 19: Abstinence

When Laurent walked into his room the red light was blinking on the hotel phone.  He winced.  The last time he had an in-room message Beyoncé was calling the entire crew back in for a second round of rehearsals.   But when he clicked the button a slow smile spread across his face.   It was Gabby calling to remind him of their webcam "date" later that night.  She said she couldn't wait.

Laurent replayed her message again.  Neither could he.  He showered and changed clothes quickly then headed off to a crew party at a nearby club.

Larry was already there talking to some girls up on the second level when Laurent arrived.

It wasn't true what his brother had said.   He wasn't so wrapped up in Shauna that he couldn't still do his thing.

Downstairs, Laurent checked his watch.  He only planned to show his face around the club for an hour or two then go back to the hotel for his call with Gabby.

Cinnamon walked up and nudged him in the side.  Her hair was in a different style, slicked back into a tight ponytail on the sides and teased high in the middle, and she was catching plenty of stares in her shimmery top, tiny black shorts, and ankle boots.

"What are you checking your watch for?  You got somewhere better to be?"

"Actually, yeah."  He looked down at her distractedly.  "I'm not staying here long."

She twisted her lips into a frown wondering where he was going.

"Well, you can't leave yet.  It's my birthday."

"Oh, wow, I didn't know.  Happy birthday!"  He grabbed her in a sincere hug.

"C'mon.  You have to toast to me."

She pulled him by the arm into an area behind a velvet rope where a lot of the crew was already hanging out.

When Cinnamon appeared someone signaled to the bar and a waiter came over with bottles of champagne on ice and a tray full of glasses.  Someone launched into the "Happy Birthday" song while everybody made a circle around her and lifted their glasses in the air.

Normally he and Larry both swore off alcohol while they were performing on the road, but Laurent figured he could make an exception since it was a special occasion.  He drained his glass and did a quick scan of the club searching for Larry.  He felt like dancing.  He was just about to make a break for the dance floor when Cinnamon pressed a second glass of champagne into his hand.

He tried to wave it off.  "No, thanks."

But she insisted.  "You can't say no to me tonight.  What the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets."

****

An hour later Laurent felt lightheaded.  He'd lost track of how much he drank.  Normally his tolerance was a lot higher.  But after weeks of nothing but water and fruit juice in preparation for the tour plus the fact that he hadn't eaten dinner yet, the alcohol swept quickly through his system.

Some redhead sidled up to him from behind hoping for a picture.  "Hey, you're one of the twins! Which one are you?"

"I'm Larry."  Laurent lied then shook her off and escaped around a corner.

He sank down onto a nearby couch cradling his head in his hand.   A few feet away people were shouting and boosting Cinnamon as she bent over twerking in a dance circle.  She stood up and made her way towards him.

And that's the last thing he remembered.