bringing lucy home

Chapter 21: je suis amoureux

The girls had immediately made arrangements, and within 6 days they were sat in the airport waiting for their flight.

Jordan slouched in her chair. "I'm hungry."

Leah rolled her eyes. "When are you Not."

"Never," Jordan answered.

"We just had coffees...?" Keira added.

Jordan scowled. "That's hardly anything."

"Its 4 in the morning!!" Keira cried.

Jordan wrinkled her nose viciously at Keira.

"Just...calm," Lucy begged. "We've got a direct flight to Paris, so we'll be in there in less than 2 hours, and we can eat there."

"So when are yous moving out of Steph's?" Leah asked, twirling her water bottle on her knee.

Lucy shrugged, looking at Keira. "Not very soon, I don't think." She added teasingly, "Not that we could afford a house, after that ring..."

Keira shot Lucy a playful look. "Oh come off it, Luce, you're the best defender in the world for gods sake. You could be living posh."

"I wanna join that club," Leah grumbled.

"You have potential," Jordan teased.

Leah made a face at Jordan. "Just watch where I'll be in 4 years time, when I'm Lucy's age. Old bat."

Lucy crossed her arms, pretending to be offended. The girls grabbed their luggage when their gate was opened, and boarded the plane in seats next to each other. Fighting over window seats, Leah and Keira ended up with the aisle seats after an inevitable loss in the feud.

During the flight, Lucy realized none of her friends knew how to speak French so she attempted to teach them.

"Je m'apelle Keira Walsh. Repeat after me, ok? Je m'apelle Keira Walsh."

"Ju muh pew Keira Wollth."

Lucy laughed hysterically. "You can't even say your name right!"

"I was repeating after you."

Lucy shook her head, still in tears. "I didn't say that. You imagined it."

"Well it sounded French," Keira muttered. "Let's try again."

"Ok. How about we try and have a little conversation in French," Lucy suggested. Keira nodded, focusing seriously.

"Bonjour," Lucy began.

"Bonjour," Keira replied, smiling proudly.

"Don't get chuffed yet," Leah called from the row behind. Keira rolled her eyes.
" Comment vous appellez-vous?"

Keira thought long and hard. "Je suis Anglais?"

Lucy shook her head. "Noooo! What is your name?"

Keira sighed, and slumped in her chair. Then she sprung back up excitedly. "Jumuhpelle Keira Walsh! I know that one!"

Lucy winced at the butchering of the pronunciation, but put on a smile to encourage her fiancé. "Lovely! Erm...what else can we practise? Ah, let's say you're...at the grocery store, ok? Comment puis-je vous aider?"

Keira stared blankly. "Oh, God. Ermmm...je suis un footballer?"

Lucy squinched her eyes together. "Think of the context, the vocabulary."

"Listen to Kei, she sounds like a regular Parisian," teased Leah.

Keira frowned and spun around to face the Arsenal defender. "Well, you try then!"

"Ermmm...ok..." A worried expression overtook her face.

"Ok, Leah," Lucy began. "What would you say if I asked you, d'ou venez vous?"

Leah's eyes got big. "Hmmm..." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, looking to Jordan for help but Jordan [who wouldn't have been a help anyways] was asleep with her headphones on. "Je m'apelle Leah Williamson?"

Lucy shook her head and Keira cackled triumphantly.

Leah rubbed her forehead. "What does it mean, though?"

"It means, where are you from?" Lucy explained. "To which you would answer, Je suis de Manchester."

Leah smacked her forhead. "Ugh! Je suis idiota!"

"What does that mean?" Lucy laughed.

For once, Keira and Leah knew something that Lucy didn't . "It means we're idiots!" they both shouted.

Lucy laughed. "Well, at least you have me to help you lot. I can't wait to show you round France! I haven't been here in too long!"

Leah gave Keira a warning look. "Looks like we might have to make sure Lucy comes back to us! She seems in love with this place!"

"Lucy's not ever leaving Manchester, right, Luce?" Keira asked, looking up into her fiance's eyes.

Lucy shook her head, smiling at Keira. "Not for the world."