In which a transfer student who doesn't speak Spanish crosses paths with a football player, haunted by his past and unwilling to find love.
"It felt strange, knowing there was a Frenchman who was fluent in Spanish here. It was like a trap, a room...
He's barefoot, his face covered in dust and his arms slightly scratched up. He is clutching his side, more specifically his ribs, as he collapses onto the ground in the room.
There are patches of blood on his shirt.
"LUKI, oh my god we thought you died out there!" Paul shrieks, as the whole team runs towards him.
I stay in my seat, though.
"It's not good," he pants, "it's not good at all."
The medics come rushing towards him, but he holds up a hand.
"I'm not hurt. The blood on my shirt," he says, breathless, "it's not mine."
"I had to run barefoot to get out of that place, because my shoes were too big. The café we were in got ambushed. I tripped over someone's body and almost got shot," He recites, an empty look in his eyes. The whole locker room is then stunned in horrified silence, and I just grip my hair harder with my fingers.
Then, he suddenly shoots up.
"Where's Antoine? Where is he?" He says quickly, scanning the room.
I barely move my head, but I can tell he's seen me already. When our eyes lock for the first time in quite a while, he charges towards me and wraps his arms around my shaking body.
"They're going to be fine, oh Grizou, don't you worry. Rose told me they were going to the Bataclan and when I was told what happened I immediately thought of you," He says, pushing my face into his shoulder, "stay strong, mon ami, they're going to get out of there."
His words flip a switch inside of me.
I suddenly think back to what I had did to him a few weeks ago in the alleyway, and how we haven't talked since then. I think about the fact that he's one of the only people who knows about what happened to me two years ago.
And I think about how disgustingly cruel I was to him for the past two weeks. How inhumane and bitter I acted towards him despite everything being a misunderstanding. How my emotions got the better of me, and I sacrificed a crucial friendship, almost costing his life.
I realize that if it wasn't for me, he would have been playing in the match today.
If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have been at the scene of one of the attacks.
If it wasn't for me, he'd be in perfect condition right now.
All just because of a stupid misunderstanding.
The thought then hits me that I could potentially have lost 3 people tonight, all of whom I had managed to hurt within the past few days.
"F-Fuck..." I grip my chest, as the pain inside increases tenfold.
"Merde... Lucas, I'm sorry..." I whisper, my voice breaking out into cries as I grab his shirt, "I'm so, so, sorry..."
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Everybody remains silent as they witness first-hand what it's like to have a meltdown.
"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been in the café...... I almost indirectly killed you..." I sob, clutching onto his shirt as he rubs my back in circles.
"That's just nonsense." He responds, as my tears soak through his shirt.
"They're going to die," I repeat, my mind clouded with the flashback of what happened 2 years ago.
"They're not going to die," he assures me.
"Lucas it's happening again...... Just like two years ago. It's h-happening again." I choke, my whole body shaking under his grasp.
I know that only Paul, Olivier, Raphael, and Lucas are truly aware of what really did happen two years ago.
"Everything is my fault, if it hadn't been for me, Rosé wouldn't have even come here in the first place, Maud would've then come to our game, and they'd both be alive now." I cry out, the realization that they're most likely dead beginning to sink in.
"Grizi, I know they'll be able to survive," Lucas says as he continues to pat my back, "Nothing is your fault, and there's nothing we can do about the current situation except to wait."
The room stays silent as the dulling pain in my chest continues to grow.
"Why didn't they kill me? I should be dead right now." I whisper quietly. "I don't even deserve to be alive right now."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's taking it way too far. I've already forgiven you, okay? You're one of my best friends. I wouldn't hold a grudge against you just because of that one night." He comforts me.
"Plus," he adds, "I know we'll be able to get through this together. I mean we're basically brothers aren't we?"
His words only open my tear ducts, as ugly sobs escape my quaking body.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so, so, sorry..." I repeat over and over again, as we stand in the stunned silence.
"No, no. I've already forgiven you. Let's move on from that now, shall we? You're my best friend. Head up, hermano, we're going to be okay." He says, messing up my hair.
"Thank you," I choke out, "I really don't deserve someone like you."
I can feel him shaking his head, while my tears stain his shirt.
Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice calling out my name.
"Antoine! Antoine!"
I look up to see none other than my younger brother, Théo, who is now rushing into the locker room along with the family members and siblings of many other players on our team.
Lucas quickly steps aside, before Théo crushes me into a giant hug.
"Théo?" I choke out.
"You're safe, oh my god you're safe," he repeats over and over again as his arms embrace my body.
"She's dead, isn't she?" I whisper in fear.
"I don't know," he responds, "but there's one thing I know for sure, and that's the fact that you aren't okay right now."
"Théo, none of us are okay right now." I echo.
"Yeah, but you especially."
All I can do is just hold him tighter.
"She's going to be alright, Antoine. You know Maud, she's a fighter. She's going to be with Rose too, so they'll both make it out." He comforts me.
"That isn't very likely, Théo."
"Antoine, shhh." He silences me, "The only thing we can do now is to wait."
I nod in understanding, as my chest numbs again.
"You've always been there for me whenever I was facing these kinds of troubles," he says softly, "it's about time I pay you back, frèro." (brother)
I can feel my heart completely tearing open now, as I recall how harsh I was to him last night. It shatters because I know I'm the cause of everyone's pain, whether it be Rosé, Lucas, Théo, or even Maud.
"I'm sorry, Théo." I whisper, "I'm so grateful to have you as a brother."
He merely shakes his head.
I don't even need to look up at him to know what his expression currently is. Because despite his protective words, I know that Théo is just as terrified as I am right now.
He's right, though.
For now, the only thing we can do is to wait.
A/N: What happened to Antoine 2 years ago will be explained later!
