Ok so here's the final chapter of my little Bropez ficlet. I hope you guys liked it and don't be shy to message me with any prompts. Hope this is a satisfying ending. Thank you all for reading and I loved reading your reviews. x x x Enjoy x x x
The nurse left to get some extra steri-strips for a shallow gash on his nose and Brian was left alone. He looked up on hearing the cubicle curtain being pulled back and felt his body tense as Joe stepped in awkwardly with his hands shoved in his pockets.
"How's Lo?"
"She's at X-ray," Brian responded monotonously.
Joe went to sit down on the bed but thought better of it and ended up just standing. He seemed unsure of what to say and for a few minutes they just stayed in an uncomfortable silence. Just as Brian opened his mouth the young nurse reappeared and handed him the box of steri strips,
"Would you like to wait in the waiting room while you wait for your girlfriend? She shouldn't be too much longer hopefully; x-ray is generally quiet enough at this hour," she addressed Brian with a sincere expression.
"Oh… she's not… we're not…she's not my girlfriend. But yes, thank you I'll wait there for her," he stuttered. The nurse had thought Lauren was his girlfriend. He felt a warm happy glow spread through him at the possibility. However thinking of Lauren made Brian reminded him that he would need to talk to Joe before anything else. It was the least he could do.
"Coming?" Brian directed at Joe as he stood up stretching.
"Sure."
They reached the quaint waiting room that looked like it hadn't been redecorated since the 80s. As Brian lowered himself into the nearest armchair he felt himself sink a couple or inches into the moth-eaten mouldy cushion. Joe stayed on stayed on his feet and paced back and forth slowly in front of Brian,
"Brian, how long were you and Lo seeing each other… in that way? Was it while we were still together?"
"What! No no no no no… no we aren't seeing each other like that, I mean we weren't! No, I…everything just happened tonight," Brian hastily informed Joe.
"Oh," Joe seemed slightly comforted by this fact and leaned back against the wall, "I didn't even know you thought of Lauren that way."
This was it, this was the moment that he must confess everything, "Actually I have kind of had a crush on her since we first met," Brian mumbled, diverting his eyes.
Joe's head whipped up and he looked at Brian in shock, "that long?"
Brian nodded. Joe didn't say anything for a few minutes and just stood there appearing deep in thought.
"Lauren thinks that you were just using her for sex when ye first started going out you know," Brian stated eventually, turning to face Joe.
"In a way I was," he admitted, "but then, then I started to fall for her. When I saw you guys kissing I over-reacted. She was the first meaningful relationship I ever had and I was just trying to hang on to it. Of course I realise now how unsuitable we are for one another…
... Be with her Brian, make her happy and don't make the same mistakes I did, as you can see I always just end up hurting her."
Brian was uncertain as to how to respond, however he was saved the trouble,
"Excuse me, sorry."
Brian and Joe turned their heads towards the voice from the door.
"Miss Lopez is finished in x-ray and is just being fitted for a cast. I can take you too her now if you like?"
Both Brian and Joe leaped up and immediately rushed after the young nurse who had supressed a small smile at their eagerness.
"Just through that door there," she pointed before leaving the two boys outside. Brian immediately put his hand on the door handle and entered. Lauren was sitting up on a bed with her plastered arm propped up on a crisp white pillow. Her face broke into a bright smile when she saw Brian. The doctor excused himself saying he was needed elsewhere and left, leaving them alone.
"How's the patient?" Brian asked light-heartedly and taking Lauren's good hand in his.
"Much better since they gave me some pain relief."
Joe coughed and Lauren suddenly noticed him standing there,
"Joe…"
"I'm sorry Lo… for everything. Not just tonight but for every thing I've ever done to hurt you. I didn't deserve you. I know you probably regret ever going out with me but for me it was one of the best decisions I ever made and I only hope that we can still be friends," Joe interrupted before she could say another word.
Lauren looked stunned before cracking a small smile,
"I don't regret any thing Joe and us not working out was a two-way thing, we weren't working as a couple but I know for sure we'll always work incredibly as friends."
Joe rushed over to her bed side and wrapped his arms around her,
"BFFs for life!" he joked, releasing her gently, "I better be getting back to the house so I let everyone know you're fine and what not. Julia has text me 47 times in the last hour so I'm guessing the woman is a bit anxious."
"Oh God I would not like to be facing Julia after ignoring that many texts. Good luck!" Lauren giggled.
"It's ok, I'll distract her by telling her all about your new boyfriend," Joe winked before slipped out the door chuckling quietly.
Lauren's eyes widened in disbelief and Brian gently put his hand on her face, making her look straight into his cobalt blue eyes,
"Think you can handle being my girlfriend?" He whispered.
Lauren responded by tilting her head up and kissing him softly,"I think so," she relied pulling away and giving him a cheeky smirk, "Do you wanna sign my cast?" she asked eagerly.
Brian smiled and took a black pen from the stand by the bed and bent over her cast with a concentrated expression on his face. Lauren's eyebrows crinkled in confusion before creasing into a warm smile,
"LL and BH," she sighed tracing her finger around the complete heart that framed their initials. Brian gazed at her and couldn't help feeling like this was all a dream. She was so beautiful and she was his... finally,
"You, Lauren Elizabeth Lopez will be forever engraved in my heart."
So there it is, hope you liked it x x x
