"Don't tell me, you been sleeping around?" Debbie know her so well. "Lou. That's gross. Go find someone and start a relationship." she continues "it's better to have someone talk to, not just being alone."
"I'm not alone anymore, Deb." Lou smiles
Lou wake up smiling. It's been a while since she have a good night sleep. 'This is nice.' she look around and find you staring at her. "Hey, honey." She hugs you lazily. "You smell good." But you didn't respond. "what's wrong?"
"You sleep talks." You start to get up and get dress.
"So?" she sits up and stretches along with a loud yawn.
"You said, Deb." You try to walk away from her and hope the ache will hurt a little less.
Lou pause, "no. you must heard it wrong." she tries to disguises her panic. 'I can't be, I haven't think of her for a while.'
You just look at her and don't know what to say anymore. "I should go now." You said with a broken heart.
Lou looks up instantly, "need a ride?"
"no, it's fine." Your words are so light, she barely hear you.
Lou lay back on bed. She wonder why she says her name. It is been quite sometimes since she think of Debbie Ocean. She also don't remember what dream she had that makes her smile. She just feel joyful when she wakes up. Lou really hope she didn't fuck up this relationship.
Lou start looking for her phone and want to explain to you. But she accidentally knock over a picture frame. "shit." She gets up in a hurry and pick the glass. It all broken now. She looks at the picture of Debbie and her.
"You're my best friend, Lou." Debbie once say to her. "Nothing more, nothing less."
'I guess I'll do that same for you now.' Lou feel like a burden has lift over her shoulders. She gets up and put on some clothes. She decides to clean up her apartment and store away anything of her past. So next time, when you're here. It will be just you and her.
However, it is not easy. It takes a few hours to finish cleaning up. 'Phew' Lou wipes her sweaty forehead. It look a lot cleaner now, at least it is more organize. She takes another shower before she heads out and she cannot wait to invite you over again.
The club is pack tonight. Lou can barely squeeze into the place. She tries to look for you, but there are just too many bodies blocking her view. She then accidentally bump into a blond chick. "oh, you okay?" Lou ask.
"yeh. Thanks." She brush her hair behind her ear.
"What's the occasion?" Lou tries to speak a little louder.
"We're celebrating Santana's album." She leans in her.
"Santana? Lopez?" in her club?
"yeh. She released a new album and it was big hit." This girl is getting into her comfort zone and Lou does not enjoy it. She nods and try squeezing her way though you.
'finally.' She sigh when she reach the bar. Lou adjusts her jacket and make sure she looks decent. However, she look and see you smiling with your ex. Her heart stomps a bit.
"What's so funny?" she stands next to Santana.
But your nosy ex answers for you. "Because I just make my baby laughs." Lou despise it. She hate it when someone else call you 'baby' and definitely hate it when you smile for someone else.
"don't start" you steps in and plead to Santana. "what do you wanna drink, Lou?"
"the usual." She takes a sit and try not be angry, but her fist is now clutch together. You pass her a glass of water and suddenly your ex grips your wrist. Lou's eyes widen "Hey, Let go!" she yelps. She can see her whisper something into your ear before letting you go. Then she walks away.
"your ex is an asshole." Lou moves back to her usual spot. She is really annoyed by her presence.
"Like you care." You look at her angrily, and She looks at you blankly. 'okay she is absolutely angry at Santana.'
"err. Don't take your anger out of me." Lou tries to lighten you mood, but it doesn't seem to help. You complaint to her that you could use her help tonight. But Lou didn't want to tell you, she was cleaning up her past.
"I was busy." She give you a simple answer, but perhaps too simple to your liking.
"With what?" you look at her harshly.
"stuff." Again too simple, Lou.
"whatever." You too tired to deal with this shit anymore.
Lou can see your frustration. 'Fine, I'll tell you' she said in her mind. But before she can say a word, the girl she met earlier come back. "Hey. Lou?"
"yeh?" she turns around like a dork.
"I just thought ..." she put her hand on her thigh. "... maybe we can continue our conversation at your place."
Lou wonder what conversation was that, but she could care less right now. "sorry. I've got company tonight." She look back at you and you're already gone. She stand up and see if she find you. But with this crowd, she is like searching a tiny needle in an ocean of beer. 'Maybe I'll wait till the club closes.' Lou continue the night upstairs she monitors the girls when they watering down well vodka. Then later go back to her office place more orders on ingredients for the drinks and other alcohol.
"What a busy night." Lou sigh and take a look at her phone. It's already 4:48 am. "shit." She head downstairs quickly. But she can't find you anywhere. All she see is Kevin napping on the counter. she look around and wonder if you didn't wait for her today. She goes through the bathrooms, she even look into the men's room. Then she look behind the counters. You are nowhere to be found. Lou pulls out her phone and start texting you.
Hey, honey. Where are you?
I'm waiting in the club.
Why is Kevin sleeping here?
I looked under the counter, you're not there. :(
Are you okay?
Emm. Why are you not answering?
I'll call you then.
Lou starts to worry. Is it something she did that makes you mad or you don't want this relationship anymore. She starts to call you. No answer. Lou tries again. Still no answer. She keeps trying but you are not answering. Now she is panicking and really want you just answer the damn call.
what's wrong?
Damn it, just answer!
There are many scenarios in her head now. You might be too tired that you fainted. Or you might be fall asleep in the hallway. Lou is seriously overthinks sometimes. Then something dawn on her, she keeps texting you and just hope you reply.
Wait, are you with lopez?
Emm. Should I be worry?
There is no reply at all. Lou decides to head upstairs to your apartment. If you don't answer the door, she will pick you lock. Right now, Lou will do anything to make sure you're okay.
Lou quickly head upstairs. she turns to the corner and see you and your ex. Her heart skips a beat. She looks closer, she is holding your wrist and you look like you're about to cry.
"HEY!" Lou quickly walk toward you and pull Santana off.
"ouch. Do you know who I am." Santana squeal.
You let out a sigh of relief when Lou shows up and step in-between you and your ex.
"you need to leave, now!" Lou commands her.
"so now you have giraffe body guard." She scorns.
"please just leave." You plead behind Lou.
"ha. Sure." Santana give you a cynical smile. "but when I come back, I'll make sure you are coming home with me."
Lou can feel her veins popping. "not gonna happen." She almost yelp with her fist clutched.
"we'll see, Miller."
Lou make sure she watch her leave before turning toward you. "let's go in." she speak softly. She can see you are a bit shook up.
"I'm sorry you have to witness that." You said as you guys walk into the apartment.
Lou never wants you to apologize something like this. "I'm glad I did, honey." She just want you to be safe. she walk into the living room and see you siting in a couch. She can see how exhausted you are. But something is still not right. "hey, you okay?" she sits next to you and see your wrist. "it's all red." She curse herself internally and wish she could have been there earlier.
You starts to tears up and that really give Lou an heart attack. "emm. Did I hurt you?" she let go of your hand and try not to touch again.
"It's just a one-night stand, Lou." Tears are just pouring down your face even though you keep wiping it. "I'm just like the other who you slept with. Just a passenger."
These words stab Lou's heart directly. "that's not true." She tries to get your attention. "why do you even think that?"
"because you call her name when you sleep."
"maybe I did." Lou tries to explain, "but that doesn't mean anything."
"what about the girl who touch your thigh, huh?"
"nowhere!" she said immediately. "is this why you're ignoring my text and calls?"
You look at without any expression. So Lou continue "look," and hope you understand. "I didn't go anywhere with her. I just told her. I already got company tonight." she sits closer and takes your hand gently. "I want this. I like it when you're around and I very much enjoy it when we chat." This the second time she is being honest with you. You can see that in her eyes.
"What about Debbie?" you face Lou and ask lightly.
"She once told me." Lou look straight at your eyes. "She loves me as her best friend. And I will do the same for her now." She holds your hand like she is making a promise. "Nothing more. Nothing less." Lou start wiping your final tears.
"don't lie to me, Lou." You said as she hold you tightly in her arms.
"Never." Lou replies and also relief. So, "are we good?"
You look up at her bluest eyes. "yeh." You can see her starting to smile.
Later that night, Lou make sure you're fine. She got you water and ask if you hungry. But you tell her you just want to go to bed. "okay, I'll join you after I showered." You nod and head to bed first.
Lou takes a quick shower and goes to bed. When she walk into the bedroom she see you're not sleeping at all. "I thought you're tired." She lift up the blanket and lay next to you.
"yeh. I'm just checking my phone." You keep your eyes on your phone. "I didn't hear your call or text." She turn around and meets her eye. "and.. I read your text. You were waiting for me?"
Lou warps her arms around you. "of course. That's our routine." You can see her pause. "so, emm... why didn't you hear my calls?"
she watch you look through your phone's setting. "oh it's muted." Lou shakes her head mentally.
"Well. Just don't ignore me again." she really mean it.
"I'll try." You joke lazily.
"sleep, honey. You're exhausted." She kiss you gently
Lou watch you slowly fall asleep in her arms. She could of lost you if she did not come here. Or worse, you could of gotten hurt by your ex. Lou looks at you and let out a sigh. "I'm not gonna let you out of my sight, ever again." It is a promise you will never know, and mainly it is a promise from Lou to herself.