Retrospective: Paris - How things happened

3.1. Mae West - Invitation pt. 2
Fall 1993, Mae's apartment

Today had been a busy day for Mae. After school she went out with her friends into a new club that just opened in town, and after it closed, she and some of her friends went to her appartement to continue the party.
She had a lot of fun, but the later it got, the more she couldn't help but start to worry. Francesco wasn't there anymore when she returned. She knew he would be gone, his shift in the bar had started long time ago, so that was to be expected.

Still, her mind kept wandering off to him more and more. 

When he had talked to the waitress yesterday night, she had gotten the impression that he was looking for a new place after his break up.
Mae knew it wasn't easy to find a payable appartement, or even a room in Paris, and he didn't have anything yesterday. Or he wouldn't have agreed to stay at her place.
She was wondering if he was okay.
He wouldn't sit on the street, would he? Of course he wouldn't, that only happened in movies. And he didn't look homeless.
Mae was surprised what crazy thoughts crossed her mind when she was tipsy from the alcohol. Most likely he just went back to the place he shared with his boyfriend so far, even if it sucked to stay with an ex.
Mae calmed down for a while.

But the uncertainty didn't leave her any rest. So she decided she had to find out how he was, just to be sure, before her imagination would run completely wild.

She told her friends that she'd be back soon, and ran down the few streets to the bar. If they had a lot of guests, they might still be open this Friday, and she could talk to him.

But when she arrived, the doors were closed and the lights off. Noone was there anymore, and Francesco probably long time gone home. Or at someone else's place.
She would have to wait until tomorrow to find out.
Her feet felt heavy when she turned around to go back home.

"You're late tonight."

He was sitting on one of the benches in the shadow of the street lanterns, his bag next to him. Arms crossed, he looked at her, a weary smile on his face.
Did he wait for her? Warmth spread through Mae's chest before it got numbed by the sudden realization of what his presence here also meant.
He didn't have anywhere else to go.
He literally was on the streets.
Did his boyfriend kick him out?

Mae sat down next to him.
"Uhm. I was out and -"
"Go back home, Mae."
He released his crossed arms, and his fingers started tripping restlessly on the park bench. His smile had disappeared.
Mae wasn't sure if she understood correctly what he said. She tried to think, but the tipsyness made it really hard. Why would he tell her that, when she just had come to look for him.
Oh, right.
That's why she was here.

"Uhm... do you want to come with me? If you need a place to sleep again - "
"No."
Still no smile from him.
He confused her. Was he upset because she didn't had come today? But that would be ridiculous.
"Look, I don't know why you're so mad at me, but - "
"I'm not mad at you."
This was getting weird.
"Then what's wrong? I just came here to see if you're okay..."

His fingers interrupted their dance, and he finally smiled again, soft, but somber.
"Mae, really - Thank you for being so nice. But I don't need your help. Just go home and don't come back here again."
"But...", she tried to object. She didn't want to let him stay here alone. She had a really bad feeling, but couldn't figure out why.
"Now", he insisted, and all the softness was gone again.

Mae lift herself like in a trance. Francesco was so different today than usual. He always had looked like he enjoyed her company. And today he just sent her away without an explanation.
What had happened?

"Bon dieu, cariño!"
The shadow of a person fell on both of them, before Mae barely walked a few steps.
Francesco cursed.
"Here I come, worried about you, and you already found yourself another woman to leech on?", he said towards Francesco in French.
His voice was calm and of a sickening sweetness.

Francesco scowled and said something in a language Mae didn't understand. The stranger chuckled. He replied to him in the same language. She thought seeing Francesco turning a shade paler than he was already. How did he know a creepy dude like that?

When the other man turned towards her, Mae's stomach cramped. It was bare of any emotion, and his dark eyes ice cold. She shuddered.
"Pauvre petite fille. You have set your eyes on a bad man. He's just nice to you so he can take advantage of your kindness. What did you give him? A home, food, even money?"
Even if he spoke in French, Mae didn't understand what that crazy man was talking about. She had taken care of Francesco, but he never had asked her anything. And Francesco had been anything but nice today to her.
"Does he whisper sweet things in your ear when he pretends to make love to you? Hm?"
That was too much.

"Yikes. What crazy pervert are you?", Mae cried out, trying to be as confident as possible in her confusion.

"Oh, pauvre fille", the other man continued. "Cariño, don't you want to tell her about Suzette? Her heart is broken over you. You have played a bad game with her."
Francesco didn't say a word.
Mae wondered if the creepy guy was insane. Maybe he confused Francesco with someone else. It made sense, since he called him a different name.

"In the end he only loves me", he turned back towards Mae. "And he'll always come back to me."
Oh god. Was that Francesco's ex-boyfriend? Mae had a very clear impression why he wouldn't want to make up with him. Or go back to where he lived.
That guy was creepy, and completely crazy. There was no way Francesco would want to go back to such a person. Why didn't he tell him so?
"Look, you probably are a little confused", she took over for him, "noone wants to come with you."

"Let's go home", she turned towards Francesco. But when she reached out her hand to take his, he avoided it. "You heard him. Leave, for god's sake", he said. He watched the pavement, but his gaze was blank.

He stood up to pick up his bag. Did he flinch for a second?
Then he followed the crazy man down the street without another word to her.
He did want to go with him. But - why?
She desparately tried to find reasons.
Did he really love him? Was he the one Francesco had waited for?

Mae's eyes stung, and her steps were heavy of sorrow when she turned around and tried to walk home. Nothing made sense.

A sudden loud noise behind her let her blood freeze.
Three shots.
Then the squealing of tires and the roaring of a heavy car engine going much too fast in the speed limited zone, fading down in the distance.