"Are you nervous?" Roman asked.
"Excited," Dean answered.
"How long ago is it since you've seen her?" Roman asked.
"Oh dear, almost two years, I think," Dean answered. "We've kept in touch though."
"You've never really told us about her," Roman said.
"There's not much to tell. Her name is Barbie, she's my age and we've known each other since we were kids," Dean said.
"Barbie," Seth chuckled. "I still can't get over the fact that some people would actually name their kid that."
"Blonde hair and big, blue eyes. She was a Barbie doll when she was born. I mostly knew her with all kinds of crazy hair colours," Dean said. "Hardcore Barbie, punk Barbie, crazy Barbie. People gave her all kinds of nicknames."
Seth got up from the couch in their suite, walked to the combined kitchen part and grabbed three bottles of water from the mini fridge. He came back and tossed two of the bottles to Dean and Roman.
"So why now? Why is she visiting you now?" He asked.
"She said she had some time off and that she missed me," Dean answered.
"What does she do for a living?" Roman asked.
"I'm not sure actually. Something to do with rich people. She never seems to lack money. She talks about business meetings and other boring stuff," Dean answered.
"So did you go to school together?" Seth dumped back down on the couch.
Dean leaned forward a ran a hand over his head. He knew this question would come eventually and he had to tell them before he went to pick her up at the airport so she wouldn't be stuck with the awkward task when one of them messed up and asked her.
"Yes, but I never noticed her since I was rarely there and we weren't in the same class," he answered.
"So how did you end up becoming friends?" Roman asked.
"We were 17. My mom had a client and as always I had to get out. You can't imagine the pain of hearing your mother fuck a stranger for money," Dean sighed.
He felt the comforting hand of Roman's on his shoulder.
"I walked around as always and ended at the so called ghost house. Just a tale kids would scare each other with. It was an old, abandoned house with half the walls and roof missing. I don't know why I chose to go into the house that night but I did and she was in there," Dean said.
"Just hanging out?" Seth asked.
"Hiding from her step father," Dean answered.
He got up from the couch and threw the empty bottle of water through the room towards the kitchen. A small smile tugged on his lips when the bottle successfully landed in the sink.
"He was an abusive son of a bitch that would beat his wife and kids. Barbie would always jump in between him and her little brother or her mother so she would take the worst punches," he said.
"What a bastard," Roman said lowly.
"Tell me about it," Dean sighed. "I found her with eyes as blue as her hair colour. I made a stupid joke about it since it was dark and I thought she was one of those weird colour goths that had painted her eyes that way. Fuck, I've never felt so shitty in my life when I realized they were real bruises left by her step father. But she forgave me just like she always does when I mess up. And I mess up a lot."
"You do," Seth chuckled.
"And that's basically it. We've been friends ever since," Dean said.
Roman narrowed his eyes and looked at his friend still standing on the floor. There was something there, something that Dean wasn't telling them.
"What is she really to you?" He asked.
"She's the love of my life," Dean answered.
Seth broke out in a loud laugh.
"Good one!" He laughed.
"I don't think he's kidding," Roman said.
"What?" Seth stopped laughing and looked at Dean. "Dean?"
"Does it matter?" Dean shrugged. "I'm gonna go pick her up at the airport. See you guys later."
He walked over to the door and put on his boots in silence. Roman and Seth watched him. None of them spoke until he had left the suite and closed the door.
"I really don't think he was kidding," Roman said.
"You might be right. He looked... weird," Seth said.
"Can you imagine knowing someone for 15 years and never telling them about your true feelings?" Roman asked.
"Or maybe he did and she rejected him? We don't know the full story," Seth said. "Or maybe he really was kidding and he was just putting on a good performance."
Dean stood waiting at the airport, looking for crazy hair colours as people came through the gates. His eyes widened when she came out with her normal, blonde hair. He had seen it before but it had never stayed for long.
"Dean!" She jumped into his arms.
"Damn, Barbie, you look good," he hugged her. "Healthy."
"Are you calling me fat?" She laughed.
"No, I mean it. Last time I saw you, you were on the skinny side. You didn't look too good then. You look really good now," he said.
"Aw, thanks," she said.
"Okay, let's go. The boys can't wait to meet you," he said.
"Are you sure they're okay with me intruding for a while?" She asked.
"Yeah, no problem," he smiled. "A friend of mine is a friend of theirs."
He was right. Seth and Roman greeted her right away. Where Seth shook her hand, Roman engulfed her in a bear hug that took her by surprise.
"Get used to it," Dean laughed. "Roman's a hugger."
"Should we make the couch for her?" Roman asked.
"No, she'll sleep in my room," Dean answered.
"Are you sure?" Seth asked.
"Me and Dean always share a bed," she looked at Dean. "You didn't tell them?"
"Sorry, Seth sometimes forgets boys and girls can be friends without touching each other's nipples," Dean stuck out his tongue.
Seth frowned but didn't say anything. It wasn't like that and Dean damn well knew it. He was friends with Sasha and Bayley. So good friends that there was always online rumours going around about them being together. Something that had never happened and never would happen.
"So let's all do breakfast tomorrow and you three can get to know each other better," Dean said.
"Sounds good," Roman said.
"I get the left side of the bed," she smirked at Dean.
"You always do," Dean pouted.
"It's the best side," she said. "Goodnight boys."
As soon as the door to Dean's room closed, Seth turned to look at Roman.
"What the hell was that about? What he said about me," he said.
"I don't know," Roman said. "I'm just as surprised as you. I think he was trying to cover for himself."
"You were right earlier. He wasn't lying," Seth said.
"No, he wasn't," Roman shook his head. "15 years. Damn! There's a huge story here he's never told us about."
