After their trip to the beach (and spending nearly five hours there), Roman finally dropped Dean and Seth off at their respective homes before driving to his own. He went straight to the bathroom and took a shower, the mix of sand, salt water, and whatever he encountered while driving nearly making Roman sick.
He didn't bother to check his phone as he left, since he was with the only two people that he really needs to talk to, and his mom hadn't chewed him out, so he was good there. Anyone else, like Randy or Nikki or his cousins, could wait a couple hours. Or five. Roman finally unlocked his phone, the sight of multiple missed calls and an unread message startling him slightly. He read the text first, and called the sender as soon as he finished reading.
He still loved Roman. Which was funny, considering he never loved Roman in the first place, but whatever kept him sane. He didn't do anything with Roman. He made out with him and had sex with him once, and all of a sudden he's come to this amazing, incomparable conclusion that he was in love with Roman. Is in love with Roman. Who, for the record, could see through all of the bullshit that John had laid. There was actually a split second where Roman's heart fluttered faintly, whatever grasp John had on Roman coming into play, until Roman remembered that John was a prick.
John didn't have any of these deep, meaningful feelings when he was still in school. When he was still where people knew his name, and his family, and his reputation. He isn't John Cena, captain of the football team, super-hot guy with the plastic girlfriend and horrible ability to read people (which is exactly why Roman had been able to pick the whole situation apart to easily), he was just another college student. So, why exactly did he decide to get with Roman after he graduated?
He didn't have anything to lose.
Roman had been able to get to that within about five minutes, and he was all too proud of it.
"Roman, why don't you just listen to me?"
"I am listening to you, and all I'm hearing is rambling," Roman said, laying down on his bed and looking over to his clock - 11:27 PM. He looked at his phone and, yep, they'd been on the phone for nearly 3 hours.
"God, you're impossible," John sighed.
"Oh, I'm impossible? You're the one who fucked with me my entire junior year, actually fucked me, left, came back, said you regretted fucking me, but you actually love me," Roman waited a few seconds, and only heard a soft breath from John, so he continued. "You're lying. Why, I don't know."
"Because I care about you, Roman."
"I bet," Roman snorted out a laugh. "You also care about my ass, but they're one in the same, aren't they?"
"What are you trying to say?" John's voice lowered, just a little bit, but it had shivers going down Roman's spine, and he felt disgusted.
"You wanna fuck me again, don't you?"
"Roman, what the fuck?"
"It's a yes or no question."
John was silent for a good few minutes. Roman actually considered hanging up, until he heard John take a breath, and he listened for an answer. "Yes."
Roman chuckled, a dry, bitter sound, shaking his head. "You're an asshole, you know that?"
"Excuse me for being attracted to you," John responded. "Maybe I should punch you in the face the next time I see you, missing teeth and a broken nose aren't exactly getting my pants off."
"Seeing you would still hurt more."
A tense silence settled between them, but both were caught in Roman's previous dilemma; wanting to end the conversation, but not knowing if the other will say something. Roman reached over to his nightstand and picked up a picture. It was of him, Dean, and Seth after his first high school football game. Its an accurate description of them, really - Seth's got the biggest, goofiest smile on his face, his arms wrapped around Roman's football pad-covered shoulders; Dean's trying to hide his face, but Roman's mom managed to catch him before he turned around, so he looks like a deer in the headlights; and Roman, well, he's just smiling. Nothing major.
Roman places the picture down as he hears shuffling, meaning John was moving. "Roman...I played you, alright? I took advantage of you, and it didn't mean anything at the time, but now..."
"Now what?"
"I got scared at the beach. I said I regretted it because I didn't want there to be any commitment. Roman, I really, really like you."
"John, look..." Roman sighed and shook his head. "I'll see you at Randy's party, and we'll talk then."
Roman hung up before John could say anything else.
"Roman seemed a little tense when we tried to talk at the beach," Seth said, looking over at Dean as they walked to Roman's house.
"He's been a little tense about everything, Seth," Dean commented, glancing at Seth.
The younger teen was wearing a plain, white t-shirt, but his jeans were exceptionally tight - and Dean fucking adored it - and hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. They were finally getting to go to Randy's 4th Of July party, so Seth had to make himself "as presentable as possible," which Dean heard as, "My butt is girlier than all the other girls' so I'm gonna show it off."
Dean knocked when they finally got to Roman's house, and he wanted to beat up and have sex with Roman at the same time. He was wearing one of those basic American flag tank tops, a pair of cargo shorts, and his hair was down. He also had a pair of those douchey, knock-off wayfarers with the reflective lenses pushed up onto his head, but Dean - and apparently Seth - were willing to overlook it, seeing as Roman looked way too good.
"Ready for your first big-kid party?" Roman asked with a smile, leading Dean and Seth to his car and climbing in the drivers seat.
"Ha-ha, fuck you," Dean gave Roman the finger as he climbed into the passenger seat. "We're gonna look so out of place next to you."
"What, because of this?" Roman motioned to his outfit. "Dressing like a college douchebag on spring break gets you places."
"So, wear a shirt that barely covers my chest and asshole sunglasses," Seth leaned up from the backseat and gave Roman a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be sure to do that next year."
Roman put the sunglasses on. "Sounds nice, but I never want you to take off those jeans."
"I second that," Dean chimed in. "Since when did you even have those?"
"Not that long, I just wanted something different." Seth shrugged as they pulled out of Roman's driveway.
The drive was mainly silent, seeing as the wind rushing through was loud enough without them yelling. Randy's house was clear across town, in one of the richer neighborhoods, so it was a good fifteen minute drive. They had to park halfway down the block when they did get there due to the amount of people that were already there, and they didn't even need to try to hear the music; people two streets down could. As expected, everyone greeted Roman when he walked in, girls pulling him into tight hugs while guys ruffled his hair and nudged him as he walked.
Seth's hand a nearly a death grip on Dean's wrist as they followed Roman through Randy's huge house. The music was loud, and it smelled like sweat and alcohol and whatever it was that rich people houses smelled like. Seth just about squeaked when he was pulled into a sudden tight hug, not knowing who it was until he felt the big boobs pressing against him, and Dean laughing.
"Aw, Seth!" Nikki laughed, kissing Seth's cheek. Nikki had graduated with John and Randy, and absolutely adored Seth for some unknown reason. "I missed you, cutie!" She'd been drinking.
"I missed you too, Nikki," Seth smiled and allowed himself to be pulled into another hug, this time with Brie, Nikki's twin that wasn't really a twin, who had apparently been talking to Dean.
"Hey, Seth," Brie was a lot calmer, but she'd been that way since she'd gotten with her boyfriend, Daniel. "Where's Roman? I thought you'd be attached to him."
"I was," Seth chuckled. "But your sister kinda aggressively hugged me."
Speaking of Roman, he walked up just then, laughing about something with Randy Orton. "Hey, thought I lost you," Roman commented, his arm somewhat subconsciously sliding around Seth's waist, hooking the fingers of his other hand in Dean's belt loop.
Brie smiled almost knowingly as she grabbed Nikki's arm and started gently dragging her away. "We'll see you guys later," She stopped about halfway and looked back at Roman. "You're texting me at some point, got that?"
Roman nodded, pulling Seth and Dean a little closer without realizing it. "Nikki get excited?" Roman asked, looking down at Seth with a small smile.
"Yeah," Seth breathed out, nodding. "What's her thing with me?"
"Not sure, but it probably cause you're adorable," Roman kissed Seth's cheek, tightening his fingers on Dean's belt loop as he tried to get away. "What're you doing?"
"Gonna go annoy the fuck out of John," Dean said, trying to pry the two fingers Roman had him hooked with off. "C'mon, Rome, please?" Dean stuck out his bottom lip, his hand running up Roman's arm.
"No, just hang out with us. Randy and the guys wanna talk to y'all," Roman began weaving through all the people in Randy's large house to get to the back door, Seth latching onto an arm and Dean holding Roman's other hand.
Seth, apparently, was perfect squishing size, because almost all of the guys that were in the yard pulled him in for either a hug or a headlock, both of which making Seth feel (and look) like he was 12. Roman just laughed and eventually saved Seth, after he'd been passed around to most of the football team. Dean was getting treated a lot better, mainly bro-hugs and fist bumps, and Seth pouted slightly, attempting to fix his ruined ponytail.
Dean and Seth had gotten quite the reputation since Roman's accident at the last game, seeing as they both jumped the stands and ran onto the field. Seth had ran straight to Roman, but Dean got in the kid who tackled Roman's face, and damn near got in a fist fight with him (Dean got a slap in). Both were known for differnet reasons, Seth as a caring little shit and Dean as a fearless motherfucker, but both were respected for helping a teammate. It was good for them, sophmores getting in good with senoirs, and football players no less.
"Oh, Roman, John was looking for you," Big E, a junior, said, an arm slung around Seth's shoulders. E was short but wide as hell, so he made Seth look like a noodle with hair.
"Really?" Roman asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at the back door. "Do you know where he is?"
"Not exactly, but I know he's here," Big E shrugged, Roman rolling his eyes.
"Alright...take care of them, don't hurt 'em, I'm gonna go find John." Roman turned and went into the house. It took a while, and Roman got a lot of noncommittal noises and shrugs, but Nikki finally told him that John was out front. Roman went just there, finding John leaning up against a wall, tapping away at his phone.
"Oh, uh, hey," John said, shoving his phone in his pocket. "Didn't know if you'd be here."
"I told you I would be," Roman said, standing in front of John. "So...you suddenly have feelings for me?"
"I guess," John breathes out.
"Cool," Roman nods. "Look, you were an asshole to me. And I didn't see it then, but I see it now, and no feelings are gonna make me feel different about you."
John nodded, not trace of anger or sadness on his face. "That's fine."
"Really?"
"Yeah," John said. "I mean, I really did treat you badly, no denying that. And even if we did do something about this," He motioned between himself and Roman. "I'm still going back to Boston in August anyways."
"You've just done a complete 180?" Roman asks.
"Apparently," John chuckled. "So, uh...are you seeing anyone?"
Roman smiled and looked down at the ground. "I think so."
"You've already forgotten about me," John placed a hand over his heart, earning a laugh from Roman. "But really, I'm happy for you."
"Thanks."
John smiled and ruffled Roman's hair before leading him back in the house.
abrupt endings are fun and if anyone tells you differently they're telling the truth because they're a better writer than i am. late updates aren't cool either, but i'm a master at those, too. we might be getting some brie in the next chapter, and I have some ambrollins drifting around too. reviews are welcomed with open arms