November

The year 2018 was marked by milestones in the #MeToo movement, a contentious Supreme Court hearing, battles over immigration, and a groundbreaking royal wedding. There was a government shutdown, a super blue blood moon, historic midterm elections, and a very American addition to the British royal family. With all things considered, 2018 didn't ultimately seem like a bad year in the grand scheme of things.

For the students of SU, the Thanksgiving break was a release from the crackdown of the new reign of terror John Laurinaitis enacted following what was now known as the "Halloween 2018 incident." Rules were more strict, Greek activity was all but outlawed at this point, and it just seemed like the life had been sucked out of the student body following the BPO Halloween party.

For ZBZ and BPO, most of their members made a break for it as soon as Thanksgiving arrived to visit out-of-state friends and family to take a breather from the new norm, even if it was just for a few days. The once-thriving Greek houses now lay nearly deserted as some of the members of Zeta Beta Zeta and Beta Pi Omega feared that being seen around the house by campus police would have them falsely accused of trying to start trouble.

But thankfully, the Thanksgiving break was here; Four days to recharge batteries and just forget about the trouble that would hopefully die before 2019 arrived.

For two ZBZ sisters, this four-day weekend was equal parts relieving as it was nerve-wracking. Becky Lynch, piloting her girlfriend's SUV, drove down I-85 South en route to visit Charlotte's parents for the holiday.

Charlotte rode shotgun, silently reading a book to pass the time. She'd been a little hesitant to let her girlfriend drive the majority of the journey, but Becky insisted that she was "good to go" after shotgunning a few energy drinks and inhaling her breakfast. Charlotte drove for a few hours, then agreed to let Becky finish their ten-hour drive to the "Queen City."

Driving turned out to be a good bonding experience for both girls. Charlotte tried booking two tickets on the Amtrak from Stamford to Charlotte, NC, but it was already sold-out thanks to the holiday. After some number crunching, Charlotte concluded that paying for gas and sugary snacks was far cheaper than a plane ticket. She wanted to start living more independently and less on her father's returned assets, and the cheaper option was driving. Their journey started bright and early at six a.m. Wednesday morning with Becky DJ'ing for the first few hours and trying to keep Charlotte from running people off the road over the slightest inconvenience.

The following seven hours were spent talking about their futures, both outside school and what they hoped to achieve academically. Some flirting and light jesting talk about flying out to Vegas to "tie the knot" brought the two young lovers closer as the miles added to the SUV.

"Licorice!" Becky stuck her tongue out, turning her head towards her girlfriend while trying to keep her eyes on the road.

Charlotte held a piece of licorice towards Becky, then yelped in surprise when she pulled it out of her hands with her teeth and growled like a wild animal.

"Still on a sugar high, babe?" Charlotte asked with a giggle, folding the corner of the page she was on to save her place in the story.

Becky munched her treat, bouncing in her seat. "I'm on t'e trip of a lifetime, me. I can see sounds and taste colors!"

"Do you want me to drive?" Charlotte asked.

Becky settled in her seat. "No. I'll be ok. Jus' waitin' fer ya ta finish yer book."

"I'll finish it later," Charlotte held out her hand, opening and closing her fingers a few times.

Becky glanced at her girlfriend's hand behind her large circled sunglasses. She smiled, switching her left hand from "ten" to "twelve" then sliding the fingers on her right hand between Charlotte's.

Charlotte placed her fingers over her eyes like she was holding a digital camera. Becky smiled for the "camera", giggling when Charlotte clicked her tongue like a camera shutter and flexed her finger like she was taking a picture of the moment.

Charlotte took a minute to think over the last few months while there was a little bit of silence. How she managed to go from "closeted" to openly dating her best friend in a matter of months without self-combusting was still a mystery to her. For so long, she fought against her feelings for Becky just so she didn't have to feel ridicule from anyone else. Yet here she was driving home for Thanksgiving with the girl she'd been crushing on hard since at least April.

Becky was replaying her semester in her head as well. Sonya, wherever the hell she was, turned out to be the psychotic nut that Charlotte insisted she was. Maybe her anger towards Charlotte made her blind to that for a while, but Sonya attacking Charlotte finally broke the blinders over Becky's eyes. In an odd way, Becky had Sonya to thank for them finally getting together. Without her crazed assault, Becky might've never gotten over herself, or maybe it might've taken longer than it did.

Charlotte hadn't really heard much from her dad or her step-mom since she told them she was visiting them for Thanksgiving. Sheila, Charlotte's mother, had been ecstatic to hear about her youngest daughter's new flame and voiced excitement to have them over for dessert the day after Thanksgiving. When it came to Ric and Nora, Charlotte wasn't really sure how they felt or if Ric even remembered to tell his wife that his little girl was dating another woman now and not the hulking Samoan anymore.

Charlotte noticed the "Welcome to North Carolina" sign. Becky carefully took a spot in line for the toll, lightly drumming her fingers against the steering wheel to a song in her head.

"We have a few more hours until we get there," Charlotte pointed out. "Do you need to stop or do you want to go straight there?"

"I'll do what you tell me, my love," Becky replied, turning the radio back on.

"There's a really good diner an hour from here," Charlotte recalled. "My friends and I would go there after volleyball games. They have really good milkshakes."

"More sugar?" Becky quipped with a nervous grin.

Charlotte leaned over the center console and kissed Becky on the cheek. "You'll live... I think. Maybe dial 'nine-one' and just wait."

Becky nodded. "It sounds lovely, Char. I should probably eat some real food anyway."

The car slowly rolled ahead as another car passed through the toll. Given the upcoming holiday, it was no surprise that a lot of people were on the road. A few restless spirits were honking horns and cursing, but Becky kept a level head and focused mostly on Charlotte.

"Is it weird ta say I'm excited ta see Ric?" Becky asked.

It occurred to Charlotte that Becky hadn't officially met her father yet. The last time Ric was in Stamford, Becky was still with Sasha and hadn't gotten the chance to meet the neurotic millionaire. This weekend was the first time Becky got to officially meet Ric and her step-mom. Since the phone call went so well when Charlotte told Ric she was with Becky, she could assume it would be a perfect meeting between important people in Charlotte's life.

Charlotte shrugged. "Are you going to leave me for him because he has money?"

"Charlotte Flair!" Becky exclaimed, baiting a few giggles from the blonde next to her. "Of course not! I have you already fer that."

"Ha-ha," Charlotte mocked with a chuckle. "You're hilarious, Bex."

Finally, Becky pulled up to the gate separating Virginia from North Carolina. She paid the toll, waited for the arm to raise, then stepped on the gas to officially enter Charlotte's home state.

"Ah, North Carolina," Becky announced, inhaling deeply through her nose.

"Land of millionaires, religious cults, and homophobic pieces of shit," Charlotte made eye contact with Becky. "Please don't be offended if I don't hold your hand all the time. There are parts of North Carolina that are..."

"Love?" Becky cut in. "I'm from Ohio. I know how it can be, remember?"

"It's not the part we're going to," Charlotte added, lightly squeezing Becky's hand. "Charlotte is a pretty laid-back town. If we get caught in downtown Greensboro though, they might lynch us."

"The only lynchin' you'll get is me," Becky cooly shot back.

Charlotte rolled her eyes to the ceiling, prompting a laugh from her girlfriend. Becky brought Charlotte's hand to her lips, whispering a sweet prayer in Gaelic to bless them on the rest of their trip. Charlotte smiled softly, still unsure how the meeting with her father and step-mom was going to go.

The once lively and thriving ZBZ House stood as silent as death. It hadn't been this deprived of life since prior to ZBZ purchasing the home and starting its SU chapter sometime the previous year. The lights still worked and the sweeping had been kept up with, but everything needed a good dusting and a few layers of Febreze.

Alexa Bliss overlooked the empty house. With the exception of Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan, and Nikki Cross baking snickerdoodles in the kitchen, the house stood silent in the shadow of life it once was. ZBZ once housed several dozen young women ready to face the school year head-on with their sisters at their sides. Now Alexa felt like she was in the third act of a C-level horror movie and the family had already vacated the lot after being pestered by a pervy poltergeist.

But ZBZ was her escape from the trials and tribulations of her recent life, both personal and academic.

It had been nearly a month since Dean was suspended from school. Alexa didn't know how to reach out to her ex without upsetting him or herself more than they already were. It took some getting used to sleeping alone after having someone hold her for over a year, but the break-up was the best in both party's interests.

Dean hadn't said anything either. Alexa wished her ex had some kind of social media so she could see little updates about him, even if it was a meme post or a video about that week's football game. She missed him, much to the annoyance of AJ and the confusion of both Nikki and herself.

Alexa scratched her fingers through her recently returned blonde hair. She had the job done a few days after Dean left, deciding she needed a little normalcy in her life after everything fell apart so quickly.

The ZBZ Presidential Suite still stood. Alexa, fresh out of a much-needed shower, shuffled up to her bed where she laid out her outfit for the day. Nikki waited for her friend, sitting cross-legged on the bed while she watched a movie and munched on a snickerdoodle.

Alexa felt sick. Not the same kind of ill she felt while pregnant though; She took several pregnancy tests the day prior just to make sure. She wasn't sure if it was because a huge part of her life was now gone, or because the much anticipated Greek trip to Hawaii was now called off thanks to Dean Laurinaitis.

The upcoming Thanksgiving game in Hawaii was supposed to be a week-long excursion for ZBZ and BPO. The SU Titans played this week but had a bye next week. Both Greek houses had planned for months to take a vacation on the island, but with all fraternity and sorority activity shut down for the foreseeable future, it was impossible to get everyone together without raising suspicion.

After working herself to the bone to balance school, ZBZ, student-teaching, cheering, and a relationship, Alexa wasn't sure what to do with her free time now that two of those things were removed from her life. She spent most of it working out or spending time with friends she didn't get to hang out with much since her schedule was always filled. Most of it was spent with various friends who also had nothing to do, like Nikki and Bayley, while she fell in deep with new Netflix specials like You and All-American.

"What's on the agenda fer today?" Nikki asked the tired-looking blonde.

Alexa began getting dressed. "I have no idea. Barnum is out this week for Thanksgiving and I already have my classwork caught up with. There's no ZBZ meeting this week since no one is answering my freaking texts. So I'm probably just going to watch GLOW with Liv and Sarah. Maybe put something together for the sisters next week since we aren't going to Hawaii anymore. Hopefully, things are more relaxed by the time Spring Break comes around again. Shit, I have to plan the freaking Christmas party still..."

Nikki nodded, biting off a piece of her cinnamon-sprinkled cookie. She noticed that on top of Alexa's chosen outfit of leggings and an SU cheer shirt, she was wearing a SU Football hoodie that was several sizes too large for her. Nikki knew it was Dean's, just by how much Alexa was drowning in the fabric, but she inwardly wondered if Alexa even realized she was wearing it. There were a lot of things she wondered about her friend's recent break-up with her fiance, but Nikki didn't want to intrude on anything in case the wound hadn't completely healed for Alexa.

"Sounds like somethin' ta do," Nikki held out the snickerdoodles towards Alexa. "Can I watch with you? Maybe fill t'e void left by AJ?"

Alexa chuckled lightly. "There's no void, Nikki. And of course you can. You're my friend too."

Bliss plucked a treat from the plastic Tupperware in Nikki's hands and kissed the Scottish woman on the forehead. Nikki smiled cheekily, thanking the heavens her cheeks burned ruby after Alexa turned her back to fetch her phone.

"How is AJ?" Nikki asked, rubbing her cheeks to calm herself down.

Alexa shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't gotten a text from her yet."

AJ had been living her best life these last few weeks. Shortly after all things went to hell at SU, she took off to travel alongside Punk and the Second City Saints while they traveled the country on tour.

It took some time adjusting to life on the road away from loved ones. The first few nights were spent lying awake, wondering what Dana or Alexa were up to until she passed out from exhaustion. She eventually let her guard down a little and relaxed a little around the members of the band that wasn't the frontman who convinced her to tag along.

Alexa saw off AJ at the train station before she headed up to Massachusets to meet with Punk and ultimately join him on the tour. AJ wondered if it was all a huge ruse and Punk didn't actually want her to come with him, but thankfully that worry was put aside when she learned that Punk left her a VIP pass with full access to the backstage area prior to the concert.

Currently, AJ stretched her back, making her shoulders pop. She smoothed her hands over the borrowed tee she wore; a raggedy "SCS" top with the sleeves cut off and small holes over the stomach and torso. Life was good, or as good it could be without Dana or Alexa close by. Punk was good to her, obviously, or she would've been in prison by now for butchering an entire music group because the lead singer was a douche canoe. He wasn't, thankfully, and AJ hadn't had a negative thought in her head since the first night she spent on the tour bus.

But this morning was a little different. Instead of spending the evening in the tour bus, the band rented out a few rooms in a hotel somewhere outside Dallas, where the Saints were scheduled to do a concert at an opera house. Punk rented out a room for himself, enticing AJ to join him with sushi and cheap beer. AJ obliged, though felt a little awkward drinking alcohol while Punk downed several bottles of Pepsi.

AJ's phone rumbled on the nightstand. Leaning across the bed, she unplugged her phone and slid her thumb across the screen.

"Princess Fuckshit," AJ answered, rocking back and forth on her knees.

"Hey you," Alexa cooed into her end of the phone. "I feel like I haven't heard anything from you. How are you doing?"

AJ took a survey of the hotel bedroom she was currently in. The sun was just barely peeking through the curtains, the room service trays were still on the dresser, her joggers were draped over a lamp, her suitcase was still open with untidied clothes surrounding it, several empty cans and bottles littered the area...

"Who is it?" Punk whispered, lightly dragging his fingertips up and down AJ's sides.

Oh, and the singer who AJ was riding the waist of. A little early morning lazy sex had apparently been on the itinerary for the day, which Punk had to find out when AJ woke him up and made puppy-dog eyes at him.

"I'm doing ok," AJ mentioned, winking at the grinning boy pinned to the bed by her. "Oklahoma City was... fucking something, but we're just outside Dallas. Punker ordered us chocolate sundaes last night so I think I might let him knock me up today."

Punk cocked an eyebrow at that. AJ giggled silently and held her finger against her lips.

"Well I'm just glad you're having fun," Alexa told her friend. "I'm bored out of my mind but Liv is making lunch for me, Sarah, and Nikki so I might hit the gym after."

AJ lowly sighed under her breath. "With or without Dean's hoodie?"

"Uh..."

"Babe, we talked about this: burn everything that piece of trash owned. You better not still be wearing that fucking ring either."

"AJ, it's a nice ring..."

AJ rolled her eyes. "And dickless cheated on you when you were pregnant, then gave you shit for me. That dude can fuck himself with a cactus."

Alexa sighed. "I mean... you're probably right, AJ. Sorry. I just wish he was still around. He flew back to Florida after he got suspended and no one's heard from him since."

"Sucks to suck, babe," AJ quipped, lightly tugging at Punk's lip piercing. "You'll meet a dude or lady soon that'll treat you like a fucking queen. Does it suck that Dean was your almost baby daddy? Yeah, but obviously he wasn't meant for you if he put his dick in some cunt with tattoos and face piercings."

"What the fuck?" Punk mouthed with a smile. AJ giggled and scratched her fingers over his chest.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Alexa figured with another heavy sigh. "Anyway, I'll let you go. I'm sure you and Punk have a lot going on today. Love you, sis."

"That we do, Lexi. Love you too," AJ hung up her phone and tossed it aside. "You, Mr. Punk, have the patience of a saint... oh, now your band name makes sense!"

Punk rolled his eyes to the ceiling, baiting laughter from the tiny woman on his waist. AJ gripped the sides of her shirt and pulled it over her head, deciding to finish her business before having to worry about anything else.

For Roman Reigns, his month following the incident at BPO was mostly focused on keeping up with his workout schedule and making sure nothing distracted him from playing his absolute best on the gridiron.

As for Tessa... Roman had no fucking clue where she was - not that he gave a shit that much anymore. She disappeared from SU following all the shit that went down at BPO. Lucky for her, she got away before she got what was coming to her.

Roman just lost all interest in pursuing anything intimate with any woman. He completely blocked out anyone not in his close-knit group of pals or on the football team. School, workouts, and practice was the only thing in Roman's field of vision; Everything else may have well not existed.

Roman, fresh from the gym from a late-morning workout, dropped a cheap steak on the stove for lunch. He garnished the meat with some garlic butter and pepper for taste and tossed in some vegetables for a little flavor. By now, Dean would've stepped out of his room wondering what the hell smelled so good, but his brother was back home. No one was in the apartment with Roman.

Bayley stopped by earlier with Zack to chat a little, but they were already on the way to an appointment so they didn't stay long. Seth and Toni were probably across the hall doing whatever they did, and Dean hadn't answered anybody's texts in a long fucking time. Roman recalled Dean running away once for a day, but eventually coming back when he learned that Sika wasn't going to have him hauled away just for accidentally breaking a drinking glass, so he figured Dean was alright wherever he was.

Roman just felt tired. All of his anger and frustration were taken out on football and the gym, meaning nothing was really left for him when he got home at the end of the day. A messy break-up with Charlotte, followed by Ronda leaving for California, and then Tessa's bullshit left Roman in a heap of deep emptiness that he hadn't felt since he found out Summer Rae was cheating on him. It didn't feel good, and Roman hated himself for letting it happen over and over again.

The front door opened. Seth, followed close behind by Toni and Sasha, stepped into the apartment.

"What's up, man?" Seth greeted his old buddy with a fist bump. "We were just about to come see you and bumped into Sasha."

Roman bumped fists with Toni, then slid an arm around Sasha's shoulders for a quick side hug. "What are you up to? Still buying Adam beer so he doesn't rat you out to Graves?"

Seth shrugged. "Yeah, well, he said he wouldn't say shit to anyone so I think we're in the clear."

"Fucking prick," Toni muttered under her breath.

While Toni and Seth helped themselves to a few beers, Sasha stuck to Roman's side and made light conversation with him. Roman continued making his lunch, going back and forth with Sasha over trivial things like class and who Roman planned on murdering in Hawaii during the game.

"Anyway, we were heading over to Roadies in a minute," Seth said, polishing off a can of beer. "Figured you need it as much as us so we're taking you along."

"What's the occasion?" Roman asked, cutting into his steak.

Seth shrugged. "Do we really need one? Saturday is make or break for us and Dean's gone; We got a lot of shit on our minds and need a night out."

Roman shook his head. "I'm good, man. Y'all have fun though."

"Dude, you've been weird ever since the party. If this is about Tessa-"

Roman dropped his silverware against the countertop. He sighed deeply, trying to keep his temper from bubbling over. "I couldn't give a fuck less what that bitch is doing. I hope she's out getting her head kicked in by a drug mule, for all I care."

Sasha switched her eyes from Roman to Seth and Toni. They looked at her with just as much worry and concern. Roman hadn't been Roman in a few weeks, and no one could really put a reason behind it. Maybe it was Tessa trying to destroy everything in her path over a petty rivalry, but Roman had dealt with arguably worse in Summer. Maybe it was years of trouble with girls that finally got to him. Maybe it was a lot of little things piling up that finally spilled over and broke his psyche, but one thing was for sure: everyone missed the fun-loving Roman and hated the dark and dreary person he was now.

"So I'll buy you the first round so you don't have to think about her," Seth offered.

Roman cut off a large chunk of his steak. "If I say yes, will you stop asking?"

Seth grinned, sensing a little bit of Roman's old personality shining through. "Sure, man. Whatever you want to do."

Roman nodded. "Lemme finish this and we can go."

Seth agreed and dropped the topic. Roman continued eating while talking with the others. The heavy look in his eyes remained, but his three friends were relieved that his old demeanor was starting to show once again.