Amaya didn't have much, so it was easy to move her in. Nikki had left to her meeting and Dean had gone to the gym. Roman and Amaya took that as their opportunity to make love. He thrusted slowly as to not hurt her more. Her bruise had darkened over night.
Her hands ran up his back and she arched into him. He pulled away once they both reached their release. He checked her side.
"I'm fine", she said.
He nodded and laid back. She moved closer to him and laid her head on his sweaty chest.
"I like it here so far. Beautiful view of the city. Autumn would love it too, especially during Christmas", he said.
"All the snow", Amaya said.
His fingers drew circles on her hip, underneath her bruise. Watching the snow fall slowly.
"Maybe in the future, we could find a nice home and settle down here.", he said.
"Or we could move to Pensacola. I think after awhile you are going to get sick of the snow and traffic", she said.
He chuckled.
"You make a point", he said.
Meeting her eyes.
"So, you would want to move to Pensacola?", he asked.
"Of course. You are going to make the effort for me, I can do the same for you down the line", she said.
He kissed her. She groaned.
"What?", he asked.
"We should get up. Dean and Nikki could be back any minute", she said.
He sighed.
"Fine", he said, standing slowly.
Dean had just finished with the gym. He opened the door to the apartment complex.
"Dean", he turned to see Nikki in her skin tight black pencil skirt and a white blouse.
Her hair was in a ponytail.
"Just getting back?", she asked.
She admired his toned, sweaty arms. The way his grey shirt pressed against his chest and showed how toned he was. His hair in a mess, but in a sexy way. His blue eyes pulled her in.
"Yeah", he said.
She nodded and he held the door open for her.
"Meeting's all done?", he asked, walking in behind her.
"Yeah, they want Brie and I to do some photoshoot. I had to retake some of mine", she said.
"Sorry I missed it", he said.
She blushed. Dean always openly flirted with her. The only times he didn't were when John was around.
"You would have been bored", she said.
"I'm never bored around you. I bet you would have had a better time if I went", he said.
"You're probably right", she said, laughing softly.
They waited for the elevator to reach them.
"Hey, maybe now that we have a chance, you can show me your drink choices. Have a few laughs and do some karaoke", he said, shrugging.
She realized he just openly asked her out. She bit her lip. Maybe he didn't see it that way, he was just being friendly. She was reading too much into what he said. They walked into the elevator and he pressed the button for Amaya's floor.
"Maybe dinner, you and I", he said, looking down.
She turned to him.
"Like a date?", she asked.
He swallowed and scratched the back of his neck before looking over at her.
"Yeah. I know, you and John, but I mean, if you don't want to see it that way...", she cut him off.
"I'd like that", she said quickly.
He raised his brows.
"The date", she said.
He smiled.
"Okay, how about tonight? I know this great place", he said.
She nodded. The doors opened onto Amaya's floor and they got off. Knocking on the door to be let in. Amaya answered and looked between the two. A smile forming on her face.
"Hey you two", she said, letting them in.
They walked in and Dean cleared his throat before walking over to his bags and pulling out a change of clothes. He and Roman were sleeping in the living room while Amaya and Nikki shared the room.
Dean and Nikki had gone out on their "Not Date", at least that's what they told Amaya and Roman.
"Where are we going to first?", Roman asked as he put on his coat.
"My first home, before the beatings", she said.
He nodded. Punk had told him he didn't know Amaya, now he was determined to know everything about her. They walked out and to the rental car. Amaya giving him directions. Getting to the first home, the neighborhood seemed okay. They got off and she stood by the fence in front of the house.
Roman pushed his hands into his pockets.
"I vaguely remember this place, quick flashes of memories", she said.
"You said this was before the beatings", he said.
She nodded.
"My dad had lost his job and so my mom started working double shifts just to keep up with the payments. He started drinking and just giving up, I guess", she said.
He looked at her.
"My mom couldn't keep up anymore, most of the time my dad took half her checks to buy more beer. They lost the house", she said.
"You guys were kicked out", he said.
Amaya nodded.
"Four bedrooms, two baths, a beautiful kitchen that my mother loved. I remember one morning, AJ and I woke up at the same time. The smell of pancakes woke us. My mom had finally gotten the morning off and decided to make breakfast. We sat at our kitchen table, just the three of us. April had gotten syrup in her hair.", Amaya said smiling.
Her smile slipped.
"That was the last time I saw my mother happy", she said.
Roman reached out and squeezed her hand. She looked up at him.
"Next place", she said, letting go of his hand and getting back in the car.
She didn't want to bring up so much. She gave him directions to the broken down apartments they lived in. Passing a few prostitutes on the way. Roman didn't like this part of the city.
"Right here", Amaya said, pointing at the brick building.
They got off and walked inside. The landlord's office was still open. She had seen an ad online saying there was an apartment free. It wasn't hers, but it was next to it. She made an appointment to see it.
The landlord smiled at them as they walked in.
"Hello, I'm Amaya Mendez, I called about the apartment", Amaya said.
The elderly man nodded and grabbed the keys. He walked them to the stairs.
"You two look like nice young folks. Why would you want to live here?", he asked.
"I actually use to live here, my parents still live here", she said.
Roman stopped half way up the steps. She looked back at him.
"Amaya", he said.
"My mom is working right now. My dad is probably passed out or something", Amaya said.
"That's why your last name sounded familiar", the old man said.
Amaya smiled.
"They use to have two little girls, I remember you. Sweet things, my wife use to make cookies for you and your sister, April. It was unfortunate what happened to you girls, I wish we could have done more", he said sadly.
"Its okay Mr. Morris, I understood", Amaya said softly.
Roman was confused, he looked between the man and Amaya. Getting to the apartment, Mr. Morris unlocked the door. Amaya looked down the hall at the last door. That door, belongs to her parents.
"Is that it?", Roman whispered.
She nodded before walking into the apartment. It was clean and smelled good. Amaya made her way down the hall and to the back room. She pressed her hand against the cold wall. Roman followed and pushed his hands into his pockets.
Amaya pressed her ear to the wall. Closing her eyes.
"My room is right behind this wall", she whispered.
She could hear a tv on and someone cough. Pulling her ear away and walking across the room, her hand sliding across the wall. Stopping by the closet.
"The closet my dad would lock me in is right here", she said.
Roman swallowed.
"I was so used to being locked in a closet, that when I'm scared, it's where I hide.", she said, laughing softly and shaking her head.
He moved closer, but not too close. She was opening up to him.
"Still, I still do that. April's been trying to break my habit, but I feel safer. I would rather be in the closet than hit", she said, sitting down in the closet.
Roman walked over to her.
"Mind if I join you?", he asked.
She shifted over and patted the empty side. He sat and stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles.
"You're too big", Amaya said, laughing.
"You don't mind it in bed", he said.
He chuckled and she nudged him, shaking her head.
"I want to be your safe place Amaya. When you're sad, angry, or scared. Come to me", he said.
She looked at him.
"I'm going to try. April has said the same thing, Phil, Kaitlyn. Like I've said, the closet has always been my safe place, before April took me with her, before Phil, before Kaitlyn", she said.
Roman nodded, understanding. He locked his hand with hers.
"What's with Mr. Morris?", he asked.
Amaya smiled.
"They lived across from us. They could hear when my dad would beat me. The times when my dad would be gone for weeks on his drunken rampage and my mom was working late nights, his wife would invite us over and we would sleep at their house. They saw the bruises and when Mr. Morris confronted my mom and dad, it didn't end well. They even tried to adopt us, but she got pregnant and their lawyers advised them that it wouldn't be a good idea to take us in", Amaya said.
Roman nodded.
"I was never angry at them for it and neither was April, besides, our parents wouldn't have let them take us", Amaya said.
Mr. Morris walked in and smiled.
"I see you still do that", he said.
Amaya smiled.
"Yes sir", she said.
Roman stood and helped Amaya up.
"How's Priscilla?", Amaya asked.
"She's good, getting ready to graduate. Same with Benji", Mr. Morris said.
Amaya nodded.
"Tell them I said hi", Amaya said.
Mr. Morris nodded.
"You look different on tv. My wife keeps up with you and April. Watches every Raw and SmackDown, ppvs.", he said.
She smiled, reminding herself to talk to April about reconnecting with them. Walking out, the door Amaya was hoping would never open, opened. She hid behind Roman.
"New neighbors huh", she heard her dad say.
"Yup, nice young couple", Mr. Morris said.
"Hope you two aren't loud", her dad said.
Roman wanted to tell him off, grab him by his neck and toss him around. Feeling Amaya grip the back of his coat.
"You look familiar son, have we met?", he asked.
"No sir", Roman answered.
Her dad nodded, before walking passed Roman and Mr. Morris.
"You two should get out of here", Mr. Morris said.
Amaya hugged him and promised to be in contact. Making their way down quickly. Her dad was outside smoking. Roman wrapped his arm around her, opening the car door for her.
As she got in, she kept her face covered. Roman climbed in to his side and drove away quickly.