Seth had taken the world's fastest shower, and the three friends managed to arrive at the restaurant at 8.40 AM. There weren't a lot of people in there. Seth asked for a specific table, and they were all escorted to it.

"Why this table?" Roman asked.
"Her family always sits there," Seth pointed at a table in front of him. "Her parents will take those two chairs so their backs are turned this way. They won't notice me but she will since she's sitting on the other side of the table with her view in this direction."
"Smart boy," Dean grinned. "Should we order while we wait?"
"Order anything you like. I'm paying," Seth said.

They ordered and had their food served before Astrid and her parents showed up. She sat down and her eyes widened when she locked eyes with Seth. He nodded back at her. She turned her eyes to the menu card as she tried to pretend he wasn't there. She kept looking up though.

"She can't take her eyes off you," Roman said.
"I know," Seth said. "Fuck, I'm so nervous. I'm about to put my heart out there again, and you better be ready with alcohol and ice cream once she breaks it again."
"Have some faith in yourself," Roman said.
"How?" Seth asked.
"If I was a chick, I'd totally date you," Dean said.
"You're not my type," Seth said dryly.

Seth and Dean looked at each other. Dean cracked a sideways smile and snickered. Seth couldn't help but offer a smile back in return. He could only hope this wouldn't be his last smile of the day.

"I'm gonna pay the bill. We can wait for them outside," Seth said.

He paid the bill and the three men walked outside. They stood waiting for Astrid and her parents to finish and come outside as well. Seth didn't want to have this conversation in the middle of a restaurant. She didn't deserve being put on the spot like that in front of a bunch of strangers.

"I have second thoughts. Let's just leave," Seth said.
"Nope!" Dean grabbed the car keys from Seth. "We're staying until you've said your peace."
"Hand them back!" Seth demanded.
"You can have them if you can reach them," Dean said.

Dean held his hand above his head. Seth crossed his arms and gave Dean a hard look. Seth wasn't about to start jumping for his car keys in the middle of the parking lot. The sound of voices moving towards them made Seth turn around. Astrid and her parents were walking towards her parents' car. Seth forgot all about his car keys. He had to do it. It was now or never. He walked fast towards their car.

"Astrid!" Seth said loudly.

She turned around, and so did her parents. Her parents furrowed their brows as they took in the man in front of them. They hadn't seen him in over a decade but it was clear they remembered him somehow.

"I remember you," her father said. "Seth, right? The little boy thinking he was gonna be a famous wrestler. That was kinda cute. What did you end up doing with your life?"
"I wrestle," Seth said.
"Really?" Her father chuckled. "There's no money in that."
"Actually he makes a lot of money," Astrid said. "Look him up. He's one of the top stars in WWE."

Her father looked angry as Astrid defended Seth. Seth had to take his chance before her parents opened their mouths again to spew their poison. He stepped up in front of her and took a deep breath.

"I love you, Astrid. I always have and you know this. I know you have feelings for me too or you wouldn't keep coming back everytime you come back home," Seth said.
"You what?" Her mother raged.
"Shut the fuck up!" Seth hissed at her mother. "Astrid, look at me. It's me, babe. I'm still here. I'm always fucking here. I keep waiting for you, and you know I'll always take you back. But it hurts. It hurts so fucking much that I can't keep doing it. I'll never say no to you but I'm asking you to either come with me now or never come see me again."
"That's easy. She'll stay away," her father said.
"I'm asking her!" Seth said angrily.
"You don't understand," Astrid said. "There's a lot going on. I can't just walk out of my current life. I have bills to pay and people depending on me."
"Spare me the reasons," Seth said. "You could if you would. If you don't want to, that's fine. Tell me now and I'll leave. But you gotta stay away too then. You can't have me whenever you want to. I'm not gonna be a secret hidden in the dark anymore. It's everyday or never again."

Seth used Roman's words because they were the only words he had to use. He didn't know how else to say it.

"Astrid, we're leaving!" Her father barked.
"Are you happy?" Seth asked. "Seriously, are you fucking happy with how your life turned out to be? Talent scout in Washington for a company you never gave a shit about but that you feel you have to work for because it's the family business. They don't get to decide that. They took everything from you, from us, and here we still are so many years later. We can't stay away from each other. Are you fucking happy? Because I'm not. I'm not happy without you."

Astrid blinked a few times but she didn't say anything.

"Forget it," Seth said. "Stay away from me, please. Don't put me in this position anymore. It fucking hurts, Astrid. Just let me be, please. Let me move on somehow."

Seth turned to leave. He only got to take a few steps before he heard her voice.

"I'm not happy," Astrid said.

Seth turned around and looked at Astrid.

"I'm not happy," Astrid repeated. "How can I be happy without you?"
"Babe," Seth whispered.
"I wanna be with you," Astrid said.
"Get in the fucking car!" Her father yelled.
"No!" Astrid yelled back. "You held this against me for years. You told me I was no longer your daughter if I didn't break up with him, and it scared me shitless back then. Not anymore. I'm not that little, clueless girl anymore. Cut me off all you want. I've been smart and saved over the years. I'll survive until I find another job. And I fucking quit this shitty ass job you've forced upon me. I hate it."
"The apartment is also mine," her father reminded her.
"On what planet do you actually think I'm gonna move back to Washington? Sell that fucking apartment for all I care. I'm sure I got a new place to live already," Astrid said.

Astrid smiled at Seth. He nodded and smiled back at her.

"I got room for one more," Seth said. "Moving in today?"
"You bet your ass, I am," Astrid said.

Astrid moved up to Seth, grabbed his dress shirt and pulled him down for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. They broke the kiss when they heard two car doors slam loudly. Her parents looked anything but happy as they sped away in their car.

"Did I just become an orphan?" Astrid joked.
"We'll adopt you," Dean grinned.
"Dean, right?" Astrid asked. "And Roman?"
"That's right," Roman said.
"I've seen you on tv," Astrid said.
"You watch?" Seth asked.
"Of course," Astrid answered. "It was the only way I could get through an entire week. Watch you on Monday night for my weekly fix. Then rewatch your old stuff on the network whenever I missed you too much."

Seth pulled Astrid up against his side and smiled at his two friends in front of him. Life suddenly felt good again. Way better than it had in ages.

"What now?" Roman asked.
"Now we go back to my place," Seth looked at Astrid. "I mean, our place."
"What about all her stuff in Washington?" Roman asked.
"It's just dead stuff," Astrid answered. "My car is parked in my parents' driveway. I own that. My suitcase is still in the trunk. I packed for a week. I'll survive just fine until I get some shopping done. Let's drive over there first so I can pick up my car, and then we can go home."
"Sounds like a plan," Seth said.
"I'm cooking dinner tonight," Dean said.
"What about tomorrow when we're leaving?" Roman asked.

Seth looked down at Astrid. He still couldn't stop smiling.

"I think she'll manage with me on the road," Seth said. "This time we're actually gonna keep in contact everyday. Texts and calls."
"I'm sure she can get a job in the company if you ask Hunter," Roman said.
"If she wants to," Seth said.
"I'll figure it out," Astrid said. "For now I just wanna get in that car and get the fuck out of here. And I need a tall glass of vodka. I won't pretend it was easy to say goodbye to my parents. They're shitty people but they're still my parents,"

Seth leaned down and kissed the top of Astrid's head.

"It's okay, babe. You can cry," Seth said.
"More like I'm angry," Astrid said.
"You can be angry too," Seth said. "Nothing will make me stop loving you."