"Liz, your phone is ringing," I heard Shannon mutter from his spot next to me.
"Answer it, I don't feel like talking," I said as I snuggled closer to him. "It's just Jeff."
"Hello?" Shannon said.
"Hey...What are you doing with Liz's phone?" Jeff asked.
"She wanted me to answer it. I wore her out last night," Shannon replied sounding very pleased with himself.
"Fair enough. Let me talk to her."
"Liz, Jeff wants to talk to you," he said, obviously not happy.
"I don't wanna talk to him... I'll talk to him on Monday."
Shannon delivered the message then hung up.
"I spend five or six days with him a week, can't I have two days without him? I just want to spend some time with my freaking boyfriend! Is that too much to ask!?" I asked, slightly irritated.
"It's all good," Shannon said, kissing my forehead. I sighed, content to be lying in bed wrapped up in his arms.
"Do you still miss me?" he asked all of a sudden.
"You know I do, Shannon. You don't have to keep asking. I love you and I hate being away from you. I don't get why you're being so insecure about it all." I said, kissing his chest.
"I'm just worried is all."
"About what?"
"Losing you. We barely see each other plus the Jeff thing."
"Shannon Brian Moore! Don't you DARE talk like that! Don't even THINK like that! This is NOT going to tear us apart!"
"You say that now, but who knows what's going to happen next week or hell! Even tomorrow! I half expect you to call me up in the middle of the week to break up with me so you can have Jeff!"
"WHAT? You have THAT little faith in me? I LOVE you! And I am SICK TO DEATH of having to reassure you every fucking weekend about everything!" I screamed.
"Liz, don't be like this," Shannon said, running a hand through his black and blonde hair.
"Shannon, I'm leaving. No, I am NOT breaking up with you before you ask. Call me when you're done being a fucking idiot." At that I jumped out of bed, got dressed and left.
I jumped into Shannon's car just to piss him off and pulled out of the driveway. I let habit the wheel and before I knew it I was parked in a very familiar driveway and following the sound of a dirt bike. As I headed in the back yard, I watched Jeff go off the ramps, pulling tricks here and there. I stood on the hill by the troll bridge, waiting for him to come my way.
After a few minutes, Jeff finally stopped in front of me and took off his helmet.
"What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want to talk," he asked.
"That was pre- huge fight with Shannon."
"Ouch. Let's go inside and you can tell me all about it." I nodded and followed him.
"So, what happened?"
" I'm so sick of having to reassure him about how much I love him! After SEVEN years, you would think he'd know that by now! I can't deal with it anymore, Jeff!" I yelled, letting the tears fall. Jeff wrapped me in a huge hug and kissed the top of my head.
"He's just scared, Liz. He loves you so much."
"I know, but the more insecure he gets, the more it annoys me..."
"And the more he annoys you, you pull away from him."
"And makes him even worse plus it doesn't help that I always end up here." He nodded and hugged me tighter.
"Does he know you're here?" Jeff asked, pulling me onto the couch where I ended up on his lap.
"No....Why doesn't he believe me, Jeff? I'd never lie to him about that!"
"I don't know why he doesn't believe you, but you gotta understand it from his point of view, Liz. He doesn't want to lose you. He loves you so much. The more you fight to convince him that you love him, the more secure he gets. Think about it. As long as you fight him about it, he knows you love him."
"Jeffro, you're smarter than people give you credit for."
"I know, right? Liz, I know I make it seem like I only care about fucking you but..."
"Jeff, stop right there. I know you well enough to know better." With a chuckle, he nodded.
"I know you do. I'm sorry I act like such an ass."
"Don't go there," I said, laughing. "No more unmanly men tonight!"
"Fair enough. Let's go do something."
"Such as?"
"Motocross?"
"Hellz yeah!" I said, jumping off his lap and running out the door. "I get the blue one!" I yelled.
"That's my favorite!" He yelled, chasing after me. By the time he caught up I was already on the first ramp laughing as he jumped onto the green bike.
An hour or so later, we were laughing our asses off on our to the house.
"I thought you'd be here," we heard Shannon say from the porch.
"Hey hun, what are you doing here?" I asked as I walked over to him.
"I could ask the same thing," He growled at me.
"Shannon, I was just blowing off some steam."
"Oh, and just how were you doing that?" He asked angrily. "Did you have him fuck you?"
"Not even close," I said, trying to keep calm. "I did some venting then wwe went dirt biking. Nothing even remotely like that happen, Shannon. I promise."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because I love you."
"That hasn't stopped you before!"
"That's because YOU made a DUMBASS bet that YOU lost!" I yelled.
"Don't bring that up!"
"Why not, Shannon? You don't want to face the truth that half of your insecurities are your own damn fault? Own up to it, Shannon! Our relationship going to shit is YOUR FAULT!"
"Don't go there!"
"I wouldn't HAVE to go there if you weren't such a stubborn, insecure idiot! Haven't you noticed that you are always the one I come home to? I love you, Shannon! The only thing that gets me through the week is knowing that I get to see you! I love you so freaking much, stupid bet and WWE be damned, I will NEVER leave you! I would gladly spend the rest of my life with you if you asked!"
"Nice speech," He said.
"Believe me now?"
"No," was all he said before walking away. "When you've chosen between me and Jeff, come home. Until then I do 't give a fuck."
After he was gone, I collapsed on the cement, sobbing. Soon enough, I felt two arms around me, a hand rubbing my back as I was held tightly and was told that everything would be okay.
"Everything is NOT going to be okay, Jeff!"
"Yes it will. Just give him time to cool off and go talk to him." I nodded and buried my face in his chest.
"Why would he say that, Jeff?"
"He's mad, hun, that's all. He'll calm down eventually. Until then, let's just go inside and get some sleep, okay? You'll feel better in the morning."
"I hope so," I said sadly as I let him pull me to my feet. Once steady, the remaining tears were wiped away.
"It's all gonna be okay, Liz. I promise." I nodded and grabbed his hand, letting him lead me inside.
"Jeff?"
"Hmm?" he said as we headed to his room.
"I don't want to sleep."
"What do you want to do then? He asked, grinning at me.
"NOT sex," I said, grinning back.
"Damn," he said in mock disappointment.
"Let's watch a movie?" I suggested.
"My room or living room?"
"Your room."
"Okay. You go get ready for bed - just grab something of mine- while I got grab a movie."
I nodded and walked on while Jeff headed in the opposite direction.
"What do you wanna watch?" he yelled as I raided his closet.
"Um, you pick!" I replied, pulling a shirt over my head.
"Halloween sound good?"
"Original or Rob Zombie remake?"
"Zombie remake!"
"Sounds good to me," At that I pulled the covers back and climbed in the bed as Jeff made his way into the room. He put the movie in, pushed play and changed before climbing in bed next to me. As the movie started, he pulled me into his arms.
"Thanks for this, Jeff."
"For?"
"Just....this. You know....helping me out."
"You're welcome," he said, kissing the top of my head.
"Sorry you had to see the fight earlier."
"Hey, it's now big deal, now watch the movie," he said with a chuckle. I nodded and sighed, getting comfortable as he played with my hair.
"You know, if things don't get patched up between you and Shannon, you'll always have me to fall back on," Jeff said quietly.
"Thanks Jeff," I said quietly before yawning.
"Tired?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you didn't want to sleep?"
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"Cause I'll dream about Shannon and I don't want to even think about him right now."
"Tell you what, you just stay here and relax and I'll go cook something up for the two of us." I nodded.
"Have I ever told you that you're amazing?"
"Several times, but never in this context," he said, grinning at me as he got out of bed.
"Smart ass."
"Better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass," he said, walking out of the room.
I rolled over onto my back, looking at the ceiling as I got comfortable. I closed my eyes, hands folded and resting on my stomach when my phone rang. I groaned, recognizing the ring tone, and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, good for you," I said, obviously not in the forgiving mood.
"Please come home..."
Before I could answer Jeff walked in the room carrying two bowls of mac 'n' cheese.
"Here ya go hun," he said, handing me a bowl and kissing me on the forehead.
"Thanks," I said, smiling at him.
"Hun? Why is he calling you hun?"
"It was a simple term of endearment and meant nothing. Calm down," I said, rolling my eyes.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Holy shit man, what the hell is your problem?"
"My problem is Jeff calling you hun!"
"Grow the fuck up man!" I snapped.
"Then he KISSED you!"
"On the forehead you paranoid bastard!"
"Paranoid? Why shouldn't I be! You are spending the night at another man's house when you're supposed to be home with me! AND he called you, hun!"
" You know what? I'm not dealing with this anymore. Good night, Shannon," I said before hanging up.
"OH MY GOD! He is so STUPID!" I said, tossing my phone on the bedside table.
"Yeah, I kinda noticed. But it's partially my fault, I shouldn't have done that."
"Don't apologize. My boyfriend is just being a dick."
"Eat your mac 'n' cheese before it gets cold," Jeff said, successfully changing the subject. I grinned and complied with his order.
Food done and dishes in the kitchen, Jeff and I curled up together watching the movie, him laughing when I jumped at the mildly scary parts.
"Shut up," I said, smacking his chest. "Don't make me beat you up."
"Oh please, YOU beat ME up, I don't think so honey," Jeff said, half laughing at me.
"You think so, huh?"
"No, I know so."
"Uh huh, sure. You are WAY to self confident."
"Hypocrite."
"Fair enough," I said, grinning at him.
We watched the movie in silence for awhile while Jeff alternated between rubbing my back and playing with my hair.
"Shannon and I never do stuff like this anymore," I said sadly, looking up at him. "All we do is fight and fuck lately. What happened to us, Jeff? Shannon used to make me so happy....I loved spending time with him, he was my world...and now all I wanna do is stay away from him. Right now I don't even know if I love him anymore...."
"Liz, you love him. You and I both know it," Jeff said, rubbing my back.
"I don't know anymore, Jeff. I just want everything to be like it used to be. No more stupid drama, not being split up, no bet...just back to normal when everyone was happy...."
"The bet is off, Liz."
"Huh?"
"I'm not gonna do that to you and Shannon anymore. That's what fucked you guys up in the first place."
"Thank you," I said, snuggling up to him. "Hopefully that will help fix things."
"If it doesn't, I'll beat some sense into him."
"I doubt it'll help. He has a hard head and he's as stubborn as a mule."
"It's worth a try."
A few minutes later, the movie ended, Liz already sleeping as Jeff shut it off. As he turned, he looked at her, smiled then got back into bed where he pulled her into his arms and fell asleep.