AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey , so I divided this chapter in half , and I'm sososoooo sorry about the LATE UPDATE D; Anywaaays , I'm in the middle of midterms, so PLEASE don't think that I'm neglecting this story ! I hate it when I'm reading a story on this site and then the author never updates , and it takes me a year to realize that the story will never be finished , so I will DEFINITELY not do that . I have the outline of this story written , but writing the details is what takes time . Please bear with me this week , and then I'll be back on track with frequent updates . Oh , and some of my friends are dogging me and telling me to follow the storylines for these next few weeks, but to keep Randy's age at 26, and just kind of conform to fit the schedules and storylines. What do you guys think ? All feedback is good feedback , so I'm hoping to get your opinions ! Btw , thank you Christina89 , and my NEW REVIEWER Happygolucky103 , you guys rock ! Love you all , enjoy !;D
Chapter Nine: California, Here We Come
Melena had slept through most of the flight, when she wasn't watching a movie with Randy. She had eaten a light sandwich, but that was all. Randy hadn't enjoyed a plane ride ever, until that day. The plane finally landed around 4 in the morning, and everyone went to the luggage area. John and Randy got the luggage while Mickie stood with Melena. Randy got the rental car, and they hit the road. The group got to the Ritz Carlton in LA Live by the Staples Center by 6 in the morning, and by then they were exhausted.
"Mickie, I am so glad I took your advice for the coffee. It's worn off now though." Melena smiled at her, and Mickie grinned back at her.
"You're going to have to get used to being tired when you're traveling, especially since your traveling with the guy who's needed the most for shows and promos." Mickie laughed, and moved aside as Randy hugged Melena.
"Do you want me to carry you inside?" Randy asked gently. Melena shook her head, and pushed at Randy's chest lightly.
"I need to walk on my own! Come on Randy, please?" Melena leaned up and kissed Randy on the lips, and he groaned in defeat.
"Fine, but I have to be right next to you!" Randy made Melena sit in the car with Mickie as he unloaded the luggage bags from the rental car with John. There were four bags, one for each person, and then there were the carry-on bags. Randy and John attached the carry-on bags to the luggage bags, and started rolling them inside. Melena whispered conspiratorially to Mickie.
"Let me walk by myself, please! Just stay next to me if you think I'm going to fall, but let me walk by myself! With Randy around, I'll never walk for the rest of my life!" Melena pleaded with Mickie, and Mickie gave in, laughing at Melena.
"Alright, alright. Come on, let's go." Melena got to her feet, a bit wobbly, but she regained her footing quickly. She looked around at the beautiful sights around her, and then walked to the hotel lobby with sure steps, Mickie walking next to her carefully. Randy and John were at the front desk, and Melena went up behind Randy. She tapped him on the shoulder lightly, and Randy turned to see Melena. His face showed surprise, and then a mixture of happiness and annoyance.
"Lena, you made it! But I told you to wait for me." Randy frowned in disapproval at Mickie, and Melena defended her friend and herself.
"I made Mickie help me! And at the rate you were going with helping me, I would've forgotten how to walk on my own! I didn't hurt myself that badly Randy, please don't be so worried about me." Melena put a hand on Randy's check, and he grabbed it lightly, kissing her palm.
"Okay. I admit I'm being a bit overbearing, but I don't want you to get hurt." Randy let go of Melena's hand and turned back to the man behind the desk.
"Here you are, these are your room keys. Please don't hesitate to call if there are any problems." The man smiled kindly, and they group nodded and made their way to their floor. It was only three floors down from the first floor, providing a vibrant view of LA Live and the Nokia Plaza. The sun was just rising, so the bustle of the day was just beginning. John and Mickie headed to their room, and Randy checked and realized that their room was three doors down from John and Mickie's.
"Here we are." Randy said, as he let go of his and Melena's luggage bags. He slid the key into the slot, and opened the door. He gestured for Melena to go in first, and she obliged. She went in, and Randy came in behind her, and stopped. The room was spacious and beautiful, in hues of brown and gold. Melena looked at it, and saw the door which led to the bedroom. She walked over and opened the door just as Randy closed the front door. He wheeled the bags into the room, and was surprised.
"Um, Randy… I think there's a problem…" Melena looked at the king sized bed in the middle of the room. Randy shook his head. He had expressly asked for two full sized beds. He stared for a minute, thinking.
"I'll call the front desk." Randy picked up the phone and called, and thought about the situation. Sharing a bed with Lena wouldn't be bad… it wouldn't be bad at ALL… Damnit, focus Orton! You should be happy she's your girlfriend, don't mess it up by asking for more! She needs time to heal first.
As Randy connected to the front desk, Melena sighed, hoping for the same thing as Randy. Maybe they won't have any other rooms… I would love to sleep with Randy. Maybe not in that way at the moment, but for now I'd be content to just share a bed with him. I can't trust anyone right now, not after what Steven did…
Randy got off the phone, and turned to see Melena standing in the same spot, her eyes faraway. "Lena, I called the front desk." Melena shook her head slightly and turned to Randy.
"What? Sorry, I zoned out. What did they say?" Melena focused on listening to Randy's voice, and tried to ignore his gorgeous blue eyes, and his stunning body. Randy was having an equally hard time focusing on what he was trying to say.
"He, er, um, oh, he said that there aren't any other available rooms. If you want I can sleep on the couch…" Randy was thinking of any other options the pair had. Melena shook her head vehemently at Randy's idea.
"No, if anything, I should sleep on the couch. I'm okay with it." Melena didn't mention that she hadn't slept in a real bed for so long, that a couch was a welcome change.
"I will not be letting you sleep on the couch! How about we both just sleep on the bed? It's pretty big." Randy hoped that Melena would agree.
"Okay, I guess that could work." Melena smiled at Randy, and he got up, walking to Melena and putting his arms around her. He bent down and kissed her lightly.
"Lena, I just want to let you know that I will never pressure you to do anything you don't want to. I know what's happened to you, and I understand everything. I'm grateful that you're my girlfriend, and that's all I care about. Please never think that I just want to use you." Randy whispered the words into Melena's hair, and Melena smiled, feeling at ease.
"You don't know how grateful I am to have you, Randy. If it weren't for you, I don't even know if I'd be alive right now. Thank you. I love you." Melena wrapped her arms around Randy's chest in an embrace, and Randy hugged her back, planting soft kisses on the top of her head. Melena sighed into Randy's chest. They pulled away, and Randy looked down into Melena's deep green eyes. He could see all the pain and suffering she had gone through in those eyes, and he could also see the happiness that now overpowered her old life. He smiled to himself. "What are you thinking about?" Melena asked.
"Oh, nothing. I was just looking at how beautiful you are… Do you want to eat something? Or do you want to sleep?" Randy had some signings to go to, and was going to hit the gym early, and he knew that Melena would most likely come with him.
"I think I'll eat, and then I'll sleep for a bit." Melena smiled, walking over to the phone. "How does a continental breakfast for two sound right now?" Melena grinned as she looked at the menu. Randy's stomach growled, and both of them laughed.
"I could go for that! I have to hit the hotel gym by noon at the latest, so I think I'll skip sleep and power through the day with energy drinks and coffee." Randy moved back to the edge of the bed by the nighttable, and sat next to Melena. He grabbed the menu, took a good look, and then grabbed the phone. He ordered immediately, and then put the phone down, smiling at Melena.
"If you don't sleep, then I don't sleep." Melena looked at Randy resolutely. Randy groaned and grabbed Melena's hand.
"Lena, you don't get it. If I sleep, then I wont be able to wake up on time for tomorrow! It's already 6:30 in the morning!" Randy pleaded with Melena. "Take a nap and I'll wake you up. Please? For me?" Randy stared at Melena with as much of his persuasive powers as he could muster. Melena shook her head, looking away from Randy's eyes.
"No deal. I think I'm going to change though, so I can relax for a few. Randy, thank you again, this is… this is amazing." Melena leaned towards Randy and kissed him on the cheek, and then walked over to her bag, zipping it open and pulling out a pair of plaid cotton minishorts in blue hues, and a dark blue silk spaghetti strap tank. She sauntered into the bathroom, oblivious to Randy, who's mouth was popped open. Control yourself… Randy gripped the covers of the bed tightly, his little 'friend' growing restless. He got up, and busied himself. He turned on the plasma screen television, and found a funny sitcom for them to watch. He heard a knock at the door, and opened it to see a woman with the food.
"Thank you." Randy smiled at the woman, handing her a twenty dollar bill. The woman stared in shock. She shook her head.
"Sir, you don't pay for this food yet… you pay for it when you leave!" She handed the money to Randy, but he shook his head.
"Keep it, it's a tip." He grinned in response to the small old woman's smile.
"Thank you so much!" The woman shook Randy's hand, and walked off, a new bounce in her step. Randy shook his head and pulled the cart in.
"That was sweet of you. That woman was so happy." Randy turned to see Melena, and he couldn't stop staring. Melena's arms still had bruises and cuts, but they were fading now, and were yellowish. It didn't matter to Randy though, he didn't see the injuries. He saw Melena's scantily clad figure, and he saw her long hair in a ponytail, her bangs sideswept. Her hair, tied up, still fell to her lower back, reaching the waistband of her shorts. Bruised or not, Melena looked stunning. Randy swallowed, feeling the bulge in his pants.
"Uhh, thanks… You look… wow." Randy shook his head. Melena frowned.
"Do I look bad? I… oh is it the bruises?" Melena's face fell a bit, and Randy mentally kicked himself. He walked up to Melena and grabbed her chin, pulling her face up, making her look at him.
"Lena, that's not even anywhere in my mind. You look amazing. You don't know how much restraint it's taking me to not take that outfit off of you right this second." Randy looked straight into Melena's green eyes, and Melena saw the burning passion in his eyes. She smiled a bit, wrapping her hands around Randy's chest, and was surprised to feel something hard in Randy's pants against her body. She looked down, and Randy cleared his throat.
"Uhmm, I kind of have to control that…" Randy smiled nervously, and Melena laughed. She kissed Randy on the lips, and he kissed her back. Melena pulled away.
"Why don't you go into the bathroom and … fix… that, while I bring the food into the bedroom." She raised her eyebrow as she actually saw his pants, and Randy nodded.
"I'll go change into sweats while I'm at it…" Melena laughed loudly, grabbing onto her ribs which sent pain shooting through her, as Randy limped awkwardly to his bag, got some clothes, and made his way into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him, and Melena relaxed. She shook her head, not knowing when the last time was that she had had so much fun with a guy. She grabbed the cart and pulled it into the bedroom. She sat down, and looked out the large wall which was a window. She could see the Nokia Plaza, and she saw the light blue-ish gray color of the city as the sun rose. She walked over and closed the curtains, not wanting people to see inside. She then walked back to the bed, sitting down cross-legged. She watched the show Randy had put on, and five minutes later Randy emerged wearing boxers and a tight white shirt. He dropped his other clothes into his suitcase, and sat down next to Melena.
"So you fixed your 'problem'?" Melena laughed, and Randy smirked.
"Okay, I get it. It's not my fault you drive me crazy!" Randy grinned as Melena blushed. Randy then got back up and set the trays down in front of Melena. They lifted the lids and saw the pancakes and waffled and bacon and eggs and sausages and fruit and coffee and tea, and dug in.
After a while, the pair had devoured all the food, Randy eating his entire tray, and a portion of Melena's. He moved the trays and put the cart back in the hallway, and returned to the bedroom. He lay down and called the front desk and spoke quickly. Melena turned to him, confused.
"What was that about?" Melena asked Randy. Randy smiled, shutting the main lights off, and turning on the nighttable lamp, confusing Melena more.
"I called the front desk to give me a wake-up call at eleven a.m. sharp, so we could get some sleep. Even though it's seven thirty, we can still get around three to four hours of sleep." Randy grinned at Melena, and she smiled.
"Okay good! I was going to stay up with you, but I'd much rather sleep! Thank goodness you changed your mind." Melena took the ponytail out of her hair, and got under the covers. Randy turned on the air conditioner to keep the room cool. He then pulled off his shirt, revealing his muscular frame, and Melena stareded at his body. Randy saw her staring, and smirked.
"If you had a dick, I'd be giving you blue balls right now." Randy laughed as Melena blushed, looking down.
"I was just looking at your tattoos…" Melena muttered a lame excuse, and Randy didn't prod her further.
"Alright then." Randy got under the covers, and hugged Melena, kissing her on the lips. "Goodnight Lena. I love you."
"Night Randy, I love you, too." Melena was about to pull away to make Randy comfortable, but he held his grip. Melena relaxed, and rested her head on his bare chest, listening to his heartbeat. She put one hand on his chest as well.
Randy wondered if it was a bad idea to hold Melena as she slept, but she relaxed, and when Randy felt her hand on his chest, he felt like it was natural. He relaxed as he matched his breathing with hers, and he drifted off to sleep, just as Melena did.
Randy woke up to a thrashing Melena. He jumped up as he heard her scream. Melena shot up and started to cry, and Randy grabbed her and pulled her to him.
"Don't cry sweetie. Calm down, it's okay." Randy rubbed her back soothingly, and murmured gently to her. Melena stopped shaking and slowed her tears. She breathed deeply, trying to match her breaths with Randy. Once she calmed down, Randy spoke, still rubbing her back. "What happened, Lena?"
"I-I had a nightmare, and Steven w-was, h-he was…" Melena started to cry once again, and Randy soothed her. It took another five minutes for her to stop crying, and this time Randy didn't speak. He waited for Melena to speak.
"I just had a nightmare about Steven." Melena breathed out the sentence quickly. Randy nodded, stroking Melena's head.
"It's okay Lena. He won't ever hurt you. I won't let him touch a hair on your head. Do you want to go back to sleep?" Randy kissed the top of Melena's head, and pulled back a little to look into her eyes.
"I think I'll stay awake. It's useless to try and sleep again." Melena rubbed her face. Randy sighed and laid back down, pulling Melena down with him. She let herself lie down, relaxing in Randy's arms.
"I think I'll stay up, too. Let's just lie down for a while, though." Randy rubbed Melena's arm lightly, and she nodded.
"Okay. That sounds good." Melena closed her eyes to relax, and after a few moments, she fell asleep. Randy watched as Melena slept, smiling. He knew she would want to sleep again. He looked behind his head at the nighttable to check the time, and saw that it was almost ten. Closing his eyes, Randy drifted off into a deep sleep once again.
Randy's eyes fluttered open as the phone rang. He groaned as he reached over and picked it up.
"Hello," Randy said, his voice thick with sleep. He listened for a few moments, thanked the caller, and put the phone down.
"Was that the front desk calling?" Randy looked down to see Melena staring up at him, smiling. Randy smiled back and nodded. "Thanks for getting me to sleep again, I needed that."
"No problem. Do you want to sleep in some more? I could pick you up after I finish working out in the gym." He rubbed Melena's cheek softly, and Melena shook her head.
"Go take a shower, I'll get some clothes out in the meanwhile." Melena pulled herself up, gripping her ribs, wincing. Randy levered her up, and helped her out of bed.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I had John get you something before we left, it's pretty important." Randy opened his luggage bag and rummaged through it, finally pulling out a small box. He handed it to Melena, smiling. Melena took it confused, and shook her head.
"What is this?" She stared at the wrapped box curiously.
"Open it." Randy looked at her eagerly, and she hesitantly unwrapped the box, gaping. Tears welled up in her eyes as she slid her new blackberry out of the box.
"Randy, you shouldn't have… this is too much, how can I accept this gift?" Melena held the phone out to Randy, but he shook his head.
"I want to be able to keep in touch with you. This is the only way. Please take it, if not for yourself, then for me." Randy grinned at Melena then, and he laughed. "Check your phone, it's activated, and I think you may have some new texts."
"Oh, you're right!" Melena quickly pulled the plastic off of the phone, sliding the silicone case on, and she turned the phone on to see a few texts. She opened the first one, and it was from John.
FROM: John Cena
Hey Mel, hope ur up 2 hit the gym w/ us! C u soon, bye ;)
Melena laughed and shook her head, and she went on to the next text, which was from Mickie.
FROM: Mickie
Did u get ne sleep? I didn't :( Darn, well i hope to see u at the gym or some signings, txt me when ur up!:O)
Melena smiled and went on to the last text. She was confused as she looked at Randy's smiling face. "It's from you," she said. Randy nodded, and she read the message.
FROM: Randy
Hope u enjoy ur new life Lena. Love you always, R.
Melena looked up at Randy, and put the phone on the bed. She walked up to Randy and wrapped her arms around his neck. She reached up and kissed him gently on the lips.
"Randy, I love it. Not because you bought me something, but because you care about me enough to buy me a new phone just so we can keep in touch. Nobody has ever done so much for me in my life…" Melena sniffled, her tears spilling over her eyes, and Randy wiped them away.
"I've seen you cry more than enough, Lena. All I want to see now is you smiling, okay? That can be a gift to me." Randy leaned in and kissed Melena on the lips. They kissed for a minute, and then Melena broke away from him. Randy looked at her confused, and she smiled.
"You have to shower, and so do I. Go. Now!" Melena turned Randy around and spanked him playfully. Randy growled, and raised an eyebrow, smiling devilishly.
"I have to get you back for that!" Randy laughed as Melena squealed and jumped on the bed. Randy and Melena ran around the room until Randy finally cornered Melena. He put a hand on either side of her, so she couldn't escape, and he looked deep into her eyes. He smiled, and leaned in so their noses were touching. Melena was breathing heavily and her eyes were shining with enjoyment.
Randy gently kissed Melena, searching for her to give him access to her mouth. She obliged, and Randy deepened the kiss. He was surprised to feel Melena's tongue wrestling with his, and he put his hands on her sides. He held her by her waist, and Melena put her hands on Randy's shoulders.
Randy then moved his mouth away from hers, and moved down, kissing her neck. Melena moaned without thinking, and Randy was turned on. He kissed her collarbone, and moved back up to her jaw. He kissed her temple, her forehead, her nose, and went back to her lips. Melena kissed him passionately, and they broke apart only when they needed air. Randy smiled, but he couldn't help but feel the need to be in Melena. He shrugged his selfish thoughts aside, and grabbed her hand, kissing it gently.
"I love you." Randy murmured into her palm. Melena smiled back at him.
"I love you too. Now go shower!" She pulled her hand away gently, and walked over to her suitcase, pulling out her outfit for the day. Randy walked into the bathroom and showered. While Randy showered, Melena pulled out white denim shorts, a wide brown leather belt, and a shoulder-less grey-and-white striped light sweater. Melena also pulled out a white tank so nobody could see through the light sweater. She looked at the two small strings that kept the sweater on her frame, and she pulled out a pair of white Vans canvas shoes with white ankle socks. She then sat down on the bed, thinking about Randy's kiss. She had savored the moment, and she closed her eyes, reminiscing.
After ten minutes, Melena heard the shower shut off, and she got up. Randy walked out of the bathroom, and Melena's jaw dropped.
Randy was glistening with small water droplets, and he was clad only in a towel. Randy saw Melena's expression and grinned.
"You like what you see?" Randy turned in a circle, and Melena composed herself, laughing at Randy's antics.
"Of course I do, but I wonder who'd be the one having a hard-on if I only came out in a towel…" Melena grabbed her clothes, and walked into the bathroom, leaving Randy to think. He imagined what Melena had said, and groaned as he felt his manhood harden. He heard Melena laugh as she closed the door, and Randy deftly took care of his 'situation'. He then grabbed a clean pair of underwear, gym shorts, and a muscle shirt. He pulled everything on, and lounged in the living room, watching tv. He checked the time frequently, and when it was 11:50, Randy decided to see what was taking so long.
He reluctantly got up from the couch and made his way to the bedroom. He had closed the door so Melena could have privacy. He knocked and heard muffled cursing.
"Hey, are you okay in there Lena?" Randy was concerned.
"Yeah, just a second- damn- I'll be right there." Melena opened the door, and Randy held his breath. Melena was wearing her outfit, but lacked her top. She was wearing her bra and her tanktop, but she had her tanktop pulled up and was attempting to wrap her ribs up again. Randy regained his thoughts, and grabbed the tape from her. She looked up at him, and he smiled.
"Let me help you." Randy walked into the room, and then pulled Melena closer. He took the tape and slowly wrapped it around Melena's ribs, feeling a mixture of anger when he saw the purple bruises which were flowering on Melena's stomach and chest, and lust as he felt his hand brush up against the bare skin of her stomach. He finished up, and stood back. Melena pulled the tank down over the tape, and then grabbed the sweater, pulling it on. Randy looked at her curiously, and she turned to see his stare.
"What? Do I have something on backwards?" Melena looked behind her to see if all her clothes were on right.
"Oh, it's not that, it's just, why do you only wear sweaters when you go outside?" Randy still looked at her with the same curious face.
"Because, I don't want people to see what's on my arms…" Melena quieted down, and stared at the sleeves of her sweater. Randy walked up to her and took her hands in his, kissing them. She looked up at him.
"Never be afraid to show your scars. They only show how strong you are." Randy smiled, and he let go of one of her hands. "Now lets get to the gym, I don't want everyone getting up my ass about being there too late."
"Okay then, I'm ready." Melena smiled at Randy and grabbed her purse off the bed with her free hand. She patted her pockets to make sure her phone was there, and then the pair left for the gym.
Randy saw a few familiar faces as he walked to John and Mickie's room first. He wanted to see if they had left for the gym yet. Randy knocked, heard muffled noises, and then Mickie popped out of the door.
"Hey guys! We're just about ready, John's just gotta get his butt off the couch!" Mickie yelled her last sentence into the hotel room. The trip heard all sounds quiet in the hotel room, and then John came to the door.
"Hey bro, hi Mel. I was just watching a baseball game, is that so bad?" John exited the hotel room, Mickie following him.
"Yes, it is bad when you have to be somewhere, and instead your sitting on the couch eating junk food!" Mickie shut the door to the hotel room, and everyone laughed, John included.
"Alright, point taken! So what did you two do to pass the time?" John looked at Randy, wagging his eyebrows, and Randy slapped him in the back of the head. "Ow! You have got to stop doing that! What'd I do?"
"John, you have to stop thinking out of your head, and think out of your head." Randy tapped at his temple, and Mickie and Melena giggled. The group made their way to the elevator, and rode down to the first floor. Once they got there, Randy almost ran into someone.
"Oh my bad I- Randy! What's good?" A man with long black hair, tape around both hands, and a lip ring shook hands with the Legend Killer. Randy smiled at the man, and Melena watched silently. John and Mickie had exited the elevator as well, and they were all standing in the hallway now.
"Punk, what's up with you? I'm pretty good myself, thanks for asking. I'd like you to meet Melena. She's the girl I was with when you texted me about Vince. Thanks for the heads up man." Randy grinned, and Punk looked at Melena. He smiled, holding his hand out to her.
"It's nice to meet you. Any friend of Randy's is a friend of mine." Melena grabbed his hand and shook it.
"Nice to meet you too." Melena smiled shyly, still not accustomed to meeting new people. Randy sensed her discomfort, and decided to get to the gym.
"Well Punk, we have to go prep for a bit. We have the signings today, and I have to go to a radio interview." Randy groaned and wiped his face.
"Cool man. I'm gonna jet over to my room to see if my girl needs me." Punk grinned, and Randy shook his hand once more. John, Mickie, and Punk exchanged quick hellos, and then Punk left.
"He seems nice." Melena commented quietly. Randy smiled at her.
"He's a pretty cool guy once you get to know him." Randy started walking again, and they made it to the gym. Randy walked up to Dave, and grinned.
"Hey Dave, I never got to say thank you for what happened before. Thanks for looking out for her, man." Randy released Melena's hand and gave Dave a hug, which Dave reciprocated.
"No problem. I would do it again if I had the chance." Dave grinned, and Randy's face turned down into a small frown.
"Well, I'm going to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again." Dave heard the threat laced in Randy's voice, and Dave chuckled to lighten the mood.
"Easy there, Orton. I was just saying that I was glad to help out." Dave held his hands up, and Randy nodded.
"Dave, thank you for helping me. I really appreciate it." Dave and Randy turned to see Melena looking down at the ground, her face a little red, as she spoke. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been next to me." Mickie walked up behind Melena and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Oh, no problem Melena. It was no big deal, honestly." Dave walked up to Melena, and gave her a small hug, and she hugged him back carefully. John walked over and laughed at the sight as the two broke apart.
"Wow Mel, you're so tiny that he almost totally covered you up! I didn't see you for a second there." John winked and laughed. Melena smiled, and felt someone behind her. She turned to see Randy smiling, and she grabbed his hand tentatively. Randy held her hand more surely, and kissed the top of Melena's head.
"Hey, is there something going on between you two?" Dave sounded shocked, and both Mickie and John laughed.
"Seems like the Legend Killer found his heart again. Thanks to Mel, we don't have to see a live zombie every day!" They all laughed, and Randy smiled, but Melena watched his face and saw something hidden in his eyes.
"Randy, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Melena asked Randy in a low voice so nobody would notice.
"Sure…" Randy replied, uncertain of what Melena would want to talk about. He walked to the doors of the gym, and Melena followed him out. They turned into a deserted corridor, and then Randy stopped. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"You never did tell me what happened with you and Sam…" Melena trailed off uncertainly. Randy sighed and looked at the wall behind Melena, thinking.
"I'll talk to you later today, alright?" Randy smiled at Melena, and she nodded.
"Sure," Melena replied. The two walked back into the gym, and Randy got to work. He had a set routine for each day in the gym, and today happened to be legs.
"Why don't you go sit with John? He's going to bench press." Randy looked at Melena, and she nodded. She walked over to where John was, and saw that there were quite a few people talking to him. Out of shyness, Melena stood quietly behind everyone, just zoning off and thinking of Randy. One of the men she had been standing behind moved back suddenly, unaware of Melena's presence, and he accidentally knocked her in the ribs. Melena gasped and doubled over in pain, her rib still not fully healed. She heard gasps and then heard a low voice in her ear mumbling a long stream of curses and apologies.
"Oh fuck! I'm so sorry, miss! Shit, are you okay?" He grabbed her shoulders, but Melena's ribs burned, so she chose to stay still in her position, coughing a little.
"Damn, how hard did you hit her? It cant be that bad!" Melena heard another voice, and some laughter, and she blushed. Suddenly, the hands that were on her shoulders were replaced by another pair, and John's face was in front of her. He was kneeling on the ground, shirtless and sweaty, with a worried look on his face.
"Mel, you okay? Guys back off, this is Randy's friend. She's got some broken ribs, that's why Shelton's little accident hurt her." John explained everything quickly to the onlookers, and all laughter died. There were worried murmurs, but Melena ignored them. She straightened up slowly, and John pulled her up, guiding her.
"Thanks," Melena said softly. Her face was still red, and John could see that Melena was in pain.
"Here Mel, come sit with me. You can sit right here, did Randy send you over?" John gestured to a chair sitting by the weights before mentioning Randy. Melena nodded, coughed a little more, and then tried moving, but immediately clutched her chest.
"Umm, I think I'll wait a few minutes before I move." Melena stood there, trying to get a good pace of her breathing. She pretended like it was another beating from Steven, just so she could remember how she coped with it.
"Are you sure you don't need to see a doc or a nurse or something?" John was still worried. He didn't want anything to happen to his best friend's girl, and his new friend, and frankly, he liked the girl. It was unfortunate that she was put in such a situation in her life, but she had somehow managed to come out of it without being too broken, and John admired her for her strength. Melena shook her head at John's question, and then John gently picked her up, walked her to the chair, and set her down in front of it. "Can you sit?" John asked her.
"Yeah, I think I can." Melena held her breath, and sat down quickly, wincing from the sharp pain in her chest. She breathed out slowly, hissing, still feeling pain, but quickly focused on her thoughts. I have to act like Steven just beat me. I would do whatever he said, I endured the pain. I have to do it now. Once my ribs heal, it'll all be better. Melena composed her facial expression. "I'm fine, John." Melena managed a small smile. Good, make sure they think you feel perfect.
John noticed Melena's pain, and then he watched as she zoned out for a second, her green eyes getting cold and vacant, and then she was back, speaking to John and smiling fakely. John decided not to push her, and he lay down underneath the weight, beginning his workout once again.
"Mel, you don't look okay." Melena looked up to see Dave standing behind John's head. He was spotting John as usual. Melena shook her head.
"Honestly, I'm fine." Melena smiled at him, this time looking more believable. She did feel a bit better, the fire dying down in her ribs. The crowd had dispersed, for fear that the Legend Killer would return and go maniacal on everyone once he found out that Melena had been hurt.
Melena thought about Randy. He was sweet, generous, and handsome. She didn't know how she would be able to pay him back, but she knew that she somehow had to, someday. She then thought more about Randy himself. He was one of the best-looking men she had ever seen, no doubt about that. His washboard abs, bright blue eyes, toned-and-tanned body… he was amazing. She also realized something. Randy's eyes spoke volumes. The color became darker when Randy was upset or sad, and they became brighter and clearer when he was happy.
When he was enraged though… that was the one thing that scared Melena. She had seen Steven in quite a few drunken rages, but none of them combined could show the extent of Randy's fury. She remembered how Randy's face had gone dark when he was defending Melena in her driveway two days ago- Had it really just been two days since she had been saved? It felt like it had been much, much longer- Melena had seen Randy's eyes go dark blue, murky almost, and it seemed like he wasn't there anymore. His face was empty, but his eyes showed his rage. She also remembered John sweeping Randy's legs out from beneath him to daze him. It seemed like it had been the only way to calm the thing inside of Randy, the thing that had made him snap. The second time, in the gym, Randy seemed to be beyond that point, like something was almost cheering him and egging him to fight, almost breaking free of two men who were as strong and built as he was. She shivered a little, and goose bumps ran down her arms. What would happen if Melena were to set Randy off one day? Would he hurt her like Steven did? The thought of the unpredictable future loomed, and Melena felt worried, but she realized that she was better now than she had been before. After a few moments of contemplation, Melena decided that she was judging based on only a few days of knowledge. She would wait for a while to see how he was with his friends and coworkers before she judged him. It was hard for her, because Steven had made it hard for her to trust anyone, but she knew that with time, she could start to let more people into her life. She hadn't told Randy everything, and there was good reason for it.
She leaned back on the chair, the pain in her ribs now muted, and she closed her eyes while thinking about Randy. She couldn't stop remembering the way his lips felt against hers. It was intoxicating, but Melena knew better. She knew that even though Randy was doing so much for her, he might have just done it to get closer to her, only to 'toot it and boot it'. She mentally chided herself. I've got to stop being so damn easy! He might just be trying to use me, and if I just let him get away with it, then I'll be back where I started. I should just tell him that I want to take things slow… Even as Melena thought that, she kept thinking about how it would feel to be close to Randy in more ways than one.