Roman opened the door and listened to the music and the voices coming from further inside the house. No one but Seth knew he was back in town. Seth hadn't been his first choice but for some reason he couldn't get through to Channing. When he called, she never picked up anymore. Texts got answered way too late and often only with one or few words.
Next choice had been Seth and they had agreed that he wouldn't tell anyone about Roman stopping by for the party tonight. Roman had said it was to surprise everyone. In reality he needed to make sure Channing would be there. With how she was behaving towards him, he was scared she wouldn't show up if she knew he was coming. He needed to see her. In fact, he was only there to see her. Something he would never tell Seth or anyone else.
He walked through the house and stopped in the open door leading to the living room. Some people were sitting there while others were outside in the garden. He scanned the room and settled his eyes on Channing. Her cappuccino brown hair that was long when he left had been cut shorter. It reached just above her shoulders and had been styled in a way to make it look uncombed and sort of edgy.
She was sitting in an armchair, and Dean was sitting next to her on a normal chair. His hand was on her thigh while he was leaning in to talk in her ear. It made Roman angry seeing them like that despite Channing not owing him anything. She wasn't his. She had never been his despite him always wanting her to be. She felt eyes on her and turned her dark green eyes to him. She looked surprised, even kind of shocked, to see him there.
"Roman?" She asked.
Dean looked over at Roman and broke out in a grin.
"Roman!" Dean yelled. "My man! Welcome home!"
Everyone looked over at Roman and people started yelling and waving and moving over to hug him. Dean got up from his chair and walked over to him. Roman hugged Dean and looked over at Channing who got up from the armchair and walked out in the garden. She was clearly avoiding him on purpose.
"I didn't know you were coming back," Dean said.
"Surprise," Seth said.
"I told him to keep quiet," Roman chuckled. "So you and Channing, eh?"
"No, it's not like that," Dean smirked. "We're not together. We just like to keep each other company sometimes."
Dean winked and turned to walk out in the garden. Roman wanted to smack Dean around but he kept the smile on his face. He had no say in who Channing decided to be with, even if it only was a one night stand.
"Grab a beer," Seth said.
"Thanks," Roman said.
Roman walked out in the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He walked out in the garden next and looked for Channing. He found her sitting on a garden chair with a beer in her hand. Since no one was near her in that moment, he hurried over and took the chair next to her.
"Cheers," he said.
She raised her beer and cheered with him before taking a swig.
"So you and Dean, eh? I didn't see that one coming," he said.
She just shrugged as her only answer. He could feel it. Something had changed with her and it wasn't just her hair. She used to be one standing back and not fitting in but at least she always talked with him. The Channing next to him seemed like she didn't care about him anymore.
"I missed you," he said.
"Why?" She asked.
He furrowed his brows. He had hoped she would say she missed him too but instead he got a question thrown in his face. A question he had no idea how to answer. He knew what he should say. That he had been in love with her for what seemed like forever and that he craved being near her again. He missed their long conversations. He missed her smile. He missed the sparkle in her eyes when she looked at him. He missed everything about her.
"I just did," he said.
Those were the only words that came out of him. He wasn't a man who usually got lost for words but this uncaring version of her scared him. He didn't like it one bit. He missed the old Channing. His Channing. The woman that never fit in with the others but always seemed so comfortable around him. The woman that would never look twice at men like Dean. The woman he fell in love with.
"Do you wanna hang out tomorrow?" He asked.
"I'm working," she said.
That made sense. She worked at a Sunset so her hours were different from week to week. He just hoped she could find time in her schedule to see him before he left again.
"I'm here for a week. I'm visiting my parents and of course you guys," he said.
"Give them my best," she said.
"You could come over for lunch one day if you like. I know my mom would love to see you," he said.
"I'm working," she said.
"Everyday?" He asked.
He could see it in her eyes. She didn't want to lie so she kept quiet. He twisted a little, sideways smirk.
"What day are you free?" He asked.
"I'm not coming over, Roman," she said.
She got up from the chair and walked straight over to Dean. Dean put his arm around her and leaned down to kiss her. Roman felt angry and hurt seeing them kissing each other. They broke the kiss and she emptied her beer and walked inside with the excuse of getting another one. Dean looked over at Roman and grinned at him.
"I'm getting my dick sucked tonight!" Dean laughed.
It was hard to laugh back or even find a smile to fit Dean's outburst. Roman gritted his teeth and nodded back as if he agreed and saw no problem with it. He emptied his beer in one go and walked back inside. He looked around but couldn't see Channing anywhere. He casually walked through the house in search for her but she was gone. This was the best outcome he could hope for in the given moment. She had left without telling anyone. At least Dean wouldn't be with her tonight.