Zayna chewed nervously on a nail while watching Naomi's entrance. It had been two weeks since they bought material, and Naomi was finally wearing the gear.
"It's fucking awesome," Roman said. "You did amazing."
"Let me see how it holds up for a whole match," she said.
He chuckled and watched the match with her. 10 minutes later Naomi's hand was raised in victory, and the gear still sat on her flawlessly.
"See!" He said. "It's okay to feel proud."
"I am proud," she said.
The show cut to commercial break and Naomi came running into Roman's locker room shortly after.
"I love this gear!" Naomi cheered. "I want more sets. I'll pay this time. Let's do this right."
"Okay," Zayna smiled.
"I also talked to Tiffany. She wants to talk to you about gear too. I think she ran off to some of the others to spread the word," Naomi said.
"Wow, slow down," Zayna said.
"No, don't slow down. This is how you get a successful business," Roman said.
Zayna looked over at Roman but he just smiled and nodded.
"I don't know about that," Zayna said.
"It's completely your call," Roman said.
Zayna licked her dry lips and felt her heart start beating faster.
"I need some air," Zayna said.
Zayna hurried out of the locker room and down the long hallway.
"Was is something I said?" Naomi asked.
"She's got a lot going on," Roman said. "I'll find her and talk to her."
He ran out of the room and down the hallway. He found her fast and pulled her to the nearest exist. She felt the wind on her face and stopped to catch her breath.
"I'm so sorry," she said.
"Don't be. I know things aren't exactly easy for you these days," he said.
"He won't stop calling. I could have made that gear four times faster if it hadn't been for him constantly calling and texting to fuck with my head. He keeps demanding I do as he says and move in with him. I had to block his number in order to make Naomi's gear," she said.
"You didn't tell me that," he said.
She looked over at him and felt tears in her eyes.
"I hate that I cry so easy," she said.
"I don't. It's part of you and I like you," he said.
She managed to smile despite feeling the tears press in her eyes.
"Am I a bad person for not wanting anything to do with him?" She asked.
"No," he answered. "And with how he is treating you, I don't think he deserves you in his life."
"Thank you for being honest," she said.
"I'll never lie to you. There's no point in lying. You're smart. You would see right through me," he said.
She took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"What you said in there confused me," she said.
"What did I say?" He asked.
"You said that it's completely my call if I want to do it or not," she said.
"Because it is," he said.
"My life was turned upside down not too long ago, and since that day you're the only one who's told me it's my call how to live my life," she said.
He pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.
"I'll never tell you how to live," he said.
"I needed to hear that but for a moment my brain just couldn't understand what you were saying," she said.
"Do you want me to block Taker too?" He asked.
"I would never ask that of you," she said.
"I'm blocking him," he said. "I want to block him. He keeps calling me too. I understand why but he's losing his mind. He needs professional help. I'll call him today and set him straight. I know he'll chew me out and say that therapy is for losers but at least I'll have said what needs to be said."
"I had therapy once. Am I a loser?" She asked.
He looked down at her with a smile on his face.
"You're the cutest loser ever," he poked her nose. "There's no shame in asking for help. We all need it sometimes."
