#romanreignsfanfic

[thatdeaniegirlsworld]

My first Roman story is #1 in the wwe tag on wattpad!! BRB while I go cry ❤❤

@omg-im-such-a-masochist

@drewmcintyrekoccsrocbwdgfan

@galens-mistress

@akiko-tanaka

@wickedsunfire

@wwechristina87

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[theyungrose]

Chrysanthemums and Daisies (Roman Reigns/Jey Uso X OC)

Chapter 5: Wifeys and Woosah

The weeks leading up to TLC came and went, and just like the big man had hoped, Roman and Chrysanthemum did meet up a couple of times in private. The first time was simple coincidence when they stopped at the same gas station to fill up before a drive; but the next few times were intentional. Since he was the main event most nights, Roman often found himself in her office after the show talking about whatever came to mind.

Chrysanthemum was wary of these link ups at first, knowing her little sister was bound to pop up and see her at any time. She was never one to knock. But Chrysanthemum soon found that whatever guy Daisy had fallen for (this time) had her wrapped up like a gift on Christmas. Most times she would see Daisy in passing if anything instead of her office.

She remembered those feelings of blissful oblivion fondly, as bad as her last relationship was, it wasn’t all fights and migraines. The first couple months it felt like true love, or the closest she’s ever got to it. Unfortunately in the end he’d turned to be just as terrible as the rest, and she found herself back in the alone but not lonely boat she was used to.

Secretly, she wished someone could show her the warmth it took to melt the ice around her heart.

“Earth to Chrysa... is football really that boring to girls?”

Chrysanthemum hadn’t realized she was zoning out of their conversation until Roman jokingly brought her back. Even though his cockiness irked her nerves some nights, admittedly she was starting to enjoy his bighead company.

“I thought we were talking about Kevin, when did we get to football?”

Roman chuckled rising from his seat on her couch and joining her on the edge of her desk.

“It doesn’t matter. Just know your champ will still be champ after Sunday. So you can rest your mind Ms. GM.”

He smiled down at her, using the short time she looked away to check her phone to admire her features. He found himself doing this way too often to still be professional, but it was quickly becoming something he couldn’t help. Sometimes he wondered if she even realized how gorgeous she was, like she didn’t even try.

He wondered how it took him so long to notice.

“I don’t worry about you that much Reigns, besides I know you’ll be fine. Owens doesn’t stand a chance.”

Her smile filled his body with serotonin, this woman would most definitely be the death of him. Then his phone rang, and as he checked the call on his watch, the effects quickly wore off. Chrysanthemum hadn’t let him see but she caught a glimpse of his watch too, and as he stood up to accept the call a double dose of reality struck the duo in the face.

His wife.

And just like that, her heart grew a little more colder.

Jey watched in awe as Daisy sat beside him, still as a statue in the mid-morning breeze. On this cloudy and slightly chilly Tuesday she had once again joined him at his house, somewhere she was growing increasingly comfortable. He could see the wonders that her presence was doing for him these past weeks; he was calmer, more engaged, even in the little things, and his cousin’s tyranny bothered him less and less. All thanks to her. Everything about her was peaceful, spiritual; like the breeze moving her curls across her face. Jey would’ve envied it if he wasn’t so in love with it. 

Once again Jey tried to position himself like her, legs folded on top of each other with his palms facing upward on his lap. It had to be a superpower to be that still. Under his legs the grass scraped the bottom of his thighs and made him itchy, the wind on his neck made him shiver when he didn’t expect it; he was failing miserably at this whole meditation thing and it was starting to piss him off. Just a little. 

“Is something supposed to happen? When do I start floating?” 

Daisy broke her soft focus to giggle but she didn’t open her eyes or shift her position. She had felt everything he’d been doing in the past ten minutes, from his incessant moving to him just staring at her. 

“Well nothing is going to happen if you don’t shhh.” 

Jey groaned, choosing to give up on getting this mediating thing for the day and shifted his body so he was lying on his back with his head resting on her thigh. Daisy smiled again but still didn’t come out of her stillness. 

In their many late-night calls Daisy had attributed much of her free spirit to meditation, she said it’d given her the ability to find solace in any situation no matter where she was. Her peace followed her wherever she went and she had complete control over it, which made her stronger than any woman Jey had ever known. It was like nothing or nobody could ever get to her, and he longed to be that grounded. 

“I wish I could do this like you...” 

A soft grin stretched Daisy’s features. The hand closest to Jey gently stroked the side of his face, he turned his head at the last second to kiss her palm. 

“Think of meditation as a mental woosah. Stress and anxiety is your brains way of saying its sleepy, you have to let it rest and breathe every once in a while.” 

Her green eyes finally fluttered open as she looked down at him, catching the softness in his brown ones as they gazed up at her. 

“You’re my woosah, you know that?” 

Jey sat up and cupped the side of her face, her skin was so soft. Slightly cold from the chilling breeze, but he hoped his hand would warm it up some. Heart rates rose as they found themselves lost in each other’s eyes, and somewhere in the swirl of the moment they leaned in and felt their lips touch for the very first time. 

His full lips were slow and gentle as they moved in time with hers, stroking the heat in her belly to a blaze. The subtle softness of her lips drove Jey crazy as he tried to keep the passion of the moment without ruining it completely; it’d been a while since he kissed a woman as deeply as this, but he could tell from the way she was kissing him back he was doing exactly what she needed. 

Jey shifted his weight so he could lay her back against the grass and felt a rush of blood run straight to his dick as her legs came up to cage his sides. Suddenly the itchiness of the grass or the coolness of the air didn’t seem to faze him any more, his focus too caught up in her delectable lips and the warmth her body surrounded him with.

*****

Otis Redding played softly in the background as Roman sat alone at an empty bar nursing a half glass of whiskey. As sad as it might’ve looked, the solace in Redding’s smooth voice was exactly what the Big Dog needed to hear. These used to be the times when Roman would turn to his cousins to vent and let off some steam with a good buzz, but it’d be silly to even assume Jey wanted anything to do with him right now.

The saddest part was, the one person he really wanted to see was only a couple floors above him. Eight to be exact, but he only knew that because he’d passed her getting ice from the hallway machine. She hadn’t spoke a word. They acknowledged each other of course, but the lack of- really any- emotion from her had been duly noted by the Chief. 

He couldn’t blame her though, how on Earth could he? Where would he even begin to explain? The invasive entrance of COVID had left him quarantined at home for eight months, and what he’d thought would be a perfect opportunity to connect with his wife and growing family, had apparently done the opposite.It was as if they’d gotten used to him not being there. Roman wasn’t sure what had gone wrong, and it seemed neither did his wife, so they chose to ignore it. They allowed the elephant to stay and grow comfortable until it was nearly suffocating to sit in the room with it. 

See he wasn’t trying to play Chrysa, and in all honestly he wasn’t trying to play his wife either. To be frank, Roman didn’t know what the hell he was doing. It was all so confusing, and while she didn’t fix it, being around Chrysa made it just a little bit easier. 

“Do you want some company?”

The good Lord must’ve been tuned in to Roman’s thoughts, because just like that, she appeared behind him. Her voice brought him from the daze that was his thoughts, and he smiled genuinely as she took the empty stool beside him. She looked to be a little out of sorts herself, and even then she was still stunning. 

There was a stretched silence between the two as the waiter bought Chrysanthemum a drink, her finger circled the rim a few times before she raised it to her lips. Admittedly she herself was trying not to think too much or else she might have to get up and leave before either of them spoke. 

“Chrysanthemum...about what happened in your office...”

Roman wasn’t sure how else to start the conversation so he figured he get straight to it, but after those few words he wasn’t sure how to go on with his sentence. Luckily, he didn’t have to. 

“Roman, as your boss I don’t need to hear the details of your personal life. That’s between you and your wife.” 

Coldly professional. It stung a burning hole into his chest and Roman fought not to let it affect him as much as it did, or at least not let her realize it. Secretly, Chrysanthemum wished her statement hadn’t come out as cold as she’d said it, but you know what they say about words once you say them. 

Another stretch of silence. If you were to walk in you’d assume the two of them were strangers. As Roman turned to get the money for his tab from his pocket, a petite line of red ink caught his attention from the side of Chrysanthemum’s rib cage.

“You speak Italian?”

Chrysanthemum, lost in her own thoughts, turned to Roman with a confused look until she followed his eyes to find what he was looking at. She sighed shaking her head as she took another long sip from her glass.

“No, my ex did though. It’s what his name means. Giovanni...a gift from God.”

She ended her statement with a dry scoff, the bitterness filling up the space in her throat. This time Chrysanthemum downed the rest of her drink in one gulp while Roman debated in his mind whether to press further.

“...What happened?”

Chrysanthemum bit down on her tongue to fight the tears she knew were coming, the anger and pain she still felt now too thick to swallow. She stared straight ahead at the liquor bottles behind the bar as she spoke.

“...he had a wife.”

Roman’s shock was written all over his face as she finally shifted her eyes to face him, and his expression would’ve made her laugh if she didn’t feel so pathetic. Not because of what she’d told him, because she knew she’d fallen for it twice. 

*****

The night of TLC Chrysanthemum woke up with cramps that made her entire body weak. She spent the entire show laid out on her couch, but graciously her roster was able to manage themselves and put on an amazing Pay-Per-View for her brand, thanks in part to her top dog. Roman was in a no-nonsense type of mood all night and he made sure the other superstars followed suit.

And it goes without saying, he walked out of TLC still her Universal Champion.

The two hadn’t spoke more than a few words to each other since the last time they met, so he’d made it a mission to shower up after his match and go check on her. She’d left the door to her office unlocked so carefully he entered; Chrysanthemum barely had the strength to greet him.

“Close the door behind you please.”

Roman did as the lady asked and placed his championship on her desk, kneeling at her side. It was telling how much pain Chrysanthemum was in from her labored breathing and the way her eyes barely opened as they stared at the ceiling. Roman knew what it was like to feel so much pain it became impossible to move, and he wished he could take all of it away from her.

“How do you feel Chrysa?”

Chrysanthemum almost wanted to slap him for asking that question.

“Like I’m dying...”

She shuddered slightly as she spoke, and Roman felt his heart sink as she sucked in another sharp breath.

“Can you help me sit up please?”

With a gentle hand on her midsection and the other cupping the back of her head Roman slowly sat her up and rested her back against the couch cushion. At this point he’d already made his mind that he was taking her home. Looking around the room he caught glimpse of her coat and purse on a hanger.

“What are you doing?”

Chrysanthemum watched as he gathered all her things and placed them next to her.

“Putting your coat on... now lift your arm.”

A small smile graced her features as he dressed her much like you would a young child, until she remembered the basis of their last conversation at the bar and her mood quickly slipped back down to a zero.

“Thank you, but I think you should go now. I can do the rest by myself.” 

To try and prove it to him Chrysanthemum pushed herself up to her feet, but she only stood for a few seconds before a sharp pain in her abdomen nearly took out her legs from under. Luckily, Roman was right there to catch her. 

“My ass Chrysa. Let me just take you back to the hotel.” 

Chrysanthemum could feel herself beginning to get frustrated, partially because Roman was as stubborn as he was big, but mostly in herself for appearing so weak in front of him. Feelings aside Roman was still her superstar and she was his boss, and the very last thing she needed was his kindness to be mistaken for something that obviously didn’t exist. 

“Roman, go home. I’m not helpless I can take care of myself. Now leave.”

She knew better than to try standing again and risk looking silly in front of Roman again so instead she tried gathering all her stuff together, but as she did her brown irises began to water. Trying to appear strong only made her feel more weak, and soon she began to feel exactly what she was trying to convince she wasn’t. Helpless. The pain in her stomach was only intensifying the more she sat there fidgeting, and it wasn’t getting her anywhere. 

He had already turned away from her to retrieve his championship when she finally swallowed enough of her pride to speak. 

“Roman...” 

She could sense his hesitation as he turned halfway to look at her. 

“I need your help.” 

Instantly he was back at her side. His hands came up to cup both sides of her face, noting how her eyes glossed over with pained tears. A rush of emotions crashed over him like a wave, and deep in those pools of brown honey he could hear everything she didn’t have the strength to tell him.

“Let me take care of you okay?”

Chrysanthemum nodded, letting her head fall forward so that her forehead rested atop his. Roman smiled stroking the side of her cheek with his thumb.

“You can trust me.” 

Tag You’re It <3

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[thatdeaniegirlsworld]

Confessions-Roman Reigns

Summary: You & Roman have been best friends for years. It's his wedding day, and you need him to know something important.

Why? Why did the one man that you chose to love have to love somebody else?

He brought you along to be fitted for his tux and everything. It was all a giant stab to you heart.

His soon to be wife was beautiful, and you know that he loved her with all of him that he had.

He has every reason to be happy. You've never come clean with your feelings for him.

A hand on your shoulder brings you out of your thoughts, and you turn to see Seth. He was the only one who knew about your feelings for Roman. "Are you okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" You ask him, and he looks into your sad eyes. "It's his day."

"He has no idea he's marrying the wrong woman." Seth tells you, and you shrug your shoulders. "He loves you."

"I know he does. I just wish it was enough." You tell him, and both you and Seth are unaware that Roman was behind you.

"What is that supposed to mean?" You hear Roman's voice, and you tense up. You turn around to face him, and his eyebrows are furrowed. His jaw tense, and hands squeezed into fists.

"Um, Seth, could you give us a minute please?" You ask him, and he nods, walking away quickly.

"You look very handsome." You tell Roman, trying to relieve the tension. "I'm so happy for you."

"Those tears are telling me different." He says, and steps toward you, wiping them off gently. "Why would me loving you not be enough? Why are you sad on what's supposed to be the happiest day of my life?"

You look down at your feet, and take a deep breath before looking back up at him. "I need to tell you something, and you're going to hate me." You tell him, and he drags his hand down your arm until he reaches your hand.

"I could never hate you. You're my best friend." He tells you. His voice was low, and calm.

"Roman, you're my everything." You start out saying. "And I don't mean that in a friend way."

His fingers lace through yours as you continue to talk. "All I want is for you to be happy, and to be honest if you didn't over hear me then I probably would never have told you."

"The truth is I'm in love with you, and I have been for years. I've been too scared to tell you because I was scared. Scared that you wouldn't feel the same. Scared that you would remove yourself from my life, but now I'm scared because you're getting married, and going to start a family."

He remains silent, and you know your palm is sweating against his, but he hasn't moved. "You're right, I am getting married today. I'm supposed to go in there, and wait for her to walk down the aisle to me."

"Then I guess you better go." You tell him, and try to release your hand from his when he holds it tighter.

"It's my wedding day, Y/N." He says, and your heart is aching. "Why did you decide to tell me this on today of all days?"

"I'm sorry I-"

"Tell me how I'm supposed to go in there, and piss off every single person waiting for me to say I do when the one person I've dreamed about saying it to is not the one in the wedding dress today?"

He looks deep into your eyes. You're shocked to say the least. "Baby girl,do you even know how hard it was to shove my feelings away to attempt to move on? And yet here you are saying the exact words I've wanted you to say to me for fucking years."

Now, you're both crying. "You have no idea how much I fucking love you." He says, and Seth comes back out.

"Roman, they're ready for you." He tells him, and Roman looks between the two of you. "You told him?"

You nod, and Seth smiles and starts clapping. "Alright, you two get out of here. I'll figure this out here."

"Seth, I can't have you do that." Roman says, and Seth shakes his head.

"No. You don't know how many times she's stained my clothes with her tears about you." Seth says, causing you to laugh. "Go. We'll talk later."

He runs back inside, and Roman turns to you before tugging you outside and into his car.

He starts it, and reaches over to grab your chin, crashing his lips to yours. His lips felt so right against yours. "I love you."

"I love you." You tell him, and he pecks your lips once more before you both drive off into the sunset.

[thatdeaniegirlsworld]

I just think that Roman Reigns....

[theyungrose]

Be Good (Roman Reigns x OC)

Chapter 4 

Lauren was easily the best and worst person to be around during a breakup. 

The first couple of days she tolerated the constant crying in bed, the pity eating, the stress eating; but by the third day she was waking me up at the crack of dawn to go on jogs and “power walks”. She deleted all my sad music playlists one night while I wasn’t looking, and despite my many pleas and begs, every night she would put on Friday Night Smackdown...

And make me watch. 

“Getting over someone isn’t just about never seeing them again, it’s seeing them everyday and accepting that they’re no longer your concern.” 

It ate me up at first; I couldn’t bear to watch his face, his walk, seeing his smile made me sick to my stomach most times. It was as if he didn’t miss me at all. 

Or us. 

The Tribal Chief he was calling himself now. 

It was therapy though torment, but therapy nonetheless; and soon it started working. Certain days I would be awake before Lauren, before the sun even began its ascent into the sky; and in a couple weeks I was running all by myself.

One mile. Two miles.Three miles. Soon I was making time that I couldn’t even reach with Roman training me, and that man was a beast when it came to his own workouts. 

You might be asking yourself how I could pull myself to get out of a warm bed and jog in nearly 20 degree weather, and my answer is I have no type of clue. 

But I was out here, 6:50 in the morning jogging on the little trail that bordered the lake that ran through town, drenched in sweat but with the energies of stars. Soon the last of my breath left of my lungs and I slowed down to a walk instead, then finally crashed on a bench with my entire body laid out on the wood. 

A call came through on my cell and I answered it with my watch.

“Hello?”

“Hey Aaliyah... it’s Stephanie.”

Immediately I sat up at the sound of her name.

“Hey Steph, I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you guys I ju-”

“There’s no need for all that Aaliyah, if anyone understands the position your in I do. If it was up to me I’d give you all the time you need, but as you know...”

“It’s not up to you, I know. Either way I think I’m ready, so whatever you need me to do I’ll do it.”

“That’s good because I have a proposition for you.” 

Her tone of voice sounded positive, but then again this was a McMahon. What usually sounded good to them, only sounded good to them. 

“Okay... I’m a little nervous but I’m all ears.”

Stephanie chuckled on the other line, but then suddenly it went silent on the other line. For a while. I must’ve been on hold. My watch vibrated with a text from Lauren. 

I know you went jogging without me this morning hoe... so I have breakfast waiting here for you when you get back. 

“Hello Aaliyah?”

There were other voices in the background with Stephanie now, from what I could hear Hunter and somebody else. The two seemed to be in a heated debate about something else but Stephanie shushed them before I could really start listening. 

“Hey Aaliyah you there?”

“Yea I’m here Stephanie... sorry it was a little hard to hear you for a second.”

“Well a couple seconds ago I had one proposition for you, but someone just threw a better one on my desk. You won’t even want to hear what the first one was.” 

My heart raced like a freight train in my chest, and though she didn’t say anything I had the thickest feeling in the pit of my stomach that somehow it was going to lead to Roman and I crossing paths very soon. 

If it didn’t cause our trains to crash completely. 

Pepsi Center 

“General Manager of Friday Night Smackdown” it read right above my name, engraved into a golden plate in the middle of the door to my office. What possessed the McMahon’s to bring back this position was beyond me, but I see why a majority of them were rotten. 

Stephanie and Hunter held no expense in decorating my office to my liking and I mean no expense. I was even able to buy a wardrobe rack to hold all my suits and my wrestling outfits.

Because yes, I was still going to wrestle. 

“You know that poor boy is going to be SICK when he sees you right?” 

I glanced at Lauren in the reflection of the mirror; I could tell she had been waiting for the moment I really got to stick it to Roman, being that’s what she had been preparing me for these past weeks. Now it was the time and of course she just had to have the best seat in the house. 

Backstage, watching it on my tv. 

Myself on the other hand, I could’ve waited another week or so. My stomach had been in knots since I woke up this morning; I wasn’t sure if it was nervousness or fear, or indigestion. All three mixed together? 

“I’m sick myself Lauren I’m not gonna lie... how am I supposed to look him in his face after not seeing him for all this time?”

“Uh, don’t. You don’t need to spare a passing glance to that man.”

Lauren got up suddenly and walked towards me. 

“Here’s what you do... you walk out, and when you see him and he sees you, just look him up and down one time, flip your hair over your shoulder and turn your back to him. Then walk away.” 

She acted out her words as she did them, and even though I couldn’t actually imagine myself doing that, I truly wished I could. To act as if I didn’t care about him anymore, like this position suddenly put me above him, and act as if I had all the power in this situation now. 

It was nice to think about. 

There was a knock on the other side of my door, followed by,

“Aaliyah your call time is in five minutes.” 

My blood ran cold instantly, and somehow sensing this Lauren quickly pulled me into a hug. Her warmth comforted me. 

“He has no more power over you Li’, you’re free.”

Somehow, those were the exact words I needed to hear in this exact moment and I didn’t even know it. A heavy sigh of what almost felt like relief left my lungs as I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed. 

I was free.

******

It had been a while since I stood at the black curtains in the gorilla, and an even longer time since I stood here alone. The entire locker room had emptied out to the stage before the start of the show, and of course, Roman stood right at the front and in the middle. Paul Heyman at one shoulder, his WWE title at the other, he looked like a man made of stone; and I could bet he was just as cold inside as he looked on the outside. 

When Stephanie’s music faded out and she began to speak I started a minute countdown in my head. 

You’re free Aaliyah. You’re free... 

{Aaliyah’s Theme Song: Saturnz Bars by Gorillaz and Popcaan}

When my music hit I felt my eyes fly open, and the second I walked through those curtains, it was as if I was pushed out the driver’s seat, and a woman I didn’t recognize took the wheel.

And honey, she was speeding. 

The fans in the audience were all out of their seats but their cheers faded into white noise, loud ringing in my ears. Everyone’s eyes were on me, but there was only one pair I cared about. When our eyes did meet, I held them there for a long moment. I didn’t flinch, I didn’t blink; I think it even made him sweat.

And then, I passed him by. No hair flip, no look over, not even a scoff; I didn’t need to. Looking him in his face was all I needed, and when I turned my back to him and walked down the ramp, I swear it felt like there was a crown on my head. 

Stephanie greeted me with a smile and a hug once I entered the ring, then handed me her mic. The audience didn’t settle until well after my song had faded out, but when they did I raised the mic to my lips. 

“For those of you who don’t know, my name is Aaliyah Marie...”

I paused for a few seconds, looking out at the fans, even the ones high up in the rafters. I knew I was supposed to be addressing them as their new General Manager, but I couldn’t help but feel like this message wasn’t meant for them. At least not totally. 

That’s when I turned towards the stage, and walking up to the edge of the ring I leaned forward on the ropes. Immediately, I found the eyes of my target, and I couldn’t help the cocky smirk that spread across my face as I raised the microphone to my lips. 

“... and welcome to my show.” 

[theyungrose]

Be Good ( Roman Reigns X OC)

Chapter 3 

Spite.

I had reverted to tearing our pictures down from the walls, my sanity reduced to screams in the dead of night. I cursed his name to the heavens and back, wished the worst of events, and yet I still didn’t feel any better. 

I was broken.

Never in my life had I felt such pain, 24 hours in a day. I woke up in the morning and felt nothing in my soul, no happiness, no purpose, no love. I moved through the day lifelessly; of course he hadn’t thought anything of telling our close friends and his family that we were breaking our engagement, leaving me to answer all the questions they only ever save for the girlfriend. 

Yes, I was okay.

(No I wasn’t.)

It was mutual, we just kinda fell apart I guess.

(Really?) 

And then they say “Well I bet he misses you just as much as you miss him right now.” 

I sincerely doubt that. 

Anger. Rage. 

Questions. 

How could he do this to me? 

To us? 

What, you court me for nearly a year and a half; not counting the two years we were friends. I met your mother, your father who never meets “any of the girls you bring around”; his words not mine. We traveled everywhere together, we bought each other things we hadn’t even bought for ourselves first. When my brother died, when you got sick, when there was no one else in the world for us to count on, you told me we had each other. Always. For what? For you to wake up one day, turn on your side and decide you don’t want to be with me anymore? That it just wasn’t going to work?  

For a month your child lived inside my stomach. 

Does that not matter to you? 

Emptiness. 

What was I to do with my life now? The past two years were the best of my life, and now I was expected just move along as if they never existed. As if we never existed. 

That’s enough to drive any woman mad. 

I had to get away. 

The cold Denver air greeted me warmly as I stepped through the sliding doors of the airport into its little snow flurries. It was nostalgic for a second, until a loud car horn ripped me from my thoughts. Stepping out from her gray minivan was my childhood friend, Lauren. You could tell she didn’t like the cold from the way she kept the driver’s door open and stayed close to it, clutching her hoodie tight around her arms. 

Oh yeah and she said this.

“Girl get in this car I’m losing heat ‘cuz of you!” 

I snickered rushing over to her ride with my suitcases rolling loudly behind me.

“Daydreaming and shit.... aye aye aye what’s all this?”

Lauren motioned to my stuff with a certain... well stank, look on her face. 

“I ain’t say you could stay with me.” 

I was getting too cold to respond to her, and being that I was putting the bags in the trunk by myself, I chose to ignore her for the time being. 

“Relax creature I bought myself a hotel for the night, that’s where you’re driving me first before you drag me to that barn you live in.” 

Lauren scoffed and slammed the trunk closed, nearly cutting off my fingers in the process.

“Whatever hoe, I ain’t miss ya ass anyways.” 

The ride through the city was much calmer; we talked as actual friends do about her life down here, old memories, bullies who got fat, shy girls who have babies, and all the other drama I’d missed out on. Thankfully, she didn’t seem too interested of why I had suddenly left my dream and sunny Florida weather to come back to Denver, but I had a feeling somehow she already knew. 

“Aaliyah... you sure this is your hotel girl?”

“What you mean?” 

“It’s $50 valet parking child! The Marriott don’t got them prices.” 

I laughed motioning for her to pull into the grandeur driveway where a valet man was waiting. 

“Do you need help bringing your stuff in?”

“No I think I’m fine it’s only two suitcases.” 

The valet went to speak but Lauren poked my arm roughly to get my attention first.

“Girl for $50 you better tell that man to bring in your bags on his head.” 

“Lauren stop being extra. I don’t need him to help me, just bring the car around to the street so you don’t have to pay the $55 sitting fee.” 

*******

Lauren’s family greeted me with hugs, hospitality, and a beautifully home-cooked dinner; and when everyone went up to their rooms to sleep, Lauren blessed me with a much needed guilty indulgence. 

If you never forget how to ride a bicycle, then you never forget how to smoke weed either.

“Are you freezing yet?” 

I watched her through the large puff of smoke I exhaled, giggling to herself near the corner. I snickered too and shook my head, motioning for her to take the blunt from me. Our hands sparked electricity when they touched and we both laughed so loud someone upstairs turned on their light. 

“Oh, my mom and my sister said you’re really pretty.”

My cheeks were flushed red as I leaned my head back against the fence. The weed had me lost in the galaxy of stars above me, so far yet they seemed so close. It felt like my eyes were stars themselves.

“Awwe, tell her I said thank you... and thank your whole family for being so nice to me. Oh and tell them they cooking is the bomb...” 

Lauren was almost red herself with laughter as she passed the blunt back to me. It was so nice to know that she had a pretty smile, I never saw her smile once when we were kids. Always... serious. 

“You know... I wasn’t going to say anything but... I really expected you to ask bro.”

Lauren looked up from her phone completely clueless. A face of total innocence and hopeless oblivion. 

“Ask you what?” 

“About why I came to visit you... you know all of a sudden? I was with my fiancee and we broke off our engagement last week and I thought you would ask me about it.. but I guess you didn’t know.”

“No I knew.” 

I scoffed shaking my head as I crushed the dead paper into the grass.

“And you didn’t ask?”

Lauren shook her head as she stood up and walked towards the cooler sitting a few feet away from us. 

“It’s not my business to ask. I knew about your break up with Roman Reigns, I watch y’all wrestle together on Monday Night Raw; that’s the only reason my mom let a stranger come up in here because I told her you were famous.” 

She sat down beside me on the grass and placed a water bottle between my feet. 

“But despite all that, what happened between you and your man is none of my business to ask. For all I care you came up here because you suddenly missed my face.” 

I looked at her completely shocked. Dumbfounded. Amazed at this woman that was so conscious and compassionate of someone else’s struggles and privacy, it was so well-mannered it almost felt misplaced. So foregone from the values of this current society. 

“Well do you want to know? Like what happened? For the first time I actually don’t mind telling it.” 

“I only want to hear what matters.”

“Okay and which one is that, if I’m okay or if he took all his money with him?”

“Nope. What I want to know, is what are you going to do now?”

For a moment I kept my eyes trained on her shoulder; not thinking, just frozen in existence. Tears fell from my eyes unintentionally, but still I couldn’t speak. 

To answer that question would force me to swallow the harsh truth that this was reality; one I still hadn’t come to terms with. 

“You don’t know do you?” 

Without answering I just shook my head, and as her arms began to spread I fell weightlessly into her chest. A fit of emotion overtook me as I sobbed and trembled in her embrace, pain pierced my heart like needles yet somehow I felt comforted. It was the first time I hadn’t cried by myself in weeks. 

“It’s okay Aaliyah... it’s okay. I’m here for you love.” 

“He just left me.... left me like I was nothing. I feel so ugly. I feel worthless, like trash. I just want to know what I did wrong Lauren... what did I do that was so wrong, so terrible that one day he woke up and didn’t want me anymore? Where did all that love go? When did he stop loving me? Why did he stop loving me?”

Lauren’s arms held me a little tighter, and slowly she began to rock back and forth, like a mother would soothe the cries of her baby. 

“...What’s wrong with me?”

I felt warm supple skin touch my forehead and rest there for a while before they were replaced with her cheek. Never did I feel so comforted in the arms of another woman, she was so warm and soft. 

“There’s nothing wrong with you friend. People fall apart sometimes is the reality of it really... we never know the reason for half the things people do. I can’t imagine the pain you’re in, but Aaliyah I promise this won’t beat you. You’re stronger than this. This is just another storm.”

I sighed, hiding my face further into her chest. 

“Can I stay here the-”

“You can stay here for as long as you need to sweet pea. You’ll have a home here until your wings are no longer broken... and you’re ready to fly.”

Through my tears I found a small smile, finally returning her embrace as I wrapped my arms around her waist. Again she kissed the top of my forehead gently and sighed.

“Now let’s roll up another one.” 

Lauren Riley 

[thatdeaniegirlsworld]

Just a reminder that I have fanfics on wattpad as well. If you would like for me to post it here as well let me know!!