Welcome to the Queendom

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Splash!
"The water does feel nice," I agreed with Seth.
It was a clear night out filled with stars and I had just jumped into the deep end.
"Told you," he replied as he started to float on his back.
I looked around. It was just me and him occupying the pool area. The guys stayed in the rooms and ordered pizza for their movie night. I turned back to Seth and just stared at him. I couldn't get Randy and his words out of my head. Seth caught me staring and raised his eyebrows.
"What?"
"Nothing," I said automatically. "Just thinking."
"About?"
I sighed. "Something that Randy said earlier tonight. It's really stuck on my brain."
He chuckled. "Don't listen to what Randy says. Ever since his title reign has gone downhill, so has he." I giggled. "So what did he say?"
"Um," I laughed. "He basically said that by dating Dean, I'm hurting your feelings because you like me more than a friend." I laughed harder. "That's crazy, right?"
He didn't say anything, just stared at me and blinked a couple of times. "That's crazy," I repeated. "Right?"
"Oh," he stuttered. "Yeah. Crazy." He laughed too but it was too loud and not at all convincing, and made my stomach turn. I tilted my head to the side and gave him a serious look.
"Seth," I said. "Do you like me mo-"
"Is it just me or is it starting to get really cold out?" he asked, interrupting me as he rubbed his arms. It was a little more than 75 degrees out here. "We should probably head back inside. See if we can join the guys for movie night."
He quickly swam over to the ladder attached to the inner wall of the pool and got out. Water dripped from the end of his basketball shorts.
"You coming?" he asked, one of his feet inside.
"Yeah," I replied. "In a little bit."
"Alright, don't be too long."
When he was gone, I swam over to the wall and laid my head on the edge. I wanted to smack myself.
Way to make things awkward, Chelsea.
I sighed and looked up at the stars. If only they could give me the answers I needed to handle situations like this. To give me a manual on how to live an easy and uncomplicated life.

When I got to the room I shared with Dean, him and Roman were on the couch while Seth was on the floor still in the shorts he swam in. He didn't acknowledge me as Dean patted the empty couch cushion beside him.
"Come watch a movie with us," he said as he tugged at the end of my towel robe to get me to come over, but I shook my head.
"No thank you," I replied. "All that swimming tired me out. I'll just go to bed now."
"Alright. I won't be long," he promised.
"Take your time."

"Chelsea. Chelsea."
"Hm?" I mumbled, blowing my damp hair out of my face.
"Come on. Wake up."
"Where are we going?" I whined. But he did respond, just kept shaking me. "Stop." He continued. "Fine," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm up."
I snatched the covers away from me and immediately started shaking. "Why is it freezing in here?" I asked as I tied the towel robe I never took off tighter. I still had my swimsuit on underneath and I reeked of chlorine.
I ran my fingers through my hair and yawned. "What time is it?" I asked as I glanced over at the clock on the nightstand: 3:30.
I almost choked. "You woke me up at 3 in the morning?!" I practically screamed.
"Shh," Dean whispered as he fixed the bed up some. "Did you forget what you wanted to do this weekend?" he asked casually.
I studied his face. He didn't look tired at all; like waking up at o'dark thirty in the morning was an everyday thing. I thought about it. What did I want to do this weekend?
"Visiting Hampton ring a bell?"
My jaw dropped. "Oh, dang," I said.
He chuckled and threw me some basketball shorts of his and a T-shirt before plopping our duffel bags and suitcases on the bed. "Go take a shower and put those on. The guys and I are gonna load the car."

We had a 2 and a half hour ride ahead of us as we sat in the waiting area of the Lafayette Regional Airport. I was texting Chalice but she didn't know I was coming to visit. I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn't bother drying my hair after I scrubbed it clean of chlorine so it dotted the screen on my phone and Dean's T with water droplets.
It was just Dean and I in the area. We occasionally saw passersby-mostly businessmen and women-but that was about it. The guys already boarded their hour plane ride to Birmingham-our next stop.
"I can't wait to meet your mom," Dean said as he traced his finger along my shoulder.
I put my phone down and sighed happily. "I can't wait either. My mom's really cool. She'll love you."
"And your brother and sisters?" he questioned.
"My Caron and my younger sister Caiya have started to like you. Chalice has always thought you and the guys were cool."
He grinned. "Chalice has been, like, researching you and Seth."
He chuckled. "What do you mean by that?"
"Like, as soon as you guys came on the scene, she's been, like, looking you guys up on Wikipedia and YouTube, watching your old matches from the Indies," I explained.
He nodded his head impressed. "Nice."
I snuggled under his arm and gently tapped the tip of my index finger on his chest. "Dean," I mumbled. "Baked Alaska."
He laughed. "Way to throw me off," he replied making me giggle. "Butter."
"Brisket."
"Brussels sprouts."
"Beef ribs."
"You're making me hungry," he stated.
"I'm making my on self hungry," I joked.
He patted my thigh before using it to push himself up. "I'm gonna get us something to eat."
"Don't get left behind," I teased as he padded out of sight.

"Banana cream pie," Dean said as he gave me a kiss.
We were on the plane-First Class-sitting side by side, facing each other.
"Baked beans," I replied, kissing him again.
"Breakfast burrito." I giggled quietly, considering everyone was asleep except us.
I laid my head on Dean's chest and heart his rapid heartbeat. Was he...nervous? I looked up at his face and saw he was trying his best to keep his composure. I had to smile. I felt the same way before meeting his. I gripped his hand in mine and kissed his cheek.
"You're reading too much into this," I whispered.
He grinned.

"Come on," I told Dean as I tried to grab for his hand and lead him to the house, but he quickly snatched it away, pretending to scratch the back of his neck.
"I think we should find a hotel and check in," he said in a rush. "She doesn't need more people in her home."
I put my hands on my hips. "Quit being such a baby and come on."
He puffed his cheeks out as he examined my mom's house. "It's big enough to fit two more people," I told him.
"What about food?" he asked. "Does she really want to feed two more mouths."
"Well, what about-"
"You seem to have all the excuses," I interrupted.
"You seem to have all the assurance," he countered.
I hugged. "Jonathan Adrian Lee Good," I scolded. "If you don't get your butt up those steps."
His jaw dropped a little. "How did you-"
"Know your middle names?" I finished for him. I shrugged. "Maybe I'm just that good."
I pointed to the porch steps and he climbed them without a moment's hesitation. I followed and rang the doorbell.
Chalice, dressed in hand-me-down running shorts I gave her a couple of years back when I moved out and a signature covered white T-shirt, opened the door. It took her a moment to drink us in and let the situation sink in, but when it did, her eyes lit up.
I extended my arms. "Surprise!"