"I just don't understand why you would do this..." I tried to keep my voice steady and hide how bad I was actually hurting, but I couldn't..I erupted into tears again, biting my lip to keep from sobbing.
"Don't pull that shit with me, I know you've done the exact same thing." He yelled at me, I couldn't stand when he got like this. Now he was trying to make me the bad guy..like I was the one sleeping around.
"I would never cheat on you." I whispered.
"Bullshit, Jabriella." He screamed, "there's not a guy you work with that hasn't had your whore ass." He got closer, I thought he might hit me.
"I want you to leave." I mustered all the strength I had to say it.
"What was that?"
"Just go...I don't want you here anymore, we're done."
"Fucking bitch, good luck finding someone to love your dumbass." He slammed the door and pictures fell from the wall. I curled up on the couch and just sat there, no more tears came, nothing for a long time, I couldn't tell you how long I was on the couch. Then it hit me all at once a couple of days later. I needed someone I could trust, someone I could talk to, that had never let me down before. I needed Roman..
"Hey, are you busy?" I knew he would be able to tell I had been crying, there was no point in hiding it.
"No, no, what's wrong lil mama? I can be there in 25 minutes, okay?"
"Roman..."
"Do you want me to stay on until I get there?"
"No, it's okay. The door's unlocked, come on in." I went and showered, throwing on a fresh t-shirt and leggings before he opened the door.
"Hey, there she is." He had flowers and two pizza boxes in his hand.
"You didn't have to do that.." I smiled for the first time in almost a week.
"I did, I did. My girl was hurting and I couldn't just leave her like that. Now let's pick up where we left off on Stranger Things and get to eating all this pizza. Unless you wanna talk first?"
"No, no. That sounds good. We can talk later." I sat down next to him on the couch and starred at him longer than I meant to. He was so perfect, so pretty, such a good person...a genuinely good person.
"What's up, Jabriella?" He chuckled when he caught me.
"Nothing, nothing." I hid my face and he scooted closer to put his arm around me.
Three episodes and four pieces of pizza later, I had almost forgotten why I was hurting to begin with. Having Roman's arm around me made me feel untouchable, like I was safe, cherished, protected...loved. "Now, how are we getting away with this without fuckwad getting his panties in a bunch?" He hated him and I don't blame him, he had seen the way he treated me before.
"He is not an issue anymore.."
"Oh? What happened?"
"He cheated..."
"Again? But you left his sorry ass, I'm so proud of you." He kissed my forehead. "I just want you to be happy, be really happy."
"Like now..if I could feel the way I do now for forever, I would be so happy."
"You think so? What about now makes you so happy?"
"You, this, being here."
"That's what makes you happy?"
"Yeah..honestly, it is." I didn't know how it was coming across and in that moment, I wasn't entirely sure how I meant it and didn't care.
"You make me happy, and as long as you're happy...all is right in my world." He traced my jaw with his thumb.
"Roman..." I whispered
"Don't..." he leaned in slowly and his lips met mine. I thought the feeling of fireworks was a metaphor, but that's exactly what I felt...but in slow motion. He was slow but steady, he picked me up with ease...setting me on his lap and kissing me, still gently. He never got rough or controlling. I put one hand on his shoulder, one on the side of his jaw. I don't know exactly how long the kiss was..everything felt so slow. We could have stayed like that for the rest of our lives and I would have been happy. "J, I've held all this back for so damn long...I love you. I've always loved you. When I'm with you, nothing else matters. You are all I need in this world...I just want you to be happy and that smile, that smile is worth more than anything else in this world to me." He ran his hand across my face and I nuzzled into his embrace.
"I love you." I whispered, and I knew it was true. I just couldn't brag about it, not yet. Everything hit me...when I was sad, it was Roman. When I had good news, Roman. When I needed absolutely anything, Roman. When I just wanted a hug and someone to hang out with, Roman. I started crying..simply because I was so happy I had finally realized what was meant to be.
"Hey, hey. I'm sorry..no, please don't cry. Please? I'm so sorry.." He wiped my tears and held me close.
"It's not that, I just...I feel like we wasted so much time and I'm so sorry I made you wait.."
"Aye, nothing like that, no baby." He covered my face in kisses, "I would wait until the end of time to be with you for five seconds. You are everything to me." I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him deeply.
"I love you so much."
"I love you. So..just to make sure we're on the same page, this is a thing? This is us? You and me?"
"Yeah...let's do it." I laughed.
"Nothing else I'd rather do." He kissed me and I moved back to my spot with his arm around me. The night was filled with laughs, more pizza and movies neither of us really cared about. It was just like before, but now I could kiss him whenever I wanted and he kept at least one hand on me at all times. "Hey, sleepyhead. You want me to head home?" He kissed me awake for the third time.
"No, no. It's late..you can stay."
"Alright, c'mon let's get you to bed."
"No..we can stay right here." I mumbled still pretty asleep. "There's a big blanket at the end of the couch." He grabbed it, wrapping both of us up and positioning me with my head on his chest, his fingers playing with my hair.
"Goodnight, baby."
"Goodnight...I love you."
"I love you so much." He kissed my forehead and I fell into the most peaceful sleep.
I woke up the next morning in my bed, thinking honestly last night had been a dream. Then I smelled coffee coming from the kitchen and someone singing. "There she is! Good morning, gorgeous." He kissed me, picked me up and set me on the counter. His hands went to my hips, pulling me back towards him as our kiss continued.
"So last night wasn't a dream.." We both laughed.
"No, very much so real." He kissed my forehead. "I made you breakfast." He waved a plate of waffles, eggs and any other breakfast food you could think of in front of me.
"You didn't have to do that!" I was taken back by how sweet he was being.
"I did it because I love you."
"I love you." I couldn't get over saying that.
Later when we went to work, no one looked twice at us for holding hands or anything. Seth came up to us and just chuckled.
"Yeah?" He looked at Roman and pointed at our joined hands.
"Yeah, man." They both laughed.
" 'Bout damn time, buddy." They did their handshake and he walked off.
"What was that?"
"I told you I've wanted you for a long time." He just smirked at me, "Welcome to being the new power couple, babe."
