Unintentionally

Can We Talk?

It was the next day, the Sunday, her dad would be home today

She sat in her room, she looked peaceful but she was anything but, she couldn't get Dean's words out of her mind

She felt like a bitch. Roman was trying to fill the spot of her mom and dad as she was trying to do the same for him, but he was still battling academics and football practice. Riley was hardly battling academics because she was an honour student and she didn't have soccer anymore so she wasn't really occupied

Dean had been right, Roman was trying his best, he was trying hard and Riley snapped at him. God, she felt horrible

She sighed and sat up, going downstairs, and then downstairs again, heading into their gym that was located in the basement

She smiled when she saw Roman lifting weights, he was truly a hard worker

"Bet I can out bench you," she said, he froze at the sound of her voice but, he didn't reply, just put another weight on the bar

She sighed

"Can we talk?" She asked, still no response

She resorted to her last tactic

"Tuagane, oute alofa ia oe," she said telling him she loved him in Samoan native

Roman nearly dropped the weight on his foot

The thing with Roman and Riley was the way they'd say 'I love you' was by playful insults or playful fights, so when one of them said 'I love you' it was a big deal. Especially in Samoan, cuz it was a bigger deal

Roman turned to her, his grey eyes wide

"Now can we talk?" She asked, he put the weight on the rack and nodded, following her up to the roof, their usual spot

They spent a few minutes in silence before she began talking

"I'm sorry," she said, Roman didn't reply, just opted to listen to her talk

"I didn't realize you were trying so hard to lessen the blow of mom and dad not being around. I didn't realize. I was trying to do the same for you, I got so caught up in missing you, I guess I forgot you had other friends," she said, not making eye contact with him, but she felt his eyes on her

"I just tried to be there for you, you're my baby sister. When you were born my life changed. I got a baby sister and a eternal best friend, oute alofa ia oe tuafafine," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders

"You're the best, you know that?" She asked, kissing his temple

"So I've been told," he replied smiling at her and got up, reaching a hand down for her

"Now if my memory recalls, my twiggy little sister thinks she can outbench me," he said, smirking as she took his hand and pulled herself up

"Oh tuagane, I don't think I can outbench you, I know I can outbench you," she said, climbing down, followed by Roman

"So what made you apologize Ri?" Roman asked as Riley powdered her hands to begin lifting

Riley hit a small smile as she replied

"A really good guy made me realize how much you cared," she replied

Roman shook it off and lifted 360 pounds, Riley smirked, she was a girl, sure, but she can lift like a heavyweight and fight like a street rat

She loaded it to 400

"No way!" Roman said, going over to stand behind so he could help out if need be

She laid down and took a breath, holding it as she took the weight off the rack and spread her legs to get a better leverage

She tightened her grip and brought it down to her chest releasing her breath before she took another one and pushed it back up, onto the rack

She smirked and sat up, smirking at a shocked Roman

"Son of a spanky," he said looking at her

Despite his shock and disbelief, Riley saw a lot of pride behind his steel grey eyes

"Now that I'm superior," she began jokingly, patting his pec

"Go shower, dad'll be here soon," she said, going to make lunch for them

Roman threw his towel in the bench and smiled

Yup, he had the best sister in the world, he shook his head fondly and finished his workout