Broken In Love

Chapter 13

I woke up in the early morning. AJ and I were heading downstairs to the hotel gym.

"So I was thinking, let's go on a road trip. We can get the Bellas and Nattie and Tamina and a few others and just go on a girls road trip this week." She suggested.

"Where'd that come from?" I asked.

"Well, you need some time to just forget about the boys for a few days and just have some girl time." She said.

"I don't know, AJ. With everything going on I just don't know." I said.

"Come on, Charlie. This big mess will still be here when you get back. You deserve a few days without thinking about it. This will be good for you." She said.

"I don't know."

"So you'd rather stay here and deal with all this crap?" She asked.

"Well no, but..."

"Let loose Charlie. Give yourself a few days of fun. Stop overthinking things all the time. You're too stressed out. You deserve a break." She said.

I thought for a while. "Ughhhh."

"Come on, you need some girl time."

I sighed, "Okay."

"Okay." She said.

"Perhaps okay will be our always." I said, quoting The Fault in Our Stars.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Okay."

We laughed. When we got to the gym, I limited myself. I wasn't gonna be in the ring for a while and I was pregnant so I had to be careful.

I started with small weights.

"Need some help?"

I turned around to see Roman.

"I don't need anything from you." I said, pushing past him and heading towards AJ.

Roman grabbed my arm and spun me around. "What's got you all cranky?" He asked.

"I don't want to talk to you, Roman." I said, trying to walk away until he caught me again. I spun around and stared him in the eyes. "You're not my friend, Roman. You're obviously not. Right when I need you the most you turn out to be a jerk."

"I wasn't trying to be a jerk, Charlie."

"Then what were you trying to do?" I asked. "Make me feel guilty? Make me feel like crap? Well congrats, you succeeded."

My third attempt to get away failed once again.

"Charlie, I'm sorry." He said.

"That's the thing. No you're not. Dean's your brother. He's your best friend and you'll never be sorry for backing him up even when it's against me. And there's nothing wrong with that. I just wish you'd give me a heads up before you want to point fingers like Dean." I said.

Fourth attempt. Failed.

"Listen Charlie, I can't lose you, okay? Look, I realize I was a jerk. I was just trying to help." He said.

I nodded, "By making me feel like crap about myself. Wow thanks Roman. It really helped a lot." I said, pushing past him once again.

He quickly stepped in front of me. "I never meant to hurt you." He said.

"Well you did. Now I'm done with this conversation, and I'm done with you."

This time it occurred to him that he needed to let me go. I walked quickly out the hotel gym and sunk to the ground. Tears streamed down my eyes.