Wednesday November 3, 2021 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tanq POV
4:36 PM
So, we're about a day into the RAW cross-country tour and we've all been checked into our hotel rooms. While we've all been chilling out and relaxing all day, some of us are now preparing for a fan meetup later tonight. Luckily, the guys and I don't have a meetup appearance to make until next week, so we've actually split up for the day to do some touring and sightseeing around the city, Dean off with Renee and Joe while Seth is off...somewhere else with someone else or by himself, I don't really care. As for myself, I've been hanging out at a bar with my girls Nia, Alexa, and Joseann for the past half-hour enjoying some pre-happy hour drinks and catching up.
"We don't do this nearly as often as we should." Nia says and Alexa nods in agreement.
"We really don't and we need to." She adds in sipping on her virgin cocktail.
"You're right, but The World's Greatest Manager is always so busy with her beloved boys, we only really text and call anymore." Joseann sasses with a little smirk at me and I chuckle and hiss my teeth.
"Aw, Jo, don't be like that. Things have gotten a little crazy recently. I know I have the tendency to get lost in my work or just caught up in general, but I'm working on it. Look at me: I'm out with you guys while the guys are out somewhere else. I haven't even texted them since this morning."
"Not even Roman?"
"Nope."
"Oh, you know it's serious when she ain't even texting Roman, and he's her favorite!" Nia teases and they all laugh.
"Oh, whatever, he is not my favorite! I appreciate all my boys equally."
"Mhm, but rumor has it you appreciate Roman the most." Nia says sipping her beer and I choke on my own.
"Oh, stop it, Nia." Alexa retorts slapping her arm.
"Rumors are just that, rumors. You know everyone's just used to shit like that happening around here, but that doesn't mean they did it, too."
"I know, I know, I just like to fuck with her, especially since people felt so invested in this rumor to start a bet pool on it."
"Just so you know, I had nothing to do with it."
"Me neither."
Once they've finished with their back and forth banter, I silently nod my head and take another swig of my beer before responding.
"Joseann, may I speak with you privately, please?"
"Uh, yeah, sure." She says swiveling her stool around.
We promptly get up and leave Nia and Alexa confused at the bar while Jo and I head outside with our drinks. I don't really know what I'm expecting to get out of this talk, but I'm hoping she'll finally want to shed some light on this whole situation. She probably just wants to protect my feelings and not want any of my friendships to be ruined over it, and I don't want to make these next few weeks on the road awkward between us, but I just can't ignore it any longer and I'm not going to let her try to distract me from it anymore. Getting out front, we walk around the corner of the building and a few steps down the alley.
"Well, this isn't sketchy at all." Joseann jokes, but I only nod.
"Yeah, like that bet pool." I say cutting to the chase and she groans.
"Ugh, you're still on that? Why won't you just let it go?"
"Because I can't until I know who started it."
"And what's that supposed to accomplish, hm?" She asks crossing her arms and I shrug.
"I just need the closure, alright? Throughout my life, I've let way too many things slide that I know I shouldn't have and I can't keep doing that to myself for the sake of keeping up appearances; I can't keep pretending like I'm okay and that something isn't bothering when it's actually nagging at me every moment of every day. I need to know who's responsible so I can continue detoxing my life because that's a process that's been long overdue, something I should've done after I had my daughter; but I can't change the past, I can only plan for the future, and I don't plan to be this frustrated, anxious, or sad in the future."
"And you think knowing who started the bet will give you some type of closure?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I just said." I snap and she rolls her eyes at me.
"I think you're doing a whole lot for something that's not even that big of a deal."
Hm. Really now?
"Really? Not 'that big of a deal'? Someone starts a damn-near company wide betting pool on whether or not I'm sleeping with my married client and you think I'm 'overreacting'?"
I turn away from her, take a large gulp of my beer, and pace back and forth briefly as I try to figure out what I want to say next, or at least figure out a more delicate way to say it, but the slight buzz I'm feeling encourages me to just go for it.
"You're supposed to be my best friend and have my back, but every time I ask you about it you find a way to deter me from the subject and I always let you. I'd like to think I know you well enough to believe that you wouldn't keep a secret like this from me, especially since you see how it's been affecting me; I'd like to think I know you well enough that I'd believe you when you say there's nothing for me to worry about...but then there's this small part of me, and I do mean small, but it's still there. You see, that small part of me thinks you know more than you want me to know, that there's a reason why you don't want me to know the truth and, if I didn't know you well enough, that small part of me would tell me that she thinks you have a bigger part in the pool than you want to let on." I explain and turn back around to look at her.
"If I didn't know you well enough, I'd say you started it, or you at least put it in someone else's head to. Either way, all I really want is for you to come clean and tell me the truth, otherwise I want nothing else to do with you." I growl out and stare her dead in the eyes as she stares blankly back at me.
"So you can drop me just like that?" She asks with a look of hurt in her eyes and my heart breaks a little.
"Just like that."
"That easy?"
"I never said it was easy for me to. I just want the truth." I urge.
"Either way, you'll want nothing to do with me, so who really wins here?" She asks and I chug the rest of my beer.
"Me." I respond once I finish and drop the empty bottle to the concrete ground in front of her with a loud smash and she jumps back as the glass shatters between us.
Without another word, I walk away to make my way back to the hotel and shoot Nia a text as I walk.
Me: I'm going back to my room
Nia: Why? U ok?
Me: The more ties I cut, the better I'll get, but I just need to be alone right now
N: U want me 2 stop by l8r?
Me: No, it's ok, I promise. I'll text you tho
N: Ok boo, call if u need anything, Bliss and I gotchu 🥰
Me: Thanks boo ❤️
I swallow the sadness in my throat and smile to myself at the fact that I still have people who love and support me, showing me that cutting people out that are bad for me isn't the end of my world...at least not this time. I wipe away a stray tear and hold my head up as I continue walking, losing myself in my thoughts as I go.
There's no more room in my life for toxicity, periodt.
*~*~*~*
Thursday November 11, 2021 - Omaha, Nebraska
Roman POV
5:15 PM
Getting in the elevator with my bags, I press the button for the lobby and get lost in my thoughts. Things with Tanq and I have been good and I'm pretty happy about it and she does, too...though she's been a little withdrawn all week and she won't say why. I could start pressing her about it, but that's what she doesn't want from me and I don't want to push us backwards after the good progress we've been making. The elevator dings and opens to the lobby and I'm brought back to the present moment. I step out and roll my belongings out to the bus to start packing them into the cargo hold. As I'm packing, I hear Tanq's voice and I instantly turn around to look for her and see her and Joseann arguing by the other bus across the parking lot. Tanq doesn't like to make a lot of private business public, so I'm sure JoJo wanted to talk outside and Tanq's not having it. She's not screaming, but her voice is definitely raised and she sounds pretty upset. I manage to finishing getting my bags into the cargo hold quick enough to start making my way towards them, but I stop in my tracks when Seth walks up to them and tries to Tanq, but she turns around, shoves him away, and storms off while Joseann storms off in the other direction with Seth behind. So, I take off in the direction Tanq went and quickly catch up to her behind the hotel.
"T! Tanq! Hol' up!" I call after her, but she doesn't stop.
"Go away!" She responds.
"Tanq, stop!"
"No! Just fuck off!"
"Adina!" I call louder and she turns around abruptly.
"I said fuck off!" She yells and goes to push me, but I grab both her wrists and look her square in the eyes.
"Now, Adina, you know me better than that. So you've got two options: you're either gonna calm down now so you can talk to me, or you can stay mad but I'm not gonna let go until you calm down so you can talk to me."
She looks back at me, her eyes brows furrowed, but she huffs and slumps her shoulders and I let go of her wrists.
"Alright, now let's talk. I saw you by the bus, what was that about? Why have you been so out of it lately? What's going on?"
"Joe, I—"
"No, no 'Oh Joe' nothing. I'm not gonna let keep bottling your feelings up. Tell me what's wrong." I urge and she sighs and looks away.
"Joseann's the one who started the pool."
"The pool? The bet pool?" I ask and she sadly nods her head.
"Is that what she said?"
"Every time I've asked her about it, she'd deflect and change the subject, but with all the other shit going on in my head and in my life, I don't need any unnecessary drama. So, I asked her again last week and...well, she tried to deflect again and tried to say I was overreacting. So, let's just say that she didn't have to say much for me to get the idea."
"Damn, I'm sorry T, I know y'all were pretty close. Why would she wanna do that?"
"I don't know, but it just further proves I have shit taste in people. I keep surrounding myself with shitty people who do shitty things to me and then want to call me crazy when I finally want to stand up to them. Like, am I that easy to walk over? Am I that much of a pushover? Like, me and Tanq are literally two different people because people wouldn't dare piss her off, but no one cares about Adina's feelings, no one gives a fuck about Adina."
"Oh? No one gives a fuck about you? I don't give a fuck about you?" I question and she rolls her eyes.
"No, you're different."
"Am I? Then what about Nia? Does she not give a fuck about you? What about Alexa or the Usos? Finn? Vinny? Sally? Alania? None of those people give a fuck about you?"
"That's not what I'm saying! I-just forget it." She pouts and goes to walk away again and I get ahead of her to stand in her way.
"I get that you're hurt, I would be too, but to take the shitty things a couple people have done to you and use that to convince yourself that you were somehow deserving of it is where I draw the line. Babygirl, look at me." I say and gently hold her face in my hand.
"There's way more people who care about and love you than there are that wanna hurt you, you have to understand that. Even if you don't think it's that many or you wanna tell yourself you don't mean anything to anyone, please don't forget about me, at least, because I care about you so much, you have no clue." I say and she sighs and looks down.
"I know, I know, it's just so hard for me to try and understand why people do what they do."
"And that's not for you to understand. If you try to make it your responsibility to rationalize and understand why people do the shitty things they do, you'll literally drive yourself insane and you'll still never find an answer. You just gotta accept what's happened, stand up for yourself, brush yourself off, and keep it moving because the truth is these people fear what you can be and only want to see you hurt because they see how easy it is to affect you and manipulate your kind heart. I'm not saying become jaded or closed off, but you gotta let these bitches roll off your shoulders." I say and she laughs and looks back up at me.
"There's that beautiful smile. Look babe, you keep thinking that you and 'Tanq' are two different people, but what you don't understand is that you're one in the same, you're the exact same. You can turn her on and off, she's in you, you just need to learn that you're so much stronger than you think you are and people see it, which is why they wanna beat you down, use you; they know if you ever truly come into yourself that it's over for them and they won't be able to break you anymore and get what they want."
"But what do they want from me?"
"Doesn't matter, they're not gonna get it from you because they don't deserve it. Period."
"Period-t?" She asks and I chuckle.
"Periodt. Now c'mere, gimme a hug." I say and she wraps her arms around as I do the same and hold her head close to my chest.
"You know I love you, right?" I ask and she nods.
"Good, so you know I'm always gonna be on you, I'm always gonna ask about how you're doing, I'm always gonna be checking up on you. If it'll help you understand how much you mean to me - to everyone here - and how important you are to us and that makes you realize how wonderful you are, I'm gonna do it. You understand me?"
"Yes Joe, I understand." She answers looking up at me and stroke her face gently before leaning down to place a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Good, now lets get on the bus before someone comes looking for us." I say and she quietly nods and lets me go. We walk away back towards the and I'm softly rubbing her back as we walk.
"So...where exactly did you think you were going when you were storming off earlier?" I ask and she chuckles.
"I don't know, honestly."
"Well, what set you off?"
"She came up to me tryna say we should talk it out and I should learn not to take jokes so seriously. So I started to go off, then Seth came tryna play mediator, but I don't even wanna hear his Goddamn voice right now."
"Do you wanna talk about that, too?"
"At some point, but not now. I just wanna get on the bus and back on the road." She says and I drop the subject as we approach the bus.
*~*~*~*
About an hour into the drive to Wyoming, I'm lost in a game of Crossy Road trying to beat my high score when I get a Twitter notification at the top of my screen that breaks my concentration and ultimately my streak.
"Goddamnit." I mumble but tap the notification anyway and smile as I read it.
Tanq @TanqMeL8R
Just a quick #thankyou to @WWERomanReigns for always supporting me and lifting me up. He's a true sweetheart and I'm so happy to call you a friend #bestfren #loveyou #roadtoSS #worldsgreatestclient
I like and retweet it and send off my response.
Roman Reigns @WWERomanReigns
You're too kind, I'm just tryna b a good friend 🤗❤️ #bestfren #loveyoumore #worldsgreatestmanager #roadtoSS
Then, I lean over to whisper in her ear.
"Best fren?" I ask and she looks at me and smiles.
"Yup." She responds and I discretely and quickly squeeze her side to make her giggle slightly.
"I like it." I say and we resume what we were doing before our brief twitter break, her taking some alone time not talking much to everyone around us and me shielding her from anyone trying to bring up the argument she had with Joseann earlier because people definitely took notice, but no one has been able to ask about it because I shut them down each time, so everyone's given up. Seth tried to say some shit, but Tanq shut him up real quick and most of the bus went quiet. They may feel awkward with how defensive Tanq and I are right now, but I don't care just as long as she's okay mentally.
*~*~*~*
Tuesday November 16, 2021 - Salt Lake City, Utah
Roman POV
6:42 PM
We're over a week into our bus tour and things have been pretty uneventful. House shows, fan meet-ups and signings, sight seeing. Seth and I still aren't talking and Tanq sure as Hell ain't talking to his ass; he's actually stopped trying to talk to her because she just ignores him. I would be lying if I said I wasn't dying to know what happened between them but, as I've said before, it was probably Seth's fault.
As everyone else is walking around, going up to their rooms to shower and rest after our trip to the Great Salt Lake, and before our long ass bus ride in the morning, I'm leaned up against the side of our tour bus outside our hotel for the night just watching all the cars go by and the other superstars go about their business. Tanq has called it a night and gone up to her room while Dean's up in our room, probably enjoying some alone time with his lady before I get up there; I told him I'd be there in a few, but I just really needed some air. I'm eating a Clif Bar and getting lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzes. I've been texting Joelle and Galina recently, Galina seeming to be a lot more calm and cooperative - diplomatic even - than she has been since all this shit started, and it's got me starting to wonder if I shouldn't give things one last try...but I know better than that now; I know better than to fall for that again. Besides, things between Tanq and I could go in a really good direction if I play my cards right and the first card I need to play is that divorce card. So, I pull my phone out of my pocket and check the message.
Sally: Got your package. Will meet you at S.S. with it.
Ugh, now I have to wait until Survivor Series to get my answers? This all better be worth the wait.
Me: Why can't I get it sooner?
Sally: It's better that you look at it home and deal with it there. I don't want to ruin your tour.
Well...that sounds promising.
"Hey." I look up to see Seth walking towards me.
"Sup?" I answer nonchalantly.
"Can we talk?" He asks and I nod and push off the wall.
"I guess, it's about time we do. Let's go this way." We walk away from the busses to the side parking lot and away from everyone else to avoid any eavesdropping since everyone knows things between he and I are rocky. We check around to make sure no one's around then turn to look at each other in silence. He doesn't speak, only looks down and shuffles his feet nervously, so take the initiative.
"Alright Seth, you wanted to talk."
"I know, but I just don't know where to start." He replies in a sad tone.
"Alright, look man: I'm tired of all this drama. It's too much drama over such a short span of time, so let's just call it for what it is. We both like Tanq, we both want her, but I slept with her. It's fucked up, I know, and I'm sorry. I acted out of my own sadness and frustration and I shouldn't've done that; it was wrong and unfair to you and Tanq. I don't know if me not pursuing her would've encouraged her to go out with you instead, but if it wasn't for me and all my bullshit, we'd still be friends, you guys would still be friends, and you wouldn't be heart broken."
"Pfft, I'm not heart broken; this shit happens and she'll come around. I just don't want to lose what we have because we are friends, brothers forever, remember? We fight, but that's what brothers do." He says looking up at me.
"I'm sorry for tripping so hard. What you did hurt me, but I had no place to act the way I did. I was way out of line.
"I'm sorry about always busting your balls. I know I'm an asshole sometimes, but I'm gonna legit try to be a better friend to you, starting right now. I'm sorry for everything man." I say and he holds his fist to me.
"Brothers?" He asks.
"Forever." I respond and I bump it, bringing him in and enveloping him in a tight hug.
"No hard feelings man, I really appreciate this." He say as he pulls back from me and pats my shoulders, smiling at me. I return the smile and pull away from him.
"Alright Ro, I'll see you later. Ima hit up the pool for a little bit, do some night swimming."
"Okay man, have fun." I wave him off and watch him enter the hotel's side door and I smile to myself.
Gotta build those bridges back up, Joseph.
Seth POV
That was actually a really good talk I just had with Joe, so I almost feel bad about the shit I'm trying to pull off: keyword being almost. While I like the idea of our friendship returning to normal, I can't have everyone out here making a fool of me, no way. Now people are looking at me like I'm crazy for my little outburst in the bar; I was just upset, dammit! So, I have one last thing up my sleeve to try to drive a wedge between the two "best frens" as Tanq and Joe have been calling each other over Twitter every now and then. Ugh, they make me sick. As I walk up to the elevators to go to my room, one of them open and Joseann walks out in her bathing suit looking fine as Hell.
"Hey Jojo." I greet her.
"Hey Pussy Slayer. Call me later?"
"Will do."
She winks and waves as she walks past me, her hips swaying sexily from side to side. I lick my lips, shake my head, and laugh to myself about the thoughts in my head.
Man, I'm about to piss so many people off.
*~*~*~*
Wednesday November 17, 2021 - Wendover, Utah: Bonneville Salt Flats
Roman POV
Here we are, still in Utah, at...
9:30 AM
...and we're almost done with our cross country tour from Philly to L.A. We've made the over two-hour drive from Salt Lake City to the Bonneville Salt Flats and I must admit that it's a really nice stop to make for some cool views of this vast...lake of salt, essentially. What I do hate about this stop is that we still have over six hours of driving before we get to Reno for the fan meet-up and signing later, so we're only here for an hour before we resume our trip. I also hate this jet lag I'm gonna experiencing and I haven't even been on a plane. So, maybe it's bus lag? I don't know, but I know that crossing time zones just really fucks your head up and we still have to cross into the Pacific Time Zone.
However, right now, I'm standing on the salt just taking in the scene before me, the sky a bright and beautiful orange-blue gradient as the sun rises. After a few moments, I take my phone out to take a panoramic picture to send to Joelle because she loves to see the places that I go. I always hate having to leave my family and I wish I could always have them with me; maybe then my marriage wouldn't be in the state it's in now, but it is what it is I guess. I finish taking the picture and look it over, smiling at the thought of how happy Jojo will be when she sees it, and I send it off to her.
"Get it girl! You better dance on that salt!"
I look up to see Nia recording Tanq on her phone as she dances around on the salt and immediately recognize this dance too: it's "DOPE" by BTS; I think I'm A.R.M.Y now....if that's how being their fan works. To be honest, they put out some good shit and I really appreciate it, now that my daughter's gotten me into listening to them. I smile at the small group of superstars that has gathered around to watch and cheer her on. She doesn't dance for long and skips her way over to Nia to watch the video, the two girls laughing and joking together. I can only stand here and watch her, I can't help it; she has my undivided attention no matter what she does. She looks up and waves at me and I wave back, admiring her for a second before I turn back around to continue watching the sun rise above the mountains. A couple minutes pass and feel a little person wrap their arms around my waist and I look down to be met with those pretty brown eyes I love so much.
"Babygirl."
"Doofus."
"Why are you so small?"
"Why are you so damn big?"
I laugh at her and wrap my arms back around her as she rests her head against me and we look out at the mountain range together. We stand here embraced like this for a while before she speaks up again.
"It's so beautiful here. We should take a selfie."
"I was thinking the same thing. C'mere, I'll take it."
So, we turn around so the flats and mountains are behind us, huddle close together, and I snap the picture, then we look down at my phone to review the it.
"That's a good picture of us." She says cheerfully.
"Baby, any picture with you in it is a good picture." I reply making her look up at me.
"When are you gonna stop with all the flattery?"
"When you finally believe how beautiful and wonderful you are."
"Joe, I—"
"No, listen to me: Adina Maria Chu, you are so beautiful, so funny, smart, talented; you're a good friend and an amazing mother, don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Now, all that negative shit you've been thinking, I don't want you thinking it anymore and I don't wanna hear that any of it leave your lips ever again, you hear me?" I point a finger at her as I sternly, but playfully, reprimand her and I notice that she's started to bite her bottom lip.
Damn, them lips.
"Joe, it's just not that easy."
"I know it's not, babygirl...but that's why I can't just leave you to deal with it all alone, I refuse to; we all refuse to. So please, if you ever need to talk about anything, just call or text any one of us; you know my phone is always on for you. None of this lone wolf shit, alright? You understand me?"
"Damn, you're really hot when you scold me, especially with those aviators on, daddy."
She says quietly and smirks up at me devilishly.
"If you think I won't fuck you on this salty ass ground in front of all these people right now, then you don't know me very well." I answer and she throws her head back in laughter and I laugh too. Looking back up at me and composing herself, she reaches up to readjust my sunglasses and I reach down to readjust hers.
"But seriously though, I'm gonna do everything in my power to help rebuild you and keep it going long after. And FYI, you look really hot in aviators, too."
We share another laugh before she once again skips herself off to go hang out with some other people and I still can't take my eyes off of her. Do people think we're having an affair? Maybe. Are our co-workers getting suspicious? Probably. The truth is that we're not, not anymore, and it's all still only speculation to anyone who's...well, speculating. Aside from the forbidden romance, Tanq's become one of my best friends; we can talk about any- and everything and nothing at all. We laugh at the dumbest things and have endless inside jokes, I just love being around her in general, and if nothing else comes out of all this shit we're going through, I can say that I've made a lifelong friend.
But I'm totally hoping we can be a lot more than just that in the years to come.
________________________
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