Chapter Three

Last night when we arrived home, Roman had a whole lot of questions. Austin told him how he had a huge nose bleed and needed my help, it didn't really explain why we needed to leave the house but thankfully, Roman never questioned us about that part. It was early the next morning, the day Roman's leaving for his two month business trip. I roll out of bed to say goodbye at 4am! He needed to be at the airport for 7am and apparently he needs to be there that many hours earlier, don't ask me why. While still half asleep, I follow him out the bedroom where Austin was waiting outside his room with a sleepy smile. We all head outside and down to Roman's car, the freezing night making me shiver and hug myself.

"Tell me again why you need to leave for this long?" Austin asks as we watch Roman put his bags in the car, I offered to help but he said he didn't need any.

"Because we want to see as many companies as we can, the more sponsors we can get the more of the product we can make" Roman explains for the hundred time, Austin for some reason can't wrap his head around that fact. "Are you sure you two are going to be okay, I won't come back to world war 3 will I?" He asks with a smile looking between us both, I roll my eyes while taking a look to Austin.

"As much as it may be hard, I'll think we'll get along" I smile knowing how hard I'm gonna have to try to achieve that goal, I just need to remember it's better to have a peaceful life.

“I'll watch her for you, we all know how Payton can be" Austin says whilst Roman's pulls me in for a hug, I hold so tightly onto him knowing how long it's gonna be until we can do this again.

"I'll be back before you know it" he whispers placing a kiss on my lips before pulling away, where I immediately have to hug myself again due to the cold.

"Don't party too hard without me" Austin jokes while they do that weird guy handshake thing, even at 4am he's still got energy to be sarcastic.

"I promise I won't" Roman laughs climbing into the car as we back away to stand on the pavement, Austin nudging me slightly with a smile causes me to laugh a little. "Don't get too close, I'll call you later!" Roman shouts before he pulls his car out the parking space and fully out the carpark.

"It's just me and you" Austin smiles as I turn to walk up the stairs, I had two more hours of time to sleep before I needed to wake up for work.  "I'll drop you off to work today, I won't do a Roman and leave you to walk in the rain" he laughs as we arrive back in the apartment, I laugh thanking him before heading to bed to get a few more hours sleep before work.

When I walk into work a few hours later, my best friend Brooke was cleaning the counter. Her and I met when she started working here 5 years ago, as I'd already been working here a year earlier I had to train her up and teach her the ropes. I walk around the back to hang my coat up, where she joins me with her hands on her hips.

"Who was that?" She asks with a raised eyebrow, I send her a confused look whilst tying my apron around my back. "The man that dropped you off, he wasn't Roman?" She asks still standing in the doorway, luckily I still had to tie my hair in a bun so she wasn't blocking my way.

"That's Roman's best friend and our roommate Austin, you know him I've told him about you" I say now having to push passed her to sign myself in, once that was done I head out to the front to start working, like she should be doing.

"I thought you said Austin was super annoying and you wouldn't be able to stand being in the same room as him alone" she says following me out while her arms were still crossed, I take a woman's order whilst Brooke still stood behind me.

"Austin is annoying but Roman's on that business trip so I'm trying to get along with Austin, it'll just be me and him alone in the apartment for two months, normally Roman acts like the peace maker" I explain putting the little ticket through to the kitchen so they could make the food, whilst also pouring another person some coffee.

"Does Roman know he's dropping you off to work?" She asks which only confirms what she's implying, does she really think I'd cheat on Roman?

"Okay first off, Austin and I are just friends even if you could call us that, second of all, Roman and I have been together for years now and I haven't even once had the urge to cheat on him, so why would I do it now? And lastly, my private business about my love life and the people I choose to surround myself with has nothing to do with you" I tell her point blank, yes she is my best friend but I'm not having her imply things that would suggest that I would ever cheat on Roman. "Now how about you go and do the job you're currently being paid to do" I say whilst the woman at the counter smiles agreeing with me, Brooke looks majorly shocked before she turns to clean off another table.

"Don't worry hun, she's obviously jealous" the woman I was serving smiles, I thank her before getting the food that was ready from the kitchen and hand it over to her.

The day dragged on a little at work, Brooke didn't speak to me the entire time. But I couldn't just sit back and allow her to imply things that obviously aren't true. We both clock out at the same time, where as like a baby she barges passed me and out the door without saying a word. I roll my eyes signing out before grabbing my stuff and leaving, I didn't have the energy to deal with her school girl type drama. I wave goodbye to Johnson who was standing at the counter before leaving, where surprisingly Austin's car was sat outside waiting for me.

I walk over kind of confused, I know he dropped me off but I didn't know he'd pick me up too. Once I reach the door he smiles at me, okay the thought that maybe he wasn't here to pick me up had left my mind.

"How was work?" He asks as I climb in the car, he was still in his work clothes which told me he's also just left work, I give him one of my looks with a smile.

"That bad huh?" He asks pulling the car out of the carpark, as I take a look out the window I spot Brooke climbing in her car who doesn't give me the happiest look.

"I had a mini disagreement with one of my work friends, she thought she could voice her opinion on something when it really wasn't her place" I say remembering her of accusing me of cheating, once again it's only been a day where me and Austin haven't been at each other throats! "how's your cut?" I ask looking over at the bandage which was now covered in black oil, I know he works in a garage but that doesn't mean he can cause himself an infection.

"Yeah I might need a new bandage" he says holding his arm up awkwardly, I just laugh shaking my head feeling quite glad that I brought a few packets of bandages. "Oh and on the way here I grabbed us some takeout for dinner, we don't have our at home house wife for two months!" He says reaching in the back and pulling out a bag of food, I laugh once again taking the bag from his hands to take a look at what he brought.

I pull a chip out placing it in my mouth as he opens his mouth up, with a laugh I take another out and place it into his mouth.

"You know what Payton" he says whilst chewing his chip, little pieces falling from his mouth and landing on his lap. "This relationship is gonna be fine while Roman is gone, I can just tell" he says leaning his face down to take the chip right from my hand, I was gonna eat that one!

"Yeah, maybe we will" I laugh as he shoves even more chips into his cakehole, thankfully, without choking.

I had just changed his bandage when he gets a phone call, he excuses himself before walking into his bedroom closing the door behind him. I pack all the medical supplies and things from dinner away not wanting him to feel like I was eavesdropping. He soon emerges from his room looking rather flustered, I send him over a confused look while he begins to pace up and down.

"Is everything okay?" I ask leaning up against the counter, I did tell Roman I'd look out for him so I guess I'm gonna need to find out why he's panicking.

"What I'm about to ask you is gonna sound so crazy and weird, but please you have to understand I wouldn't ask you unless I didn't have any other choice" he rambled on still pacing up and down which not gonna lie, was starting to really worry me.

"You and I need to date" he says which does make my eyes go wide.

What in the heck?!