First Down

36. Jaelyn Brentwood

A year and a half later

"Move with me." Adrian demanded as we stood in his apartment as movers moved his things out. We had officially graduated, Adrian decided to hold off on going to the NFL last year, scared of being the number one pick and going to the team he hated most. But he was an even bigger deal his senior year, his speed was quicker, and his improvement overall was noticeable. He wasn't the number one pick, which he was happy about but he was a first round pick and got drafted to one of the teams he wanted, the Los Angeles Lions.

Now, he would be headed to Los Angeles in just a few weeks time to start summer workouts, and he was trying to convince me to move out there with him. "Jae, your job is remote, you can literally work from anywhere." I shook my head, "Adrian, that's across the country." He moved towards me, placing his arms around my waist, "I know Jae, which is why I need you there with me. How imma function without you in my space?" I rolled my eyes, he'd always been smooth with his words, but we had also rarely gone a day without seeing one another in the time we'd been together. We'd had a few hiccups with Samoa and Chelsea trying to slide their way back towards him, but he showed his loyalty to me every time. The intensity of our love had only grown.

A knock came through on the door, interrupting the conversation and I was thankful for it. Adrian yelled it was open as his parents walked in. "Now y'all see these movers, y'all knew it was open." His dad smiled as he shook his head, "well excuse us for not just barging in." His mother let out as her eyes went to me with a smile, "I'm here to see Jaelyn anyways." I smiled as I walked towards her, meeting her halfway, "hey ma." She hugged me, "hey baby, are we doing our usual lunch?" I nodded. "Of course." Lauren, Adrian's mom and I had grown exceptionally close, I was closer to her than I ever was to my own mom. Adrian had brought a lot of good things into my life and his mom was one of the greatest.

"Ma, convince Jae to move to LA with me." Adrian let out, I looked over at him as he had a wide smile on his face, dimples deep as ever, matching his mamas as he was so sure that she was going to do it. "And why would I do that? That means we wouldn't have our monthly lunches." I gave a wide smile back, "exactly. He doesn't get it though." His smile instantly dropped as he looked at his dad who was shaking his head with a smile, "do you hear this pops? Ma tryna steal my girl." I laughed as she looked at me, "in all seriousness, why don't you want to move?" She questioned.

I sighed, "it's so far, I know no one there. I don't want to feel dependent on him once I'm there, or for it to even seem like I'm just following him." I let out a few of my issues with it. But the truth of the matter was I was scared of us not working and being left to fend in a city I knew nothing about and knew no one but him.

Adrian kissed his teeth, "I don't know anyone there either, and who gives a fuck about you following me when I'm asking you to Jae. Shit, I'd follow you to the end of the earth if you asked me. Sorry for cussing." Adrian quickly let out, realizing he was cursing in front of them.

His dad waved it off, but his mama had an eyebrow raised with an 'alright now' look. "I already said we can get a lease with both our names, we've even talked about bill splits already since you refuse to let me pay for everything." He side eyed his parents almost as to say he really wasn't going to let me pay for anything; he was just saying that. "You've already got approval from your company on the move, like Jae. C'mon, you don't want to be with me or something?" He asked.

"Adrian, you know I want to be with you. It's just a lot. A huge move and I've never even been away from home. And to make a move across the country? That's crazy and it's scary." I let out honestly. He neared me again as he pulled me into him, "it is, but that's why we'll have each other." He reminded me. As much as I was scared to move, I also didn't want to be away from Adrian, I knew I would more than likely end up moving with him. I mean I didn't ask my company for no reason.