Checks & Championships

3.

*Flashback*
Rachelle’s P.O.V
Today was one of those days. I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. I was supposed to be training with Austin today but I’m just not here today.
I heard my door open and knew it had to be Marlana. She was the only one who knew and had seen me with my depressive episodes. “Rachelle?” She calls out and she makes her way to my side of the bed that I was currently laying on. I look up at her and she gives me a smile. “Hey. You’re alive.” She says with a small smile and light laugh.
I just nod and she puts her hand on my shoulder. “Austin was wondering where you were and so I told him I would check on you.”
“Thank you.” I manage to squeak out. “Have you eaten anything or had any water?” She asks and I shake my head. She gets up and I hear her go to the kitchen and pour me a glass of water. She walks back over to me and I sit up and she hands the glass to me. “Drink that and I’ll start a shower for you okay?” She asks and I nod.
I was thankful for Marlana. She was always there for me when I felt like no one else was. I get up and make my way to the bathroom. She turns around and smiles at me. “I’ll be in the living room if you need anything okay?” She tells me and I nod.
The shower had helped, but I still wanted to just lay in bed all day. I brush my hair and Marlana knocks on the door. “Everything okay in there?” She asks.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I say lightly and I hear her phone ring and she walks away to answer it. When I walk into the living room, she had cheese fries and Dr. Pepper on the coffee table in front of the couch. I start to cry and she looks over at me worried.
“I’m sorry, did you not want this?” She asks and I shake my head. “I do, I just love you.” I say and she laughs and walks over to me, giving me a hug. “I love you too, Morgan!”
“You know you don’t have to stay here right?” I ask her and she shrugs her shoulders. I know she had plans to train with Roman today. “Your mental health is more important than a training session.” She says and sits down next to me on the couch.
I look down at my phone and see that Austin has texted me. “I’m going to go call Austin really quick, I’ll be back.” I tell Marlana and she nods.
I walk back into the bedroom and call him, and he answers quickly, “Rachelle? Are you okay?” He asks me.
“Yes and no. I’m sorry I had to bail today. I just needed a mental health day.” I tell him.
“That’s okay, I understand. Do you want me to come over?” He asks and my heart wants to say yes but I didn’t want Marlana to have to leave.
“Let me talk to Marlana first. She’s been here all morning, trying to get me out of bed.” I say and he clears his throat.
“Okay well, just let me know. I’m just at full sail so I can be there in like 20 minutes.” He says and I smile.
“Okay, see you soon.” I say and he tells me goodbye before hanging up.
I walk back into the living room and Marlana looks up at me. “What’s up?” She asks.
“Um, Austin wants to come over.” I say and she gets up.
“Oh, okay sure! I’ll just go ahead and go train with Roman. Text me if you need anything alright?” She asks and I nod.
20 Minutes later Austin shows up and greets me with a hug. “I was worried about you.” He says with a whisper.
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t know if you would be able to handle me when I get like this. I take medication but sometimes I just can’t fake it.” I say and make my way to the couch.
“Hey it’s okay. Don’t apologize, you literally have no control over that.” He says and joins me on the couch, sitting next to me. He looks at me and smiles.
“What is it?” I ask him and he shakes his head. “I don’t know if I should tell you. I think it’s bad timing.” He says and my heart begins to race.
“Tell me, please.” I whisper and he rubs the back of his neck. “I can’t stay away from you. I’ve tried being an asshole so that maybe you would stay away from me, but we’ve trained endlessly together and I don’t want you to do that with anyone else.” He says and I become speechless. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just when you weren’t answering, I thought the worst. Then, when I called Marlana, she told me what was really going on and I wanted to leave then but I didn’t know if you wanted me here or not.” He says and I take his hand in mine. “I always want you with me Austin. I was trying not to fall head over heels for you because that’s what I’ve been known to do. I always ended up hurt in the end. I didn’t think someone like you would like someone like me.” I rush out and he intertwines our hands together. “I have been attached since the moment you and Marlana walked in the door.” He says and I scoot closer to him. “I want you to be able to rely on me on days like this just as much as you do when we are training. I don’t want to lose you. Ever.” He says and tears spill over and he quickly tried to wipe them, and I bring his head to my chest. “I’m in love with you Rachelle.” He says and brings his head up to meet my eyes again, “And I totally understand if this is too much or that you don’t feel the same way, but I just had to tell you.” He says and then I lean in to kiss him.
Fireworks and electricity are all I felt when I kissed him. He brought his hands up to my face and deepened the kiss. I pull away to catch my breath and he rests his forehead on mine. “I love you too, Austin.” He smiles and pulls me into his lap. I rest my hands on his chest and he just looks up at me before picking me up and taking me to the bedroom.
He lays me down onto the bed and climbs over me, he stops suddenly and stands up at the end of the bed. “I’m sorry, I got carried away.” He says and I motion with my hand for him to come back to me. He slowly crawls his way back to me. His muscles moving underneath the shirt he had on and I bring his face down to kiss me again. “Rachelle.” He says and pulls away.
“Austin, please.” I beg him and his eyes grow darker as he slides his hands into mine and begins to kiss down my neck. He literally rips my shirt in half and grabs my boob and begins to squeeze.
He brings his head back up to kiss me again and I wrap my arms around my neck and his hand reaches down into my underwear and he starts to rub my clit. I shut my eyes as he goes in circles. “Open your eyes.” He grunts and I do as he stares at me until I’m pushed over the edge. He stands back up and pushes his shorts down.
He climbs back on the bed and pulls me closer to him and he slowly slides himself in me and I gasp. “Fuck you’re tight.” He groans and reaches up to my hands again as he rolls into me. He bends down to kiss me again. He lets go of my hands to grab the headboard of the bed and my hands go to his shoulders. “Faster.” I whisper to him and he increases his speed.
Then, I felt a burning pleasure down in my lower region that was unfamiliar. That’s when I realized, this would be my first orgasm.
“Fuck, please don’t stop.” I moaned and he goes even faster, hit the right spot every time. He drops one hand and I bring it to my throat and he looks surprised but squeezes his fingers around my throat.
Sweat started to drip from his chest and face on to my stomach. “Baby, I don’t think I’ll last much longer.” He grunts.
“Me neither.” I moan out and just at that time we both climax and he pulls out and lays down next to me.
“Wow.” Is all I can manage to say, and he laughs. “I love you Rachelle.” He says and I smile and turn to him.
“I love you too Theory.” I say and he smiles back at me.
Chapter 5
Present Day
Marlana’s P.O.V
I woke up the next morning in Roman’s arms and when I looked up at him, he was already looking down at me. “Hi.” I say to him and he scoots over, allowing me more room. “Hi.” He says back and smiles.
“We have the day off, what do you want to do?” I ask him and he pulls me close. “This.” He says and kisses my forehead.
“No complaints here.” I say and he laughs. I reach over to grab my phone and Rachelle blew me up, per usual.
Rachelle Morgan: “Did you finally get that tribal dick?”
I laugh so hard that I fall off the bed. “Are you okay?” Roman says and helps me back up.
“I’m good. Just Rachelle being Rachelle.” I say and I texted her back before putting my phone back down and making my way over to Roman.  I straddle his lap and he pushes himself up to where his back is against the headboard. I drag my hands down his chest and I watch as it moves up and down, anticipating my next move.
I begin to trace his tattoo and he watches me intently when I do it. “Did it hurt?” I ask him and he shakes his head. “Do you want to go train?” I ask him and he pushes me backwards and crawls on top of me.
“What do you think?” He asks and slowly raises my shirt up. When I don’t answer, he drags his finger down the crevice of my chest, “Cat got your tongue?” He asks and I clear my throat. Then, he jumps off the bed. “Let’s go then.” He says, reaching his hand out and pulling me up from the bed.
“You’re joking right?” I ask and he laughs and throws me leggings and a bra. “Get dressed.” He says and walks into the bathroom.
The nerve of that man.
Present Day.
Rachelle’s P.O.V
Me, and Austin were already in the middle of a training session when Marlana and Roman had entered the performance center. They came in holding hands and she was laughing at something that he had said. They both couldn’t stop smiling and I was so happy for them. They were finally together.
Marlana hops in the ring closest to the entrance and Roman quickly slid in after her and they started to run the ropes.
“About time huh?” Austin asks and I nod. “I know right.” I say smiling and turning back to Austin. “Want to go join them?” He asks and I shake my head.
“No, let them have fun.” I say and he nods before locking up with me.
//Flashback//
Rachelle’s P.O.V
“What’s wrong with her?” Austin asks me as I watch my best friend start trashing the room with an empty vodka bottle in her hand.
“I don’t know. I need to call Roman. He is the only one she listens to anymore.”
I step outside and call Roman. “Hello?”
“Roman, I need you to come to our apartment. Something is wrong with Marlana. She’s plastered and just wrecking everything in sight.” I tell him and he sighs. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He says and I hang up the phone and wait for him to get there.
He gets there and immediately goes to her and takes the bottle out of her hand. She lets him set it down and he brings her in to him and she just sobs in his shirt.
I take Austin into my room and just wait it out.
Marlana’s P.O.V
Roman takes the bottle from my hand and brings me into his chest. I just sit there and sob in his chest until he takes me into my room. He lays down with me on the bed and doesn’t say a word. “She doesn’t care about me. She never did.” I whisper and he just shushes me.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Roman says quietly.
“I just need you.” I say to him and he hugs me tighter.
“I’m right here.”
“I hate her Roman.” I say and try to leave but he doesn’t let me.
“Don’t let her get to you like this. She doesn’t deserve this energy from you. She is just a piece of shit mother who didn’t know what she had until you were gone.”
“What if I turn out like her? That’s my biggest fear.” He sits up and pulls me into his lap. “You are already better than her. Stop thinking like that.” He tells me and I can’t stop shaking.
“Roman, I know you’re still married or separated or whatever but-“ I say but stop myself.
“What is it?” He asks, looking at me. “Nothing. I’m going to go clean my mess.” I say and hop off of him and go into the living room to clean but I hear his foot steps behind me.
I can feel him watching me intently as I clean up and when I stop in the kitchen, I fall to my knees. “Why am I such a fuck up?”
“No, get up now.” Roman says and picks me up and sets me up on the counter.
“Roman, go home to your wife please.” I whisper and begin to feel dizzy from the tears and alcohol. “She deserves you.” I say and he just lifts my head up. “I can’t do this.” I say and he looks down, running his hand through his hair. “Marlana.” He says and I hop down from the counter. “Just go.” I whisper and try to walk off but he stops me and pulls me to him and he places his lips on mine. I pull away and shove his chest.
“Dammit Marlana! Stop pushing me away! I’m not fucking going anywhere.” He yells at me.
“I can’t drag you down with me. Please go.”
“You can’t drag someone who is willing. I wish I could stop loving you, but I can’t. You’ll just have to deal with that.” He says and reaches for me and I back away.
“I can’t break up a family.” I tell him and I can tell he is extremely frustrated. “Rachelle!” I yell and her and Austin come into the living room.
“Make sure he leaves and never comes back.”
“Marlana, I’m the one who called him.” Rachelle tells me.
“What the fuck? Why?”
“Look at you! Instead of picking up the phone and calling the man you love you sit around and harm yourself!”
“Harm herself?” Roman asks and I look at Rachelle. She turns to Roman, “Yes. She talks about nothing and it builds up inside her and she doesn’t eat or she just drinks it away.”
“Rachelle, that is not your information to hand out!” I yell at her.
“Marlana, look at me.’ Roman says and I turn myself to him. “Is all of this true?” He asks and I suddenly feel backed into a wall.
“Yes.” I squeak out and the emotion on his face said it all and he loses his balance and grabs onto the counter. “Roman, I’m sorry.” I say and when his eyes meet mine, tears had fallen down his face.
“I hadn’t realized how much I was taking out of you.” He says in a voice just above a whisper.
“No, Roman, it’s not you.”
“Don’t.” He says and he turns to Rachelle. “Thank you for telling me this. I have a lot of thinking to do.’ He says and turns back to me. Rachelle and Austin walk back to the room. Leaving me and Roman alone again.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” He chokes out. “This is all my fault.”
“No Roman, please don’t blame yourself.” I tell him and walk to him, but he stops me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asks.
“Because I knew you had enough going on at home.”
“Promise me something?” He asks and I nod.
“If I can come to you with proof that me and Galina are in the process of a divorce, will you stop pushing me away and harming yourself?” He asks, his eyes full of sadness. “Please?”
I nod and he pulls out his phone, “Those are the divorce papers.” He says and he swipes to the next picture, “That’s my stuff, packed up to go to Dwayne’s house in Miami.” He puts his phone away and grabs his keys and walks to the door. “Don’t give up on me, Marlana.” He says before opening the door.
“Roman.” I say and he turns to look at me. “I promise.” I say and he smiles before turning and leaving the apartment.