“Since when is lifting weights your thing?”

Dean immediately put the bar down as soon as he heard his voice.

“Aren't you supposed to be somewhere across the world?” Dean asked as he picked up his towel.

“Knee is acting up so I was pulled from the tour.”

“So you decided to find me in Kansas for what?” Dean grabbed his tape from the bag, suddenly feeling the urge to hit something. He wanted to ignore Seth and hope that he would leave him alone.

“To apologize.” Seth said with a small shrug.

“Ha, that's funny.” Dean muttered, not looking at him.

“What? You don't want my apology?” Seth asked, taking steps towards him.

Dean let out a dry laugh, “Of course, I want your apology. That doesn't mean that I'll accept it.”

“Look, man-”

“If Roman sent you in here then you can fuck off because he just left.” Dean told him as he wrapped his hands in tape, “I would prefer for you not to waste my time of if you aren't going to make this apology sincere.”

“Dean, I've hardly said anything.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “I think that's the issue. You going to apologize, then apologize.”

Seth stared at his best friend. He clearly didn't know what to say. Dean was the type of person that wouldn't give someone the time to talk, if they were giving him a reason to. Seth wanted to give Dean a reason to let him apologize, but he didn't know what to tell him. He was wondering what the correct words to say would be.

“Riley’s a friend, Dean, I'm not going to lie to you about that.” Seth started.

“Wow, that's such a great way to start your apology.” Dean finally looked over at him, “This has nothing to do with her, Colby, this is about you and me.”

Seth sighed, “Dean, I'm sorry if I made you feel that she was worth more to me than you.”

“You know, what? I don't care.” Dean said, “You want to care more about some girl that you've known for less than a year then go ahead.”

“That's the thing, Dean, I don't care more about her.” Seth told him, “I care more about our friendship -- a friendship that we've had for so many years. I couldn't care less about some girl, not when in comparison to my best friend. You've been by my side since day one, Dean. I know I fucked up and I feel horrible about it. I have never beat myself up over something so much in my entire life.”

Dean looked away from him as he picked up his boxing gloves. Seth took it as a sign to continue as he clearly wasn't going to say anything.

“It's been you, Roman, and I since day one. I know that I've fucked up so much, man, too much to even be your best friend.” Seth said, taking steps towards him, “I want you to know that I don't know what I'd do without you, man, and I didn't realize that until I felt what it was like to not have you in my life. I need your crazy ass in my life because you're the only person who can truly understand me.”

Dean stopped strapping on his gloves, clearly not knowing what to think. Seth had hurt him too much. He probably felt more anger towards his best friend than he did to the girl that causes everything. His best friend betrayed him, he chose some girl over him, twice. Dean didn't want to forgive him, but Seth was his best friend.

He didn't know what he could possibly do without Seth by his side, but at the same time, he wanted to punch Seth in the face multiple times. He wanted Seth to feel the pain that he put him through, but Dean didn't know if he was capable of that. Dean didn't know if he was capable of hurting Seth like that, not after everything Seth has done for him.

“Roman’s going to be a father in a couple of weeks, man.” Seth let out a dramatic sigh, “Who's suppose to get drunk with me at four in the morning?”

Dean couldn't stop the small laugh that left him as Seth smiled.

Dean shook his head, “You're a dick, you know that?”

“Am I your best friend though?” Seth asked, suddenly confident. There was no doubt that Dean would forgive him, but he was still scared. Dean was always so bipolar with everyone so Seth would think that Dean was going to try and turn on him.

Dean took a moment to finally look up at Seth. He didn't want to waste time fighting with Seth when he could have his best friend by his side. Dean didn't want to admit that he was still struggling, despite having up these walls to keep his emotions in check.

Without even realizing it his eyes started to water.

“Don't get all emotional on me, man.” Seth said, taking steps towards him.

Dean closed his eyes with a small sigh as soon as Seth hugged him, “I love you, man.”

Seth chuckled, “I love you too.”

Riley didn't bother removing her sunglasses as Leslie joined her in the courtyard.

“It's nice out here.” Leslie muttered as she sat down across from Riley.

Riley’s eyes immediately moved towards Leslie's very pregnant stomach, “You look like you're about to pop.”

Leslie smiled, “She should be here in a couple of weeks.”

“How are you and Roman?” Riley asked. Leslie could immediately tell that she didn't want to talk about herself. Riley would prefer to talk about everyone else.

“We're trying to figure things out, hopefully before she gets here.” Leslie answered.

“Seth?” Riley asked, quietly.

“Seth and Dean are trying to work out their problems. Dean forgave him, but you know how he is.” Leslie told her, “Seth has been wanting to come see you, but he hurt his knee and he went to go talk to Dean.”

“That's okay. You know that all I wanted was for Dean to forgive him.” Riley smiled, “I'm happy that Seth was able to patch things up with him. He shouldn't have gotten dragged into this mess.”

Leslie smiled as Riley slowly raised her sunglasses to the top of her head, “I'm glad you realized that.”

Riley’s smile suddenly fell as she stared at her best friend.

Leslie immediately reached over to grab Riley's hand, “Why are you going to cry?”

Riley shook her head as her free hand rubbed at her teary eyes, “I just don't like thinking about how stupid I was. I can't believe that I did half the stuff that I actually did.”

“Ri, you couldn't have known what was going to happen.” Leslie told her softly.

“I know, but it was so childish of me to do something like that.”

“You're seventeen, Riley. No one expects you to act like an adult. You got involved with a guy that's twelve years older than you and he couldn't have expected you to act like an adult because you were with him.” Leslie said, “Yes, there was a point where you should have learned to act like an adult, but you're still a teenager. No one can blame you for acting childish.”

Riley let out a dry chuckle, “I should have grown up. I should be known that what I was doing was wrong. I can't just blame it on my age, I have to blame it on myself as well. I handled it so stupidly, and I should have realised that.”

“Riley come on.”

Riley sighed, softly, “That is all in the past, however.”

Leslie smiled, “I'm glad you got the help you needed, Ri. I think it really helped you see everything from everyone else's perspective and not your own.”

“I see things in a different light, something that I should have done a long time ago.” Riley sighed, “Everyone probably hates me at the moment and they have the right to hate me after what I did.”

Leslie shook her head, “They may not be your biggest fans, but you need to show them that you understood that what you did was wrong. Show them that you have learned from your mistakes and if they chose to still hate you then you move on. You don't need them in your life if they aren't going to accept that you have seen what you did was wrong.”

There was silence between the two of them as they just enjoyed each other's presence. Leslie hadn't had the time to come visit her best friend in the time that she was in here. Leslie felt as if she had betrayed Riley by not visiting her and being by her side when Riley needed her the most.

“I want to get out of here and make it right with everyone. I'm not expecting anyone to forgive me. I just want them to know that I'm trying to learn from my mistakes.” Riley said, softly, “I know that a month isn't enough time for me to grow up, but I'm just glad that I'm starting to grow up. I'm starting to realize that I can't make childish decisions, not in an adult world, not when I'm surrounded by a bunch of adults.”

Leslie opened her mouth to say something, but Riley continued, “I'm the youngest WWE signee in a long time, and I want them and everyone else to know that they didn't sign a child. I want them to know that they signed a mature seventeen year old with a great wrestling ability.”

“I won't let my age define who I am, not with them, and certainly not with Dean and his friends.”

There's no point in me apologizing because knowing me, it's going to happen again. Yes it is an extremely short chapter, but this needed to get out there.

Love you guys,
DianaUnstableAmbrose 💋❤