CHAPTER 11

After the show, the group all went to a dinner together. All the girls had been sheltering Royce from Joe. She felt kind of bad for avoiding him but she couldn't just pour out her emotions to him now. In Royce's head, the last thing Joe needs is his bestfriend whining about some silly little crush. But Joe was just concerned he was losing his other half.

He tried sitting next to her but Nikki practically shoved him to the side and got to Royce before he could. Joe sighed and took a seat across the table by Dean and Finn.

"So you guys are going to Phoenix this week?" Seth asked the twins.

"Yeah, we have to check on the houses and our mom wants us home for bit." Brie replied, flipping through the menu.

"When are you leaving?" Royce wondered.

"Wednesday night, do you need to go back too? I can check on your apartment if you need me to." Brie suggested.

Royce pulled out her phone, "I might go with you guys. Nick has been texting me, some of his things are still at my place so if he's free, I'll go."

"I thought he had a key." Dean joined the conversation.

She shook her head. "He gave all the keys and stuff back a couple months ago." Her phone buzzed and she seen Nick replied.

Nick: Got a flight for Thursday, be in Phoenix in her afternoon. Thanks.

———

"Well I'm getting dessert!" Dean declared as their food came.

"Our food barely got here." Dolph shook his head.

"So?"

"You might be full." Paige pointed out.

The two began going back and forth, the rest just sighed and began eating their food.

"Okay guys be quiet!" Seth hushed them. "We're in a restaurant."

"Royce?" A voice said.

She looked up and seen a face she hadn't seen in years.

"Ah it's the Royce Presley Mahfud." The man grinned.

Royce smiled and got up, "And it's the Neels Visser."

"Neels Visser... The model Neels Visser?" Becky whispered.

"Who's Neels Visser?" Joe made a face.

"He's hot." Nikki stated.

"He's perfect." Charlotte gazed at him.

"His jawline." Paige gasped.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Who is he?!"

Neels Visser: Model/film actor ^

"Look at you!" Royce hugged him. "You look so grown up now!"

Joe just stared them down, Neels had picked her up and held her longer than he liked. His hands settled on either side of her hips and stayed there once they stopped hugging.

"What's up with you?" Dean whispered to Joe.

He played it off, "Nothing."

"Did you forget I'm a week older than you?" Neels laughed and pulled back from the hug.

She pushed his shoulder and rolled her eyes. "A week, just a week. What are you doing here?"

"Fashion week, I had to meet with some designers. You're killing it though, I seen you won the tag team titles." He said.

Royce nodded, "Yeah with Paige." She looked over her shoulder and pointed to her. All the girls were so lost looking at Neels, they didn't realize him and Royce were staring at them.

"Hi ladies." Neels waved. "I'm Neels."

"Hot." Nikki blurted out and everyone looked at her. "I- I mean my food, it's hot. It burned my tongue."

"Do you attract twins everywhere you go?" Neels laughed and motioned to Nicole and Brie. "You and Toni, Ethan and Gray, and the Bella twins."

Nikki let out a gasp. "You know who we are?"

"Of course." He smiled.

"Why don't you join us Neels?" Seth offered and grabbed a chair for him.

"I don't want to intrude."

"No it's okay, you can stay. We don't mind." Royce said and made him sit.

Joe cleared his throat and leaned on the table. "So you're a... Model?"

"He's been in multiple fashion shows Joe." Nikki commented and gazed at Neels.

"Fashion shows," Joe whistled and sipped his drink. "Wow."

"That's a nice tattoo," Becky pointed at his arm.

Neels loved his arm so they could see it better. "Thanks, I got it with Royce."

Joe mentally rolled his eyes. "Together?"

"Yeah, I got this and she got the two wings on her chest." He replied and looked at Royce. "Remember how chaotic that day was?"

She nodded and laughed. "It was pretty crazy."

He flashed his smile, and so did she. The rest looked at each other, all thinking the exact same thing. Nick was out of the picture, but Joe... He just got in.

———

❤️: 6.2 mil 💬: 851,000@RoyceWWE: REUNITED WITH MY LOVE! @neels ❤️😂

❤️: 4 mil 💬: 513,080@neels: reunited with the babe last night ♥️ #IMETROYCEPRESLEY #fangirl #jkknownherforyears @RoyceWWE

———

"Aha!" Nikki pointed at Royce. "I know that look! Who are you texting?"

"Nobody." Royce locked her phone.

"Is that soo..." Nikki walked over to her. She looked at Charlotte and nodded to Royce. "Get her phone!" Nikki jumped on Royce and held her down.

"Nicole no!" Royce tried escaping her grip. "No!"

"Let it go!" Charlotte grunted and pulled her phone. "Ha! Got it!"

"Nicole! Get off!" Royce tried slapping her hands away.

Charlotte unlocked her phone and went to her messages. "ITS NEELS!"

Nikki gasped, "What?! What are they saying??"

"Hardcore flirting," Charlotte smirked and scrolled through the conversation. "HES COMING TO THE RUMBLE!"

"Let me see!" She got off of Royce and ran over to Charlotte. "Awe! Neels and Royce! Oh my god your ship name can be Reels!"

"Okay okay enough!" Royce snatched her phone back. "We're friends. But.... He's cute.."

"I knew it!" Charlotte squealed. "Screw Joe, go for Neels!"

"Maybe I will." Royce said and smiled. "In the future though... Hopefully.." She whispered to herself.

Screw Joe... Well he's still in the back of mind. Especially when you're in love with him.

———

"Royce!"

"Oh.. Hey Joe." Royce gave him a small smile. "What's up?"

"First, I want to say I'm really sorry about last week at my house... There's nothing going on with me and Galina it was just in the heat of the moment." Joe cleared his throat. "I.. I don't even know why I'm apologizing.. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." Royce said. "We were just having fun." She let out a laugh despite the pang feeling she felt in her chest.  "We're bestfriends.. Right?"

He nodded, "Of course. Who just happen to kiss and sleep together."

"Maybe for the next few weeks we should just be bestfriends." She suggested.

"Yeah maybe, we'll do what friends do." Joe shrugged. "Oh before I forget," he dug in his pocket and took out a box. He opened it up. "Jojo saw this at the store and begged me to get it for you."

"Awe it's cute," She gasped and took it out of the box. "How did she know I love butterflies?"

"Someone may have told her." Joe grabbed the necklace and put it on for her. "There you go."

"Thank you." Royce grinned. "Well I have to go get ready for tonight. Tell Jojo I said thank you."

"She'll be at the rumble, she really wants to see you." He said.

Royce nodded. "Awe, okay then. Guess I'll tell her myself. Alright I'll see you later, thanks again for the-

He shushed her with a kiss. "You're welcome."

"Y-yeah. Umm, I got to.. The locker room, yeah. See you later." She stuttered and walked away.

What was happening?

Neels Visser🖤: Hey my lil Presley, just booked my flight for the rumble. How's your day going so far🖤?

———

to be continued