A Ballad of Love and Hate

We took no time when everything got figured out.

All my stuff was being moved to Florida. Ryan was re-fixing his schedule so that he was still training at an above and beyond level but that we would have time for one another. When he would travel, I would travel with him while meeting investors at the same time wherever we were.

Maybe the logistics were important, but after I came down here, we were able to discuss this together.

The wedding was being planned full force ahead. My dress was finished. Lily’s dress and his sisters dresses were finished. Ryan’s tux along with his brothers, Cullen’s and now Conor’s (who we decided should without a doubt be in the wedding) were also completed.

The date was set for three weeks from now and we would be getting married where we first met; University of Florida.

The cathedral was located right next to the lake where Ryan and I had so many memories from when we first started dating and even memories from when we started dating again.

I was putting on a simple white strapless dress for our engagement dinner tonight when I saw Ryan coming in the room behind me, sweating and panting.

“How was the workout?” I smiled. Ryan fell on the bed and sighed.

“I’m so exhausted. But you look gorgeous, what time is our engagement dinner?” He asked, sitting up and pulling off his shirt. I smiled as I curled my hair and put a golden headband in my hair.

“We need to leave in an hour, now shower so I can kiss you,” I smiled, pulling out his suit from our closet. Ryan grinned and made his way to me anyways, though he was sweating.

“I don’t care if I’m gross, I’m not showering until I kiss you,” he grinned. I allowed a sweaty Ryan put his arms around my waist and lightly kiss me before heading to the shower.

Things were truly going perfectly after I impulsively came down and told him everything.

As Ryan got ready, I checked my phone to see that Ryan’s mother had called me and left a voicemail for her to call her back.

“Noah, hey, just wanted to let you know we’re all on our way to the restaurant we may be twenty minutes late or so, we had to wait for a couple laggers,” his mother laughed on the phone.

“That’s okay, Ike, Ryan just got home from training so he’s still getting ready, take your time,” I promised her it would be okay if the Lochte family was late. Ryan came out in just his towel and wrapped his arms around me, kissing my neck.

“Alright, Ike, we will surely see you soon,” I said before hanging up.

“What’d my mom say?” he asked as Ryan set me on the counter and began to rub my inner thigh.

“They’re running late but that doesn’t mean you get to goof off, Ry, Conor and Lily are going to be here in fifteen,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“God, Noah, this is really happening, we’re finally getting married, we’re finally living together, I can’t wrap my mind around it all. How did I get to be the luckiest guy in the world?” He asked. I hopped off the counter and led Ryan to our room to help him get into his suit.

“I’m just wondering the same thing, Ry, this is all a dream come true,” I grinned at I buttoned up his shirt for him.

Ryan of course wanted to wear something out of the norm and because I loved him, I okayed it. He put on his black suit with a silk black undershirt and a golden tie. I slightly hated his silk shirt but I let it go. He also wore pointed black shoes and gelled his hair a little bit.

“So I look okay?” Ryan asked. I rolled my eyes.

“No, you look awful,” I joked as I found a pair of golden flats to put on.

Ryan was about to protest but the doorbell saved me. Ryan tapped me on the behind and went to open the door.

“Babe! Lily, Conor, and Devon are here!” He yelled up. I looked in the mirror one more time and ran downstairs to meet everyone.

“Devon, you aren’t with your mommy?” I questioned, raising my eyebrow. Ryan laughed at his brother who was clearly embarrassed by my comment.

“I’m a grown ass man,” Devon mumbled. I grabbed my clutch and took Ryan’s hand.

Nothing could go wrong tonight.

We all rode in Ryan’s Range Rover to the restaurant we rented out for the event and talked about everything going on.

“So, Noah, where are you guys going for the honeymoon?” Devon asked from the back seat, I turned around and grinned.

“We’re not telling anyone,” I smiled. Devon rolled his eyes as Ryan grabbed my hand.

“Why aren’t you? I’m not going to stalk you,” Devon replied.

“That way when I kill Ryan and take him for all his money, no one knows where the body is,” I winked causing Conor and Lily to laugh.

“Real funny, Noah, please keep being a sarcastic jerk to me, it’s hilarious,” Devon replied with a small smile on his face. Lily leaned on his shoulder to comfort him.

“Oh you think I’m hilarious, Devon. And you know, as your future sister, it’s my job to be such a loving sibling to you,” I grinned. We arrived at the restaurant and saw that even though Ike told us she was going to be late, the Lochte family was already here.

“Yeah, because I certainly don’t have enough sisters doing that to me already,” Devon scoffed.

Ryan led the way in as I joked on Devon more, not really paying attention to where I walked. I was walking right behind Ryan when I bumped into his back with my forehead.

“Shit! Ryan, why the hell did you stop?!” I hissed, holding my forehead. I looked up at Ryan who had a pissed off look on his face. I looked at him confused before I looked at the family that awaited us.

I stopped rubbing my head when I saw my parents and brother with the rest of Ryan’s family.

Maybe there was something that could ruin this night.

"God, why are you guys freaking out?" Devon asked, pushing through us to greet his mother And sisters. Ryan gripped my hand tightly unable to move.

"Noah? Are you going to be okay?" Lily asked, slightly knowing my family history but not knowing it entirely.

"Yeah, we will be fine, sweetie, it's fine. Come on," I tugged Ryan's arm and led him to the table.

We couldn't blame his mother nor could we be mad at her. She didn't know how messed up my family was for many reasons. One being that I didn't want to talk about it and two, we didn't want them to think different of my family. They've been friends even through our break up.

I put a smile on and hugged Ryan's mom. Ryan gave his mother a stiff hug, having a hard time faking it.

"Noah, I called your mom last night so we could organize travel, I didn't realize how long we haven't seen each other," Ike smiled.

"Noah, Ryan. It's so good to see you," my mother cleared her throat and gave me a hug. Ryan clenched onto my shoulder and held me closer as soon as she released me.

"Noah, Ryan," my dad stood and shook Ryan's hand.

Nathaniel stood to greet me but Ryan swiftly led me away to sit by his sisters.

Everyone looked at us for a moment, feeling the tension as we sat.

"So, Noah, I assume you called the University to confirm the wedding," Megan broke the silence among all of us. I sipped my champagne and nodded.

"Yes, I did we're all set to get married in three short weeks from today," I smiled. My parents looked at me, keeping even faces not wanting to show they weren't invited or had any knowledge of when we were getting married.

"Well we would love to arrange travel again with you guys," Ike smiled wanting to unite the family. My mother was about to speak when my dad cleared his throat.

"We won't be there. I have a big conference in Seattle and my wife will be with me," my father spoke evenly. Ryan's mom gave him a stunned look.

"But Mike, it's your daughter’s wedding day! Surely you can miss the conference," Megan spoke up, shocked he would miss his only daughter’s wedding. I downed the rest of my champagne as Ryan kept gripping my hand.

"Well we wish we could be there, really we do, but Noah understands. You two will receive a gift and of course, following tradition, Noah, we would like to pay for the wedding," my mother smiled at me. Ryan scoffed at her.

"We really don't want you to pay for anything. Nor do we need you too. Noah has worked her ass off for all she has and so have I. So keep your petty check," Ryan snapped. Everyone looked at him shocked by his harsh words.

"Ryan Steven! You don't get to say such unkind words!" His mother rebuked, surprised by her son’s words. Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of hard work, Noah made all our dresses and shoes, they're stunning," Lily shared in attempt to break the ice and change the subject.

"Nothing tight right? I know I'm a Lochte but I'm a woman Lochte that just had baby number two," Kristin laughed.

I smiled and assured her that all the dresses were contemporary. I tried to focus on the dress conversation when I felt Nathaniel’s eyes staring me down. I shifted a little in my seat as I kept talking to Kristin about her dress and her trying it on.

"Stop staring at my fiancé," Ryan slammed his hand to the table suddenly, shocking everyone. I pulled him back to his seat as he stood.

"Ryan, please sit," I begged. His family still looked at us shocked, not sure why we were so on edge.

"I will look where I want," my brother smirked. Ryan ripped away from me and stood up.

"Well, this has been a nice gesture but we should go. Ilena thank you for the extended invite but we will take a taxi home, Nathaniel, come," my mom stood with my father, not wanting to cause a scene.

"Yeah we should go before the idiot loses his small, simple mind," my brother mumbled. Ryan laughed a little before pulling my brother by the shoulder and punched him in the face.

"Ryan!" I shouted simultaneously with his mother.

Ryan continued to punch my brother in the face until Conor pulled him away. My parents helped my brother up.

No words were exchanged as my parents walked out with my brother.

“Ryan! What on Earth has gotten into you?!” His mother yelled astonished. The servers were about to bring out dinner but disappeared when they heard Ike yelling at her son.

Ryan pushed Conor off of him and stormed away to the back of the restaurant, ignoring his mother and mumbling words under his breath.

I didn't understand why Ryan and I couldn't just be happy for more than a few weeks. Why we couldn't just be a normal happy couple? I picked up my champagne glass and downed the flute before picking up Ryan’s glass and downing it too. Everyone kept looking at me for answers.

"I'm going to go talk to him," Devon stood to follow his brother. I looked at everyone else.

"I'm sorry everyone. This is not the night I wanted," I began tearing up.

"Noah, what the heck was that, I think we'd like some answers," Ike asked me. I sighed and sat down.

“That was the Wilson family. Listen, Ike, I know you mean well and I know Ryan and I haven’t told you about what’s gone down with my family but we do not want them at our wedding,” I vaguely explained.

I grabbed Devon’s glass of champagne and downed his glass as well before walking out to find my fiancé.

“Well, Noah, wait!” His mom called after me. I began feeling slightly tipsy from downing three glasses of champagne pretty much back to back as I went to find Ryan pissed off, talking to his brother.

“Ryan,” I slurred a little. He looked my way and sighed.

I grabbed a bottle of champagne sitting in an ice bin next to him and popped it up open.

“Noah, are you getting drunk?” Ryan sighed. I sat down and drank unclassily out of the bottle.

“Yes, Ryan, yes I am. Because here’s why, I’m angry. My parents ruin everything and we, well we were finally happy and they come and you end up punching my brother in the face and damn it, this is suppose to be our engagement dinner, we’re suppose to be happy, kissing and smiling not pissed off in the back of a high end restaurant, hiding from the world,” I protested. Ryan took the bottle of champagne from me and pulled me into his arms.

"Noah, lets be real, we have been through alot of shit and that sucks but you know what? We're Ryan and Noah and we will be happy. Hell, we are happy. I have you here with me and we're both doing what we love," Ryan happily told me, kissing me on my forehead.

"We are happy, Ry. But I'm just, so over the intense," I sighed.

"Well, our wedding won't reflect all this mess, Noah, we will get extra security and have only the people we love there," Ryan promised me.

"Ryan, I can't thank you enough for always putting up with me, even though we just went through this whole ordeal," I said, referring to our break that we took for only a few days.

Ryan smiled and pulled me into a kiss

"In three short weeks, you're going to be Mrs. Noah Lochte," Ryan said, helping me to my feet with him. I sloppily smiled and took Ryan's hands into mine.

"I couldn't ask for anything more," I grinned.

"Now come on, alchy, I'm sure my family is awaiting us and an explanation as to why I punched out your brother," Ryan rolled his eyes as he led me back to his family.

Ryan and I have gone through it all and yet here we were. Together and ready to conquer the world. And in three short weeks we would be publically declaring we were going to conquer it together.