The Long Day Is Over

Harper knew that she wouldn't have more than a few minutes after arriving at the arena with Roman for the Skills Comp before Bristol found her. So she stuck close to him, taking everything in stride because it was, admittedly, a little bit overwhelming for her.

As expected, no more than five minutes after arriving did Bristol find her, approaching them at rapid speed while John, Steven, and James dragged behind her with amused smiles on their faces.

Harper was caught off guard when she was immediately thrown into a tight hug, and it took her a moment to realize who the crazy brunette that was hugging her was. She hugged her back and then she said, "I seriously cannot, cannot believe you've known about this for months and never even accidentally spilled the news once."

Harper grinned at her, shrugged and said, "I'm really good at keeping secrets. I'm like a vault of information you guys don't want other people to know."

"That's a little scary actually." Steven piped up from behind Bristol to say and John and James both nodded.

Shrugging her shoulders Harper stated, "At least I know I'll never be a friendless loser because I know too much about you all."

Bristol rolled her eyes, but a smile was on her face as she said, "Okay, back to me please."

Everyone laughed, Harper simply grabbed her hand to inspect the ring, before she looked at John and told him, "Yeah, we did good."

He laughed and nodded, allowing Harper to lean up and hug him tightly. There would be time for celebrating after, at dinner, so things were kept quick.

Roman offered a quick congratulations to them both and then Steven cleared his throat, looked at Harper for a moment, glanced at Roman and then turned his eyes back to Harper. She rolled her eyes and told him, "Seriously? You could have just said hi, you already know the dude."

"No, no. See... I know him from playing against him, I've never actually met him and besides, you're the one that should be introducing your boyfriend to your friends." Steven pointed out with a grin on his face as again Harper rolled her eyes.

She looked at Roman and then motioned to the men standing in front of them, "Fine. Roman this is John, Steven, and James. I apologize on their behalf for anything weird that happens following this introduction, their brains are basically non-existent."

"Not quite what I meant, but I'll take it I guess." Steven stated, narrowing his eyes at Harper as she grinned over at him.

Steven held his hand out to Roman, and as Roman shook it he told him, "Don't worry, I know you'll kill me if I hurt her."

Steven shook his head and told him, "Oh no. She will, I'll just be there to watch."

John piped up to say, "I'll kill you, though."

James couldn't help but jump in and say, "Come on guys be nice to the guy... he has to deal with me every day if he does... that should be punishment enough."

"That is a fate worse than death." Steven stated with a nod of his head and James rolled his eyes as everyone laughed.

Bristol glanced down at her watch and announced, "Alright, it's time for us to leave... I need girl time. We will see you all later."

Harper leaned up to kiss Roman's cheek quickly before she told him, "Good luck."

"What... we don't get a good luck? How the tides have changed." Steven stated, and Harper visibly rolled her eyes at him.

She told him, "Don't fall on your face."

"There's the Harper I know." He stated, making her laugh as she followed Bristol to their seats.

Once they were seated Bristol turned to her with a smile and Harper asked her, "Are you happy?"

"So happy. I just... I love him so much." Bristol told her, letting out a content sigh.

Harper smiled to herself as she asked her, "How did he do it?"

"Well... apparently he had this whole big thing planned where he was gonna take me out for dinner, we were gonna go to this really old school bar. He wanted to propose after we left there. He was so nervous through dinner we got outside of the restaurant and right there on the sidewalk he just dropped to one knee and asked." Harper couldn't help but laugh at that, figures John would have an entire thing planned down to the time and then fuck it up. Bristol went on to tell her, "He had this whole speech prepared and he couldn't even get through it so finally he just goes 'fuck it, will you marry me?' and I think I was the most surprised by the use of the word 'fuck' honestly that it took me a second to answer."

Again Harper laughed, "Poor dude was probably about to piss his pants thinking you were gonna say no."

"I would have never, in a million years, said no. He should have known that." When she said this Harper nodded because she knew it and she knew deep down John did too. After a second Bristol said, "I can't remember the last time I was this happy."

Harper wrapped an arm around her shoulder and held her tightly and told her, "I'm so happy that you're so happy."

Bristol grinned and asked her, "And you and Roman? Things are going good?"

Harper nodded and mimicked her friend, "This is the happiest I've been in a really long time."

"So... should we be factoring one extra person into our yearly summer vacation plans?" Bristol asked her with a smile.

Harper shrugged her shoulders, "You all might have to come to me, I'm not sure how much time I'll get off now."

"I'm cool with that. Where did you apply for residencies again?" Bristol asked her, glancing for a moment down at her cell phone before she took a picture of the scene before them. She put a pause on their conversation to take a picture of the two of them and Harper obliged mostly because she knew she wouldn't win that argument anyway.

"New York, Philly unfortunately." Harper informed her.

"That was only two, isn't there three? I distinctly remember you telling me there were three." Bristol stated, nothing seemed to ever get by her.

"Here." Harper said with a sigh before she added quickly, "But I applied way before I even met Roman and it's probably never gonna happen."

Bristol turned to her with a smile and said, "Stranger things have happened. Honestly, don't you want it to work out like that?"

"I mean... kind of. But I don't want to get my hopes up... but if I get matched somewhere else that's kind of the end of things. That's why I haven't even told him." Harper stated, and she jumped when Bristol reached over and pinched her thigh.

"You have to tell him! Harper you two love each other, you can't keep this major thing from him. What are you gonna do if you match here? Tell him 'sorry I never told you but I'm moving to Nashville in two months'? Really?" Bristol asked her and Harper grumbled.

"I hate it when you're right." She wasn't sure she wanted to have that conversation. Her neurosis was settling in; what if he was mad that she didn't tell him? What if he didn't want her here? What if this made things weird between them?

Bristol smiled and told her, "It's gonna be fine dude, just chill out. Stop thinking about things so much... it's not healthy ask John."

Harper couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Look how cute we are." Bristol told her, tilting her phone so that Harper could see the picture of the two of them that she had posted on Instagram with the caption 'Cheering on our boys and we can't decide who looks cuter; us or them.' Harper let out a laugh as Bristol asked her, "Wait is your relationship Instagram official yet or no?"

"I don't know... I barely even use Instagram." Harper stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Right, you're weird. Honestly, you're such a bore." Harper rolled her eyes at Bristol, who grinned at her. Harper watched her curiously as she found Roman's Instagram and found one single picture of Harper, though you couldn't actually see her face. Bristol let out a relieved sigh and said, "Oh good, I'm not gonna get in trouble for tagging him in that picture."

Harper's brow lifted, "You follow him?"

Bristol shrugged, "He follows me back."

"Wow. My best friend and my boyfriend are Instagram friends and I didn't even know it... how rude." Harper joked, smile on her face.

Bristol fired back with, "Not as rude as you not telling me my jackass of a boyfriend was gonna propose."

Harper let out a loud laugh, "Jackass... I love it."

- - -

With the Skills Comp over Harper followed Bristol out to the parking lot to wait for their boys to arrive. While Roman had come in second for fastest skater Harper was still proud of him, and she definitely thought James' breakaway challenge was the best though she might be slightly biased. Not surprising Shea had won the hardest shot and John had, also unsurprisingly, had won for accuracy.

"You're gonna tell him, right?" Harper turned her head to look over at Bristol, brow raised. Rolling her eyes Bristol reminded her, "About your match thing!"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, totally." That was Harper for 'not a chance' and Bristol rolled her eyes again because she knew it too.

"What are you so afraid of Harp?"

She didn't know how to answer that, because, truth be told, Harper was annoyed with herself for even being so afraid to tell Roman that there was a possibility that she could match right here in Nashville.

So she told Bristol, "That things get weird. Maybe our relationship only works because we live so far away, maybe once he knows there's a possibility that I could move here things will change and get... weird."

"Bullshit. That's not the reason." Damn Bristol for knowing her so well and knowing when to call her bluff.

With a sigh, Harper flicked her thick braid over her shoulder and told Bristol honestly, "I'm scared of getting my hopes up. I'm scared of letting myself even think about this because what if I don't get matched here?"

"Nothing has to change if you don't." Bristol told her, and Harper wanted to believe that, she really did, but she just couldn't do it. She had tried.

"Everything changes. I mean, sure New York and Philly are closer to here but... Bristol I don't want to do this long distance thing for that long, and I know he doesn't either. I do love him, as crazy as that makes me, but... what if that's not enough at this point? Loving someone doesn't make never seeing each other and never being in the same time zone any easier." Harper stated sadly, it was something that had been on her mind a lot recently.

"I hate to cut this conversation short but the boys are coming. We'll talk later." Bristol told her, reaching out to give her hand a squeeze.

Harper managed to produce a not as fake as it was smile as Roman wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into him. She leaned up and kissed him quickly, before she dropped back down to the heels of her feet and she told him, "You know... if you worked just a little harder you could have won that."

He rolled his eyes but he did laugh and then he asked her, "Why do I date you again?"

"Because how else would your head fit through doors?" Harper asked him with a wide grin on her face.

Roman shook his head in amusement and James clapped his hand on his back and then told Harper, "It's good to know we aren't the only ones you're mean to."

"It's called tough love, it builds character." Harper told him with a wide smile.

Bristol cleared her throat loudly and animatedly, fixing her expectant glance on Steven, who's cheeks flushed pink. He cleared his throat and introduced the blonde beside him, "Alright, so this is Jordyn, Jor this is... everyone."

Bristol waved and introduced herself, "Bristol."

Jordyn nodded and glanced at John as she said, "Okay, let me see if I can get this right. You're Bristol, and John, congratulations by the way... that would make you James, and you Harper and you... sorry I don't know who you are."

She was looking at Roman when she said this and he let out a chuckle, Harper smiled and told her, "He would be Roman."

Steven added, "Her boyfriend, she likes to forget to add that part... probably on purpose."

"Glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that." Roman joked, laughing when Harper reached out and pinched his arm. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his side before he said, "Relax, I'm kidding."

Everyone got into their own cars to meet up at the restaurant, Harper and Roman made small talk the whole ride there, mostly about the rest of the season and their schedules over the next few months. When they arrived at the restaurant and Roman pulled into a parking space and turned the car off he turned to Harper and watched her for a few moments as she sat still as can be staring at the dash of his SUV.

"You okay?" He asked her curiously, brow lifted just the slightest.

She shook her head slightly and turned to look at him in surprise, "What?"

He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle and he noted the fact that while she had smiled it was barely there, so he asked her, "Is everything okay? You're a little... weird."

She smiled normally this time and told him, "I'm always weird."

He laughed, "Yeah, but... weirder than usual. I'm just worried something's wrong."

Shaking her head Harper stuffed her phone into the pocket of her jeans and got out of the car so Roman followed suit. As they met around the front of the car she linked her arm with his and told him, "I'm fine, really."

It was as if she had done a one-eighty but Roman didn't want to start a fight so he chose to simply ignore her odd mood and follow along next to her into the restaurant. Steven, James, and Jordyn were sitting at the table when they arrived, Bristol and John were late, as usual, and Harper was sure John would blame Bristol the minute they arrived, also as usual.

Harper took the spot next to Steven, Roman next to her, and that was when Steven asked her, "So... did you have fun today?"

"That was supposed to be fun?" She joked, making him roll his eyes. She bumped her shoulder into his and told him, "Yes it was fun. Although... I could have done without the first hour of sitting with Bristol."

His brow quirked and he joked, "She's your best friend, aren't you supposed to love spending time with her whenever you can?"

Shrugging her shoulders Harper informed him, "She may be my best friend, and I may love her so, but seriously the last thing I want to do is talk about weddings for like an hour... but she's excited and I'm happy for her so I will suck it up and be a good friend."

"Good. You might as well get used to it now, you know she's gonna go into wedding planning mode now." Steven pointed out and Harper tilted her head back and groaned, making everyone at the table laugh.

Curiously Roman asked Harper, "You don't like weddings?"

"I like weddings when I can just show up and leave whenever I want. I don't like weddings when I'm gonna have to wear some awful dress and shoes that make my feet hurt and where I'll probably have to embarrass myself and everyone in the room by giving a speech." She explained to him and with an amused smile on his face he nodded in understanding.

Trying to push her buttons James reminded Harper, "Plus you know Bristol is gonna freak out and want to cancel the whole thing at least four times before she even makes it down the aisle."

"I am not afraid to duct tape her to a wheely chair and push her down the aisle if I have to." Harper informed him, again making everyone laugh.

“What did we miss?” Bristol asked, her brow lifted slightly as she and John took their spots on the other side of the table, next to James.

James told her, “We were just making fun of you.”

“What else is new?” Bristol asked with a smile, nudging his shoulder with hers, which in turn made him turn to her and grin.

Once their orders were taken and their drinks were brought out Steven asked, “Is anyone going to make a speech or something?”

All eye’s seemed to fall on Harper immediately and she shook her head, "Oh no. No no no. I am so not doing that. That was not part of this arrangement."

"I'll do it." James stated.

Harper looked at Bristol, who looked back at her, and she said, "I oddly want to hear this."

"Congratulations." James said, and then he looked at John and told him, "Don't fuck it up."

John rolled his eyes and Bristol, along with everyone else, laughed.

It wasn’t until they were heading up to Roman’s apartment after their evening with her friend’s that Harper realized that Bristol, as much as she really, really hated to admit this, was right about the match results. She let out a small sigh as Roman unlocked the door and pushed it open, allowing her to go inside before he did.

He disarmed the alarm and as they were slipping out of their shoes and jackets he asked her, “What was that sigh for?"

“Nothing.” She said before she added in, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” He asked her in amused curiosity.

Nodding her head she ran her fingers through her long hair and stated, “I’m thinking of cutting my hair.”

His brow raised and he repeated her statement as a question, “You’re thinking of cutting your hair?”

“That’s not what I meant to say.” She said quickly, she was already blowing this and the frustration from that caused her eyes to well up with tears, which only made her angrier.

“Whoa, I’m sure whatever it is really isn’t that big of a deal Harper.” Roman told her as he grabbed her gently by both arms and pulled her into his chest.

He was running his hands over her hair when she groaned, wiped at her cheeks and told him, “It’s not. I don’t even know why I’m crying and that’s just making me mad which is just making it all worse.”

Roman let out a small chuckle, his chest vibrating, and he stopped running a hand over her hair to put both of his palms on either side of her face to pull her eyes up to his and he told her, “So tell me what’s wrong.”

“I lied when I told you that I applied for matches in Philly and New York.” She told him, and when his brow raised she was quick to add in, “I mean I did apply there, but I also applied here.”