To Pique an Interest

Chapter 17: Reunited

Author's Note: Wow; it's been a while since I've updated...I'm so sorry for the long delays and the writing blocks! I was able to get this done recently, but despite this most recent update, don't expect my updates to be as regular as they used to be. I'll try and get some stories up and some current ones done as soon as I can, but for now, enjoy this chapter of To Pique an Interest :)

Lilly's POV

Graduating from university as a graduate student was one of the happiest feelings ever. Finally you're out of school and you have all the tons of experience needed to get the job that you want. With both my undergrad and graduate's degrees, I planned on returning back to my hometown of Toronto (if not Toronto, perhaps in Vancouver or somewhere within the states) to look for a job in the urban design field.

I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be, however, because a certain special someone whom I'd hoped to show up hadn't showed up at all. I recalled sitting on the podium along with my fellow graduates, peering over Billy Gringoll's shoulder scanning the audience for that familiar mane of blond hair. Crestfallen, I silently reminded myself to give him a Skype call when I came back from the graduation party later on.

I ended up not giving him a Skype call that evening, however.

My arm linked with Laurel's, we were absolutely high on the graduation glow, skipping all the way from the podium to the parking lot, singing happily as we drove back down to our apartment, and then frolicking to our apartment to get ready for the party Brian was organizing at his frat house. Just as the elevator doors opened, however, every single thought of Brian's party escaped my head when I locked eyes with my 'long lost' friend, who was casually sitting by the door to our apartment.

"Surprise, Lilly Pad," greeted Adam with a smile.

"Adam!" I cried happily, tearing away from Laurel and quite literally throwing myself into his arms. God, I missed him so much. It had been forever since I last saw him in person and I'd been dying to see him for ages. Shows, interviews, and press conferences had kept Adam extremely busy, but that didn't stop him from keeping his promise to see me again. "I missed you so much," I mumbled against his shoulder.

"I missed you too, babe," he whispered, cupping my cheeks and pulling me into a kiss that I craved for so long. "Congratulations on your degree. I'm so sorry I couldn't make it. I really wanted to watch your ceremony but I didn't have a ticket," he chuckled, caressing me softly.

"It's the thought that counts," I giggled before kissing him again.

"Ehem!" coughed Laurel from behind me. Tearing my lips away from Adam's, I'd nearly forgotten that Laurel was standing right behind me witnessing my mini-reunion with Adam. "So you two are officially dating now?" she asked me with a cocked eyebrow.

"Um…"

"Of course, it's been that way since our second last day in Toronto," replied Adam casually. I glanced up at him with the same curious expression Laurel gave Adam and me.

"We are?" I asked curiously.

"Duh," he replied, "why else do you think I can't stop thinking about you every day?"

"Sorry to interrupt, but Lil, I'd like to invite your…er…boyfriend…to join us later," coughed Laurel, who couldn't stop smirking at the two of us, "our friend Brian's throwing a graduation party at his frat house and he's inviting everyone from our graduating class. You can be show up as Lilly's date if you'd like."

Adam turned to me and replied simply, "It's entirely up to Lilly if she's cool with it or not. Otherwise, I have a lot of catching up I have to do with her." He winked at me cheekily with that last comment, making me blush furiously at that double meaning behind his words.

I hadn't seen Adam in days and with his busy schedule this would be the perfect opportunity to catch up on things over dinner. But honestly, it wouldn't be such a bad idea bringing Adam along to Brian's party so he could meet all my friends. After all, I'd already met his famous WWE Superstar friends, with the thought of Randy's flirting making me smile.

"You're more than welcome to come along with me if you'd like," I replied to Adam, squeezing his hand in mine, "we can go to Brian's party tonight and have time together tomorrow evening to celebrate."

"Ooh la la, Lilly Hazel; you've gotten really naughty since you came back from Toronto!" teased Laurel. Again, what was with the ambiguity in words getting to me tonight? I blushed a brilliant red so red that it matched my hair, while Adam tried to hide a laugh.

"I hate to break it to you, Lilly Pad, but I've got to leave for Boston tomorrow," Adam said, looking disappointed, "why don't we go to the party together and leave early. Then we can go out for dinner somewhere."

"On the contrary, Mr. Copeland, why don't you take your sweetheart out tonight for dinner instead?" suggested Laurel, "after all, you two haven't seen each other in days and won't get to for a while anyway. Brian won't mind, Lil; I'll just tell him that you were tired and didn't feel like going out. Torrey will be disappointed though."

"Who's Torrey?" Adam asked me suspiciously.

"A friend of mine," I answered.

"More like a friend of hers who apparently used to have a crush on her and obviously still does," muttered Laurel under her breath.

Adam looked rather jealous, "Okay, babe, you and I are going out tonight," he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the apartment, "just as long as I keep you away from that Torrey dude," I swore I heard him mumble incoherently.

"I heard that, you know," I remarked, causing Adam to smirk proudly.

"I meant for you to hear that, babe," he growled playfully, slapping my butt before letting me get changed. Half an hour later, I emerged from my bedroom in a white ruffled blouse and black tights that were studded at the ankle. It was just a simple outfit, but it was enough to earn whistles from Adam.

"Have fun, you two," Laurel called as she stepped out of the door, "oh and Adam, make sure you use protection!" Oh my God. There was something up with her today, thinking that Adam and I are sleeping with each other.

"Shut up, Laurel!" I screamed, embarrassed, especially after I felt Adam shift on the couch.

After Laurel left, I was just about to ask Adam where he had in mind for dinner when he'd just gotten off the phone and told me, "Babe, I made reservations at Ruth's Chris Steak House; that okay with you?"

"How did you know that it's my favorite steak place except that I never get to go there because I can't afford it?" I giggled.

"Because I happen to know my girlfriend that well, Lilly Pad," replied Adam casually, shrugging his shoulders.

"Shouldn't you?" I pointed out with a smirk, slipping on a pair of heeled ankle boots and picking up my black blazer, heading towards the door. Adam followed behind and I could feel his stare on my butt; somehow that didn't surprise me at all.

"I should. If I didn't, I'd be a terrible date," joked Adam. I laughed and kissed him on the cheek, taking his hand in mine as we headed down to parking lot.

Adam's POV

It had only been a little less than two weeks or so since I saw Lilly, but God, she looked amazing. It wasn't just the way her cute little butt looked in those tights, by the way. It was more of the fact that she looked much happier and more confident than the Lilly I first met back at Backlash.

I recalled that night when I first locked eyes with her by ringside, she looked rather shy and I could distinctly hear her denying the fact that I was looking at her, not the blonde chick ogling over me three rows behind Lilly. It wasn't just the sign that Lilly held up or the clothes she wore that made her stand out from all the fan girls in the arena. I remembered when Cena tossed me over the barrier and I happened to fall right next to her, when she asked me if I was okay instead of squealing happily over the fact that a WWE Superstar had fallen next to her. It was from that I knew this girl had piqued my interest.

I swore fate had brought us together when I spotted her later that evening at the club, sitting by the bar with her friend Laurel, and the moment Lilly's eyes locked with mine, not only did I feel jolts of electricity throughout my body, but I could see how afraid she looked, how shy and reserved she was, through those beautiful green eyes.

My chest would ache whenever she denied I was looking at her, whenever she turned around to see if I was checking out some other chicks behind her, whenever she didn't believe she was the apple of my eye. Even after I ordered a drink she was still doubtful. But that was the Lilly I knew before our fateful meeting in Toronto. I couldn't have been more thankful for karma when she forgave me for that stupid thing I did and decided to be my newest friend. It was perfect timing; after all, I am the ultimate opportunist.

During our time in Toronto she'd blossomed. She wasn't as reserved as when I met her in that club. With each day that passed, she became preppy, cute, bubbly, and flirty, and by the next morning after our mind-blowing date, she was just irresistible. Not that I'm saying I like the sexy, flirty Lilly more than I like the other side of her, but the way she opened herself up really brought out that sun-kissed glow on her fair skin. Since we officially became a couple, she had changed a lot, and I definitely liked it. Besides, it broke my heart whenever she criticized whatever imperfection about herself, because in my eyes, she was perfect.

What occurred to my mind, however, were the dirt sheet reports that had been popping up all over the Internet, picking up on my romance with Lilly. The comments people made about Lilly irritated me, particularly those accusing her of being nothing but a ring rat seeking attention by sleeping with me. Those fucking trolls. They know nothing about my personal life and have no right to call my girlfriend a (in my good friend Chris Jericho's words) "filthy, dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeding trash bag ho". I knew Lilly better than those so-called Internet fans, and I knew she was far from a ring rat. I know a ring rat when I see one, anyway.

As Lilly and I discussed what to eat, I thought about how much I liked Lilly and how I'd never felt this way about any woman before. It was true; Lilly just captivated me, and her newfound confidence only made my attraction towards her stronger. Watching her scrutinizing the menu carefully, I will admit that I wasn't super hungry for steaks, but rather something else that looked so ravishing.

No, I thought, clenching my fist, controlling the urges that had scared Lilly away when I brought her up to my hotel room that night after Backlash. Take it slow; Lilly's not the quickie type. She's not looking for a hit and run relationship, unlike some of the bitches I've stupidly slept around with after my breakup with Amy. She's real and I'm not going to lose her by going all playboy on her.

Speaking of losing Lilly, what would happen to us once I go on the road? What if I accidentally screw around behind her back and the dirt sheets get a hold of it? What if…

"Adam?" Lilly's soft voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Yeah, babe?"

"We ready to order?" she giggled, "I'm craving some sides of onion rings, french fries, and mashed potatoes, and let's say we share a porterhouse medium rare and an apple crumble for desert. What do you think?"

This girl can eat, I thought, amused. "That sounds perfect," I replied.

Later that evening, Lilly talked about her plans to look for a job in urban design within Canada, her hometown of Toronto being her top choice in location. As I listened on, however, all I could think of was how Lilly and I would stay in touch if she chose to work in Canada, for the WWE only visited Canada a couple times per year.

"Hey Lilly?" I inadvertently interrupted her as she was talking about the possibility of looking for a job in media advertising instead.

"Hmmm?"

"I've been thinking a lot about our relationship and how close we've become so quickly," I began, "and since we won't be able to see each other a lot, I was wondering if you'd like to go on the road with me for the summer."

Lilly blinked twice, absolutely shocked at what she'd been proposed. "The road?" she stammered, "you mean…you want to bring me along with the WWE?"

"Of course I do, babe, I would love nothing more than to have you by my side, just for the summer since I know they're not going to let me bring my non-WWE employed girlfriend with me the entire time," I began to stutter, nervous that she would refuse.

"You're really asking me to go on the road with you?" she asked, looking at me as though I were crazy.

"I really am, Lilly Pad," I confirmed once again, reaching across the table to take her hand in mine, kissing the back of her fingers. At that moment she looked as though she was going to explode right off of her chair.

"Are you sure you want to, Adam? Am I actually allowed to go? Are you sure your boss won't mind?" she asked me doubtfully. I loved that Lilly was more concerned about whether she could actually go, rather than getting overly excited on being given the opportunity to tour with the WWE temporarily.

"Lilly, I was offering you to go. If I wasn't allowed to, why would I even ask?" I laughed, squeezing her hand. Suddenly, Lilly broke eye contact with me, staring down at her plate.

"I don't know Adam," Lilly replied softly, breaking her gaze from mine, "I don't know if I want to be on the road with you." Gently she let go of our interlocked hands, retreating them back to her lap.

My face fell, my heart sank with disappointment; this was not the answer I had expected.