Big Brother 28‘S Rome Seymour ultimately understands why his showmance, Lyrical MedeirosHe had to vote him out.
“I totally get it because the one thing I’ve emphasized to her is, ‘Lyric, there will always be a target on my back, always. I want you to do what’s best for your game at all times,'” the 28-year-old pickleball coach shares exclusively Us weekly following his elimination from the CBS reality series on Thursday, July 23. “At first the initial shock that this vote didn’t go through hurt me a little.”
However, Rome understands that Lyric’s decision to betray him “makes the most sense,” especially if the 25-year-old lawyer still wants a shot at the $750,000 prize.
“She needs to show some loyalty to the other side,” he explains. “And her being able to vote out the man she’s in love with shows the other side that she’s saying, ‘Hey, maybe she’s really coming to play this game.’ So I absolutely respect it, both personally and playfully.”
Rome adds that he has “no hard feelings” toward Lyric.
“It’s all water under the bridge,” he says Us. “No love lost.”
Rome and Lyric felt an instant connection when they entered the Big Brother house earlier this month. On the second day of the match, Rome and Lyric teamed up and became the first official showmance of season 28. Over the course of two weeks, their feelings intensified as they exchanged “I love yous” and even discussed the possibility of marriage.
While Rome was skeptical about putting on a show before the game started, everything changed when he laid eyes on Lyric.
“I walked into this house and thought: There’s no way people can fall in love. There’s no way people can cry. There’s no way at all that people can form these strong bonds. You’ve only been here three months at most, right?” he remembers. “But in the two weeks I got to spend with Lyric, I just realized how amazing a person she was, how beautiful she was. She’s so selfless inside and out, and those are all the qualities I’ve ever wanted in my significant other. So to me, those feelings are extremely real.”
Now that Rome is out of the house and Lyric remains in the game, he hopes they can reconnect and figure out the “logistics” of their relationship once they get back together. (The text comes from Hawaii, while Rome lives in Florida.)
“I’ll tell you what: No matter what happens, I’m ready to make something work with her,” he says. “At least try, because she’s not the kind of person you’ll let go of without fighting for her.”
Big Brother airs Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
