Big Brother 28 contestant Rome Seymour has come to terms with why his showmance partner, Lyric Medeiros, chose to vote him out.
“I totally get it because the one thing I stressed to her, I go, ‘Lyric, there will always be a target on my back, always. I want you to do whatever is best for your game at any point in time,’” the 28-year-old pickleball coach shared with Us Weekly after his eviction from the CBS reality series on Thursday, July 23. “At first, the initial shock of that vote not coming through for me, it stung a little bit.”
Nonetheless, Rome acknowledges that Lyric’s decision was logical, especially since the 25-year-old attorney still aims for the $750,000 prize.
“She needs to show some allegiance, some loyalty to the other side,” he elaborates. “And for her to be able to vote out the guy that she’s in love with, that shows the other side like, ‘Hey, maybe she really is coming to play this game.’ So I totally respect it, personal and game aside.”
Rome emphasizes that he holds “no hard feelings” toward Lyric.
“All water under the bridge,” he assures Us. “No love lost.”
Rome and Lyric formed a connection upon entering the Big Brother house earlier this month. By the second day of the game, they had paired up, becoming season 28’s first showmance. Over the next two weeks, their relationship deepened, leading to exchanged “I love yous” and discussions about marriage.
Initially doubtful about forming a showmance, Rome’s perspective changed when he met Lyric.
“I walked into that house thinking, like, there’s no way people fall in love. There’s no way people cry. There’s no way people get these strong connections at all. You’re here for three months maximum, right?” he recalls. “But in those two weeks that I got to spend with Lyric, I just realized how amazing she was as a person, how beautiful she was. Like, inside and out, she’s so selfless, and it’s all the qualities I’ve ever wanted in my significant other. So, for me, these feelings are extremely real.”
With Rome now out of the house and Lyric still in the game, he hopes they can reconnect and resolve the “logistics” of their relationship when they reunite. (Lyric is based in Hawaii while Rome lives in Florida.)
“I’ll tell you what: No matter what happens, I’m willing to make something work with her,” he states. “At least try it because she’s not the type of person you let go without fighting for.”
Big Brother airs on CBS Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
