Friday, August 3, 2018
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Hills
The Home of Christina Zdunich
9:04 AM PDT
Seleana Zdunich walks back into the home she shares with her wife, Christina Zdunich, and her step-daughter, Brittany Williams, and glances around. Christina had just returned from a business meeting herself and had headed straight for the shower. Brittany was off doing Brittany things, but what of their houseguest of late, Haylie Jo “Halo” Annis? Usually, if she wasn’t with Brittany, as she was not now because Brittany had headed off for things that weren’t supposed to involve Halo, especially after the announcement publicly the previous night of Brittany resuming her official relationship with Jordan Parker-Kane.
Seleana Zdunich: Haylie?
With no answer, Seleana looks around further.
Seleana Zdunich: Haylie Jo?
She walks down the hallway and into the backroom where the young blonde woman had been staying recently. As Seleana tuns to the doorway, she can hear a slight sound of crying coming from inside.
Seleana Zdunich: Halo?
Seleana looks inside the room and comes face to face with a crying Haylie Jo Annis, an open bottle of Jack Daniel’s next to her on the floor that while open, looks like it’s barely been touched.
Seleana Zdunich: Hej…
She moves in and sits down next to her on the floor, looking for the top to the bottle.
Seleana Zdunich: Have… you… ?
Halo shakes her head and Seleana manages to find the cap and pop it back on the bottle.
Seleana Zdunich: Have you had anything else?
Halo tries to stifle her tears, turns to Seleana with fear in her eyes and then shakes her head.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: No…
The younger blonde woman tries to find the words to describe what is going on with her but can’t seem to find them at all.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I…
Seleana nods, patting Halo’s hand understandingly.
Seleana Zdunich: It’s ok…
Halo shakes her head.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: No, it’s not…
Seleana glances around the room and notices that Halo’s stuff is packed up into the same two bags she came here with, a suitcase and a duffel bag.
Seleana Zdunich: Going somewhere, Chickie?
Halo shrugs.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I didn’t expect to get to stay now. How am i supposed to stay if she’s gonna be out and about with Jordan openly now?
Seleana nods slowly as Halo looks at the bottle and shakes her head.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Yesterday, I was Brittany Williams’ girlfriend. Today, I’m…
She bites her lip and shakes her head again.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Today, I’m her homewrecking, gold digging whore…
Seleana’s eyes go wide, visibly horrified to hear this phrase come flying out of the younger woman’s mouth.
Seleana Zdunich: How can you say that?
Halo shrugs sadly.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: What else would you call me now?
She waves around the room.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I live in a room in a house that isn’t mine, with a family that isn’t really mine, in the hopes of being with a woman…
Her words choke off, catching momentarily in her throat.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: That… isn’t…
Her hands ball into fists as she fights with her own emotions
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Really…
Her teeth start to grind as she tries to hold back a fresh torrent.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: She didn’t pick me…
Tears start rolling down her face again and Halo collapses over into Seleana’s arms.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I’m such a piece of shit…
Seleana shakes her head, holding her and stroking her head supportively.
Seleana Zdunich: You’re not.
Halo nods, now sobbing anew.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I am! I was such a piece of shit that my Daddy sent me away! I was such a piece of shit that my Mama overdosed! I’m such a piece of shit that my sister went to train with Kendra instead of me! I’m such a piece of shit that Logan decided he’d rather die than live with me and now I’m such a piece of shit that Brittany decided she wanted…
She closes her eyes and buries her head into the side of Seleana’s chest.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Not me...
Seleana shakes her head, still stroking Halo’s head.
Seleana Zdunich: You’re not, Young One.
Halo looks up at her, her voice shaky, childlike.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Why doesn’t anyone want me around then?
Seleana hugs her and then holds Halo’s face gently in her hands.
Seleana Zdunich: That’s not true, Chickie.
Halo nods sadly, pulling away to sit up on her own.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Name one!
Seleana stares at Halo in disbelief.
Seleana Zdunich: Chickie…
Halo nods pointedly.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Name one! My Daddy would rather be gambling and has probably managed to bet his way into trouble again! My Mama and Logan both picked the grave over me! Brittany picked Jordan and I’m pretty sure her mother doesn’t like me much.
Seleana cocks her head.
Seleana Zdunich: What makes you think that?
Halo nods to the doorway.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Miss Christina is nice enough to me but I don’t think she likes having me around and really, why should she? I’m a drain on her, on you, on...
She shakes her head.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I really thought…
She squeezes her eyes closed.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I really thought this time would be different. I came here with nothing, I expected…
She trails off and then shakes her head as she shrugs dolefully.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I don’t know what I expected. Brittany never really promised me anything and I’ve been waiting for the fairy tale to end…
Biting her bottom lip, she starts to tremble.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Or, I was until that boat trip…
Her eyes open as she stares at the floor in front of her.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I knew she only let me tag along because Jordan was busy and couldn’t go but I thought all that time together meant something! I thought I meant something!
Seleana nods, smiling encouragingly.
Seleana Zdunich: Of course you mean something, Chickie! You’ve always meant something! Brittany never looked at you like you were just a “sweet piece to fuck!”
Her attempt at an American accent causes her natural Swedish accent to get even thicker, causing Halo to actually smile slightly.
Seleana Zdunich: You’re not going anywhere tonight. We are not just kicking you out, Chickie! You needed help and we’ve given you some. We’re not going to stop just because you’ve changed sex partners.
Halo’s eyes go wide.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: You… really?
Seleana nods.
Seleana Zdunich: Yes, really.
She then nods to the bottle.
Seleana Zdunich: How did you get that?
Halo stares at the bottle and then nods, looking away.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I’ve been able to do that since I was thirteen, scam my way to drinks. That’s how I ended up in the convent and got nicknamed Halo. I figured out if I batted my eyes and pouted and asked pwetty pwease to the right people…
She taps the bottle.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Even now, I’m still only Nineteen and…
She trails off yet again, staring forward at the wall.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Am I gonna be in trouble now?
Seleana shakes her head.
Seleana Zdunich: We’ll just get rid of the bottle and nothing further needs to happen. Okej, Chickie?
Halo stares at the bottle for a few minutes and then nods.
Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Ok.
Seleana hugs her, feeling almost maternal as she does so.
Seleana Zdunich: It’s gonna be ok, Haylie Jo. It’s going to be ok.
Halo nods and hugs back, hoping beyond hope that Seleana is right.
Two hours later…
The camera opens upon Seleana Zdunich sitting on a couch in a side room of the house. It’s obviously her smartphone on the selfie stick again and it shows Seleana sitting there barefoot, black soccer shorts and a black sports bra with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her expression is one of melancholy and contemplation.
Seleana Zdunich: I don’t know what to say today.
Nodding slightly, she looks forward, away from the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: I never expected this to happen. To get the opportunity to face the Bombshell Roulette Champion, even when I do not know how or why I was afforded such an opportunity and i do not know the circumstances under which I will receive said opportunity is a blessing. It is a gift I do not take lightly.
Looking back up, Seleana nods genuinely to the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: I wish to thank Sin City Wrestling for this opportunity and for all of the opportunities you have given me since my arrival. I know I was given my original opportunity because I had shown just enough in L.A.W. to warrant a rookie slot and I also know that part of the attraction was that I was engaged with a woman that could be described as a legend in SCW.
She takes a deep breath and then exhales heavily.
Seleana Zdunich: Being attached to this family has afforded me many things, none of which I expected to happen and I am grateful. I never expected to be whole again after Twain died and I certainly did not expect that to come in the arms of a championship competitor like Christina. I did not expect it to come the way it has and yet, I am grateful for that.
Her gaze moves down slightly and she nods to herself, smiling almost vacantly.
Seleana Zdunich: I did not expect to gain a child, especially not one that is only a child for a short time now. Brittany has taught me things about myself and about life that I did not know were possible before and I am grateful for that.
She looks up and nods, the smile remaining and turning sweet.
Seleana Zdunich: I did not expect the competition to be as challenging as it has been nor did I expect to last as long as I have. I did not expect the competition to be easy, but i did not expect it to be as physically taxing as it is and now I know why they say you have no idea what it is really like until you step inside the ropes yourself. I did not expect this much of myself when Christina asked me to train and I am grateful for that.
Nodding slightly again, she looks dead into the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: So what is the point here?
She shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: I did not expect this championship opportunity. I was afforded the chance to wrestle for this very opportunity once before and Brittany was able to win instead of me. I was afforded a chance at Summer XXXtreme 6 to wrestle for an opportunity at the Bombshell Championship and Christina was able to win instead of me. Both times, though I did not win, it was a learning experience and I am grateful both that I was afforded those opportunities and for what I learned in those losses.
Looking down, Seleana nods to herself and then looks back up into the camera.
Seleana Zdunich: I did not expect to be here. Everyone has pointed out that I have not been the competitor that should be able to expect or demand opportunities like this. Evie Baang will doubtlessly add to that chorus and I do not know what to say to challenge those assertions because, most of them are true. I am older than your usual rookie, yet I am, in fact, a rookie. I am neither accomplished, nor reputable. Evie Baang is both of those things and I am grateful for the opportunity to step inside the ring with her because I know, no matter what, i will come out better for having the experience of wrestling her. Evie Baang is everything i am not and yet, still, I know I have a chance to defeat her and i am grateful for that. I am skilled in certain areas of combat sports that would allow me to take advantage of an opportunity should that opportunity present itself.
She nods ever so slightly.
Seleana Zdunich: Evie Baang, I would tell you not to take me lightly, but I know you probably will anyway…
She shrugs knowingly.
Seleana Zdunich: And why wouldn’t you?
Shrugging again, Seleana’s smile fades somewhat.
Seleana Zdunich: You are a legend, are you not? You have accomplished more in your comeback, than I have in my entire “career” and that is nothing to be ashamed of for me. You were given an opportunity and you capitalized and while this opportunity should have gone to Brittany, i am grateful that it has come to me.
Standing up, Seleana steels herself.
Seleana Zdunich: I will step in the ring with you, Evie Baang, for that SCW Bombshell Roulette Championship and I will prove that this opportunity was not wasted on me. I will prove that I belong in this company and that I belong in the same ring as you, whether you or anyone else likes it.
The smile returns.
Seleana Zdunich: I have been given this opportunity and I am ready to show you how grateful I am to have received it.
