The road to resurrection.
Part One: Ariana Angelos
October 4th 2022
Melissa can be seen working out in the gym as normal, trying to get herself into shape for her big main event title rematch against Ariana Angelos. Trying to get her focus off everything that has happened as of late. Her title loss, that of Goth. Her going off on him, the missed opportunity for Goth to become number one contender for the world title…. All different kinds of things that have happened in a month’s time. Something that she had to admit was new to her, realizing the reality of what Goth’s words truly had meant. She was just too stubborn to get her point across and stick with.
The sweat pours off her face while doing pushups, her face is focused upon the mirror in front of her as she snarls at any given moment that she feels her muscles in her arms starting to show any sign of fatigue. She pushes herself up to her feet after a few more pushups and walks over to the bench and grabs her towel and bottle of water in order to clench herself while wiping off the sweat from her face.
“Hey.”
Melissa doesn’t respond to Goth entering the gym as she continues to drink from the bottle of water, causing Goth to sigh as he places his gym bag down next to the bench where Melissa had her towel and bottle of water. He turns his attention towards her and stares towards her for a few moments without saying a word until….
“How long are you intending to play this game Melissa??”
She looks at him with a cold stare after putting the bottle down before walking straight passed him without saying a word, only to have Goth grab her by the arm, causing her to spin around angrier than before.
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!!!”
Goth stares at her without saying a word, allowing his hand to loosen around her arm as she starts to walk towards the treadmill. Starting to prepare for her cardio exercises when suddenly Goth gets on the treadmill in front of her, causing her to press the stop button and stars him in the eyes as he looks back at her, showing no sign of emotion.
“”What do you want from me Gerrit???
“I was hoping that we could have a…”
“Talk?? Is that what you want?? Do you want to talk with me?? Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but I’m trying to prepare to regain my title okay??”
She shakes her head as she turns her concentration back upon the treadmill, starting to prepare for her workout as Goth decides not to push his luck in angering Melissa even more and decides to start his workout as well as he walks over towards the bench press, giving Melissa the time to focus on what she wants to do.
“Fucking asshole”
She whispers underneath her breath as she sees Goth walk towards the bench press through the mirror in front of her, shaking her head mentally before attempting to focus back on the treadmill and the television screen in front of her. Only to get more frustrated as her thoughts go back to what had happened a week ago, starting to argue with herself whether she had been right to go off on him like this, knowing that he had good intentions.
“Damnit”
She cranks up the speed on the treadmill, trying to take her focus from the doubt that is creeping inside her head. Hoping that it would help her to regain her concentration, only to realize that it isn’t working and stops the treadmill.
“Damnit Gerrit!!”
She screams as she turns her attention towards her fiance as she walks straight towards him, who looks back at her with a look of confusion.
“What the….?”
He quickly sits up after placing the bar back upon its spot as he wants to approach Melissa, trying to apologize towards her for upsetting her. Only to have Melissa catch him off guard by planting a big time kiss upon his lips. The sudden action catches Goth off guard for a few moments before wrapping his arms around her, giving her a big time hug as the two are in a moment of pure love.
“What is it with you?? Why can’t I stay mad at you??”
She asks after the two finally break the kiss as she stares him lovingly into his eyes, he looks back at her with a look of relief. The two look at each other for a few moments without saying a word as he starts to chuckle.
“Why?? Because I’m such a sweet talker right??”
Melissa rolls her eyes at the comment that he had made before shaking her head in disbleief.
“Yeah, yeah… I know, you had me with hello right??”
The two burst out in laughter as Goth plants a soft kiss upon her cheek before letting go, he doesn’t take his eyes off of her as he lets out a deep sigh.
“Look, I do want to say that you were right to be mad at me. I know that I have not been around in the way that you had expected from me. I…”
Melissa places her finger upon his lips, telling Goth to shut up as she smiles at him lovingly.
“Look Gerrit, we don’t have to go through this once again. But yeah, you have been an asshole and I hope you won’t be so stupid again okay? Because I need you just as much as you need me, I got two important matches coming up and I’ll be damned to have it taken away from me. Because if you think I was a bitch in recent weeks?? Then you haven’t seen anything yet, okay??”
The words causes Goth to swallow, this causes melissa to chuckle at his reaction before giving him a kiss
“Now be a good little boy and work on that sexy body of yours and we will talk later..”
She kisses him on the lips as this causes Goth to react with a smile and heads back towards the bench press to continue his workout. Melisa looks after him, admiring his muscular physique and sighs before turning her attention back towards the treadmill. There she starts to run on the treadmill while watching the television before thinking back to the past life where she remembers the struggles she had with her father, who just like Goth had an alcohol abuse problem.
“Oh fuck…, why now???”
The pain of the memories start to kick in as her eyes start to well, tears slowly falling from her cheeks upon the floor as she quickly wipes her face with the back of her arm in the hope of Goth not having noticed her moment of weakness. Her eyes swiftly look in front of her in the mirror, noticing that Goth is still doing his workout as that causes her to sigh of relief.
“Why is this happening to me???”
She starts to ask herself, hoping that Goth had not heard her over the loud music that is playing in the gym before turning her attention back towards her own workout. She keeps running when suddenly she notices that the temperature is rising, making her wonder what has happened to the cooling of the gym. She looks up as she suddenly notices that the surrounding has changed, she is no longer running on a treadmill in the gym but standing in her old liviring room
“What in the hell??”
She says with a bewildered look on her face,she had not been in this living room of her fathers house since beyond her memories. She looks down, notices that her gear that she had been wearing has changed into her old schoolgirl outfit that she was forced to wear. She looks around, notices the fireplace is burning and that it could only mean one thing.
“MELISSA!!! Where the hell is that girl at!!!”
She hears the screaming from the back of the house, she knew that her father kept a refrigerator in the back of his garage. He must have grabbed a few bottles before coming back and get wasted before turning his attention towards her. Immediately she tries to search for a place to hide, somehow trying to push away the thoughts of how in the hell she had vanished from the gym into her father’s old home. She runs towards the basement, a spot that she had hid many of times quite successfully as her father’s back had caused him issues to make it impossible for him to get on his hands and knees and crawl around the tiny area. She quickly hides in the basement, trying to control her anxiety for the many different creatures that are scattering around the ground. She barely managed a scream when she had felt a spider crawl up her back before swatting it away as she heard her father’s footsteps.
“Melissa!!!!”
She could hear the anger in his voice, remembering the days of how she had often cried herself to sleep underneath a blanket on the ground. Wishing for her father to get help to fix his addiction, but ultimately she had decided to run away. She had never forgiven herself for abandoning her father, she had always loved her father even with his addiction problems seemingly having grown larger and larger. She had often wanted to talk about it with Goth, wanting to tell him that she wanted to visit her father one day as she felt guilt and wanted to help him. But her guilt had always held her back for taking that final step, scared that he might be offended by her or even worse… dead.
She hears his footsteps stop near the door of the basement, her heart is pounding in her throat. Not knowing what would happen as well as the thought constantly entering her mind that this can’t be real. Wishing that this is all but a dream, but then again it had all felt so real before she somehow got transported back in time and place. She notices the door open as a dark tall figure is standing in front of her, the light of the hallway makes it impossible for her to figure out who it is as it has been blinding her. But she knew that it had to be her father….
“Melissa?? Are you alright???”
A concerned voice asks her as she suddenly opens her eyes and finds herself on her back in the gym with Goth standing over her with a concerned look on his face. She struggles to digest what has happened, how in the hell she had gotten back from her father’s house into the gym, why she is on her back and why in the hell she is feeling such a pain in the back of her head.
Later that day
Goth and Melissa are seen dining in a restaurant that he had booked for just the two of them, he is wearing a black Armani suit and white blouse while Melissa is dressed in a beautiful red evening gown. There’s a Jazz Quartet playing some soft music in the background that gives some extra romantic vibes to the burning candles in the middle of the table that contains the only pure light on their table. Goth is concentrated upon his course, not noticing Melissa sipping on the glass of champagne while staring in the distance, thinking back upon the events earlier in the day inside the gym. Asking herself why she had the flashback to her father and why she had fallen down on the floor. She closed her eyes for a few moments, letting out a soft sigh before placing the glass back upon the table as her fingers slowly wonders towards her spoon to pick up something off of her plate as this causes Goth to notice her.
“You ok?? Do you want to order something else??”
The words startle Melissa out of her thoughts, letting her eyes gaze upon her fiance with a startled look on her face. Realizing that Goth was looking back at her with a look of concern on his face, causing her to shake her head and flashes him a fake smile in the hope that it would take away his concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking about how I would kick Ariana’s ass this week.”
She flashes him her eyelashes, she knew that he always loved that. But this time Goth was seeing through it, dropping his silverware and leans back against his chair. He stares her down before crossing his arms across his chest.
“Cut the crap Melissa, what is going on?? You have been silent ever since the situation in the gym.”
Melissa lets out a sigh, grabs her glass of champagne and engulfs the entire remainder of the champagne down her throat before placing it back upon the table. She has her gaze upon her plate for a few seconds, trying to collect all of her thoughts before explaining what is going on towards the love of her life.
“I….”
She chokes at the attempt to explain towards Goth what is troubling her, worried whether he would get upset because of his own past, worried over the fact that she had kept this a secret for him since the time that they got together and fell in love. She stares into the eyes of Goth, noticing his concerned look and realized that she cannot keep a secret for him for much longer.
“I had a flashback…., to a period in my life that i’m ashamed about.”
Goth raises an eyebrow, but knows her well enough to know that he shouldn’t push his luck. He slowly extends his hand towards her, placing it on top of the back of her hand and gently rubs it to let her know he is here for her.
“I ran away from home when I was very young, my father was an alcoholic after my mother left him.”
She starts to feel his hand tense for a moment before relaxing again and starts to caress her hand as his face becomes even more concerned.
“He often had rage attacks after he drank too much alcohol, he always turned his aggression towards me.”
Goth is about to say something, but she shakes her head as he calms down in his seat.
“He never placed a hand upon me, his assault was mostly verbal. I never had the guts to ask him why, but I think it’s because I looked so much like my mother. In the beginning it was solely about my grades or the boys that I was seeing. ”
She says with a weak smile upon her face, recognizing that her father was very protective towards her even though he was drunk.
“But after several years I recognized that his rage grew stronger when I became a young woman. I….”
She inhales deeply before wiping off some tears from her eyes a the memories of those days had gotten to become too much for her.
“I was not allowed to date, or go out with friends. I had to stay home, I had to do the cleaning and cooking as he was incapable of doing anything but drink. It had become too much for me after the final time he got drunk I had to hide in the basement for the millionth time… It made me realize that if I would stay, that it would be the end of my life. Deciding to run away after the moment came that he had passed out without any leaving a note explaining why….”
She lowers her head, allowing the tears start to flow as she is unable to stop it. Goth quickly gets to his feet and wraps his arms around her in an attempt to soothe her. The two stay like that for ten minutes before dropping to his knees in front of her while holding on to both of her hands.
“I left home, hid with friends in the hope that he would never find me. Soon enough I took all the money I had saved and flew to America, knowing that at least then I could start all over again. In the hope of finding peace and…..”
She looks at Goth with tears of joy flowing down her cheeks
“And love…”
The two smile as Goth leans towards her and places a soft kiss upon her lips, causing her to shiver all over as he carefully holds her in his arms
“I love you and I will be here for you forever….”
She places her soft hands upon his chest while resting her head against his shoulder and calmly breaths of relief. Knowing that her darkest secret has come out.
to be continued
The Rematch
It’s evening, the sun is slowly descending as Melissa is walking the Nevada desert. Staring ahead of her while admiring the beautiful nature phenomena of the descending sun. She is wearing a short dark leather jacket over a black shirt that has her face on it and reads Lady Goth underneath her face and a long black leather pants complete with black leather boots. She walks a few more steps before kneeling as she grabs some sand in her hand and let it fly through her fingers.
“I have to admit that I had not expected the bosses to hand me a rematch for the Bombshell Roulette title. Especially after I had my confrontation with Jessie, vowing that I would give up that rematch clause just to shut her up.
“But I guess it’s true what they say, God DOES work in mysterious ways.”
She gives a small smirk as she claps her hands clean from the sand and slowly gets back to her feet. She looks around as the sun is halfway vanished from sight, starting to admire the beautiful different kinds of colors that has taken over from the normal blue sky and white clouds.
“Beautiful view isn’t it?? Something that people don’t take time and admire, not caring to understand that this is something that has been happening for how many centuries now?? It’s something that we rather want to take for granted, day becomes night and night becomes day. It’s quite the easiest tradition that we have been following since the first time that we could remember it…. We wake up, we go to work…. and eventually we fall asleep. It has become so predictable as we have grown to take it for granted… Something that isn’t always the right thing to do. Just like me expecting that I would walk out still the Bombshell Roulette champion after that triple threat match. It’s funny when I look back at it, how many things have gone wrong during that match, how I did not perform at the level that I know to this very day that I can compete in?? Is it over confidence? Is it perhaps looking past these two and wanting to kick Jessie Salco’s ass? And all I can say right now, does it really matter? Does it matter for me to find excuses to the pointing fingers that I have had to deal with since my debut. And quite honestly?? I’m glad that I am no longer undefeated, I’m glad that I no longer have to care what others would say about me not being able to keep it up much longer. Because I have done something that none of those doubters have ever achieved in their entire stinking careers.”
The grimace on her face tells us that even though she takes pride of her past achievements, she still has an angry feeling burning deep inside her gut.
“Does it make things easier for me to accept that you took away my title Ariana?? Of course not, the fact that I was a professional to congratulate you on the victory doesn’t mean that I liked it. But I knew one day our paths would cross and I got the opportunity to kick your face down the dirt somehow….. ”
She turns her face towards the camera with a cold and icy stare
“And guess what Ariana?? That moment will arrive in mere days. Something that I did not needed any motivation to be ready for this coming Sunday, no further tactical masterplan do I need to come up with, because little boys and girls.. With Roulette rules, you never know what you can expect.”
A sinister yet small smirk emerges upon her face for a second or two, slowly vanishing back to the cold and dark gaze that we have not seen from her in the past.
“How did it feel? Were you celebrating with all your friends after your match?? Telling the world that you couldn’t actually believe that it truly happened?? Even though your strong statements have been that you knew you would beat me didn’t you?? But seriously Ariana?? Did you?? Did you truly believe the mere notion that there would be a chance in hell that with your own ability that YOU could take me out for the victory?? Of course I could pity myself to the moon and back that you didn’t actually pinned me, but that’s what weaklings would use isn’t it?? So I won’t, I have never used excuses, hid behind lies to cover up my own mistakes. I never said one thing and then changed my mind the week after, just because it would fit me better. Something that you should ask one of your oldest friends about, I am sure that Jessie can open up a book or two about how to change the narrative as long as she sees fit?? It’s not like I told her a while ago whether she actually would have preferred to beat you for that title instead of me??”
She gives a wink towards the camera, referring to a confrontation between her and Jessie a while ago where she actually referred to something similar.
“But don’t worry little buttercup, I am not here trying to break up a good friendship. I am here to reclaim my championship belt in a main event match of Climax Control.To actually perform once again under the bright lights of the main event of the wrestling company’s top show….. Thousands in attendance and millions watching all aorund the world… Just imagine what that could do to a young and up and coming star, someone that has never been in the same position. I know it is hard to be thrown into a predicament that is new to you… And we both know how I truly endured, don’t we???”
“But for all of you out there that aren’t aware of what I am talking about….. The night where I beat Jessie Salco in a leather strap match… Where you have to touch all four corners first to walk away champion.”
She raises her eyebrow towards the camera, but remains calm.
“Sounds quite simple doesn’t it?? Beat your opponent into oblivion, drag her around the ring while you slap your hand across each and every top turnbuckle without any hesitation. And when you do, you are the victor in such an old and yet barbaric attraction to fill the hearts of the weaklings with joy. As if we are back in the Gladiator days of the Roman Empire… “
“It made me realize something Ariana, during that match it made me realize that I wasn’t just defending my championship belt at that moment… That I wasn’t solely trying to prove all of you doubters wrong… Oh no, it was a moment where I realized that EVERYTHING that I have ever mentioned about carrying a division on my fucking back was true…. Something that I bet has NEVER crossed your fucking mind now has it??? But of course it hasn’t, how could it? You are just a simple little girl that has been fighting against all odds to prove your worth in this company haven’t you?? Now I got a newsflash for you, you did it ONCE!! Your expectations have vanished as snow before your very own eyes, only to be replaced by an uphill battle, I know eventually you will succumb to Ariana… And you know why?? Because I have had to deal with it every single week of my reign. Funny how it is so refreshing to be on the other side of the coin for a change… To look in from outside instead of having to swap everyone away as if you were a pesky fly that just won’t stop bothering you until it gets what it wants. And you know something Ariana?? I want your blood.”
Melissa takes a moment to enjoy the darker becoming skyline of the Nevada desert, the wind blows through her hair as it reveals the muscular neck that smoothly transfers to her shoulders.
“I am not interested in sending out futile and desperate threats for what I will do to you Ariana. You know firsthand what I am capable of inside that six sided ring. That combined with the mere realization that whatever match stipulation ultimately will decide our fate in whether walking out the champion or not…. It will always give me an opening that I will be able to take advantage of Ariana. Just like I am laughing at the futile attempts of Jessie Salco once again trying to scare me with something new…. Something EXTREME.”
She uses her hands to emphasis the final word in a mocking fashion, as if it something that should scare her before shaking her head in disbelief.
“Everyone knows that I am a former kickboxer, everyone has looked at me with a look of disdain. As if I didn’t belong in the wrestling industry, but how quickly peoples perspectives started to change after I crushed everyone in my sight… including you… And nobody has truly figured out why I have adapted so easily in this supposedly superior aft of combat. Because you all are so fucking stupid…”
The first sign of a sneer emerges upon her face after discrediting the intellect of the average wrestler.
“Have you ever seen a Rico Verhoeven fight? Of course not, the big question mark emerges upon your ignoran face from the moment I uttered his name. The most dominant champion in Glory kickboxing history… A man that is relentless, that does not give you an inch. That has slaid giants and have crushed supposedly stronger and faster challengers that has stepped foot in the ring with him. He even broke the leg of a legend that made a return to the sports in the hope of one foolish moment of glory…. He broke his leg with one instant as the former champ cried like a little bitch. And you know what Rico did??”
“Of course you don’t, you are lucky if you actually know how to cook an egg. Let alone pay attention to dominance personified. He showed him respect, told him that if he ever wanted another shot at Rico, that he would accept it. Only to have his opponent look at him with fear in his eyes, realizing what he had signed up for in the first place. Something that you should be having for me Ariana… Because I intend to smother you from the moment that the bell rings. I intend to go after you, cut the ring in half before cornering you. Giving me the opportunity to clamp behind your head and drive my knees into your midsection and ribs. Oh yeah, I know it is unwise to unravel my strategy inside that six sided ring. But that’s the point Ariana, I don’t care. I don’t give a fuck, I am given an opportunity to use the Bombshell Roulette Champion as punching bag, feasting my unsational appitte before I start to devour the main course when I step foot in the structure of Jessie Salco’s own choosing.”
“Call it arrogance, call it stupidity, call it whatever the fuck you want. I don’t care. Because I have come to the conclusion that even though I respect you, I applaud you for having shown the mere fact that you possess the means of winning a match by any means necessary. It also shows the weakness that is brewing inside of you, even though I am not going to state that you are a paper champion. Because you have won the match, so you deserve to hold the accolades of everything that comes with it. It will still not help you dealing with the relentless aggression that is building inside of me, the aggression that I had planned to unleash upon the poor to be Jessie Salco will make a detour on Climax Control. And I’m actually glad that I could give the world and most importantly the owners and Jessie Salco a sneak preview of what the old hack can be expecting at High Stakes… By watching me decimate you inside the ring…. And there’s nothing that she can do to prevent me from doing that to you Ariana.
“And even if she had a chance to save you, she won’t, because all that she cares about is that Roulette title reign, to have held it a record amount of time before finally allowing her soon to be crippled body to retire. Is that the type of friend that you wish to have Ariana??? But wait, friends are a relative term in the sport of wrestling isn’t it??? The Mecca of betrayal between friends or even family.An don’t tell me that I am talking about rhetorical assumptions…. Ask her long time tag team partner…. f”
Melissa grins as she turns her attention more and more towards the camera as the ever darkening sky looms over her as if it is a Gothic painting.
“But this isn’t about you and Jessie, even though I could go on for hours and hours. It still is about you defending that championship belt for the very first time, your FIRST championship belt that had become an obsession for you ever since you had to endure me taking that championship opportunity away from you. Having to witness me outlast each and every other Bombshell in that match. Becoming one of the many of you WRESTLERS out there that couldn’t believe that I was better than each and every one of you. And that does not change the fact that you hold that belt Ariana, hell I could even care less if I beat you without winning that title. It will only prove my point even more that you will walk around telling the world that you are still champion, realizing that you do not even deserve it. ”
She moves her head from left to right without taking her eyes off the camera as she continues to smile.
“Does it start to set in already Ariana?? I’m not the woman that you believed I would be. I am not the woman that will tell you all the denial routine stories that are so infamous amongst you idiots. I’m a fighter, I’m a type of bitch that does not stop until I get what I want. And the problem for you is that you do not realize what I truly want. Ultimately that championship belt is coming home with me, but ultimately ridding myself and the world from you and Jessie’s bitching is ultimately what I truly want. I want to move on, I want to face new opponents without having to worry about one of the three stooges of the Bombshell division sticking their noses into MY business. Go ahead and start to leach yourself upon another victim, because that’s what leeches do, feeding upon others because you wouldn’t even be relevant without ME!!!”
“The mere fact that I wasn’t even mentioned as newcomer of the year already shows the world that you people aren’t far from enjoying insulting true talent. The mere fact that I am not even considered a reliable threat to anyone out there already proves to me that each and everyone needs to have their heads kicked in. I already start to pity the Bombshell Roulette division once I have scraped your name off the pavement and tossed your lifeless carcass into the ocean to watch you drown in your own misery. Because unlike others, I will not throw a lifeline into the water in an attempt to save you. Because that’s the price you pay when you dare to close the door in front of my face and deny me from what I am destined to achieve in this sport you hold so dear.”
“The only question I need to ask you Ariana, which side of your face do you want me to kick your skull in?? Because it doesn’t matter what type of match we will have, I will have that one specific moment where you will lift up your face and turn straight into The Shade of Black… Where your career will end up like every night that you go to sleep. Nothing more than a dissapointment, something that I know you and everyone else will take for granted. Because you don’t deserve that championship, you don’t deserve to be in the main event of a Climax Control or a Super Card.”
“I didn’t get to enjoy being the champ, because of people like you and Jessie Salco, but I’ll be damned to witness a High Stakes Super Card where the two of YOU get to decide who will walk out as champion . So do me a favor, don’t start to complain and cry like a little bitch who you are when I beat you…. Don’t go and run for excuses and demand title rematches that you do not deserve… And you know why?? Because I didn’t….. And I never will…. So live with it, because this coming Sunday everything that you possess will be gone… Except one crucial massive headache….. ”
With that the shot slowly fades as Melissa walks out of the shot.
