Chapter 46: Sweet dreams are made of..

Sleep is supposed to be the moment when you recharge your batteries. At the end of the day after whatever it is you’ve been doing, working out, doing your job, even housework or simply doing nothing, sleep is supposed to be the moment where anything that happened melts away and when you wake up, you have all the energy you need.

But, that’s not what was happening for me tonight.

I was tossing and turning, unable to get into deep sleep because something was on my mind. Everything that has been going on with Finn and his family, everything that I’ve been going on with the people I used to call family. The Romani. It was playing on me. I was trying not to care, trying to move past it and just let Finn take care of it. But I couldn’t.

My mind started drifting back, remembering what it was like living with The Romani. The rules and regulations. All of the different people that I knew, were people who were supposed to be my family. People who are supposed to care about me. But in the end, they all just use each other for their own means. I was only 19 years old, the first time that I knew that there was something deeper and more disgusting with these people.

Before that, there were signs that there was something wrong. The way the men looked at the women, the way they treated them, the way they treated each other. It was all horrible. I just didn’t want to admit it. In the beginning, Jace was a great guy. He was loving and caring, but all of it was just to get my walls broken down so he could control me. Manipulate me. Try and make me into his pretty little gypsy princess. But that cloud of manipulation was slowly starting to slip. The only problem is I was so young and stupid that I fell right into the trap and when I realized what was going on it was simply too late.

That’s where my dreams were taking me, to the nightmare of my past. I was nervous, I was going to talk to Jace about what I’d seen at the little bar in New York. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door stepping into the bedroom that I shared with Jace, he was sitting back in a chair, twirling a pen between his fingers, his long hair was tied back in a bond and his other hand was stroking his beard. He was a giant of a man, muscular, he looked like he should be swinging a battle axe on some ancient battlefield not spinning a pen in his hand while looking over paperwork.

”Hey, can we talk?” emotion Me to come in and sit down. Not even needing to say anything. I cleared my throat and moved over sitting across from him. ”So, last week, the whole thing at the bar. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Jace….I don’t want to go anywhere near places like that again if that’s what’s going to happen.”

He stopped twirling the pen, putting it down on the notepad before turning and looking at me. He clapped his hands together in his lap, tilted his head looking me up and down. ”That was a rough night huh?” I gave a small non-, he smiled back and cleared his throat. ”So, no more collection visits?”

I shook my head. He smiled. I exhaled. Like an idiot, I felt that he meant it. I actually felt relieved. Anyone could see what was going on. How deep in all of this I was. But I was never going to get out, and he knew it. ”Thank you… I wasn’t sure if I should say anything because I knew that you wouldn’t have meant for us to see that for it to happen.”

He smiled again, something that I now know was nothing but a mask. The happiness, The easy-going nature. Even the caring side of him. The side that would caress my cheek hold my hand and treat me like a piece of gold. All of that was nothing but a mask. A mask to hide the controlling manipulative asshole that he was. ”I understand Kayla…I do..” I stood up, I went to walk past him but he reached out and grabbed my wrist. ”I understand, that you want a free ride here.” his voice deepened, the look faded from his face and the colour from his eyes.

He was cold, colder than I had ever seen, and turning faster than I’d ever seen before. Not even my father had a look that cold in his eyes, not even Angel Blake had a look like that in his eyes. I was scared to death at that moment. ”No…Jace I didn’t”

”Shhh.. do you want to live here with us. You want our protection and you want to know all about what we do. But you don’t want to contribute. You and your sister were there for a reason, but you don’t wanna help. You just want all the perks but do none of the work” he stood up. Still holding onto my wrist. His grip tightened and I could feel his power.

”Jace..you’re hurting me..” he grounded his teeth together, he squeezed harder and leaned in. His eyes were almost black and my heart raced. I could tell he was angry, I could tell he was at a boiling point. I swallowed hard and looked down. He took a deep breath and released his grip.

”Get the fuck out of my sight”

I had never been that scared before. It was a fear that even now had woken me up from that nightmare. And instead of being in my comfy bed, lying next to my boyfriend who I was deeply in love with I was sitting in the lounge room looking out the window. Taking deep breaths trying to calm myself down. It was moments like that that made me the woman that I am today.

Someone who has been able to end up in a happy relationship despite everything. It took both myself and Finn so long and took so much effort to be able to say those simple words to each other. To let each other in. And even then we are subdued in our affections.

I want to give him more, I want to give him everything. But memories like that, memories like that night, and everything else I’ve ever been through is what is stopping me. This whole thing involving Dickie and The Yakuza as well as the Romani isn’t just a gang war that we’ve been pulled into. It’s my shot at being able to get it all out of my system and be the woman that he deserves.

”Can’t sleep?” I laughed shaking my head before looking over at him. He stepped to the side and reached down putting a hand on my shoulder, allowing me to grab a hold of it. ”Well…if you need me…you know where I am.” I gave a small nod, and he went back into the bedroom leaving the door open for me. But that night I couldn’t get any more sleep. Not after what happened. Not after what I remembered.

I’m such a fucking mess

Why?

”The royal pain tour. What a way to kick it off huh?”

Kayla can’t help but smile. Her long black hair was tied back and her arms folded over her chest. Wearing the brand-new Wolves shirt featuring herself and Finn

”I will be defending my world bombshell championship. But, before I get into who I’m defending the title against and why let me just clear up a few things when it comes to my match against Luna. You only need to realize something, I’m not the bad guy here. everyone will sit there and look at the little nickname I gave myself, dream killer, and they’ll think that I’m some kind of horrible person for beating people or destroying people who are trying to realize dreams. In fact, it’s something that many people pointed out.”

“Luna had a dream. She had a dream of becoming a world champion. Is the same dream that her husband has. And I guess it’s part of the course. Luna is definitely good enough to become a world champion. Just like Alexander is good enough to be the world champion on the mens side. There is just one small problem with their dreams, they are currently living in a world with Finn and I exist. they are in a company where we are at the top of the mountain and we refuse to get pushed off”

“I don’t dislike Luna. I’ve said many times that I believe her to be an amazing person. She has a similar aesthetic to me and an attitude and outlook on life that I can agree with. But here’s the problem. I’m out for myself and for my  legacy and my future and my career.”

“I’m out to live my dreams”

“So, I beat her and kept this championship. And I’m waiting for someone to be good enough to step up and take it from me. Luna won the blush from the past and the guaranteed her shot at the bombshells championship. And many people are saying she should get another opportunity. But he’s the thing, as much as I like and respect her. I think that’s horseshit. So, Luna, I want you to watch this promo and look me right in the eyes when I say this. You want a shot at this? Go to the back of the line and earn it like everyone else. I’m done with you.”

She takes a deep breath and clenches her jaw rubbing her teeth together before backing up. The world bombshells championship in the mixed tag-team title that she holds sitting next to each other behind her. Kaleb reaches up and taps against her jawline, black painted fingernails contrasting nicely with her almost porcelain skin.

”Now, where does that leave me? Well, I am privileged enough to know the next two challenges for the two championships that I currently hold. I’ll be rolling into climax control to defend the world bombshell championship and after that, Finn and I will be defending the mixed tag team championships against Alexandra Calaway and Miles Kasey. Again”

“As much as I greatly dislike that he and I are having to defend our championships against those two again let me just say that at least they earned it. They earned it by beating the Barnharts but they still earned a shot at those championships. The mixed tag team championships at least mean something to people now. That is because of myself and Finn. We have people earning opportunities to face us”

“Earning opportunities.”

“That seems to be a novel concept. There are plenty of ways to earn a championship match. There’s the number one contenders match which the two numb nuts who Finn and I will be facing for the mixed tag titles dead. There’s winning a tournament like Luna did with the blast from the past. there is straight-up calling out the champion over and over again while winning matches and being undeniable. Guess who did that? That’s right, Me.”

She chuckles and shakes her head looking over to the side before her demeanor changes and she stands angry about something.

”Seleana Zdunich. My little soapbox rant about earning championship matches was definitely directed at you. Because you’ve done nothing to earn this. You’ve done nothing to earn the right to get to even look in the general direction of the world Bombshells championship. I have been going out beating the best of the best and I’m undefeated this year while you have done nothing but get your arse beat up and down the goddamn card. Yeah, that’s right undefeated in 2024. In fact, the last time I lost was a year ago….”

“Since then Seleana, I have been the best in this company. I have beaten everyone who they have put against me. I talked myself into a world championship match because I was being overlooked and I was tired of it. I had the record to prove it. But you? All you have is a record of failure. A record of slowly disappearing into mediocrity. And for some reason, they’ve decided to hand you a world championship match. They just hand you things and I have no idea why. they’ve handed you roulette championship matches which you failed to capitalise on. Hell when I first won the vacant Internet championship you were in that very match and you had that opportunity handed to you and you were dumped over the top rope then too”

“And the last time you and I stepped foot in a ring one-on-one I made you tap out and sent you home a loser.”

“But this time the steaks are raised because my championship is on the line. And strangely enough, you’ve been in this position before. You’ve been in the position where you get a championship match plucked out of thin air against a dominant champion. The last time this happened, you shocked the world. You beat Alicia Lucas with help from your wife and you were able to call yourself a champion. But instead of running with it and enjoying your time as champion you decided to do the "right thing" and give her a rematch. At which time you had the shit kicked out of you and you lost.”

“So this time we’re just going to skip all that. Your wife knows if she gets involved in this match very bad things will happen to her.”

“But, as I talk about this I kind of realize why maybe, just maybe you might believe this is a good idea See, the same night that I beat Luna to keep my championship. You had a win as well, didn’t you? You beat former mixed tag team champion Eiley… congratulations. You’ve beaten someone who I have beaten so many times that to be quite honest with you I lost count. That doesn’t qualify you for this championship match. So the fact is that this whole situation has done nothing but piss me off. So we’re gonna get in that ring, I’m gonna take all of that aggression that I currently have built up out on you. And when the dust is settled, I will hold up my championship and it is the last time you will ever be in the same room as greatness.”

Chapter 44: Memory Lane

After my conversation with my sister, I couldn’t get this nagging feeling out of my mind. This feeling that I’ve missed something. That an answer to the problems that I had was right in front of me. But for some reason, I couldn’t see it.

Do you know what that’s like?

To have this question gnawing at your stomach. Just eating at you and pushing you. Right to the point where you don’t know what is up and what is down and where you are. That’s what I’ve been dealing with for the last few weeks. And before, I leave and go on a cruise ship to defend my championship. I feel like I need to have that question answered.

I had so many questions. Wondering what I could do to change everything that was happening. Wondering how I could get Finn to let me in. He was so insistent on doing everything himself. Facing everything himself. I needed to know how I could change his mind and show him that us doing this together would make us both stronger than trying to do everything separately. So many questions…

And I knew exactly where to find the answers.

It was a long drive, leaving the city where I lived, moving out, and going to upstate New York. The irony being that it was very close to where my sister lived. She told me that she wanted to forget everything that we went through, I don’t know how she’d be able to do that considering she lived so close to where our torment happened. But it Always Amused me how she dealt with trauma. And never ceased to amaze me how she was always able to find the bright side in everything that happened.

It made us stronger she said, and gave us a new appreciation for what we could have in life. And I suppose to her that was true. She had a husband who loved her, daughters who adored her, and a career and a life where it wasn’t Something that would destroy her body. As much as she still loved professional wrestling, her hiatus had turned into more of an unofficial retirement. That was something I couldn’t do.

I couldn’t walk away.

I made my way up, out of the city, through the suburbs. Large rolling planes and parks, beautiful sunshine as we were in the middle of summer. American summer. I was boiling. You, you have to remember remember, I grew up in England.

The car came to a stop, I gave a small nod and stepped out. I took a deep breath instead heading to the large iron gate, the compound where I had spent a year of torment. A year where I had become a member of a gypsy clan, that cared only about one thing. The gaining of money.

It wasn’t always like that. The first time I came across these gates, I was happy. Jase had promised me the world. Promised that he could help my career reach New Heights. Promised that I would have that sense of family that I had always been missing. He knew exactly what to exploit. He knew exactly what to tell me to gain my trust and pull the wall over my eyes. But at the time I didn’t know that. I was a stupid kid and I saw these gates as a gateway to happiness. A gateway to acceptance.

The first time I walked into the compound, I was greeted by women who looked like me, dark hair, tattoos, everything.

And here I was, a few years later walking past the gate. Now it was rusted and falling apart but when I first saw it it was galvanized iron, when the sun hit it just right there was a shine that would go across the ground. The buildings were beaten up and old. The paint was peeling, the grass was overgrown. No one had been here since that night. The night that Renée was murdered everything got flipped upside down. I remember running across the grass, getting to the wall, and jumping over it with Amber. I remember the feeling of freedom, and the irony of all of it was that Jace was the one who helped us leave.

I felt like I was having a panic attack, looking at all these places that I had spent so much time. And felt so much pain. I froze, looking at the large building that we all used to walk into. Every single Sunday it was time to see who the strongest was. Men and women, bare-knuckle fighting. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and bone hitting bone. The smell of sweat and blood mixed together. I could smell it now. It’s a very distinct smell. It’s something that once you know it then you’ll always know it.

The door was open.

I couldn’t help myself, moving through into the large room. A room with a concrete floor. A room that was wide open with loadbearing pillars throughout. There was still blood stains on the ground. They had never been cleaned up, it was never a priority. I close my eyes and was able to feel every single punch I took in that fucking place. Every single shot, every single cheer when I would get hit every single cheer when I would hit someone else. I could feel it, cheekbones breaking underneath my knuckles. Fingers breaking when I would put my hands and arms over my face and would crack against an elbow.

I had to get out. Moving back into the main part of the compound, walking right to the back. The main destination and reason why I was here. My room.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Pushing open the door and stepping in. It was exactly how it was when I left. A single bed in the corner of the room, a room that was about the size of a prison cell. Small TV in the opposite corner, and a lockbox sitting under it. I grabbed hold of it, moving the tumblers to the correct phone number combination. It clicked and it opened.

I took a deep breath closing my eyes and flipping it open. And there it was. A stack of pictures. Photos that I had taken with an old Polaroid camera that I had bought from a shop down the road when I was allowed to have money. I flicked through the photos looking for the one in particular that I remember. A photo that at the time meant nothing to Me. But passed them all, photos of myself and Amber, Jace, and Renée, and other members of the family that I thought I wanted or needed. The Romani who were only nice to me when they wanted something

But the picture I wanted was one of Renée by himself.

The king of the gypsies. The leader of the Romani. The older brother of Jace and my sister‘s ex-husband. Deceased. And nobody cried. But there was something about this photo. Something about the day. We were meeting people in the middle of the city, and I snapped a fast photo. I thought it was just Renée by himself but there was always something in the background, something that I couldn’t put my finger on. And I could see it.

I needed to get this to Finn. I needed him to see it. I needed him to know that I knew everything.

”Fuck…”

The Moon

How amazing are cruise ships? Floating cities. Filled with restaurants and bars and clubs as well as sometimes arcades to go and have some fun. In some cases they even have casinos. That isn’t what Kayla Richard gave a shit about right now. No, we find Kayla in her natural habitat. Lying on a deck chair next to the pool, a whiskey sitting next to her

”Summer Xxxtreme. My favorite SuperCard. Some members of our roster aren’t on the boat yet. They have other engagements with other companies and they will join us at another port of call. But Me? I don’t need other appointments. I don’t need other jobs. I am simply the queen of Sin City wrestling. And as such I get to come onto this boat and onto the cruise right when we leave and relax. I can relax and I can get ready for my match in front of all the fans that are also on this boat. Luckily, I negotiated a first-class ticket. Any fans that are up here are usually the richer ones who are smart enough to pay for the opportunity and honor of spending time with Me or getting an autograph.”

“And I know what most of you were thinking. I really am being an arrogant bitch. The thing is? It’s not arrogance if you live up to the cocky nature that you are exuding. And I’d like to think that I’ve earned the right to be an arrogant cocky bitch. Hell, I just defended the mixed tag team championships with Finn. Again. I finally buried Alexandra Calloway and watched as Finn slapped Miles upside the head and hopefully slap some sense into him.”

“Now, before I get into the ins and outs of this match and what it means to me, I just need to address you, Alexandra”

“Part of my job being a champion, whether or not that is the mix tag team champion or the A-bomb shell champion is to teach. I need to show the rest of you how you were supposed to carry yourselves in the position that I’m in just in case one of you is lucky enough all good enough to take my spot. Alexandra was never going to take my spot. She’s not good enough to take my spot. So, Alexandra, I hope you are paying attention. Maybe, just maybe you’ll learn something. Because all you do is lose and all I do is win. You lost it PWS you lost at Sin City when you watched your roulette championship disappear and then you failed along with Miles to take those tag team championships from us.”

“You….are a failure…much like Eiley and her dimwit lazy loud-mouthed mentor, just like Ariana Angels. Just like everyone else who failed against me…”

Kayla couldn’t help but smile. She reached up, grabbed her sunglasses, and lifted them to the top of her head. Her long black hair was done in a tight bun on the top of her head with a black and red polka dot bikini covering her unmentionable parts while showing off her body and tattoos.

”Now, failure is often a necessary step towards success. It is something that I’ve lived my life by. I’m not perfect. Well, I am. But my record isn’t. I’ve lost matches. Here and in every other company that I’ve been in. But do you know what separates me from people like Ariana or Alexandra or even my opponent for the SuperCard Luna? When I lose, I come back stronger. I make sure that it doesn’t happen again. All you have to do is look at my history at this very event.”

“Two years ago. Summer Cxxtreme 10, I was involved in the roulette championship match. The four-way over the pool ultimate X. A match that has become synonymous with this event. I got in the ring well, over the pool, with Mercedes Vargas, lady Melissa, and Kat Jones. Three women who are stars. Admittedly Mercedes is aging and nowhere near as good as she used to be, Miss Jones seems to be very flaky when it comes to actually staying in a company and Melissa?, has had to take time off and come back but she is someone who has actually beaten me. And she has my respect.”

“Now, that was my first real opportunity at a championship in this company. Admittedly it was for a championship that I didn’t want. But a championship is a championship and always adds to your legacy and allows you to go after other ones. Well, I lost that match. I lost that match and I lost that opportunity. I was unable to win and at the end of the day, it counts as a loss against me. I mean yeah, I didn’t get pinned. I didn’t submit but I still lost the match.”

“I hate losing.”

“Everyone does. If you don’t hate losing a passion and if you are not always trying to bet yourself and get to that point where you win a hell of a lot more than you lose then you shouldn’t even be in this company or this business. This business is all about winning. Some people will tell you it’s all about the fans and entertaining them and some such nonsense but the truth is this business is about winning and people love winners. That’s what I am.”

She chuckles to herself and sits up before leaning over and grabbing her whiskey taking a sip and placing it back down onto the small table. A man dressed in white holding a serving tray walks over and puts another full glass next to her and takes the empty one. Kayla gives him a small note of appreciation before continuing.

”And the following year…last year, I proved it. The following year I went into the SuperCard as a champion. As the Internet champion. In that year I had gone from someone who was a prospect that a lot of people had respect for, to being rookie of the year in this company becoming the Internet champion, and then going on a tear destroying everyone who they put in front of me. All because I lost one match”

“Diamond Steele tried everything to take my Internet championship off of Me. And she failed. Now, we can all sit there and laugh at her because she comes from a family of people who tend not to do their best under pressure. But at the end of the day, she still was trying to take a championship off of Me and I still had to beat her. And I did. Because again, that’s what I do. In the space of 12 months, I had gone from someone who lost the biggest opportunity of their career to date to being a dominant champion.”

“12 Months…”

“What a difference a year makes huh? Now, I have been in this company for two years. And in that time I have had four different championship reigns. Three Internet championship reigns, a mixed tag team title, and of course the world bombshell championship. Two years, five championships, and an undefeated record on climax control. as well as a Rookie of the Year award. Now I have a question for every one of you. Has anyone in this company for two years done what I’ve done?”

“The answer…is no.”

She flashes a smile, full of arrogance. And why wouldn’t she be arrogant?

”Do you have any idea how much pressure that is? Finn and I are both doing something that has never been done in this company before. Holding two championships and defending them at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, others have held two championships at the same time, but they’ve had to give one of them up soon after. Finn and I are defending them both. We’ve held the mixed tag team championships for almost a year and we have both held the top championships in this company for almost 100 days apiece.”

“That is real pressure. And it’s a pressure that not everyone can handle. It’s a pressure that will break so many others. Some people will turn them into diamonds, like myself. Others will crumble and be destroyed and end up in pieces. But it’s not just holding the two championships. The biggest pressure of all is being the bombshells champion.”

“See you have to put the entire division on your back. You have to try and bring people up to your level so the entire division can be lifted as a whole.”

“That is a type of pressure that so many others just can’t handle. And everything I’ve seen leaves Me to believe that Luna Pasilno can’t handle that pressure…..”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve said in the past that I like Luna and that I respect Luna. And I do. I think you are an incredible athlete. Someone who loves to get into a fight and will do everything they can to win. It doesn’t matter what it is. All you want to do is have your hand raised at the end of the match. And you have a desire and a hunger for the world bombshells championship.”

This causes Kayla to set up. Becoming more serious instead of relaxing as the clouds drift by and the sun comes down. She drinks her second whiskey and puts the glass back onto the table with a thud.

”You were so hungry for the championship that you were able to drag Sean Parker to a win in the blast from the past. That alone should show how unbelievably driven you are. You can lead a man to the finals and beat your own husband in the final with him to get a shot at the championship. And to be honest with you? If you don’t come home with this championship, I’m sure that Alexander will be less than pleased.”

“Thing is I’m not going to stand here or sit here and say that you don’t have a chance of winning. Because you do. You have a better chance than most. You are certainly a woman who has all the tools and abilities to beat Me and take the championship away from me. I’m not gonna pretend that you don’t. What I’m calling into question is whether or not you have what it takes to deal with the pressure that comes with being a champion.”

“The pressure that comes with leading the entire division.”

“You had a chance to dethrone me and Finn as the mixed tag team champions with your husband by your side. You are the only one going into that match without a championship and you were the only one to leave that match without a championship. You had it all there and in the end, you failed because you can’t handle that amount of pressure being put on you.”

“You have been in this company for a year and a half. And in that time you were able to capture the roulette championship and the Internet championship. Your roulette championship win was impressive but still ended up failing when you lost that title to Jesse Salco. And what is worse? You won the Internet championship, a title that I made famous. And you lost it to Ariana Angelos. After 20 days. Are you kidding me?”

Kayla throws her hands in the air and gets to her feet. Clearly annoyed and angry and now getting on a roll.

”I didn’t really bring this up any other time I’ve talked to you or about you because I was waiting till now. I wanted to see exactly how you would react to facing Me in that mixed tag team championship match. And when you failed, I lost it. Part of me wanted you to succeed, part of me wanted you to show me that you had that fire and you were good enough to take the bombshells championship off of me. But, you lost the roulette championship to Jesse Salo and then lost the Internet championship to Ariana Angelos after I spent six months trying to keep it out of her grubby little mitts, and that just shows me that you are not ready for something like the world bombshell championship”

“You aren’t ready, you aren’t worthy, and even though you won the blast from the past you are not someone who should be in this main event. I dragged Julianna DiMaria to back-to-back main events and now I’m taking you to one. But the differences she earned it by being a champion.”

“You haven’t got that past.”

“But, who knows, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you’ll be able to surprise me and shock the world and take the championship from me. After all, I’ve already said that you are good enough to do it. And I meant it when I said that. But I wonder what will happen afterward. Think about that Luna. If you win this championship, what happens after it? Winning a championship isn’t just beating someone on one night and being able to raise the championship belt over your head and say that you’re the best. It’s proving it night in and night out and doing everything that you can to make sure the championship remains where it needs to be.”

“Can you do it?”

“Or, will you crumble under the pressure? Because I know when I’m putting my money.”

Chapter 42: Repeated Mistakes.

It had been over two months since Kayla had sold her apartment and moved back in with Finn. Over two months since she made the decision based on a moment of honesty they both had. A moment where they finally admitted to each other, and themselves, that they loved each other. It was a moment of clarity. A moment of honesty. And a moment filled with love that both of them would cherish forever. However, since that moment things had stalled.

Kayla had moved back in, she saw Finn every day. They spent time together and laughed and smiled. They ate together, they would fall asleep on the couch in each other‘s arms, but it still wasn’t the same. There was something holding them both back. Something that was stopping Kayla and Finn from, being in a fully-fledged relationship

Yes, they both made jokes about it. Kayla even referred to him as her boyfriend.

And this was something that everyone around them noticed. Something that their friends had taken note of. Finn‘s brother Dickie, he had been vocal about it. Aidan Reynolds, a resident of Finn‘s Home for wayward wrestlers, and dickies‘s best friend had noticed. And he’s a complete idiot.

None of them said anything out of respect for Kayla and Finn and in some cases fear of them both. There was one woman however, that didn’t have fear. One that did have respect but also wanted to know exactly what was going on between the two. Tasmin Richards. Kayla‘s younger sister and someone who would identify as one of Kallie’s best friends. A former wrestler in her own right who had become a champion and even beaten Julianna DiMaria in her time. Tasmin was tougher than she looked and was ready to get answers.

It was early in the morning. Finn had left to go to Wolfslair and open the doors, grumbling about Alex needing the day off. Kayla walked down the hallway, a black baseball cap over her head with her long black hair tied up in a tight bun popping through the back above the snaps on the cap. She had running shoes on, black leggings and a black Adidas too. Her keys in one hand, a coffee in the other. ”So that’s where you’ve been…a run….”

Kayla looked up and smirked, it was the voice of Tasmin. Her younger sister was standing next to the door, her arms folded over her chest wearing a pair of camouflage pants, a black tank top, and a leather jacket over the top. Her hair, also black, but dyed instead of her natural blonde, flowed down her shoulders and back. ”Yeah, cardio today, then I have to film a few things for SCW…..what’s up?” Kayla shot her a small smile, they didn’t have any plans today. Kaleb would’ve remembered.

She unlocked the door and moved in, going to the side and letting her sister follow. As the door closed behind them, Kayla threw her empty coffee cup out before taking her hat off and flicking the small switch on the coffee machine upward. ”I wanted to catch you without Finn here….” Kayla tilted her head and her shoulders dropped. ”Look, Kay, you’ve been back for a while now. You told me that you didn’t think you deserved him. But things haven’t changed, and everyone else is sitting here with their mouth shut and walking on eggshells with you. But I’m sick of it. I’m not gonna sit by and watch you sabotage your Love life again.”

Kayla took a deep breathe and turned ”Tas, I told you…to bu-“

”To butt out, yeah I heard you.” She stepped forward, interrupting her sister before shaking her head and leaning forward. ”But I can’t sit here and not ask why. Why aren’t you and Finn fully into this? All in? You clearly love each other. Shit, you SAID it” She was frustrated. And why wouldn’t she be? Everyone had known that these two were crazy about each other and were just too stubborn to admit it. And now it finally happened, and they were only going halfway.

”….Why…..you want to know…why?” Kayla shook her head looking over at Tasmin who folded her arms over her chest and gave her a nod. [color]”Fine…. I’ve been in relationships. Everyone has. And yeah, through most of my relationships, I’ve been the one who has been the week one. Jace, Matt, even Billy… but, just after I left home, and before I went to go find Amber in the US. There was a boy. You might remember him, Cameron.”[/color]

Tasmins eyes widened, she remembered him alright. Kayla shook her head, she could remember it now, the smell of the cigarette smoking inside the London bars. The smell of the alcohol on all of their breaths. And she could remember what she felt like, standing in a pub at 17 years of age. Younger than she should’ve been. A deep-cut white top over her skin that had to be tattooed. Her hair was tied away from her face and her face was covered with too much makeup. A black mini skirt, and high heels.

And sitting across the room, in one of the booths with some of his friends, who was Cameron. Young, average-looking, just over 18, he smiled at her. They went to school together. They had known each other for years and Cameron had always had Kayla back. She moved over to him and passed a table of older men. One of them reached out slapping her on the arse. Kayla stopped, Cameron got up and she shook her head as her friends also grabbed hold of him and pulled him back down. The men laughed, Kayla turned around and tilted her head.

”Oi, if you are gonna do that you can at least pay for the fuckin pleasure and buy me a drink….if not? Fuck off….” She turned, her body language full of attitude and arrogance. She made her way over to the booth and slid across the seat next to Cameron. The other two boys got up, going to get some drinks and getting ready to leave.

”I was just about to fuck that rude old boy up….why wouldn’t ya let me?” Kayla gave a small bit simple shrug, one of the bar maids walked over, she had a tray in her hand full of shots sliding it across the table. Kayla raised an eyebrow. The barmaid turned and motioned toward the table of old men. They all looked over at her with a wink lifting their beers. Kayla chuckled, reaching down and grabbing one of the shock glasses before throwing it back, she closed her eyes and then smiled before giving them an appreciative wave.

Cameron shook his head and Kayla stretched ”You have to show that you are afraid of them. Besides they probably think if I get drunk enough, I’ll go home with one of them. And if this was the good stuff they might even be able to fondle my tits. Unfortunately, this is cheap garbage. So no one is touching me tonight.” She laughed. Cameron wasn’t amused. He got up, shaking his head, and moving out towards the door and out into the street. The smile faded from Kayla's face as she got up and followed. The tray of drinks sitting on the table as Cameron‘s friends returned. Happy at the bounty that was being left for them. Kayla moved out onto the street, throwing her leather jacket over the top and shaking her head ”Hey….what the fuck Cam?”

He stopped midstep, turning and shaking his head as a few tears came from his eyes. Kayla stepped back shocked at The fact he was upset. ”Ya let them treat you like a fuckin slag….ya treat ya self like one too….”

Kayla shook her head, unsure of how to take all of this. ”So? What has you all hot n bothered? Is it because you can’t grab a handful? Is that what you want?” Cameron took a deep breath. Kayla stepped forward, biting her bottom lip as she did. Her hands came to either side of her jacket as she pushed her chest together and leaned forward. ”Come on…take what ya want Cam…”

Cameron took a labored breath in and then pushed Kayla back ”No! Stop it. Stop treating yourself like this. Stop thinking that every guy just wants to put his fucking dick in you…..”

Kayla chuckled dismissively, tilting her head and stepping back ”That is what every guy wants…”

”Not me!” he erased his voice, throwing his arms in the air in a frustrated fashion before blurting something else out. ”I love ya!”

Kayla swallowed, unable to process what he was saying or what he was trying to do. She didn’t love him, but she did feel for him. They were close and she had always been there for him and he had always been there for her. But this was different. After a few seconds, Kayla snapped out of it, laughing it off and rolling her eyes ”Jesus Cam, you didn’t have to work that hard to try and get Me in bed. All you had to do was put a move on Me and make sure that I was drunk.” Kayla laughed again, Cameron shook his head, moving back away from her and throwing his hands in the air again. He turned and walked away from her, and Kayla, being the stubborn teenager she was, just let him walk away.

Her voice cuts through the vision of the past. And now we are back in the present. ”I never….wanted to hurt him…”

Tasmin was quiet, she stepped forward and reached out grabbing Kayla’s hand. ”What he did… it’s not your fault. You and Cameron gravitate toward each other because you had both had horrible things happen.”

Kayla pulled her hand away, trying to fight back tears as she let out a deep breath. ”He killed himself a week later Tas…”

”That wasn’t your fault. That was his decision. Not yours. And besides, you were 17 years old. You were a kid. That was almost a lifetime ago even though it doesn’t feel that way.” Kayla swallowed hard. Tasmin shook her head and continued. ”You are not the same person that you were back then. And punishing yourself for isn’t right. You deserve to be happy okay? Stop thinking that you’re not good enough because of something that happened when you were a fucking teenager.”

Kayla swallowed hard. She knew her sister was right. She knew that it was time to move on. But how could she forgive herself? This was a pain that she’d been carrying around for over 10 years. This was going to take a lot of work.

And a lot of time.

A conspiracy of Wolves.

”It feels good to be vindicated.”

Kayla lets out a deep breath, a smile on her face as she folds her arms over her chest. She shifts her weight sitting in Washington Park in Denver Colorado. Cause Pueblo is a shithole….

”The Bombshells championship has been held by some of the best of the best that this company and the wrestling world has ever seen. And I presented Julianna with a challenge. It was a challenge that she could pass in multiple ways. She could’ve passed it by beating me. But that wasn’t the only way. My criticisms of her as a champion and as a person could be easily changed by her coming at me as hard as she could and showing me what kind of person she was”

“She showed me that she has the heart of a champion. She has the school of a champion. The only problem is that she is the right person at the right place at the wrong time. Because this Ira right now is mine.”

“My time.”

“My title.”

“And as much as Julianna wishes it wasn’t, well, facts don’t care about your feelings. The fact is the wall. She is a very talented wrestler, and while she was able to win that championship, she was only keeping it warm for me. She isn’t quite on the same level as the others who held the championship. And I prove that. Prove that by going into two consecutive supercars, and beating her. But now where does that leave me? Hmm?”

She can’t help but laugh, for the first time in a long time, there is a clear line between champion and challenger. A woman who earned her place through one of the most scrolling tournaments this company has ever devised. One way you are forced to team with someone that you have never teed with before and most cases and in all cases not even knowing who your partner is going to be until the tournament begins.

”Well, I know who I’ll be defending this championship next and I know when it will happen. But the path to getting there? That is a big question. See, the bombshell championship isn’t the only one I have to worry about. I also am still one-half of the mixed tag team champions and in a cruel twist of fate it would seem that Finn and I have to defend these championships against my future challenger and her husband.”

“What a world. What a great twist of fate huh?”

“And the truth is I can’t blame SCW for putting the conspiracy against us. They have been one of the most consistent teams in this company and Finn and I need to defend these championships. I’ve been asking to. And the inactivity of these championships has been jumped on by a whole bunch of bullshit, ego-mongering douchebags.”

“A certain cowardly blonde.”

“One that shall remain nameless because all she wants is attention. Because when she doesn’t get it from her husband, she tries to get it from everyone else. Eventually, he’s going to stop giving her all that attention and she’s going to find it at the end of a dick instead of just the end of her keyboard. But, the truth is that with these championships comes a certain responsibility. When this company changed its mind on being able to hold singles championships at the same time as holding these tag team championships, it was always going to be something that had to be sacrificed.”

She pauses again and shrugs.

”A sad fact but a true one. And since Finn and I have had to defend our world titles then we have put the mixed tag titles on the back burner. And some have used that fact to call us bad champions. Despite defending the titles and holding them longer than anyone else. Despite the fact that these titles are now going to be defended in the main event of Climax control, and are beating fought over by the world champion, the bombshells world champion, the roulette champion, and the winner of the blast from the past, and number one contender.”

“When did that happen last? Go ahead and tell me when these titles have meant more. Go on, I’ll wait.”

Kayla looks at her phone and waits. After a few moments, she sighs and puts it back.

”Who would have thought it? Two world champions would make the mixed tag team championships mean more than a couple of rookies who spent most of their time talking about how great they were while not having the chops to back it up. Finn and I have made these championships bigger than they have ever been. And we are one defense away from having the most amount of defenses to go along with the longest reign…”

“And look at our challenges. The conspiracy. As I said one of them is the brand-new roulette champion, and the other is the number one contender Famai championship and someone who won the blast from the past. And of course, Alexander despite being the roulette champion is also the blast from the past runner-up”

“Amazing right?”

“Well at least on paper. But things aren’t always what they say. Are they? You two have turned around and made it very clear that you wanted a shot at these titles. And curious that you want them right now as I am about to go into a match with Luna. you are trying to set Luna up to succeed when in reality you’re just setting her up to fail.”

Kayla scoffs, she shakes her head and continues.

”Alexander, you are a step above so many of the others in this company. You are. Despite your repeated attempts to win the world championship and your repeated failures, you are still one of the better professional wrestlers here. And congratulations on becoming the roulette champion. Again. Now, I need to convey just how happy I am that you were able to beat the snot out of your fellow Australian. See while I am friends with that foolish Australian wife, I really don’t like him very much. Aidan Reynolds is a complete buffoon and a meat sack filled with a low IQ and a stupid accent. No offense.”

“And you beat him. You were able to shake off your choke artist tag and become the roulette champion. Or were you? See, you have been the roulette champion before and you’ve been able to get to that level. It’s not that level that has continually invaded you, it is the level above. It is getting into the main event level the world title level. And you are still failing that. You failed and you choked in the blast from the past, you could’ve been next up to face Finn. But instead, you won yourself a consolation prize.”

“You crawled right back up to the same level that you were at two years ago. Congratulations.”

“Then, well, then you presented with an opportunity. An opportunity to beat someone with the last name of Harris. And you failed at that too. It seems that anyone with that last name just happens to be better than you. And it wasn’t even Michael or Calvin, it wasn’t even either of the ones that people would consider to be legends. It was Jayden, the child, you couldn’t beat a child….. and do you think you’re going to come and take these mixed tag team championships off of us? You’re here trying to make sure that your wife gets one up over me before she faces me for the bigger title. Before she realizes a dream that you can never touch. You are living vicariously through your wife and that Alexander, is pathetic.”

She tits and rolls her eyes.

”Now, as for you Luna. I have made no question about the fact I respect you. I do. I respect how you go about things, I respect the attitude that you have toward your fellow competitors. You get in the ring and you leave everything in there and do everything you can to win. It is something that I admire. And the fact that you actually have the balls to respect me and to show the world that even though I am, subjectively, a horrible person when it comes to professional wrestling, I am also worthy of respect.”

“I was so happy when I saw that you won the blast from the past. I didn’t want to face Alexandra Calaway. And it wasn’t because I thought that she would be the harder match. The truth is that she would’ve been too easy. I would’ve steamrolled over that bitch faster than you could say “overrated hack”. I wanted you. I wanted you because I knew that I needed good opponents to legitimize my reign as champion.”

“So I needed you.”

“With that being said. You earned your shot against me by winning that tournament. You have now been given a shot at the mixed tag team champions based off of your record as a tag team with Alexander. Now, if we look at your record and my record it does be the question why I was so excited about you winning the blaster in the past. See, there is a huge discrepancy between you and Me Luna. There is a huge discrepancy in not only my accomplishments in this company and your accomplishments in this company but also what I have been able to do just on climax control.”

“I’m undefeated.”

“I have never been beaten on that show. I have never been pinned or been made to submit on climax control since I signed with this company. I have a massive winning record and a massive winning percentage. I have five separate championship runs to my name. I have beaten the best this company has to offer. And now you and your husband get to come at me Finn for our mixed tag team championships right before you are coming at me for my bombshells world championship. and for some reason, you think this is a good idea. Really? Do you really think it’s a good idea to go into a match with me where I could destroy you before you get a shot at my bombshells world championship?”

Kaleb looks around, laughing out loud. But not in a real laugh which she finds something amusing. This is the kind of laugh that you let out when you can’t believe the bullshit that you just heard or thought.

”You are in a lose-lose situation. Say you and Alexander win. You, through some Fuckery, take the mixed tag team championships off of me and Finn. Then all you have done is piss me off. And you look back at my history in this company. Any time someone has beaten me I have come back stronger and destroyed them and taken back that win and in some cases championships. You take those mixed tag team championships from Me and all I’m going to do is want to rip your head clean off your fucking shoulders.”

“Now, say you lose.”

“Well, then you are going into summer xxxtreme with a loss to me. A big failure. Right in front of the world. So you getting this championship match might be a good idea on paper much like your record but in practice it’s just not a good idea.”

“Congratulations, you played yourself.”

“Cause, before this mixed tag match there was this aura about a fight between you and me. The blast from the past winner and someone who is on the rise going against someone who is honestly one of the most dominant females this company has ever seen. People like you Luna, they might not like your attitude but they respect you as a professional wrestler. But you are not in my league. But there was an illusion that you were close to it. I should be held in the same regard as Alicia Lukas, Amber Ryan, and yes, even that blonde bitch who I’m not even going to glorify by saying her name. That is the level that I’m at.

“And now, that illusion that we had where people thought maybe you were on that level? It’s going to be shattered. Shattered and destroyed all because you and your husband decided you wanted to come for the mixed tag team championships, just because you both thought it would be a good idea and somehow give you a leg up against me if you were able to win them.”

“In the end Luna, you are just going to be another story, of arrogance and hubris end of someone whose potential ended up being outweighed by their ego. Someone who thought more of themselves than they really were. And this is the first step.”

Chapter 40: Threats

Home.

That’s what this felt like. Walking through the door, putting away all of my clothes, putting all the extra things I had in storage. It felt like returning – returning to a happy place where I knew I was safe. A place where I knew I could smile and laugh. It didn’t even bother me that I was going to be living with people instead of being alone. As long as I was with him, everything was going to be fine.

The look of shock on Aiden‘s face was worth it. Kallie, of course, knew.

The biggest shock for Aiden was seeing me move all of my clothes into my old room. Because even though Finn and I had told each other that we loved each other, even though I had moved back in, and even though we were spending a lot of time together, we still hadn’t started dating though I was giving him a tremendous amount of shit about it.

And no, before any of you think it, Finn and I have not had sex.

Yet….

It doesn’t mean that we weren’t going to, it doesn’t mean that we will any time soon, but I’m very happy with the way we are. I know how he feels about me and he knows how I feel about him. We have long conversations, talking about our past and where we have been. As well where we want to go. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, and for the first time in a long time I feel at ease with myself. And it’s all because of him.

I moved around the apartment, looking around and noticing that any of the changes that I had made before I left it stayed. He obviously cared about what I thought. Everyone was out, I didn’t know where Finn was, I didn’t know where Aiden or Kallie were.

It was silent. Serene. I took a deep breath and sat down, my coffee in my hands. I was finally able to breathe. As much as I loved the apartment that I bought, and as much as I wanted to make it home, it never had that feeling. That feeling of being able to just be free.

My serenity was shattered as there was a knock at the door. I got to my feet and moved thinking that maybe one of them had forgotten their key, but a chill ran down my spine as I looked over to the small monitor that connected to the camera above the door.

It was Jace.

I swallowed hard and shook my head, unlocking the deadbolt and opening the heavy security door. Jace smiled when he saw me, eyeing me up and down like he was a hunting predator and I was just a snack he could take. The truth is a few years ago that look would make me blush, but right now all it did was make me sick. ”Mmm, hello little one.”

My nostrils flared as he went to walk inside. I didn’t move, crossing my arms as I stood in the doorway.

”What do you want?” My voice was emotionless and dry, I was trying to prove a point. But I wasn’t afraid of him, that he didn’t intimidate me, in fact his existence was nothing but a mild annoyance to me.

He scoffed and growled before stepping forward and into the apartment looking around ”Nice place your boyfriend has…”

I took a deep breath, my eyes burning a hole right through Jace as he moved around my home. ”Yes…our home is beautiful.” Jace turned and looked at me, over his shoulder like I was an afterthought. My nostrils flared again as I tried to hold in the anger that I had building up inside. He came to stop at a pair of doors, my bedroom and Finn’s bedroom. ”What do you want Jace?”

He chuckled. The arrogant prick. ”Come on now. You should know by now that I’ve always been watching. But not just you. Your little boyfriend and his brother too. And I know what he did, I know what he’s been doing, and you should know that we won’t take it lightly.”

”Finn had nothing to do wi-“

crack

The back of Jace’s hand flew up and hit me right across the cheek. The familiar sting rattled through my body, and for a moment I was transported back to years ago. When I was a part of his world. And this was a regular occurrence. I forgot myself for a moment, shaking as fear racked through my body. After a few seconds, I collected myself and slowly looked up at him, my green eyes burning right into his.

He smiled.

”There’s my girl. You’ve gotten stronger but you still haven’t changed that much. And I don’t care if your little boyfriend had anything to do with it.” He stepped forward, every single fibre of my being told me to step back and away from him. Instead, I stayed strong and folded my arms over my chest. ”The fact is, your boyfriend’s little shithead brother has sent shockwaves through MY business…..and since he has hidden away and refused to talk to anyone….I have to come to you…”

”What the fuck do you expect me to do about it?“

He laughed to himself and shook his head, stepping forward again, his six foot eight frame hovering over me. He was even bigger than he used to be when we were together. Obviously, he’d put on more muscle mass to become more intimidating. ”Oh Kayla. You just have to do what you do best.” He reached out, running a thumb over my cheek as the rest of his hand moved around to the back of my neck, holding me tightly. ”Be persuasive.”

I slapped his hand away, moving to the side and putting extra bass in my voice ”I have very little to do with Finn’s brother. Dimitri Watson is not someone I’ve ever given a shit about. In fact, the majority of the time, he annoys me to the point where I want to slap him halfway across the fucking room. So, how exactly am I going to influence him to do anything?”

”Because you’ll have no choice!” His voice raised. Not quite to yell, but enough that it startled me. He stepped forward again closing the distance that I created, his nostrils flaring as he bent down so he could get right into my face. Reminding me once again just how small I was compared to him. ”Let me put it this way, if your boyfriend doesn’t get his brother to talk to us, or if you don’t get his brother to talk to us, then your little boy toy is going to be the one who pays. Not you, not Dimitri, Finn. He will be the one who pays. Do you understand me?”

My arms moved from their position of crossing over my chest to being down my sides, my hands bawling to fists as my teeth ground together. I wasn’t scared or intimidated any more, now I was angry. Furious. It built up inside as I stepped forward now, Voluntarily closing the distance to try and make him see that I wasn’t afraid of him. ”You will not lay a fucking hand on him…”

Oh? And w-“

crack

My right hand, balled into a fist, swung and hit him right across the side of the head. He blinked a few times, shocked and stunned that it hurt. ”You want to come after me? Then do it. After all, you told me all about how apparently I was a loose end that you needed to tie up. You want to go after Dimitri then go ahead and do it. He’s the one who is disrespecting all of you, he’s the one who is leading and in charge of this group of Yakuza. Finn has nothing to do with it. So you will not touch him do you understand?”

He took a few breaths, the bogs on his brain turning over as he wondered what he was going to say or do. But then the serious expression on his face turned, he smiled and shook his head with a sigh. ”You get that one for free. But I’m serious. Something needs to be done. Or someone is going to get hurt……do what you can.”

I swallowed hard, looking down before giving him a nod. Jace turned and walked away, opening the door and moving into the hallway as the door slammed shut behind him. I blew out a deep breath, relieved he was gone, my cheek red and sore from the hit. And now I was left alone to wonder.

Just what the fuck do I do now?

Two out of three ain’t bad

”Now I’m done with the “Kayla Richards Slums It tour 2024”. I can get back to doing what I do best. Defending championships and making them worth something.”

Kayla Richards, clearly annoyed, folds her arms over her chest with a sneer on her face. Her long black hair was tied back in a bun with a few strands of hair down her cheeks.

”Since I beat Juliana to take the championship, I have been facing people who shouldn’t be in the ring with me at all. Ariana Angelos, a woman who failed to take the Internet Championship from me so many times I lost count who also failed to take the Mixed Tag Team Championships off myself and Finn. I had to get in the ring with her and I had to face her and defend the world title against her, and the only question I had was why? Why did I have to get in the ring with her? There are so many others in this company who are more deserving of a championship match, but I had to face a woman who I’ve beaten so many times that it legitimately hurts my brain to think about her.”

“And while I have been sitting back and watching these things happen, I’ve been enjoying the Blast From the Past Tournament. Having a look at women who could be my next challenger if I beat Julianna while also looking at some of the makeshift teams that have been around. Remind any of you that Finn and I are still the Mixed Tag Team champions and we need real challengers?”

“Or have you all forgotten? I mean I get it, Finn and I are both the top champions in this company as well as the Mixed Tag Team Champions so maybe those championships are taking a backseat and everyone’s minds. But he and I made a promise to make sure those championships mean something. And I really wanted some of these teams in the Blast From the Past to stick together and maybe make a run at us. But instead half of them didn’t turn up, half of them just took their paycheck and fucked off, and the ones that stayed aren’t worth anything.”

“So, while waiting to defend those championships, I walked into a match with Harper Mason. Someone with boundless potential, who I actually gave a small amount of respect to. Which, let’s face it, if you know me is actually worth about double from anyone else. But Harper failed to do anything but annoy me.”

Kayla takes a few deep breaths, clearly trying to keep herself calm as she thinks about certain things to say and bring up. She looks down, the SCW World Bombshell Championship sitting next to her. A small smile comes across her face as she looks at it. Clearly full of pride that she is the champion.

”I have spent the last few weeks wanting to get my hands on Julianna. See, when she and I faced each other, I was fully prepared for a war. I did and said a lot of things to get under her skin so I could get that championship match. She wanted to main event a SuperCard and joining in, I was able to make that dream happen for her. And I want you to remember that. Julianna DiMaria could not main event a SuperCard if it wasn’t for Kayla Fucking Richards.”

“This isn’t just me being arrogant. Because, I am. This is the truth. The truth is that everyone needs an opponent that brings out the best in them. Everyone needs some kind of spark to make sure that a match that they go into matters. And I provide that. I made those matches against Ariana and Harper mean so much more because of the reaction I had to facing them. I could’ve just sat back and dismissed them completely, instead I made the match against Ariana a point to prove in the match against Mason, one where I wanted to test out her potential.”

“But Julianna? Well the first match aside from being about me wanting a championship opportunity that I had clearly earned, it was about making sure everyone knew the one simple fact that without me her championship reign was going to mean nothing. If she beat me, it would legitimise her, and if she lost to me, it means everything I said was true.”

“And I wondered how that was going to make her feel. I made a big deal last time about pointing out how I dealt with loss. And trust me on this, I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but loss is a huge part of this business. If you act like a loss doesn’t matter then you shouldn’t be here. Every loss should cut you deep. Every loss should make you want to rise up better. if it doesn’t? If you just take those losses time and time again and completely ignore that they’ve happened? Then you will never grow. Look at Ariana, look at someone like Mercedes Vargas, look at people who used to be here like Jessie Salco…”

“They acted like their losses didn’t matter. And they never grow.”

Kayla steps around the table, leaning down and picking up the championship and staring at it before placing it over her shoulder. Clutching onto it and wrapping her fingers around the main plate, the tightness that she holds it clearly showing she is afraid of losing it. But she isn’t going to show that.

”I have grown every single time I’ve lost a match, every time I had something taken from me I got up and right right back to take it and I wanted to see if you would do the same. I even said it before our title match. I said I wondered how you would react. If you would come back at me with everything you had. And for the most part, you did.”

“But you didn’t do it in a way that earns you any real respect.”

“I talked shit about you to get your attention. I plucked your strings and your ego.”

“I played you like a damn fiddle and you danced like a goddamn puppet for me.”

“You had a rematch due to being a former champion and defending it. You had it there. All you had to do was say the words. That’s it. And I don’t, for one second, believe the bullshit you spouted off about you considering walking away and not taking the rematch. You want this title back. But what is more telling is how you attacked me. Coming after me how you answered the other question I had burning…”

“If I took your pride.”

Kayla chuckles and looks up with a huge and I mean HUGE shit eating grin

”See, you had this aura about you Julianna. One of your own making. You came into this company, you built an undefeated streak, you talked your way into a title shot against Courtney Pierce who mentally checked out faster than Oz and Eiley did when me and Finn took the Mixed Tag Titles. You won the title and developed this myth.”

“A myth that you played off. A myth that you spread like COVID at a public gathering. And as long as that myth held you up and made you a star you didn’t care if it was true.”

“Then I came along.”

“I came along and I reached out and took everything you had. I took your undefeated streak that you touted from rooftops, I took that main event you wanted so badly, cause as I said you wouldn’t have had it without me. I took your title, I took your relevancy and I took your pride. Just like I said I would. I had you beaten before you even looked at the ring that night Julianna….”

Kayla offered a simple shrug with an arrogant smirk, her upper lip curling as she went.

”And then, well then you attacked me and Christian came to me. He told me that I wasn’t going to be able to get my hands on you until the SuperCard. And at the time I was angry. I was annoyed. You see, I’ve always had this thing where I believe that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I know they sit there and they add the whole thing of an eye for an eye makes the whole world but here’s the thing. I don’t come for one eye. If I’m gonna be coming for you, I’m gonna take both of them. and Christian knew that.”

“He knew that if I was left unchecked I was going to go after you and I was going to ruin what could’ve been one of the biggest main events that this company has ever done.”

“So, I don’t blame him.”

“However, you should be thanking him. You should be going into Christian‘s office getting down on your hands and knees and kissing the ground that he walks on. Because he saved you. At least for a little while. He protected you from me because he knew what I was going to do when I got my hands on you and he wanted to make money off of that. So he made sure that you were going to make it Into the Void.”

“And yeah, that meant that I had to stay back and watch you run your mouth. And aside from a few times where I verbally went after you in promos or on the shows themselves I was going to buy my time and wait until this show. Is this was my chance to remind you just who the fuck you are dealing with. And in the end, Julianna I think you need to look at yourself in the mirror and realise just how bad you fucked up.”

She laughed to herself and shook her head, moving the Bombshell Championship from one shoulder to the other.

”Two out of three falls. Really is perfect isn’t it? I beat you once and I can beat you again. But this gives you a little glimmer of hope. You might be able to flick a win over me. But in the end this match is going to work against you. Because you might be able to fluke one win against Me. One. Two? Do you know how hard that is? Do you realise if you go back over my career, not just here, but everywhere else in the professional wrestling landscape that beating me more than once in a row is damn near impossible.”

“Hell, you of all people should know that. I brought up a past. I brought up the fact that while you were down in the developmental company I was ruling the parent company like a fucking queen.”

“You of all people should know how good I am. And instead of looking at that, instead of coming at me with a game plan that worked, instead of coming at me like everyone thought you were going to end simply saying that you wanted to rematch, you came after me physically. You pissed me off. And what did you think that was going to accomplish? Did you think that that was going to get my attention to the point where I would applaud you and think that this was some kind of chess game where you knocked me over? Was just going to help you?”

“That did not help you.”

“Instead, it made me wanna cave your head in. And it’s funny how the history of anybody tends to repeat itself. When we faced each other last time, as we had into Blaze of Glory, I told you that all you did was go on the shows week after week and repeat the same narrative time and time again. you had decided to make the same mistake again. The only difference is this time you’ve changed the narrative.”

“This time you have tried sympathy.”

“Empathy.”

“Your tune changed slightly, but it still goes to the same beat. And it’s horrible because with you? You keep repeating yourself as well as others. It’s like a cover song. But one where they’ve gone beat the beat, chorus for chorus, verse for verse. The pitch may have changed, the voice may have changed, but in the end, it is the same thing, the same song, the same dance. and that is what you’ve done and that is all you are. You’re not original, you’re a carbon copy of people who have come before and you like to think that you have some kind of hold over this company. But there’s a reason why everyone else in the Blast From the Past is talking about how if they win that tournament, they are going to face me…”

“Cause no one thinks you can beat me.”

“You know who does think that you can beat me? You do. And something that I’ve been trying to get into your head for the last two months is that you are the only one that matters in this. You are the only one who needs to think that you can beat me. There may have been a laundry list of people in this company who thought I could beat you or wanted me to beat you, but in the end the only person that mattered in that conversation was Me. And at Into the Void, you and I are going to get in that ring, we are going to main event again and I am going to give you a second gift. I’m going to keep you in the limelight again.”

“You’re welcome.”

Chapter 38: What I fought for.

This should’ve been one of the greatest moments of my life. Are the greatest weeks of my life. But the truth was, I was a wreck. Do you ever have one of those moments where you get told something that completely destroys every preconceived notion that you had about your future in the life within it? The fact that the future that you dreamt of, something that you hoped, but something that you thought was forever out of your reach was now sitting in front of you.

But then, despite all of that, despite how much you wanted it and how much you feel you needed it, there was a doubt. I doubt that you could follow through and that it was even for you. And the worst part? Is that now? You had to do something that you never thought you would. You had to swallow your pride and go and find something that you thought you lost.

I have been living independently since I was 15 years old, since I was a teenager I have been doing everything I can to make sure that I never have to rely on anyone. I love my family, I do. I talk to both of my sisters all the time, I talk to my brother occasionally, I have friends. Kind of. I have my own life. But for the most part I am always alone, alone in everything I want to do because I have done everything I can to make sure that deep down I don’t need anyone.

However, this is one of those rare instances in life that not only do. I need someone, I need the one person that most people go to 1st. That I simply don’t.

I needed my mother.

Yes, I’m aware of how that sounds. Me, miss independence, a woman who routinely tells her friends to fuck off because she doesn’t need anything from them. I need my mother. And since we were back in England, back to my home country for an ECW show, it seems like the fates were aligning and everything was telling me that it was time to go and see her and talk about all of the bullshit that I’m currently having to deal with.

And fuck me, do I ever hate that?

I took a deep breath, paying The cab driver and giving him a small nod as I pulled on the small handle to kick the door open. My black boots hitting the ground with the thud as I stood up and took a deep breath, a bag hanging by my side as I moved up the pathway to my childhood home. so many memories came flooding back, not all of them good, but not all of them terrible either. We have a bad habit of pushing bad memories to the front when we think of a place. Defence mechanism so we don’t get hurt again. But I learned a long time ago that is not the summer of its parts.

I smiled, remembering that I used to run around this front garden with my older sister Amber. Waiting for Jaxon to come home from school.

I shook my head and moved to the door, knocking on it hard and taking a deep breath as I heard movement from inside. A click of the latch and the door swing open, and standing in front of me, my mother. Her long black hair very similar to myself and Amber, her arms covered in tattoos, only not professionally made beautiful pieces like myself and my siblings had, no hers were backyard jobs done by her friends Throughout the late 80s and early 90s. Fuck I’m surprised that she didn’t get tetanus and die.

”Oi look what the cat dragged in…..”

”Mum….” I gave her a nod and she smiled moving to the side to let me in. I moved through the door into the loungeroom. I sat the bag down, my mother following me after shutting the door. I opened it and pulled out not one but two titles. She smiled and shook her head. ”Just thought you’d want to see what I worked for…” I smirked, she reached out and touched them both, a flicker of pride in her eyes.

She took a sharp inhale and shook her head before clearing her throat. ”You’re doing amazing…you are. And as much as I’m sure ya wanted to show off….i have a feeling you’re here for something else darlin.” I groaned and shook my head. She was right of course. She knew I had something on my mind, my body language was a dead giveaway. I closed my eyes and turned around to sit on my mothers couch. ”So? What is it?”

”Well….I may have…I think I….” I stumbled over my words. Grinding my teeth together.

My mum sat across from me, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. ”Spit it out Kay…” I groaned and looked up before shaking my head.

”So Finn…”

I stopped again, my mum raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, studying me. ”Your tag team partner?” I swallowed and looked down, staring at the mixed tag title on the table. Finn had the other one, that linked us. And as much as I hate to admit it if that was all it was, things would be simple. But, things weren’t simple.

”Yeah, him. So…..there’s something you don’t know. I was living with him, I had nowhere else to go and he was there after Billy and I broke up…” I trailed off and took a deep breath. ”He told me he loved me…” There was silence. My mother titled her head again and was studying me. My body language, my movements, my eyes. She was taking it all in. ”And, before you ask. I didn’t say anything ba-”

”You love him too…” I swallowed, it felt like a weight dropped to the pit of my stomach. Honestly, I don’t know why I was surprised. My mother has always been exceptional reading people. Most of all her daughters. Hell, I remember Amber sneaking back into the house one night when she was about 14. my mother was asleep. But the next morning at breakfast the second that she looked at Amber she knew that she’d been out. She knew Amber would lie to her. I swear to God this woman missed her calling and should’ve been a fucking police detective.

”Yeah…I do…”

She leaned in, forcing my gaze to move up to meet hers. ”So? What’s the problem?”

I took a deep breath, placing my hands on my knees and pushing myself to my feet. I paced around the couch as my mother just sat there staring and waiting. Watching me as my frustrated form kept moving. ”It’s…complicated.” I knew that answer wasn’t going to cut it, she was going to prob deeper. ”The Christmas before last, he and I had a moment. I could have…we could have taken things further. But I made a mistake and thought we should wait instead of me throwing myself at him…he thought I didn’t want him. Now we have got back to that place and…..fuck..”

I sighed heavily. My mother simply got up, moved around in front of me and reached up moving a few strands of my hair from my face. ”Does he do drugs?”

”No…”

”Would he cheat on you?”

”What?..no..”

”Has he ever killed anyone?”

I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes. ”Him?...no”

She grabbed me by the arms, bringing me straight on with a heavy sigh. ”Would he ever hit you?....”

I knew what she was asking. She didn’t need to word it, to ask if he was like my father. I took a deep breath and smiled shaking my head. ”Never.” I calmed down and shrugged. ”He’s a good man…even if he doesn’t see it…” I shook my head and looked away. I could feel the emotions welling up and part of me didn’t want to go down this road.

”Then what could be so complicated that you can’t tell the man you love, who loves you, that you love HIM?”

I closed my eyes and pushed it all deep down feeling a tear roll down my chest. One that wasn’t anger or frustration. No this one was sadness, and shame. ”Because, I don’t deserve him…”

She moves closer, grabbing me and spinning me around so I was face to face with her. ”Cut the shit…” Before I could say anything she stepped back, dissmissively waving her hand in the air. ”I’m sure some, misguided, part of you believes that. In fact, I’m sure of it. But trust me on this, the regret you felt last year, that you CLEARLY have felt all year…well it’ll only get worse…we all deserve happiness Kayla…it’s time you stop making excuses…and go take yours.”

Her words rang in my ears. Over and over again. Was she right? Had I been hiding from happiness? Elf sabotaging and making excuses? The nerves were killing me. My hands were shaking, but I wasn’t cold. It was anxiety, frustration. Fear. I took a deep breath and rubbed them together as I tried to calm mysef My heart beating through my chest to the point of nausium and pain.

Thumping, beating, rattling. Whatever you want to call it. It was destroying me. The elevator ride seemed to be taking an eternity. The ding snapping me out of my haze. Each step took me closer and I was on autopilot. I felt like I was floating and time has slowed to a snails pace.

Knock knock

I swallowed hard, I heard footsteps, the door clicked and opened. Finn was standing there, in a black long sleeved shirt and black jeans, his hair flowing down to his perfect cheekbones. I caught a flicker of a smile before he collected himself. We both took a deep breath and before he could speak. I did.

”I love you too….”

An old, unwanted, undeserving enemy

Thunk

The noise of something heavy landing on a wooden table brings us in. And the first thing we see is a pair of championship titles. The SCW mixed tag team title and the SCW Bombshells title sit next to each other. And then, slamming own on either side of the belts are the hands of Kayla Richards.

”This seems to be a running theme. Doesn’t it? I stand here, I tell you all what is going to happen, from a hotel room, or from my home, or from a landmark near where a show is taking place. And the usual suspects all doubt me and run their mouths, thinking that I don’t know. And every single time I prove people wrong. And I smile. I have this big shit eating grin on my face and I get to tell everyone that I told you so. And hey, why break from tradition? It is my esteemed pleasure and satisfaction, to be able to look through this camera to each and every one of you…and say…”

“I told you so…”

“I told you all I was going to become the SCW World Bombshells champion. I was going to beat Julianna DiMaria and I was going to be the first woman to hand her a loss. And so many just sat back and rolled their eyes. They made their little quips and talked about how I was “good” but I wasn’t that good. Thing is, who am I being measured against? Who in this company has been able to stand up to me one on one?”

“I have beaten the best of the last generation, the ones who were left anyway. All of those women who were once your heroes, or villains, they have stood in the ring with me and I have walked out the winner. Shit the ones who did beat me, like Keira Johnson, I sent packing in rematches. And trust me, me invoking names like that is never meant to be a show of disrespect it’s a show of the utmost respect because it means I am proud of those wins, proud of those moments.”

“And hey, atleast women like ASam Marlowe, Mercedes Vargas and Keira had the guts to get in the ring with me instead of talking shit and never even entertaining the thought of stepping in the ring with me because I wasn’t “worthy”. Speaking of which. Hey Mikah, how do you like me now bitch?...”

Kayla taps on the bottom of the Bombshells title, right on her name plate, she clears her throat and continues.

”Now, I’m not going to soit here and say that it was easy. It sure as hell wasn’t. Julianna DiMarai did everything she could to keep this championship. She fought tooth and nail and proved to everyone that she was indeed the champion she said she was. Hell, I’ll even go as far as to say she impressed me. Cause at the end of the day she did win this title, she did defend it and she did have the balls to walk down to that ring and put it all on the line against me. Truth is…she didn’t have to.”

“She could have just ignored me, lived out her little title reign in blissful ignorance of my existence. I mean, who was going to stop her? There was no guarantee that SCW was going to give me the title shot I’d earned or even put me in a position to “earn” it. So, Julianna could have just ducked me, week after week. But, she didn’t. She saw I was bring her title reign down and she stopped up. I even gave her ample opportunity to back out, to walk away. But instead…she came out and put it all on the line. Her undefeated streak, her title…..even her pride…”

“But that last thing….that she got to keep…”

“But no sooner have I become the champion that this company presents me with a challenger. A woman who knows me very well. A woman who I know very well. And a woman who, if I’m honest, I didn’t want to face. Ariana Angelos….”

Kayla steps back and picks up both championship belts. Throwing the mixed tag title over her right shoulder and holding the Bombshells title in her left hand holding it up.

”And no Ariana. It’s not because I’m scared of you, or intimidated by you. Or any of the other silly little ideas that you have in your head. No, I didn’t want to face you because I’ve done it before. Many times before. And this isn’t some kind of long-standing rivalry that people should be excited about. You see those rivalries where people get excited about the next meeting between two people is always when they are equals. And you and I? There is nothing equal about us.”

“You are the type of woman who gets handed opportunities time and time again. No matter how many times you fail you end up getting given opportunities like they are candy. Meanwhile? I get opportunities that I’ve earned and I fought for and I knock it out of the park every single time. And yes, I’m using a baseball reference despite the fact that it is the most boring sport on earth next to cricket. but the fact remains is that you get handed opportunities and fail time and time again while I succeeded. I take the little pieces that I am given, the little things that I have earned, and I make them count.”

“And when you look at our careers, I already have one that is worth the whole of Fame. I have beaten some of the best and biggest names in this company while you have failed to make a dent. I have one of the best winning records in this company never been beaten on climax control. You have a losing record and can’t stand up to the best of the best of the division. I am a three time Internet champion, I am a mixed tag team champion with the longest reign. And in my first attempt at going for the world bombshell championship I beat an undefeated professional wrestler who is three or four times the woman that you are”

Kayla holds up the bombshells title ot her face and smirks showing it to the camera and clearing her throat.

”but, we seem to be destined to do this little song and dance. You get a shot at me with something on the line, you run your mouth like you actually think you have a chance, and then I beat you. And following that loss, you completely ignore it and learn nothing from it. You just go about your days if nothing has ever happened despite the fact that you have another loss in your loss column and you don’t further your career. You don’t live up to this silly little myth of yourself being some kind of Greek goddess, some type of hero to your people.”

“You know who is a hero to her people? Me, because we are in England now and this is my house bitch.”

“I have Home turf advantage. Not that I needed it. You and I have been in the ring together so many times and every single time I have one. The only time you and I ever went out loses was when you got pinned and lost Mimae Internet championship. but this time? This time we are going in one on one and there is no one else that you can let pin you to get my championship taken away. If you want this world bombshells championship then you have to beat me for it. And we both know Ariana that that is not going to happen because you are simply not good enough.”

“Maybe I should thank you though. You see one year ago when you lost Mimae championship, it then gave me that opportunity to prove myself again. Every single time someone beats me, every time, I come back stronger and I snatch that win back off of them. I told Melissa straight up that I respected her but I knew one on one she could not beat me and that I went and proved it. without you in my way I proved it.”

Kayla throws the Bombshells title over her left shoulder, holding them both close to her chest with a laugh.

”the Internet championship isn’t the only one that you failed to take away from me. Is it? You had opportunity after opportunity at that title and you just couldn’t step up. You could not be the champion that you apparently wanted to be. But that hasn’t stopped you from coming after me. You found yourself tagteam partner. and poor Carter had to drag you towards a championship match. He did everything he could try and get you a mixed tagteam championship but while Carter is a lot closer to Finn in skill than you are to me, it’s still was never going to happen.”

“And I was going to sit here and question why they gave you a championship match against Me. I know the reason that they’ve given everyone in their various press releases and justifications as to why this matches happening. It’s because we both won at blaze of glory. I won the championship while you won a triple threat match against two people who I would’ve destroyed as well. In fact I recently did destroy Seleana Zdunich, and if Georgie Robertson had somehow come after me, well we could’ve done a battle of the Brits or some other stupid bullshit. But the result would’ve been the same and I would’ve kicked her head into the third row.”

“Sp, instead I get you.”

“I’m not stupid. I know why you’ve been booked in this match. They wanted me to go out there and have someone that I could destroy so the English crowd would go home Happy because I am British. I’m one of them. And as much as the rest of the world hates my guts or thinks that I’m a bitch at least in my home country they’re proud of me. At least that’s what SCW believes. they are feeding you to Me Ariana. And part of you knows that. And I’m sure you have this little attitude that you are going to prove them wrong and shock the world and do whatever it is that you think you can do to become the champion and make me shut my mouth and you become the biggest star in this fucking company.”

Kayla leans forward, slowly putting the title belt back down with a sigh.

”if I had any feeling whatsoever toward you that thought that you would be able to do that then I would look forward to this match. The only problem is, I know you can’t do it. I know that all of that is in your head. This delusion of Granger that you have. this whole thing where you think you can actually step up and become a credible challenger to Me and it’s just, it’s just comical. And one of my biggest criticisms towards Juliana was that she didn’t face the best. Instead, she faced women who she could be with her fucking eyes closed.”

“So, this company has inadvertently made me hypocrite. I know why they’ve put me against you, and that’s fine. They want their little moment. But there are other names out there that I could’ve faced. I could’ve faced Carter other much more talented tagteam partner that he got a win with recently. I could’ve faced Kat Jones. She is a legend. She has name value and she deserves a championship match button instead of facing you. I could’ve faced Giuliana in rematch, even though I think that she needs to go and collect herself and come at Me stronger she could’ve had that rematch and it would’ve been deserved.”

“They could have given a rematch for this championship to Bella Madison and even if she is someone who Giuliana beat at least that girl has heart and soul and would’ve made a fight out of it.”

“Any one of those women that I mentioned would’ve been a better challenger than you. One of those women that I mentioned would’ve made me excited to defend my championship and come back to my Home country as a champion. One of those women would actually be taken seriously as a challenger to this championship. But you? Ariana you are barely worth me getting out of bed in the morning. Do you know how unbelievably insulting it is? That I have a challenge that doesn’t make me excited? Do you know how the moralising it is for me to wake up in the morning and drag myself to the gym to try and get myself in to shape for a match that I know I could win if I just sat around eating Big Macs?.”

“This opportunity should’ve gone to someone more deserving. But it is what it is. The only problem is that now I’m pissed off. So now instead of just beating you, I’m gonna have to hurt you. I am going to have to hurt you so bad that management realises where they fucked up. And they are going to have to bring me someone who can fight. They are going to have to bring me someone who is legitimately credible who has earned a championship match who I haven’t beaten every single time. So what is about to happen to you? You can blame the company. Because I’m gonna break you and I’m gonna make damn sure that you never accept a match against me ever again.”

Chapter 36: Drinking to forget

I’m not someone who over indulges in alcohol. Ever. In fact, I’ve saved special occasions and holidays. But for some reason there’s been this problem eating at Me from the inside out. The last few months it has been breaking me down and all I can think about is the one, and only fact that I don’t matter. I don’t matter to him and I don’t matter to anyone. I exist in peoples lives as many other things, but I’m never the person that they want me to be. Or they need me to be. and because of that, I will always be alone.

I am an adversary, I am an antagonist, I am the big bad evil of some people stories. But what I will never be. Is the go to person for anyone. I will never be the preferred best friend option. I will never be the sister that my sisters come to talk to that will always be each other. I will never be the caring aunt, who looks over my nieces nephews with the kind of love that is secondary to their parents.

that is all I will ever be.

And  now, now, I need to come to terms with that. It used to be that I would go for a run or try and channel my anger into something or productive. I would stare down a camera and let out all my rage against my opponent, who may, or may not deserve it. But the truth is, these days that doesn’t seem to be enough. Nothing seems to be enough any more, and all I carry inside myself as this unbelievably unbridled, anger and frustration. a self loathing.

A hatred.

Moments where I look in the mirror, and I’ll become disgusted with what I see. Not my looks, not every meticulous hair put into place or my make up. Not my cheekbones or the deep emerald in my eyes, seem to pierce through everything. Not my porcelain skin that I’ve tattooed with different stories from my past. I see the real Me. Someone unloved. Someone unlovable. And now? Now all I can do to forget is to drink.

Drink to forget.

Sounds simple enough. But then, sometimes it works to well. I twisted the top of the bottle, pouring some fireball into a glass with no ice and topping it up with a splash of apple cider. I smiled and took in the small. The cinnamon mixing perfectly with the apple to make an alcoholic apple pie in a glass. I took it down and sighed heavily. Happy with the feeling of the warm liquid running down my throat. It burned ever so slightly and I felt my head swim. I felt lighter. Happier. But, it was only temporary.

I heard a knock at the door, my eyebrow raising as I turned and walked toward the door, lightly swaying as I felt my head swimming. I reached out, placing my hand on the wall for balance and took a deep breath before looking up at the screen, the camera showing my sister and Kallie Reznik. I shook my head and looked around, 7pm on a wednesday. Wednesday. fuck Dinner.

They were here to take me out, to go have a “girls night” But I wasn’t in a place where I wanted or needed it. I was happy. Just me and my bottles of fireball and apple cider. I better get rid of them. I opened the door, Tasmin taking one look at me and going to grab Kallie, but she was too late. The bubbly, always hyperactive blonde bounced in, grabbing me into a hug. ”KAAAAYLAAAA…girls night!” I flinched. Even sober I hated this shit. Kallie backed up and stepped in before sniffing the air. ”It smells like apple pie in here…..well Applie pie where the apples were soaked in alcohol…”

I shook my head and moved back toward the bench, Tasmin walked in tilting her head and looking at the bottles. She sighed heavily and had that look on her face. A look of disappointment. And a look of pity. Fucking Pity. I ground my teeth together. I didn’t want to hear it. I moved around and grabbed my glass taking down what was left. Tasmin moved up and around to the other side of the bench. ”Starting the party early are we?” Kallie awkwardly backed up, I just laughed and shook my head. I then grabbed the bottle again pouring the fireball in first, then the apple juice. ”So, whats up? You don’t drink…”

”Often”

Tasmin paused and shook her head with a heavy sigh. Kallie looked at me, now sharing Tasmins visible pity. She then stepped forward finding her voice. ”So, why?. Whats’s wrong?”

I swallowed hard and shook my head again, I drank another one down. Feeling my head spin and my body float. ”Why not?...seriously…why does it matter Kallisto?”

She seemed to be taken aback by my use of her full name. I poured another and Tasmin folded her arms over her chest with a heavy sigh. ”This isn’t fun happy drinking, this isn’t having a few to unwind, this is…well I don’t know what this is. But it isn’t healthy. In fact I” I put my finger up, telling her to stop and wait as I drank the glass and put it down. I went to grab the bottle again, but Tasmin quickly moved her hand around and grabbed it before I could. My motor skills were not what they should have, or could have been. ”Nooooo we’re not doing this…”

”What the fuck?” Atleast, that’s what I said in my head. I’m sure coming out of my mouth it sounded different. Muddled. But understandable.

”No….stop this. You’re drunk and we haven’t even gone out to dinner…you remember that right? We had a night planned. You, me and Kallie? To plan for Dawns second birthday? Since…as you pointed out…most memories are formed around the age of two to three?...”

I threw my hands in the air. ”And why would you listen to me? I ain’t shit Taz.” It came out so much more “southern” American than I intended. Or wanted. Apparently I lose my auditory functions as well as my fine motor skills. Whisky is the devils sauce. ”You two don’t get it. You don’t need someone like me hanging around you, helping you do things like plan weddings and baby showers and birthday parties. Thats not my fucking life.”

I stepped back and folded my arms over my chest eyeing the almost empty bottle that Tasmin was now clutching. She narrowed her eyes as Kallie stepped forward. The sweet girl, doe eyes looking at me with care and affection. ”Kay, that isn’t true. You’ve been amazing with Dax and helped me like…so much.”

”Yeah but…why? Why am I involed this? You guys have great lives despite it all. I mean shit you” I pointed at Kallie. ”Have a barely functioning manchild as a husband and father to your son and you’re happy. And You.” My focus switched to my sister. ”...have a perpetually stunted beta male and a wonderful daughter….meanwhile what the fuck do I have?” I felt tears welling up and I shook my head

”Well, you could of had Finn but…he thinks you hate him…”

Tasmins eyes widened, and stepped back and mouthed quietly to herself Damn

I slammed my fist on the table, looking down and breathing heavily. ”I…..I…..this whole thing is my fault. He doesn’t….me….I could have had it, him, all of it. I wanted him but that night I froze because he wanted something else and I was wrong…amd I’m too fucking scared to tell him how I feel…” I don’t even know if what I was saying made sense. If Tasmin and Kallie could make out the words through my tears, drunken slurs and heavy breathing. But my hands balled into fists as my black painted nails scraped along my countertop.

And then I felt it.

A hand. Kallie’s hand, on mine, her other hand on my shoulder. I swallowed hard as she leaned in. ”Look, I live with the man and he never really shows his true feelings. It’s all very confusing…but, it’s not all your fault.” She hugged me, I let it happen, crying wildly as I felt Tasmin staring at the scene wondering just what in the blue fuck was happening in front of her eyes. I breathed deep and stood up straight, Kallie smiled at me and shook her head. ”To be honest Kay…you’re both kinda stupid for each other…”

I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought of a ditzy blond telling me of all people I was being dumb because of a man was outragiously funny. But in this case. True. Tasmin shook her head and grabbed my shoulders leading me toward the back of my apartment, to my bedroom. ”Come on…I think it’s time you slept the stupidity off…”

Kallie helped, moving me toward the room as I breathed in and then stopped. ”Wait…..DINNER…we were meant to go to dinner…I’ll be fine…give me ten minutes and I’ll look pretty.”

”No Kay it’s fine…you already look pretty honey.”

”I do?”

”Oh definitely pretty..”

”Oh the prettiest!”

We get to the bedroom, they lead me in, I lay down and  relax ”Awww…TANKS!” I know what I said. Get over it. I was thanking them, I was tired, so very tired, Laying on my stomach, arm around a pillow, I felt it all slip away. I was tired. So very fucking tired.

Gratitude

”Before I start on what is about to happen, my expectations and what you, as fans, can also expect. I would be remiss to overlook the fact that Finn and I are STILL your SCW mixed tag team champions.”

The voice of Kayla Richards, breaking silence with her strong british accent. Her long black hair tied half up and half down with the high half ponytail done in small braids to give a cat o nine tails effect.

”For those of you keeping score at home, that means Finn and I, as of Blaze of glory, will be tied as the longest reigning mixed tag team champions ever. And we will also go on, regardless of what happens that night to become the record holders. Redefining what those championships mean as Finn, being the SCW world champion brings prestige to them through that. But it also shows another thing. It shows that when I speak, when I put my opinion on something and I tell you what my goals are…that I am being serious.”

“That I am being truthful.”

“That unlike others in this company when I talk it’s more than just empty, bloated words.”

“I told you, all of you, that I was going to be the internet champion. I won it, I then told you all I was going to avenge my loss to Keira and take my title back. And I did it. I thien went and did the same thing with Melissa, all the while telling every single one of you that Ariana did not belong in the ring with me and again. I did it and proved it. I want all of you to go through everything I have ever said, everything I have ever done and I want to to show me where I have been wrong or where I have lied. Cause even when I have lost, I have told the world what I was about to do and I accepted when someone beat me…”

“The reason you don’t hear Kayla Richards being humble and accepting defeat is because it so rarely happens.”

“I’m not like Bea Barnhart or Alexandra Calaway. I know how to win, I know why I will win.”

She pauses and moves around the small room, a non descript hotel room. One that wrestlers must get sick of seing the inside of as they travel about the US and the world. Promoting events and performing for thousands. But it is also where Kayla is, ironically, most comfortable.

”However, before we get into the match and before Julianna and I end up throwing hands or trying to wrestle, I want to hear one thing from you Julianna. One thing after the entrance music dies down and you and I are face to face in the center of a six sided ring with just a referee in earshot. I want two simple words Julianna.”

“Thank you”

“I want you to look me in the eye and say those two simple words. Cause I already told you how I have achieved my goals. And that’s the thing Julianna. We all have them. We all have goals and will do anything to attain them. But this one, this one goal that you have had that started this whole thing, is only being recognised and accomplished because of me.”

“That’s right…”

“Your precious main event that you wanted so badly is only there because of me. And, I have grown a little concerned about it, mainly because I realized that the need and want you have for this main event has clouded your vision. Made you delusional to the point of madness. And you need to take a step back and reevaluate what really matters to you.”

She smirks and shakes her head. That look plastered on her face that so many have seen before. Arrogance and disdain.

”All the shit you have talked Julianna. All of it. Will it matter in the long run if you lose to me at Blaze of glory? Hmmm? So, the truth is that I am a merciful person. So, if you wish to save face and not have to go through a brutal loss to me then I have a solution. A list of conditional surrender demands for you…” Kayla raises a finger and grabs a pair of glasses before unfolding a piece of paper. ”One, you surrender the SCW Bombshells title. To0 me. Two, you leave SCW for no less than six months and upon your return you start from the bottom and work your way back up. Three, you erect a full, life sized statue of me in the living room of your trailer park home that you bow to every evening and morning. You know. Simple things.”

She removes the glasses and puts them down on the small table in the middle of the room along with he refolded piece of paper.

”I know you’re a proud woman Julianna so I understand my terms may be hard for you to accept. Just like it is hard for you to accept that the record you so proudly throw at us, the undefeated one, becomes alot less impressive when we look at the names on there. See, on your way up the mountain you were able to fluke your way into a world title match with Courtney Pierce. A match that I really should have gotten over you. You then went on to beat Courtney in what many would consider to be a huge upset. And we all sat back and wondered why? Why did it happen that way? A question that was answered when, during the second match Courtney clearly didn’t give a shit and since has walked from the company.”

“You faced and beat a woman who never had the fucking heart of a champion who basically handed you the title and walked away. And since then, well, since then you have faced a line of challengers which, well it’s the exact opposite of a “murderers row”. Part their prime prima donnas like Mercedes Vargas, talented but average woman like ALexandra Calaway and Bella Madison. And of course, Bea Barnhart. A woman who shouldn’t even be in the same building as that championship let alone fighting for it.”

“But, that wasn’t your decision right? It wasn’t what you wanted?”

“I get it, being a champion myself there is a certain amount of line towing that needs to happen. But I want you to go back and watch what happened when Finn and I faced Limitless after we took the titles from them and they went about losing every significant match before getting their rematch. We were contractually obligated to face them, and we did. But the entire time we both asked, why. Why were we facing them. Same with Miles and Alexandra. So we called out Ben Jordan and Sam Marlowe, we called out Carter and Ariana. Because those teams had wins, those teams had history.”

“Those teams were legitimate challengers.”

“You did nothing of the sort. You gave Courtney her rematch, faced a woman who hasn’t done anything of note in years and then went about clearing the way of every single “mid” name we have. All the while I was standing, right here calling YOU out”

She points at the camera, clearly getting angry.

”Time and time again I mentioned you and called out out and it took you four months, four title defenses and other people to point out I was here for you to finally. FINALLY. Grow some balls and give me what I wanted. And make no mistake Julianna, it was the best and worst decision you have ever made. And you know why. Deep down you know exactly why. If you beat me, then you legitimize your reign and your little undefeated streak in ways that will finally make you close to the star level that you see yourself as. But if you lose? Well, it just means that everything I have said about you over the last few months is true.”

“And, now, well, now I’d like to go for a little walk down memory lane. See, when i came back to wrestling after a year off I joined a company called New Generation Wrestling. You, at the same time, went to the development company. West coast genesis. You  played second fiddle to my younger sister while I became the goddamn world champion of the main brand.”

“You were a nobody.”

“I went on to different companies like Hybrid and became the grand champion there, I went to project honor and won titles there. I came here and instantly became a star. While you bounced from company to company having, as you would put it “mixed results” before turning up here and fluking your way into a world title from a woman who took her ball and went home.I have been a star everywhere I have gone while you, you seem to have grown an ego. Grown one when you won a title that you have defended against women who didn’t deserve it.”

“But, I did. I deserved it.”

Kayla scoffs and rolls her eyes.

”And for weeks, weeks since you finally shifted your gaze to me you have done what you always do. Week after week you go to the show, you grab a mic and you chew up broadcast time all becauser you love the sound of your own voice. And you might call it “promotional work” But, I know the real reason. See I got in the ring with you and said everything I wanted to say to your face. I said more when we signed the contract, I then left it at that and fixated on defending the mixed tag team titles.”

“But you didn’t.”

“You have continued to go out there on the show, whether you were booked or not. And run your mouth about me. And it makes me wonder, what else could you possibly have left to say about me without constantly repeating yourself? Cause it ain’t much. But, the final show, something did catch my interest. The comments that I want everything you have. And I know what you were trying to do. You were trying to rattle me. Trying to get me angry. Mad, pissed off.”

“But there’s a small problem Julianna. You talked about how I want your “dominant” streak, despite the fact I have won. I have barely any losses in singles matches, undefeated with Finn in tag matches. But, as far as that title? Do I want your position? Do I want the power, the money the title the prestige?”

“You’re goddamn right I do.”

“If there is anyone in that locker room who doesn’t want that title, anyone who doesn’t want to earn the right to stand on top of the mountain, raise the title up in the air and call themselves the best then they do not deserve to be here and should leave. So at Blaze of glory I am coming to take it all from you. I am coming to take your streak, your title, your spot as well as the responsibility that you have failed at to actually elevate the title because unlike you I am aware that the title does not make the persons legacy, the persons legacy makes the fucking title…”

“And I will take it all from you.”

Chapter 34: Lies

I had to find him.

After what happened a few days ago my mind was set ablaze with thoughts. Some realistic, others not so much. Put in the realm of fantastical crime conspiracies and stories. Since I left the apartment complex, the one I used to call my home, I had this feeling eating away at me. A foreboding sense of dread and fear.

That bothered me.

Fear

I was never someone who would be filled with fear or would ever let myself fall to such a base emotion, But, here I was. A few days removed from the confrontation with the Japanese man named Kei. A man who not only knew Finn but also, somehow knew me. And not just in the usual way. Not one that someone could learn through google or a little surface digging. No. He knew things about me that were hidden, dead and buried. Things that a handful of people knew or would talk about. And most of them were dead.

So, what now? Since it happened I had been struggling to sleep or relax. The memory of it, what he said, how he looked and how it all made me feel weighed on me. Just like the meeting with Jace. However, I knew Jace. I recognised who he is and was. And I have to say, whoever said it is better the devil you know than the devil you don’t didn’t have a fear of the unknown. And that is what really got under my skin.

The what if.

So I made my way to somewhere that I knew Finn would be. Away from any prying eyes. A place where Kei wouldn’t be. Wolfslair. I hated going there. Mainly because everyone knew me and when I stepped through those doors the voices would all act familiar, friendly. Even kind. Fucking kind. To me. I had no idea why, I wasn’t one of them. I wasn’t a member of their little group, a gym designed to make you better while making those around you better. No thanks. I never needed or wanted that.

I did what I do best. I ignored them.

I moved through the gym, across the floor and toward the back. I knew where he would be and I felt the eyes on me. The eyes of everyone in that place. Either they knew me and were wondering why I was there, or they were new and didn’t know me, and were wondering who I was. Either way, I was being stared at, because eyes are always on someone like me. But, I heard the whispers too, moving through toward Finn, his back was to me, but he knew I was there before I said a word.

”Kayla….”

His voice was measured and it’s usual tone and cadenced. I cleared my throat and sighed heavily. ”Hey, I’m sorry to come here while you’re….doing whatever this is. But I have something to talk to you about.” I lauded, lowering my voice and leaning in closer. ”Something important” He turned and looked me right in the eyes. His body language changing as he knew I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t something big. He gave a small nod and turned back, motioning to those around him that he would be back.

We made out way toward the office, it was empty, both Alex Jones and his wife Sonja were not in, perfect for us. As I moved and turned to lean on one of the desks Finn closed the door behind us, turning and folding his arms over his chest, his piercing eyes staring a hole right through me, and for a split second I felt safe and forgot why I was there. Until his voice broke the silence and the illusion. ”So, what’s up? You seem, I don’t know, scared?” I swallowed and looked away.

He was right. I was scared. I was terrified. But I was trying to hide it. And apparently failing. ”So, I came to see you. A few days ago…” Finn listened intently, his eyebrow raising as I moved my hair from my face trying to choose my words carefully. ”There was a guy there. A friend of yours. Named Kei.”

I saw it, in that exact moment. The recognition it Finns eyes. As soon as I said the name his body language shifted. Only for a split second, before he regained his composure trying to hide it. His voice staying the same tone and measured cadance as before. ”I see. Well, I wasn’t home…”

”Yeah that isn’t the problem. The problem was what he said. He knew things, he….” I trailed off and looked around, my breathing started to move faster along with the rhythm of my heart. ”He knew things. Like shit he shouldn’t have known. What are you involved in Finn?”

”Nothing.”

”Bullshit!” I growled and stepped forward. ”He was fucking scary Finn. Whatever is going on, I can help…”

”No” His answer was short and sharp. His voice raising as he shook his head and stepped forward. ”I don’t need or want your help Kayla. We aren’t friends, we are just tag team partners. Forced together by fucking circumstance. Or have you forgotten?” I swallowed hard and took a step back, avoiding eye contact. I knew it shouldn’t have, but that really fucking hurt. ”Anything there, is my business, not yours.”

He shook his head and turned away, opening the door and stepping to the side, a motion to usher me out and away. I ground my teeth together, the feeling of frustration and fear changing to anger. ”Fine. Whatever…” I stormed forward and stopped just in front of him with a sneer. ”I’m so fucking sorry for caring about you….” My hands balled into fists and I kept staring forward, holding back angry tears. ”I promise, I won’t make that mistake again.” I felt him shift, but I didn’t look at him to see how. Ididn’t know if it was remorse, regret or if he was now angry. I didn’t stick around to find out, moving through the gym and out the door.

Fuck this shit.

Disappointment

”That’s it?”

The voice of Kayla Richards breaks the silence, she paces back and forth, clearly annoyed. Her eyes burning a hole forward as she moved from left to right with her hands on her hips.

”You know, I’m used to opponents saying so much without actually saying anything. Take someone like Ariana Angelos or Keira Fisher-Johnson. They would ramble on for twenty-twenty five minutes. Rambling on over and over again and by the end of it, nothing of value would have been said. Just word soup with no direction or no point. That I’m used to. Shit our Bombshells champion does that. And not only does she do that leading up to the day with her pre match promos she also does it on the shows.”

“But what I’m not used to, is an opponent just flat out saying nothing. Just pushing everything under the rug and rolling over and giving up. Now, I want to tell you a personal story.”

“See, I have been presented with so many moments in my life and career where I just wanted to give up, where I looked in the mirror and muttered to myself “What is the point”. And at the time I didn’t see the point. I didn’t see the point in getting up in the morning, in going to the gym or signing a contract extension. I didn’t see the point in curtting a promo or putting on my gear or even turning up to any shows.”

“I didn’t see the point in any of it.”

“But, here’s the thing Seleana. I still did. I’d still get up in the morning. I’d still go to the gym, I’d eat right and I’d make my bookings. I’d still do everything in my life that I had to including, the promotional work. But you? You just rolled over and said…what exactly?”

Kayla pauses and looks around, waiting for an answer that will never come.

”You went down memory lane. Bringing up Hybrid, a company that died the second I walked out and is no longer relevant in it’s husk of a form. Much like you. You and that company have so much in common Seleana. You’re both relics from the past that refuse to just roll over and die. Instead I get little quirks about being reminded of who I am. By a friend. I’m guessing that friend was Stacy Jones, a woman who was in SCW for a cup of coffee and then bounced cause she couldn’t hack the competition.”

“But, I’m glad you suddenly remembered who I am and what I’m about vause, truth be told, I forgot you and I had that history in common. Cause while I was on top of that place and that time, becoming their grand champion and destroying evetryone and everything, you were…nothing. Nobody. A side name on a card just to fill it out. No one paid to see you no one cared to see you and it’s exactly ther same here.”

“You aren’t relevant.”

“You aren’t relevant in the mixed tag division or the bombshells divisions at large and you even said as much. Putting in a little hint about maybe having a tag team partner like that would fucking matter. And then blithering on adding “ja” to the end of every damn sentence because of some bullshit stereotype they added into your contract. I expected more. I anted more. I needed more. But instead of getting an opponent who has some fire in her eyes I got…whatever you are.”

Frustration shows. Kayla throws her arms in the air and she growls.

”I am trying to desperately hard to make this match matter Seleana. I am trying to get you to stand up, tell me that you are going to kick my teeth down my throat and make me regret my words. That you are going to try and claw your way back to a championship and do yourself proud. Something., Anything. Some goddamn passion for this business. But instead I got monotone, single sentence, boring bullshit.”

“There was so much you could have said, so much you could have picked up on with me and brought to light but instead you chose to focus on the one thing that everyone already knows about. My ego. My overinflated ego. Hell you actually stood there and said it would be in my best interest to admit someone is on my level….”

“Really?”

“Have you met me?”

“You just fucking said you knew me but want to throw that one in there? I don’t need to admit anyone is on my level, I need people to prove to me they are. To beat me and beat me at my own game. To show me that they will do anything and everything to get ahead. But you? You certainly aren’t capable of that. You aren’t capable of anything. You’re like a scared little kitten, cowering in a corner. In fact,  while I have alot of words I could use to describe you, the one that really sticks in there is a simple one…”

“Weak…”

Kayla pauses and shakes her head, waiting a moment before leaning forward.

”Weak heart, weak body, weak mind and weak drive.”

“I have a drive to succeedd unlike so many others and I am on a different level. I am ready to do things and say things that no one else will to become the best anf that Seleana is what separates people like me from people like you. And while you are comfortable in being a cowardly weakling, I can’t relate to that. I can’t be scared like you are when it comes to this. And yes Seleana you are scared.”

“You had success. You had it all in your hands and it was put there by your wife. Crystal did it. She did it for you and instead of thanking her, instead of leaning in to it and being the best and being the world champion you pouted like a child and gave it all up because of some misguided sense of morality and pride.”

“And it slipped right through your fingers.”

“So here I am, trying to bring the best out of you and get you to show some goddamn passion and all I got from you was dismissive stupidity and laziness. And while I can work with that, while I can use that to get angry and rip your head off, I know you won’t use it for anything. You won’t get motivated, you won’t get angry. You’ll turn up, get beaten and then get your pay and go home…and maybe Sel…maybe you should stay there. And never come back…”

Chapter 32: Girls Day Nightmare

I needed this. A day out shopping. Not so much time with Kallie and my younger sister. My de facto “best friends”. But there we go. Beggars can’t be choosers. I needed the time to get away. To forget the heavy conversations of the past and what Finn and I had talked about. Those moments that blurred the lines of a business partnership and made me remember what we once had.

What we could of had.

And what we lost.

But as I moved along each floor and past each store I couldn’t help but shake this horrible feeling. I was being watched. I knew I was. The visit from Jace fucking Pleasant made that clear. I had never really escaped that life. I never was too far away from the all seeing eye of those Romani fucks. But, I didn’t want to let that knowledge ruin me. To stop loving my life. So now, in a act of defiance I was out, walking around. Pretend ding everything was normal.

But that is all it was. Pretend. Each step I took was a lie. As Kallie and Tasmin laughed and chatted next to me, holding their large bags full of everything from clothing to a new phone case each, while I sipped my coffee and kept my sunglasses on inside, looking like a complete asshole, just so I could keep my eyes darting to see if I could find my little spies.

But, I couldn’t see anyone. They were good. Maybe too good. Gypsies had never been known for subtlety. In fact they were as blunt as a hammer most of the time.

So, were they really watching? I had to ask myself over and over again. Were they there or was it all a trick just to screw with me? It was maddening, so in a way it worked. I shook my head trying to break myself out of the fun I found myself in. Tasmin let out a large laugh followed by a snort. I raised an eyebrow as Kallie turned her head ”OH MY GOD SHOOOOOES”

She took off running. The sweet summer child of stupidity. Well, that was unfair. Kallie was actually smart. She just did stupid things. One of which is named Aiden. But, she was adorable in her own way. I shook my head and turned to sit down on a bench, Tasmin looked over at Kallie but instead of following her decided to sit down next to me, crossing a leg over the other. I could feel her eyes burning a hole right through me. I tried to ignore her, I didn’t want to break the silence. It was a game of verbal chicken and I wasn’t going to lose.

But Tasmin had the same idea.

We both sat silently, watching as Kallie criss crossed the store. Excitedly bouncing as she grabbed every shoe she could find before looking at the price and very slowly placing it back on the plastic display. Tasmin tapped her fingernails on the arm rest, looking around and fiddling and clicking her tongue. I just sipped my coffee, sitting still and letting out a deep, relaxing sigh. Tasmin then lost our little game, speaking first. ”So, what’s up? You’ve been quiet…” I chuckled and shook my head, she talked like this was a new development.

”I just have alot on my mind.

Tasman tilted her head to the side, studying Me and trying to understand the words as well as disown their meaning. She knew me well enough to know that anything that I said, usually came with a caveat and to take everything with a grain of salt. I’d become very good at hiding my true intentions from other people. But my younger sister knew me well enough to know when I was trying to hide something. ”You just seem, absent. Worried. There’s something else to, something I don’t see in you much, or at all.” Tasmin paused and shook her head, she was going right for the throat. ”It’s fear.”

I ground my teeth together. I hate the fact that she was right. I was afraid. I was terrified. After the visit that I had, I felt like my freedoms had been taken away. My freedom to talk, my freedom to act like my usual self. I was here in public, walking on eggshells and that made me angry. my nostrils flared and I took in a deep breath, turning into my sister. I suppose she had earned the right to learn what was going on. ”Jace came to see mee.” I could see the change in her demeanor. From the corner of my eye. I could hear her breathing change. Tasman wasn’t stupid, she knew what this meant.

[coloe=lightblue]”Why?”[/color] The single word, question rate of desperation. I shook my head, not answering right away as I took a sip of my coffee. Tasman Hans fidgeted as she looked around and then tilted her head. ”Did he…want you back?” I shook my head. ”Are you sure? He was completely in love with you for a long time” she was right, there was a time when that man worshipped the ground that I walked on. Even changing his attitude toward what his culture was capable of, when it came to women. But that wasn’t what this was. And I knew it.

I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. ”They never stopped watching Tas. After I left. They’re probably watching Amber too…” I pushed my lips together, doing it to make sure that my voice didn’t quiver or quake. Trying to hide just how fearful I was that will be being watched at that exact moment. ”He came to let me know…”

”But…why now?” she looked confused and concerned. And I understood why. You had gone by, and I have been able to live my life normally. I’ve been able to become famous, earn money, live a good life. Go in and out of relationships. “If he didn’t want you back and they have been keeping tabs on you the whole time, why tell you Kay?” I closed my eyes and shook my head before taking my sunglasses off and turning to look at my younger sister.

My eyes came to rest on hers, she needed to know the entire truth. She needed to know what he told me, so she could also come to her and conclusions. ”He contacted me…because of Finn.” I paused, Tasmin stayed silent, but the confusion was there, even deeper than before. ”There is someone who has been visiting him, Jace told me he’s Yakuza. It made them come out of hiding. To ask me about it. I told him I had no idea what the fuck he was talking about.”


Tasman shook her head and cleared her throat. She was clearly struggling with this information. Sweet little thing. [color]lightblue]”Yakuza? Finn? That’s…no.That’s bullshit. I bet it was an excuse Kay, you can’t believe that right?”[/color] maybe Tasman was right. Maybe it was all bullshit. But there was something eating at Me deep down in my stomach. Something that said there was more truth in his words, and I wanted to let on. All that I wanted to believe.

”I don’t know….I don’t want to believe it. But, it’d explain alot.”

I trialed off and became silent. I didn’t know what else to say. I looked around, I wondered were we being watched right now? There were a few people who would occasionally look over. Would they look like the gypsy men and women that I had met before? Or would they look like just regular every day Americans? I shook my head and put my sunglasses back on. Tasman stared at me, wanting to say something, anything. But before she could, we be interrupted.

”Oh my god these shoes. Check them out!” Kallie stood there, holding four full bags, a smile on her face and a pair of pink and white converse boots on her feet. I smiled and gave a nod before getting to my feet. Tasmin just stayed silent and sighed heavily. ”Was it…was it something I said?...”

In defense of a division.

”Silence”

Kayla couldn’t help  but laugh with a small shake of her head.

”That is all I’ve gotten from our suppose world champion. I wanted to get this out of the way first because I didn’t want to dwell on it later on. As one half of the mixed tag team champions, I have a duty to defend these championships, and to make sure the eyes of the world are on this division. However, one of the best things about these championships coming back is that anyone who holds these titles is no longer tied to just these championships and justice division. I can elevate these championships by also going for other titles. And that world championship is when I want to get my hands on.”

“But instead of addressing Me, all I’ve had is silence. Because our world champion is a useless coward, who would rather face the drugs of this company, then face someone who would be a challenge. And that is what this is about, that is what holding championships is about. You want to find the best challenges and face them, so you can increase the value of the championships you hold. Beating people who aren’t that talented who don’t deserve championship matches isn’t exactly the way to go about it. I told the two former champions that. But they didn’t want to listen because they are nothing but a pair of whiny, arrogant children who don’t know what the wrestling business truly is.”

“And now that I’ve been able to move past everyone’s favorite dip shit and Finn and I have been able to defeat the former champions. It’s time to move on. It’s time to go to bigger and better things. At least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself.”

“Eiley had a tremendous upside. Noticed that I’m using had, the past tense. Because I don’t think she’s ever going to come back. And honestly? Good riddance. I’m so happy when the trash takes itself out. See in this company, we need people who are strong. We need people who are ready to take the world by storm and make damn sure that the divisions are cared for. People might not like my attitude, and they might not like the fact that I swear and carry on and put my coworkers down, but the truth is, I’m compelling television. When I am holding a championship, it feels important. that Internet championship was important when I had it over my shoulder or around my waist or was holding it above my head. It felt like a big deal, just like these mixed tag team championships do while Finn and I are holding them.”

Kayla pulls her half of the mixed tag titles up and throws her title over her shoulder. Kayla laughs to herself and adjusts the title belt.

”This match should have happened already. In fact, if it was up to me, it would’ve happened at the last SuperCard. And it’s a match that deserves to have a bigger audience. You see Ben and Sam beat the former champions that we were forced to defend the championships against. how is that fair. I campaign for this match to happen. I am a firm believer that you earn what you take. And Ben and Sam earned a championship opportunity at us. And instead of getting their fair shot back then they had to wait. And this might sound strange coming from Me but Ben and Sam are a team that at least lives up to their billing most of the time.”

“Ben Jordan. An incredibly skilled technical wizard and a former world champion. A guy who has been in this company for so long that his name has become synonymous with those three letters. There would be no shame in losing any type of match to a man like Ben Jordan. Finn is also a former world champion and could also be a future world champion. He is someone who can stand to toto with Ben Jordan in that ring. Even with Ben Jordan chisel 1950s leading man good looks.”

“In fact, this match might just be a feast for the eyes.”

“Ben you are one of the best in this company. I’m not gonna sit here and bullshit about it or blow smoke up your arse I’m being completely serious. You’ve been consistently one of the top superstars here and while so many others will look at your success and want to just what you’ve done lately. We can all see that the truth is you’ve been on auto pilot. You’re an auto pilot right now, dragging Sam into these matches. And as good as she is, she has definitely not been the woman that she used to be. But you? You could still be one of the best, and you could still be a world champion.”

“If you chose too.”

“I don’t think you want that any more. I think you are content with being in the mixed tag team division, and while Finn and I want to make sure these championships mean something while trying to get the other championships you just want these. You just want to take Sam and win the mix. Tag team titles and be a top name in this division. I think you are happy with that and complacent. And the word complacent and Ben Jordan don’t really come together that often. But now? Now you are getting in the ring and having to face myself and Finn. And Finn is unlike anyone you’ve ever had to step foot in the ring with.”

Kayla shrugs, feeling the truth in her heart about the whole situation and clearing her throat.

”Samantha Marlowe. A woman who has been in this company for so long that her name has become branded in the minds of every single wrestling fan around the world. A woman with so many championship rains under her name that she should be not just in this company, Hall of Fame, but the white wrestling Hall of Fame. And I do believe that. Sam, you are someone who has earned the right to be respected. You are someone who has earned the right to call yourself one of the best. However, you are also someone who seems to not know when to quit.”

“You are still relevant in this company. You are. You are not quite at the level of Mercedes Vargas when it comes to being a stupid irrelevant idiot who doesn’t know when to retire, but you are slowly getting there. You have retreated to this division with Ben Jordan to try and capture these titles. For you, it’ll be the second time. You won them with Caleb storms. Back when these championships were, to be honest, nothing. these titles have gone up and down in the mindset of so many people when it comes to sinner city wrestling. Sometimes people think that they are exciting, it is great to see these amazing mixed tagteam matches. And other times people just want to forget the exist.”

“Well Finn, and I want to make sure that people never forget them again. And hell, maybe just maybe you and Ben would also make a great champions. But the aim of all of this is to win. We want to be the longest, reigning, mixed tagteam champions of all time and to do that we have to beat you. and the unfortunate part Sam is that you can’t even see that you aren’t on my level.”

“Don’t worry, not many women are on my level.”

“You ask someone with a positive record. But a barely positive one. You look at what I’ve accomplished in the last year that I’ve been in this company, and I have beaten some of the best names that have ever stepped foot in this ring. I have one championships and I have avenged every single loss that I’ve had. while you bounce from match to match, not really caring and not really showing why people should care about you. To be quite honest with you, Sam, my heart weeps for you.”

“Cause you should be celebrated.”

Kayla chuckles and throws her arms in the air.

” but now, whenever we see your name on a match listing, most of us just kind of shrug. Most of us will just go, “oh, look a Sam Marlowe match”. And move on with our lives. When the fancy my name on a match sheet they know they are gonna be entertained. They know they’re gonna be entertained by the things that I say, by the things that I do, by everything that surrounds a match that I’m involved in. Look at the last time you all saw me. the amount of controversy that surrounded that match. I am “must see” television. You are “must turn the channel” television. You and Ben are going to do everything you can’t come for these championships you are going to do everything you can’t win them. I know that. I can respect that.”

“Finn and I will do everything we can to keep them. Now, I’m not going to say that it’s a foregone conclusion that he and I are going to walk out with those championships. Anything can happen. And you and Ben certainly have the history in the past to step up and win these. but it would take a lot. Because Finn and I, we are a team. We are the team. We are the champions. And it is your responsibility to try and beat us. The last shot you had was at limitless. The same team that looked us in the eye and told us that we couldn’t beat them. The same team that we beat twice. The same team where we beat the opponents in singles competition to the point where I’m fairly certain they’ve broken up, and one of them has left the company.”

“Good riddance.”

“But you two, you two lost to them and I can’t fathom why. You got your win back and at that point, I thought you should have come at us. But you had to wait. And that entire time that you’ve been waiting. Finn and I’ve been winning. He could be a world champion, I could be a world champion. but before we can get to that, we have to defend these titles against you too. And I have no problems making sure that people remember just how good of a team Finn and I are. So come us with everything that you are. I’m going to enjoy reminding the world that you are irrelevant Sam and that Ben quite honestly deserves better.

Chapter 30: The last spark of Christmas cheer

I remember the exact moment, my Christmas spirit died.

I was five years old. It was cold in my hometown of Norwich England. It had been raining, not a huge surprise, considering where we lived in the time of year. I remember waking up and being excited. You see, I had been to school that entire year. My first year as a real school student at a real school. my older sister, guiding me through the halls and showing me what it was like to be there. Interacting with the other children. And hearing about their lives.

It was the first time that I’d been told about the entire concept of Christmas. While I remembered the last few years, vaguely, it wasn’t something that I really cared about until I reached that age. Until I had the influence of all the other children telling me about it. I’ve kept it from my sister, a mistake that I would live to regret as it was a moment that would cause my downfall and break my little heart.

The other children would tell me about a lovely older man who would come into your home and leave your presents if you had been good. A man who would be jolly and laugh and be kind. A day that was filled with happiness and good food. Even if the rest of the year had been horrible, even if you lived in a family that was always down on their lock. Christmas day was a completely different time and The one day a year when the working-class families of the city where I grew up, were able to live a little and smile.

The school year ended, and I counted down the days on the little calendar that hung on the side of my family’s fridge. Each day, it would get closer and closer, and my little heart would race, faster and faster, excited to see what would come to me and what presents The old fat man named Santa would bring.

Then, December 25. The night before I could barely sleep.

Like most children around the world, I tried to stay up as long as I could in a vain attempt to see the elusive man in the big red and white suit. A man who would be carried to our home on a beautiful wooden sleigh driven by the mythical reindeer. Accompanied by jingling bells and a sing-song voice.

When we are children, we are all fucking stupid.

But I believed. I believed with all of my heart, and as the sun rose that morning, and I shifted in my bed to drop down onto the cold wooden floor. I had an excitement welling up in my heart and in my mind. This was it. The day when I could finally smile and be happy. Happiness is something that I’ve never felt before. At five years old, all I had known was a childhood full of disappointment. From my father, being an abusive, drunken piece of shit, to my mother, being spineless, to my brother, trying to stand up for all of us, and getting smacked down. To my sister, Amber constantly shoved me back in a room and told me not to raise my voice, so I wouldn’t get father, angry.

All year, every year, this is what happened. But this day was going to be different. The other children at school told me so.

I eagerly reached up and pulled the heavy door handle down and slid the door open, looking out through the small crack into the hallway. I tried to make his little noise as possible. Almost like a mouse, I crept down the hallway towards the large living room, where I had been told the tree would be with all the presents.

And then I heard it, a sound. A sound kind of like grunting. Was it going to be one of Santa‘s reindeer? Was it going to be Santa himself eating the cookies that one of my parents would have put out as a treat for him?

I was excited, my heart was beating so fast, and I can remember picturing all of the toys, I thought I could get. The food that I would be able to eat. And seeing my father, my mother, and my siblings, smiling. It is something that I wanted and something that I needed. But as I turned the corner, I realized it was all a lie.

There was no tree, there were no presents, there was just my father. Sitting in his chair with an army of crushed beer cans around him. The grunting was him snoring loudly in a drunken stoop. Today was going to be like any other day. He was going to wake up, find something wrong with the house, and start yelling and screaming. My mother would try and shield us from it and probably get a black guy for her insubordination. And I was going to spend the day huddling in my room, trying not to cry. Not because I didn’t want to, not because I thought it was a weakness, but because if he heard me, it would only make things worse for all of us.

And that is why the Christmas spirit is a fucking lie.

I snapped out of it, looking across the room at the large beautiful apartment that I now lived in. Christmas time was closer and now where I lived was still cold. Even colder than it was back home in Norwich at this time of year. The cold pouring rain had been replaced with beautiful white snow falling across the streets. I cracked a small smile and shook my head, still unsure of the decision that I was going to make. Was this really something that I could do? Try and start enjoying Christmas? After last year, I had hope. But that hope was quickly stolen away from me. My phone started to ring, and I tilted my head. Looking down at it, it was Kallie.

I let it ring out before picking it up putting it on speaker and listening to the voice message that she left. ”Hey Kaaaayllllla. Oh god, how annoying.”So, I know Aiden gave you a heads up on Christmas. I really hope you come and I would love for you to let me know. We are going to make sure a place is set for you….no matter what…anyway…toodles”

Her happiness was infectious. She was so excited and bouncy. This was a girl who loved life and did everything she could to make it better for everyone. Even though she had an upbringing, that wasn’t ideal or perfect. I took a deep breath and shook my head. Maybe I should go, maybe I should go and try everything I could to actually make this a good Christmas. To be happy and smile, and to enjoy myself just like everyone else. Maybe even see him again. Enjoy your night with him. Just like last year. Maybe he’d even give me a second chance?

I snapped out of it again, stupid girl I said in my head. That time was over. I had blown my chance and Finn had decided against even trying. I mean honestly? Who would? I wasn’t worth it, I wasn’t worthy of him, and I wasn’t worth being happy. It just was not my destination in life. My sisters had their children, my brother had his business, and I had? My career. My apartment. And that’s all I would ever need. And all I ever deserved.

Broken

”Chea[ tricks and excuses.

Kayla couldn’t help her chuckle. Her heavily tattooed arms folded over her chest and her hair remained down around her shoulders and back. Her lower body was covered in black jeans and black and white Converse shoes with a sleeveless shirt over the top bearing The logo of seminal 70s heavy metal icon's Saxon.

” As many of you have probably noticed a general theme running through anything that Finn and I have said over the last few weeks has all been about professionalism. You can make outlandish statements to be a general prick about everything but you can also be professional. I’m gonna be the first one to admit that both Finn and I can come off as a brace brush. probably myself more so than Finn. He is certainly more cerebral in the things that he says about our opponents and the entire mixed-tag team division at large. Whilst I am someone who will say some of the most horrible shit and get flack for it.”

“And rightly so, in some cases.”

“My liberal use of swearing is also a sticking point.”

“How can I be professional when I drop an S bomb, F-Bomb, or..GOD FORBID a C bomb”

“The truth is it’s just who I am. I stand up here, and I say horrible shit, and some of it true some of it false. Some of it is driven by emotion while some of it is driven by the need to make sure people know that they should be put in their place. That is what Finn and I both did to limitless. We put them both in their place. you see, the problem with the younger generation, and yes I am aware that that sounds very ironic, considering that I’m in my 20s. The problem with them is that they have no concept of losing. I don’t lose very often, but I still know how to do it. I still know how to cope with it. I still know how to move on and use that as fuel to become even better than I was before. The general problem with their generation and who they are is that they have never been prepared to lose.”

“Losing is not the be-all end, all of professional wrestling. Just because you go on a massive streak and you are hot right off the bat and you suddenly lose it doesn’t mean that you are nothing. It doesn’t mean that you can’t grow and become better than you were. In fact, losses can galvanize you, it can make you a better person. the times that I have lost, have I hidden from them? Go ahead, go back and watch every single promo I’ve ever cut and you go back and you watch the ones I did when I had lost to someone the week before. You go right ahead. And you tell me how I came off and what I said.”

she waits, tapping her foot in an almost comical attempt to make. It seems like she’s waiting for all of us to get caught up and go back and watch her promos. After a small moment of rhetorical time, she keeps going.

”Well? Do you all see it? There are two ways that you can go with the loss. You can accept it, you can congratulate people who are good enough to beat you, you can vow. It will never happen again, and come back stronger, or you can do a limit listed. you two had a chance to come out after losing to ask and prove to the world that that award that you got handed to you was more than just a stupid little trinket that they gave to you because nobody else was ready at the time. You all had a chance to prove that you were the best. By coming back, stronger and dismantling anyone, and I mean anyone who stood in your way. Whether that was in a singles match or a tag team match, it didn’t matter. It was all on you and it was on your shoulders and in the end what did we get?”

Shed pauses again and shakes her head, an arrogant, self-righteous, and oddly giddy smirk comes across her red-painted lips.

”Weakness. Total and us half weakness. We saw the greatest team in this company break down and lose. Time and time again. And not accepted. Until now. Now you two come back and face us and looks like you are finally ready to accept what happened, but in the end, it’s too late. You two should not even be in this match with us. You know who should be? Ben Jordan and Sammi Marlowe. Those two beat you and those who have a great track record as a team. So why aren’t they in this match against us? Why aren’t they? The ones who are getting a championship match while you both go back to the drawing board and try and get your aura back?”

“That is what should’ve happened. Because now you have done something horrible. You see, not only have you stopped a team more deserving of getting a shot against us, but you have also doomed yourselves. And what does that mean? Well children, here’s a lesson for free from us to you, that you’re not gonna be taught by your apparent mentors because they still haven’t learned this either. Sometimes? You are not ready.”

“And kids, you are both far from ready.”

“Your confidence is shattered. The entire chemistry that you once had as a team has gone. You did have that when you faced us the first time, but you had this arrogance about you where you didn’t even see us as a threat. In the end, that arrogance was your downfall, and now you have the opposite effect. Now your lack of confidence is going to be your downfall all because you can’t reconcile the fact that you lost to a better team and get these championships back you need to fully embrace it. but not embrace it in a way to lose confidence. Embrace it in a way to build yourself back up. But you skipped that step, you skipped that step with every match that you had, and every match that you lost, and now you are left with broken pieces of a pass that you can’t put back together and a future that will never match up in your eyes or your estimation.”

Kayla shakes her head again and moves over grabbing half of the tag titles and pulling it to her shoulder.

”Instead of focusing on yourselves, you decided to focus on what we were doing. Right, Eiley? instead of focusing on what you did wrong and what you could improve you shifted that spotlight onto us. Talked about how we only defended our championships once, and how Finn had a singles match and I did nothing. I did nothing because I didn’t have to do anything. Do you think that that’s going to help you? Do you think that’s going to somehow make it easy for you and your idiot partner to walk over us? We have more matches under our belt now. Admittedly, it is only one but we still do. We came into the match with you with one win under our belts and one match together. And we still beat you.”

“Your logic is that of a five-year-old with no social skills.”

“But that is only one side of the story. You’ve got her spouting off that stupid bullshit, and meanwhile, Ollie is over there talking about how it is so easy to win, and be smiling when things are going well and running smoothly. But he asked the question of what is it going to be like when he puts us in that position that we’ve put them in? Really? We have been in that position. Not to the point where we were losing matches, but to the point where Finn and I were barely looking at each other and didn’t want to team together. We didn’t want this. this was something we signed up for back when the championships were announced as coming back and since then, our personal relationship took ahead of writing into the fucking toilet.”

She throws her hands in the air holding the tag title in one hand and shrugging.

”Again instead of focusing on yourselves and repairing that rift you tried to switch the focus on us. Do you think that somehow and someway just saying that you are the greatest team in this company is going to make it come true without doing any of the work. It would’ve been a great idea for you to give up this championship match. Go back to the drawing board and try and get yourselves in better ring shape. Get your head right. But instead, you both have run headlong right into us when they're better challengers waiting in the wings. we want the best, we didn’t get the best in our first defense, and we didn’t even get the best when we won these championships. They are better teams out there than Oliver and Eiley.”


“And we hope to face them. That is something lost in this whole thing. We didn’t want to face Limitless, not because we were scared that we would lose the championships back to them. But because we wanted to face, the best and limitless is not the best. Limitless has lost time and time again, yet they have been given this rematch because they were the champions? they haven’t proven anything. They haven’t proven they belong in the ring with us, they haven’t proven that they are the champions or the challenges that they make themselves out to be. There are so many better teams in this company that could and should face us.”

“But what if we lose?”

“What if Limitless can take these championships back? Well, I’ll congratulate them for being able to do it. And then, we will come at them with everything we have. Will beat anyone that they put in front of us and come right back after limitless to take their heads. And show them how it’s done. But that would be counter-productive. You see, Finn and I have grand plans for these championships. We aren’t just two children who are running around with their heads, cut off, flopping their dicks out, and jerking off their mentors in public. We want to make sure these championships are a prize. We want to make sure that everyone in this company is gunning for them.”

“And we do that by ending the year as champions at December 2 dismember.”

]Chapter 28 Travel woes

The entire feeling attitude of my apartment had been different in the last few weeks. Being victorious will definitely improve your mood and your future prospects. Especially winning a championship with someone that many people said you could not. I had been happy. Happier than I had been over the last few months. From moving out of the homes that I had shared for the better part of two years into a new place and a new life. I had been slowly becoming more and more comfortable in my own skin, but this?

This win had changed so much. Given me so much. My outward confidence, something that seemed to never waver, had always been more of a mask than the reality of the situation. But now, with my confidence at an all-time high, both outwardly and inwardly, I was about to become even more unbearable to those who disliked me. And even to those who liked me.

I took a deep breath, picking up my coffee and taking a sip, before letting out a sigh of complete satisfaction. My sister, Tasman, and a person who I had slowly growing to consider a friend in Kallie, both sat around the kitchen bench, holding their own mugs filled with coffee. The three of us talked, Tasmin and Kallie laughing as I, by my own admission, looked rather smug and self satisfied. Tasmin turned, saying something that I didn’t even register. ”Hey…are you even listening to me?”

I wasn’t. Obviously.

”Kay?! Hellllooo!?” I shook her head and turned to Tasmin who looked over at Kallie mouthing “What the fuck?” Kallie shrugged and Tasmin let out a deep breath. ”There you go, day dreaming now you’re back to prominence or whatever…” I sighed and dismissively moved my hand with a flutter. I took a sip of my coffee again and sat back. ”So, you and Finn worked well together.”

”They did like…so well together…I was all squeaky and stuff…Aiden didn’t like it.” She blinked a few times. Tilting her head before looking at Tasmin who shook her head “No”. However, apparently Kallie didn’t understand the message. ”I’m so glad you and Finn are all friendly…it’s so cute”

I just flicked her hand again. Shaking my head before sitting forward. ”Look, Finn is lucky to have me. We are the tag team champions because of ME. Because I held the team together like crazy glue sticking your younger sisters hair to her pillow!” I shot Tasmin a small smile, forcing her to envoke a memory that many weaker people might consider to be…traumatic…

”Bitch…”

Tasmins eyes narrowed as I chuckled and looked over at a very confused Kallie. I stretched and looked over at the window with a relaxing groan. The vista from my apartment window was gorgeous. ”Look, Finn and I aren’t friends. We won’t ever be friends but we are champions and as long as he follows my lead we will be champions for a long time..” Tasmin couldn’t hide her indignation, rolling her eyes as I showed my arrogance. Kallie on the other hand just sat there and blinked a few times before taking a sip of her coffee.

Bless her heart.

Tasmin folded her arms over her chest and shook her head, clearly annoyed at my attitude. ”So, you’re still not really talking about the core issue here?” I raised an eyebrow and went to say something, Tasmin continued sounding a little more annoyed with more bass in her voice. ”You two worked out enough of your problems to win the match and the titles, good job. But after what happened and how you really feel? You can’t just hide it and keep going.” I groaned and rolled my eyes.She was going to drone on wasn’t she?

Kallie made a face and looked down at her phone before standing up. ”Aiden’s here!” She popped up and moved to the door. I was glad for the distraction from this conversation. Kallie opened the door and Aiden, her husband and baby daddy stepped through the door. Baby Dax strapped to his chest as he looked exhausted. ”There’s my baby!” Kallie giggled and Dax let out a squeal and blew a raspberry.

I laughed and shook my head as Aiden unstrapped him from his chest and handed him to Kallie. Tasmin automatically gravitated toward him. I let out a small sigh of relief, I didn’t want or need to talk about myself and Finn in any type of context that was unprofessional. Aiden looked over at me, moving closer before looking back at Kallie and Tasmin, Oh god, was he about to attempt a conversation? I needed alcohol for this level of interaction with Aiden of all people. ”Oi, how’s it hangin??”

I cringed, that accent, that horrible accent. It was like nails on a chalkboard. Fucking Australians. ”I’m fan-fucking-tastic.” It was as non committal as possible. A way for me to try and end any conversation before it began.

He sat down, oh god, why is he sitting down? ”So uh, congrats on the win n shit. And the title. But you gotta get your whole…thing sorted with Finn.” I inhaled sharply, holding the breath in so I didn’t rip his face off.  ”Look, he ain’t gonna say it but he enjoyed teamin with you, He misses ya, and I think you miss him too. So…ya know…sort ya shit out.”

My nostrils flared and I closed my eyes pushing the breath out. I turned and kept my voice as low as possible so I wouldn’t scare the baby. ”Look…..I can appreciate you care about your boyfriends brother, but you and Dickie need to stop. All I keep hearing is how he misses me and how Finn was miserable when I left and all this other bullshit.” I closed my fist and slammed my hand on the counter, Tasmin and Kallie looked mover as Dax rolled on the floor. ”If he wants something…more…than being in a team and this being a purely professional relationship then he needs to come talk to me..not you, not his brother, not those two.” I motioned toward Tasmin and Kallie before shaking my head.

Aidens face changed. It was serious, something that was never really seen. He was the joker, the goofball, the idiot. But this was a face of stone. He almost seemed…grown up. ”Ya know him…ya know he won’t do that. You are both bloody stubborn ya know that?....I feel like I need to fuckin babysit ya both…” He stood up and shook his head, turning to go back to Dax and Kallie, Tasmin looked over at me and stood up. I closed my eyes and exhaled before my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out, opening my email. ”It’s my travel itinerary for ther next show…” I smirked and opened it before an angry chill ran down my spine and into my stomach, I stood up and growled. ”WHAT BTHE FUCK?”

Tasmin, Kallie and Aiden all looked over at me, Tasmin is the only one to speak up. ”Whats wrong?”

”They booked me in fucking…COACH?!?!?”

Champions


”Not bad for two people who apparently can’t get along right?”

Kayla couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Grabbing her SCW mixed tag team championship title and throwing it over her shoulder.

”Did  you hear it? Did you hear everything that was said about myself and Finn? We were supposed to lose. That is exactly what everyone will tell you. We were supposed to go in there and we were supposed to implode and everyone was supposed to watch us disintegrate and self-destruct. But that isn’t what happened. What happened was you saw that two people who are supremely talented or able to rise past their issues and become champions. and does anyone else find it strange that after losing to myself and Finn, the other two have now started to not get along? They have started to not gel as a team or be as good as everyone believed they were. Here they are losing matches, yet, somehow, someway, we can see it on the horizon. They will get a rematch.”

“And, we will put them down just like we did to take these titles from them.”

“But, I’m getting ahead of myself.”

“Before the inevitable rematch between myself and Finn and Oliver and Eiley, we have to defend these championships against another team. Truth be told I don’t really care. And before I get into who those opponents are and why I don’t care about them as individuals or team let me just preface this. I will always give 100% whenever I get into that ring. I will always go after my opponent with the same amount of vigour and anger and violence that I go after everyone else. I will never take anyone easy because I know that one mistake and one slip up could humiliate me.”

“So trust me, no matter who our opponents would be, Finn and I are going into this with one goal…”

“To win.”

Kayla chuckles and shrugs.

”I get it, that’s what we should all be trying to do right? Especially champions like myself and Finn, we’re representing the company and the division. And trust me on this, in a very short amount of time, Finn and I have already done more for the division and the championships than the last few teams combined. And our plan?...it’s simple. We continue to rebuild these titles into true prizes. And to do that we need to defend them against anyone and everyone.”

“Any challengers, anytime and anyplace. And with that being said I need to be honest. The whole travel issue thing from last week…”

“Was me”

“Big surprise right? I got my information, I saw it wasn’t what I wanted or what was agreed. So I told them I wasn’t coming until the problem was sorted out. And low and behold, this week it was. So yes, I will grace you all with my presence. Finn and I will be there to defend out mixed tag team titles and we will be ready to face the team of Miles Kasey and Alexandra Calaway.”

Kayla slowly grins and folds her arms over her chest.

”Well, I can’t really blame the company for giving us those two, I can’t even really get angry over the fact they are a tossed together team. I mean, many see Finn and I as a thrown together team despite the fact we were penciled in as a team prior to the titles coming back. Now, Finn and I are not the same as Alexandra and Miles. See, those two are both current singles champions.”

“They are the future of this business. Or so many will tell you. Miles is a former roulette champion and the current Internet champion, Alexandra is the reigning roulette champion. Congratulations to you both for being a cut above the usual rabble.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have my respect.”

“Look at Alexandra for instance. A woman who holds a championship. Sure it’s the special school championship.But it’s still a championship. You won it by beating Jessie Salco. Amazing. Truly. You beat a woman who can barely keep her career together and who had held the title for a few months with a horseshoe up her ass. And you have done better. I can admit that. You have been the roulette champion for a few months and defended the title against…wait…hold on….”

Kayla pulls out her phone and opens google looking up the results for the last supercard with a sigh before scratching her head.

”Oh…Bea Barnhart and Georgie Robertson….I, well, atleast it was a successful defense. But now Alexandra, now you get to come after me and the mixed tag team titles. And while you are an average Roulette champion I should go down as the best Internet champion this company ever had. Cause I defended the title against everyone and anyone, winning the title off a hall of famer and being the goddamn headline.”

“I am a three time champion, I have been a world champion in other companies and I am the type of person who will not quit until I have reached my goals. And trust me on this, my goals for the mixed tag titles didn’t start or end with simply winning them. But, you are a part of those plans Alexandra. See, Finn and I will go against anyone that SCW puts in our way. We will do all we can to elevate these championships and being open to any challenge is a big step toward that. But lets be clear here Calaway…you are not my equal.”

“And you damn sure can’t rely on Miles…”

She throws her hands in ther air and sighs heavily.

”Oh sweet little Miles. You have no idea how many times I wanted to verbally melt you while you and I were still living under the same roof with Finn. How much I just wanted to call you out for being a ridiculous man child. A person who, quite frankly, gobbles up everyone elses time and energy because you are the most high maintenance bitch I have ever met in my life…and let that sink in cause I know myself quite well.”

“You are a man who likes to coast on his natural talent but put the most minimal amount of effort in. It’s what you have done your entire career. Waiting for a handout instead of taking it.”

“I have talent Miles. Buckets of it. I fucking drown in it. But I am also one of the hardest working people you or Alexandra will ever see. I respect the hustle, I work the hustle. I bust my ass day in and day out and it shows. I take all this very very seriously and you have been criticized time and time and time again for it. Hell, a man who was one of your mentors and someone you respected turned on you and beat the hell out of you and Carter…”

“And while on Carter…quick question…”

“How does it feel being career cucked?”

“Cause Carter turned around, started taking everything as seriously as he could and that glorious little blowhard got hyimself a world title opportunity and came within a nut hair of winning. He did what you could never do and that is present himself as a legitimate threat. Because he was. But you? You limp by, fluking a win here and a win there. You beat Calvin Harris for the internet title when you should have beat Michael Harris for the world title. But, you couldn’t get the job done…”

“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride eh? You think this will be any different? Not against Finn, not against me with that partner….But you’ll try, I know that…it’s just too bad it will all be for nothing.”