I can’t with you.
She was staring. Trying not to, but failing. It was weird, seeing them together. Seeing them laughing, and flirting. Or rather seeing her sister do that. Not so much him. Zoey tilted her head and stood up, moving around the gym and watching. Alicia smiled, laughed, looked around and then realized what was happening. Trying to hide it from prying eyes and even laughing with others around her. She was trying to hide it, and it may have worked with others. Others who hadn’t seen everything, eyes that weren’t as keen as Zoeys, that didn’t know Alicia like she knew her.
She reached over, grabbing Austin on the arm, leaning up to whisper something as Austin leaned down. He was harder to read, he was still stoic, calm and measured. Almost menacing to those who didn’t know him. But in the last few weeks there had been subtle differences.
Austin seemed, free. He seemed to be happy. Even if he didn’t show it how most would. The last year he had been like a tempest, a storm filled with anger, constantly trying to hold it back and stay calm. But the anger was growing and a few times Austin had let it slip. The last few weeks thought, that storm had calmed. He was almost like his old self. Alicia turned and walked away from Austin, she looked over her shoulder with a grin and Austin stared at her, giving her a nod but then flashing a smile.
Zoey narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
Alicia moved through the gym to the womens lockeroom, Zoey followed and slid in behind Alicia, looking around to make sure no one was there. ”So…you’re fucking him..”
Alicia turned and her eyes fluttered as it appeared that she needed a moment to process the question. ”That’s a rather vulgar way of putting it…” Zoey raised an eyebrow and shrugged, Alicia kept eye contact, Zoey folded her arms over her chest and stared ahead, Alicia took a deep breath in and cleared her throat. ”Yes, but also…no. It’s not just that. He and I…we…share something.”
”Clearly”
Zoey looked at her sister with sarcastic indignation. Alicia snarled and rolled her eyes, annoyed at this whole situation. ”Why do you care anyway? I’m not allowed to be happy? To find happiness? To make him happy?” She got angry, Zoey stayed silent and shook her head. It wasn’t about that, it never was. ”You found happiness, you have Aron…”
”You don’t shit where you eat Alicia…fuck!” Zoey threw her hands in the air, pacing back and forth, finally unleashing the reason for her judgement. Alicia stayed silent, watching Zoey as she paced and then growled. ”This is a workplace. Technically. And workplace dating is a bad idea. A bad fucking plan. Aron works for SCW but he isn’t a wrestler…” Zoey pauses, looking Alicia up and down. ”We see enough of this shit Alicia. And honestly…you should know better.”
”Know better? Better for what? I found someone who understand the business, who understands what it’s like growing up in your fathers shadow. And understands loss…” Alicia trails off, upset at Zoey butting in and her judgemental attitude.
Zoey steps forward and shakes her head. ”Look, I want you to be happy, to find someone who gets you. You shouldn’t be alone the reast of your life and I would never say that…” Zoey takes a deep breath and throws her hands in the air. ”But, those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Alicia snarls and staps forward. ”What is that supposed to mean?”
Zoey takes a sharp inhale, running a hand through her hair. ”Kaden Kessler, Travis Blake, Chris Cane, Josh Na-”
”Yeah, I get it. Mistakes, all of them. But what’s your point?”
Zoey scoffs and tuts, sliding back and leaning against the lockers. Her voice was gruff and deep as she tries to make her point. ”They weren’t just mistakes Ali. They were in the business. They are guys who you worked with. How do you know this thing with Austin won’t end the same?”
The realisation hit her. Alicia looked down and away, Zoey took a deep breath and Alicia smiled faintly. ”I guess I don’t…..but….I have faith….I want to believe…so….maybe you should let me own my mistakes and own my life…” Alicia moved forward and gave Zoey a pat on the shoulder. ”And stop being like mom…”
Alicia moved past Zoey, Zoeys jaw dropped, she had no idea what to say or how to react to that, she heard the door close behind her and let out and annoyed scoff. ”I’m not like mom….”
Georgie Girl
”I’m annoyed.”
Zoey looks up, through the few strands of blonde hair flowing down over her eyes, she gets to her feet and folds her arms over her chest showing off some of her tattoos.
”I went toe to toe with Sam Marlowe, toward the end of the match, Sam had her submission locked in and the time expired. And hey, that whole tie thing is annoying, time limit draws are lame. But, they happen. But, the fact is Sam believes she had me beat. She believes that if that match continued another few moments that I would have tapped out and Sam would have won. And that, well, that is what really pisses me off. See, for some reason, this company seems to live in a fantasy world where all their veterans are still relevant. Despite the fact Same Marlowe is nothing and will always be nothing.”
“But where, do I go from here?”
“Where do I look to in this career that seems to have been constantly derailed by stop start booking and directionless bullshit?”
“Maybe I should look to other companies, maybe I should spread my wings.,”
“This company is always thrown into disarray with the blast from the past, then afterwards some of the names who return end up stinking up the place before slinking away. Meanwhile, people like me who champion this company are left in the cold. I watch those who let the company down time and time again get opportunity after opportunity and I wonder…why?”
“Why does Crystal Hilton, or whatever her name is this week get title shots and opportunities? Why do we care for certain peoples hundredth return and retirement? Why? It drives me insane…”
Zoey throws her hands up and growls before turning and pacing back and forth.
”I suppose though, that good things come to those who wait right? Here I have an opportunity to enter the queen for a day match. A match where the winner gets to book a show. We can choose to punish those we dislike or we can reward ourselves or our friends. We can give ourselves title shots and huge matches, it’s an interesting concept. And I wonder, if I was given that power, what would I do with it?”
“Well, first thing is first, getting into the match. And to do that, well I have to beat Georgie Robertson. And, I could mention the fact we’re near the colosseum, I could make some kind of gladiator story in my own head and talk an incredible amount of bullshit. Hell, I could have dressed like an ancient roman. But, instead I want to look at the colosseum like SCW. A once great place where warriors tread…”
“That is slowly crumbling into dust and being held up by younger generations.”
“And Georgie, you and I are a part of that younger generation. In fact, we signed our contracts about a month apart of each other. And our careers have been oddly similar.”
Zoey pauses and sighs heavily with a roll of her eyes.
”You and I have been up and down in this company. Winning some matches, losing or tying others. Having successes and failures while veterans and people who should have walked away a long time ago are pushed ahead of us. But, while you lose to those like Laura Phoenix, I have beaten hall of famers.”
“And now, you have been handed an opportunity on a silver platter. Beat me and you get a chance to be queen for a day.”
“The only problem is, beating me is easier said than done georgie.”
“I’m the most powerful woman in the bombshells division, and yes I am aware tempest6 is still here. But the truth is, I’m stronger, I’m better and I’m more talented. I can beat anyone and I fear no one and you have been limping along in this company for far to long. For the last year you have been a non factor and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change. So, please, allow me to put you out of your misery and end you. Cause sister…you definitely are not a worthy queen…”
