The camera opens to a tight shot of the face of Ben Jordan, his hair pushed neatly back over his head. a troubled look crosses the face of the cockney king as he looks down the camera and slowly starts to speak.
"Alright people." He says slowly with a troubled tone. "Well what a twist in the tail from someone who used to be a nice guy. Contracted up until the end of the year, not expecting to be on the Christmas show, and for what could be ya last match, you get put against a couple of friends with a partner you've never been in the ring with. Such is life people. I didn't expect for a second that this would be what I'm looking at for a possible last match, going against my friend in Jamie Dean. Well, hopefully still a friend after Christian tried the ol' divide and conquer bollocks. He hasn't said much to me since. Either way, work is work and I take a lot of pride in what I do."
The camera cuts to the side, showing Ben's profile look of his face.
"I'm disappointed." He says with a sigh "Disappointed to be in the ring against Jamie and Amy, two people I love to bits when it comes to wrestling but there's part of me that is a bit excited because I'm teaming with Evie Baang."
He quickly taps his chin with his forefinger on his right hand.
"To be fair, that should make me a little bit nervous." He says scrunching up his face in to a frown. "Evie clearly don't play well with others or by the rules, but she is one hell of a talent in the ring and there ain't a bird or geezer that can deny that. So I decided that even though we've been out on the piss a few times, I needed to know my partner a little bit better."
Ben frowns at the camera.
"Not in that way you filthy animals!" He says with a smile "Sorry, it is nearly Christmas, Home Alone references needed. I mean in the way of I've drunk with many people over the years, doesn't mean I know 'em. Some of my closest friends, I still don't know much about 'em, but this is in a game where in a tag match, you need to watch ya partners back, you need to know that partner well enough to trust them to have your best interests at heart, so I suggested Cuba."
A smile crosses his face.
"Love Cuba and I figured that maybe it would help a usually high strung mystery woman to let her guard down a little so that we might be able to work as a team." He states "No one liked the random team thing because of feeling uncomfortable. I knew Jamie wouldn't have this issue with Amy in his corner, so I had to make the effort. So ladies and gents, welcome to Cuba, because this whole thingamajig is coming from the island."
He winks down the camera.
"Enjoy..."
*******
"Home sweet home." The cockney tones of Ben Jordan fill the early morning air.
The two had flown through the night after a really bad excuse for music drove them to leave Primm, Nevada after the show - Come on people, follow them on Twitter and you'd know this. For those that don't, the two tried to drink but let's just say noise does not count as music at times. Quickly the two made for Cuba.
"Yeah, I know." Evie's Australian accent responds "Been here before for that party you threw after some supercard. The week long thing."
Ben and Evie stand at the bottom of the steps on a house off the road on a slight hill. He smiles in the morning sun as he thinks back to the time SCW stars were invited to his abode, drinking, partying and relaxing for a whole week after Summer XXXTreme IV, enjoying the first week of August in typical cockney party fashion. Ben holds a bag over his shoulder as he looks up at the steps.
"What a great week that was." He reminisces. "Friends and enemies just enjoying a vacation from it all. Took a week to clean up the house afterwards."
"Like you cleaned it yourself." Evie says dryly, causing Ben to turn his head to look at her, observing her hand wrapped tightly around the handle of an expensive looking pull along suitcase.
"I did actually." He says off the cuff "I don't do the whole servant, butler thing. Wasn't brought up that way. Me nan was forever telling me to clean up me room, and that it's easier to do it yaself, and it stuck."
A man walks past them from behind, in his fifties, dark hair around the side of his head only, but his skin nicely tanned by the Cuban sun.
"Hola senor Ben, Como estás?" He asks cheerily, catching Ben's attention.
Ben turns his head to look at the man, a smile on his face meeting the older man's own smile.
"Estoy bien, Alberto. Cómo está usted y la familia?" Ben replies slowly, causing Evie to look towards Ben with surprise on her face.
"I didn't know you spoke Spanish." She says with a touch of impressed in her tone.
"To be fair." Ben starts "I'm nowhere near fluent, and learned a lot of it from watching Narcos, so I have mostly drug references and a ton of swear words."
Evie rolls her eyes towards Ben as he looks back to the man he just called Alberto.
"Muy bien, gracias. Es esta tu novia?" Alberto responds to Ben, but Evie turns her head around to look at the man.
"No, trabajo con Ben, pero no lo echaría de la cama si tuviera la oportunidad" Evie responds, her tone almost perfect and unrecognisable from her usual Australian accent.
Ben looks confused as Alberto laughs.
"Number one, what did you just say?" Ben says through his confused tone "Number two, since when could you speak Spanish?"
Evie turns her head to smile at Ben, licking her lips.
"One" She starts, her tone returning to the familiar Australian accent "Doesn't matter, what I said. Two, there's a lot of things you don't know about me Benny boy. Probably helps that I'm part Spanish though."
"Well I'll be a monkeys uncle." Ben says as he shakes his head slowly. "That'll explain it."
"Tenga un buen día." Alberto says with a nod of his head.
"Gracias amigo" Ben responds as Alberto walks away from the two.
Ben points his hand up the steps towards the front door of the house, looking at Evie and nodding.
"Shall we?" He asks.
Evie nods her head and grips hold of the expensive looking suitcase, but Ben moves his hands towards it.
"Let me take that for you." He says with a smile.
"Ever the gentlemen." Evie comments as she releases her hand from the handle.
Ben smiles and pushes the handle down, grabbing the strap on top of the case and lifting it up. He nods towards the steps and Evie starts to walk up in front of him. He follows behind her, lifting the bag in the air high enough to clear the steps and walks up them. Evie gets to the door first and stops as Ben, just one step behind moves next to her and places her bag down, before pulling his own from his shoulder and swinging it around to the his right hand side and placing it down. He reaches in to his jeans pocket and pulls out a key, sliding it in to the lock of the house and swinging it around. After pulling that key out, he inserts another in to a higher lock and with a quick twist, he pushes the door open. He nods his head to indicate to Evie to walk in the house and she does. Ben quickly reaches down and picks up the bags before following her inside. He places the bags down and lifts his leg, shutting the door behind him with the sole of his shoe.
"Righty" Ben says to grab Evie's attention, causing here to spin around and look at him "Treat this gaff as ya own. Living room is straight through there, kitchen to the side. Pool out the back, bar in the living room. Lemme show ya where ya room is."
Ben picks up Evie's suitcase and walks past her, the young woman following him as he moves to a staircase on the right and walks around the corner and up the steps to the top level of the house.
"Which one is your room?" Evie asks.
Ben points to the nearest door to them.
"That one." He replies.
Evie makes her way towards the door Ben points to.
"I'll just stay in there" She says casually.
"Nah, ya won't." Ben says firmly "That one is off limits to you."
"Why?" Evie asks "You got a sex dungeon in there or something?"
"Yeah" Ben smirks, sarcasm dripping from his tone.
Evie calmly shrugs as she looks at him.
"Always the quiet ones" She says nonchalantly.
Ben walks down the hall, just two doors down from his own room and opens the door, walking in and placing Evie's suitcase just inside the door.
"You'll be staying in here love." Ben says as Evie walks in to the room.
Her eyes look around the room at the crisp white linen on the bed, a white curtain above the headboard, giving the good sized room a look of luxury. Artwork sits on the wall as well as a vanity mirror to one end of the room with a huge desk like object in front of it, with a red velvet stool. Through the windows, a view of the sea can be seen. Ben points towards a door at the side of the room.
"Bath and shower in there." He says before jetting his thumb towards the window "And a balcony out that side, overlooking the pool and sea."
Evie turns her head and moves towards the window, looking out at the view that's outside, slightly taken back by what she sees.
"It's beautiful" she mutters under her breath.
"It is." Ben comments "That's why I don't mind the travel home. Few hours on a plane and I get to see this. Most Monday's till Saturday's, I get to be here. It's not a bad old life. Anyways..."
Evie turns to look at Ben as he stands near the doorway of the room.
"I'll leave you to get sorted out" He says "Ya know, we're here for the week, so ya know, unpack, freshen up or whatever. When ya done, I'll be at the bar in the living room."
"Sounds good to me." Evie replies "I won't be long."
"I'll meet ya downstairs" Ben says firmly to Evie.
Evie responds with a nod and Ben turns to leave the room, as his phone starts to shake in his pocket. He shuts the door behind him, leaving Evie in the room and looks at the name on the phone, showing the name Mark Ward. Ben quickly answers the phone with a quick tap of the button on the front.
"Mark, how are ya?" Ben asks before waiting for a response "Yeah, I'm not too bad actually. What can I do for you?"
Ben walks down the hallway to the top of the stairs, continuing to speak.
"I'm in Cuba with Evie at the moment." He replies "Nah, not like that, but being put in a match with a partner I don't know, need to get to know 'em a little bit."
Ben starts to walk down the steps, listening to Hot Stuff talk on the phone.
"Sure, if you wanna come out to Cuba and we'll sit and talk." Ben says with a calm shrug. "You sure you wanna come all the way out here?"
Ben reaches the bottom of the steps and through the door of the living room and towards the bar.
"Alright, brilliant." Ben says "I'll see you on Wednesday. Let me know what time you get in and I'll send a car to the airport. Yeah, laters boss."
Ben hits a button on the front, sliding the phone back in to his pocket and looks at the camera.
"Popular fella this week." He says with a wink.
Ben moves behind the bar as the camera fades out.
*******
Well yesterday was a lovely Tuesday, wasn't it? Oh wait, you never saw what was recorded on Tuesday? I suggest you go watch Evie Baang's promo then and you just might. With Tuesday gone, we roll towards Wednesday as the scene opens with a shot of the crystal clear swimming pool in the back of the home of Ben Jordan. From a distance, two men can be seen sitting at a table. The camera zooms in across the pool to see those two men as Ben Jordan and Mark Ward. Ben, dressed in khaki shorts and a white buttoned up shirt, with short sleeves, sits opposite the owner of SCW, dressed in loose fitting black pants and a light blue, muscle hugging tank top, very casually dressed for a business meeting. Hot Stuff and Ben have beer bottles on the table as the camera picks up on the conversation.
"I can see why you moved here." Hot Stuff comments, his eyes looking around the pool area "It seems peace."
"It is boss." Ben says with a casual shrug "It's a good place to unwind after work, to think a little bit. I know you got everyone running off to the noise of Cali or Vegas, even New York or Chicago, but I've done the big city thing. Around here, I'm more known as the Londoner, rather than the wrestler."
Hot Stuff wraps his hand around his beer.
"I get that." Hot Stuff says softly "Wrestlers love the attention, that's why they become wrestlers, but then get pissy at it, or always having to be on."
Ben waves his right hand around the pool area.
"Here in Cuba, I'm just me." Ben informs his boss. "I have a little wander around and if people want a pic, they can have one, but it doesn't happen as much over here as it does in America or England."
Ben wraps his hand around his beer, running his thumb down the cold bottle.
"So where's your friend?" Hot Stuff asks, air quoting the word friend, and causing Ben to frown.
"She is just my friend." Ben says firmly "You asked me to babysit her, then Christian told me I'm teaming with her, so this is team building, without the extra stuff. Relationships ain't for me anymore, but she's in her room at the moment."
Hot Stuff smirks towards Ben, strangely believing him.
"Right, let's get down to business, shall we?" Hot Stuff says in an authority tone.
"Let's..." Ben replies, picking up his beer and putting the bottle towards his lips.
"Like I said to you before." Hot Stuff starts "I've had to clean up Christian's messes since I've been back. He's let people slip through the cracks and just walk out of here, instead of putting business first. He let Keira Fisher walk out midway through her contract, instead of saying work as intended or speak to my legal team. I was no great fan of Keira until recently, I liked annoying her though, but you don't let someone who raised a division just walk away, and that is why I'm not repeating Christian's mistake and letting you or Jamie walk away without at least sitting down with you. He let Team Hero piss off, I ain't letting Team BJ do the same."
"Wasn't Roxi's contract up?" Ben asks. "She was around for years without a break."
Hot Stuff nods his head slowly.
"Yes." Hot Stuff confirms. "But that doesn't mean you can't sit down with someone and offer terms that suit them, like lesser shows, more home time, less promo work while at home. You know how it works. We call you here and say we set up an autograph signing thing in Cuba, you go to it. It's the same anywhere. We could have cut those down for her, but Christian didn't even bother to try that, just waved them off. I'm changing all that."
"How so?" Ben asks.
"He made the wrong signings." Hot Stuff says with a casual shrug "I'm making the right signings. Our roster is about to get stronger in places because I've had to go out and do the leg work. I've been on the phone to people trying to work deals out. This week alone, I've been in two countries, three states and it's only Wednesday. Tomorrow I'm in California to try and talk to Jamie Dean, Friday Vegas to talk to Odette Stevens, although I don't know what that shit's about, probably negotiating another one of her students in to SCW like she did with your friend here. Either way, I'm working to make SCW a better and stronger place and it's why I'm here. Losing both you and Jamie, fuck, even one of you, would weaken the company."
"I appreciate the fact you came all this way to talk to me." Ben says with his head lowered and tapping his bottle with his finger. "I really do but right now, things are slightly awkward"
Hot Stuff smirks.
"Because of Christian?" Hot Stuff asks.
"He has made it more than a little weird." Ben starts "Don't get me wrong, I can't knock him completely because he probably saved my arse from being a fat bloke. When Emz packed her bags and fucked off, I had a bit of a downward spiral. I rarely left the house, the place was full of takeaway boxes and alcohol bottles. I didn't even leave the house to buy alcohol. I had a delivery place charge me a score to just deliver it."
Hot Stuff tilts his head to look at Ben.
"Twenty quid to deliver booze?" Hot Stuff says with a raised eyebrow "You seriously never went out?"
Ben nods his head.
"Yeah, a score to deliver, no matter how much you bought, so I bought in bulk and drank in bulk." Ben says "When she left, it was sudden. Truthfully, I never left the house, nor could I stop thinking about her, every single day. I crashed mate, I left the bedroom to answer the door and that was it. Then Christian called me, saw the state I was in and pulled me back from the brink. He put a deal on the table for if I got back in shape again, and it motivated me. Kicked me up the arse, so I can't slate him completely, but Sunday threw me."
Hot Stuff picks up here beer, wrapping his fingers firmly around the bottle and lifting it up to his mouth, taking a gulp. He lowers the bottle back to the table and looks at Ben.
"He's changed, I get that. He's shown the world that he is a complete dick and messing with people seems like his new hobby." Hot Stuff admits "But messing with you is just what it is. Do you think that dickhead has never dumped anyone by text?"
Ben shrugs as he looks at Hot Stuff.
"He's dumped more by text than anything else." Hot Stuff says firmly "Do you think Jamie has never gave someone the elbow by text?"
"He probably has, but that's not what it was like." Ben explains defensively "Jamie knew both our contracts were up. It's not like we haven't spoke about it, it's not like we haven't spoke about the future of the team. Jamie himself told me he was considering time off to deal with the charity club we have being set up. He never confirmed to me he was done, and I never to him. Me seeing his tweet about his contract coming up and one last match had the same damn effect on me, yet he can sulk about it and I look like a bastard?"
Hot Stuff puts his hand up, stopping Ben before he can say anything.
"Knock that shit on the head, would ya?" Hot Stuff demands "This is what Christian wants you to do. He wants to get a kick out of two friends kicking the shit out of each other for his entertainment. Here's the thing Ben, he made the match, I can't change it, you two can either approach it pissy or go out there and give the fans a great match. I'll be telling Jamie the same thing tomorrow, but my concern is what's gonna happen after the match."
Ben leans back in his chair, looking across the table at his current boss.
"I'm not gonna go beat him with a chair in revenge if he wins, and I doubt he'd do the same." Ben says thoughtfully.
Hot Stuff rolls his eyes at Ben as he looks in his direction.
"I didn't mean that." Hot Stuff responds "I mean long term. Thing is, you and Jamie make a great team, the competition is high with Jet City shocking the world and taking the Tag Team Championships, The Unholy Alliance focusing on that division, which is a waste to me, but is what it is, you have former champs, The Elders in the mix. The Monstimals returning this past show, The Surf Boys still knocking around, Dying Breed still to return and the possibility of a new team appearing soon, that division is more than a challenge. Having you and Jamie in there would take it up a level."
"The way things are right now, I doubt Jamie has any interest in that." Ben sighs.
"And if he doesn't, I could have two people ripping up the singles divisions." Hot Stuff says optimistically.
A looks of doubt covers Ben's face.
"Meaning?" Ben asks.
"Meaning I have two legit, fan backed faces to add some top level good guy legitimate contenders" Hot Stuff explains "There is one male face not in a tag team in SCW out of the entire roster and that is Despayre. Everyone else is a heel or a neutral guy. You and Jamie could work on a single level, any level from top to bottom. Despayre gives us the face thing in the Internet level picture, but Steve Ramone, and J2H have no proper face contenders."
Ben holds his hands up towards Hot Stuff.
"I ain't overly interested in titles." Ben says "But I can see Jamie Vs J2H as a decent match, same as Jamie Vs Steve Ramone."
"I see Ben Vs J2H or Steve Ramone as good matches." Hot Stuff says calmly "Either way, new deals for you two could mean we get to build a couple of good guy stars and start to beef out the top ends of divisions. Either way, I got an offer for you."
Hot Stuff reaches in to his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and sliding it in front of Ben. Ben picks it up and takes a look at it.
"I figure we can talk about contract length and bonuses at another point" The boss starts "but this is basic monthly pay to keep you here and not moving on elsewhere. Couple of matches a cycle, supercard if possible, plus we'll get you in an angle as soon as possible."
Ben continues to look at the paper, then lifts his head to look at Hot Stuff.
"Hypothetically speaking." Ben starts "If I was to agree terms to this. I don't need this kinda money. I have money, I got in to wrestling for the love of it, not to make me richer than I was. I am one of the rare few that ain't in this game for the titles. If I was to take that offer, I'd want seventy five percent of that to go towards three charities. Twenty five percent of it to the Emma Rose Foundation that I set up for children in England and New Zealand. Twenty five percent of it to go to Jamie's charity for gay homeless teens and twenty five percent of it to be split to local charities for whatever towns I wrestle in that month."
Hot Stuff leans back in his chair, looking confused at Ben's comments.
"Are you serious?" He asks.
Ben smile at Hot Stuff, enjoying the look on Hot Stuff's face.
"Absolutely." Ben replies. "A quarter of that money offered will be alright. Decent bonuses and I'll be alright. All hypothetical of course."
Hot Stuff nods his head as he reaches for his beer.
"Of course." Hot Stuff says "But my guess is you wasn't expecting an offer like that off the bat."
Ben shakes his head, unable to lie to Hot Stuff.
"Not at all." He responds "It's a very good offer."
"Jamie will be getting one like that too." Hot Stuff tells him "It's an investment in to SCW's future. Tying down a pair of guys the fans want to see do well, is a big deal to me. It's what we lack and you two are people we can build with."
"I'll certainly think about it." Ben says with sincerity.
"I hope you will." Hot Stuff responds.
Evie Baang walks past the duo, wearing a tight white bikini, not leaving much to the imagination. She nods at the two as she makes her way to the pool, sitting down at a sun lounger. Hot Stuff looks at Ben and shakes his head.
"Can't believe you're not hitting that." Hot Stuff says with a look of disappointment on his face.
"Like I said, relationships are not for me." He replies
"Whoever Mi Mundo is, is a lucky fucker." Hot Stuff says with a snort. "Anyway, back to business..."
Hot Stuff turns his face towards Ben as the camera fades out.
*******
Thursday was great too, wasn't it? I think you know where I'm gonna tell you to go to see Thursday's adventures!
Friday evening is where we rejoin this one as Ben Jordan sits outside his home in Cuba, the sun gently going down for the night. He sits outside in a swinging sofa chair, suspended from his house. In his hand is a book, his eyes intently reading the words of what looks to be a novel, as a nearby light brightens up the page. Silence fills the air around him, just the soft chirping of birds can be heard somewhere nearby. The silence is shattered as footsteps walk across stone ground, getting louder as they approach him. Ben looks up to see Evie wearing a black evening dress and heel, her hair neatly tied up on her head, and make up impeccably done to perfection. She sits on the swinging sofa next to him, causing him to look across at her.
"You look nice." Ben remarks "Off out somewhere?"
"I've heard so much about Havana nights on a Friday night." Evie starts "They're meant to be some of the best nights you could have, so thought we could go out and see."
Ben lowers his book, looking across at her.
"To be fair Eves." He starts "I thought about a quiet night tonight. I've done the late nights and the party scene. Was just hoping to sit around and just read or something."
Evie cranks her neck back, looking at Ben with a smile on her face.
"I know you're joking." She says with a cheery laugh "You're the ultimate party boy. There's no way you're staying in on a Friday night."
Ben nervously scratches the side of his head as he looks away from her.
"Actually..." He trails off "When I'm over here, I don't party every Friday night. I tend to sit around, read a book, watch the sun go down, watch TV in Spanish"
Evie looks at Ben, unsure if she should believe the man known through his career for being a party animal.
"Stop being so boring." She tells him "It's a nice night and we have to fly back tomorrow and we will probably never be here again unless you throw another wild party."
Ben sighs, putting the book down in between them and looking at Evie's pleading eyes.
"I don't wanna be all dressed up with nowhere to go." Evie tells Ben "Besides, a gentlemen would never let a lady go out on her own."
Ben can't help but smile towards Evie, the Australian's eyes very much focused on the Englishman. Ben turns his attention to himself, looking himself up and down.
"Feel a bit underdressed with you like that and me wearing a pair of shorts." He tells her "Gonna take me about half hour or so to get ready."
A wide smile crosses Evie's face as she looks at Ben and gives him a quick nod.
"Go." She orders "I wanna go do something authentic."
Ben stands up, looking at Evie below him.
"I think I know the place..." He tells her.
Time jump forty minutes later. A bright sign with the work "Paco's" is seen lit up and thumping Cuban music can be heard from inside the establishment. The camera moves down to see Evie Baang standing next to Ben Jordan, who is now wearing a black suit, with a white shirt, buttoned at the top. Evie turns her head looking towards Ben, a cocked eyebrow at his choice of destination.
"What?" He says innocently "You wanted authentic, and it don't come more authentic than this place."
The Cuban music continues to blast out of the building as Ben pastes a cheesy smile on his face while Evie rolls her eyes.
"Sooooo let's get Cuban." He says pointing in to the building.
Evie grabs a hold of Ben's arm, causing him to look down at the shorter woman. He shrugs as he walks in to the building with Evie, the music getting louder as soon as they enter the room to the semi busy bar. Ben walks Evie down the side of the dance floor, where couples dance away. Moving towards a standing table, the two wait as a waitress walks towards them. Ben puts his hand up, holding up two fingers and the waitress nods and walks away.
"You come here a lot?" Evie asks over the loud music.
Ben shakes his head as he looks at her.
"Nah, not very." He says trying to yell over the music. "But you wanted real deal Cuban. This is real deal Cuban, music, dancing and..."
Ben trails off as the waitress quickly returns and places two clear drinks on the table in front of them in tall glasses, with mint leaves in the bottom of the glass. Ben quickly pulls out a note from his pocket and hands it to the waitress, who smiles and walks away.
"And drinks..." Ben finishes.
"That was quick." Evie says, her eyes suspiciously tracking the waitress as she walks away.
Evie turns back to the drink on the table and looks at the clear liquid.
"It would be." Ben replies. "They got that stuff all made up and ready to go. In this bar, you wave your fingers and you get one of these. For anything else, you have to ask. Shocked the daylights outta me when I first came in here"
Evie lifts the glass, looking at the mint leaves in the bottom of the glass.
"I don't drink things with half a tree in the bottom." She tells Ben, causing a wide smile to cross his face.
"It's not a tree." Ben tells her. "It's mint leaves. That's a mojito, it's all very Cuban. Try it."
Evie wearily raises the glass to her lips, smelling the liquid before taking a sip. She looks at Ben with approval as he raises his glass, not hesitating to take a gulp through the provided straw. He places the glass down on the table as a new song starts to play.
"We should dance." Evie tells Ben as the salsa music kicks in.
Ben shakes his head as he looks at her, putting his hands up in a defensive stands.
"You're having a bubble, ain't ya?" Ben says exhaling "I can't dance. I got two left feet and one of them is on the blink."
"It's easy." Evie says without a battering of an eyelid "I can teach you how to salsa."
"I can't even do the okey cokey without putting the wrong leg in." Ben says with a smile "Even my conga game ain't anywhere near point."
Evie steps two steps back from Ben before stepping her right foot forward, shaking her hips to the rhythm of the music. She pulls her leg back, her hips constantly rotating, before repeating the movement. Ben raises both eyebrow as Evie repeats the move with her left leg, pulling it back and repeating. She steps forward in a walking motion and back again twice, her hips still in the same rhythm.
"What is happening here?" Ben mutters to himself "What is life?"
She steps back three steps, rolling her right shoulder back and her left shoulder forward, before switching shoulders in a rotation. She moves forward three steps, repeating the shoulder movements before spinning her back towards Ben and grabbing his hands, and placing them on her rotating hips. She takes her hand, grabbing Ben's right wrist and moving it toward her left hand. Instinctively Ben grips her left hand and Evie spins around, making it look like the hapless looking Ben has spun her around. She grabs Ben's other wrist and moves his arms around as she Cuban steps on the spot. Ben pulls his arms away, putting his hands in the air.
"Nah, nah, nah." He says with a shake of his head. "Can't do it, I'm like a puppet on a string. I look like a complete lemon."
Evie stops and smiles as she walks towards the table, picking up her drink and sipping it though the straw. She pulls the glass away from her face and looks at Ben.
"For a second there, you was dancing to Salsa music." She informs him with a laugh.
"And what a sight I was." He says with a joking tone. "I dunno if I'm more shocked that you can dance salsa, or the fact you can dance in those heels."
"Like I said a few days ago..." Evie starts "There's a lot of things about me you don't know."
"I'm learning that by the minute." Ben responds.
"Hey..." Evie starts, her Australian voice raising above the music. "Think we can go do something else? Something more Aussie?"
"Like drink Fosters and start a BBQ in the middle of the street." Ben says with a laugh.
A look of disgust crosses Evie's face.
"First off, no self respecting Aussie would ever drink that stuff." She says firmly "Secondly, I mean just go somewhere with normal music, and a place I can get a real drink without bits of plant in it."
Ben nods at Evie and smiles.
"Yeah, I think we can do that..." Ben replies.
Wanna know where this night takes Ben and Evie.... You know what to go and watch now.... This linking promos things is kinda fun, don't you think?
*******
So Friday night has come to an end, well almost as Ben and Evie stroll along the sea front of the lively Havana. Street venders selling food can be seen as they stroll on, with crowds lining up to get late night fresh seafood, and other products to soak up the effects of cocktails. Ben looks over at the sea.
"Hasn't been a bad night." He comments as he turns his head back to Evie.
"It has not." She agrees.
"Although we might have to do some work right about now." He tells her as he points down the camera.
"Promo work now?" Evie says with a shake of her head. "Ah come on!"
Evie puts her hands out towards Ben, but Ben clicks his fingers and Evie, as well as the street behind him freezes in place, the noise of the night suddenly stopping. Ben turns to face the camera.
"Alright people." Ben says with a smile
He glances at Evie, still frozen in place.
"She's gonna be steaming with I unfreeze this stuff, but I'm gonna get this done." Ben starts "This is a bloody horrible situation to be in. What could be my last match in an SCW ring for a while, and I have to go up against two of my bloody friends. It's more than annoying. I admit, I never thought I'd be in a ring with Amy Marshall. A wrestler I respect no end for the simple fact that she's gone and won everything there is to win around this place and still strives for more. That's something you have to respect. This is a woman who's never lost her hunger for what we do and it's a woman who wants more and more to add to her already impressive achievement list. That's something we all wanna do."
Ben looks seriously down the camera.
"I'm sorry you're in this position Amy." Ben says sincerely "I know you never asked to be in this match and Christian has put ya in a dodgy place to be in it. I'm sorry you're in a place to go against Evie, because we've all seen what she can do and lately, she's had a bee in her bonnet for whatever reason. She's pent up anger, so I'm sorry that you're gonna have to face that and be dragged in to this situation which shouldn't have happened. This whole match shouldn't be happening and we all know it. I know we're all in this to win Amy and Evie is determined to do just that. I honestly wish I didn't have to be standing here talking about you. Hopefully we'll still be mates after this match."
Ben looks down the camera with a touch of sadness in his eyes.
"Now I gotta talk about a guy I held titles with for six months." Ben says slowly "A guy I've travelled with, a guy who's home I've been invited to, a guy who introduced me to his best friends, hell, a guy who is my business partner. My friend, Jamie Dean."
"Bloody hell, it's a promo, not a eulogy." Evie's voice is heard saying.
Ben turns around as Evie places her hands on her hips and looks at Ben.
"I thought you was frozen." Ben says curiously.
"Nah mate." Evie responds "I was doing the mannequin challenge. How'd I do?"
Ben pushes out his lower lip and nods with an impressed look.
"Shockingly well." Ben starts "Had me well and truly fooled."
Evie looks proud of her efforts.
"Mind if I carry on with this?" Ben asks Evie.
"Crack on." Evie tells Ben.
Ben looks back towards the camera.
"I don't even know where things went wrong Jamie." Ben starts "Maybe it was when we somehow lost to Dmitri and James Tuscini and I still can't work out how. Maybe it's when I didn't lose once, but twice to The Elders in the same match. Maybe that's where it all went wrong for us. Maybe it showed that I really was the weak link in the team and you and others lost respect for me and I lost confidence in me."
"Bullshit." Evie interrupts.
Ben turns around and puts his finger to his lips and Evie puts her hands in the air. Ben turns back to the camera.
"Truth is I did lose confidence in myself Jamie." Ben admits "I saw that the reason we was losing matches was me. Hell, look at my reaction. I had to go and knock out Eyesnsane, just to prove to myself I still had it. Maybe that's what opened your eyes to the fact that I was losing my way in this team. Maybe others saw it and changed their mind about us being booked as a team again. I held you back so if this team is said and done Jamie, I want you to fly, go on and show the world that you can be the number one guy in this place, but let's get this straight."
Ben waves a finger at the camera.
"Christian Underwood, well this new Christian Underwood, is trying to mess with your head." Ben says with a serious tone. "Deep down you know it, and I get you was pissed at hearing what he had to say, pissed at me, but you knew I had a foot out of the door, you knew from when we lost the titles we either had to sign a deal and reinvent ourselves, or move on. There's contract offers on the table and you can sign and move on, but while you're sitting there pissed at me, look back at Climax Control, look back at it now you're not in la la land."
Ben breathes deeply.
"Who was there in the ring to stop that maniac Shipman from doing more damage?" Ben asks "I was. I was out there stopping my friend from getting hurt, regardless of the fact YOU walked away from me before the match started. I was still there for you. This pisses me off Jamie, you pissed me off."
"I like where this is going." Evie mutters, drawing a look from Ben.
Evie runs her fingers across her lips in the universal unspoken term "zip it". Ben turns back to the camera and continues to speak.
"That pissed me off Jamie, and yet here I go, running down to the ring to stop a crazy geezer from smearing the ring with you." He says seriously "So while you're sitting at home all bitter and twisted, remember, I helped you out, even when I could have sat backstage and thought screw him, maybe this will help him see that me not having his back will cost him. I put myself in harms way for you."
Ben pauses for a second.
"Still pissed at me?" Ben asks
He puts his hands out in front of him as if he's waiting for an answer.
"I've made mistakes in the past Jamie, I cost us the tag belts. I announced on Twitter than it seemed like my time was coming to an end, but I never stopped once having your back." He says through gritted teeth. "So if you're mad at me, be mad, bring it to the ring and take it out on me. Yell, bitch, throw punches, throw ever move you've got at me if that's what you think my price is for making those mistakes in the past that cost you tag titles, but I'm gonna make one thing very clear to you so there is no mistake."
Ben holds a finger up towards the camera.
"Whatever you throw at me." He starts "Whatever you bring, whatever you want to lay at my feet for the past and the present, hell for the future too, I'm making it clear that I will still be standing. I will still stand up to everything, because I am not the type to roll over and die. I will never be the type to just give up, lay down and be walked all over. You got the sympathy of the fans, your peers because of what Christian said, and for what Shipman did, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna just lay down just to cheer you up. This is a match Jamie, a match that is shocking the wrestling world. Do you know how many messages I've had telling me that this is bloody unbelievable? Countless mate, let me tell ya because it is unbelievable to me but it is gonna happen. I'm a wrestler at the end of the day and I will get in that ring and do my job. I will get in that ring and do what good wrestlers try to do and that's win matches. It may be my last, it may not be my last, but that has zero baring on how I go about things. It doesn't matter if it was my first match or my last, I still wanna win it, and I hope you are feeling the exact same."
Ben pauses for a calming breath.
"I'd be seriously disappointed if you didn't come here wanting the same thing." He says slowly "Seriously disappointed if you didn't come here to win. I respect you as a wrestler Jamie, I respect you as a wrestler, but in the ring, you know as well as I do that I don't hold back and I go for the win, I go and push myself at everything I do and although you're my opponent and not someone else, I'm still gonna be the same old Ben pushing myself to win. I may not like the match but you know me mate, I do love that winning feeling and come Sunday, I want to have that winning feeling."
Ben waves his finger at the camera.
"It's not cause I'm selfish Jamie, you know that." Ben starts "Because when you look back at my history, I started in a team with Simon Jones because I wanted Jonesy to win the tag belts, I wanted him to fill in that blank space on his impressive CV, and he did. I was driven to help a friend. When I won them with you Jamie, I wanted to push myself so that you could win a title in SCW. Not that you couldn't do it on your own, but because I knew we would be unstoppable and we was, I wanted to give you that winning feeling and now, I wanna give Evie that winning feeling too in her first EVER tag match."
Ben looks towards Evie then back down the camera.
"When it comes to teams Jamie, I always take the secondary role on purpose." Ben tells him down the camera "Some people get joy from others putting a smile on their mush, but I get mine from putting a smile on someone else's, and that's what I'm gonna do Jamie. I helped Jonesy smile by getting that gold he never got, I helped you by helping get that SCW gold, so you had that champion feeling and I'm gonna get Evie smiling for winning her first ever tag team match."
He points his thumb towards Evie.
"So that's what it is Jamie." Ben starts "If I have to beat you to help my team win, I will put my heart and soul in to doing just that. I will bea..."
Ben looks towards the ground, taking a deep breath and composing himself.
"I will bea..." He repeats, clearly struggling to get the words to pass his lips. "It's hard to say Jamie cause I honestly never thought I would have to say these words in my life but I will beat you on Sunday at Climax Control."
Ben swallows hard, the words getting stuck in his throat as he inhales deeply. He looks towards Evie and shakes his head.
"I can't do this." He tells her "I can't continue talking about Jamie. This is enough for me."
"Luckily, I can." Evie responds.
"You can?" Ben asks with a raised eyebrow.
Evie lowers her head, looking towards Ben with a smile.
"Watch me..."
Uh oh... The acid tongue of Evie Baang is getting ready to unleash. You'll find that over in Evie's promo. You know it's gonna be good, so if I was you, I'd head over to there if you haven't already. Till next time... or maybe not... I'm Ben Jordan and you've been blinding! Laters people!
