Sunday 29th March 2020
You've watched Evie's promo, right? It's not aired yet? No problem, I'll be patient and wait. In the mean time, go watch Mark Cross' promo, cause that's the start of what's going on with Evie.... Oh, that also hasn't aired yet? All good, when they air, it's Mark Cross, then Evie than this one to continue on the story, hell's yeah, link across three promos, we're the Arrowverse this week...
Anyway, you've seen them now? Good, good, sitting comfortably? Let's continue.
Evie and I had sat in that dressing room for what felt like hours, her head on my chest, her eyes closed. I listened for her breathing. Head injuries are no joke and that one felt pointless. If this was written, you'd sit and wonder who's crazy mind a stupid bump like that would run through at a show like this, ludicrous stuff, but it had happened and Evie was suffering.
My eyes focused on the clock in the dressing room.
"They must be closing this place soon." I whispered to myself before my eyes fell back on my wife. "Come on Mrs J, time to get going."
I put her arm over my shoulder and stood up but her eyes opened, glassy and obvious that she wasn't completely with me.
I picked up our case we shared between us and we walked through the Staggs Dungeon, I knew my way well, I'd spent some time here years ago with members of the Staggs family and to the exit. The Saxon Hotel was just across the road as we would say in England, not too far away, only took a few minutes to walk at a usual pace, but this took a good fifteen minutes. We got back to the hotel and the lobby had medical staff in masks testing everyone, as standard SCW procedure had become. Evie had barely opened her eyes for a second or two during testing, although she was none to pleased with a stab being pushed up her nose, I'll tell ya that for free. After all said and done there, her legs looked like they didn't wanna work, so over my shoulder she went and to the hotel room we went.
Dropping the bag next to me, I fished in to my pocket for the key card with Evie over my shoulder and slid the card down the slot, using the same hand to push the door open and in to the room. Bear stared up, waking from his twentieth nap of the day to see me walk in to the room with Evie over my shoulder and quickly sprung to his feet.
"She took a whack to the head." I told our dog "She's a bit doolally."
I walked through the room to the sofa and placed Evie down.
"Keep an eye on her son." I said to Bear as I moved back towards the door, grabbing the bag from the hallway and in back in to the room.
Bear had listened too literally at this point, or was being a wise arse as he jumped on the sofa, putting his face an inch or two from Evie's face, just tilting his head every so often, expecting her to open her eye. I placed the bag down and looked at the room, debating taking a quick snapshot of them, but decided against it for two reasons, one, Evie would kill me, and two, as soon as Bear sensed a camera was about, he'd have turned his head to look towards it. He had a gift for knowing when cameras were around.
"When I said...." I trailed off. "Nevermind."
I clicked my fingers at Bear, who jumped off the sofa, but stayed very close to Evie, staying within a few feet. I quickly stepped towards my wife and repositioned her, laying her down, just holding her up a little to put a pillow underneath her head before laying her flat.
I wanted to keep her awake, if only for a few hours. I'd heard about things like this, but the doctors who saw her after the match said it was ok, migraine, but I was worried for her, I was slightly scared that if she slept, she wouldn't wake up, but for now my fears were put at ease as she opened her eyes, staring at Bear as he stayed close.
"Bear?" She muttered. "Where am... How did I..."
Her voice was soft and croaky, her words slow and drawn out as she looked around the room, just seeing me from the corner of her eye.
"Ben, how did I get here?" She asked, trying to sit up.
Remember those times as a kid when you fell asleep, and your parents would take you to bed and you wouldn't know how you got there? Evie was having one of those moments right at that point.
"Magical fairies brought ya here." I said with a cheeky grin.
"Is that your new nickname?" She asked with a smile.
Ah, so the smart arse Evie was still in there somewhere as I watched her sit herself up on the sofa, Bear quickly jumping on the sofa and putting his head on her lap.
"But seriously." She asked in an unsurprising serious tone for those words. "How did I get here?"
"I got you across the road, carried you for the most part." I told her.
"Don't we have to go and get tested?" She asked, her body straightening up.
"We did already babe." I said back with a smile.
I could see the confusion grow on her face as she looked towards me.
"We did?" She asked, not sure if she believed me.
"We did." I replied. "Now all we have to do is stay here till they say otherwise and we're all good. Till then, I get to play nurse maid until you feel better."
"You don't have to do that." Evie said with a shake of her head and a slight wince.
"I don't have to do anything." I told her, but I'm gonna anyway. "So anything you need, I am a nurse, butler and everything else in between. I wanted to say a third thing cause it sounded cooler but my mind blanked."
Evie smiled as she waved me towards her.
"How about husband?" She said as I sat down next to her.
"Perfect." I said with a smile. "How about some TV for a bit?"
Evie nodded as she put her head on my shoulder as I reached for the remote control, quickly clicking the button and waited for the screen to light up.
"OOOOO." I said excitedly "Jersey Boys, how's that?"
Evie agreed and we spent a bit of time watching the movie, well, when I said a bit of the time, I watched the whole thing, Evie fell asleep shortly after the start but I constantly made sure she was ok. It's just what I do.
Monday 30th March 2020
I've listened to everyone tell me that I'll go full pelt crazy by the end of this quarantine, but honestly, I ain't been worried at all. I'm loving it in a way, cause this hotel has so much to do, I don't think I'll ever get bored of talking about it. When a company treats us this well, why would you get bored of it?
Could you tell I was trying to prove something there? Oh good.
But it's true. People making big deals about maybe getting bored or whatever and there's me sitting there thinking there's not many companies that would pay out for a private lab to test you to keep you safe, not many companies would give you a luxury hotel like this, they'd go cheap but SCW, SCU and GRIME have pulled off a blinder here by getting us this place.
Even if others don't appreciate it, I do. Thank you, the world doesn't revolve around one person.
I don't wake up thinking oh God, it's the same thing over and over again, I mean, do you think that when you're on vacation? No, you look forward to the day, even though eight hours of it is the same old sitting by the pool and trying to get a tan, but you don't complain at that. This to me was a holiday, a break away. I still had the important people around me in Evie and Bear. I still had my SCW World Heavyweight Championship. I woke up every day in this place with a smile on my face and as spring in my step because it wasn't boring.
Today I woke up no different, spring in my step and looking forward to the day, because in a world like this, you need to appreciate the good times and we were in a luxury hotel people, we were in times of trouble making the best of it, there was a lot to do but I figured I had time to do it, but we were stuck in the hotel room for the last 24 hours because we'd been to the show, we've been tested again and had to wait for the all clear to go out.
Them's the rules if you wanna keep to them and be realistic....
I sat in the living room area of the hotel room we had, casually glancing at my phone, no I wasn't bored, just hoping that we would be given the all clear or told we were sick, stay in that room. This was an import one for me. I wanted to be headlining in front of my own crowd in London, England, that got taken away from me cause of this poxy virus. Getting it last week, or two weeks ago, I could have got away with but getting it now, my supercard dream would be well and truly over, it would be finished, the title belt would have to go because there would be no choice. World titles need to be defended or won at supercard's and me getting bad news now, as per SCW rules, I won't be allowed out of here for weeks.
This was my train of thought.
"What's wrong with you?" Evie's voice asked me, snapping me out of the train of thought I was currently in.
My eyes drifted on to her standing in front of me, hands on hips as she looked down at me. Usually a smile was on that Australian face but today, there was nothing. Evie looked pale, like the colour had drained from her face.
"Are you feeling ok?" I quickly replied. "You still look like a vampires had a go at ya or something, looking a bit peaky. Do you still have that headache?"
She didn't answer right away, just looked at me for a few seconds, as if she was fixed or focused on something else on someone else, even though she was looking right at me.
"Evieeeeeeeeeee." I said in a high pitched tone. "Evie baby...."
Sorry, I'd been watching Jersey Boys after the show, oh what a night.
Evie looked at me but it seemed like her mind wasn't there. From sitting on the sofa, I quickly stood up and run my thumb down her cheek, causing her to seem to snap back to reality.
"Sorry..." she said softly. "Drifted away then."
"Did you get up and go partying while I was dozing?" I asked with a smile.
Evie knew I was joking, I'd spent last night trying to keep her awake to make sure noting happened with that headache turning in to more. Not sure where I heard it, it might be an old wives tale for all I knew, but I tried to keep her awake, but as you saw earlier, failed miserably.
"Soon as you closed your eyes." Evie protested. "But I'm fine. Feeling a little better today"
I knew something still seemed off with Evie but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was a bad bump last night but she said she was feeling better today. I knew there was a chance she was down playing everything, I know my wife but I had to take her word for it. Although I had doubts, I couldn't doubt her word. That's not how it worked with us.
"So what's your plans for today darling?" I asked her.
We was expecting the all clear any time now, based on the time it took last week, so plans were made for the day sort of.
"Well when I get that all clear." She started. "I have to go talk strategy with Mark Cross. I didn't expect him to be any good and help get us this far."
"Hey, remember when you had the hump with me for getting you involved in this?" I said to her with a smile.
I knew I was pushing my luck, although the tension between Evie and I had all but gone because I signed her up for this tournament, but they say with everything, someday, you'll sit back and laugh about it? I was hoping this was one of those times. An unimpressed look crossed her face, before turning in to a slight smile, bringing a smile to my face.
"You've smashed this tournament, you deserve to go on and win it." I told Evie with a reassuring tone. "It's only Kate Steele after all, the mask doesn't give her super powers and if she did, she'd probably waste them by endangering thousands of lives to sleep in her own bed."
Harsh, but fair but it's not like anyone with super powers who would do that, is watching this. Too busy fighting crime or something.
"I dunno." Evie's Australian tone filled the room.
"I do." I told her with a smile and a nod. "You've got this far, plus you got this far last year, and it didn't work out well, so it's a chance to put some wrongs right and go win it."
I was hoping my words had an impact on her, but it was tough to say. She's grown in to the tournament as things have gone on, she's looking like the old Evie in the ring, but I knew she would doubt herself without reason at times.
I couldn't continue that thought as my phone had lit up from a nearby table, the name of Mark Ward on the front of it. I quickly gave Evie a nod and moved past her to press the button on the phone and quickly hit the speaker phone button.
"Hello." I say quickly.
"If ya wife with wife, put it on speaker." Mark Ward's voice says down the phone.
"Way ahead of ya." I told him. "Already on speaker."
"Good." Hot Stuff replied. "Doing the rounds with the test results and such and you and Evie have come back negative."
I looked at Evie with a smile, who responded with one of her own.
"In fact, everyone came back negative, wrestlers, crew, hotel staff and guests coming in for the next show." Hot Stuff said. "So if everyone can stick around in the hotel, and not go out too much for the next couple of weeks, we're all good."
"Great news." I replied with a smile at Evie. "Proof that social distancing from the world is actually working for us."
"Just a shame not all are listening." Hot Stuff says. "Staying at their own houses is a worry."
"Gotta admit." I said slowly. "I wouldn't be looking forward to getting in the ring with anyone who hasn't stayed in the hotel."
"People worried about boredom." Hot Stuff replies. "But I understand, you're not the only one who came to me with this concern. Hell, people are trying to get out of matches with others who won't stay in the hotel."
"Well I'm a pro." I told Hot Stuff. "I dunno if Jake is here or not, I haven't seen him about, I dunno if he's gonna go full Raab and ignore everything just to suit himself, but I'll do the match and get tested afterwards and if need be, go in to lock down. That'll be something, eh? I die because someone got bored in the hotel and wandered off."
"It won't come to that." Hot Stuff told me. "If he does wander off and refuse testing, we'll pull him from the match. It's his loss."
"I'm sure it'll be fine." I told Hot Stuff.
"Also." Hot Stuff says. "When you get some time. We're shooting a warning to the world about this thing. Want you, Christina, Kate, Austin, Griffin, Candy, Johanna and Alex to get the message out there about social distancing and staying in. We're hoping as champions, people will listen to you and stay at home. This country has been ruined by this, we need to do what we can."
After the way I spoke on Climax Control, I figured I was a good person to talk about this. I have elderly relatives, I have people I love that could be effected by this, I could be effected by this. We're in a position of power, being on television every week and talking to millions world wide. I guess it would make sense.
"I can do that." I said with a nod. "I'll sort something soon."
"Thanks." Hot Stuff said appreciatively. "It doesn't have to be long, just enough to get people to take this seriously and we'll mix it in with the others."
"Not a problem." I said. "I'll catch ya soon."
With that, I pressed the button on the phone and ended the call and looked at Evie.
"Looks like we're free." I said with a smile.
With that, Bear appears, waking up from his first of maybe five morning naps. He'd been waiting for that so he could wander around the hotel, getting adoring looks from people as he passed them, that boy liked the attention.
"I guess I'll go get this meeting with Cross out of the way." Evie said with a deep breath. "Then our time is our own."
"You mean you're all mine." I said with a wink.
Evie nodded in agreement, let's get business out of the way and fast. By that, I might as well go and shoot this thing that Hot Stuff asked me to. You can see that right here if you just stay tuned, it's will be airing right after this....
Not even an hour had passed between Evie and I parted ways for a bit, and I took a walk through the hotel with Bear. I got a message from Christian to meet him to do the filming for this information video in a small conference room in the hotel. It didn't take me and Bear long to find it, but it wasn't like I expected. Usually these things are filmed in front of so many people, filmed in front of a full crew with cameras from different angles, but this was just Christian, in a room, with 1 chair and one camera.
"Cor!" I started as I walked in to the room, Christian looking around at me. "Busy in here, it's like Piccadilly Circus here."
I had the SCW World Heavyweight championship over my shoulder. Christian glanced up from his phone just to look towards me.
"Social distancing and all that." He replied with not much tone in his voice. "We can make this quick so you don't have to have too much time taken from your day."
"It's all good." I tell him. "What do you need me to do?"
"Just sit in front of the camera, say who you are, and talk about the importance of things." Christian starts. "Keep the championship belt in clear view."
Christian taps his chin as he looks at Bear, I could tell his mind was working over time. Christian was a bit of a perfectionist, he wanted everything done right, he wanted things to come across the best he could.
"In fact, let's have Bear in the shot too." He said walking towards the camera.
Bear didn't need to be asked twice as he ran towards the chair in front of the camera. I couldn't help but smile at him. He loved the camera, he loved being on the camera, even if it cut in to his nap time. He loved it. I walked towards him and shook my head.
"On the deck you." I told him, causing him to turn his head and look at me.
I pointed to the floor and Bear jumped from the seat and to the ground and I quickly sat down while Christian adjusted the camera. I pulled the championship over my shoulder.
"Any time you're ready." Christian told me as he hit the record button. "Don't need to be too long."
I took a deep breath as I looked at the camera.
"Hey, my name is Ben Jordan, and I'm the SCW World Heavyweight champion." I told the camera. "And this is Bear."
I stroke Bear on the head, causing him to smile.
"Today I've been asked to talk to you about what is going on in the world." I said. "The world is a scary place right now. So much uncertainty and worry because of this pandemic. I know people are scared and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that even guys like me are scared of what could happen. We've never been faced with something like this but like everything else in life, we can overcome it."
My eyes darted to Christian who nodded his head as he listened to me.
"I'm scared for myself and my family." I said putting my hand on Bear's head. "I'm scared for the world but there's smart people in this world that are working day and night on things to help us get through this and we will get through this and be a better world."
The last line caused Christian to raise an eyebrow.
"Because when we're done with this, we will appreciate things more, we will hug people tighter, we will not take things for granted anymore." I look up to see a slight smile pass on Christian's face. "We will have more love for the people we care about but we need to get there together, we need to get there fast and there are ways to speed things up to get there, and it's all about being smart."
I paused for a few seconds, just to gather my thoughts.
"No one likes making sacrifices." I started "but for the good of ourselves, for the good of our friends and families, we have to. We have to, just for a short time, stay in our own homes, away from friends and families, I know it's hard, I know it's gonna be a struggle, but if you don't live with someone, don't go and visit, use the wonderful world of modern technology and face time, whatsapp video to see those loved ones. Please don't go out unless you really have to, no gatherings, no meeting, no going to friends houses. It might not be fun to do, but it is essential if you want to slow the spread of this virus, to allow hospitals to be able to save as many people as they can. That's what it's all about."
People think all this is actually about getting rid of the virus, but I've done my research. Staying in for a few weeks won't get rid of the virus, but it will buy us time to beat it. That is what it's about, slowing it down and giving the hospitals chance to deal with it.
"So please listen and stay in doors, wash your hands at regular times." I said looking down the camera. "Do your part to protect people who need protecting and lets beat this together."
I raise my hand in a wave gesture.
"Stay safe world!" I said with a nod.
Christian cut off the camera and looked at me with a smile.
I think that should get the message across to people. Anyway, so I got a surprising call last week that I couldn't say nothing about, but it's all public now. The Green's are no more, both are my friends, but one decided to come see me....
I love being around my friends, they do bring a smile to my face. This is a business where very few friends are made,a lot of people wanna know you for what you can offer them, what you can do for them in terms of their career. I was lucky not to have so much of that, when you look at my friends, Evie excluded here cause she wasn't in the wrestling game before we started dating, had always been good people. Jamie Dean and I hit it off right away, Sammi Marlowe and I instantly clicked, Myself and Amy Marshall took a little time around each other, but we'd grown in to friends. Even the ones that grew distant, like before Jessie Salco became in it for herself - the proof that a lot of people in this business looks out for themselves, she was actually part of the people I considered friends. Then there were guys like Lord Raab, who I helped open up and be more receptive to being around people, he and his husband Samuel McPherson still remain good friends of mine today and still credit me with a lot, but the friends I had from way back when, before I was well know, they're still around. The likes of Spike Staggs, who I could call right now and still pick up where we left off, Mickey Carroll, my old school friend, man I miss being around that Paddy git at times. Friends like Simon Jones, someone who I looked up to that I can luckily call my friend - I know ya watching this Jonesy, sure you don't want that one more match?
And of course, that famous movie star, Drake Green.
Drake Green had been a friend of mine for years, I mean going back to the days of a place that can't be mentioned. We were from two very different backgrounds but we hit it off well and boy have we seen the best and the worst of each other through the years but there's something different about my friendship with Drake. It's always been non judgemental. He's seen my breakdowns that no one else has seen when things have gone wrong, we drunk until the early hours when Emma had left my life, I blubbered like a right prat, but he never judged. I threw on a few pounds, he never called me lard arse. He probably should off because I had a lot of junk in my trunk. I knew about his issues, the issues with booze that changed him in to something I barely recognized - not cause I was smashed either - but he had become a shell of who he was. I knew his probably with the white stuff, and I ain't talking about sugar, and I knew his problems with his roving eye and wandering hands.
I felt for Mikah at times, but I couldn't and didn't judge Drake, I knew what was going on with him but you never know what's going on behind those doors when the world can't see but I don't judge people, I take them who they are and for a huge part of my life, I had taken Drake Green for what he was. I had been his best man at his wedding to Mikah, I have been there for him when times had got dark and it's time to be there for him again and I was proud to be.
I knew Drake's marriage was slowing down, he'd sent me a few random messages lately and they pointed in the direction that he wasn't happen, I think part of me sadly saw it coming, but the tweet to me publicly the other day made me raise an eyebrow.
Is it worth it?
I knew what he meant and of course I wanted him to fight, I wanted things to work out for him, I wanted his son to not live in two homes. Evie and I hadn't always been on solid ground, for two people you see as so different, it was because there were some things that were alike about that caused our clashing, but there would never be a day I wouldn't fight for her, so yes, to me, it was worth it.
I got a weird vibe from that message, so I guess it was no surprise to see that he released a statement across the multi media platforms to announce the end. I felt for both of them, and I know it will lead to a conversation with Mikah when she returns from home to the hotel to continue her part in making SCW a success, and fully expected her to be the one to be coming to Vegas, but it wasn't, it was Drake. Evie and I will be there for both of them, but the message from Drake Green telling me he was heading to Vegas.
Evie had enough of me playing nurse maid to her and wanted to sleep, Drake had flown in earlier and been tested and released, so it was time to catch up.
Friday 3rd April 2020
I whistled as I walked though the hotel, a six pack in hand as I looked around, hoping that I wouldn't be stopped for any reason as I made my way towards a certain area. I had taken the time to look around when I had the chance, looking for a quiet, yet specific place to be and had found the perfect place. A quick message later and everything was ready to go. Still, it wasn't an area that was banned to be in, but probably questionable at least.
I looked around as I got to a certain door, checking the coast was clear as the sign on the door clearly stated that this was an emergency stairwell, not to be used by anyone for any other reason. Turning my head either way and seeing no one was there, I pushed the door open and looked at the grey, characterless stairs, the walls painted what can only be described as battleship grey.
"So this is where Del Boy flogged all that paint." I said to myself.
It was a private joke, but I'm sure someone out there will get it.
I walked down a flight of stairs, between the forth and fifth floor, no doors near for me to be disturbed.
"Good a place as any." I said to myself as I slid down the wall and sat.
A few minutes passed before I heard footsteps coming from below me. I looked down the stairs to see the familiar face of Drake Green moving through the depressed looking stairwell. A smile crosses over Drake's face as he turns the corner to see me sitting on the ground.
"Spare change?" I said in a joking tone as he looked at me.
"Us movie stars don't have change, peasant." Drake's voice said towards me as he dramatically puts his nose in the air.
I quickly pull myself to my feet and put my hand out for Drake but my old friend pulls me in for a hug, social distancing be damned! Well, not be damned, I knew he must have tested negative to be allowed out of the room. Drake can be crazy at times, but he knows what I went though, he knows I'm at risk so he wouldn't have tried to kill me this way.... He'd have done it with booze, more fun that way.
"It is great to see ya." I said with joy filling my voice.
"You too man." Drake said with an equally happy voice.
Releasing the hug, I reached down to pick up two bottles of beer from the six pack and handing one to Drake before leaning on the wall and sliding down it, taking a seated position. Drake moved next to me and sat down. It only took a few seconds before bottle tops were popped off and the bottles were clanged together.
"Cheers mate." I said before taking a gulp of the beer.
"Cheers." Drake replied before doing the same.
"This has been way too long." I commented.
"It has." Drake agreed. "But you know, I've been busy and so have you champ."
I couldn't help but smile, even months with the championship belt Drake once had, I still haven't really got used to the fact that I was the champ.
"Still weird hearing that." I said before drinking again. "Things have been crazy since."
Drake nodded his head, he'd been there and carried SCW on his back for a long time, providing us with some great rivalries, and being the man responsible for ending J2H's legendary reign as champion too.
"You'll get used to it." Drake told me. "Been over a hundred days since you got it."
"Over a hundred days of pure madness." I told Drake. "The other day I shot some public service announcement about people staying in doors because apparently I'm this influential guy."
Drake nodded his head, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere and I wasn't surprised. It had just been a few days since he announced to the world his split from Mikah and I've never been one to dance around subjects, at least not with Drake.
"So finally took the ball and chain off." I said with a laugh, I didn't mean it, I liked Mikah when not many others did.
He looked at his beer bottle before turning his head and looking at me.
"You think I did the right thing?" His words were blunt and lacked tone, but I could see in his eyes he was serious.
This was a tough spot to be in. The Greens had been friends of mine for a long time and Drake and Mikah wasn't too different from Evie and I. Take away the booze, drugs and infidelity from Drake and he's me with a movie career, but the way people looked at Drake and Mikah the same way they looked at me and Evie. They saw it as things wouldn't work out, they thought why are the good guys with the bad women. Fact is, neither Mikah nor Evie were bad women when you turned the cameras off and stepped away from wrestling. With both Drake and I away from the ring at various times, both our wives and had been that, wives.
"I don't think anyone but you can answer that at this point." I told him. "I think it's a case of are you happier today than you was ten minutes before deciding this?"
"I decided this a while ago." He said before drinking another mouthful. "But there was never the right time."
"Well, are you happier now?" I asked him.
I looked at Drake's face, I could only imagine what was going through his mind at this point. Relationships come and go but marriage is meant to stick. As much as he was a playboy, I knew Drake had his doubts, he is still human after all.
"I think so." He told me unconvincingly before his confidence grew. "Yes, yes, I'm happier now. I love her but I hadn't changed, I couldn't change, I was the same guy you knew for years, I am that same guy. She couldn't accept that."
I looked at Drake as he drunk his beer, looking forward at the wall in front.
"No change isn't always a bad thing." I commented. "I haven't changed at all really."
"But Evie doesn't look at you any differently." Drake told me quickly. "She accepted that you're a beer drinking, computer playing football fan that will often go home wasted. She accepted that's who you are. Miks couldn't do that with me."
"Probably because I included her in a lot." I told him. "I got her watching football, got her drinking cheap beer and it worked."
Drake smiled half heartedly directly in front of him, not making eye contact with me.
"End of the day, sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't." I said softly. "But this life is short and with all the pony going on in the world life is getting shorter for some. Fact is none of us know how long we're here for, so gotta be happy while we can. If this wasn't making you happy, then you need to find something that does."
Drake smiled as he turned his head towards me.
"Since when did you become this softy bitch?" Drake said with a laugh in his voice.
"It's this isolation thing mate." I replied with a smile. "You'd be surprised how many female based panel shows there are on TV these days."
It's actually true. They're everywhere and with a million channels to choose from, bound to run in to a few from time to time.
"Anyway." I said raising my beer. "To the future and happier times."
Drake raises his bottle and clings it against my own.
"Happier times." He repeated.
"Right, we got a hotel full of things to do but the bar sells some decent whiskey." I said as I pulled myself to my feet.
"Singing my favourite song." Drake said as he got to his feet.
Well, I ain't gonna show ya what happened the rest of this day to be honest. Hell, there's a few things I don't remember, but it was a good, fun time and it was great being around Drake again. I know he'll bounce back and be stronger. Who knows, maybe he'll even end up in an SCW ring again. I know that this isn't the last time you'll see Drake Green. I hope though it's a little less on the booze side because the next day, I was not in decent shape and I had a promo to cut....
Saturday 4th April 2020
Seeing Drake yesterday was fun, exhausting but fun, but I admit, I'd been a little bit slack this week. It's hard to say why but I just struggled to get going and being on the booze yesterday didn't help but I knew I had till midnight to get things done and sent in for the SCW staff to air, to build up what needed to built up. Other work had been shown earlier this week from the likes of Austin James Mercer, Bill Barnhart etc, but I was running out of time. I decided the pool and the bar was my best option, I knew there would be people about, but it didn't worry me. I was ok around a sanitized crowd and it was time to focus on Jake Raab. So there I was, sitting in a sun lounger with barely a peek of the sun coming down, with my championship across my shoulder, one camera on me as I tried to block out the world around me to talk.
"Well, this is a match that should have happened a while ago but for whatever reason, it didn't." I said, but my mind was getting distracted by the noise.
I quickly clicked my fingers and the whole scene around me froze in place, like someone had hit the pause button and the sound faded away.
"Ain't done that in a while." I comment with a wide grin. "Anyways, alright people."
I stop for a second, giving myself a chance to gather a few thoughts.
"I dunno if Jake Raab lucked in to this time, this show or if it was already in the bosses mind before Jake tried to shoot himself in the foot accepting Fenris' challenge." I had to question. "But it does seem like a Jake Raab trait to do suck a thing. It wasn't so long ago that a few weeks before a supercard, he went off script and demanded a gauntlet match without even finding out if the staff had anything planned for him. Pro tip here, do stuff like that in week one or two, after that, plans might have already been made for you. So seeing you remind me and call out someone else is just so Jake Raab."
It really was, common sense should have said don't make 2 challenges at once.
"So a triple threat was made, but Fenris wasn't up for it." I remind people. "Not that he wasn't up for the fight, but he's right and you have to stand up on your principles. There are some people who don't care about possibly spreading this disease, there are people who claim to be good, simply not caring cause they wanna do their own thing. Seriously, if I wasn't the SCW World Heavyweight champion, because of these people, I wouldn't wrestle either, these people not staying at the hotel would force guys like me and Fenris out SCW for a long time. They're not considerate regardless of how they want you to see them, so I would have gone too. I respect Fenris choice here not to be a part of this thing other than to referee where he can keep his distance. I think that makes Jake Raab luckier than he actually knows."
Oh very lucky in my mind but who knows if Jake will see it.
"You have that bad habit of only caring about yourself Jake, so I'll let you know what I mean." I say confidently. "Firstly, you could have ended up one on one with Fenris, I wouldn't recommend that layer of hell on anyone at all. That's insane, secondly, you could have had that layer of hell as well as facing me, two for one there mate. Thirdly, you've managed to end up with a one on one for the World Heavyweight Championship. Mate, the luck you're having, you should really play the lottery at this point."
A chuckle escapes my lips.
"I know you probably didn't expect me to come at you like this." I say, fairly sure that statement is correct. "You probably thought because I know Markus and Samuel, I wouldn't sit here and pick flaws with you, because I did so much for them. I know I helped them, I helped them be more social, be around their co-workers. I remember a day we were all around eating and drinking with Evie, Jamie Dean, Sam Marlowe, Amy Santino, even Jessie Salco and her crew were there and they seemed social, they had friends in SCW they could hang around with but you remind me of when they didn't, when they hid away, when they were introverts. Thing is with those being that, they still got the job done, they still had success, they still knew how to win and not go over the top, but I see you as different. They were rough and ready but they had a bit about them where they wanted to grow. With you Jake, it's kinda wash rinse and repeat."
I wasn't trying to be harsh, I knew he shares the Raab trait of keeping themselves to themselves.
"Markus called me, asked me to keep an eye on you and maybe help you in the future, but the thing is, I ain't an archer and I ain't got an MMA bone in me, other than what I see on the television, so I doubt you'll have the slightest interest in that." I say with a slight shrug. "But I will give you some advise here. Don't base your whole self off one television show. I mean I like The Flash but I ain't gonna try turn myself in to Usain Bolt and run around at top speed all the time. I liked Dexter, but I ain't gonna go out there and kill serial killers. I loved Burn Notice but I have no intention of being a spy who gets burned. I loved Elementary but my detective skills ain't gonna be up to scratch and don't get me started on The Walking Dead. I could buy a bike and act like that Jax guy on Sons of Anarchy, but that won't define me. My point is we all get you're pretty decent with a bow and arrow to the point you could probably go hunting and not make a sound, or kill someone from thirty feet but my point is, you're not overly appealing for people to wanna know because no one other than you is in to the archery stuff. Be flexible, quit ruining plans without speaking to the right people and endear yourself to people. You see me having a beer, come say hi. Be part of the roster and stop alienating yourself from it."
It was good solid advice. I didn't know if it was gonna fall on deaf ears but it was obvious Jake was an outsider, cursed by his family name.
"That's the advice I'm gonna give ya, now let's talk about this match." I say with a nod. "Blast From The Past does make it awkward for anyone to know what the hell is going on booking wise till the last minute. I've been around long enough to see this and know this. I've lived it for a long time, so that is probably why it took two weeks before to announce you as my challenger. I ain't worried and I ain't scared of the MMA style, the last supercard, I beat the king of MMA around here, I took the punches, I felt the pain, I never gave up and I never tapped out so I know how to handle the MMA style, but I ain't taking it lightly either. I'd be stupid to take it lightly and I know Raab's are fighters so I expect you to bring it to be and have a good go of it but I ain't worried about it all Jake."
I knew deep down he has beaten some good opponents but fear wasn't in me.
"In fact, I think I've grown in to being a champion so much, I'm calm as calm can be mate, there's no nerves running through me, I'm pretty chilled." I say with a relaxed tone to my voice. "I know what will be will be but every day that passes, I grow more and more confident in this role, I am more than relaxed with it all. I look back at past champions, I learn, I grow, I try to step up and be as good as they were. I look at the people they beat and I sit there and know with every passing day, that I could beat those people too, that I could be as good as them and when you look at it, I am becoming that. I haven't lost in a singles match for a long, long time. I haven't lost this year and we're in April. I got the momentum behind me and you have no had the best luck in the world when it comes to these championship matches."
I didn't feel that was a low blow, just stating fact.
"And I can't see your luck getting better here. Look at the last year." I say with a smile. "One year ago, I wasn't even used on the Blaze of Glory card because I was recovering from an illness, well, I was ready but SCW staff were being cautious with me. You was in the main event with Fenris, and you failed there. My whole year has been completely different and you're still back in the main event trying to get a title from someone but this is gonna be the exact same as it was one year ago. You're walking in as the challenger, Fenris will be in the thing, and you will end up walking out without a championship again. I hate to say it Jake, I really do, but while everything has come up rosey for me, everything has stayed standard for you. There's been no improvement, there's been no wow moments. With me, I have fully recovered from illness, I have got in the ring with some of the best around and I have beaten the best. You've stayed where you have been for a long time Jake."
I shrug my shoulders as I look the camera.
"I ain't ready to let this thing end Jake." I state seriously. "I'm sure you'll appreciate the hard work I put in and I'm not willing to let this thing go just yet. There's still a lot left in me as a champion and I'll be proving that at Blaze of Glory VIII."
From behind me, a beer appears in front of my hand, I look up to see Drake Green standing above me holding a beer bottle.
"Round two?" He says with a smile.
"How did you beat the frozen scene thing?" I ask curiously.
"Showed up late." Drake says with a nod. "Even had to get the beers myself."
"Just gimme a second." I say as I look down the camera, taking the beer with my right hand. "Jake, you can bring everything you've got against me and I will still walk away as champion."
"Truth." Drake adds from behind me.
"I will still be walking out of here with my head held high, my belt over my shoulder and a five and zero record." I say with confidence.
"Preach!" Drake says with a wink.
"Until a week on Sunday Jake." I say confidently as I left the championship belt over my shoulder.
I take a gulp of my freshly delivered beer and tilt my head.
"So people, thanks for listening to be ramble on." I say sincerely. "I've been Ben Jordan."
"And I'm Drake Green." Drake says as his face turns seriously.
I look up at Drake as he points at the camera, but he looks down at me.
"Thought we were doing a bit." He says with a shrug.
I smile before looking at the camera and winking.
"Laters people." I say with a point of my finger.
Thanks for watching!
The camera fades to black.
