A/N: So, this is one of the few projects I've been able to squeeze into my very crazy schedule. Turns out, Physics is very hard while Honors Chemistry is super easy…go figure.
I hope you enjoy this short story enough to review.
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"Honestly Randy, what do you want me to do?" Adria demanded, crossing her arms as she glared across the bed at her boyfriend. "Just tell me what you want me to do!"
The Viper glared right back at her, his blue eyes glinting with his suppressed anger that was starting to boil over. "I want to know the truth!"
"I've been telling you the truth the whole time!" Adria exclaimed, feeling the temptation to rip some of her auburn hair out. "There is nothing going on between me and any of the Nexus! It's all part of a storyline that Teddy came up with and I'm only friends with some of them!"
"Right."
Adria let out an exasperated sigh and scooped her day clothes off the bed, storming off in the direction of the bathroom. She couldn't believe how stupid Randy was being. Ever since she had struck up a conversation with some of the Nexus members and become friends with them, Randy was convinced that she was sleeping with one or more of them. Everyone denied it because it wasn't true and even Randy's friends were getting tired of him complaining about how unfaithful she was.
Randy wasn't about to let her walk off and ignore him without giving her a piece of his mind. "I've seen the way Bennett looks at you!"
"You're paranoid Randy," Adria muttered, stripping out of the sexy black lace nightgown she had bought as a surprise for him a month ago and she tossed it aside, scooping her bra up out of the pile she had placed on the counter. "Stu is just a friend."
"Stu? So it's Stu now?"
"Randy…" Adria let out another sigh and pulled a shirt on. "Why do I even try to talk to you when you turn my words against me?"
"Well then maybe you should tell me the damn truth!" Randy snapped, glaring at her. "I deserve that much…"
"With the way you're acting, you don't deserve anything." Adria shimmied into a pair of skinny jeans and slid her feet into some flip flops. "Now, if you don't mind…I have to go to a photo shoot for the company."
"With Bennett."
"Yes with Bennett. Teddy wants a spread with Nexus, me, and Stephen since we're the only ones who have made an alliance with them so far." Adria moved around him. "Don't wait up for me. I've got some shopping to do after the photo shoot. I'll meet you at work."
"Yeah, you can't run out of sexy clothes to parade in front of Bennett and Miller and God knows who else," Randy muttered.
Adria didn't favor him with an answer as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the hotel.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Randy watched Adria walk out the door. She did that so often when they had arguments and they had plenty of them. He considered it a sign that he was winning the argument, even though she claimed that it was simply because there was no way he'd stop arguing with her.
Their arguments these days were centered on one thing and one thing only. He was absolutely convinced that Adria was cheating on him with multiple members of Nexus. She denied it and so did Nexus, but he was absolutely convinced. Why else would she have entered into an alliance with Nexus? Why else would Michael Tarver, the angriest man he knew, want to have a cup of coffee with Adria every other morning?
He knew a thing about cheating. He had cheated on his ex, Samantha, a number of times with dozens of women, both from WWE and from the streets. He knew the benefits and he knew how to lie because of it.
But he had stopped when he had met Adria. He stopped lying and he stopped cheating. He didn't need to chase down other women for a one night stand when he had something deeper with Adria. He had found something more passionate and desirable. He had found someone he could share a true love story with.
At least, that's what he thought they had before he started becoming suspicious about her fidelity. It started with a friend talking about how a wrestler didn't know that his girl was cheating on him with another Superstar and the signs that she was cheating. Listening to what Adam had said was like a wakeup call that he needed. He'd seen some of the signs with Adria.
She didn't spend much time with him anymore unless it was work related and when approached about that, she said it was because she was sick of arguing with him.
She only hung out with her male coworkers, saying the girls were okay but she wasn't into the same things they liked to talk about. Even when they weren't at work, she was constantly texting random Superstars and wouldn't tell him what she was saying.
It was all pointing towards her infidelity. And he couldn't believe that she would do that to him. He had changed because of her, changed into what people said was a better person. He didn't think about any other women when she was with him. He didn't think about having another woman under him when he knew that he had someone better, someone who made him feel like he never felt before. And he had plenty of opportunities to be with someone else. Other Divas had made advances on him, but he had turned them down because he loved Adria.
And yet, she was cheating on him. He felt it in his gut that she was cheating on him. And he was going to find the proof he needed to make her pay for it.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Adria drew a deep breath and leaned back against a wall, waiting for Randy to come so they could do their entrance. She pulled on her black short shorts and glanced around the small area, looking for any Nexus member that Randy hadn't run off with his wild accusations. David Otunga was talking with Darren Young and Michael Tarver while Justin and Daniel listened. Someone tapped on her shoulder and she jumped, realizing with a start that it was Heath and Wade.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" Wade asked, sporting his now famous Nexus shirt.
"No…" Adria looked past him. "Have you seen Randy?"
"Have we seen the man with a serious case of paranoia? That would be a no…" Heath shook his head. "Why? Has he been giving you a hard time again, Ria?"
Adria gave him a look. "When does he not give me a hard time these days?"
Wade and Heath shared a look. Adria sighed and crossed her arms, glancing at a TV screen that showed the last moments of a match between John Morrison and the Miz.
"You know, there is a simple way to end all of this…rubbish that he puts you through," Wade pointed out, trying to keep his language clean in case their conversation was overheard. "You could –"
He cut off abruptly when Heath smacked his hand against his chest. Adria knew that code and pushed herself away from the wall, looking at Randy as he entered the backstage area. Normally, she would have been happy to see his semi nude body with the shine of oil on his skin and his powerful thighs that made her feel like melting, but this wasn't a normal day. And she wasn't in the mood to be lead astray by his cruel good looks when she knew that he was still pissed at her for no good reason.
Wade and Heath gave Adria a look before turning and walking away to converse with their fellow Nexus members.
"Talking behind my back with your lovers again?" Randy hissed, glaring at her. "What are you planning this time? A quickie in one of their locker rooms? A hookup at a club where you'll sneak away to have a moment in private?"
Adria sighed. I was right…
"Randy, don't start this again," she begged. "Not here. Not right now." She turned and walked over to the curtain. "Can we just get this match over with?"
Randy's eyes were dark as he took his place next to her. "We're going to talk about this after this is over with…and you're not going to run away this time."
Adria nodded. This time…I'm going to have to put an end to this madness.
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Randy stood there, glaring down at his opponent with cold, calculating eyes. Nexus had already made their appearance ringside and he could hear Wade talking with Adria, trying to make her see reason. According to the storyline that Teddy Long had put in place, Wade was supposed to have a thing for Adria and that's why he allowed her to make an alliance with Nexus that protected Randy from harm at the hands of Nexus.
Randy went for the take down and pinned his opponent easily after dealing so much damage earlier. Adria moved away from Wade and entered the ring, clapping her hands together at his victory. Randy sent her a warning look as Wade entered the ring with some of Nexus. Wade put a hand on Adria's shoulder which infuriated Randy more than it was supposed to as part of the storyline.
"Get your hands off of her!" Randy ordered, pushing Wade back away from Adria. Adria placed a hand on his chest and he grabbed her by her shoulders. "How could you betray me like this?"
"I-!" Adria gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.
"How long?" Randy demanded, shaking her. "How long has this been going on?"
Wade grabbed Randy's hands and forced him away from Adria. "You moron! You're hurting her!"
Randy went to get in Wade's face, not caring that the rest of Nexus was closing in. Adria got in between them, placing a hand on their chests, her manicured fingertips grazing the skin of Randy's chest.
"No…not here," she said before grabbing Wade's arm and turning him away from Randy. "You promised me that you weren't going to start something with him…"
Randy didn't like seeing Wade put his hands on Adria again, even though it was all part of the script. He knew he was supposed to let Nexus walk off, leaving him and Adria alone ringside, but there was an anger rising inside of him at seeing the woman he loved being touched by another man that he suspected of having sexual relations with her. His mind went blank and he saw red as he charged at Wade, pulling his fist back.
Adria was the only one to react with some sense. She saw him coming and pushed Wade out of the way. Randy couldn't slow down in time to avoid hitting her in the face. Her eyes locked on his as they clouded over in pain and she fell back, but Wade and Heath caught her quickly. Randy stared at her in horror, his body going numb as reality sank in and he realized what he had done.
Being the actors that they were, Nexus and Adria adapted to the change in script. Wade and Heath made sure that Adria could stand before they advanced on Randy with the rest of Nexus. Randy did the only thing he could think of doing and slid out of the ring, trying to put as much distance as he could between him and the seven angry men. Nexus slid out of the ring just as Randy made it to the ramp side and Adria materialized out of nowhere, putting her slight frame between the men. Nexus slowed down their advance as Wade looked at her questioningly.
"Please don't hurt him," Adria begged, holding one hand out as if to keep the grown men back while she held her face with the other. "Please…Wade please…You promised…"
"But Adria -!" Wade exclaimed.
"Please…" Adria begged, taking a small step closer. "Please Wade, you promised me you wouldn't hurt him…please."
Randy stared at her back in shock. He felt he deserved to be beat down and he knew that if Adria wasn't standing between them, Nexus would have been upon him like wolves on a lamb. They would have gladly fallen upon him with bone shattering blows for striking a woman, especially in an unscripted attack on someone that was close to the majority of them behind the scenes.
Wade glared at Randy and held his hand out to Adria. "Come…"
Adria looked at Randy with sad eyes before taking Wade's hand. Wade led the small band of renegade wrestlers up the ramp and backstage. Randy heard boos coming from the crowd coming from every direction. He looked out at them and turned, heading up the ramp in a walk of shame.
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Adria pushed aside the hands that were trying to help her, knocking aside an ice pack. Her face hurt, but she didn't really want people to fuss over her. It was just a little bruise…that hurt like hell, but she could handle it.
"Stu," Adria complained, pushing his hand away as he tried to check her face after she exited her locker room. "Stop. I'm fine."
"You're not fine," Stu said, looking down at her. "Randy hit you. For real and he did it very hard. He could have broken something."
Adria sighed and poked herself in the face where Randy's fist had collided with it. She winced, but nothing felt broken. "It's not broken and it doesn't hurt that bad. Okay?" She glared at him. "Besides, Randy wasn't aiming for me. He was aiming for you."
"And I could have handled a blow like that," Stu said, tossing the ice pack aside since it was obvious she wasn't going to let him put it to use. "I'm tougher than you and I wouldn't be hurting as badly from it…You should just consider yourself lucky that I'm not hunting him down to beat the bloody hell out of him."
Adria gave him a look as she shouldered her bag. "Stu…please, don't do anything stupid. It was just an accident and as long as the crowd believes that it was all part of the storyline, it's going to be all right. There's no need to jump him for something he didn't mean to do…He's just stressed because –"
"Because he can't get it through his head that there's nothing going on between you and me or anyone else. We're friends and the bloke can't understand that." Stu looked at her with a serious expression on his face. "One day you're going to have to realize that he's not going to move past this insane suspicion, that all you'll get from him is pain from arguments and a broken heart, and decide to start a new chapter of your life without him."
"I know…" Adria glanced down the hall. "I'm going to go now…I'm hungry and…I'll see you tomorrow."
"All right," Stu muttered, watching her walk away. "Goodnight Ria."
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Randy stared at his hands as he sat there on a metal chair in his private locker room. The knuckles of his right hand were still a little red from where he had hit Adria. His hands shook as the image of what had happened in the ring played back over and over in his head. Inches away from him sat his cell phone, the screen black and stayed quiet.
He didn't expect Adria to call him. He didn't expect her to forgive him or be there when he came back to their hotel room. Not after what he did. Not after he had hurt her in front of millions. Not in a million years.
A knock on the door echoed around the small locker room and Randy's eyes lifted from his hands when the door opened. Adam stood there, dressed in regular clothes with his gym bag slung casually over his shoulder.
"Can I have a word with you?" Adam asked.
Randy didn't feel like talking, but he nodded. Adam stepped into the room and closed the door behind him before walking over and taking a seat in the chair across from Randy's. Adam sat there for a moment, looking at Randy like he could see what was going on in the man's head.
"Randy, what are you still doing here?" Adam questioned. "Why aren't you out there, talking with Ria?"
"I can't talk to her," Randy muttered, looking away from his friend. "Didn't you see what I did to her?"
"It was an accident. It could have happened to anyone."
"But I hit her. As hard as I would have hit Bennett if he hadn't moved." Randy shook his head and sank down in his seat. "I don't see how she could forgive me…she's probably finding comfort with him now and this time…she has a reason to."
"Bennett left with some of the Nexus to go clubbing," Adam announced. "Ria went to get something to eat…they're in completely different places right now."
"Well, I doubt she'll be coming back to our hotel room tonight…"
"Don't tell me you're still going on about her cheating on you." Adam rolled his eyes. "Man, how many times do we all have to tell you that she's not cheating on you? Get it through your head Randy. Adria loves you too much to even think about cheating on you."
"But –"
"So what if she hangs out with only guys? She hasn't found anything in common with most of the Divas yet. When she does, I'm sure she'll be hanging out with them more. They'll be running up their cell phone bills and maxing out their credit cards in no time.
"And so what if she doesn't hang out with you as much as she used to? No one would want to hang out with you for even a minute if you kept harassing them every time they stepped into the same room as you like you do with her. Ria is getting tired of arguing with her and it's putting a strain on your relationship with her because your paranoia is forming a wedge between you two."
"But –"
"Randy, you need to get your head straight. Realize that you've got a great thing going for you. You have a girlfriend that loves you with every fiber of her being. And yet, you're forcing her away because you think that she has eyes for someone else. If anything, she should be the one worried about your wondering eyes after hearing about your history. But Randy, she hasn't approached me with questions of your cheating. She trusts you completely. And you need to take a step back, stop breathing down her neck, and learn to trust her too because if you don't, you'll lose the best thing that's ever happened to you."
Randy was silent for a moment, trying to process all that Adam had said to him. "She hasn't cheated on me?"
"She hasn't, so please do the world a favor and stop harassing her. It's a miracle she's stuck with you for this long, but everyone has their limits and I think you've found hers." Adam looked sympathetic. "Go to her, make things right before you lose her forever…unless you want to be a one night stand champion again?"
Randy reached over and picked up his cell phone, dialing Adria's number. He glanced over at Adam as the man stood up. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Adam said, heading for the door. "I can't let you become the man you used to be again. You tell Ria I said hi."
Randy nodded and waited for Adria to pick up the phone.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Adria picked at the pancakes she'd been giving, poking at a slice of banana that sat between the two flapjacks. Randy had called her fifteen minutes ago, asking her where she was. She had told him and asked why he wanted to know. His answer had been that he wanted to talk to her. It couldn't wait until she got back to the hotel, so Adria was pretty sure he wasn't going to yell at her. He never did that in public, just behind closed doors.
Adria sighed and looked out the window at the night, ignoring the excited whispers of the other late night customers of the restaurant who seemed to have come from the show not more than an hour ago. She hadn't minded when they approached her earlier and asked for her autograph because they were the kind of fans that knew when to back off and give a celebrity some space. She heard the waitresses talking amongst themselves and then the door opened.
She looked over at the front of the restaurant and saw Randy hesitate, his eyes locking onto hers. There was no anger in his eyes as he looked at her and Adria was happy to see that it was gone for now. It would make talking to him a lot easier, even though she knew that there was always a chance that his temper would flare up again.
The waitresses seemed to notice him because they stopped speaking for a moment as he made his way over to her table. Adria sipped her chocolate milk and looked at him.
"What do you want to talk about?" Adria asked, setting her glass down.
"Adria, I want you to know that I'm sorry for hitting you during the show," Randy apologized, taking her free hand in one of his large ones. "I didn't mean to…I just lost my temper, all control and went after Bennett. You were never supposed to get hurt…You know that I'd never hurt you intentionally, don't you?"
"I know Randy," Adria whispered, looking into his eyes for any sign of the suspicion that had lurked there for weeks. "That's why I'm not mad at you about that. It was an accident and it could have happened to anyone. You're just stressed and a little hotheaded, but that doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you human. So, don't fret over a little hit like that. It will heal in time." She squeezed his fingers with hers. "And I'd still love you if it had been any worse."
Relief flooded his eyes but Adria didn't know how long that it would stay there. Her cell phone, perched on the corner of the table, lit up and displayed the name of Michael Tarver. Adria saw Randy look at it and saw how his jaw tightened briefly. Adria let the call go to voice mail because she didn't want to start anything.
A waitress came over and asked Randy if she could get him anything. He said no and the waitress handed Adria the bill. Before Adria could reach into her purse and withdraw her wallet, Randy was handing the waitress a twenty and told her to keep the change.
"I could have paid," Adria said, her multi-colored wallet clutched in her hand. "I have the money."
"I felt like doing something nice for you," Randy stated, putting his wallet back in the pocket of his jeans.
Adria withdrew a ten from her wallet and placed it under her glass, sliding her wallet back into her purse. She stood up and headed for the door. She paused on the sidewalk outside, brushing back the auburn strands of hair that blew in her face in the gentle breeze. Randy appeared at her side and watched her withdraw a cigarette from her purse.
She hadn't smoked since she was given a contract with WWE and when she was introduced to Randy, but it had been hard to quit cold turkey. There were times where she'd crave a cigarette because it helped relax her and these past few weeks, she'd craved them more than a woman experiencing PMS craved chocolate.
"Randy…I know you still think that I'm cheating on you with Stu and other Superstars and that nothing I say will really change your mind about it," Adria began, looking down at the cigarette in her hand. "I've tried to be patient, thinking that maybe you'd realize one day that I've been telling you the truth, that everyone has been telling you the truth about me. I've been waiting for that day for weeks now and so far, nothing's changed.
"There can't be a lasting relationship that isn't based on trust…The amount of love we have for each other and the great sex can't be everything that keeps us together, Randy," she continued, drawing a slow breath in as a sigh. "Randy…I can't go through the same argument about my fidelity anymore. I can't stand this jealousy you have for any guy that hangs out with me, not anymore."
"What are you saying Ria?" Randy asked, looking at her intently.
Adria raised her eyes to his and frowned. "Randy, I…I have to leave you."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Randy stared at Adria with wide eyes. He'd known that her patience was wearing thin, but she was leaving him? Even after she had said she loved him, she was leaving him.
He couldn't imagine a life without her. He couldn't see himself lying in a bed, alone without her warm body pressed against his. He couldn't picture waking up in the morning without her smiling face watching him, ready to give him a soft kiss and just cuddle until reality pulled them apart. No more passionate love making in the shower or in their shared bed, leaving him completely satisfied like no other person could. No more gentle singing in his ear as they danced in a club, not caring about anyone as they lost themselves in the moment. No more…them.
Randy's heart ached as he looked at Adria, rolling her unlit cigarette between her fingers. He couldn't be without her, but just like Adam said, he had pushed her away with his continued suspicion. All the arguments…this had been his fault and now she was going to walk away, taking away everything that Randy had fallen in love with.
"Randy…I don't want to make this harder than it has to be," Adria said, looking up at him. "I love you, I really do, with all of my heart, but…I can't take the suspicion anymore." She reached out and cupped his cheek with her hand, his closing over hers. "Randy, you have to know that I would never cheat on you…Stu, Heath, they're just friends…They know I am yours and I want you to know that I've never felt this much love for a person before…I love you so much and I will always love you, but without your trust in me…we can't be together."
"Ria…" Randy breathed, catching her hand as she slipped it away from his face. "Please…please don't go."
He saw the tears in her eyes as she looked at him, feeling his heart break a little more. His eyes stung with tears for the first time in years, but he didn't feel any shame in crying. It didn't matter anymore.
"Adria, please," Randy begged, pulling her close. "I…I love you. I can't be in this world without you anymore. I can't become the man that I once was after I've had a taste of perfection. I can't see you with someone else…it'll kill me to know that someone else will wake up next to you…And I know I don't deserve you after everything that I've done, after everything that I've said, but I need you in my life. Knowing that you'll be there when I need someone to just talk with, that's kept me going all this time."
Adria closed her eyes as he caressed her face, gently cupping it with one large, tan hand. Tears slid out from under her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. "Randy…I can't…"
"Please Adria…I've made a fool of myself, thinking that you were with someone else. I've hurt you…and I'm going to be sorry about that for the rest of time. I'm asking you for a second chance Ria…All I need is a second chance and I'll prove to you that I'm sorry. I'll prove my love to you time and time again…please Adria, don't leave me. Not like this."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close like if he let go, she'd be gone. His eyes closed, but the tears still fell as she hugged him back. The scent of strawberries filled his lungs as he breathed in her scent. He gently pressed his lips against her neck, just below her ear.
"Please Adria, don't leave me," he breathed and she never did.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A/N: So? What do you think? I'm not so sure I like the way I ended it, but I'll let you be the judge. And yes, I do know this is titled after a song, but that's only because the song gave me the inspiration to write this story. Now that that's settled, please review and give me a piece of your mind. Thanks!