"You need to change your plans for this week."
Charlotte and Becky looked up from their conversation as Bayley came running towards them, the younger brown haired woman's eyes holding a hint of despair to them as she finally reached her two old friends.
"What?"
Bayley sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Sorry. But I need your help. We need to go to Orlando and see Sasha. She needs us," stated Bayley, her voice leaving no room for argument, bordering frantic.
Becky frowned, tilting her head. "What do you mean? What's going on? I know she took some time off…." said Becky, not oblivious to the rumors and gossip that had been running rampant through the locker room and social media the last two weeks, not to mention the fact that the youngest member of their close knit foursome had been MIA since WrestleMania.
Bayley sighed, her shoulders slumping as she leaned against the wall, her teeth chewing her bottom lip, worry lacing her usually bright features. "Something's wrong. I don't know what, but….something's not right. This isn't just time off. This isn't just her needing a break….something is wrong. I can hear it in her voice when I call her. She won't even answer the phone when I try to facetime her. Her texts are one word responses, if she responds at all….guys, I'm worried. I need to see her. And...I feel like she needs us right now….."
"Okay, don't worry, love. We'll go. We can make sure she's okay, alright?" said Charlotte, Bayley offering Charlotte a hug. "Thanks, guys. I usually can do it on my own with her, but something just feels off right now and I'm worried I'm gonna need backup," said Bayley, giving Becky a hug as well, who simply smiled.
"I thought you left the hugs on Raw?" she questioned jokingly, Bayley rolling her eyes.
"Thank god. I'm tired of being 'the huggable one.' Charlotte's the queen, you're the man, Sasha's the boss, and now it's my turn to get a nickname better than just 'the huggable one."
Charlotte and Becky laughed, Bayley filling them in a little bit more on what was going on with Sasha before continuing with the show for the evening.
"Sasha?"
Bayley called out for her friend as she entered Sasha's Orlando home; Becky and Charlotte following closely behind. Concern was coursing through Bayley's blood as she stepped into the entryway. It wasn't like Sasha to not answer the door. She knew they were coming...sort of. She had left Bayley's text sitting at read last night and Bayley knew the code to the house was Sasha's birthday. And now she was getting no response even after entering the house.
"Sash? It's Becky and Charlotte and I. Where are you?" called Bayley, peaking into the kitchen and Sasha's painting room. Still no sign of Sasha.
"Is she not home?" questioned Becky, Bayley shrugging lightly. "Her car was in the garage…." she muttered, glancing out onto the patio. Still no Sasha.
"Come on Sash, where are you?" muttered Bayley, reaching for her phone and pressing a button, frowning when she heard Sasha's familiar ringtone coming from upstairs.
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "Girl really does not want to see us, does she?" asked Charlotte, shaking her head. "What is her deal?"
"I don't know, but I'm about to find out," said Bayley, heading up the stairs and towards Sasha's bedroom.
"Sasha? Sash, it's Bayley. I'm coming in whether you want me to or not," said Bayley, pausing for a response and getting none.
"Sasha, you're scaring me. Please, please say something," said Bayley, placing her forehead against the oak wood door, a few tears slipping from her eyes when she still got no response.
"Okay, Sash, I tried. I'm coming in now," said Bayley, twisting the door and opening it with ease, holding her breath at the uncertainty of what she would find on the other side of the door.
She pushed the door open as soon as the doorknob turned, her eyes immediately scanning the spacious master bedroom, falling on the bed. A lump caught in her throat as she gazed at the scene in front of her, and she could feel her heart shattering at the sight.
"Oh, Sash….honey…."
Bayley's voice was barely above a whisper, the older of the two immediately sitting at the edge of her best friend's bed, reaching out to touch Sasha's cheek, frowning when she turned herself over to face the wall.
Her face was streaked with tear stains that looked like she'd been crying for days, her eyes matching the sight. Her face was far too pale, her long magenta hair tangled and sprawled out behind her.
And Bayley wondered when the last time was she had even gotten out of bed.
Sasha said nothing, refusing to look at Bayley as she turned to face the wall, pulling her blanket further over her body. Bayley shook her head, reaching out to stroke her friend's hair, frowning when Sasha flinched at the touch; a small, weak, moaning sound escaping her lips.
Becky and Charlotte entered the room after watching the scene unfold, Bayley regrouping and trying to figure out her next move. She knew what this was. She had feared that this was what she would find. Somehow she just knew. She had felt it when Sasha stopped taking her calls or answering her texts. She had wanted to be wrong. But deep down she had feared that she wasn't.
And now she was even more thankful that she had brought Becky and Charlotte with her, though she wasn't sure if that would help Sasha or hurt her more in the process. She prayed that having more of her friends around would help in the long run.
"Hey, Sash? Honey? What's going on babygirl?" asked Charlotte, her voice soft and soothing as she sat on the other side of her friend's bed, giving Sasha no place to hide.
And so Sasha ducked under the covers completely, harsh, quiet sobs escaping her lips as she began to cry.
"Sasha….." Bayley placed her hand on Sasha's back from above the covers, rubbing gently.
"Come on Sash….just talk to us," whispered Bayley, shifting herself so she was lying down, wrapping her arms around her friend's body that was still completely covered by the blanket. "I'm not going anywhere Sasha. I'll be right here when you're ready to talk," whispered Bayley, praying that Sasha could feel the comfort even through the thick blanket.
Charlotte and Becky stayed quiet, watching as Bayley continued trying to offer comfort to Sasha, the younger woman blocking everything out with the blanket as she continued to cry.
Becky pulled Charlotte away and out of earshot, glancing back at the scene. "What is going on? What happened to her?" asked Becky, Charlotte shaking her head, wanting to cry herself.
"I have no idea. I...I thought she was just upset about the storyline or….or something….but….Becca, it's been a week. Has she been like this the whole time?" asked Charlotte, kicking herself for not seeing it sooner, for not texting or calling the second those stupid rumors started flying around like wildfire….thankful that Bayley had picked up on it.
"I have no idea...but we're here now. And I'm not leaving her like this, Char. I can't. We can't," whispered Becky, Charlotte nodding in agreeance.
"We won't," she stated simply.