Disclaimer: I do not own anyone except Sofia. I hope you all enjoy and please review! Thanks!
"Alex!" Chris Sabin yelled down the narrow hallway of the Can Am Wrestling School. "Shelley! Where are you going?" He hoped his best friend would at least turn around and answer the question, but his hope was erased as the front door slammed shut behind him.
"Where's Alex going?" Chris turned to see Scott D'Amore, owner of Can Am Wrestling School, leaning against the wall. Scott was like a second father to both him and Alex. He had helped both kids from Detroit live out their dreams as professional wrestlers.
"I don't know." Chris said shrugging. "He's been in one of those moods since Saturday. He almost hurt himself during the match on Monday. And he really hasn't said much to anyone."
"If he comes back I'll talk to him."
"Thanks Scott." Chris grabbed the newspaper off the desk. He sat down on the couch in the office and started flipping through. "Oh shit!"
"What?" Scott asked looking up from the paperwork he had just started.
"I don't think you need to ask him anymore. I figured it out. Do you remember Shelley's ex-girlfriend Sofia?" Scott nodded.
"Yea, they've been separated for a year right?"
"Yea, that ex-girlfriend."
"She was a cool girl. Why do you ask?"
"Alex was really close with her father. In fact, her dad was very involved in his wrestling career, even after they broke up. I don't think he blamed Alex for anything in the break-up."
"Wasn't it all Alex's fault?"
"He says it was. I don't actually know all the details. He always thought it was weird that her dad still called."
"So what does this have to do with Alex's strange mood?"
"This…" Chris said walking over and setting the newspaper down. He pointed to the article he had been reading.
"Former Mayor of Detroit, William Donaldson, passed away Saturday morning after getting shot at a local Windsor park Friday afternoon. Donaldson was visiting his daughter who coaches softball in the area. He is preceded in death by both his parents, Artie and Rose, and also his wife, Margaret. He is survived by his daughter, Sofia and brother, Glenn. Scott read part of the article out loud. "No wonder Shelley is so upset. It says that they are still looking for clues into the incident. Did you know her mom was dead?"
"Yea, I did. She killed herself about 3 years ago while he was still in office."
At the park
Alex couldn't believe this was actually real. He couldn't believe that Sofia's dad was dead. He had just talked to him a month ago when he ran into him at the grocery store. It still surprised him that he still talked to him after everything that had happened between him and Sofia. She had never told him the truth about the break-up, which was good for him. If Mr. Donaldson had known the truth there is no way that he would EVER talk to him. He pulled out his cell phone and scrolled down until he reached Sofia's information. He wanted to call her and tell her how sorry he was to hear about her dad, but he was probably the last person she wanted to ever talk to.
Flashback
"Hey Shelley, who is the whore that you've been hanging out with lately?" Alex turned to look at the wrestler that had asked the question. He didn't know the guy for long, but already didn't like him.
"Her name is Sofia. Let's just wrestle." He wasn't in the mood to talk about his girlfriend. They had a fight before he came to the gym and he was still trying to figure out what had actually happened between them. After about 10 minutes of training the big oaf brought her up again.
"So are you two a thing? " Alex rolled his eyes. He hated stupid people and this guy was being really stupid. Most everyone in the wrestling community knew that Sofia Donaldson had been going out with Alex for almost a year and a half and they had been friends for a while before that.
"Isn't she the ex-mayor's daughter?" Another wrestler asked as he climbed into the ring.
"Holy shit! She is!" The first guy yelled. Alex sat there trying to remember his name, but jackass was the only thing to pop in his head. He really wished that Chris was there. Chris was better at this part of the training procedure. He decided it was best to just ignore both of the men in the ring before it got both of them beaten up. "That is one messed up family right there."
"Hey, be nice." The second guy said as he got off the mat from the bump he had just taken from Alex.
"It's true. Didn't the mom kill herself like a year ago? I heard it was because the girl was such a bitch to her and really just a pain in the ass."
"How about you two just shut the fuck up and wrestle." It was more of a statement than a question, but Alex was starting to get pissed. He wasn't in the mood to have his time wasted. Before he could say anything he saw a movement to see Sofia running from the gym.
"Shit!" Alex said as he massaged his temples. This was not what he needed right now. He jumped out of the ring and followed Sofia outside. He found her sitting against the building with her face in her hands. He could tell by the movement of her shoulders that she was crying and it broke his heart. When he reached her he sat down and put his arm around her shoulder. Her next move surprised him more than anything.
"Don't touch me!" She yelled as she pushed his arm away.
"Sof…everything is going to be okay." He tried again, but she only pushed him away.
"How long were you going to just sit there and let them talk shit about my family? About me?"
"How much did you hear?"
"I asked you first Alex." There was his answer. Just by her expression he could tell she heard every word the jackass had said.
"I didn't let them talk, it just happened." Even his own words didn't sound right…or true.
"You didn't let them? It just happened?" The words were like venom. She sounded so hurt, but Alex could only nod. The next look brought feelings he had never felt before. "Then why didn't you at least defend me?"
Alex felt his tears welling at the memory of the day he lost the girl of his dreams. He blamed himself completely. She was so upset that he had let them call her a whore and talk about her mom the way they had that he didn't even have an argument when she broke up with him. Sure, he had tried a few times to call and apologize, but she told him that she couldn't trust him anymore. And trust was her biggest factor. She never knew who she could trust in her life. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there remembering all the times he had with Sofia when a familiar voice broke his thoughts.
"Alex Shelley?" He turned around to see Sofia's best friend Megan standing by a tree. Her sad smile comforted him as he stood and gave her a hug.
"Hey Megan. How ya doing?" She looked towards the bleachers that still had police tape surrounding them and then looked down at her shoes. "I'm sorry, that was a pretty stupid question." He pulled her in for another hug. "How's Sofia doing?" He whispered into her hair. Megan pushed away and sat down on the bench Alex had previously occupied.
"As well as one can expect from someone whose father was just shot in front of them." She paused and Alex could tell she was fighting back the tears. "It's hard to believe that Mr. Donaldson is gone, right?"
"Yea, it is." Alex said taking a seat next to the girl he once considered a good friend. Now they were merely acquaintances, but then again it was his fault. "Were you there?"
"Not when he was shot, but I was at the hospital with Sofi when he passed away. She took it hard." The tears started and Alex could tell there was something more. "Are you coming to the visitation or funeral?" She had changed the subject on him. That was another pet peeve of his. He hated when he knew there was something more to a story but people decided it wasn't important enough to share.
"I don't know." He said honestly. "I doubt Sofia wants me there. We haven't talked in a year."
"I know you guys ended on a not very good note, but you were good friends with her dad. And even if she won't admit it she still loves you. She could use all the support she can get." Alex nodded.
"When is the visitation?"
"It is tomorrow night from 4 until 9. And then the funeral is the next day at 11 at St. Luke's." She paused briefly before standing up. "Please come Alex…she needs you." With that she left as quickly as she came.