Feeling someone tap her on her shoulder, Tania pulled off the headphones and turned around to come face to face with Jake. "Thanks for staying later to help us out with this damn thing. I hate when they have to put someone through it...our jobs end up all the more complicated."
"Nah, it's cool." Tania shrugged. She didn't mind, and neither did her paycheck. "I can add a little more to my savings account."
"When are you going to apply for that anyhow?"
"Apply for what?" She knew what Jake meant but she like to play on with the games. Make it seem like things weren't that big of a deal. "Oh, you mean school?" Jake nodded, "When they decide to accept me. You know that already."
Jake sighed. "That's bullshit and you know it. You missed out on writing the knowledge part of the application for the second year in a row. You know you could get time off to go and do it Tania, you haven't even taken a day off for a vacation in god knows how long. What's the real reason you didn't go."
"Honestly, I have no idea. Too caught up with what is going on around here." Tania tried to lie. She knew that Jake didn't believe her, and she didn't blame him. Lying was never one of her better qualities. But she also knew that Jake wouldn't press the subject. Tania was one of those people who would only say something if she felt the need to. Very personal about her life.
"So did you guys get the ring done?" Looking up, Jake and Tania watched Bautista and Randy walking towards them decked out in sweats. Now she knew that they were running late, the wrestlers never arived while they were there. "And is it alright to practice on?"
"Sure is. Just make sure you don't do anything all that heavy around ringside left. Tania hasn't finished with the support beams yet. As long as you work around it, then she'll hold." Jake smiled, a small wink making its way over to Tania. Letting out a heavy sigh, Tania wasn't sure she liked the idea of having two large men fooling around in the ring while she had a few turnbuckles left to cover and planks to set up, but who was she to complain. They needed their prep time.
Groaning heavily, Tania shoved back on her headphones and picked up two of the turnbuckle covers. She no longer cared about what was going on around her. All she wanted to do was finish her job, go back to the hotel and grab a quick shower before she had to come back and dismantle the ring. The quicker they could get it done, the longer she would have to sleep.
Jumping up on the ring, Tania pulled down on the rope to make sure that it was secure in its fitting before heading back over to the corner. Slipping the cover on, she felt the ring move a bit as someone jumped in. Focusing more on her music and job and hand, Tania began to loosen the cords before slipping the bag overtop of the turnbuckle. Pull after pull she could feel her head start to bob around to the music. Something about listening to a good 'ol record from the 80's made her just get caught up. Back when the music was truley about the music. And she wasn't talking about that bubble gum pop either. No, give her some ELO, Eurythmics, Prince...especially Bowie and she'd be a happy camper for days.
Feeling her shoulder being tapped again, Tania flipped around furious, "What!" she cried out while tugging loose one of the ear phones. Why couldn't people just let her do her job. "I'll be done in a few." Tania quickly informed as she realized that it was Randy Orton.
"That, I don't mind. And not that I mind your singing either since you have such a beautiful voice, but it's kind of loud." Feeling her cheeks tinged red, Tania hadn't even realized she had been singing. She did that a lot actually, got so caught up in the beats and the words. Jake usually just threw things at her, along with half of the crew. They had long since gotten used to hearing her though, so they let it slip a lot more than before.
"Sorry, I get carried away."
"Honestly, it's no problem. But Randy and I stopped to listen, and we really have a match to plan out. Can't have that kind of distraction out here can we?" Dave question, a slight grin on his face. Tania tried hard to not let herself be caught giving him the once over, but the man did have a very nice body. As did Randy. She wondered how many women would kill to be her at that moment. Then she wondered how much money she could get to swap for a day. The grin on her face widened. "What's so funny."
"Nothing. Slipping back into space once again, it's an introvert thing." Tania shrugged. "I'll try and keep it down. If it bothers you again just throw something at me."
"I don't know. The only thing around here for me to throw is Dave...and that might do some damage." Randy noted, a small frown on his face. He glanced up and Dave and noticed the strange look on his face, one eyebrow cocked up. Dave's expression lightened up a bit though when he heard Tania laugh.
"Just slightly. And I know the boys around here won't appreciate it too much. That means that they'd have to climb under the ring and dismantle it themselves. I'm sure they'd come and hunt you down." Tania pointed out with a smirk. She could actually almost picture the entire scene in her mind. Funny, really.
"Yeah but look at the size of us compared to them." Dave pointed out, placing the lid back on his bottle of water. Actually, it was more like a jug of water but it wasn't as though Tania was really paying much attention.
"They outnumber you. It's that whole...mob mantality thing going on." Tania smirked, knowing damn well that it would be something like twenty to one, and besides, some of those guys were massive in size. Smiling again, Tania realized that she would actually pay to see it happen. She could use they money she got from body swapping to score even. "Like I said, throw something at me if I get loud again." Tania knew if she didn't get the ring done soon that she would be in trouble.
She was left to work in peace for the next few minutes, getting all the covers adjusted firmly in place. It wasn't until she kicked a couple of 2x4's under the ring that she felt something splash on the back of her neck. Reaching back to feel moisture, Tania's head shot up to look at a grinning Randy. "Hey." He mouthed, his open bottle of water tipped on a slight angle.
Hooking both of the headphones to her shirt, Tania sighed. "Sorry, I'll just take them off."
"What? Oh- no! You weren't singing at all."
Tania frowned. "I see. So how can I help you then?"
Randy's grin grew even bigger as he glanced down at the woman before him. "Interesting that you ask. We figure a certain beautiful 5'4, slim cut brunette with an amazing voice could be doing anything in the world that she wanted to, but decided to work as a rodie, more or less. Why?" She watched as Dave joined Randy to lean on the ropes and glance at her with anticipation. "Why do this?"
"I thought you were supposed to be discussing your match?"
"We were trying, but then that certain Brunette came back into the conversation and the only way we could stop would be to ask." Dave rationalized, leaning back and tugging on the rope a bit. Tania crossed her arms across her chest and laughed as she watched the two boys standing there waiting for an answer from her.
"First of all, said Brunette has a real name. And second of all, I have no answer for that question. Sorry boys. I do it becuase it pays the bills. Be it the bills for an apartment I rarely ever get to see, but there none the less."
"You still haven't mentioned said Brunette's real name." Randy wasn't one to leave a detail unexplained. Tania had purposly decided not to mention her real name. What was the point. "It would at least be the polite thing to do."
"Who said I was polite?"
"Who said you were rude?" Randy shot back, not ready to miss a single beat. And suddenly Tania hated him for that. Her shower was starting to appear almost non-existant once again.
"I believe you may have just implied it, actually. But since you put it so nicely I feel it would only be right to oblige. Said Bruentte's name is Tania." Throwing the ring apron up, she was quick to tuck it under the elastic part ensuring that it wouldn't fall back down on her. "Tania Bailey."
Dropping down the floor, Tania knew she had a job to do and since she answered the prying questions of Randy and Dave, she knew she had to finish her job. Easing herself down to lie on her back, she flipped on her flash light and shone it up into Randy's face. "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone. Remember, you have a match to plan."
"Yes Mother." Randy mimicked as he watched Tania disappear underneath the ring. Turning back to Dave, he just let out a little shrug the glanced under to where he assumed Tania would be. To say that their little conversation hadn't been amusing would be a lie. She was a great girl to talk to, and Randy thought it was a damn shame she was wasting her time doing set up and take down every other day for the show.
"Sweet girl." Dave noted with a slight huff out of the corner of his mouth. It was as though he had been reading Randy's mind at that moment.
"Yeah, sweet."