Chapter One: Training to be Someone.
"One more time. Come on Cassie, you can do it", yelled my trainer, Paul. I dragged my bruised body off the mat in the centre of the four sided ring. I wobbled to my feet, my head pounding and the side of it throbbing. I gazed at the turnbuckle and took a deep breath. I ran over and Jumped on to the bottom rope and pulled myself up. My body ached. It screamed at me to stop and give up, and call it a day. I stood up and balanced myself. I took one last deep breath and did a back flip off. I soared slowly through the air. I felt invincible. Suddenly, my body hit the hard surface of the mat. "What the hell?" my mind gasped, as my body had the wind knocked out of it. I looked around, clutching my side. I saw Paul at the edge of the ring, holding the plastic practice dummy by the ankle. He was grinning like a maniac. "That's two lessons in one, Cassie." he said. "Lesson one, don't take too long. Your opponent may have regained some of their senses and moved. Lesson two. Be careful where your opponent is positioned in the ring. They could be dragged away by a teammate or an interfering son of a bitch", he told me. I nodded, unable to speak. "And another thing, you were open to attack as you got up on the turnbuckle. Always have your wits about you. You could of been pushed off back into the ring or thrown out of the ring onto the mats outside, and trust me, they are not soft." he explained, wisely. I finally regained my ability to speak. "How many times has that happened to you?" I asked. "Once. Bastard dislocated my shoulder in the process", replied Paul. "And that once was enough to teach me all those things, and it happened before all WWF brought in all the safety regulations about teaching us to fall correctly and land in certain ways." he informed me. I sat up in the ring. I sighed, softly. "Come on, Cassie. Let's call it a day and get you to the Physio." he said, pulling me up by my left underarm. I took a sharp inhale of breath as I felt pain shoot through my side. "Thanks. Maybe it will be a cracked rib today." I hissed. Paul laughed. "Your fault. You landed on your arm after a MoonSault." he said. "Ok, Ok, I get it. Don't land on your arms", I replied; just to get him to shut up, as we exited the practice area.
"Relax, Relax. You're way too tense", the Physio told me, as his hands worked circles into my back muscles. I grunted in pain. I howled loudly in pain, as he pressed in on the bruise that was developing on my ribs. "Hold on. I'm going to get a doctor. This could possibly be a fracture or a broken rib. Anyways, I have two psychos, due in here after I'm done with you. I'm going to kill them myself, if they have been throwing themselves off ladders again." he explained, as he left the room. I exhaled softly, when the door closed. I was exhausted after my day of training. I had to keep up the work, or I wouldn't get my debut, anytime soon. I closed my eyes. The door opened and closed. I opened my eyes. I could see the shadow of two men, in the room with me. They were at the bed next to mine, and separated by a curtain. One of them was helping the other on to the bed. "Where does it hurt, bro?" asked one of the men. "Ah, Everywhere man. Last time, I go jumping on Edge from a ladder." groaned the other. The other laughed. "We both know that won't last. I give ya a week and ya'll be Swantoning off a steel cage to get at him", he laughed, loudly. I groaned. "Where is that god damn Physio", I moaned to myself. The door opened again. "Cassie, the doctor is here now", I heard the Physio call. I sat up and groaned again. The doctor appeared in front of me. "Hello, Cassandra. Right, down to business. Where is the problem?" he asked. "My ribs. The Physio said it could be cracked." I replied. The doctor nodded and began feeling my ribs. After a few moments, he finished prodding me. "No cracked ribs. Just some bruises. You'll be just fine." he said. I stood up. "Now, if you excuse me, Cassandra, I have a lunatic to attend to." he smiled. The doctor left me and walked to the other side of the curtain. "Hello Jeff. You and I are starting to see a little too much of each other now" I heard him laugh as I left the room.
I sat in the small hotel room I had all to myself. I brushed out my long black hair, which fell to my waist. I normally had it tied up in a pony tail or a bun. I took up some cotton wool and began to cleanse my face, taking off the thin layer of dirt that I received from the mat of the ring. I carefully dabbed around my icy blue eyes. My mother always said that my eyes could pierce souls, mercilessly. I lent in closer to the mirror and examined my pale skin. It was clear and smooth. I had my maternal grandmother to thank for some of my features. She was Norwegian, so that made my mother half American and half Norwegian. My icy blue eyes and skin came from her. Her hair was luscious and blonde and fell to her waist. Just like my hair, except my hair was jet black, just like my father's hair. I stood up and massaged my scalp. There was a dull ache at the top of my head. I paused for a moment, and began to think. Who was the pair in the Physio's office? They must like stunts, judging by the tones of the Physio and the Doctor. I wanted to meet them, but been a newbie, I still had weeks of training to go through. I sighed and changed into my nightwear. A silk slip. I liked to wear sexy stuff to bed, just made me feel sexy. I crawled into bed and lay down. After a few moments of relaxed breathing, I fell asleep.