Chapter 2: Dave Finally Asks Rochelle Out
Smackdown was in Atlanta, Georgia and it was the night for the very first Friday Night Smackdown. Rochelle was teaming up with Road Warrior Animal and Heidenreich in a mixed tag-team match against MNM.
Rochelle became the manager of the new Legion of Doom since Heidenreich wanted to be Animal's tag-team partner for the Tag Team Championship match at the Great American Bash. This was after Heidenreich was attacked by MNM's Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury and Animal and Rochelle came out to save him. Two weeks later, LOD beat MNM to become the new tag team champions at the Great American Bash and they held the title since.
Rochelle was in the Women's Locker Room at the arena reading a magazine when Stacy Keibler and Christy Hemme came in.
"Hey, Rochelle," Christy said.
"Hey, Christy. Hey Stacy," Rochelle said.
"Hey, Rochelle," Stacy said. "What are you doing?"
"Just reading a magazine."
"You know, Rochelle," Christy said, "we've noticed that a certain animal has been flirting with you and I think you like him as well."
"Oh. So you've noticed that, too?"
"Yeah and I've been watching Smackdown a lot before I came here and I think that Dave really wants to go out with you," Stacy said.
"Well, I like him too, but..."
"But what?" Christy said.
"I don't think I ever told you guys this but my mom was abused by my dad years ago."
"Oh, my god," Stacy said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"It's okay. I really like Dave but I push myself not to have a relationship with him because I'm afraid he would turn out to be abusive like my father. That's the reason why I never had a boyfriend."
"Rochelle, don't think that," Christy said. "Dave's a really nice guy and I don't think he'll ever do anything to hurt you."
"Yeah. He really, really likes you and he's not the type of guy to hurt a girl," Stacy said. "Did Nicole and Delancey knew about this?"
"Yeah, they did," Rochelle said. "They told me the same thing you and Christy are telling me right now."
"Rochelle, just give Dave a chance," Christy said. "Let him show that he's different and how great he is. Hell, he is the World Heavyweight Champion."
"Yeah, you're right. I should let the past go and just move on with my life. I shouldn't punish Dave for what my father did to my mother."
Then, Smackdown was on and the first match was the mixed tag-team match between LOD and Rochelle versus MNM. MNM's entrance theme played and Joey, Johnny, and Melina came out from the curtain.
"The following is a mixed tag-team match scheduled for one fall," Tony Chimmel announced. "Introducing first from Los Angeles, California, Mercury, Nitro, and Melina, MNM."
MNM walked towards the ring and Joey and Johnny got into the ring first. Melina did her typical ring entrance and got inside the ring. Then LOD's entrance theme played next and Animal, Heidenreich, and Rochelle came out from the curtain.
"And their opponents, the team of Road Warrior Animal, Heidenreich, and Rochelle Kennedy."
Rochelle wore a red midriff tank top with black suspenders, and black pants. Animal, Heidenreich, and Rochelle walked down the ramp and all three got into the ring. They posed to the crowd with Animal and Heidenreich on the turnbuckles and Rochelle standing in the middle of the ring.
The referee called for the bell as Heidenreich grabbed Nitro from the outside and pulled him into the ring. Animal started off with a big boot. Heidenreich tagged in and nailed some left and right jabs and then a huge clothesline for two. Animal tagged back in and they nailed a double back elbow to knock Nitro down and then Animal scored with a clothesline on the corner.
Animal missed a splash in the corner and then Nitro went after the shoulder and tagged in Mercury who drove his shoulder into the turnbuckle. Mercury nailed some big kicks to the shoulder and nailed a cheapshot on Heidenreich on the apron. Nitro connected with the Snap Shot on Animal but the referee was distracted trying to get Mercury out of the ring and when he finally got to make the count, Animal kicked out at two. Nitro tagged back in and worked the shoulder of Animal in the ropes and then Mercury snapped it across the ropes and Nitro covered for two.
Nitro distracted the referee while Melina locked in a headscissors on Animal while he was in the ropes. Rochelle sneaked up on Melina, pulled Melina off the apron, and tossed her to the wall hitting her shoulder. Mercury tagged in and hit a double axe handle off the ropes onto the shoulder of Animal and then continued to work on his injured shoulder. Mercury scored with a neck breaker for another near fall and then went up top and dived off but Animal caught him and nailed a powerslam for two when Nitro broke the fall. Heidenreich came in to take care of Nitro, but Nitro backdropped him to the outside and then dived off the apron onto him but Heidenreich moved and Nitro hit the barricade.
Melina tagged in and dived off the ropes onto Animal, but he moved out of the way which got Melina falling flat on her face. Animal then tagged in Rochelle. Rochelle picked up Melina but the two tied it up in the center of the ring and Melina ducked down to the mat and rolled Rochelle over her head to pull her down to the mat. The two then locked it up once again and Melina took Rochelle down to the mat with an arm drag take down. Rochelle knocked Melina down to the mat and then she hit Melina with a standing moonsault. Rochelle went for a spinning side slam but Melina countered it into a head scissors to take Rochelle down to the mat and then she nailed Rochelle with a clothesline to send her down to the mat. Rochelle knocked Melina down to the mat and then she went to toss Melina all over the ring. Rochelle picked up Melina and hit her with a modified DDT. Rochelle tagged in Animal and he got inside to set up for the Doomsday Device. Animal got Melina on his shoulders and Rochelle went up top and they nailed it! Rochelle then covered Melina for the win.
"Here are your winners, Road Warrior Animal, Heidenreich, and Rochelle Kennedy," Tony announced.
Animal, Heidenreich, and Rochelle raised each other's arm in the air and they celebrated their win in the ring as Smackdown went to a commercial break.
Several minutes later after the match, Rochelle got dressed and left the Women's Locker Room to go to the catering room. On the way, Rochelle saw Dave walking and she smiled.
"Hey, Dave," Rochelle said.
"Hi, Rochelle," Dave said. "Great match tonight."
"Thank you. It was so awesome teaming with Road Warrior Animal of the Legion of Doom. When I hit the doomsday device, it was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and...it was amazing."
"Well, you did an amazing job. You were amazing tonight."
"Thank you again."
"You're welcome. Um, I was wondering if you're not busy after Smackdown tonight, would you like to go out with me?"
"On a date?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'll go out with you."
"Great. So, um, can I pick you up at your hotel room or do you want me to meet you in front of the Women's Locker Room?"
"Uh, you can meet me at my hotel room. I'm at the Westin Atlanta in room 513."
"Okay. I'll give you the details after Smackdown is over, but I will say, wear something really nice."
"Okay."
"Well, I gotta get ready for my match, so I'll see you later."
"Okay."
Dave smiled at Rochelle and Rochelle smiled at Dave. Then Dave walked away. Rochelle started walking again and she took out her cell phone from her little cell phone purse to call Nicole. She dialed Nicole's number and waited for Nicole to pick up. Nicole answered the call.
"Hello?" Nicole said.
"Hey, Nicole," Rochele said.
"Hey, Ro-ro. What's up?"
"You are never gonna guess what just happened to me?"
"What?"
"Dave Batista asked me out on a date tonight."
"No way."
"Yes."
"Oh, my god. I'm so happy for you. What are you two doing?"
"I don't know Dave had to get ready for his match so I guess I'll find out later after Smackdown is over."
"Oh, okay. Well, I'm gonna let you go, so have fun on your date tonight."
"Thanks, I will."
"Bye."
"Bye-bye."
Rochelle ended the call.
After Smackdown was over, Dave told Rochelle that he was taking her to nice Chinese restaurant and Chinese food was actually Rochelle's favorite food. When Rochelle got into her hotel room, she closed the door, put her bags on her bed and took out an outfit to wear on her date. It was a black halter dress and faux wooden slide in heels with a t-strap front. She then went into the bathroom to change and curl her hair. After that, there was a knock on the door and Rochelle walked out of the bathroom and headed over to the answer the door.
"Hey, Dave," Rochelle said when she opened the door.
"Hey," Dave said. "These are for you."
Dave handed Rochelle a dozen of long red roses.
"Awe, thank you," Rochelle said as she took the roses and smelled them. "Can you give me time to put these in water?"
"Sure," Dave said.
"Why don't you come on in?"
Dave entered Rochelle's hotel room and he closed the door. Rochelle grabbed a glass vase and went to the bathroom to fill it with water. She came out, sat the vase down on the nightstand, and Rochelle put the roses in the water.
"Okay, I'm ready," Rochelle said as she grabbed her purse.
"You look really beautiful tonight," Dave said.
"Thank you. You're always looking so hot yourself."
"Why, thank you. Shall we?"
"We shall."
Then Dave and Rochelle left the hotel room.
Dave and Rochelle went to a nice Chinese restaurant called Uncle Wongs. When Dave and Rochelle arrived there, they were seated, the waiter came over with their menus and took their drink order.
"So, Rochelle, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?" Dave said.
"Okay," Rochelle said. "Well, I'm originally from Jacksonville, Florida but now I live in Miami. I'm a former Miss Fitness America 2003 and an international fitness model and I've been doing that for a year and a half before I was training to become a wrestler. So here I am."
"Nice. A former Miss Fitness America and fitness model. That's hot." Rochelle laughed a little. "Tell me a little bit about your family."
Rochelle knew this would lead to the abuse of her mother by her father, but Dave was being so nice to Rochelle, she felt that it was time to open up to Dave about her past.
"Okay," Rochelle said. "I grew up in a bad neighborhood in Jacksonville. I'm the only child in the family and my parents are married. Well, I never knew my dad. He...would always...abuse my mom and she left him while she was pregnant with me. She told me all this when I turned sixteen. My mom and I were living with my grandmother and she all of a sudden got sick when I was two. She died three years later. She was abused by my grandfather but I never met him. He died a long time ago and I don't know when exactly. My mom was working two jobs to keep herself and me on the right track and then, she made a decision to go to school because she really wanted to open up her own fashion boutique. I've seen her designs, they're amazing. So now, she has her own clothing store in Miami and has owned it for 10 years."
"That's great, that's amazing," Dave said. "What about your dad?"
"Well, he was killed three years ago. Apparently, he had stolen money from my mother while they were together and it turned out to be $175,000. My mom was still living in Jacksonville at that time while she was getting her shop together and while I was attending college. And with that $175,000, she moved to Miami, reopened her shop there, and offered me a place to stay in the same luxury apartment complex where she's staying right now. I moved to Miami after I graduated from college and that's when I stared my fitness career."
"That's great that you and your mother are starting all over in a new place especially in your home state of Florida. I bet you were happy that last week that you got to come home to Jacksonville for Smackdown."
"Tell me about your family."
"Okay. I grew up in a bad neighborhood as well back in Washington, D.C. My mother was raising me and my sister for a few years there and there were always people getting shot. So, we moved to San Francisco and that wasn't easy for me. I was always cutting school and getting trouble a lot. So I moved back to Washington, D.C. and I lived with my father. He couldn't take any of my crap so I did what I wanted to do. But then, I took a job at the club Home, where we, John, Nicole, Shelton, and Delancey hung out after Summerslam last month, and that helped me get a new lease on life. I worked there for about 10 years before I became interested in wrestling. You must think I'm now pathetic."
"No. Absolutely not. You have something my dad and my grandfather didn't have. You had confidence. You had that confidence to escape the dark side just like my mother did and that's what made me like you even more. I mean that."
Rochelle put her right hand over Dave's folded hands and Dave smiled. Then the waiter came over with their drinks and Dave and Rochelle ordered what they wanted.
"Okay, a lighter note," Dave said as Rochelle giggled a little, "what do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I like to do karate, kickboxing, shop, and I also like to dance," Rochelle said. "Dancing is my passion."
"How long have you been doing that?"
"Since I was two. I've always took dance classes and I was also part of the University of Florida dance team on a scholarship."
"Wow, that's awesome."
"Yeah."
"Speaking of which, there's this club called Compound and I was wondering after dinner if you would like to go."
"Sure, I love to."
"Great."
After Dave and Rochelle ate dinner, they went over to the club Compound. When they got inside, there were a lot people were dancing, drinking, and having a great time. Then "Infatuation" by Christina Aguilera started playing in the background.
"Would you like to dance?" Dave asked.
"Sure," Rochelle said.
Then Dave and Rochelle went over to the dance floor.
He comes from a foreign place
An island far away
Intrigues me with every move
Til I'm breathless, I'm helpless
Can't keep my cool
Steals my heart when he takes my hand
And we dance to the rhythm of the band
Feel his fingertips grip my hips
And I slip as we dip into a state of bliss
Mama used to warn me to beware those latin lovers
Said I gave my heart too soon
And that's how I became your mother
Said ay mama, you seem to forget
I'm not in love yet
Sweet talk don't win me over
But I realize
Big brown eyes I'm hypnotized
When he says
I am full blood boricua
Read the tattoo on his arm
He tells me "Mami, I need ya!"
And my heartbeat pumps so strong
Getting lost in a ritmo
He whispers "Te quiero"
Te quiero
I begin to give in with no hesitation
Can't help my infatuation
It's pure infatuation
Skin the color of cinnamon
His eyes light up
And I'm filled within
Feels so good it must be a sin
I can't stop what I started I'm giving in
He brings life to my fantasies
Sparks a passion inside of me
Find the words and I cannot speak
In the silence, his heartbeat is music to me
Mama used to warn me not to rush love with another
Said I'm not trying to lecture
I just care about my daughter
Ay mama, you seem to forget
I never would never let
A man control my emotions
When he smiles
I feel like a little child
When he says
I am full blood boricua
Read the tattoo on his arm
He tells me "Mami, I need ya!"
And my heartbeat pumps so strong
Getting lost in a ritmo
He whispers "Te quiero"
Te quiero
I begin to give in with no hesitation
Can't help my infatuation
It's pure infatuation
Caught between my mother's words
And what I feel inside
Wanting to explore his world
But part of me wants to hide
Should I risk it
Can't resist it
This has caught me by surprise
Should I let him take me to Puerto Rico
I can't hold back no more
Let's go tonight
I am full blood boricua
Read the tattoo on his arm
He tells me "Mami, I need ya!"
And my heartbeat pumps so strong
Getting lost in a ritmo
He whispers "Te quiero"
Te quiero
I begin to give in with no hesitation
Can't help my infatuation
It's pure infatuation
Can't help my infatuation
It's pure infatuation (Infatuation)
"Wow, you were amazing," Dave said. "You are a great dancer."
"Why, thank you, Dave Batista," Rochelle said.
Then "Crazy for You" by Madonna started playing and Dave and Rochelle started to slow dance.
Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by Two their bodies become one.
I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
We're so close but, still a world away
What I'm dying to say is that I'm
Crazy for you,
Touch me once and you'll know it's true.
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new. You'll feel it in my kiss.
I'm crazy for you.
Crazy for you.
Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are.
Eye to eye we need no words at all.
Slowly now we begin to move.
With every breath I'm deeper into you
soon we two are standing still in time.
If you read my mind...You'll see I'm
Crazy for you,
Touch me once and you'll know it's true.
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new. You'll feel it in my kiss.
You'll feel it in my kiss..
because I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new. You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you
Crazy for you...Crazy for you
It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true, I'm crazy crazy for you
It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true, yeah, I'm crazy for you.
Crazy for you baby
I'm crazy for you...
An hour later, Dave dropped Rochelle at the hotel and the two were walking to Rochelle's hotel room. They stopped in front of Rochelle's door.
"Dave, I had a wonderful time tonight," Rochelle said. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Dave said. "So what are you doing tomorrow?"
"Um, I'm hanging out with Stacy and Christy tomorrow. Why?"
"Well, I was wondering if you just want to have breakfast with me in the morning."
"Yeah, sure."
"Great. So I'll see you tomorrow morning at 10:00 then?"
"Okay." Rochelle kissed Dave's cheek. "Good night."
"Good night."
Rochelle went to her hotel room and Dave walked away. As Rochelle got inside, she leaned on the door and took a deep breath.
"Oh, my god, Rochelle Marie Kennedy," Rochelle said to herself. "Dave Batista, he is without a doubt everything you want in a man. Tall, dark, handsome, confident, strong, suave, and oh-so-good-looking sexy." Then Rochelle plopped down on the bed and covered her face. "He is definitely the one I want and I know for a fact that he wants me too. Thank you so much Nicole, Delancey, Stacy, and Christy."
