Chapter 3
The young Cody Rhodes continued to look at the young women in front of him. His eyes had widened in shock and disbelief at what was in front of him. He could feel the dirt and dust on his hand as he felt her hand hold his tighter.
Layla had long jet black hair but some of her hair was split at the ends. She had a filthy blanket covering the bottom of her legs and had a short patchwork skirt that had been sown together with lots of different types of old materials. Her stomach wasn't covered with anything and her breasts were only covered with an old rug that had been ripped in half. Despite her very natural pretty face it was hard for Cody to pay attention to it. Her face was almost grey with dirt. He could see that she had scratches down both her arms and on the back of her neck.
He felt her soft and dirty hand tug his a little. Her soft voice said "Are you going to sit with me then?"
Cody nodded his head and answered "Of course. I want to get to know you."
He carefully sat down so as not to remove her very fragile clothing. As he sat down her soft sweet voice said "Would you like to share my blanket? I don't want you to get cold."
His nervous voice quietly replied "No its ok. Thank you for offering though."
The sweet Layla answered "You welcome. I like you. You seem very kind."
Rhodes was still trying to get his head round what he was seeing. He replied "Thank you as do you." Layla could see that Cody was a little nervous.
He felt her hand hold his tighter. Her soft voice said "I am guessing you want to know some things about me."
Cody looked back at her and answered "I am a little curious to why you are down here."
He could feel her hand shaking a little. He rubbed his finger slightly on her palm and said "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Layla slowly started to rest her head onto Cody's shoulder. She gripped Cody's hand tightly and softly started to talk.
"I ran away from home when I was fifteen. My step father used to beat me. He and my mother would get drunk all night and then come home and turn on me. He would hit me with wooden spoons and umbrellas and my Mum would just laugh. Eventually I decided enough was enough and left. I couldn't go to any of my family because they had spread so many lies about me. So I just went out on my own. I had money for a little while what I had stolen when I left but then when that ran out I just lived on whatever I could find."
Cody was astonished. He felt a couple of tears fall down his face as he listened to Laylas heartbreaking story.
"I just go from place to place until I am found and then I move on. I have been here for around four weeks now. I seem to do quite well here. There is no shortage of left over pizza down here."
Cody's voice was a little croaky. He had never heard something so heartbreaking and upsetting. He said "Why haven't you gone to a homeless shelter or something?"
Her timid voice replied "You are the first person I have properly spoken to in over four years. After I ran away I just couldn't bring myself to let anyone near me again."
She felt Cody gently move her hand so she was looking towards him. He asked "So why are you talking to me."
Her eyes saw the few tears running down Cody's face. Her tormented eyes could see how much her story had affected Cody. She looked into his dark green eyes and replied "There is something about you. Something safe and gentle, I don't know what it is I just seem to trust you and I haven't felt that in a long time."
Cody felt himself shaking like a leaf. Meeting this girl had affected him in so many ways. His mind didn't know what to do; he didn't know how to react or what to say.
He felt himself bringing her dirty shoulders towards his and holding her tight. Her eyes looked up to him and said "You're holding me tight Cody. Why are you doing that?"
The volume of his voice was very low and quiet. He replied "I don't know. I just know that… I just know that I'm not going to let anything happen to you ever again."
Her voice sounded confused "What do you mean?"
His arms let go of her and he moved so he was sitting looking straight into her eyes. "I don't know I just….. I'm going to make things better for you I'm going to help you."
Cody tried to lift her to her feet but she bunched up and curled herself into a ball repeating the word "No"
The concerned Cody immediately let go of her and dropped to his knees. He softly said "What it is it?"
Tears started to fill the eyes of Layla. She replied "I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay here."
He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and quietly said "Ok that's ok. Please don't cry."
Layla started to talk in a frantic way "Promise you won't take me anywhere. Promise you won't tell anyone I'm here."
His hand gently took a hold of hers as he tried to reassure her. "I promise I won't take you anywhere and I promise I won't tell anyone you are here."
She tightly wrapped her hands around him and repeated the words "Thank you" Over and over again.
Cody hugged her back but let go as he said "I can't bear the thought of you down her cold and starving. So now you have to promise me something."
A look of concern came across her face as she replied "What do you want me to do?"
He looked into her eyes as his heart raced and replied "You have to let me look after you. I will bring you some clothes and a blanket and every day I will bring you food and water."
She softly answered "Why would you do that?"
He quickly replied "Because I know I won't be able to stop thinking about you."
Her face let out a beautiful smile as she answered "I like you Cody."
He smiled back at her and replied "I like you too. I'm going to get you some clothes and a blanket before my brother comes back."
Her face turned to panic again. She frantically said "Please don't tell your brother."
He reluctantly replied "I won't tell my brother. I won't tell anyone."
…
Angels bar was always a great place to be in the evening. It was a lively place with great people around. There was very rarely any trouble and if there was the intimidating bar owner Sheamus put a stop to it straight away.
It was a place where people could meet and have a good time. They didn't have to drink alcohol they could have whatever they wanted. All Sheamus asked was that they had a good time. His bar wasn't a five star place but it was always happy.
..
Sheamus shouted back to his kitchen "Daniel we need another Irish stew out here."
The pale Irish owner waited for a minute but still got no answer. He shouted again "Did you hear me?"
The chef Daniel Bryan replied "YES, YES, YES I heard you"
Sheamus turned back around to who he was serving. He politely said "Thank you it will be with you as soon as possible."
His eyes turned to the edge of the bar. He saw his friend Jeff waving his glass towards him.
He smiled "Another pint Jeffery."
The keen artist Jeff Hardy answered "You bet. What better way to spend an evening."
Sheamus laughed "Exactly and this ones on me. Call it a good luck drink for your interview Friday."
The charismatic Jeff put on an Irish voice and replied "Cheers then fella."
They both laughed as Sheamus handed him his pint. Sheamus looked towards the door as he saw it open. He smiled as he saw another two of his regulars AJ and Maria.
He cheerfully said "Hey there girls what will it be?"
Maria sweetly replied "I will have one of those lovely cocktails you make."
AJ followed on "And I will have double vodka and coke."
Maria rolled her eyes towards her friend worried what effect the drink might have."
The caring bartender looked towards Aj and said "Can I speak to you a moment?"
The tiny Aj replied "Sure" and followed Sheamus around the corner out of ears distance.
Sheamus rubbed his hand over the back of his bright red hair before saying "That guy you left here with last night was a jerk. He must have hit on three girls before he came to you and within an hour of talking to him he was leaving with you. I'm not telling you what to just want you to be careful."
Her head tilted to the side a little as she listened to Sheamus try to offer her advice. She replied "Thank you for your concern but I'm ok. I'm not here to meet any guys tonight I just want to have a good time with my friends." She hugged Sheamus to say thank you and they both walked back to the front of the bar.
Sheamus could see that Ashley was getting swamped with orders so he walked down to help her.
Aj walked over to the table where Jeff, Maria and now Candice and Ted were sitting. Jeff was showing Maria some more of his artwork that he carried around in his folder at all times. Candice and Ted were flirting with each other as if they had never met before. Aj couldn't take looking at happy people anymore. She got up and said she was going to toilet but slipped out the back door and round the side of the bar.
She walked as fast as she could away from the bar as she could. Her voice kept muttering as she turned back and forth. Suddenly she bumped into someone coming the other way.
The man's deep voice said "I'm really sorry."
She looked up and started to gaze into his eyes. Her eyes couldn't help but stare at the man as he looked back at her smiling. She nervously answered "its ok was my fault wasn't watching where I was going."
Before he could reply a smile came across her face as she randomly started to skip away from him down the road.
….
Sheamus handed a tray with two of his famous Irish stews to take over to a table. He glanced slightly towards the door as he saw it open again. His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief as he saw the same women that he had helped earlier walk through the door. However she wasn't alone.
The gorgeous and glamorous Trish Stratus was with her three very posh and rich friends. To her left was a tall Mexican man with overly gelled hair and wearing a custom made suit and gold watch. Holding is arm was a stunning brunette. She was wearing a white blouse and glasses with a black skirt and expensive high heels. To Trish's right was two extremely well put together women. One of them was an obvious sexy blonde who wore a very stylish and expensive dress designed by the biggest fashion company in France.
The four of them looked around the bar. Trish's three friends had a disgusted looks across their faces.
The brunette rolled her eyes towards her Mexican boyfriend and said "Alberto dear what are we doing here again."
Alberto Del Rio had a very strong Mexican accent "Trish wanted to come here Eve. I can't imagine why I feel dirty just stood here."
Their French Canadian friend Maryse followed on and pretentiously said "Trish darling why have you brought us to this revolting place?"
Trish turned to her friends "I just wanted to say thank you to the man who helped me earlier. I saw that he worked here."
Alberto pompously replied "You should have just thrown him a dollar that would have been enough."
Trish snapped "I know this place is just ghastly so I will make it quick."
She walked in a very posh way over to the bar and waved her finger towards Sheamus. He walked down the bar and said "Yes sweetness what can I get you?"
She disgustedly snapped "You address me as Miss Stratus and you can't get me anything. I just wanted to be courteous and say thank you for helping me with those irritating men earlier on."
The pale redheaded bar tender smiled and replied "You're welcome. Anyone would have done the same thing. Are you sure I can't get you a drink or maybe some food."
Sheamus had an unimpressed look on his face as Trish said "Eww no thank you there is nothing here you can give me that even comes close to the class I'm used to."
She shook her head with disgust as she walked back to her friends. Eve looked to her and said "Can we go now?"
Trish quickly replied "Yes with pleasure I can't believe he offered me food from this dump."
They all walked out of the door as Alberto made a point of loudly saying "I think I am going to need to disinfect myself when I get home."
Sheamus shook his head with a little laugh and said "What a delightful bunch."
He thought the worst as he saw the door open again. This time he was a lot happier. A lot of people in the bar shouted "Hey Randy."
Randy walked over to the bar and said "Hey Jaws I will have a whisky and a pint for my friend."
Sheamus laughed and said "One stop calling me Jaws I don't want these nicknames to keep catching on and two what friend?"
Randy looked to his left and saw that John wasn't behind him. The door opened again and John walked in. Randy said "Oh here he is."
John walked up to the bar "Sorry wanted some chewing gum." He looked towards Sheamus and said "So this place is haunted what's the deal with the ghost?"
Sheamus smiled and answered "I don't know you so I will allow you that one."
John laughed and shook Shamuses hand "I'm kidding Randy put me up to it."
People started to gather around the bar with Randy and John. Randy looked around and said "Oh let me introduce to you to everyone. That's Jeff, Maria, Ted, Candice, Ashley is the serving drinks and Jaws there is called Sheamus."
John shook all their hands and said "Pleased to meet you all I'm John, John Cena."
Ashley looked over to John with an approving smile on her face. Maria smiled sweetly but couldn't help look at John's massive arms and Ted tapped Candice on the back and whispered "Stop undressing him with your eyes."
The curious Sheamus asked "So what brings you here then John?"
John could feel everyone's attention on him. It is always that way when an unfamiliar person moves to a new place.
The muscular Cena "Well my brother and I have just moved here. We have moved into the Layfield apartment buildings."
Maria sweetly replied "Aww that's great that's where we all live. Well apart from Jeff."
Sheamus inquired "So have you come here for work?"
Luckily John didn't mind all the questions being directed towards him. He answered "Me and Cody just needed to get away from our family. I do have a job now though. Mr. Layfield has offered me a job as the handyman for the apartments."
Candice stroked her hair and seductively said "You can come fix me anytime… Oops I mean come and fix something for me anytime."
They all laughed apart from Ted who just felt rejected. Jeff stood next to John and said "Let me get you another drink. If you are living there looks like we will be seeing a lot more of you."
They all sat together at the bar ready to drink and get to know John.
There was suddenly a silence as they heard a voice say "I've missed this place."
They all turned around as they saw a beautiful blond women standing in the doorway holding a suitcase.
Maria and Candice ran over to her screaming "TORRIE IS THAT REALLY YOU?"
The stunningly beautiful Torrie Wilson answered "Yes girls it is me. I have missed you so much."
They hugged each other for a couple of minutes before Maria said "So what are you doing back here?"
Torrie let out a beaming smile and replied "Well I got my old job back so I wanted to come home. My boyfriend and I spoke to Mr. Layfield and he agreed to let me have my old apartment back."
Candice and Maria both excitedly took a hold of Torrie's hands and said "Wait you have a boyfriend do tell."
The gorgeous blonde replied "I can do better than that you can meet him."
She opened the door behind her back and called for her boyfriend to come in.
She held him close to her and smiled as she said "Ria, Candice this is Phil but I call him punk."
End of Chapter 3
So CM punk is Torrie's boyfriend. Jorrie fans please don't hunt me down and attack me with a stick lol. Just remember there is a lot of twists and turns to come yet lol.
I apologize if I upset anyone or annoyed them with Laylas story. Physical abuse is something that I am strongly against and I have reasons for that so I hope I haven't offended anyone with the nature of that storyline.
I have decided that I am going to turn this story into a sort of soap/sitcom.
Thank you very much for all the wonderful reviews and advice very much appreciated. I am really enjoying writing this story (Well I have updated 3 times in less than a week lol) and all peoples great support is responsible for that so thank you very much.
Hope everyone is well and everyone has a good week.
Take it easy
Matt