Chapter 7: The only way to have a friend, is to be one!

"You're mean when your drunk," was the greeting she received the following afternoon when Punk opened his door.

"You're mean when your sober," she retaliated.

"If that's your way of apologising, I don't fancy your chances on been forgiven."

"I brought cinnabons?" She held her offering up for him to see.

"You may enter."

She made her way into his kitchen and set the box down on the counter before opening it up and handing him a pastry.

He took a bite then told her, "Best apology gift ever."

"I'm glad you like it," she took a breath, "Look I know you probably have a thousand witty comments that you need to get out your system in regards to the way I behaved last night…"

"One thousand and one…"

"Yeah yeah. But can you just, like, hold them in or something for two minutes so I can say my peace?"

He made a motion to say his lips were sealed.

"So…I know I was an outright cow to you last night and I was completely steaming drunk…I probably said some things to you that were completely out of line, especially when you were just looking out for me…so I'm sorry. I'm sorry for getting drunk and embarrassing you in front of everyone. And I'm sorry for being a bitch to you."

"Are you finished?"

"Yeah. Sure…Let the insults commence," she braced herself.

"So does 'bana know your in love with him or were you just sharing all your dirty little secrets with me last night?"

"WHAT? I'm not in love with Scott. What the fuck? No way did I say that!"

Punk collapsed into peels of laughter. "You said you "love Scotty"" he mimicked her dreamy like voice from the night before.

"Yeah as a friend," she huffed. "Doesn't mean I'm in love with him."

"You just like him more than me, right?"

"I like most people more than you Punk."

"Oh I know, you told me that last night too. Because I'm never nice to you, always swear at you and…what was it?….oh yeah…I smell like feet."

She cringed in shame as he repeated her drunken words.

"Oh my god, I'm sooooooo sorry."

"Forget it. I've heard worse about myself."

"So I'm forgiven then?"

"Only if you continue to bring me cinnabons for breakfast for the next week…no…wait….make it a month."

"Punk," she slapped his arm in exasperation.

"Ow, fine fine I forgive you."

She beamed, delighted that her little indiscretions had been excused and took a seat on his sofa.

"What, no hug?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"We made up. Don't I get a hug?"

"Uh…..we're not exactly hugging friends Punk. I can do a handshake?" she offered.

"You told me that you weren't sure you even liked me….." he stuck his bottom lip out.

"Okay okay," she got up and hugged him clumsily "Better?" she asked as she sat back down again.

"'Bana was right. Your nipples could totally cut ice sculptures."

He ducked as a missile in the form of a cushion was launched in his direction.

…...

Later that evening, as they were watching some of Punks old ROH wrestling tapes, Rachel's phone rang. After glancing at the caller display, a happy smile broke out across her face. She excused herself and went into Punks bedroom to take the call.

Ten minutes later, she returned, with the same grin plastered on her face.

"I take it from that goofy look on your face that a boy just called you?" Punk questioned her.

"It's called smiling. If it wasn't such an alien concept to you, you may not find it so "goofy". And no, a boy did not just call me. A man did." she informed him.

"Oh? And do I happen to know this man?"

"I doubt it. He lives on the other side of the Altlantic," she laughed.

"Ah. So, is this guy your boyfriend?"

"What? Punk, have you ever heard me talk about a boyfriend?"

"No, which is why I'm trying to work out why your currently grinning like a necrophiliac in a morgue."

"I so am not," she rolled her eyes, " I'm just happy to hear from him. It's been a while," she shrugged as she helped herself to more of the pizza they'd ordered for dinner.

Punks eyes narrowed, knowing that there was more to the story than she was letting on.

"Tell me," he whined, kicking her leg with his foot.

"Quit kicking me," she leaned over and slapped his arm. "And if you really must know it was my ex, Andrew, calling to let me know that him and a few other guys I know back home have all got try outs with WWE next month when they're on tour in Europe."

"You have an ex?" Punks eyebrows shot up.

"Uh…I have a few exes….Why do you look so shocked? Do you think that I've never had a boyfriend before or something?"

Punk gave his head a quick shake. "I guess I just never really thought about it. You never really talk about guys," he shrugged. "Actually up until last night when you were acting like Lassie on Viagra, I was pretty sure you played for Marnie's team," he teased her, referring to one of their colleagues at OVW who was a lesbian.

"Oh my god," she laughed loudly. "Just because I don't spend all my time talking about guys, doesn't mean I'm a lesbian. I don't talk about guys because I've more important things to talk about. And to be quite honest….I haven't really met anyone worth talking about recently," she told him.

"I'm just gonna go ahead and add on "with the exception of you Punk" to that sentence," he joked making her giggle.

"And I'm just gonna smile politely and let you believe what you want," she messed his hair, then got up and went to the bathroom. When she got back, Punk paused the tape they were watching and turned to her.

"So, tell me about this ex of yours."

"Why are you so interested?" she asked, her brow narrowed.

"Because I am. I just, sorta realised that I don't know all that much about you, despite you taking up what seems to be permanent residence on my sofa bed."

"Well, now you know that A) I'm not a lesbian and B) I like boys."

"And….." he prompted her.

"And…there's not that much to tell, Punk. I have a few exes. Who doesn't? I certainly know that you do because I work with most of them."

"I'm not that bad," he tutted.

"Oh really? Well lets see then….there's Kim, Tracy, Shannon, Brooke,…."

"Quit listing my failed relationships and tell me all about yours. It's only fair if you know mine, I know yours."

"You're not gonna drop this subject 'til I tell you, are you?" she groaned.

"Well I am the most stubborn person I know."

"Fine," she sighed as she gave in to him. "So, that Andrew guy that called? Well, he was like my first proper boyfriend. We met a few years back when we were both in training at FWA and dated for a while on and off for about three or four years. Eventually I left for a tour in Spain and when I got back he was with someone else."

"He cheated on you?"

"Nah, we're were on an "off" stage. It's kinda hard to have a decent relationship with someone when you're travelling here, there and everywhere."

"Sounds familiar," he nodded his head slowly. "Any other exes hidden in the closet?"

"Well, after Andrew, there was Mikey who was one of the bookers at BCW. He turned out to be a complete loser. Then a brief fling with this guy called Stuart who was a bare knuckle street fighter turned wrestler. But that ended when I left to go to Japan. Then I dated this guy Pac for a while…."

"Pac?" he interrupted her.

"It's his ring name," she explained, "His real name's Ben but I think everyone apart from his mother called him Pac, including his dad. You know….kinda like how it is with you," she smiled. "But then I left to go to Ireland so that ended."

"I see a pattern developing here."

"Just the way it is," she shrugged. "It wouldn't have worked with Pac and I anyway, he was like six years younger than me. I felt like a total cougar."

"Aw, but your dates would've been so cheap," he ribbed her, "Kids go free at the zoo, right?"

"Oh shut up…. He was a decent guy. He was really mature for his age."

"Yeah, that's the same excuse ten of thousands of child sex offenders have used as well. "I didn't know she was twelve, your honour. She looked and acted, eighteen"."

"And on that note….I think it's time for me to go home," she stood and got ready to leave.

"Oh, don't storm off in the huff."

"I'm not," she chuckled, "It's late and I really do have to leave. It's Beth's last night at the apartment and I promised I'd be there for breakfast before she leaves in the morning."

"Fine," he sulked, "But I'm not finished grilling you on this long list of exes you have,"

"Grill all you want. There's only one more to tell you about anyway."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Danny. He was the promoter at 1pw. Scott got us together."

"Cabana?"

"Yeah. Danny was sorta like Scott's parting gift to me. Scotty knew I liked him, so before he flew back to the States he told him. Danny took it from there," she smiled fondly at the memory.

"What happened?"

"I got my contract and moved here."

"You sure do leave a lotta broken hearts around the globe woman."

"Goodnight Punk," she gave him a sad little wave and left.

She hadn't let herself think about Danny in a long time but the mere mention of his name brought back so many memories. Out of all the guys she'd just told Punk about, he was the only one she had actually fallen in love with. Her first love. Her only love. It had taken a lot for her to leave him. He was the reason she had given her contract with the WWE a moments hesitation. For a few seconds, she wasn't going to sign. Just the mere flicker of a thought of having to leave him caused her heart to break. But as quickly as it had left, her common sense returned and she signed on the dotted line.

And now, he was nothing more than an addition to a list of her exes.