Becky couldn't take her eyes off of Sasha's retreating form. Brown eyes holding steady until the other woman disappeared from view.
"Well that was fun. Any chance we can have a normal day from here on?" Alexa's attempt to diffuse the tension broke the quiet spell that had blanketed them after Sasha's exit.
"What are you talking about?" Bayley sarcastically questioned. Letting her arm drape over the shorter woman's shoulders and begin steering her back towards the gym, "This is a normal day."
Charlotte watched Bayley march back down the hall with her blonde girl in tow, shaking her head at the brunette's words, but unable to really argue with her. It certainly seemed like this sort of craziness was becoming more common as of late.
She looked away from the new couple with a wistful expression. A part of her jealous of Bayley for finding someone to help share the insanity that was working in the WWE and trying to make your way up the ranks.
Her mind screeched to a halt when she turned her head and felt soft hair tickling her chin. A reminder of just exactly what and who her arms were currently full of. Unconsciously flexing her hands and feeling the hard muscles underneath soft skin that made her thoughts turn dangerous. A blush coming onto her cheeks that she was grateful Becky could not see.
She slowly lifted up the woman in her arms. Gently setting her onto her feet and letting go when Becky seemed stable.
"Thanks," Becky stated, feeling a bit awkward.
Charlotte waved off her concerns, "Don't mention it. Not like I would just let you fall," laughing a bit and trying to act as normal as possible. Not as if her heart hadn't been beating out of her chest with Becky in her arms. Her eyes trailed down the other woman's body with a mind of their own. Stopping their casual perusal when she spotted the blood and scrapes on Becky's knuckles, "Holy shit. You're hurt."
Not having felt any pain from her knuckles as of yet, Becky was taken off guard when Charlotte noticed and quickly gathered her hands. Strong, but gentle fingers curling around her wrists to pull the damaged knuckles closer for the blonde to examine.
"Need to clean this first," Charlotte muttered to herself. Not even asking for Becky's opinion before she was already pulling the other woman along. Using her gentle hold to steer Becky in the direction of the locker room.
After the short walk to the locker room Becky found her voice, "You don't have to do this. Its just a few scrapes."
Charlotte shot her with a sharp look but didn't reply. Pulling out an unopened water bottle from her bag and a soft white cloth. Turning around and walking towards the bench and sitting down. Expectantly looking at the woman still standing, "Sit."
Becky followed her over and sat down. Holding out her hands towards Charlotte and allowing the blonde to go to work. She could have cleaned them herself of course, but this did seem easier.
As Charlotte poured some clean water over her right hand and began to meticulously clean the dried blood off her knuckles, Becky studied her face. Noting the sharp jawline, set with determination and focus on the task at hand, and the piercing blue-green eyes that seemed endless as they stared down at Becky's hand.
With the initial cleaning done Charlotte dropped the red stained cloth onto her lap, running her fingers over the scrapes with the barest of pressure, "Does this hurt?" She questioned while increasing the pressure incrementally to the knuckle. Becky shook her head, "Good. You didn't break it at least."
Becky continued to shake her head as Charlotte applied more pressure. Narrowing her eyebrows in confusion as it began to actually hurt. Yanking her hand away from the blonde, "What the hell? That hurt."
Charlotte returned her anger two-fold, "I hope it did. Maybe that will knock some sense into you. Do you have any idea how close you were to getting kicked out of here? I know she's a bitch but if word got to the higher ups that you assaulted another wrestler, let alone Paige, there is a good chance you wouldn't be here tomorrow."
"She deserves far worse than what she got today," Becky replied. Her anger at Paige making it difficult to admit any mistake.
"You're right! She does!" Charlotte agreed. Shocking Becky by agreeing with her, "That doesn't mean she is worth it though. Not if it means you getting fired." Becky looked away and clenched her fists, "What did she even say to set you off?"
Becky opened and closed her mouth. The immediate honest answer ready to jump from her lips before she caught herself. Lying wasn't exactly her greatest strength so she decided to kind of tell the truth, "She was being a bitch to me and Sasha."
Charlotte raised her eyebrow. Unable to stop herself from shooting out, "Why would you care about Sasha?" Reprimanding herself immediately for letting her jealousy and anger get the better of her.
Stumbling to find a suitable answer Becky fumbled for a second, "I just— Just because she can be difficult doesn't mean she deserves Paige being an ass after she already dislocated her fingers."
Charlotte bit her tongue, "Fine. Doesn't mean you should just start punching."
"Fine."
The two sat in a tense silence while Charlotte went to work on cleaning the other injured hand. The formerly meticulous cleaning slightly quicker and less thorough.
When she was finished Charlotte let her grip fall away and loose contact with Becky. Already missing the warmth of her skin beneath her fingers, "Listen I'm sorry if you don't like what I have to say, but I won't let you sabotage yourself. I've seen how much you love being in the ring and I will be damned if I let you throw that away for that bitch."
Becky didn't know exactly what to say.
Charlotte looked down at the ground, "I also guess I kind of like having you around."
Her annoyance at the blonde calling her out seemed to melt away when she saw how hard it was for Charlotte to admit why she was so upset. She took a deep breath and felt some of the leftover tension from Paige's appearance finally slip away, "I'm sorry too. You were just trying to help me, and I treated you like an ass."
Charlotte dared to look back up. Smiling when she saw the forgiving and apologetic face staring back at her, "Maybe we both need to do things better next time. Lets just call it even and get back to the gym before Alexa and Bayley call a search party."
Becky laughed. The noise like a choir to Charlotte's ears, "We wouldn't want that now would we."
The two stood up in perfect synchronization. Charlotte's taller form seeming to tower over Becky as she shrunk away from the intense gaze the blonde pierced her with. A part of her recognizing the warning signs but ultimately ignoring them. Returning the gaze and finding herself lost in the sea of blue and green that pulled her in.
Alexa's words from earlier echoed around in Charlotte's head. Taunting her cowardly side until she finally gathered enough courage to act. The final image of Sasha's lips fused to Becky's being the tipping point, "You should go out with me tomorrow."
Becky had to blink several times. Her mouth suddenly dry as her body seemed to freeze at the offer, "What?"
"You should go out with me tomorrow," the repeated words spoke with even more assuredness the second time around.
The blonde's dazzling smile and hint of nerves pulled at Becky's emotions. She felt stuck between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to escape. Becky had always had a problem telling people no, especially when she knew that it would hurt them. Her mouth hung agape as she tried to think of a response.
"It's cool if you don't want to." Charlotte was quick to pacify her worry, even at her own expense, "Maybe I read things wrong but I thought you might want to try this out too." Her nerves more apparent as she continued to talk.
Becky's heart melted at the sight of Charlotte floundering. Guilt at being the cause of the blonde's distress weighing heavily. It's not as if she hadn't been interested in Charlotte, but she hadn't allowed herself to entertain those thoughts since she and Sasha had become a thing.
'She doesn't know that though.'
The Irish woman tried to shake away the thought as soon as it came. She had agreed to the rules, but Sasha hadn't mentioned anything about if they were exclusive or not. Was her assuming Sasha's loyalty naïve?
"It can just be as friends. No pressure. If something more comes of it great, but if not, I can at least brag that I was out with a hot Irish chick." Charlotte flashing her best puppy dog eyes and hopeful smile in Becky's direction.
A quick apology and gentle rejection was on Becky's lips, but she made the mistake of looking back into Charlotte's eyes. Falling back into the stormy oceans that stared back at her, "Okay. Just as friends."
The relief and joy that filled Charlotte's features was instantaneous. A brief flash of possessive anger crossing the blonde's face as her eyes drifted down to Becky's plump lips that were still slightly swollen from Sasha earlier kiss. "Great," she replied, forcing her eyes away before she did something rash.
Becky felt a tiny pit in her stomach begin to emerge as she thought about telling Sasha. Already dreading having to bring this up and defend her actions. She saw Charlotte's jaw tense before she looked away. Curiosity and kindness making her ask, "What is it Charlotte?"
"It's nothing," Charlotte declared. Although the fact that she wouldn't look back made it obvious she was lying.
Becky's clean hand moved to rest on top of Charlotte's. Squeezing the other woman's hand and saying, "Talk to me. Its obvious something is bothering you." Imploring her with her eyes to open up and get whatever it was off her chest.
The caring tone and soothing touch of Becky was both too much and not enough at the same time. Charlotte's gaze immediately returning to Becky's lips before she slowly leaned in. Giving the Irish woman ample time to pull away before their lips connected. Not pushing for anything more than the simple light peck that Charlotte gently placed. Pulling away and shyly smiling, "Sorry if that was too much. I just really wanted to get a kiss in, just in case you want nothing to do with me after tomorrow."
Becky felt her heart pull at the blonde's obvious nerves and she couldn't stand to see Charlotte feeling unsure of herself. Something about it just didn't sit right with her, "It would take a hell of a lot for me to want nothing to do with you. Honestly, I'm talking you suddenly telling me that this entire time you have been a puppy murderer, or some mob boss. That is the level of bad you would need to reach in order for me to just cut you out. Where else would I get my daily Flairy tale?"
Charlotte fought to control her laughter. The nervous butterflies that had been overwhelming just seconds ago flying away with Becky's words, "Flairy tale? Is that what you call me telling you how my day was?"
"Just when you got a good story."
"I see. I will make sure tomorrow night is a good story. Then I can tell you all about how I went on the most amazing date with this gorgeous woman the next morning."
Becky snickered, "Setting the bar awfully high there."
A wide grin spread across Charlotte's face. Her eyes gleaming with confidence, "I know." Becky raised an eyebrow at the blonde's bravado but Charlotte didn't elaborate further on her plans, "Let's get back to the gym. Race you there?"
"You go ahead. I'm going to throw some bandages and wraps on over this so I don't start bleeding again."
"Need any help with it?"
Becky waved one of her hands at the offer, "Nah. I can handle this. You just make sure Bayley hasn't called the police yet and filed a missing person's report."
The taller woman flashed a bright smile at Becky while she walked out of the locker room, "See you out there!" Her voice noticeably more excited and energetic than it had been all day.
When the annoyingly loud squeak of the door came to a halt Becky flopped back down onto the bench and dropped her head into her hands.
In the space of a minute Becky seemed to have picked up all the tension and nerves that Charlotte had just dropped.
Even though she had been able to rationalize it in the moment, her immediate thoughts went to how Sasha would take this.
'Surely it would have been more suspicious if I had said no. Right?' Becky's own thoughts betraying her when not even she believed her own words.
"Shit."
Becky rushed into action and pulled out her phone immediately pulling up Sasha's contact, finger hovering over the call button for a moment before she let out the breath she had been holding and let her finger fall down to the screen.
She pulled the phone up to her ear when she saw it connect and listened to the ringtone.
The hand not holding the phone nervously drawing a circle on her thigh.
Abruptly the ringing stopped after only a few seconds, "B—" the words dying before she had a chance to speak them when Sasha's voicemail message began to play.
Becky was a little taken aback that her call had been denied and pushed to voicemail.
'She's probably just driving and doesn't want to answer,' she told herself.
"Hey. It's me. I really want to talk to you. I'd rather not leave a message though so just call me back. Ok. Bye… Boss." Her voice dropping to a whisper at the end when she heard voices getting closer to the locker room.
Becky ended the message and hastily wrapped her knuckles. Pushing herself up and walking back towards the gym for more workouts and drilling.
Trying her hardest to distract herself from the sinister whispers that continued to taunt her decisions. The worst part being that Becky couldn't really argue with them.
She shouldn't be stringing Charlotte along, but her own inability to inflict pain on the blonde may inadvertently cause far more harm for her and Sasha.
It was just one date though. And Charlotte even said they could still be just friends afterwards, so that was all Becky had to do.
Just get through the date and then put the blonde down as lightly as possible.
Becky was pretty sure that, while Sasha might not be happy with it, Sasha could get over it.
The kiss on the other hand, was another story.
That was not a conversation the Irish woman was excited to have. Even if Charlotte had been the one to kiss her.
'You had time to stop her though.'
Becky groaned loudly and closed her eyes.
She peered back down at the phone and willed Sasha to call her back so that she could explain as quickly as possible and get the weight off her shoulders.
Unfortunately, her anxiety would only skyrocket throughout the day.
Every subtle look at her phone leading to disappointment when there wasn't a blinking blue light to indicate Sasha had made an attempt to get back to her.
It was around four when they finally finished up for the day and Becky broke away from the group. Waving goodbye to the other women as she walked off towards her apartment and whipped out her phone.
Her anxiety and worry had turned into anger towards Sasha for not returning her call and her brow was set as she once again called her girlfriend. Impatiently waiting as the phone continued to ring until the line was finally picked up.
Sasha stormed down the hallway towards the parking lot with an uncontrollable fire in her eyes.
Reaching her car finally gave the time to stop and think in some amount of privacy. Her mind replaying the last moments before she had made her exit.
'That was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid,' her internal voice raged at her reckless action. Kissing Becky like that was dumb and she should be above such pettiness.
As annoyed as she was at herself for letting Paige and Charlotte's sudden appearances rattle her, she was even more angry at herself for giving in to her emotions. After all, she had put the rule in place to begin with, yet she was the one who kept dancing closer and closer to the line in the sand.
Sasha gritted her teeth, a low rumble growing in her chest as her frustration grew.
The overhanging threat of Stephanie combined with being confronted with two people that she really wanted to punch had made Sasha weak. She had allowed her carefully constructed control to lapse in Becky's presence and fade.
If there was one thing Sasha hadn't counted on when she had first decided to pursue Becky, it was that she would actually enjoy spending time with her.
Her initial pursuit may have been motivated by Charlotte's apparent interest in the orange haired woman, but she had long since passed the point where that was an adequate explanation for why she continued to see her.
Sasha had only allowed herself to let down her guard a tiny bit because she believed it would help her get Becky into bed quicker. Just pretend she cared; let her in just enough to make it seem real, maybe give her a few compliments and she would have successfully taken something Charlotte wanted. Her real prize would have been to rub it in the blonde's beautifully smug face. It wouldn't have mattered if Becky wanted anything more to do with her as long as she got to get her pound of flesh from Charlotte.
The problem with letting her guard down was that Becky was the type of person who you wanted to let your guard down with. Her bountiful energy and positivity frustratingly addictive. The more time that Sasha spent trying to garner favor and get closer to her goal, the more she realized Becky was garnering hers without even trying.
Here they had been essentially going out for a few weeks and they hadn't even slept together once.
At least if they had been having sex Sasha could lie to herself and say she was just sticking around for her body and nothing more.
'What the hell am I doing?' She thought. Pissed off at herself for not having just seduced Becky and fucked her out of her system. But even more pissed off at herself for thinking that. Becky deserved more than her shit.
She let out a frustrated groan and closed her eyes, her head falling down to lightly rest against the steering wheel as her body tried to relax.
Feeling understandably overwhelmed by everything being sprung on her. The powerless feeling Stephanie had instilled eating away at her. A festering wound that only grew with time.
Sasha didn't know how long she had been resting her forehead against the wheel before her ringtone began to sound. Her phone vibrating in the passenger seat where she had casually tossed it. The picture of a leprechaun and the word 'Mine' shining on the screen.
Sasha swore under her breath. She still had to do a few things before their date tonight. Several hours ago, she had been so excited for what she had planned, but now a shadow seemed to hang over everything and she couldn't muster up the energy to deal with whatever Becky wanted.
Ignoring the voice that told her to just pick it up Sasha used her finger to decline the call. 'She will call again if its important, and I might be able to put together a sentence by then.'
Running one hand up through her hair Sasha sat back in her chair and started the engine. Pulling out of the lot and driving away without another thought to what Becky had been calling about.
When she made it back to her own apartment her eyes scanned the interior with a newly critical eye. Her suspicion that Stephanie may have her place bugged seemed logical given the lengths she had shown she was willing to go.
After the next hour the previously tidy and well kept apartment looked as if it had been broken into. Furniture tipped onto its side and drawers pulled straight out with their contents spilled without care. Lampshades pulled off and thrown to the ground in haste.
In the center of the chaos Sasha stood with a muted triumphant grin. The tiny black electronic device she had found in a vent that she held in her hand validating her paranoia, "If you can hear this Steph. Fuck you." Dropping the electronic onto the ground and stomping it to bits beneath her heel.
She had hoped that finding the device would have given her some closure, but it only fueled her paranoia.
It took another hour of searching every space, no matter how small, in the apartment for anything else till Sasha finally began to calm down and feel a little bit safer inside her place. Her continued search had not uncovered any more bugs, but the fact that Stephanie had been listening in on her for who knows how long didn't sit well with her.
She damned her fingers for not already being healed. Boxing had always been a go too workout for her to relieve stress and clear her mind, and she desperately needed that right now.
A ringtone she did not recognize began to sound from inside the apartment, making her paranoia rise momentarily before she recalled the phone that Stephanie had thrown at her earlier.
Making sure to take her time Sasha picked up on the final ring, "Who is it?" Sasha mockingly answered despite being sure who would be on the other side.
"That was an expensive piece of equipment." Bitter, angry silence following the McMahon's statement.
"You can afford it."
"… Don't make me do something I won't regret."
The phone call abruptly ended before Sasha could say anything else.
Sasha wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. There was a lot of things she wanted to do.
But she couldn't afford to fall apart. She had put herself in this situation and now inadvertently dragged Becky into it.
A tiny voice in her head chimed in, 'It's her fault. If Becky hadn't shown up none of this would have happened. I would be all set to go up to the main roster and Stephanie would have no reason to do any of this.'
Rationally, she knew that not being involved with Becky wouldn't have guaranteed anything. In fact, if Stephanie's own words were to be believed she had been on her radar for some time.
It didn't stop the idea from sitting back and sinisterly sowing seeds of doubt and misplaced resentment.
A car alarm from just outside startled Sasha from her thoughts. The alarm being disabled almost immediately and silence once again falling over the room.
She forced herself into action and began to slowly put her apartment back together. Hoping that the work would give her something to take her mind off of her situation for the time being.
While she put everything back in its proper place it seemed to work, but the second she had finished, and her apartment looked normal everything came flooding back.
She felt frustrated beyond all reason. Her life had been flipped upside down in the space of half a day and her normal confidence and poise felt just out of reach. As if she was locked behind a wall that couldn't be scaled. Slowly closing in on her and taking away any choice she had.
A sudden impulse to just throw the phone Stephanie had gave her into a wall overcame her. The phone that sat on her coffee table felt like it was grenade in the middle of her room. A symbol of how everything had gotten so out of hand that she couldn't get rid of.
Her stress only continued to rise as she paced around the space. Her gaze flicking back to the phone every so often, which only made her anger escalate each time. Building and building until she needed so form of release.
Unfortunately for her there was no easy way for that to happen right now. Her usual go to for relief being out of the question at the moment.
She ran a hand through her hair. Letting out a deep breath and pulling out her own phone. Glancing down at the screen she hesitated. Her doubts creeping back in, whispering that she was being weak to even think of calling Becky just because she was upset.
With a heavy sigh she dropped onto the couch and went to war with herself.
Without any real thought Sasha had pulled up Becky's contact information. Finger holding over the call button and stalling. Suspended in midair as she internally struggled with her desire for comfort and her inability to admit it.
'Just call her damnit.'
'You don't need her. Calling her would be admitting failure.'
Before she could think any better of it, Sasha hit the call button. Doing her best to satisfy both sides of herself by saying this call was just to set up tonight's encounter.
It certainly had nothing to do with her wanting to hear Becky's voice. It most definitely was not because Sasha needed help. That was something she couldn't admit. Even if just to herself.
The phone hadn't even connected yet and Sasha was already swiping to stop the call. Tossing the now dormant phone onto the couch next to her and leaning back in the cushions with her head in hands. Her uninjured fingers tightening into her hair till she began to pull at the roots. The sharp pain a quick way to ground her scattered mind.
She wasn't sure how long she had sat on the couch just staring at the wall, but it couldn't have been too long before her phone lit up. The text 'Mine' that displayed on the screen filled her with dread rather than happiness. Slowly she reached over and picked it up. Wondering if she should even answer in her current mood.
On her phone she saw that it was past four and figured that Becky must be leaving the Performance Center by this time.
Even though a part of her kept saying to just ignore the call she found her finger swiping to accept and putting the phone on speaker.
"Hello?" Becky's voice came through the phone's tiny speaker, "Sasha are you there?" She continued when no answer came quick enough.
"Yea. I'm here," her words curt and unemotional. Empty eyes staring up at the white ceiling.
"… When am I going to see you tonight?"
Sasha could easily pick out the anxiety and worry that underlined Becky's words. A combination of having spent enough time with her and the other woman being shit at disguising when she was upset, "Soon."
"How soon?" Becky asked, her voice dropping lower in volume despite them being on a phone, "I've got something I need to tell you, but I would rather do it in person."
"Six sound good?"
"Sure… Listen Sasha—" Her words cut off there. A brief pause and her voice started again, "I will just see you at six then."
"I will be there." Sasha almost cut off the connection, but had one more request, "Just meet me outside. I will text you when I'm close."
"I guess that works."
"Great."
"… Sasha?" No answer, "Boss?"
Sasha's heart beat against her chest. Every second of this conversation a struggle with the strong and unbreakable woman she thought she needed to be, and the one Becky had brought back out of her. The sad, emotionally compromised version of herself that she had tried to stuff deep down after Charlotte's brush off coming back at the worst possible time when she needed her Boss persona to help suppress the weakness that Stephanie exploited.
"…I missed you today. You doing alright?" The softly spoken words barely audible over the phone speaker.
Sasha could have cried at how frustratingly perceptive and caring Becky was, but of course, she couldn't allow it. Crying was like a neon sign pointing out, 'Hey I care' and the Boss wouldn't give in.
"You still there?" Becky's quiet worry seeping through the phone speakers into Sasha's ears. Sparking a need to assure the other woman that she couldn't hold back. Even if a large part of her knew it would be easier to just break things off with her now and get her off Stephanie's radar.
Sasha was selfish though. The thought of cutting things off with the Irish woman shooting a jolt of sorrow through her that she hadn't anticipated, "Sorry. I'm here… I missed you too."
If she wasn't on speaker phone Sasha would have smacked herself for admitting that out loud.
"I guess it's a good thing we are going to see each other soon," Becky clearly tried to inject some lightness into her voice, but Sasha could tell she was still worried about her, "Just give me a second I have to find my keys." The sound of Becky rummaging through her bag was easily audible over the phone, "Now where were we. Oh right, you were just about to tell me what was bothering you earlier."
Sasha shook her head in amused disbelief. Surprising herself when she felt a few tears begin to leak out against her wishes at how Becky was trying to make her feel better. She didn't feel like she deserved to feel better right now, but Becky did what she always did and found a way past her walls. If she didn't know it to be impossible Sasha could swear that the woman could read her mind sometimes and knew exactly what she needed to hear.
"I think that is something I would rather talk about in person."
"Great. We both have something to say. At least we won't lack conversation."
Even though she was the one who laughed Sasha didn't understand how she could possibly summon that emotion right now, "Always looking on the bright side."
"Its part of my charm."
"That it is," Sasha agreed. Unable to argue when the proof was right there with her.
"… That's odd." Becky exclaimed, but didn't follow up with any more information.
"What's odd?" A casual curiosity of what Becky would consider odd.
"Nothing big. Must of just forgot to lock my door this morn—"
"Don't go in there!" Sasha yelled as she sprung up from her seated position and grabbed the phone. Turning it off speaker and pulling it up to her ear.
"What was that Sash? I couldn't hear you. I think y- are- king-"
"Don't go inside! Did you hear me? Don't go inside! Fuck." The last exclamation more for herself than Becky.
"I'm ju- -na t- -ou -ack."
"What? Becky don't go in—" Her words cut off by the telltale beep of a call being disconnected, "Fuck!" She loudly swore. Immediately calling Becky back, but getting sent straight to her voicemail.
Panic rose through her as each of Stephanie's threats began to run through her mind once again. Worst case scenarios flashing to her mind that made it hard to think straight.
A sudden buzzing noise seemed to fill the quiet apartment. Sounding like a jackhammer to Sasha who whirled around to find the source. The phone Stephanie had given her vibrating on the wooden coffee table.
Sasha snatched the phone only to find not a call, but a notification for a text. She opened it without a second thought, figuring this was too much of a coincidence for Steph to not be behind. Which was only confirmed when she read the words on screen.
'Last warning.'
Sasha dropped the phone before she broke it.
She picked her own back up and called Becky once again. A small victory when it began to ring this time, but every second with no answer made it harder breathe.
"Hey, I was just about to text you back. Can you actually hear me now?"
Relief surged through her as Becky's accent flew into her ears. Sasha honestly felt as if she could sleep for days after just what has happened today. Her entire body felt tired and beaten down, "Yea I can."
"Cool. Did you have anything you wanted to say? Otherwise I really got to start getting ready if I am going to be good to go by six."
"You looked fine when I saw you earlier."
"I had just gotten my ass handed to me in the gym, and I was sweating like a pig. I'm not going out like that."
Sasha's ears perked up as the panic began to fade away when she listened to Becky's voice, "I wouldn't be opposed. The tight leggings and sports bra look worked for you pretty damn well earlier."
"You would say that. I'm going to go and get ready now. Not all of us had the luxury of sitting home all day with an injury."
"Alright, I know when I've overstayed my welcome. I will leave you too your unnecessary primping."
"You are so kind Boss." Sarcasm obvious from her tone.
"Don't forget it."
"Couldn't if I tried. See you in a bit."
Sasha quickly said her own goodbye and hung up. She slumped down into the couch and let herself just lay there.
Try as she might to relax, her mind was constantly spinning in circles and making it difficult to actually rest her body.
She threw a quick look at her phone and noted that she had an hour before she had to make it over to Becky's.
For the next hour she hardly moved. The couch not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but she didn't know if she had the energy to make it over to her bed. And even if she did make it over, she was unsure of how good an idea it was to lay down right now. She might just fall asleep with how exhausted she was but she needed to be awake for Becky.
She groaned out loud when calm still eluded her. The time on her phone passing by far faster than her body would have wished. Till it was eventually time to get ready and she had to force her exhausted body to pull itself up.
Working as quickly as she could Sasha pulled on some new clothes for the occasion. A simple sleeveless blue crop top that showed off her abs with a light jacket in case it got a little cold later, and a pair of jeans that she had caught Becky staring at her ass in.
A tiny smile creeping onto her face as she recalled the memory. She had been taking care of Becky during her little injury time out and had realized after the third request of Becky's to get something from the top shelf in her kitchen that she had been just making excuses to see Sasha get up and stretch.
Even though Sasha had caught on and teased Becky about it she had continued to get up for every stupid little request.
Now ready Sasha got into her car and took off. Pulling up in front of the shitty apartment building Becky occupied and feeling the bile rise back up in her throat at the stark physical reminder of her inability to protect someone she lov—… cared about.
'What was that? I don't love her. I can't.'
Any further introspection was cut short as Becky made her way down to car.
Sasha didn't think about it and jumped out of the car. Walking around the front and taking in the sight of Becky.
Sasha truly believed that Becky was beautiful with or without all the extra work, but she couldn't deny that the effort was worth it.
Her orange hair braided on one side while the rest cascaded down like dancing flames onto her bare shoulders. A tight tank top fitting snugly into the light and flowy black skirt that went down to her mid-thigh. Any makeup was minimal, which Sasha appreciated, and only highlighted Becky's natural beauty.
She opened the passenger side door and waited for Becky to reach her, "You ready?"
"Of course." Becky placed a kiss onto Sasha's cheek as thanks for opening the door and ducked inside.
After closing the door Sasha moved back into the driver's seat and took off.
Becky spoke first, "Can we find someplace private to talk first."
"That was already my plan." Sasha declined to elaborate further.
"Great. That's great."
It was all too easy to see that something was weighing heavily on Becky's mind. Her hands sat stiffly in her lap, and she refused to look at Sasha. Eyes glancing outside at the passing sights but not really seeing anything.
Sasha hadn't given much thought to what Becky had wanted to talk to her about. Consumed with her own thoughts and fear all day. However, now she began to worry.
'Did Stephanie talk to her? What happened? It can't have just been that kiss. I know it was dumb and I pushed her away, but she has to know that I didn't mean anything by that. Right?'
Sasha continued to try and come up with an explanation all the way to their destination.
The car came to a stop and Becky immediately recognized the place, "Here? How is this private?"
The bar that Sasha had brought her to weeks ago was busy. They had taken one of the last available parking spaces and the inside seemed to be filled to the brim.
"Patience is everything. Just follow me." Sasha put out her hand for Becky to grab onto. Holding her hand loosely and pulling her along.
For her part, Becky allowed herself to just be herded by Sasha inside. Pushing through the throngs of patrons until Sasha found what she was looking for. A man behind the bar who's face lit up when he spotted Sasha.
"You got it?" Sasha asked.
"Of course. You know I would do anything for you beautiful."
Sasha grinned when she heard Becky growl behind her but squeezed her hand in what she hoped was a comforting manner, "Well unlucky for you I'm taken. So, if you could just give me what I asked we could get on our way."
The smile never left the man's face. His boyish good looks and irritatingly symmetrical face got on Becky's nerves. If it wasn't for Sasha flat out telling him she was taken Becky was close to telling him off and getting unreasonably territorial.
From behind the counter he pulled out a key and handed it over to Sasha, "You know where it is."
"Thanks," Sasha said and walked away with the key and Becky in tow.
They went through a door that was marked 'Employees Only' and then up a winding staircase. Higher and higher until they hit a large door.
Sasha slid the key into the lock and turned. The large metallic click echoing in the cramped stairwell, "What your step."
With that said she threw open the door and walked out into the last rays of the sunlight creeping below the horizon. The sunset throwing a mix of pink and orange hues that made Sasha's already bright hair sparkle. The breathtaking sight stopping Becky in her tracks.
"Get out here." As soon as Sasha had noticed Becky hadn't came out onto the roof yet, she rushed to grab her hand once again and pull her outside to enjoy the setting sun from such a perfect vantage point.
She walked them both over towards a spot where a table and two chairs sat. A box and cooler sitting off to the side with a folded up blanket on top.
They both stared in silence at the sunset for a few seconds. Until Becky gathered up enough courage to start, "I don't want you to hear this from somewhere else. After you left Charlotte asked me to go out tomorrow night."
Sasha blinked, "Alright. I'm not happy about it, but I can't ask you to just avoid her forever."
"Really?" Becky said with astonishment, "You are fine with that?"
"Like I said, I don't like her but if you are going to hang out tomorrow night, I can't stop you."
Becky bit her lip in worry, "She didn't just ask me to hang out. She actually asked me on a date."
"Ok." The word sounded dispassionately flippant, but Sasha was finding it hard to put words to what she felt. Regret and fear choking her before the anger came in. It was always easier to be angry than to study why she was so upset by this. She had even know what Becky meant from the start, but had stubbornly been hoping that she was wrong.
Becky looked at her with her emotions bare and plain to see. A courtesy that Sasha was not currently sending back, "I didn't know what to do. You told me to act as if we aren't together in public."
"So that means you would have said yes right away if we weren't?" Sasha bitterly asked.
"What do you want me to say? Maybe yes. I don't know. I tried to get out of it, but she doesn't think I'm with anyone."
"Then just tell her you are." Sasha couldn't see what was so hard about that.
"I won't lie to her. She doesn't deserve that, and I'm horrible at it anyway."
"Then don't."
Becky mouth opened in shock, "What are you saying?"