The next week I make as many appointments as I can so I don't have to be alone. Having almost a week off in our industry is a big luxury, and still I can't enjoy it. I've become used to having people around me 24/7, and an hour alone seems hard. I try to write in my journal again, since I've started wrestling I totally neglected my other passion, writing, as I am a journalist too and meet with my friends. I go to the beautysalon with Monica and get my finger and toe nails done in the prettiest pink I've ever seen and have a haircut. I visit some of my other friends, but while visiting them I still wish I was working. We've grown apart from all my travelling, I never go with them to a bar in the weekends because I'm out on the road. I can't call them each day, and out of sight, out of heart. I keep thinking about Maria and Mickie and all the other friends I have at the WWE, and how much closer they are to me now then Tommy, Barbara and Liz and everyone else. Finally on Friday I am alone with nothing on my hands. I sit down and try to be bored, just like before. You never realize how great the feeling is to be bored, to have really nothing to do when you experience it all the time. Lists of things to do still run through my head, I really want to watch the stack of dvd's I have bought and haven't seen yet, and I want to call my grandparents, aunts and cousins because I didn't talk to them for the longest time. I want to go shopping by myself because I haven't done that for so long, I want to go to the museum because there's an exhibition I really want to see, but most of all, I just want to do nothing and feel like there is nothing to do. I lay down on the couch and sigh a few times, but the feeling won't come. There are a million things to do, I don't know how to be bored anymore.
Suddenly my cellphone rings and I see it's Philip calling from his cellphone.
'Hey Kathy, how are you doing?' he says. I answer the usual and ask how he is.
'I'm fine, but I was wondering, I thought you were in town. Why haven't you come to our house yet? Or are you visiting Adam again?' he says. I sigh and am reminded of what I was trying to forget.
'Well, I had a bit of a fight with mom and I'm still kinda mad so I thought it would be best to stay away from her. But if you want to do something, you could come over? I'd like some company.' I tell him. He immediately agrees and tells me he will be there in half an hour.
I get up from the couch and quickly slip out of my sweatpants into a regular pair of jeans. I watch some TV waiting for my brother. When I hear the bell ring I get up and walk to the door.
'So what's the trouble between you and mom?' he says when we've sat down with a drink. I sigh and put up my troubled face.
'Same old shit. Doesn't approve of me being a wrestler, doesn't approve of me being with Adam, she wants me to settle down, get a "normal job" and just lead a normal live. I don't want to hear it over and over again, so I guess it's best I stay away from her for a while.'
'I know, she is a pain in the ass sometimes. I want to be a wrestler too, and she knows it, but everytime I come back from the gym she tells me I have to go to college and get a decent job. She says I have so much potential, I could be a doctor or a lawyer. I'd like that too, but what I'd really like is becoming a wrestler. She knows it all dad's fault, he taught us the greatness of it all by watching it all the time.' He says. I smile, I love him to death. I was really glad I could leave the house once I was 18, I love my mom, but she's too much to handle all day long. She just has too much time on her hands.
Eventually we go to the mall together and when we're walking in front of a piercing and tattoo place Philip begins to smile.
'You know what I'd really like? A small ring on the side of my lip. Mom and dad won't let me.' He says. I smile, being in the mood that I am right now.
'Come on, let's go in. You'll get one from me, you have to have permission from a familymember, it doesn't say it has to be a parent. I'll sign for it. You can blame me if mom and dad make trouble.' I tell him. He smiles at me and looks at me with joy in his eyes.
'That would be so cool Kath! Thanks so much!' he says and hugs me.
'Don't be happy now, I bet you don't dare taking the pain.' I tell him. I have had many piercings myself, but I've taken most out because of wrestling. I had a pierced labret, many earrings, bellybutton and tongue. All I have left are my nipples, but that's a little secret between Adam, Monica and me. She went with me when I got them and I haven't told anyone else, so noone else knows, unless they've seen them by mistake in the shower. We walk in and I sign some papers at the counter after showing my driver's license. We walk into the seats and Philip sits down on the big chair. A girl with blonde dreadlocks and big stretched earlobes comes up and puts on a pair of gloves.
'So, you want a ring in your lip? Do you want it left or right?' she says. Philip is looking kinda pale and is pointing to the left side of his mouth. I smile as I see him tremble and grab his hand while the girl is preparing everything for his piercing.
'You're gonna feel a sting and then I'm gonna put the ring in and you'll be done. Should I warn you when I'm gonna put it through?' He shakes his head and I see the needle go in, followed by a ring. He looks like he has just seen a ghost, but when she's done he smiles and lip-syncs thank you to me.
I pay for the piercing with my credit card and after the whole cleaning regime is explained, we walk out to McDonalds and order two large diet cokes.
'Thanks man, I love it. I'm not sure how I'm gonna get home, but I think I'll survive.' He says.
'Don't be too scared, they didn't kill me when I had my lip pierced while I still lived at home, they just didn't talk to me for a few days. But you'll survive, I'm sure. It looks great on you too! Oh and don't expect me to take you for 6 more piercings and big ugly tribal tattoos the next time. This was just once, you'll have to wait a few years before you can get another one without my consent.' I tell him and smile at him.
We shop around a bit and I buy some stupid purple tealight holders and a matching picture frame, but we just talk. I drive the both of us to my house where Phil gets in his own car. Before he leaves I wish him luck and tell him to call me to tell the reaction of my parents. I feel better after spending the day with him. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but giving Philip the piercing is kind off like a revenge on my mom. Now she has to feel bad, because she now has to worry about what the neighbours think of her when they know her only daughter is a wrestler with a boyfriend that has been married two times and her only son has a lipring.
I make a quick phonecall to Adam to update him on my life and go to bed because I´m really tired. The next morning around 9 I am woken up by the ringing of my cellphone.
'Heey sweetie.' I say in my sweetest sounding voice not checking the caller ID and assuming it´s Adam.
'Hey sis, since when am I your sweetie?' I hear the low voice of my brother answering. I start to blush and say:
'I thought you were Adam, sorry. How did the parental unit respond?'
'Like you said they would. They hated it, they stopped talking to me. I didn't tell you gave me permission, they didn't even ask. Maybe they think I can get pierced at 16 without their consent.' I say. I know I should be happy, but I feel the 15-year old girl awakening in me. I want them to be really mad at me, I want them to yell at me.
'If they ask, don't lie. I don't mind really.' I tell my brother.
'You want them to be mad at you right. Are you using this to get a bit of revenge on mom? Well, if you do, I'm happy your doing me a favour by doing so, but I really don't want to be involved. You have your own arguments with her, but while I'm still living in their house, I want to keep things liveable, because I don't want to fight all the time.' He says. I sigh, I know I shouldn't use him for my own good.
'I'm sorry. But atleast you look great now?' I tell him before we proceed our conversation to regular chit-chat.