"Cut off the sleeves," Randy said.
He handed her a t-shirt and a pair of scissors. She did as requested and he put the t-shirt back on.
"Thanks, honey," he said.
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
"I think I might kill him tonight," he said.
"Roman?" She asked.
"No, I'm facing Seth tonight. That man doesn't deserve to live," he said.
He smiled at her and left the locker room. As soon as the door closed behind him, tears fell down her face. She picked up the pair of scissors and walked to the bathroom. She still had a hard time recognizing herself.
"This isn't you," she spoke to her mirror image. "This isn't fucking you. You are not Rosangela. You are Aster, so fucking be Aster."
She moved her fingers through her hair and found all the extensions put in there. With the help of the scissors, she got them all out. She smiled at her mirror image with the shoulder long hair.
"There you are," she said.
Her eyes dropped to her hand with the wedding ring. This wasn't her ring. There was never a wedding. It was all fake. Randy had photoshopped that wedding picture and put a ring on her finger without actually marrying her. She took off the ring, dropped it in the toilet, and flushed.
She heard Seth's song playing and she walked back to watch the screen. Seth had taken a bad beating for sure with the welts forming on his back, arms and chest, not to mention the blood that Randy had somehow drawn from Seth's back. Seth had still won though. Randy was making his way up the ramp and he looked just as bad as Seth. The camera zoomed in on Seth's face, and it looked like he was staring directly at her through the screen.
"I love you," she said.
Nothing had ever felt more real in that moment. It was like a floodgate opened and all her memories came rushing in all at once. She closed her eyes and accepted her head spinning like crazy.
"Look who's here to see you," Randy said.
She turned her head to the open door where Randy and doctor Ezra stood. Randy's smile dropped and he looked angry.
"What the fuck did you do?" He asked.
"I took out the extensions," she answered.
"How fucking dare you?" He growled.
"I am not your doll, Randy. I will never fucking love you. I love Seth. And my name is fucking Aster!" She said firmly.
"Oh fuck," Randy looked at Ezra.
"Guess we'll have to start over. I'll add some more electricity this time," Ezra said.
Before they could finish that conversation, she ran towards them and forced the pair of scissors into Randy's shoulder. He howled in pain while she pushed her way through the two men and bolted out of there. Randy pulled out the scissors and ran after her.
"Get back here!" He yelled.
She sprinted through the place as fast as she could. She needed to make it to Seth and Roman's locker room. She would be safe there. She turned the corner and saw Seth walking further down. He was leaving with his earplugs in his ears.
"Seth!" She screamed as loud as she could.
Arms grabbed her from behind. She fought back as much as she could but he was stronger than her. With one arm around her body and a hand covering her mouth, she was pulled back around the corner and out of Seth's view.
Seth stopped and turned around. Something felt off. He could have sworn he heard someone call his name over his music. He pulled out his earplugs and looked around but no one was there. Roman exited their locker room and walked up to him.
"Is everything alright?" Roman asked.
"I'm not sure. I don't think so," Seth answered.
"What is it?" Roman asked.
"I could have sworn I heard Aster call for me," Seth said.
"It's probably just in your head. You don't sleep well, and you miss her like crazy. Your mind could be playing tricks on you," Roman said.
"I know that but..." Seth took a step forward. "But it felt real, Roman. It felt really fucking real."
"Okay, let's go on a treasure hunt then. See if we can find something," Roman said.
Randy threw her inside his locker room. Before he could slam the door after them, she screamed even louder.
"Seth!" She screamed.
He slammed the door and smirked at her. No one would hear her now. He didn't know someone had heard her. Both Seth and Roman froze for a second, and then they started sprinting down the hall.
"Aster!" Seth screamed.
They turned another corner and stopped. She had to be there somewhere but all the doors were closed.
"All locker rooms," Roman said. "Which one could she be in?"
Seth started wandering down the row of doors with names on them. He stopped when he saw Randy's name.
"Randy motherfucking Orton!" Seth growled.
Randy lifted his fist and punched her three times quickly. Despite hurting her, she still kept fighting. His fist froze midair when someone knocked on the door. He placed a hand over her mouth and shushed her. She retaliated by biting into his hand as hard as she could. He screamed in pain and yanked his hand back.
"Seth!" She screamed.
Seth felt his heart beat faster. He could hear her on the other side of the door.
"Aster!" He screamed back.
"Seth! I'm in here!" She screamed.
Randy picked her up and hurled her into the nearest wall. The air was knocked out of her and she was left wheezing on the ground. He looked over at Ezra who seemed to retreat backwards slowly.
"Can you fight, doctor?" Randy asked.
"No," Ezra answered.
"Grab some of your shit and just put some needles in them then," Randy said.
"My medical gear is in the car," Ezra said.
"You're fucking useless!" Randy growled.
Loud thumps started sounding against the door. Roman and Seth were trying to break it down with their bodies.
"I need you to fucking fight, doctor!" Randy yelled.
"I can't!" Ezra yelled back.
A loud scream sounded. They hadn't noticed Aster had gotten back up and somehow gotten her hands on the scissors again. She jumped on Randy's back and stapped his other shoulder. The door broke down that same second, and Seth and Roman were met by the sight of her hanging there on Randy's back.
"My name is Aster!" She screamed.
Randy bent forward and she flew over his shoulder. Seth quickly grabbed her and pulled her up from the floor while Randy pulled the scissors out of his shoulder.
"I'm okay," she said. "Get him!"
Seth and Roman flew on Randy and Ezra. Fists came flying fast and none of the men had a chance of escaping. Meanwhile Aster got a hold of the scissors for a third time.
"Stop!" Aster yelled.
"I don't wanna fucking stop!" Seth yelled back.
"Hold him still," Aster said.
Seth held on to Randy's arms and watched as Aster squatted down and grabbed Randy's jaw.
"You had no right!" Aster said angrily.
"You're fucking mine!" Randy crowled.
"She will never be yours!" Seth snarled.
Hearing him say those words again made the final few pieces click. Randy had tried everything he could getting her the normal way. Seth had taken it to the ring and screamed those words at Randy after a brutal beatdown. Randy's pride had been hurt and he had taken things into his own hands and done what he had done.
"How long was I gone?" Aster asked.
"A month," Seth answered.
"You spent a month trying to fuck up my brain so bad to a point where I would be with you, and you still failed," Aster mocked Randy. "Because you'll never be fucking good enough for me, asshole."
Aster stabbed Randy in the throat and pulled the scissors back out. He struggled in Seth's grip while bleeding out. Roman yanked Ezra up and held on to him.
"What about this one?" Roman asked.
"The good doctor is a motherfucking sick doctor," Aster said.
Roman pulled Ezra over to her, and she sneered at the doctor.
"You fucked with my brain so now I get to fuck with yours," she said.
She stabbed the scissors into his temple. Roman let go of him, and the body fell to the floor. It looked like Randy and Ezra had fought and killed each other. Seth got up from the floor and pulled Aster into his arms. All three of them walked out of the room and closed the door after them. It would probably take a good while before anyone found them. Most people steered clear of each other's locker rooms. She looked at Seth and broke down in his arms. Both of them sat down on the floor in the hallway and cried.
"What did he do to you?" Seth asked.
"It was so fucked up. I didn't remember anything. His doctor friend fried my brain," Aster said.
"That's fucked up," Roman said. "And I hate to ruin the moment but we need to get out of here before anyone catches us at the crime scene.
Roman reached his hands down and pulled Seth and Aster up from the floor. They all hurried through the place and out into Seth's car.
"I need you to tell me everything," he said.
"I will. Tomorrow," she said. "Tonight I need to sleep."
"Should we invite Roman over tomorrow so you can tell us both at the same time?" He asked.
"Or I can stay the night at your place," Roman offered. "I'll run out for breakfast tomorrow."
"Yes, I crave croissants and bagels," Aster said.
Seth chuckled and leaned over to kiss her.
"I never gave up hope," he said. "I love you so much."
"You have no idea how much those words mean to me," she said. "I love you too."
