Chapter VIII: Talk to the Man.
Raw Monday: 08-10-2001.
Valerie was not in a good mood as she got out of the Rock's car and walked onto the arena parking lot. She had been forced to find herself a new ride when her stepmother Sara had decided she was going to come to the arena as well. Valerie didn't particularly like Sara. She didn't know why, she just didn't. Valerie's mind continued to wander as she absently accepted the bags the Rock was passing her.
There had been a scene about a week earlier between Valerie and Sara where Valerie had wanted to go out riding her horse "Spitfire" early in the morning. Sara had apparently gotten the same idea and had insisted that she would ride Spitfire, thus a fight ensued. Valerie had always been good at persuading her father but whereas Valerie was good, Sara was better. Sara had gotten her way and as she sat on the horse ready to ride it looking all smug, Valerie had to fight down the astounding urge to grab her leg and throw her right back off again. As funny as that would have been, it probably wouldn't have done much for her father's mood and Valerie didn't feel like being grounded for 2 months.
And so the fights between Sara and Valerie continued with Sara usually winning them because of the interference of Valerie's father. Valerie often dreamed of having a one on one physical battle with Sara, she knew she could kick her ass in a second and the only thing stopping her was her father.
Today had been no exception. Sara had insisted on coming with and riding on the bike, Taker had agreed and so Valerie had lost once again.
Not that she would have gotten a ride from her father anyway. He hadn't said more than two words to her over the past few days and that was probably just as well since she didn't feel like talking to him anyway, not since that fiasco last Smackdown.
Valerie's blood boiled just thinking about what her father had done. Where does he get off telling her who to see and who not to see. Her uncle Kane had told her that he would talk to her father but here it was Monday and nothing had changed.
Valerie snapped out of her thoughts when the Rock waved his hand in front of her face. She looked up at him and saw him smiling at her. She looked around and saw that they were standing in front of her father's lockerroom.
"A little spaced out, huh?" Rock said.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Valerie said grinning.
"Don't be. I heard about what happened between your father and Jeff Hardy."
"Bad news spreads fast doesn't it?"
Rock smiled. "You really like Jeff, don't you?"
Valerie smiled shyly and blushed. "Yeah."
The Rock laughed and said, "Then why don't you talk to him?"
"Are you kidding me? My dad will kill him and then me if I do that."
"I wont tell him if you wont," Rock said, one eyebrow arched.
Valerie smiled. The Rock really was a great friend. "You really think I should talk to him?"
"If you don't, how is he to know how you really feel?" Rock said.
Valerie thought about that for a moment and realised her friend was right. "Thanks, Rock, you're the best."
She hugged him tightly and he said, "Just don't tell your dad what I talked you into."
Valerie laughed and broke the hug. The Rock left and left Valerie standing outside the dressingroom thinking. She had to talk to Jeff, it wasn't as though her father would notice her absence anyway. She turned around and walked into the dressingroom. She looked around, no one was there.
'That's good,' Valerie thought. 'That's all the better.'
She dumped her bags in the room and walked back to the door. Before she could exit however she was met by her father and – surprise, surprise – Sara.
"Where you going, Joyful?" her father asked.
Valerie frowned, he still sounded angry. It didn't matter, he had absolutely no reason to be upset with her.
"I'm fine, dad," Valerie said. "I got here just fine too."
He had the grace to look a little abashed at that.
"Where are you going?" he asked again, his tone slightly less confrontational.
"To the cafeteria," she said casually. "I'm hungry."
"I could get you some take-out," he offered.
"No, thank you," Valerie said, keeping her voice neutral as she walked past him. "I think I'll go out amongst the wrestlers, do some mingling."
Taker slowly nodded. "Alright, but be careful and if anyone gives you a hassle, come right back here and tell me."
Valerie's anger abated a little at those words and she nodded. Before she could walk out, Taker grasped her wrist and gently pulled her back, kissing her forehead before letting her go. A small smile appeared on her face for a moment before she nodded again and walked out, feeling slightly less angry. She turned the corner and just barely managed to avoid walking into a large man resembling a brick wall. She looked up and looked into the eyes of the last person she expected to see.