Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training
facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely
for the use of this story.
Distribution: Ask first.
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Alyssa groaned quietly, hearing a soft knock on the door the following morning. "Mmm—wha'?" She murmured, forcing her eyes open for a short moment before re-closing them.
"Hey sweetheart." Danny spoke softly, as he pushed open the door, and walked over to her bed. "You're not lookin' too good." He spoke softly before offering a glass of orange juice and a few aspirin. "Here."
Alyssa mustered a small smile, sitting up in her bed, leaning back against the headboard and taking the aspirin that he'd offered. "Thanks, Danny." She spoke, her voice soft and still sleep-filled. "I was really stupid last night."
Danny shook his head slightly. "You were trying to work through your own stuff, in your own way."
"With alcohol?" Alyssa shook her head slowly. "Danny, I know better. I do. I know better than to do that. I just—"She let out a heavy sigh.
"Sweetie, we should've been there for you. Talking to you and not letting you drink that much. We should've been watching out for you."
"Danny, I really appreciate that you care about me... but it's my fault." She ran a hand over her face slowly.
"Are you in the mood for something to eat?" Danny looked down at his watch for a short moment before his eyes landed on hers. "Big, Dustin, Al, and Mark are gonna be over in about a half hour."
"Great." She whispered quietly, emitting a small, barely there breath. "Just great."
"They want to talk to you about last night. Dustin, Al, and Mark were there, and Big thinks he needs to be here to hear both sides of the story."
"I just—I hate that it's like that." Alyssa spoke quietly, slowly lifting her eyes to his. "If it had been a different party, if I had gotten plastered there. If I'd been anywhere else doing that, I wouldn't have to face up to them. I just don't see how it's fair that simply because they were there that there's going to be a freakin' meeting about it."
"Because—"Danny began before pausing for a short moment. "They're looking at—"
Alyssa shook her head quickly, hearing the doorbell. "They're early." She whispered quietly before carefully rising to her feet and pulling her hair sloppily into a ponytail. "Could you fend 'em off for a minute so that I can at least change out of this?" She motioned slowly to the pajamas that she had been wearing.
"Yeah." Danny placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you out there in a couple minutes." And with that, Danny disappeared into the other room.
"Oh, if this isn't gonna be a fun day." She whispered quietly to herself, letting out a heavy breath. She quickly slipped out of her pajamas and into a sweatshirt and a pair of loose jeans. After taking a couple more sips of her juice, she made her way out of the bedroom, her eyes scanning over the four older men.
"Hey Alyssa." Dustin spoke softly, his eyes resting on her, a tired look on his face.
"Hi guys." Alyssa spoke, forcing a small smile as she slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.
"Have a seat." Al motioned to the couch where he was sitting, with Dustin on the opposite side; Big and Mark both sitting in separate chairs, facing them. Silently, Alyssa obliged and sat between the two men. "We're here to talk to you about last night. About everything that happened: about your behavior. Big thought that it was important for us to bring it up."
"Alright." Alyssa nodded slightly, her head turned so that she was looking at Al. "I don't know what it is exactly, that you'd like me to say..." She spoke softly before looking down at her hands.
Mark lifted his eyes so that they were resting on hers before speaking. "Why do you think that any of your behavior last night was acceptable?"
"It's not—it's not about my behavior being acceptable." Alyssa began, forcing her eyes to lock on his. "It's about my behavior being human. I—I've been dealing with a lot of issues. We all know what I'm talking about." Her voice began to shake and she instantly looked down. "Maybe I went about dealing with it the wrong way, but I'm not perfect, and I never have claimed to be."
"Alright." Mark paused for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone is human, I can understand that. And I truly don't care for your reasoning to why you were drinking. But to drink so carelessly without making sure someone had your back. There are things that happen at those parties—"
Alyssa instantly shook her head as she listened to his words. She couldn't take this. She couldn't. He was sounding like... a father. "Please. Don't speak to me as though I'm child. I know how to take care of myself. I don't need you to speak to me as though—"Shit. She had to close her mouth. She had to stop running her mouth before she lost check of her emotions altogether.
"Look at me." Mark spoke slowly, watching Alyssa lift her head, her reluctance obvious. "As though what?"
Alyssa glanced at Al, and Dustin for some sort of help and found herself with none. Her eyes landed back on Mark's. "I'd rather not discuss this. I don't see why this has been blown up into a huge issue."
"You made yourself look horrible in front of several men in our business, and you think that we're blowing this out of proportion? You are making us seriously doubt how you will look to the press, to the fans. Either we have this discussion with your cooperation, or... there's going to be a lot for us to consider without your help. Now what were you going to say?"
Alyssa chewed on her lip, pinching the bridge of her nose, hoping to keep her tears at bay, looking to Al once more for help, and hearing him speak softly and with a seriousness to his tone. "Talk to him."
"I was going to say..." Alyssa began in a whisper, continuing. "I don't need you to—"
"Look at me." Mark reminded her, his tone not angry, but with the steady firmness that it always seemed to hold.
Alyssa gulped before lifting her eyes slowly to his, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I don't need you to speak to me as though..." Her eyes closed shortly and she wiped at her tear quickly, finishing what she'd been struggling with saying. "... as though you are my father."
Mark sighed heavily, running his hands over his face. "I thought we'd discussed this."
"I don't know the entire situation." Big spoke up after a moment, looking between the young girl, and the visibly older man. "But I think this is something that needs to be worked out. Talked out."
Dustin looked over at Alyssa finally, seeing the tired look on her face, knowing that it wasn't only from her over consumption of alcohol the previous night. Knowing that things had been wearing on her for sometime know. "Why did you feel like you had to do all that drinking?"
"Is this really a necessary conversation?" Alyssa spoke, her eyes landing on his. "You all know about what happened with my mother. You know about the situation between Mark and myself. You know that I've been stressed, and frustrated with things simply from the competition. I don't see why it needs to be talked about."
"Because obviously not talking isn't working." Dustin spoke, his voice soft.
"I'm fine. I talked to Danny this morning." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I'm fine. I'd really like to get showered and things before everyone starts showing up for the picnic today."
Al looked down at his watch. "Alright." He obliged with a small nod. Al's eyes locked on Alyssa's. "No drinking today for you, understood?"
Alyssa nodded minimally as she rose to her feet and whispered. "Understood." She turned to walk away, and paused for a minute, her eyes closed. "Th—thank you for caring enough... to take the time and talk to me. It means a lot." She whispered, and with that, she disappeared down the hallway.
********************
"You know, you've really got me thinkin' that you wished I hadn't come." Adam spoke from behind her with a grin.
Alyssa turned her head to look up at him, smiling slowly. "That's not it at all. I was just..." She trailed off slowly before shrugging.
"You were just sitting alone away from everyone else?"
"Pretty much." Alyssa nodded with a soft laugh. "Just sorting my thoughts out and all."
"Will a Sierra Mist help you with the sorting?" Adam asked her, seating himself in the chair beside hers at the small table.
"Yeah, I think it just may." She grinned slowly at him. "Thanks for all the help." Alyssa let out a soft laugh, slowly shaking her head.
"No problem." Adam smiled over at her. "Did you have fun last night at Oscar's?"
"Uhm..." Alyssa ran her hands over her face slowly at the question. "Well, to be honest... I-- a lot of not so great stuff went on last night." She explained carefully. "I mean the party was cool and all, just some personal stuff."
"Everything alright?"
"Nothing I can't handle." She assured him with a slow smile, pulling her hair back and putting it in a ponytail.
"As long as everything's alright." Alyssa gave him a nod before taking a long swig of her soda. "Hots and burgers are ready!" Al announced loudly.
"Let's get you something to eat." Adam smiled, pulling her chair out for her. Alyssa smiled gently as she rose to her feet, walking with him to the grill.
She took a deep breath before swallowing the lump in her throat. There he was, Mark Callaway. And his family. His family. How was she going to do this? How was she going to stay strong and smile, pretend this meant nothing to her? It was simple. They were leaving her no choice.
Distribution: Ask first.
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Alyssa groaned quietly, hearing a soft knock on the door the following morning. "Mmm—wha'?" She murmured, forcing her eyes open for a short moment before re-closing them.
"Hey sweetheart." Danny spoke softly, as he pushed open the door, and walked over to her bed. "You're not lookin' too good." He spoke softly before offering a glass of orange juice and a few aspirin. "Here."
Alyssa mustered a small smile, sitting up in her bed, leaning back against the headboard and taking the aspirin that he'd offered. "Thanks, Danny." She spoke, her voice soft and still sleep-filled. "I was really stupid last night."
Danny shook his head slightly. "You were trying to work through your own stuff, in your own way."
"With alcohol?" Alyssa shook her head slowly. "Danny, I know better. I do. I know better than to do that. I just—"She let out a heavy sigh.
"Sweetie, we should've been there for you. Talking to you and not letting you drink that much. We should've been watching out for you."
"Danny, I really appreciate that you care about me... but it's my fault." She ran a hand over her face slowly.
"Are you in the mood for something to eat?" Danny looked down at his watch for a short moment before his eyes landed on hers. "Big, Dustin, Al, and Mark are gonna be over in about a half hour."
"Great." She whispered quietly, emitting a small, barely there breath. "Just great."
"They want to talk to you about last night. Dustin, Al, and Mark were there, and Big thinks he needs to be here to hear both sides of the story."
"I just—I hate that it's like that." Alyssa spoke quietly, slowly lifting her eyes to his. "If it had been a different party, if I had gotten plastered there. If I'd been anywhere else doing that, I wouldn't have to face up to them. I just don't see how it's fair that simply because they were there that there's going to be a freakin' meeting about it."
"Because—"Danny began before pausing for a short moment. "They're looking at—"
Alyssa shook her head quickly, hearing the doorbell. "They're early." She whispered quietly before carefully rising to her feet and pulling her hair sloppily into a ponytail. "Could you fend 'em off for a minute so that I can at least change out of this?" She motioned slowly to the pajamas that she had been wearing.
"Yeah." Danny placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you out there in a couple minutes." And with that, Danny disappeared into the other room.
"Oh, if this isn't gonna be a fun day." She whispered quietly to herself, letting out a heavy breath. She quickly slipped out of her pajamas and into a sweatshirt and a pair of loose jeans. After taking a couple more sips of her juice, she made her way out of the bedroom, her eyes scanning over the four older men.
"Hey Alyssa." Dustin spoke softly, his eyes resting on her, a tired look on his face.
"Hi guys." Alyssa spoke, forcing a small smile as she slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.
"Have a seat." Al motioned to the couch where he was sitting, with Dustin on the opposite side; Big and Mark both sitting in separate chairs, facing them. Silently, Alyssa obliged and sat between the two men. "We're here to talk to you about last night. About everything that happened: about your behavior. Big thought that it was important for us to bring it up."
"Alright." Alyssa nodded slightly, her head turned so that she was looking at Al. "I don't know what it is exactly, that you'd like me to say..." She spoke softly before looking down at her hands.
Mark lifted his eyes so that they were resting on hers before speaking. "Why do you think that any of your behavior last night was acceptable?"
"It's not—it's not about my behavior being acceptable." Alyssa began, forcing her eyes to lock on his. "It's about my behavior being human. I—I've been dealing with a lot of issues. We all know what I'm talking about." Her voice began to shake and she instantly looked down. "Maybe I went about dealing with it the wrong way, but I'm not perfect, and I never have claimed to be."
"Alright." Mark paused for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone is human, I can understand that. And I truly don't care for your reasoning to why you were drinking. But to drink so carelessly without making sure someone had your back. There are things that happen at those parties—"
Alyssa instantly shook her head as she listened to his words. She couldn't take this. She couldn't. He was sounding like... a father. "Please. Don't speak to me as though I'm child. I know how to take care of myself. I don't need you to speak to me as though—"Shit. She had to close her mouth. She had to stop running her mouth before she lost check of her emotions altogether.
"Look at me." Mark spoke slowly, watching Alyssa lift her head, her reluctance obvious. "As though what?"
Alyssa glanced at Al, and Dustin for some sort of help and found herself with none. Her eyes landed back on Mark's. "I'd rather not discuss this. I don't see why this has been blown up into a huge issue."
"You made yourself look horrible in front of several men in our business, and you think that we're blowing this out of proportion? You are making us seriously doubt how you will look to the press, to the fans. Either we have this discussion with your cooperation, or... there's going to be a lot for us to consider without your help. Now what were you going to say?"
Alyssa chewed on her lip, pinching the bridge of her nose, hoping to keep her tears at bay, looking to Al once more for help, and hearing him speak softly and with a seriousness to his tone. "Talk to him."
"I was going to say..." Alyssa began in a whisper, continuing. "I don't need you to—"
"Look at me." Mark reminded her, his tone not angry, but with the steady firmness that it always seemed to hold.
Alyssa gulped before lifting her eyes slowly to his, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I don't need you to speak to me as though..." Her eyes closed shortly and she wiped at her tear quickly, finishing what she'd been struggling with saying. "... as though you are my father."
Mark sighed heavily, running his hands over his face. "I thought we'd discussed this."
"I don't know the entire situation." Big spoke up after a moment, looking between the young girl, and the visibly older man. "But I think this is something that needs to be worked out. Talked out."
Dustin looked over at Alyssa finally, seeing the tired look on her face, knowing that it wasn't only from her over consumption of alcohol the previous night. Knowing that things had been wearing on her for sometime know. "Why did you feel like you had to do all that drinking?"
"Is this really a necessary conversation?" Alyssa spoke, her eyes landing on his. "You all know about what happened with my mother. You know about the situation between Mark and myself. You know that I've been stressed, and frustrated with things simply from the competition. I don't see why it needs to be talked about."
"Because obviously not talking isn't working." Dustin spoke, his voice soft.
"I'm fine. I talked to Danny this morning." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I'm fine. I'd really like to get showered and things before everyone starts showing up for the picnic today."
Al looked down at his watch. "Alright." He obliged with a small nod. Al's eyes locked on Alyssa's. "No drinking today for you, understood?"
Alyssa nodded minimally as she rose to her feet and whispered. "Understood." She turned to walk away, and paused for a minute, her eyes closed. "Th—thank you for caring enough... to take the time and talk to me. It means a lot." She whispered, and with that, she disappeared down the hallway.
********************
"You know, you've really got me thinkin' that you wished I hadn't come." Adam spoke from behind her with a grin.
Alyssa turned her head to look up at him, smiling slowly. "That's not it at all. I was just..." She trailed off slowly before shrugging.
"You were just sitting alone away from everyone else?"
"Pretty much." Alyssa nodded with a soft laugh. "Just sorting my thoughts out and all."
"Will a Sierra Mist help you with the sorting?" Adam asked her, seating himself in the chair beside hers at the small table.
"Yeah, I think it just may." She grinned slowly at him. "Thanks for all the help." Alyssa let out a soft laugh, slowly shaking her head.
"No problem." Adam smiled over at her. "Did you have fun last night at Oscar's?"
"Uhm..." Alyssa ran her hands over her face slowly at the question. "Well, to be honest... I-- a lot of not so great stuff went on last night." She explained carefully. "I mean the party was cool and all, just some personal stuff."
"Everything alright?"
"Nothing I can't handle." She assured him with a slow smile, pulling her hair back and putting it in a ponytail.
"As long as everything's alright." Alyssa gave him a nod before taking a long swig of her soda. "Hots and burgers are ready!" Al announced loudly.
"Let's get you something to eat." Adam smiled, pulling her chair out for her. Alyssa smiled gently as she rose to her feet, walking with him to the grill.
She took a deep breath before swallowing the lump in her throat. There he was, Mark Callaway. And his family. His family. How was she going to do this? How was she going to stay strong and smile, pretend this meant nothing to her? It was simple. They were leaving her no choice.
