Chapter 13

Amy and Jeff looked at each other and then looked at Corinne who was
still sitting on the bed staring into space.

"Hey Corinne, what was that all about?" Jeff asked looking concerned.

"Umm, Steph just asked me if I wanted to play the role of her
assistant."

"You mean like the one on TV? The assistant that's going to take over
Steph's role as a wrestler?" Amy asked.

"Yeah."

"Whoa, this is, this is..." Amy began.

"This is awesome. So now you can travel with us and train with us and
just be with us all the time. That'll be cool. No more sitting alone
in the back for me..."Jeff stopped as he realized that both Amy and
Corinne were looking at him as though he had gone mad.

"Shut up Jeff." Amy said. "Cori, listen why don't we go downstairs and
talk about this. Let's go get some coffee."

"I wish I could but I really have to head back to school. I have to
think about this. I'll see you guys later." Corinne said as she
grabbed her bag and keys and walked out. Amy began to stand up but
Jeff pushed her gently back down.

"Let me talk to her alone Aims."

"Ok, but Jeff, please don't force her into anything."

"Hey Corinne, wait up." Jeff said, running towards the elevator where
she was waiting.

"Yeah?" Corinne said as she stepped into the open elevator with him.

"I'm really sorry about my assumptions back there. You know this is
totally your choice and that I would be happy even if you decided you
didn't want to take the role."

"I know Jeff, I understand." As they arrived to the lobby area, they
walked silently to the parking lot where her car was. She turned and
gave him a hug.

"I'll call you sometime this week okay. Take care. Bye." Jeff waved
good-bye and watched as she sped off into the night.

Later that night, when Corinne arrived back to the dorm sometime after
midnight, her roommate had already fallen asleep but, she couldn't. So
she grabbed the portable phone and dialed Amy's cell phone.

"Hello," answered a groggy voice.

"Amy?" Corinne asked tentatively, "Sorry for calling so late. I'll let
you go back to sleep."

"Cori? No no, wait don't hang up, I wanted to talk to you," Amy
responded sounding more awake.

"I'm really sorry that I woke you up."

"Oh it's okay, I had just dozed off. Don't worry about it. Now listen
I wanted to talk to you about this whole wrestling business," Amy said
concernedly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to do it?"

"I don't know. I'm really confused right now. I mean part of me wants
to do it. I mean this is a chance of a lifetime for me. I've always
known I've wanted to work for the WWF, but I mean this would totally
just immerse me in it. But I don't know."

"What's got you worried, like the physical part of it?"

"Well that of course, I'm not like you Aims. I've never trained for
anything in my life. Up until college I was overweight. It's taken me
almost four years to look like this. I should have known something was
up when Steph wanted to teach me how to take bumps."

"Wait, you were overweight? I would never have thought that, well I
mean when we were at the house you ran everyday. I thought you were
just like healthy like that."

"Oh no, definitely not. That running was so I can stay the way that I
am now."

"Wow. But then so what's the problem, losing that weight must give you
confidence right?"

"Well yes, but wait, no, because I don't know if I'm fit enough for
this."

"You are. If not yet you will be. Who'd they say would train you if
you were to agree to do this?"

"Nora."

"Nora's awesome. She's one of the best wrestlers and best trainers in
the business. She taught me a lot of stuff."

"Yeah, but I don't know. And I mean with school and all this going
on."

"Yeah, I was thinking about you and your school too. That's why I got
so mad at Jeff before. Because all I could think of was how hard you
worked for this."

"I know, but Stephanie was very understanding about that and said that
they would work with my schedule. But there's my family as well."

"What about your family," Amy said hesitantly as she heard the sudden
sadness in Corinne's voice.

"My dad isn't exactly speaking to me right now."

"What? Are you serious? Why?"

"Because I mean when I first interned for the WWF, he was proud of me.
He hates wrestling and anything to do with it, but I've always been
fascinated with it. I guess he figured I would grow out of it."

"And then?"

"Well, I didn't. And then I told him a few months ago and that I was
definitely going to work for them and that I was going to be traveling
and majorly involved. He got really upset and basically told me that I
was wasting my education and time. We fought about it and he just
stopped talking to me."

"And wrestling would?"

"I don't know. I mean if he was that upset with me just for working in
the company. What'll he say if I told him I was actually going to go
out there and wrestle?"

"Oh man, I understand. But seriously this is your life and, it's all
up to you Cori. I say give yourself a few days and if you ever need
me, I'm only a phone call away."

"Thanks Amy. I'll let you go back to sleep now ok. Bye."

"Bye."

Amy was just about to fall back asleep again when the phone rang.
Thinking it was Corinne again, she grabbed the phone and said, "Don't
worry Cor, everything's going to be fine."

"Cor? Did she call you?" Jeff said.

"Jeff?" Amy asked.

"When did she call you?" Jeff asked at the same time that Amy said,
"What do you want?"

"She didn't call me." Jeff said, and Amy smiled since she could almost
see the hurt and disgruntled expression on his face. "I'm her friend,
she should have called me for advice," he continued.

"Ok, listen I'm not trying to steal her away from you so chill. But
honestly, you're a little biased wouldn't you agree?"

"Biased? No, I was actually thinking that I really don't want her to
do it. See that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Jeff said. Amy
sat up in surprise.

"Wait, you don't want her to do it? What brought this change on?"

"I don't want her to get hurt."

"Oh, man. Can I tell you how strange you are? Wait hold on, there's
another call." She clicked over and heard Matt's low voice.

"Hey Baby."

"Hey sweetie, how're you feeling?" Amy asked concernedly.

"I'm alright, I can't feel my shoulders. I've had so much ice on it."

"I wish I was there with you right now."

"Well just two more days and then you get to come home too. We're you
on the other line, it only rang once."

"Yeah, I was talking to Jeff. But he'll hang up once he realizes that
I'm not switching back." Amy said.

"Oh, no don't do that. I actually just got off the phone with him.
He's feeling pretty badly about that thing with Corinne."

"Why? She doesn't care what he says, I told her this was all about
her. Her choice, her life..."

"Yeah, but you know Jeff, he'll go on and on about this, feeling
guilty and all that."

"Alright, well then I guess I better talk to him. Can I call you back
later?"

"No, you need sleep Amy. I want you to rest, you have a long day
tomorrow."

"But..."

"You're coming home this weekend right?"

"Yeah," Amy said despondently. She knew Matt was right but she loved
falling asleep to the sound of his voice.

"Then I promise you that I'll stay with you all weekend. We'll have
one of those weekends where we don't see or talk to anyone....not even
Jeff or at least try to have one...okay?"

"Ok, but I miss you."

"Miss you too baby. Now go and get some rest. Bye."

"Bye." Amy clicked over to hear Jeff singing Yellow Ledbetter, or
rather moaning off-key to the rhythm of Eddie Vedder's voice.

"Okay, I'm back."

"And I la la la....I don't wanna stay. Oh do you see it on the
porch...huh? Oh, hey Aims. Was that Corinne?"

"No. It was your brother."

"Oh, well so I was thinking, if she wrestles, she'll get hurt right?"

"I don't know Jeff, hmmm, do you get hurt?" Amy asked sarcastically.

"Well yeah, but..."

"Then I'd have to say that yes she would definitely get hurt."

"You wanna cut back on the sarcasm doomy Dumas, damn," an irritated
Jeff answered back.

"Ok, I'm sorry. I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

"But wait..."

"No Jeff, I'll talk to you about this later. As far as Corinne is
concerned, you can't make any decisions for her. Now you say that you
don't want her to wrestle and frankly, I don't think she should talk
to you until she's made the decision for herself. And don't call her
and try to dilute her mind with your insane theories and oh so
enlightening realizations such as, if she wrestles she might get
hurt." Amy said quickly and mockingly.

"But..." Jeff began.

"Bye Jeff." Amy said as she hung up the phone and went back to sleep.