It Could Be Worse
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Notes: Hope you enjoy the chapter, and please review!
Thanks to: coors1977, Sassy, aussiewrestlingfan, Mrs. Orton 1048975, and Latisha C for the wonderful reviews!
Lita glanced at the digital clock sitting on the nightstand in the room, and turned back to the mirror in the bathroom, scrutinizing herself in the mirror. It was 8:25, and she had about five minutes before she had to meet Randy downstairs in the lobby. Throwing on some last-minute make-up, she eyed her outfit. A pair of low riding jeans and a tight lime green shirt...it wasn't exactly her forte, and especially in the mornings. At the reflexive thought that sounded through her mind, her hand froze, her grip on the eyeliner intensifying. 'I am not dressing up for Randy Orton!' she thought furiously. The redhead finished with the eyeliner, and unceremoniously dropped it on the bathroom counter. 'So why did I dress like this? If it was just another breakfast with one of the guys, or heck, a breakfast with anyone, I wouldn't spend more than ten minutes on clothes or make-up. What's the deal?'
"Ugh!" Lita groaned aloud, releasing that she was arguing with herself. She turned on her heel and walked out of the bathroom, tossing her duffel bag onto the bed. Her fingers curled around a baggy black sweatshirt, and she pulled it over her head. A quick glance toward the mirror through the doorway showed her that the ponytail she'd strived on had turned kaput. With an almighty tug, she took the elastic band from her hair, letting it fall. After running her hands through it a couple of times, she looked at the clock again, realizing that it was just past 8:30.
Moments later, Lita was in the elevator, pondering on how much slower things seemed when you were in a hurry. 'He can wait,' she told herself, but shrugged it off. She did like to be punctual... 'Yeah, right,' she thought, and sighed. It was true; Lita was punctual about getting on time about anything pertaining to her job, but besides that, she knew she was horrible. Again, the thought that it was more than breakfast with a friend tickled her mind. She made a face and squelched the notion.
She did not like Randy Orton; maybe as a potential friend, but there was nothing; nothing beyond that.
Randy Orton smiled when he saw Lita stepping into his view. She gave him a small little smile, and bowed her head a little as she weaved through the passing customers to him. "You look great," he wasn't sure what link in his brain had snapped and caused the words to leave his mouth without thinking about them first. He mentally smacked himself for the comment, but Lita took it in stride.
She laughed, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "Yeah, thanks, but I doubt it," she smiled, "Like I said, I'm not much of a morning person."
"Neither am I," he said with a smile, and they both hesitated for a moment.
"So..." Lita drew the word out. "You want to go grab a seat at the...thing?" she asked, motioning vaguely with her hand to the hotel dining area.
A lilt of a smile touched Randy's lips. "Well...the way I see it, we can eat at the boring hotel diner...or we can go to a local place and enjoy our time here."
Lita needed only to consider it for a second. "Let's go!" she announced a moment later, smiling brightly.
Randy smiled as well, and they both headed toward the door. "So how's life been with you?" he asked, not wanting their conversation to lapse into uncomfortable silence.
"It's pretty good," Lita answered smoothly, "You?"
"The same..." he trailed off as they pushed past the gold-painted doors to the hotel, and onto the street, a warm breeze curling around them before blowing onward. Randy glanced over at Lita as he tried to avoid getting bumped in the crowded streets. Cars flew by them, the noise constant in their ears. Lita stepped a little closer to him before speaking.
"Where do you want to go?" she yelled over the noise.
"The hotel manager said that there was a good breakfast place on the end of this street," Randy said back loudly. "How 'bout there?"
"Works for me!" she responded, and faced the six-lane street, knowing it would be a pain to cross. The two waited for two minutes, Lita going more and more impatient by the second.
"We should probably walk down to an intersection," Randy stated the obvious.
Lita sighed, and turned to him, a sudden light flashing in her eyes. "C'mon!" she shouted, grabbing his hand.
"W-What the—" he was jerked forward as Lita ran onto the street in a brief moment where the cars weren't so bad. Randy heard the screech of brakes applied suddenly once or twice, and he immediately started running with Lita instead of letting her drag him. A few seconds later, Lita faced him on the other side of the street, breathless and her face flushed.
"Now was that so bad?" Lita asked as soon as they both regained their breath.
"Yes," Randy answered immediately. "I really don't want to die, Lita," he told her, and she rolled her eyes.
"Stop being such a crybaby."
"Caring, loving Diva...yeah, right," Randy muttered to himself. Lita just rolled her eyes in response. They turned and began to walk up the street, taking in the lines of shops on either side of them. The redhead was consumed in her thoughts when she glanced down, and with a start realized that she and Randy were still holding hands. She immediately moved her hand from his, itching her forearm as a cover-up. She swallowed tightly as they reached the restaurant. Randy opened the door for her, and she smiled at him as she passed.
'Maybe he was right, after all... Maybe Randy Orton isn't just Evolution,' she thought to herself as the door closed behind her. 'I promised to give him a chance...and I'm doing just that.'
Randy and Lita looked around the place as soon as they sat down, taking in the diner. "Wow," Lita said aloud, her eyes trailing over the black and white pictures on the wall, "I haven't been to a 50's diner in forever." Randy nodded in agreement, and opened his menu after a minute, and Lita did the same. When they both decided on what they were ordering, they stacked the menus on the side of the table, waiting for the waiter to return.
"So..." Randy said, drawing the word out.
"So," Lita echoed. "What's the plan for today?"
"We've got a 12:30 flight to New York City, an autograph signing at 5:30 until 7, and a house show at 7:30 until 9."
"Fun..."
"Yeah... And we get a 5:45 flight out to San Francisco the next morning."
"More fun," Lita sighed. She loved traveling, but sometimes it took a toll on you. "Have you ever been to San Francisco?" Lita asked suddenly a moment later.
Randy blinked. "Yeah, we've stopped there hundreds of times."
"No I mean..." she sighed, and phrased the words, "Have you ever gone just to be there? Like, without the WWE en route behind you."
He shrugged. "I haven't really had time to do anything outside of the company," he replied.
Lita grinned. "Well, you're going to start now." Randy tilted his head, his brow furrowing.
"By that you mean...?"
"There are certain ways to squeeze things in between events," Lita said mysteriously.
"Yeah, but not when we have everything back to back..."
"Ah, and the rookie in you comes alive," Lita grinned. "Don't worry about it Randy. You'll see." Just as Randy was about to object, the waiter arrived to take their orders. Lita shot Randy a triumphant stare before ordering. He would just have to wait and see what was going to happen.
"I don't suppose arguing would do any good?" Randy asked as soon as the waiter left.
"Nope," Lita replied, grinning.
He laughed. "I didn't think so." Their conversation stemmed as they waited for their meals to arrive. Lita was finding that—miraculously—she was enjoying Randy's company. When she paused to consider the notion, the waiter was back again, waffles and pancakes in hand.
"Here is your food, ma'am, sir," he said, placing the plates in front of them. Lita smiled graciously, and he turned to leave. The waiter stopped halfway, and whirled to face the two. "Do I know you?" he asked suddenly.
Lita frowned, and then realized that he must've recognized them from T.V. "Are you a fan of wrestling?" she asked, a small smile on her face. A lot of wrestlers got tired of hearing things like this, but Lita never did. It felt like a personal victory every time someone saw her and recognized her—and liked her.
"Can't say that I am, but my son—that's where you're from!" he grinned, clapping his hands together.
Lita extended a hand toward him. "My name's Lita."
"Of course, of course... My son, he just loves you, says you're the best lady on the show, even if you're dating a mouse." Lita opened her mouth to question what he was talking about, and she realized the man's son meant Matt. She decided against clearing the air: that she was not, in fact, dating Matt, but decided not to. The waiter—Cliff, his name tag read—moved his eyes to Randy.
Randy smiled and extended his hand. "Randy Orton," he introduced.
Cliff's smile faded from his face. Randy's expression went slack, but he kept his hand out. Lita felt her back stiffen, but she didn't do anything. Tension sloshed through the air before Cliff spoke, his voice deep, "My son doesn't like you very much."
Lita bit her lip, suddenly realizing just how big of a man Cliff was now that the friendly smile was gone from his face. Randy slowly pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said evenly, tentatively.
"In fact, my boy don't like you at all," Cliff growled, stepping closer to Randy. One of his legs pushed the spare chair next to Randy aside. "He says you're a jackass."
"Excuse me—" Lita began indignantly.
"Shut up, woman!" he shouted, and Lita jumped the slightest bit. "This ain't none of your business! This is between me and the boy!"
"We came here to eat, not to get harassed!" Lita shouted at him, snapping her arm in a gesture, but he ignored her.
"C'mon, boy, stand up," Cliff hissed. Randy was twirling his fork in his hand, staring at it. His eyes were focused so intently on it, never straying once to Cliff. He was restraining himself from leaping up. Suddenly Cliff reached forward, grabbing Randy's shirt and yanking him to his feet. Randy looked over Cliff's shoulder, angering Cliff further. He faked a few lunges toward the smaller, younger man, but Orton didn't flinch in the slightest way. "What's a matter?" Cliff asked, shoving Randy back with his meaty hands. Randy took a step back from the blow, but nothing else. Cliff shoved him again. "What are you gonna do? You're all tough and shit on T.V., but you're really a coward!"
Lita grabbed her wallet and flipped a twenty onto the table. By now they had attracted a crowd. She could see the manager trying to squeeze through. "We're not here to cause trouble," she told Cliff evenly.
Cliff whirled around, and Lita fixed him with a steady glare. "Randy has done nothing to you. Now, he and I are going to leave. Please move," Cliff laughed, shuffling back a little.
"So you're dating two guys at once?" he asked nastily. "No wonder. I always thought that all of the Divas were whores."
Lita just gritted her teeth, and grabbed Randy's hand, gently pulling him along with her. Cliff knocked his shoulder against Randy's. "You sorry piece of shit," Cliff hissed at him. "Don't ever come back here, ya hear?" he shouted. Lita steeled herself, pushing past the crowd. A few moments later, she and Randy were back on the sidewalk.
"You okay?" she asked immediately, squeezing his hand.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied distractedly. Lita resisted the urge to return to the diner a step away and kick Cliff's ass. God knew he deserved it! The redhead looked at Randy, and saw the pain written in his eyes. In that moment, she found the answer to the question she'd been asking herself about him since yesterday.
Randy Orton was truly an entity outside of Evolution.