"Wow! Elyssa you weren't kidding when you said that Kaitlyn was good." Crystal said as they sat and watched Kaitlyn work on her vault exercise.
"Yeah she is definitley gonna make the Olympic team this year."
"I don't doubt that. She's very graceful out there."
"I want to be just like her when I grow-up. Bella say's that I show just as much promise as Kaitlyn did at my age."
"Now that's a great compliment to get."
"Yeah, it makes me wanna work harder."
"I hear from Matt that you are gonna be competing soon."
"Yeah next month! Will you come and watch?"
"Wouldn't miss it. Just make sure that you remind me so I can take that whole weekend off, ok?"
"Ok." Elyssa beamed.
"Jeff how did you get so lucky?" Shannon asked. He, Jeff, and Matt were sitting two bleachers behind Elyssa and Crystal having their own conversation.
"I don't know man. When I first met that girl she was a total and complete Ice Princess. I mean absolute Bitch!"
"I doubt that."
"No Shan seriously. Ask E. She was just so damn evil. She made Elyssa cry less than two minutes after meeting her. I laid into her real good but it didnt do any good. the same day I go to Al's to met Rex and Steve and who do I see in their hustling."
"Kaitlyn, hustling?" Matt asked.
"Yeah, she killed these three guys in pool. They got pissed and dragged her out of there. No body lifted a finger to help her. I was gonna let them take her but then something happened, she showed fear and I knew she was human. I kicked the guy's asses and drove her home, and believe me she fought me on that big time."
"Great first date story, bro." Matt joked.
"Yeah, the next time I saw her I kissed her and she slapped the taste plum out of my mouth."
"And that's when you knew it was love, right?" Shannon asked as he and Matt laughed.
"That was the same day that I asked you to pick up Elyssa for me so I could have my bike serviced, remember that?" Jeff asked Matt.
"Yeah." Matt said nodding his head.
"The shop I went to, Spike's, guess who worked there."
"Kaitlyn." Matt and Shannon said in unison.
"Correct."
"Wait so you're telling me that, that sweet, young, innocent, hot, little thing works on motorcycles and dirtbikles in her spare time?" Matt asked.
"First, I don't ever want to hear you talking about my girl like that and second yes that's what I'm telling you. Anyway I finally convinced her to have dinner with me and we talked. Really talked she told me things about her life that you only share with people you are close to, you know?" Jeff asked rhetorically.
"What did she tell you?" Matt asked curiously.
"If I tell you guys do you promise not to say anything?"
"You know we do, bro."
"I'll tell you but only to prove to you how strong and great Kaitlyn Ryan is." Jeff said before starting. "Her dad was a cop and was killed on duty, shortly after that her mom was so distraut she killed herself. After that she ended up with foster parents who beat and molested her."
"The people she went to see in Cary?" Shannon questioned.
"Yeah, the guy is dying and wanted to make amends. Kaitlyn thought that it was time to get over her past."
"Man, she opened up and told you all that after only knowing you a day and a half?" Matt asked.
"Yep! And that's when I knew that I could love her." Jeff said as he watched Kaitlyn now working on her Uneven bar routine.
"So what deep dark secrets did you share with her?" Shannon asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what he means, Jeff. Did you tell Kaitlyn about Mariska?" Matt asked his gaze intent on his little brother.
Mariska. That was a name that Jeff could have gone without hearing. Marisak Daniels was the love of Jeff's life. They were high school sweethearts and got engaged their Senior year. Jeff was wrestling alot while Mariska began her college studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. During her first semester Mariska found out she was pregnant and when things got too difficult decided it best if she dropped out. She and Jeff got a nice little two bedroom apartment and were doing great. Things were magnificent until the day that Mariska went into labor. There were complications and Mariska died in the middle of child birth. Their daughter, Olivia, lived three days in an incubator before she died too. Jeff was devestated. He wasn't sure that he wanted to go on knowing that the two people that he loved most in the world were no longer there, but he did go on and even though that first year was hard he never let it destroy him. Instead he wrestled all day everyday. The loss of his family was the reason he became so extreme in the ring. He just didn't give a damn about anything especially his own body. Alot of people drink away the pain, Jeff wrestled away his.
"No." Jeff said barely above a whisper.
"Why not?"
"I can't, Matt. I've tried to block that part of my life out."
"And I'm sure that Kaitlyn tried to block out her past also but she told you about her mom comitting suicide and her foster dad molesting her and god knows what else, and you didn't even try to tell her about Mariska. That's not right Jeff and you know it." Shannon said.
"And what did you say a few minutes ago. Kaitlyn went and saw her foster parents to let go of the past. Don't you think you need to do that?" Matt said.
"It still hurts so much." Jeff said almost in tears.
"I know it does bro, but don't you think Kaitlyn has a right to know?" Matt asked just as Kaitlyn was running up to the bleachers.
"Hi! You must be Crystal. I'm Kaitlyn." Kaitlyn greeted.
"I know, you were amazing out there." Crystal said.
"Thanks. Hey guys just give me ten minutes to shower and change and we can head to the movies." Kaitlyn said as she walked up the bleachers to sit beside Jeff. "Sorry I'm all sweaty." Kaitlyn said wrapping her arms around Jeff. "What's wrong?" She asked looking at Jeff then Matt then Shannon.
"Nothing. We were just having guy talk." Jeff said.
"You're blinking alot." Kaitlyn said looking at Jeff.
"Let's just leave it at nothing, ok." Jeff hissed bitterly.
"O...ok. " Kaitlyn said getting up off the bleachers. "Ten minutes." She said walking back to the locker rooms shoulders slumped and tears forming.