Title: Wilson, NC
Author: Kaykyaka
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used within this fictional story. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made by this work of fiction.
Ratings: K
Characters: Lita, Edge, OC
Summary: There's a time and a place for everything, for Lita, that place was Wilson and the time was now.
Chapter 6: Showtime!
At the Boykin Center on Nash Street in front of a full house, Lita and The Wrecking Ball Crew took their place on the stage and got ready to perform their friend Ellie's play, 'Leaving Cameron'. Once the curtain was raised the audience was presented with a woman standing in the middle of the stage looking up at a huge sign saying, "NOW LEAVING CAMERON." One by one the five individuals standing on the left side of the stage and kissed Lita on the cheek but when it came to the last one she got a huge slap on the face and fell to the ground. Suddenly the stage was empty and a single spotlight shone down on Lita who was holding the side of her face.
She eventually got to her feet and addressed the audience:
"What do I know about life, I'm only fifteen?" That's what he asked me, what I know about life . . . this is what I know Dad. I know that I came to a town called Cameron and got slapped in the face by my best friend because of you. What you should have asked me is what do I know about happiness - absolutely nothing not after this and not ever again. Oh wait, wait I do know something about happiness: it doesn't last and that you would find some way to screw me out of it and BAM, you did, just like that. "We're leaving," he said. Where are we going Daddy? To where? Why? I don't wanna go! Jennifer's performing tonight I promised her! You can't do this to me again
I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU! Ever wonder how easy it is to break a promise? Try talking to a father who doesn't listen. Happiness is worth selling your only daughter down the river so you could add another trophy to your collection, just like I can add Jennifer to the collection of friends you've ripped from my life. You know what the worst thing is though? I'm leaving Cameron. The place where I got this haircut and who would've guessed that it would be the last time we would ever be civil to each other Dad. Things are gonna be different in Wilson though folks; no more doing things I don't wanna do, going places I don't wanna go and saying things I don't wanna say, today is the first day I take control of my life and the people in it starting with you Dad. So Jennifer wherever you are I pray that you did good, I pray that you blew them away with your awesome talent and I pray that you will find it in your heart to forgive me. Tonight I'm leaving Cameron but I'm taking the best part of you with me and girl that's a whole lot.
Lita walked off the stage with her head down leaving the wig she'd been wearing under the spotlight. The stage lit up and a huge wrecking ball swung through the NOW LEAVING CAMERON sign knocking it down to the ground. After the commotion The Wrecking Ball Crew returned to the stage and addressed the audience through a chorus:
Sometimes the past is full of joy
We can't seem to let it go
But when we move on time comes with
And brings us hope you know?
What matters most is what goes on
After we've been through it all,
If you're still blue just bowl things through
With a big ass wrecking ball!
Lita came back onto the stage and attempted to salvage the wrecked sign.
The Wrecking Ball Crew:
You've got to say goodbye!
Lita:
But I don't wanna say goodbye!
The Wrecking Ball Crew:
C'mon you've got to try!
Lita:
I think I'd rather die! You don't understand my life is here,
My friends, my life everything I hold dear!
How can you expect me to leave that all behind?
If I leave Cameron I'll lose my mind!
The Wrecking Ball Crew pick up Lita and she struggles to get free.
The Wrecking Ball Crew:
It's time to let go
Lita:
Put me down, put me down!
The Wrecking Ball Crew:
Say goodbye, say goodbye.
Lita:
Let me go, let me go!
The lights go down and when they come back up Lita is on the ground and the NOW LEAVING CAMERON sign is now replaced by a WELCOME TO WILSON COUNTY sign. The Wrecking Ball Crew returns to the stage this time with their hoods down and approach Lita but she backs off.
Lita:
Okay okay, I'll make my mark here. I just have to say goodbye to Cameron.
The Wrecking Ball Crew gestures to the crowd and Lita turns to face the audience. Suddenly she breaks down into tears:
Lita:
But I can't!
Lita collapses to the ground and The Wrecking Ball Crew all comfort her and the stage fades to black.
The audience broke out in rapturous applause as the house lights came up. Lita was shocked at the amount of happy faces she was seeing, it was so different from the regular crowd at Monday Night RAW. Although there were fresh tears on her face she couldn't be happier for Ellie and The Wrecking Ball Crew, she wanted to savor every minute of the appreciation for as long as she could. The Wrecking Ball Crew hugged her and she felt like a real star, however the real star of the show was standing on the side of the stage watching her work come together with Edge who felt like he had been knocked over with a wrecking ball. He patted Ellie on the shoulder, looking down he could see that she had been crying too and she wasn't acting at all.
"You did good kid," he said genuinely.
"Thank you Edge, your girlfriend was amazing," Ellie replied looking at Lita with adoration as she took another bow.
"She's not my girlfri- nevermind," Edge said.
"Just give her the roses already," Ellie said nudging Edge onto the stage. He motioned onto the stage slowly until Lita caught him out of the corner of her eye and then he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Ellie and stretched out his hand. Ellie looked at it a warm blush suddenly appearing over her face, she peered out over the audience and saw a few recognizable faces who were about to discover who that little girl in the country club really was. She bit her bottom lip and took Edge's hand and he walked with her out onto the stage. Lita hugged her and the other members of The Wrecking Ball Crew jumped all over her. The audience was still applauding figuring that the young girl on the stage who was being hugged left, right and center was Ellie. Edge hesitated at first but he finally looked up at Lita and smiled shyly at her. He handed Ellie the roses which she begrudgingly took thinking they were meant for Lita, Edge however had a better idea and took a single rose out of the bunch and handed it to his partner in crime. Lita looked at Edge thinking of something to say that would explain how romantic she thought the gesture was without giving him the wrong impression.
"This is the most romantic thing that's happened to me since I was dragged here against my will," she said and he smiled. Yep that will do it she thought.
"You were great," Edge said not saying anything else.
"I hope Ellie didn't mind me taking off that wig," Lita said freeing her hair some more, "I just had to be myself you know?"
Edge nodded, "Yeah, I do," he said finally realizing why Lita had been so mad at him recently.
"You do?" Lita asked suspiciously.
Edge hugged her with a sad look in his eye, "I never meant to trap you Lita but I didn't want you to go away, after all we've been through I hoped we could still be friends,"
Lita couldn't help but snigger at the second dramatic performance of the evening, "Can't breathe," she said gasping for air.
"I know I've been suffocating you," Edge said emotionally still holding Lita tightly.
"No Edge I really can't breathe you're holding me too tight!" Lita said a little more clearly.
"Oh," Edge said releasing her, "my bad," he said and was about to launch into a long speech about how much he valued their friendship but when he caught the mischievous glint in Lita's eye he realized he didn't have to and decided to tell her a different story. Looking up he decided he better tell her from the car, "I feel like we should be going soon, since we're about to be banned from North Carolina for life an' all,"
"Who by them?" Lita motioned towards the back of the theater where amongst the people who were leaving shuffled in four policemen, Doug, Harry, Missey, Darlene, Candy and Dionne from Aunt Sarah's Pancake House and Ed who had changed into his matching khakis and hat.
"Run!" The Wrecking Ball Crew shouted at Edge and Lita who shrugged and made a dash for the backstage exit.
"After them!" Harry instructed the cops who jumped onto the stage and chased Edge and Lita around the back. A few minutes later the cops re-emerged, "Well?" Harry asked impatiently, "Where are they?"
"They must have left the building, they sure can run fast," one of the cops answered almost out of breath.
"Well of course they can they're athletes!" Candy yelled out causing everyone to turn and look at her stunned and then burst out laughing.
"Athletes? What in the circus?" Harry replied and laughed even harder along with everyone else, except for Ellie and The Wrecking Ball Crew who were simply laughing at how dumb they all were for not knowing who Edge and Lita were. There was only one person not laughing, in fact, Doug has decided that he'd had enough entertainment for one evening and approached his daughter with no sense of humor at all.
"Everybody go home, show's over," he said flatly.
"And what a show it was!" Missey added to encourage Ellie to keep smiling.
"That's some talent you got there kid," said Darlene, "Right Harry?" she said nudging her husband who was less impressed.
"Sure but did she have to go blabbing about her father like that?" he replied.
"Harry it was only a play," Darlene said dismissively.
"No he's right Darlene," Doug agreed and stepped towards his daughter so that his shadow was cast over her, "Why didn't you tell me you had a play on at the Boykin tonight?"
"Dad I'm in a good mood, don't spoil it," Ellie answered.
"Why? Because that long-haired vagabond gave you roses?" Doug asked and suddenly everyone burst out laughing again including The Wrecking Ball Crew. Truth be told Ellie hadn't stopped smiling since Edge took her hand and lead her onto the stage.
"Well if you'd fix yourself up and wear a dress you wouldn't have to get the attention of a grown-ass criminal to get that sort of attention," Doug continued while everyone was still chuckling.
"Ha-ha Dad," Ellie replied swaying back and forth.
"No jokes Ellie, you're my daughter and I love you and I would rather have been here in the proper mind set than worrying if some rock n' roll looking punk had kidnapped my daughter," Doug said seriously.
"Dad you got your trophy and your daughter's a theatrical success, can't you take that as a sign that you should be happy?" Ellie said whimsically.
Doug stepped forward and took hold of his daughter's loose hand.
"Ellie, nothing in this world, not golf, not the country club or the trophies will take your place as the most important thing in my life. Please don't think you're ever not my number one priority in life because you are and I'm very, very proud of you,"
Ellie's mouth dropped open in shock, "You're what?"
Doug nodded his head a little smile turning up at the corner of his mouth, "You heard me you little punk. What do you say we go visit your friends back in Cameron next week?"
Ellie smiled widely at the idea of seeing Jennifer again then looked over at her Wrecking Ball Crew buddies and remembered the words from her own play.
"What did I say in my play Daddy, I don't break my promises and I promised these guys I'd go to Raleigh with them next week to see RAW,"
"Okay, as long as we're cool, are we cool Ellie?" Doug asked nervously.
"That all depends on what you say when I ask you to drop the charges against Lita and Edge," Ellie replied deviously.
"But they destroyed the town sign!" Doug pleaded with his daughter and the rest of the townspeople joined in with him yelling their town pride.
"Yeah and it took that one act of pure destruction to get you all riled up and look, here you are talking to me like a human being for once," Ellie replied and her father couldn't think of anything to say.
"I think not only should we drop the charges against Edge and Lita, we should get them to apply for membership to the country club!" Missey said and Darlene and Harry started laughing.
"I agree Douglas that girl's a trip, all that hair, she's so Hollywood, ain't nuthin' country about her!" Darlene said speaking of Lita.
"Lita's more country than you realize Aunt Darlene, she just has to decide how much of Cameron she wants back," Ellie replied then realizing she disclosed too much she tried to dumb her words down, "Or something," she said.
"Closing time folks, come back next week for our next production!" said a young man in a Wrecking Ball Crew t shirt.
"Oh my, what's that one gonna be about?" Darlene asked enthusiastically.
"A young waitress who spends her days seducing young men at the café where she works," Ellie answered giving a knowing glance over to Candy who made a zipping sign across her mouth.
"Come on guys, pancakes are on the house," Dionne said and everyone filed out of the Boykin marveling at what had been the most exciting day in Wilson County history for quite some-time.