It was the same thing for three weeks for Emily. By then she was having nightmares. For some reason management never bothered to ask her what she was doing. Why was she making all these men and women lose their matches just because she stood up on a ramp taking notes? Why should they care?
The words flashed in her head all of a sudden:
What if it was you?
Heh, the little voice was right. If Emily was in a match, and some other young woman came out and started writing, what would Em do? She would be curious. These men are just curious, but in a harmful way.
The next week she was put in a match against Gail Kim. Jarrett obviously asked management for that.
Obviously enough, she lost the match due to the interference of America's Most Wanted, and was bummed out by the loss. She stalked backstage afterwards, with a bruised hand and a busted lip.
She turned one of the doors leading down a hall, and slammed right into AJ Styles.
She looked directly in his eyes. Wow. AJ Styles. That was the one man she never took notes on, because she never felt the need to -- she didn't want him to hate her like the rest of them did. He was a hot shot in TNA wrestling though.
"Sorry," she said, and moved to get around him. He grabbed her arm gently.
"It's alright," he said, "but are you? You look pretty busted up; you need a drink or something?"
Emily blushed. She loved that Georgia accent. "A drink would be nice, but I don't want make you pay for it."
"I don't mind paying," he said, "so what do you like? Coke? Root beer?"
"Just water."
He bought her water and gave her ice for the bruise, and then he just left with a simple "bye". That was the first time someone had ever brought up a conversation with Em without mentioning the notes. She silently thanked him for that.
- - -
Next week she felt better and decided to not take notes on any matches. She kept the notes with her, however, just in case she heard any gossip from management or the athletes. She caught eyes with Styles about three different times that night – he even began to call her by her first name. It sounded good coming from his mouth.
After the show she went over to a nearby table to write some notes. She was barely there for a minute before a large hand grabbed the back of her head and slammed her face-first into the wall. The man pushed her to the wall with all his weight to the point where she could barely breathe.
James Mitchell appeared at her side.
"You think this is funny?" He said. "Do you get a kick out of interfering in Abyss's matches? You've been making him lose the last two weeks because of your damn distractions! What the hell are you writing on those notes?" The man squishing her, most obviously Abyss, let out a loud snarl near her ear.
Emily was crying.
"Tell him to let me go," she said. "I've seen him, I know what he's capable of, don't hurt me please--"
"Give me those notes," Mitchell said. "Give me the notes and he won't hurt you."
She retorted. "Let me go or you don't get any notes."
"Give me the notes or he never lets go."
She couldn't fight with that. She pulled the notes out and gave them to Mitchell grudgingly. He began to read through them, flipping through each page faster, seeming entranced in them, furious—
"Mitchell!"
He looked up at her. "Get your buddy here off me," she said.
He simply ran through the notes again, his eyes wide. After two minutes or so he shoved them in her face.
"This isn't funny!" He yelled, "You've betrayed TNA! Why don't you just get out of here and go to WWE if you care so much about them! Wait until the rest of the guys hear about this, it won't be so funny then."
He looked from the notes, to Abyss, to Emily. He whispered something to Abyss, who hadn't even gentled his hold on her. Then Mitchell walked off, leaving them two there. Abyss flipped her over and looked in her eyes like a crazy man. He grabbed her arm and twisted it to an odd angle. He continued twisting it with all his might until a stomach-turning crack came from her body. She let out a piercing scream and fell to the ground. He stared at her screaming, tear-stained face for a moment.
Then he just walked off.
- - -
Emily was at the hospital afterwards, with doctors leaning over her arm. Her elbow was nearly broken in two but thankfully it was only halfway broken. Her brother came to see her, but only stayed 15 minutes due to his work.
When he left, she never felt lonelier in her life, just sitting there on the bed in a cast, all the lights blinding her.
Then the door opened, and AJ Styles poked his head in.
Why is he here? She thought. Although she was grateful that she had company, he shouldn't care all that much if she broke her arm.
"You alright?" he said. "I heard Abyss broke your arm."
"Did they tell you?" She asked frantically. "Did they tell you?"
"Tell me what?" He looked confused, and by that she could tell he hadn't found out what she'd been doing. She sighed in relief.
"Nothing," she said.
"Well, I came to visit you because I knew no one else would," he said. "They don't seem to be fond of you these days, but personally I think you're a really nice girl."
She blushed. "Thank you. My brother came to see me but he had to leave early. I'm glad you came." She that he was going to find out what she's been doing someday, and that she would lose an only friend.
Emily stared into his eyes.
She, embarrassingly enough, wanted more than a friend out of him.