Chapter 17: The Locker Room
"So how was your romantic weekend then?"
"Oh... it was okay. I suppose."
"Only okay?"
"Yeah."
It was not the kind of response that Matt had been expecting upon confronting Randy on his return to the dressing room for the event scheduled on that night. He had been eagerly awaiting news of developments in Randy's relationship with Molly, but was to be disappointed.
"How about you?" Randy asked, with very little vigor or interest.
Matt wondered if he should answer truthfully, given Randy's downbeat mood. After a split-second to weigh up his options, he opted to tell the truth.
"It was really good thanks. We went bowling... Trish helped me to kick the other guys' asses!"
"Really? Great."
Randy's answer was completely devoid of any enthusiasm, which began to frustrate Matt. He was convinced that something was up and wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible.
"Have you fallen out with Molly?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Look at your face man! You look like a wet weekend... must be all that Minnesotan rain!"
Randy ignored Matt's chirpy comment, as he turned to check out his appearance in a mirror next to the lockers in the dressing room. His usual cocky expression and smooth facial features were nowhere to be seen, giving way to a dour grimace and bags under his eyes. He did indeed look like a wet weekend, although it wasn't because he had fallen out with Molly. They had enjoyed a nice break from their usual punishing schedule and he felt recouped and reinvigorated in preparation for his return to the ring.
"I'm just a bit tired Matt. Still fighting off that cold I had." he said, lying through his teeth. It felt easier to keep his best friend off his back, rather than skirt with the real reason for his tension.
"I guess that makes sense. Well, as long as you are sure... I mean, you can talk it through with me any time. If there is something bothering you?"
"I'll be fine. I just need to get back in the ring, and put a show on tonight."
He needed a distraction, anything, to take his mind off of the nagging thoughts in the back of his mind. The uneasiness made him feel nauseous, which was not ideal given the fact that he was due out in the arena in less than twenty minutes.
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"We watched some videos, and had some lovely meals together and sat outside staring at the stars all night... it was so romantic, I'm telling you."
"Bet it was."
"He's such an amazing guy to be around. I'm not sure I have ever been happier."
"Great."
As Molly enthused about her weekend with Randy in the diva's locker room, Trish stared glumly in the opposite direction, as her friend prepared for her first match on live television for a good few months.
"Things are really looking up for me... a match on Raw and Randy Orton as my boyfriend." Molly said dreamily, which stirred Trish to life in a flash.
"Excuse me?" she said, shocked to hear that Molly called Randy her boyfriend.
"Oh... sorry, I should have said. Me and Randy are official now."
"You're properly seeing each other?"
"I guess you could say that!"
Trish scowled, and felt anger gush through her veins at hearing that things were so rosy between them. Not only was she jealous of the attention Molly was receiving, but she knew something was going on in the men's locker room that could potentially undermine Molly's relationship with Randy. It didn't take Molly long to notice how perturbed Trish was by the news.
"Why the mad face? I thought you would be happy for me?" she said, disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm from Trish. She had half expected some cold body language after the way she had abandoned their plans for a girly weekend, but not the face of fury that was confronting here there and then.
"Huh... I am... I mean, great. Good luck to you." Trish said, trying not to burst Molly's bubble, but it was already too late.
"Yeah, yeah. Why don't you just tell the truth. You can't stand Randy and hate to see us happy together."
Trish refused to answer, as Molly's comment cut deep into her heart. After hearing Jericho and Christian's conversation, she badly wanted to warn Molly of the possible peril that lay just around the corner, but knew how much love had blinded her and doubted she would be receptive of any claim about the legitimacy of Randy's affections.
Molly had to leave the dressing room to head off for her match, but she decided to leave a parting shot before she did. She hated falling out with Trish and wanted things to be sorted out, otherwise their friendship would fall apart.
"I don't know what has gotten into you the last week or so Trish, but I don't want to fall out with you over this. Just please be happy for me, OK?"
Trish looked over towards Molly, who looked back hopefully. She considered the request for a moment, and then nodded meekly. She managed the semblance of a smile, before Molly shot a happy expression back herself. After the brunette had walked away however, the frown returned to Trish's face.
'I'll show her...' she thought to herself, as she began to concoct a plan to expose Randy Orton and what she considered to be a sham of a relationship.
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"Great match!"
"Thanks..."
As Molly returned through the curtains after a hard fought victory, Randy stopped her in her tracks with a tender kiss. She felt some discomfort in her lower back from a bump taken during the match, but the kiss helped to soothe her aches and pains. The soreness soon eased off, as she allowed herself to enjoy the moment with Randy.
Their actions took the crew in the immediate vicinity of the area by surprise, who clearly had no idea that the two were an item. As a few of them murmured between themselves, Randy turned to them to set the record straight. He was determined to shake off the blues that he felt in the dressing room earlier that night.
"Yeah, that's right guys... Me and Molly are going out with each other. Just to set the record straight, before you lot decide to spread any gossip."
His proud statement attracted some wide-eyed stares, but succeeded in halting any more nattering about what the staff had just witnessed. Some scurried for cover, others carried on with their duties. Molly, in the mean time, dragged Randy to one side to give him a talking to.
"So much for me worrying about us going public! What did you go and say all that for?" she said, perturbed by his openness.
"We shouldn't have to creep around, kissing behind the bike sheds. I'm not ashamed to be with you, and I don't see why I should be." he replied, defending his actions. The bet still lingered in his mind, but he had plans to resolve that situation later in the night.
"Maybe I just wanted to keep things quiet for a while." she said in return, with a hint of discomfort in her voice. Despite that, she didn't want to cause any trouble over it, "But I guess it is OK. People will find out eventually."
"Yes, they will. Easier for them to find out from us, rather than on the grapevine. Trish for instance..."
"Randy! Your music is playing... You wrestling tonight, or what?" shouted one of the agents at the curtain.
"Sorry babes, gotta dash. I'll catch up with you later!" he said, before darting off to enter the arena.
'Trish for instance...' Molly thought to herself, wondering why Randy had singled her out. She wondered whether Trish had clashed with her boyfriend at some point in the past, or maybe even that night. There was definitely some animosity between the pair that started to concern her. She didn't want to have to choose between her best friend and the man she loved so dearly.
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Trish hadn't been scheduled to wrestle during the evening, so she had decided to use her time at the arena wisely, whilst Molly and Randy were busy. Whilst getting a bite to eat in the canteen, she thought about doing a bit more detective work, to try and uncover exactly what some of the guys in the locker room were up to. Rather than blow her cover completely by confronting Chris Jericho and Christian about what they were discussing at the bowling alley, she opted for a different approach.
Her first port of call was to interrogate her colleagues Gail and Victoria. Whilst she didn't particularly get along with the pair, she had no problem heading over to the table they were sat at and making her presence known.
"Ladies." she said, interrupting the dark haired diva's who had been in the middle of a conversation. "Sorry to break up your deep and meaningful discussion there."
"What do you want Trish?" asked Victoria cuttingly, as though she knew the blonde haired vixen was after something. Gail mimicked her pal, as they both stared Trish down and gave her an inquisitive glance.
"Just a moment of your time... If that is not too much trouble?" she asked innocently. She pouted and put her hands on her hips, to show them that she wasn't that bothered whether they wanted to talk to her or not. After exchanging gazes, Victoria nodded her head to let Trish know that she was free to join them for a moment.
"So what do we owe this great pleasure?" Gail asked sarcastically. Vicky laughed along, but Trish was in no mood for frivolities.
"I'll cut straight to the chase. What is the deal with you and the two creepy little bastards?"
Gail and Victoria consulted each other again by staring at each other, and seemed to be bothered by Trish's line of questioning.
"Why is it any of your business?" Victoria replied.
"It seems a little strange to me. First Molly and Randy. Now you guys. All seems a little fishy to me."
"Aww... You're not jealous are you Trishy?" Gail cut back. Trish scowled, but had no way off fighting back against the Asian's put down.
"Yeah, you're only worried because your precious friend Molly is spending every second of every day with her sweet heart now. And you are left out in the cold, because nobody loves you! Poor, poor Trish." Victoria added, chuckling away to herself and also sending Gail in a fit of laughter.
"I might have known you two would be so childish about it. I think I'll find somebody with half a brain cell, who might actually see what I am getting at." Trish said, getting up in a huff to leave the table before she'd had a chance to settle down.
"You do that. I'm sure Matty will listen to you. After all, you two are so made for each other!" Victoria quipped, as Trish departed.
"I mean... How boring!" Gail joked, loud enough for Trish to hear.
"Oh... And by the way Trish..." Victoria shouted, grabbing the attention of the Canadian before she could leave the canteen, "Nothing is happening with us and those guys. We just had a bit of fun last week. You should try it sometime!"
Trish shook off Victoria's remark and stormed out of the canteen. As she made her way down the corridor however, something clicked in her head. 'Perhaps I should go and talk to Matt.' she reasoned, because he was the kind of straight laced guy that could help her unravel the mystery of Molly and Randy's hasty pairing.