A/N: LOOK!!!! I UPDATED!!!! GO ME!!!! lol Well, this was shorter than
I had planned, but I said fuck it. lol So here it is. I'll eventually
get to updating everything else..........EVENTUALLY.......no times table for that
anymore. And I'm off to see Godsmack, Ill Nino, and Dropbox on Friday.
WOOOHOOO So that'll be fun. And then we're goin to the beach, yes, the
beach in April. But it's got like stores and shit. And a tattoo
place...........hmmm..........maybe I'll get my eyebrow done if I have money. Guess
we'll see. ENJOY!!!
**********************
Hope smiled, sticking a pencil in her messy ponytail of black and hot pink hair. She picked up her sketch books and started down the hall of the arena. She nodded at a couple of the wrestlers and stage workers as she walked by them, but didn't stop to chat.
"Hope!" a voice called to her. She turned around and smiled at the silver haired man walking towards her. "Hope, can I speak with you for a minute?"
"Of course Mr. McMahon," she replied.
"Please call me Vince," he grinned.
She nodded at him and said, "Alright, what can I do for you Vince?"
"I'd like to talk to you about your job," he started. Her smile faded and she nodded for him to continue. "We think you're doing a great job in wardrobe, but I think I have another opening for you that you might be interested in."
"Oh?" she questioned suddenly intrigued.
"I've been talking to the writers and we'd like to write you into a storyline," he smiled.
"Oh really? Like just as an extra or something?"
"No, something more permanent. We'd like you to come in as a wrestler. Well, as your brother's valet."
"Oh, um, Vince, I don't know. Wrestling's not really my thing anymore."
"We have the perfect storyline for you. You'd come in and help Jeff win an important match and you'll start valeting for him. Then in time you'll be wrestling. I've seen your tapes Hope, you've got great mat work. I think you'd be a good asset to the roster."
"But the fans would get mad at me for being with Jeff. They'd get the wrong idea and start thinking I'm his girlfriend. I mean they already think that. But if I start working with him like that, it'll make it worse. I'm already getting dirty looks when I walk into the arena with him. They all whisper and stare, saying, 'Look, that must be the bitch that has stolen our Jeffy away. Who does she think she is? Dressing like him, dying her hair like his, I should be his girlfriend. I'm totally better than her.' I don't like hearing that stuff sir. And I think it'd hurt Jeff in the long run," she explained.
"You don't understand. We'd make it clear to the fans that you're his twin sister. There's no romance between the two of you," Vince laughed.
"I'm sorry sir, but I think I'm going to have to decline your offer."
"Please think about it. I mean you'd have to go to OVW and train a bit. But from what I saw on those tapes, you couldn't take too long to get back into the groove of things. I wish you'd just think about it."
"I've thought about it and my answer is still no. I just can't do it. It's not in my heart anymore," she shook her head.
"Well, alright, I can understand that. If it's not in your heart, there's nothing you can really do about that. Just remember that the offer is still there if you change your mind. Even if you change your mind 5 months from now. Just say the word and we'll work you in," Vince smiled.
"Thank you sir," she returned the smile and he walked away. As soon as he had his back turned to her, the sweet innocent smile turned into a frown of hate. She walked towards the men's locker room and knocked on the door roughly. It wasn't long before Shane Helms answered it in just his tights.
"Damn Hope, think you could leave the door?" he joked as he was suddenly pushed to the side.
"Where are my damn brothers Shane," she growled at the brunette who was stunned at the harshness of her tone.
"Catering I believe. Why? What's up?" he questioned.
"They're gonna die," she steamed storming off. He watched her walk off and shook his head before closing the door.
"I'd hate to be them right now," laughing he finished getting ready for the show.
Strands of her black hair flew back off her face as she raced to catering, ready to kill her brothers. She spotted Jeff first, sitting in the back of the room, tightening his ponytail of dark purple hair. She narrowed her eyes at him and secured her sketch pad in her hand. Her face set in a stone like stare, she walked towards him. Matt smiled at her as he sat next to his little brother, but soon his smile faded, seeing the death look she had on her face. Matt elbowed Jeff in the side and they looked up at their sister, fear in their eyes.
"Hey Bade, what's up sis?" Jeff asked a fearful smile on his face. She growled lowly and whapped them both in the head with her sketch pad.
"You asses!" she exclaimed as they rubbed their heads simultaneously.
"What the hell did we do?!" Matt yelled.
"What right do you have to talk to Vince about me being a wrestler?!"
"Whoa, we did no such thing!" Jeff replied as Bade placed her hands down roughly on the table and leaned in towards them.
"Bull shit! This has your finger prints ALL over it!"
"We didn't do anything! We swear!" Matt insisted.
"Then explain to me why Vince saw my wrestling tapes and thought I'd want to be a wrestler and be in Team Extreme," she grinned sarcastically and sat down in the chair facing her brothers. She crossed her arms over the long sleeved Pearl Jam shirt she wore.
"We don't know. Maybe the Easter Bunny gave them to him?" Jeff shrugged with a goofy smile.
"Would this Easter Bunny have really dark long brown hair and brown eyes and a little rainbow colored chick as his sidekick?" Hope questioned.
"Chick?! You callin me a chick?!" Jeff squealed. Matt's mouth dropped open as he went to wrap his hands around his little brother's throat.
"Thank you Jeff, I knew I could count on you to blow your covers," Hope laughed. "Now explain yourselves."
"It was all Matt's idea," Jeff choked out. Matt's head dropped to the table, a loud thud was heard in the room and everyone looked at them.
"Jeff, one of these days you're going to do a Swanton and I'm going to push your ass off the top rope," Matt growled as he slowly lifted his head.
"Matthew............" Hope growled.
"Sweetie, we were just trying to help you out. We knew you were having a problem with being away from all of us, so we thought that being a wrestler would make you happier. We discussed it all with Vince and he said he thought it'd be a great idea for you to be in there with us. You and Amy compliment each other and would work great as a tag team. And you as Jeff's valet would just make sense. The twins working as a team. I mean, it'd be the whole Hardy clan in the business. Who wouldn't want that?" Matt said.
"I'm an adult Matt. I'm 24 years old. If I'm having a problem with something, I'll deal with it myself. You don't have to look out for me anymore," she said with a sigh. "I'm not a wrestler anymore, nor do I really want to be. Maybe I just grew out of it. I don't know, but it's not my dream. Designing clothes is my thing and I'm doing that right now. I'll be fine, you don't have to worry about me." She stood, picking up her sketch pad.
"Hope, part of my job as your brother is to worry about you," Matt said. She sighed and shook her head, smiling slightly. She moved towards Matt and he guarded himself from another attack. She laughed and kissed the top of his head.
"I love you guys," she said before walking out of the room.
She shuffled her feet down the hall, clutching onto her sketch pad. She thought about everything that was on her plate right at that moment and all she wanted to do was scream. She ran smack dab into Shane and he grabbed onto her shoulders, laughing.
"Look up when you walk kiddo," he said dressed to wrestle, except he was missing his make-up. "I'm actually glad I ran into you." He smiled and looked at her face. He frowned and tilted his head to the side. "What's the matter?"
She looked down at the floor and tried her hardest to push back tears of stress. "I don't know Shane. I don't know what to do anymore."
"What do you mean? Are you okay? Hope, you can tell me anything," he replied worriedly, lifting her head with his hand placed softly under her chin. She looked into his brown eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek.
"I'm so stressed out. I have too much stuff that I have to do and not enough time to do it in. I miss my family and friends. I have to do Crystal's wedding dress. I have to do all the wrestlers' alterations on their wrestling gear. I have to come up with new Jericho, Triple H, and RVD t-shirts. Sean just broke up with me. And I just turned down a wrestling job with Vince," Hope cried shaking her head.
"Hope, if you were wrestling, you could be with your brothers more and you could move back home. Plus you'd have more time for Crystal's wedding dress. Why'd you say no?" Shane questioned.
"I don't know. Wrestling isn't a part of me anymore."
"You once told me that once a wrestler, always a wrestler. Why the sudden change?"
"Maybe I'm just scared," she answered as Shane's girlfriend walked up to them. Hope quickly wiped her cheeks and tried to dry her eyes.
"There you are baby," Lisa smiled reaching up to kiss Shane's cheek.
"Hi Lisa," Hope forced a smiled.
"Hope, I'm glad to see you!" Lisa grinned. "I have this top and the strap broke. Could you be a dear and fix it for me?"
"Lisa, sweetie, I don't know if she has time," Shane said.
"Of course she has time. It's her job to do these things," Lisa replied snottily. She reached into her bag and pulled the top out, handing it to an unwilling Hope. "And I need it before the show. Thanks." Lisa kissed Shane and walked off.
"I'm sorry about that. She can be inconsiderate at times," Shane tried to comfort Hope.
"That's okay," Hope smiled sniffling. "Like she said, it's my job." Hope turned and started for the wardrobe room.
"What could she possibly be scared of?" Shane wondered before going on a search for someone else to do his face make-up. He ended up in catering and stopped to chat with the Hardy brothers. "Did Hope speak with ya'll?"
"Yeah, I have the bruise on the side of my head to prove it," Jeff pouted. "Why? You look like something's wrong."
"Dude, your sister is so stressed out. I've never seen her so stressed. And it doesn't help that my ignorant girlfriend just told her to fix a top in 15 minutes," Shane rolled his eyes.
"I knew there was something more to the knock on the head," Matt said. "She needs to tell the McMahon's that her work load needs to be lightened. She's going to burn out."
Hope let out a deep breath as she held up Lisa's top. The strap had been fully repaired, and with 8 minutes to go, she knew she had to rush to find Shane's girlfriend. She quickly walked down the hall after not finding Lisa in the Diva's locker room. She saw Jason Reso standing outside catering.
"Hey Hope. How things going?" he asked sipping water from its bottle.
"Just peachy," she replied sarcastically. "Have you seen Lisa Moretti anyplace?"
"No, she might be in there though," he answered pointing inside catering. "Why are you looking for her?"
"She asked me to fix her top, okay, no, she demanded I fix her top before the damn show. And now that it's done, she may just want it," angry Hope replied shaking the top at Jay.
"She can be a bitch, huh?" Jay laughed.
"Just a major one. I don't understand what Shane sees in her, really I don't."
"The age. She's more experienced. Why do you care?"
"I don't. I just think it's stupid that he needs to be goin out with someone more than 10 years older."
"He's a young guy. That's what happens. Like you and Adam. You two were really great together, but you guys were just too young to be together. I still don't understand what happened there though. I thought you two would stay together longer than 4 months."
"I got word that he was cheating on me and vice versa. It just got messy. But I guess things are better with us now," she shrugged.
"Yeah, he said that you two were becoming friends again. But like I said, you were good together."
"But him and Alanah are better."
"Ah, true. Very mature of you."
"It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Jay laughed and patted her shoulder. "Things will get better around here. It'll get easier."
"I hope so. Good luck tonite," she smiled at him and walked into catering which was still filled with wrestlers, though they were all dressed and ready for their matches. She spotted Lisa sitting with Shane, who had finally gotten his make-up done, and Rob. She put on a false smile and walked towards the three of them.
"What's up Hope?" Rob questioned looking up at the youngest Hardy sibling.
"Not much Rob," she replied holding out the top to Lisa. "I finished your top."
"Oh, sweetie, thanks, but I decided to go with this one," she smirked pushing out her chest. Hope bit on her tongue to keep her from attacking the brunette with words, but in the end, it didn't work.
"Excuse me?" Hope snapped.
"I'm sure you heard me. I mean what was I truly supposed to do? With only 5 minutes to change and get ready for the show I had to do what I had to do. And wearing this, and not that, is what I had to do," Lisa said.
"Why you little bitch! I just fuckin worked my ass off to get this done with and now you're either going to wear it or I'll shove it down your throat!" Hope threatened leaning on the table. Lisa stood up from her seat next to Shane and the two men looked on.
"Why little miss Hope, are you threatening me?" Lisa questioned.
"I don't know. You're ancient. You must have some sort of brain in that empty head of yours. You figure it out," Hope smirked back and crossed her arms. Shane and Rob exchanged looks and slid their chairs away from the table. Now the whole room seemed to have their attention on the two women.
"You should be glad I don't go straight to Vince with that comment and get your ass fired!"
"Now who's threatening who?"
"Listen Hope, if I were you, I'd watch your back. And I'd do whatever I wanted you to do. Cause you're on thin ice girl. One wrong step and I'll have you fired quicker than you can even imagine!" Hope laughed at Lisa before throwing the top on the floor and jumping across the table, pouncing on the unsuspecting Diva. Hope wrapped her hands around Lisa's neck as she straddled her waist. Lisa squirmed underneath her and finally flipped her over on her back. Lisa smiled at the younger woman and formed a fist, swinging at Hope's face, and connecting with her eye. Suddenly Lisa was pulled off Hope by Rob and Shane knelt down next to Hope who was currently sitting up trying to open her right eye.
"Are you alright?" Shane questioned rubbing his hand down her cheek, trying to feel for any broken bones.
Hope whipped her head away from his hand and glared at him. "I'm fine," she snapped quickly getting to her feet as Rob pulled Lisa out of the room.
"Listen, I'm sorry about Lisa. I didn't think she'd be that rude," Shane said.
"Well she is that rude and you're an idiot for dating that bitch."
"Hey, I said she was rude, there's no reason for calling her a bitch," Shane defended his girlfriend.
"Oh no? I think I have plenty reason for it since I'll be carting around a black fuckin eye!"
"Oh please! Like you've never had one before!" Shane argued.
"Ya know what? Ya'll deserve each other!" Hope yelled storming off.
"You're right! WE DO!!" Shane yelled in response. Shane watched her leave and then shook his head at himself. "What the hell?! She's right, Lisa is a bitch."
Hope walked into first aid, one hand over her eye, and looked around for someone to help her. She uncovered her eye and even the slightest breeze brought pain to the bruising area.
"God damn it," she muttered.
"Hope?" Amy questioned as she walked up to her, holding onto some wrapping. "Oh my God, what the hell happened?!" Amy reached for Hope's face only to have the younger girl back away and cringe. She swatted at the red haired woman's hand.
"I attacked Lisa and she punched me," Hope answered as Amy rushed to get her a cold pack.
"You attacked Lisa? Moretti?" Amy questioned receiving a nod from Hope. Amy shook her head and crushed the cold pack, allowing the substance inside to move around the packaging. She handed it to Hope, who quickly placed it over her eye carefully. "Why'd you do such a stupid thing?"
"She was bein a bitch and wanted me to do a top for her before the show started. So I did the fastest sew job ever, finishing it in like 5 mintues. Only to find out that she decided to wear a different top," Hope growled. "God I hate her!"
"But why do you hate her? Just because of that? Or because she's dating Shane?"
"Now why in the bluest of blue hell would I care that she's dating Shane?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
*****************
Hope yawned as she walked out of her bedroom late one afternoon. She looked at the clock and groaned, seeing that she had slept till 1. She grabbed herself a cup of coffee and sat on the couch, curling up with a blanket, and watched some TV. It wasn't long after when she received a call from Jeff.
"You're the talk of the locker rooms ya know," he laughed.
"For attacking Lisa?"
"Yeah! Everyone's been wanting to do that to the bossy little bitch for years! Only you've been brave enough to actually do it."
"I do what I can."
"How's the eye?"
"I think it's there............" she laughed. "The bright side to having a black is that I don't have to wear make-up."
"Well, not on that eye anyways," Jeff added. She shook her head as a news update appeared on the tv.
"God, I can't believe we're at war right now. That's so scary," she sighed.
"I know, but we're all safe. None of us are goin anywheres."
"You don't know that. They could open up the draft again and you could be shipped out right away! Jeff, they'd take you in an instant because you're use to pain and you're so athletic!"
"They wouldn't want me. I'd be too much of a whiner," he joked.
"This isn't a laughing matter Jeffrey. This is real life seriousness."
"Sweetie, Shannon, Matt, and I aren't going anyplace. We'll always be here. They need some people to stick around entertaining ya'll."
"It's just wrong. Everything about this is wrong."
"Maybe so, but there's nothing you can do about it."
"Uh-oh, is that depressing music that I hear Jeff? What's wrong?" Hope questioned as she turned the TV off and opted to listen to the radio.
"You're not the only one suffering from a broken heart," he sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"Beth just moved out."
"No way! What the hell happened?"
"I don't know. What happened with you and Sean?"
"Jeff, please don't make me talk about him."
"I wish you were here Bade. I could really use you right now."
"Me too," she said lying down on her bed as she listened to Linkin Park from the stereo in the living room. She sighed and wiped away a stray tear. "He said the distance was finally getting to him. And the fact that we were always busy with other things hurt us in the long run."
"I think that was a factor with Beth and me too."
"This sucks!" Hope exclaimed playing with the necklace Sean had given her for Christmas.
"I know sweetie. I really loved her Hope. I honestly thought I'd marry that girl," Jeff shook his head as he heard a knock on his door. He glanced out the window to see if it was a friend or fan.
"I'm really sorry Jeff. I think we all thought Beth was your, 'the one'."
"Are you gonna come home this week?"
"Yeah, um, actually I'm comin home and stayin home for awhile."
"Really? Good.........Hope, I'll talk to you later. Lizzie's here," Jeff said smiled at the brunette.
"Lizzie's there?! What's Lizzie doin there?!" Hope exclaimed shocked.
"She brought me a chocolate cake," he laughed. "Love you."
"Love you too," she said barely finishing her sentence before he had hung up.
**********************
Hope smiled, sticking a pencil in her messy ponytail of black and hot pink hair. She picked up her sketch books and started down the hall of the arena. She nodded at a couple of the wrestlers and stage workers as she walked by them, but didn't stop to chat.
"Hope!" a voice called to her. She turned around and smiled at the silver haired man walking towards her. "Hope, can I speak with you for a minute?"
"Of course Mr. McMahon," she replied.
"Please call me Vince," he grinned.
She nodded at him and said, "Alright, what can I do for you Vince?"
"I'd like to talk to you about your job," he started. Her smile faded and she nodded for him to continue. "We think you're doing a great job in wardrobe, but I think I have another opening for you that you might be interested in."
"Oh?" she questioned suddenly intrigued.
"I've been talking to the writers and we'd like to write you into a storyline," he smiled.
"Oh really? Like just as an extra or something?"
"No, something more permanent. We'd like you to come in as a wrestler. Well, as your brother's valet."
"Oh, um, Vince, I don't know. Wrestling's not really my thing anymore."
"We have the perfect storyline for you. You'd come in and help Jeff win an important match and you'll start valeting for him. Then in time you'll be wrestling. I've seen your tapes Hope, you've got great mat work. I think you'd be a good asset to the roster."
"But the fans would get mad at me for being with Jeff. They'd get the wrong idea and start thinking I'm his girlfriend. I mean they already think that. But if I start working with him like that, it'll make it worse. I'm already getting dirty looks when I walk into the arena with him. They all whisper and stare, saying, 'Look, that must be the bitch that has stolen our Jeffy away. Who does she think she is? Dressing like him, dying her hair like his, I should be his girlfriend. I'm totally better than her.' I don't like hearing that stuff sir. And I think it'd hurt Jeff in the long run," she explained.
"You don't understand. We'd make it clear to the fans that you're his twin sister. There's no romance between the two of you," Vince laughed.
"I'm sorry sir, but I think I'm going to have to decline your offer."
"Please think about it. I mean you'd have to go to OVW and train a bit. But from what I saw on those tapes, you couldn't take too long to get back into the groove of things. I wish you'd just think about it."
"I've thought about it and my answer is still no. I just can't do it. It's not in my heart anymore," she shook her head.
"Well, alright, I can understand that. If it's not in your heart, there's nothing you can really do about that. Just remember that the offer is still there if you change your mind. Even if you change your mind 5 months from now. Just say the word and we'll work you in," Vince smiled.
"Thank you sir," she returned the smile and he walked away. As soon as he had his back turned to her, the sweet innocent smile turned into a frown of hate. She walked towards the men's locker room and knocked on the door roughly. It wasn't long before Shane Helms answered it in just his tights.
"Damn Hope, think you could leave the door?" he joked as he was suddenly pushed to the side.
"Where are my damn brothers Shane," she growled at the brunette who was stunned at the harshness of her tone.
"Catering I believe. Why? What's up?" he questioned.
"They're gonna die," she steamed storming off. He watched her walk off and shook his head before closing the door.
"I'd hate to be them right now," laughing he finished getting ready for the show.
Strands of her black hair flew back off her face as she raced to catering, ready to kill her brothers. She spotted Jeff first, sitting in the back of the room, tightening his ponytail of dark purple hair. She narrowed her eyes at him and secured her sketch pad in her hand. Her face set in a stone like stare, she walked towards him. Matt smiled at her as he sat next to his little brother, but soon his smile faded, seeing the death look she had on her face. Matt elbowed Jeff in the side and they looked up at their sister, fear in their eyes.
"Hey Bade, what's up sis?" Jeff asked a fearful smile on his face. She growled lowly and whapped them both in the head with her sketch pad.
"You asses!" she exclaimed as they rubbed their heads simultaneously.
"What the hell did we do?!" Matt yelled.
"What right do you have to talk to Vince about me being a wrestler?!"
"Whoa, we did no such thing!" Jeff replied as Bade placed her hands down roughly on the table and leaned in towards them.
"Bull shit! This has your finger prints ALL over it!"
"We didn't do anything! We swear!" Matt insisted.
"Then explain to me why Vince saw my wrestling tapes and thought I'd want to be a wrestler and be in Team Extreme," she grinned sarcastically and sat down in the chair facing her brothers. She crossed her arms over the long sleeved Pearl Jam shirt she wore.
"We don't know. Maybe the Easter Bunny gave them to him?" Jeff shrugged with a goofy smile.
"Would this Easter Bunny have really dark long brown hair and brown eyes and a little rainbow colored chick as his sidekick?" Hope questioned.
"Chick?! You callin me a chick?!" Jeff squealed. Matt's mouth dropped open as he went to wrap his hands around his little brother's throat.
"Thank you Jeff, I knew I could count on you to blow your covers," Hope laughed. "Now explain yourselves."
"It was all Matt's idea," Jeff choked out. Matt's head dropped to the table, a loud thud was heard in the room and everyone looked at them.
"Jeff, one of these days you're going to do a Swanton and I'm going to push your ass off the top rope," Matt growled as he slowly lifted his head.
"Matthew............" Hope growled.
"Sweetie, we were just trying to help you out. We knew you were having a problem with being away from all of us, so we thought that being a wrestler would make you happier. We discussed it all with Vince and he said he thought it'd be a great idea for you to be in there with us. You and Amy compliment each other and would work great as a tag team. And you as Jeff's valet would just make sense. The twins working as a team. I mean, it'd be the whole Hardy clan in the business. Who wouldn't want that?" Matt said.
"I'm an adult Matt. I'm 24 years old. If I'm having a problem with something, I'll deal with it myself. You don't have to look out for me anymore," she said with a sigh. "I'm not a wrestler anymore, nor do I really want to be. Maybe I just grew out of it. I don't know, but it's not my dream. Designing clothes is my thing and I'm doing that right now. I'll be fine, you don't have to worry about me." She stood, picking up her sketch pad.
"Hope, part of my job as your brother is to worry about you," Matt said. She sighed and shook her head, smiling slightly. She moved towards Matt and he guarded himself from another attack. She laughed and kissed the top of his head.
"I love you guys," she said before walking out of the room.
She shuffled her feet down the hall, clutching onto her sketch pad. She thought about everything that was on her plate right at that moment and all she wanted to do was scream. She ran smack dab into Shane and he grabbed onto her shoulders, laughing.
"Look up when you walk kiddo," he said dressed to wrestle, except he was missing his make-up. "I'm actually glad I ran into you." He smiled and looked at her face. He frowned and tilted his head to the side. "What's the matter?"
She looked down at the floor and tried her hardest to push back tears of stress. "I don't know Shane. I don't know what to do anymore."
"What do you mean? Are you okay? Hope, you can tell me anything," he replied worriedly, lifting her head with his hand placed softly under her chin. She looked into his brown eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek.
"I'm so stressed out. I have too much stuff that I have to do and not enough time to do it in. I miss my family and friends. I have to do Crystal's wedding dress. I have to do all the wrestlers' alterations on their wrestling gear. I have to come up with new Jericho, Triple H, and RVD t-shirts. Sean just broke up with me. And I just turned down a wrestling job with Vince," Hope cried shaking her head.
"Hope, if you were wrestling, you could be with your brothers more and you could move back home. Plus you'd have more time for Crystal's wedding dress. Why'd you say no?" Shane questioned.
"I don't know. Wrestling isn't a part of me anymore."
"You once told me that once a wrestler, always a wrestler. Why the sudden change?"
"Maybe I'm just scared," she answered as Shane's girlfriend walked up to them. Hope quickly wiped her cheeks and tried to dry her eyes.
"There you are baby," Lisa smiled reaching up to kiss Shane's cheek.
"Hi Lisa," Hope forced a smiled.
"Hope, I'm glad to see you!" Lisa grinned. "I have this top and the strap broke. Could you be a dear and fix it for me?"
"Lisa, sweetie, I don't know if she has time," Shane said.
"Of course she has time. It's her job to do these things," Lisa replied snottily. She reached into her bag and pulled the top out, handing it to an unwilling Hope. "And I need it before the show. Thanks." Lisa kissed Shane and walked off.
"I'm sorry about that. She can be inconsiderate at times," Shane tried to comfort Hope.
"That's okay," Hope smiled sniffling. "Like she said, it's my job." Hope turned and started for the wardrobe room.
"What could she possibly be scared of?" Shane wondered before going on a search for someone else to do his face make-up. He ended up in catering and stopped to chat with the Hardy brothers. "Did Hope speak with ya'll?"
"Yeah, I have the bruise on the side of my head to prove it," Jeff pouted. "Why? You look like something's wrong."
"Dude, your sister is so stressed out. I've never seen her so stressed. And it doesn't help that my ignorant girlfriend just told her to fix a top in 15 minutes," Shane rolled his eyes.
"I knew there was something more to the knock on the head," Matt said. "She needs to tell the McMahon's that her work load needs to be lightened. She's going to burn out."
Hope let out a deep breath as she held up Lisa's top. The strap had been fully repaired, and with 8 minutes to go, she knew she had to rush to find Shane's girlfriend. She quickly walked down the hall after not finding Lisa in the Diva's locker room. She saw Jason Reso standing outside catering.
"Hey Hope. How things going?" he asked sipping water from its bottle.
"Just peachy," she replied sarcastically. "Have you seen Lisa Moretti anyplace?"
"No, she might be in there though," he answered pointing inside catering. "Why are you looking for her?"
"She asked me to fix her top, okay, no, she demanded I fix her top before the damn show. And now that it's done, she may just want it," angry Hope replied shaking the top at Jay.
"She can be a bitch, huh?" Jay laughed.
"Just a major one. I don't understand what Shane sees in her, really I don't."
"The age. She's more experienced. Why do you care?"
"I don't. I just think it's stupid that he needs to be goin out with someone more than 10 years older."
"He's a young guy. That's what happens. Like you and Adam. You two were really great together, but you guys were just too young to be together. I still don't understand what happened there though. I thought you two would stay together longer than 4 months."
"I got word that he was cheating on me and vice versa. It just got messy. But I guess things are better with us now," she shrugged.
"Yeah, he said that you two were becoming friends again. But like I said, you were good together."
"But him and Alanah are better."
"Ah, true. Very mature of you."
"It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Jay laughed and patted her shoulder. "Things will get better around here. It'll get easier."
"I hope so. Good luck tonite," she smiled at him and walked into catering which was still filled with wrestlers, though they were all dressed and ready for their matches. She spotted Lisa sitting with Shane, who had finally gotten his make-up done, and Rob. She put on a false smile and walked towards the three of them.
"What's up Hope?" Rob questioned looking up at the youngest Hardy sibling.
"Not much Rob," she replied holding out the top to Lisa. "I finished your top."
"Oh, sweetie, thanks, but I decided to go with this one," she smirked pushing out her chest. Hope bit on her tongue to keep her from attacking the brunette with words, but in the end, it didn't work.
"Excuse me?" Hope snapped.
"I'm sure you heard me. I mean what was I truly supposed to do? With only 5 minutes to change and get ready for the show I had to do what I had to do. And wearing this, and not that, is what I had to do," Lisa said.
"Why you little bitch! I just fuckin worked my ass off to get this done with and now you're either going to wear it or I'll shove it down your throat!" Hope threatened leaning on the table. Lisa stood up from her seat next to Shane and the two men looked on.
"Why little miss Hope, are you threatening me?" Lisa questioned.
"I don't know. You're ancient. You must have some sort of brain in that empty head of yours. You figure it out," Hope smirked back and crossed her arms. Shane and Rob exchanged looks and slid their chairs away from the table. Now the whole room seemed to have their attention on the two women.
"You should be glad I don't go straight to Vince with that comment and get your ass fired!"
"Now who's threatening who?"
"Listen Hope, if I were you, I'd watch your back. And I'd do whatever I wanted you to do. Cause you're on thin ice girl. One wrong step and I'll have you fired quicker than you can even imagine!" Hope laughed at Lisa before throwing the top on the floor and jumping across the table, pouncing on the unsuspecting Diva. Hope wrapped her hands around Lisa's neck as she straddled her waist. Lisa squirmed underneath her and finally flipped her over on her back. Lisa smiled at the younger woman and formed a fist, swinging at Hope's face, and connecting with her eye. Suddenly Lisa was pulled off Hope by Rob and Shane knelt down next to Hope who was currently sitting up trying to open her right eye.
"Are you alright?" Shane questioned rubbing his hand down her cheek, trying to feel for any broken bones.
Hope whipped her head away from his hand and glared at him. "I'm fine," she snapped quickly getting to her feet as Rob pulled Lisa out of the room.
"Listen, I'm sorry about Lisa. I didn't think she'd be that rude," Shane said.
"Well she is that rude and you're an idiot for dating that bitch."
"Hey, I said she was rude, there's no reason for calling her a bitch," Shane defended his girlfriend.
"Oh no? I think I have plenty reason for it since I'll be carting around a black fuckin eye!"
"Oh please! Like you've never had one before!" Shane argued.
"Ya know what? Ya'll deserve each other!" Hope yelled storming off.
"You're right! WE DO!!" Shane yelled in response. Shane watched her leave and then shook his head at himself. "What the hell?! She's right, Lisa is a bitch."
Hope walked into first aid, one hand over her eye, and looked around for someone to help her. She uncovered her eye and even the slightest breeze brought pain to the bruising area.
"God damn it," she muttered.
"Hope?" Amy questioned as she walked up to her, holding onto some wrapping. "Oh my God, what the hell happened?!" Amy reached for Hope's face only to have the younger girl back away and cringe. She swatted at the red haired woman's hand.
"I attacked Lisa and she punched me," Hope answered as Amy rushed to get her a cold pack.
"You attacked Lisa? Moretti?" Amy questioned receiving a nod from Hope. Amy shook her head and crushed the cold pack, allowing the substance inside to move around the packaging. She handed it to Hope, who quickly placed it over her eye carefully. "Why'd you do such a stupid thing?"
"She was bein a bitch and wanted me to do a top for her before the show started. So I did the fastest sew job ever, finishing it in like 5 mintues. Only to find out that she decided to wear a different top," Hope growled. "God I hate her!"
"But why do you hate her? Just because of that? Or because she's dating Shane?"
"Now why in the bluest of blue hell would I care that she's dating Shane?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
*****************
Hope yawned as she walked out of her bedroom late one afternoon. She looked at the clock and groaned, seeing that she had slept till 1. She grabbed herself a cup of coffee and sat on the couch, curling up with a blanket, and watched some TV. It wasn't long after when she received a call from Jeff.
"You're the talk of the locker rooms ya know," he laughed.
"For attacking Lisa?"
"Yeah! Everyone's been wanting to do that to the bossy little bitch for years! Only you've been brave enough to actually do it."
"I do what I can."
"How's the eye?"
"I think it's there............" she laughed. "The bright side to having a black is that I don't have to wear make-up."
"Well, not on that eye anyways," Jeff added. She shook her head as a news update appeared on the tv.
"God, I can't believe we're at war right now. That's so scary," she sighed.
"I know, but we're all safe. None of us are goin anywheres."
"You don't know that. They could open up the draft again and you could be shipped out right away! Jeff, they'd take you in an instant because you're use to pain and you're so athletic!"
"They wouldn't want me. I'd be too much of a whiner," he joked.
"This isn't a laughing matter Jeffrey. This is real life seriousness."
"Sweetie, Shannon, Matt, and I aren't going anyplace. We'll always be here. They need some people to stick around entertaining ya'll."
"It's just wrong. Everything about this is wrong."
"Maybe so, but there's nothing you can do about it."
"Uh-oh, is that depressing music that I hear Jeff? What's wrong?" Hope questioned as she turned the TV off and opted to listen to the radio.
"You're not the only one suffering from a broken heart," he sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"Beth just moved out."
"No way! What the hell happened?"
"I don't know. What happened with you and Sean?"
"Jeff, please don't make me talk about him."
"I wish you were here Bade. I could really use you right now."
"Me too," she said lying down on her bed as she listened to Linkin Park from the stereo in the living room. She sighed and wiped away a stray tear. "He said the distance was finally getting to him. And the fact that we were always busy with other things hurt us in the long run."
"I think that was a factor with Beth and me too."
"This sucks!" Hope exclaimed playing with the necklace Sean had given her for Christmas.
"I know sweetie. I really loved her Hope. I honestly thought I'd marry that girl," Jeff shook his head as he heard a knock on his door. He glanced out the window to see if it was a friend or fan.
"I'm really sorry Jeff. I think we all thought Beth was your, 'the one'."
"Are you gonna come home this week?"
"Yeah, um, actually I'm comin home and stayin home for awhile."
"Really? Good.........Hope, I'll talk to you later. Lizzie's here," Jeff said smiled at the brunette.
"Lizzie's there?! What's Lizzie doin there?!" Hope exclaimed shocked.
"She brought me a chocolate cake," he laughed. "Love you."
"Love you too," she said barely finishing her sentence before he had hung up.