Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me.
Chapter Fourteen: Never
Randy sat there in the middle of Riz's treasured memories as he scanned each and every CD that was hidden beneath the dresses. He looked around him and he didn't know what he should do. He walked farther into the room as he noticed that the lovely pink skating dress on the mannequin and the wedding gown were gone. All was left on the mannequin were the medal and the skates at the foot of it.
He looked around some more and scanned every trophy and plaque. He ran his fingers through the plated gold that said: 'Kid's Division Figure Skating Champion of 1987'; 'Teen Women's Division Champion of 1996'; 'Ms. Princess of the Ice 1997'; 'Best Skater of 1995'; 'United States Teens' Figure Skating Champion of 1997'; and many more. He noticed that all of these awards were for skating. Those couldn't be the only awards she had, right? Suddenly, a light bulb appeared on top of his head as he ran out of the closet, down the first flight of stairs and onto the landing. He turned to face the other flight of stairs heading to the room which was kept dark.
He stepped up the two steps precariously before he reached out and turned on the lights. To his left was another staircase heading up to what he knew was the roof deck of this big house. He walked in further and there, more twinkling caught his eyes as he came across a gigantic collection of plaques and trophies again. He walked closer and his eyes grew wide at the sight. More trophies and awards were there. 'Mathematics Quiz Bee Champion SY '93-'94'; 'Mathica Genius of SY '94-'95'; 'Graduating Batch of '94 Best in Mathematics: Ann Laurice Cruz'; 'Teacher of the Year 2000'; and the list goes in.
There was more to Riz than Randy could ever know about. There were more secrets that she kept from the world and refused to let anyone know about. He looked around him some more and realized he made a slight mistake when he hurt Riz so much in the past. Who was he kidding? Slight? More of like severe.
Randy stood there in front of Riz's life as he scanned every single thing that had transpired in the past two years. Every memory of Riz flashed in his mind as he felt so unsure of himself. What was it that held him back? Why didn't he say it out loud and straight? Why did the Legend Killer have to stop midway and chicken out in the end?
RAW Special Edition:To The ABC of the WWE - January 1, 2008(Madison Square Gardens, New York)
Tension filled the air as the crowd gathered on this special day. They had each bought tickets to offer their own due respect to the girl who lived her life especially for them. Tonight was the night they were going to give Riz one of the best shows ever dedicated to her. It was the night Vince McMahon reserved especially for one of his best divas. Why tonight? Well, tonight was January 1, 2008…
Riz's 27th Birthday.
The show kicked off with various superstars saying their piece. Some did it in groups while others offered to do it alone. There were some guys who offered bouquets of roses or daisies and they would put them beside the picture of Riz standing on the right side of the stage. What picture was that? Well, it was one of her 'model pictures'. Simple head and shoulder shot with her looking straight at the camera with her straight hair being blown back. She had the killer smile on her face that would make guys melt.
Now, it was time for Riz's close diva friends to do their part. They wanted to do it in a group since it would have a stronger meaning and they would show Riz just how solid their friendship was even if she was up there already. Out came Torrie, Ashley, Trish, Stacy, Lilian, Mickie and Maria as they sang 'Circle of Life'.
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
Some say eat or be eaten
Some say live and let live
But all are agreed as they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give
(Chorus)
In the Circle of Life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle, the Circle of Life
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps the great and small on the endless round
(Chorus repeats)
On the path unwinding
In the Circle, the Circle of Life...
Oh, oh, oh!
"Riz was like the person who knew us all so well…" Maria started. "She could always tell when we were sad, depressed or down… Whenever we had problems she would always help us and afterwards, she'd try to make us all feel better with her corny jokes and novelty dances… She always found away to bring a smile to our faces even if she was having a bad day herself…"
"Whenever we had wardrobe malfunctions, she'd always be there with a needle and thread for those last-minute repairs…" Stacy said. "She always found a way and made use of everything she could get her hands on… She found those little ways to make our days a little lighter and a little brighter… With every joke she cracked and with every funny thing she pulled off, she was always the clown among us…"
"This little girl is the perfect example of small but terrible…" Mickie said. "Yeah, we always teased her about her height but she always laughed along with us and didn't take any grudges… She always knew how to play along, be a kid and simply have fun no matter what happens… She knew what was a joke from what was personal…"
"I remember back around a year or so…" Torrie related. "I had a bad case of the colds and I was really weary… She sat by me in my hotel room and she stayed there until I felt better again… She took care of me… Of us… When one was sick, she was always there playing nurse or even rushing us to the hospital when the need be… She was like a girl who never failed to come running to you when there was something going wrong…"
"She loved to sing, that's one thing for sure…" Lilian said. "She and I would often sing duets backstage subconsciously and everyone would end up listening… Oh, how she always blushed when she realized people were looking at her and she was singing out loud… She had one of the prettiest voices I could ever imagine… She was like… Like an angel… Her voice was always calm and soothing… And whenever one of us would be crying, she would be there to sing a nice song to calm our nerves… Karaoke night was always a blast… Girls' night out was always fun with her always playing around and pranking some of the superstars at our expense… She never failed to cheer us up…"
"This girl… She's probably one of the most unique women I have ever met…" Ashley began. "She already had that hip-hop touch and yet she can be quite a punk rocker, too… We would blast out singing Headstrong by Trapt inside the locker room and send all the other divas crazy… We would exchange iPods and share songs… She was always my partner-in-crime when it came to pranks because this girl is ingenious with those… She can pull a prank off without a hitch, whether it be paint balloons or putting worms inside the guys' wrestling trunks… She was always a fun person to be around… She never let us down… She was always there and she took responsibility for everything she did… Did I mention that this girl was talented? I mean, she could play like the electric guitar, drums, piano… And she could sing and dance, too… She was… She was just the girl who always had the heart to be on stage…"
"Riz… What is there else to say when these people over here have practically said everything?" Trish said with a slight laugh. "Riz, well, she's the little girl in me… I can really see myself in her… I mean, before, I also used to be as crazy as her… I always jumped around and simply went around carefree… But, if there's one thing I would compare Riz to… It would be snow… 'Cause like snow, she's an angel that just magically falls from the sky and ends up on our doorstep with a big bright smile… She came here to entertain the kids and the kids-at-heart, pretty much like most of us out here… People love her and she's always sitting around, looking bright and cheery and making everyone smile… And yeah, one day, she melts… She disappears… But you know, she leaves us with some of the best memories we've ever had in our lives… She always gave us that simple smile that would brighten anyone's day… She was like my little sister… She would let me play with her hair sometimes and she would allow me to experiment different styles of make-up on her face even though she hated it… She always thought of others before herself… Never with the I… She never just thought of herself with no regards to others… She, I mean, she… She was like someone who would be ready with a hammer and nail in case your heel broke; the one with a portable DVD player in case you were bored; the one who had a five-dollar bill in case your car broke down and you need to take a cab… She was… She was just Riz in our hearts… The very same girl who livens up any dark place…"
"So from the bottom of our hearts…" said Stacy.
"…We say that we miss you, Riz…" Torrie continued.
"…You were the best friend we could all wish for…" Mickie continued.
"…And you always made us smile…" Maria followed.
"…We'll never forget you, Riz… We hope you know that…" Lilian said.
"…You'll always be in our hearts no matter what happens…" Ashley said.
"…And… To one of the most amazing Women's Champion ever…" Trish said.
"Happy Birthday, Riz…" they all chorused.
Trish raised the WWE Women's Championship over her head. On the name plate was none other than Riz's name. "You'll always be the champion in our hearts… We love you…" Trish closed as the tears fell from her eyes and a smile crawled onto her angelic face. The rest of the girls chorused their 'We love you' before they all exited the ring.
Next up was John Cena. Now, before, around the time that Riz came into the WWE, John always used to come out to an exhilarating crowd and rap something mean to his opponent for the night or just someone whom he had a slight grudge on. Tonight was different. He wasn't rapping it out for the sake of hurting somebody. He was doing it out of love. Brotherly love.
John came out and the fans were shocked at his state. There were bags under his eyes which were slightly red and puffed. There was a frown on his face and he just wasn't really in the most cheerful of moods. On his body was a black jersey with Riz's name on the back and the jersey's number was 27. He wore Riz's dog tags, the one which he gave to her on her first day. The referee had decided to give it to him since Riz had surrendered it to him before her match. To and upbeat but sentí rhythm he started rapping as pictures flashed on the Titantron.
"It was five years ago in this very same arena… I met this lil' girl who became a lil' diva… We became tight, y'know; I played with her everyday… Every time we'd meet, she'd have something funny to say…" John began. "I cared for her, she was like my lil' sister… I fixed her hair and acted like her big ol' brother…"
There were pictures flashing on the Titantron. Some of John and Riz back when they still had their romance storyline and some of them just being their normal selves on a boring day. "Some guys backstage, say I'm head over heels, say they don't know how it feels, how this lil' girl steals, my sight and my heart, but I say to them, she gave me a start, she always made me smile, and everyone's wonderin' where I'm at, and I was with her all the while…" he continued.
"She was like my little baby, I couldn't leave her behind, I took her everywhere with me and I was with her all the time. The girls backstage, they flipped and they screamed. They thought she was the best thing to ever happen to me. And they're right, this lil' girl, she changed me a lot. I ain't kiddin' y'all but she taught me to be smart…" he rapped on. On the Titantron, there were now pictures of John and Riz giving noogies to each other; the two of them fighting with water guns; them playing PS2 'til dawn and everything else.
Soon, pictures of John's title wins came onto the screen. In every picture, Riz was always there with a congratulations hug or kiss. "She was the reason behind my wins; she always stood there by my side. That's why I told y'all a while ago, I couldn't leave her behind. She was my lucky charm, the girl behind the scenes, the girl behind the wins, that's how much she means to me. I can't live without her, she's the reason I exist, she shows me all the things I used to miss…" he continued on.
"After every fight, she'd always be there with a band-aid, and she'd tell me it's alright, tell me not to be afraid. She told me I could do it and to always give my best, to always give my all and God would do the rest…" he said. The pictures soon shifted to Riz putting bandages on John's small wounds and her giving him the thumbs up.
"She'd always fix my tie whenever there's a party, she'd always have me looking sharp, never like I just woke up. She'd jump 'round with me when nobody else would, to do that, for me, it's a must and a should. It was fun doing it, hey, that's why I did it…" he rapped on as he held back the tears and tried to stop his voice from breaking.
"She's a gal to keep around, never throw her to the curb, I can't live without her, she's my girl, my world. Right now, I've only got three things to say… Shoulda, coulda, woulda… Should've told you just how special you are, could've said thanks since you've been there from the start, would've hugged you, and kissed you, and tell you I care… I would've said how much I wanted to be there. But some things happen without a reason, some things happen at the wrong season. I would've just accepted it and learned to move on, but hey, you were my girl, my world, my little sister, I can't forget you just like a lame old song…" he started to get so emotional that he couldn't hold the tears back anymore. They fell one by one as he continued his rap and the pictures kept showing.
"I never took the time to say something to you, Riz… You're my girl, my world… and I love you, lil sis…" John said as he finally looked straight at the crowd and bit his lips. He looked up to the sky and said, "I really do…"
He brought the mic up to his lips as the rhythm faded away. He refused to meet the crowd's eyes or even the camera as he spoke the words: "Riz was a special girl… Some said, it was wrong for me to play with the little girl's pigtails when she first came to the WWE 'cause it would make her feel to comfortable 'round here… But I didn't listen to them…"
"From the moment I met her, I knew we would click… She had this happy aura to her that would just drag anybody to her… She happy, fun, hyper, and all those other words you could have 'Riz' as a meaning… Every time I would have a bloody match, she would clean me up and bring me to the doc so that I could get medical attention…"
"When I was sick and I needed some help, she took me into her care and made sure I was back on track immediately… She never failed to give me that TLC that only a sister could give… Growin' up, I never had a sister… It was just always my dad and five boys… So when Riz just suddenly popped into the picture, she… She completed me in that weird twisted ol' way that I can't explain…"
"The title belts y'all give me… Those, right now, they seem so useless… Those belts were meant to make me feel like I'm the greatest person in the world… Riz, she makes me feel like I'm the greatest of the great whenever she's around and always making me feel that she's there… She's the girl who always made me feel so good about myself and that I have a reason to keep goin' in every match and waking up every mornin'… She's the reason I go out to every crowd every show and the reason I live my life…"
"This jersey I'm wearing now… Hah… You'd pro'lly all think that I just wore this 'cause Riz is turning twenty-seven today… Well, that's part of the reason… The other part is that twenty-seven was Riz's favorite number… 'Cause y'all know that my jersey number is fifty-four… Well, Riz always wore twenty-seven 'cause it was like, she was part of me, y'know… With her being a Math geek, she said fifty-four divided by two is twenty-seven so that… I never really got that crap but it made sense to me that time… It made sense…"
"I don't know how else I could go on saying this stuff 'bout Riz… 'Cause I can't stand thinking 'bout her and realizing she ain't there anymore… So to leave y'all with a bottom line…"
"I love Riz in that unconditional way that nobody would ever understand… She's like a part of me already… Rizzie wizzie…" he looked up. "I know you're listenin'… Just want you to know that I'll never forget you… You'll always have that big part of my heart… Happy Birthday…" With that, John kissed his right index and middle finger before pointing up to the sky.
He punched hard on his chest, the action indicating that he meant what he had said from the heart. With that, he left the stage and went backstage where his tears continued to fall from his eyes. He walked straight to his champion's locker room and locked himself in there for the rest of the night.
Finally, Randy came out onstage. He was the last one tonight since he had requested it, for some odd reason. The letter probably had a weird effect on him. He stepped out to no music as the crowd continuously booed him for what he did during the last RAW house show when he just walked out and told them it was useless to cry over Riz. He was wearing the normal black dress pants and shoes and, what noticeably was, the shirt the Cruz's gave him the time he spent Christmas there, the white shirt that had 'Greatness' on it.
He got into the ring as he looked around the crowd. Some were screaming profanities and others were giving him the finger. All in all, he knew they hated him. He didn't smile once since he'd been out here. He brought his index finger to his lips as a symbol for them to hush. And they did. He pointed to the Titantron as a video started to play and the lights in the arena dimmed to a pink hue.
You don't run with crowd
You go your own way
You don't play after dark
You light up my day
Got your own kind of style
That sets you apart
Baby that's why you captured my heart
Videos of Riz during her photo shoots and autograph signings showed all throughout the first verse of the song. There were parts when she was walking around the streets of California and there was a photographer taking her pictures. There were some of her posing for the covers of Maxim, Flex and other magazines which included Candy and K-Zone for the teens and kids.
I know sometimes you feel
Like you don't fit in
And this world doesn't know
What you have within
When I look at you
I see something rare
A rose that can grow anywhere
And there's no one I know that can compare
Second verse came rolling in and now came the videos of her inside the ring. Her first few matches to her title runs and her rivalries with various divas. There were her promos with either John or Trish or any other superstar. Her romance angle with John and their matches together were shown, including her debut on RAW right there in Madison Square Gardens. There were also clips from 100 Degrees.
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful
What's there inside you
Shines through to me
In your eyes I see
All the love I'll ever need
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful to me
As the first line of 'What makes you different…' played, it showed a video of Riz lifting the Women's Championship above her head for the very first time. Then, videos of her different title wins showed and her pay-per-view matches were exhibited in different ways. Her long-time rivalries with Trish were shown and the time when she first won the championship from Victoria was shown, too. Her finisher and set-up moves were in the video, as well as her entrance with the pluck of the shirt and wink to the crowd. Her sign of the cross and the surrender of the dog tags were also aired.
You got something so real
You've touched me so deep
You see material things
Don't matter to me
So come as you are
You've got nothing to prove
You won me with all that you do
And I wanna take this chance to say to you
Videos of her with all of the divas as they laughed backstage began to fill the screen. There were also videos of Riz jumping on John's back for a piggy-back ride around the backstage. There was some of her fiddling with the camera crew's equipment under their supervision of course. There were also some clips of her fooling around with Matt and Channing during breaks from their shootings and her laughing it out with Angelina and Tia.
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful
What's there inside you
Shines through to me
In your eyes I see
All the love I'll ever need
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful to me
There were also some of her and Lilian singing it out near the curtain area before a show. Some showed Riz and Stacy dancing it out backstage. There was a final video before the chorus that showed Riz doing the sign of the cross before going out through the curtains. And then, the screen kiss between Riz and John was aired also the screen kiss between Riz and Chad for the movie.
You don't know
How you touch my life
Oh in so many ways
I just can't describe
You taught me what love
Is supposed to be
It's all the little things
That make you beautiful to me
There was the video of Riz cooking food at home during the Christmas party Trish, John, Randy and her had. After that was a video of her feeding Randy in bed and making sure he was alright. There was also a video of her sliding Randy's shirt onto his body even with his cast on, followed by the video of her and Randy laughing on those rare moments and the charity work and orphanage visits that she went on in the United States and Philippines.
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful
What's there inside you
Shines through to me
In your eyes I see
All the love I'll ever need
What makes you different
Makes you beautiful to me
The next videos were of her skating. Her training on the ice at least five hours a day before every competition. Her little dances on the ice and all her mini-challenges. Her first triple lutz and camel spin when she was five. Her first competition when she was six. Her first national competition during when she was twelve was also shown. There was also the Philippine Olympics she was talking about when she was eighteen and skating to You First Believed. Clips of her running around the snow with John and Randy were aired. There was also the time when Randy reserved the whole skating rink for her back in St. Louis. They were laughing and having fun.
You're beautiful to me…The last few videos showed nothing more than Riz placing a tender kiss on Randy's forehead and her caressing his hair as he lay down on the bed looking so beaten up. The last video was of Riz looking straight at the camera during a filming of 100 Degrees before she winked and smiled.
The video faded away from the Titantron as the lights remained the same but only grew brighter and with white light. The crowd was crying after the movie as Randy just stood there in the ring trying to manage his own emotions. He looked up as the crowd followed his sight and there was suddenly fake snow coming down from the roof. It was raining fake snow onto them as they all wondered what was happening.
Randy took a mic and put it to his lips as he said, "You all might be wondering why the hell I'm doing all of this… Hell, I shouldn't be doing anything special… She's just a girl… Yeah, just a girl… I-"
But his little speech was then interrupted when Vince McMahon came out on the Titantron. "Orton, before you say anything else to brainwash this crowd about Riz… I think you may want to watch this little message from a certain diva…" he said before the picture suddenly faded into a video of Riz.
The crowd cheered at the sight of her as she smiled and waved to the crowd in the video. Randy noticed something about her; about what she was wearing. He noticed the same Harvard USA shirt that she wore before Armageddon. Her hair was also down and falling straight on the sides of her face.
"Hey guys…" Riz said with a simple smile. "Uhm… Right now, I just got to the arena from a taping and yes my sneakers are still wet from that… What taping was that, well, I'll explain that to you guys later… For now, since I still have some time before I have to go and probably fix up John's cuts and bruises after his match, I want to tell you guys something that… I just couldn't have enough courage to say up straight… I know, weird, but it just goes with who I am…"
"I've been in this business for what? Like five years already and I wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for you guys… You WWE fans out there… You guys are one of the prime reasons that I fly from country to country and put on an amazing show… Without you, I probably won't be here right now… I mean, six-time Women's Champion! If I win my match tonight, I'm going to be a seven-time champion! And that's in the league of Trish Stratus! I mean, wow! I can't believe that, y'know; you guys have been there all the way…"
"So, to all the WWE fans, whether you're a fan of me of not, I extend my heartfelt gratitude… You supported me even though some said I am of inferior race… And to all the fans in NYC! You guys are absolutely amazing… I couldn't have found a better crowd to debut in compared to you guys… To all my hometown fans, I love you all and thank you, too…"
"Next message is to the whole WWE roster and the camera crews and all those other people who work in the WWE… You've been the best second family I could ever ask for… And I'm really grateful that you guys took me in as one of your own, you helped me and you made each and every one of my days another reason why I have to live in this world…I know, cheesy clichés but it's the truth!"
"Special mention to my little band of midgets… Nah, they're not midgets, they're actually taller than I am… Haha… Well, to Torrie, Stacy, Lilian, Mickie, Maria, Ashley and Trish… You gals are the best and I love you girlies to death! Even if you continuously bug me about how I should wear skirts, well, I still love you guys! Torrie, thanks for helping me when it came to fashion… Stace, those times when we danced out hearts out, I'll never forget those… Lil, you're my fellow singing enthusiast… The times when we sang and when you helped me vocalize for the recording of the soundtrack of my movie, those will always be in my heart, girl… Mickie, everyday when you'd help me prepare for the matches, those were some of the most fun times I've ever had though it sometimes hurt my back… Maria, there's just something about your brightness that makes me smile everyday… I mean, you're always bouncy and all so I feel like bouncing, too, sometimes! As for Asherz, well, hopefully we'll continue singing inside the locker room for everyone to go crazy and hit us with their shoes… You're one of my best friends, punkie… And as for Trisha, the absolute best mentor ever in the world, I love you to death and everything you did for me, everything you're doing for me, well, I can't say thanks enough… I never really got to say that I love you guys…"
Riz wiped the tears that were slowly dripping from her eyes. "…And, for one of the most special people in my life… John… John, you've been there from my very first day in the WWE up 'til every single one of my matches and until now, you're still here… I can't really tell you how grateful I am for those little moments we spent backstage and the little gifts you'd give me for my birthday and on special occasions… When you'd give me a stuffed bear for absolutely no reason at all and when you'd treat me to McDonald's for breakfast when we had the time… Those were the moments and the times that I'd never forget… I never had a big brother, just a lil' bro who's your biggest fan actually… Haha…And, you've been like the big brother who was always there and never failed to ask me what was wrong… You remained firm even when I was having mood swings and I was being totally irrational with life… You never really pushed me away and you just kept me going until it was all alright again… Whenever we're apart you'd call me every five damn minutes and ask me how I am and what I'm doing… You always made me laugh and backed me up in whatever I was going to do whether it be fight a psychopath for the Women's title or jump off a bridge… Well, maybe not the whole bridge thing but I know you'd be down there at the bottom to catch me… Bottom line of this all, John, I… I love you, big bro… You're one of the most special people in my life and I can't bear to lose you…" she wiped the tears from her face.
"Last but not the least, Randy… Yeah, I know, I'm giving a message to the guy who made my life a living hell and tortured me every single damn day of my life…Well, for you, Orton, Randy or whatever else name I could call you… I've said just about everything… I've said how much I hated you and how much I despise every bone in your body… I've said how much of a playboy you are and how you're so cocky and arrogant about everything… I've said about how you're vainer than all the divas in the WWE put together… I've said how you are a son of a bitch who doesn't deserve anyone's time of day… I've said everything! From your hair to your clothes to your shoes to your personality… But I forgot to say some things… I never got to say how much of a fool any woman is to even fall in love with you… All those times I said that I still don't like you? Well, let's just say I never really passed through 'like'… Oh, and I made you something, Randy… Remember those times when I would sit in one corner and write inside a notebook? Well, yeah, I wrote this… 'Cause these are the things I would never really get to say…I would never really get to express in front of you since… I don't know… I was too chicken to do so…"
Then, a music video started playing on the Titantron as everyone's attention was glued onto the screen. The title was 'Never' and it was written, composed and sung by Riz.
So, I took myself and his from the rest of the world
Didn't want anyone else to see who I was
I didn't see where I was going, I just kept on laughing
Pretending it was all okay
But then I saw you that fateful day
I acted all strong and pretended I was tough
Never let anyone in; never let anyone see what was wrong
I couldn't help but glare at you, and push you away
Couldn't stand to let you see I was weak
I never got to say how you always made me smile;
How you always made my day; how you balanced my life
I never got to say how much I wanted you to be mine;
How I wanted to kiss you; how I wanted to show you divine
I always kept it inside, always wished from afar
'Cause I though I needed to be invincible
I took these walls and put them up 'round me
I could walk out but you couldn't walk it
And thought this war between us never seemed to end
'Round the bend, 'round that corner, you'll see me cryin'
'Cause I never got to say how you always made me smile;
How you always made my day; how you balanced my life
I never got to say how much I wanted you to be mine;
How I wanted to kiss you; how I wanted to show you divine
I always kept it inside, always wished from afar
'Cause I though I needed to be invincible
The time came when I finally had the chance
But then I let it slip through my fingers
Like the pain slipping through my heart
I can't believe I gave you up for this lonely life of mine
Even if I knew I needed you
I never got say how you always made me feel like a star
How you made me special even when we were at war
I never got to say how much I really cared for you
Despite all the hurt and pain we've been through
I never let it out, never dared to try
I was never invincible, I was never bulletproof
I was never all that strong just realizing
…That I never got to say I love you…
The video was a mix of Riz singing and various moments like her sitting on the seats around an ice-skating rink and simply looking out to the thin air. There were some of her sitting inside the locker room and scribbling on a notebook as random people passed her by. Some were of her sitting on the equipment crates and fixing her wristbands before a match. There were some of her skating on the ice to the same rhythm of the song as she wore the ice skates Randy gave her. Added to those were clips of her sitting in her room and staring out the window as the rain fell down before she finally stood up and walked away. There was also a couple of a masquerade ball and Riz was wearing the wedding gown she was supposed to wear years ago. Her hair was up and there was a mask hiding her eyes. All of those mixed together, that was one dramatic music video.
"So, you see, Randy… I'm a fool if I'm a fool 'cause… Like the song says… I never got to say I love you..." she said before she left her seat and the Titantron went back to Vince.
"So, Riz had that sent to me after Armageddon… She wanted the whole world to see it… And I think the better message is for you, Randy… So stop saying that she's just a girl… She's a special girl to all of us… She's the ABC of the WWE, Orton… Without her, this business won't be as great as it is already…" Vince said before he went off-air.
The crowd cheered Vince on as they all shifted their attention to Randy. He was standing there with a cocky smirk now on his face. "You see, the problem with all of your people is you judge too quickly without trying to understand what the hell I'm trying to say, you get what I mean?" he said as the crowd booed him on.
"Now, disregarding all that Vince said… Here, I did this, you know, with the lights and the snow and the video and all because I know I shouldn't be doing anything special… Like I said, she's just a girl… But hear this; did you all know that Riz loved snow? Every time she'd see it her eyes would light up like poof and then she'd go and play in the snow… And the reason for the pink lights here… Is this…" Randy said as he showed to them the snow globe Riz had given him.
"This snow globe of New York was given to me by Riz during the Christmas that I was out on injury… This was, according to her, her first snow globe… And she loved this thing so much… For her to be giving this to me, I'm sure I'm someone pretty special…" he boasted. He handed the snow globe to one of the crewmen outside the ring. "I'm going to set this aside for a moment here… You scratch this thing and I will scratch your face off your head…" he said to the crewman who nodded in fear.
"Now, I know you all love Riz… Who wouldn't? I mean… She's like a people's champion or whatnot… And so, she said her piece earlier so I'm going to get to the bottom line of why the hell I'm even out here… Riz, you made it clear that you hate me and my guts and of course my gorgeous face… That was before… I knew that one day, you'd also fall for the Legend Killer…" he said cockily as the crowd booed.
"Now, you guys shut up… You know, earlier, when you people kept judging me by what I'm trying to say… Well, here's the catch… I won't do anything special for her 'cause special is never enough for her… It's not good enough… Special is not good enough… And as for she's just a girl thing… Yes, she's just a girl… Just a girl that I've seen as someone who is the one to complement me…"
"Do you all know the quote, 'The persona is different from the person'?" the crowd screamed. "Well, it applies here… You see guys, Riz, sometimes she plays a tough lil' missy for you all to enjoy and sometimes she plays the gangster that John Cena had molded… That was the personification of what she was trying to be!"
"That video I made for Riz, that showed you guys the Riz we see in the ring and on screen, the Riz us superstars know backstage and the Riz I got to know on a personal note and I got to spend time with…
"She's proven to you guys time and time again that nobody would ever bring her down and she would never be seen weak!
"But I've seen her in her weakest of states and trust me, it'll make you see how much she's been through as you discover why she became the one we all know today…"
"But her greatest weakness was this… You fell for me, Riz, admit it… Well, I think you just did… But anyways… You love me and that's the bottom line…"
"You're a fool, you called yourself one and you said that yourself… But here's the thing, Riz, if you're a fool then I'm a fool, too… If you're weak, then I'm weak, too… You wanna know why? " he said as his face grew serious. "… 'Cause like you, Riz, I'm not all that strong just realizing that…"
"…I never got to say I love you, too…"
Most girls say they want a fairytale, but you taught me that it's not what I really want. I want someone who will make fun of me and laugh at my jokes even if they aren't funny; someone who wrestles with me and doesn't let me win just 'cause I'm a girl. Yeah, riding off into the sunset on a white horse would be nice, but playing thumb war with you seems so much better.
LAST CHAPTER.
Damn, I'm really hating to see this end like this. But yeah, you can't keep changing a story's plot right? Well, here's the little info on this: there might be a sequel. It might be more on Randy. So, if you want a sequel, say so and I'll post an epilogue after our finals. (smile)
Thanks to the 4 people who reviewed and to all who read the previous chapter. For this one, kindly read, review and vote whether or not it'll be continued. The sequel, if there will be, will be sweet. I promise. I've got some ideas already. Haha.
So, it gives me great pleasure to have taken you on this rollercoaster ride of a story. Thank you for your support and continuous reading of my works.
Hope to see your reviews in other stories of mine!
-veracruzortongal