Another Island Breeze

Chapter 2: Get Your OWN Culture

After Raeni was taken out of the hospital, she didn't return to school, and instead to get away from the pains of past memories went back home, to Jamaica. She and Linn stayed in contact and wrote to each other as much as they could, using all the paper they had. Even though they talked on the phone all the time they still wrote and still sent emails. They were as close apart compared to when they were together. However Raeni never spoke of Kofi and had been very clear when she had said she didn't want to see Kofi ever again. There was no memory of Kofi that didn't drive her into a depressed state. Her parents had felt by her moving back to Jamaica it would help her. In some sense it did. Finishing off her high school days in Jamaica she then spent the rest of that summer on the beach with friends, and her parents truly believed there was no possible way she had anymore tears to cry over Kofi.

When the summer was over, Raeni headed back to the States, where she ended up going to college with Linn at a Phoenix University in Arizona. While Raeni graduated with English, writing, and journalism majors, Linn came out with a writing minor and then an architect and musical majors. Even though architect and music were two completely different things, Linn had managed to take the classes in a way that she would finish them both at the same time and since she liked both she figured it would be okay. Once the four years of college was over they both moved together out to a house on the outskirts of San Francisco in a quiet little area where Linn had her nice neighborhood and Raeni wasn't completely away from city life.

Together they wrote many teenage novels, but apart Raeni worked for a big newspaper company as a interviewer and editor, and Linn was the head in command of the designing of a new neighborhood, however in her spare time went off to a ranch to ride and take care of some horses. Everything was great with their lives.

It was 2008, nine years after the prom night incident and Raeni hadn't seen Kofi since that night. On her wrist the washed white bracelet was still securely there. Why she still wore it, she had no idea, but she couldn't ever find the strength to throw it away. Even though it had been washed and most of it was white there were still spots that blood had completely stained the bracelet. So in some sense she kept the bracelet as her reminder of the pain Kofi had inflicted on her so long ago.

Walking in from a long day of work Raeni tossed her keys on the table and walked into the living room seeing Linn sitting on the couch completely enthralled with Friday Night Smack Down. Apparently there was a big match with CM Punk tonight. Rolling her eyes Raeni then said," He's bad book with a pretty cover." "Don't say that about Punk! He's amazing I mean look at his body! There's nothing that hunk of sweetness can't do!" Linn exclaimed with admiration. Unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes again Raeni then replied," You're hopeless." "Also MVP won his match against Randy Orton tonight." Linn shouted back to Raeni who had gone up to her bedroom.

Sliding her jacket off and pulling the WWE tickets from her pocket she smiled slightly. Her boss needed her to do an interview with a few of the wrestlers when they came to San Francisco in about two weeks. As she felt over the tickets she giggled slightly, two VIP Backstage passes, Linn would flip. Changing into some comfortable clothes Raeni placed the tickets in between the bills and other mail of the day and threw them on the table in front of the TV during a commercial and sighed," Bills and mail…all of that is for you." Raeni mumbled looking to the TV trying to keep herself as normal as possible.

Glaring at the envelopes of paper Raeni had thrown on the table Linn leaned forward and began to slowly look through them grabbing a bill or two, opening it up and then rummaging some more. When she reached the WWE passes she passed them without much thought as to what they were before then she suddenly blinked and flipped back and pulled the tickets from the pile. "What…what…what…what are these?!" her voice squeaked at the end. "That took you a lot longer than I expected." "WELL!"

Glancing over Raeni tried to look as nonchalant as possible," Oh those? Just VIP Backstage passes to WWE SmackDown that comes in-" "I'll get ready right now!" Linn screamed in excitement as she ran upstairs and Raeni laughed slightly as she jogged slightly up the stairs seeing Linn had practically already changed into her wrestling clothes. Sighing Raeni finished her sentence," Two weeks, Linn." Looking over to Raeni, Linn kind of pouted," Two weeks! I have to wait two weeks to go?! That isn't fair!" "Darling I don't control the traveling schedule and we're going for my work, I just didn't want to go alone." Raeni replied as she leaned against the post of the door," I mean I watch wrestling, but it definitely isn't a pass time."

By this time Linn was slowly changing back into her pajamas," There's this new guy up there too, his name is uhh something Kingston. He apparently comes form Jamaica, maybe you know him." Linn replied. Looking over to Linn laughing Raeni put one hand on her hip," What makes you think I know everyone in Jamaica?" "You know everyone in San Francisco what's the difference?" Linn asked sticking her tongue out. When she had stopped laughing Raeni answered," I would have to see him I guess. I bet I would know him if I knew what his first name was." "We'll probably see him backstage." the thought made Linn squeal slightly as they headed back downstairs. Grabbing a bag of chips from the kitchen Linn then plopped back down on the couch as Raeni laid in one of their love seats. Closing her eyes she sighed," What a rough day."

Two weeks later on a Tuesday night the two girls were pulling up to the building that the wrestling was being recorded in. There were a bunch of people watching the busses pull up with the wrestlers and the atmosphere was very lively. As Raeni and Linn walked in, Raeni could have sworn that this atmosphere and this feeling was so familiar almost like, prom night. Suddenly she had a bit in her stomach and she frowned. Linn had been smiling and snapping pictures of wrestlers' tour busses when she saw Raeni and asked," Are you okay? You look upset all of a sudden." Snapping out of her trance Raeni shook her head, her newly curled hair bouncing as she did so," No nothing. I was just thinking about something. Let's go inside." Raeni replied with her notepad and pen in hand.

As they walked in they almost looked like wrestlers themselves give or take the things they were carrying. Even though Raeni wore a tight sky blue camisole with a black leather jacket and some boot cut blue jeans with actual black dress boots on, she had the look and even body shape of a wrestler who was in casual wear. Raeni's eyes had blue glittery eye shadow on and her hair was pulled up into a tight and neat ponytail that swayed back and forth as she walked. Beside her Linn wore green shirt that brought out the emerald color of her eyes. Even though both sleeves were long, one sleeve had patterns cut into it that made her look extremely punkish. With Linn's black eye liner on and with her blue jeans and boots, and her short hair uniquely parted and spiked the two looked like a pair. However with Raeni carrying the notepad and writing something every couple of steps as Linn snapped a picture of people every couple of steps it was obvious they were not wrestlers.

Finally as Raeni finished her short notes on the environment of the event she looked over to Linn," Well I think that's all I have to do until the event is over so let's go get ourselves a place to watch." Nodding in agreement Raeni and Linn found a place that was behind the stage so they could still look out and see the matches and watch the people go out on the walk way.

"This is so cool!" Linn cried out as she snapped a picture of herself and then looked around and spotted Randy Orton and ran and grabbed a picture with him before running back," I can't believe this! Thank you so much Raeni!" Smiling Raeni simply nodded before she felt her ear drum crack as Linn screamed and dragged her over to take a picture with MVP, and then CM Punk afterwards. However Raeni did it all smiling because she was happy that Linn was so excited and enjoying herself.

Once the event started Linn began to take even more notes on the event when suddenly she turned," I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." Nodding Linn waved slightly," Head back quickly." Giving an extra nod before she left Raeni headed to the bathroom and took a deep breath, the bad feeling in her stomach slowly coming back and soon seeming like too much to bare. At one point she even threw up as she wiped her mouth she looked at herself wondering why this was all happening. However she knew that Linn would be getting worried soon so she washed herself up before then heading back out. When she heard the Jamaican music she walked a bit faster. Arriving beside Linn she gave a gentle smile," So what's his name?" Before she could look Linn took her hand," Let's go." "No wait I want to see." "No you don't." Linn whispered. Pulling her hand away from Linn, Raeni looked out just as they announced the wrestler. Her arms widened and she dropped her notepad and pen.

Raeni's heart raced and soon she thought the beating was so loud she was going to go insane. Covering her ears she began to hyperventilate as Linn quickly grabbed her," Hey. It's okay…hey look Raeni…Raeni.. that's the past okay? Listen to me you have a job to do and you shouldn't let him get in the way of that." Slowly letting go of her ears Raeni looked to Linn and whispered," I'm going to get my stuff now from the people who have already wrestled, and then…can we please leave?" Giving a comforting smile Linn nodded and squeezed Raeni's hand," Yeah…of course."

Nodding Raeni looked away from this "Kofi Kingston" character who she knew all to well as someone else and went about interviewing the other wrestlers such as Rnady Orton, MVP, Cryme Tyme, and Jack Swagger. However it seemed that she wasn't quite interview fast enough because she hadn't finished with Jack Swagger when Kofi came back in.

Even so he didn't see Raeni first, he spotted Linn who was talking casually with CM Punk about being straightedge. At first he didn't think it was her, but once she let out a loud laughter he knew it and he went over to her smiling slightly," Hey Linn! I haven't seen you in how many years?! How has life been for you?" Slowly turning around Linn looked at Kofi and her face went red and she clutched her hand into a tight fist and whispered," I suggest you back the hell away from me you good for nothing-" "Is there a problem?" CM Punk asked curiously from behind. Not even acknowledging CM Punk's words Linn debated if she was going to punch the crap out of Kofi or give him a nice low blow. Both seemed like a good idea, but she wasn't sure how fast security would get to her. "Just go away before Raeni sees you." Linn finally grumbled. Kofi's eyes brightened," Raeni's here?! Really?" This time he looked carefully around spotting her and he went over to her moving faster than Linn could get to him.

Raeni smiled to Jack with much gratitude," Thank you very much. I really needed this. Also congratulations on all of your achievements." "You're very welcome Ms. Clarke." Jack Swagger replied before waving slightly as he then spotted Kofi," Oh hey Kofi you come for an interview too?" he asked curiously when Raeni's eyes suddenly shot closed and she turned quickly and slapped Kofi across the face. Nearly the entire in earshot area went silent. Gasping out she looked to him holding his cheek and she whispered," I told you I never wanted to see your face again." "Let me explain now…" Kofi began gently as he held his burning cheek. "No. No you idiot! I don't want you to explain! You…you aren't even Jamaican! What are you coming out as Jamaican for! Have respect for your own culture! If not mine…at least…at least!" He grabbed her wrist," Let me explain!" He grabbed her wrist with the bracelet and she glared at him with tears in her eyes," You have nothing to explain to me…nothing at all you've not changed, and neither have I…end of story."

With that Raeni pulled her wrist from his firm grip and then left with Linn following behind her quickly. MVP came up beside Kofi," Damn man, what did you do?" "I should have given her a red bracelet.." "What are you talking about Kofi?" MVP asked curiously. "If the bracelet had been red…maybe…she wouldn't remember…what I did anymore…" Kofi whispered as he turned going to get ice for his cheek.