Chapter 6- Hollywood's Not America
If anyone would have told me how fast my time off would go, I don't think I would have believed them. It probably had something to do with the new family I had, and all the memories I would walk away with.
I was packing my stuff to fly to New York for a photo shoot with two of the other divas that I worked with, Amy and Trish. Even though I still had around two months left back in Huntington, it was starting to show on everyone's faces that I was going to be missed; especially Brian's.
"So what exactly are you gonna have to do?" Val asked me as she helped me pack.
"To be honest they haven't told me a damn thing yet," I laughed. "But it is New York so the possibilities could be endless."
"Why is it just the three of you, I mean there are other divas, right?"
"Oh yea, there's tons of other girls," I said dryly. "But for some reason they wanna shoot the three of us because we're the 'toughest girls they have.'" I said, dryly mocking the person from creative development that had called me last week.
"How's Brian dealing with all this?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, looking up from my spot on the floor where I was searching for a pair of shoes.
"You going back to work and all." She said, taking a seat on the bed.
"He's mentioned it a few times, and I think he's upset about it, but I mean so am I," I chuckled. "But I don't think there's anything stopping us from being together cause at one point or another the new album is gonna be out and he's gonna be on the road too."
"Exactly, I mean technically your job's are one in the same."
"Tell me about it," I laughed. "But he's definitely excited to come with me for the shoot."
"Oh jeez, he's going?!" She half laughed half shouted.
"Yesm, he said he wanted to see what I did when I wasn't beating people up in the ring."
"And what did you tell him?" She asked anxiously.
"That all the girls at the shoots had big orgies."
"You didn't!" She laughed, falling back on the bed.
"He had something of the same reaction," I laughed. "But really we just get all dolled up to match our on screen personas, and take like a million pictures."
"You all have a different on screen personality?"
"Oh yea, Trish is the diva that's got enough class to last a lifetime but if you get her angry she wont hesitate to kick you square in the ass; but Amy and I are like one in the same, like fishnets and baggy cargo pants."
"You like things loud, I've known that since we were kids."
"Oh yea, the more outgoing and relaxed I look when I get in the ring the better I feel," I said. "I don't think I could wrestle wearing half the shit some of these new girls are coming in with."
"Some of them are a little skimpy on the clothing then?"
"Some of them hardly wear enough clothes to go out in public," I sighed. "Yet they make some of the guys heads turn so fast they get whiplash!"
"Oh god, those kinda girls then?"
"Those kinda girls." I nodded, throwing a pair of newly resurfaced shoes up on the bed.
Our plane landed in New York sometime during the night, and I stumbled out into the airport leaning on Brian for support. All I wanted to do at this point was get our bags and head to the hotel, and try and squeeze in a few hours of sleep before creative came knocking on the door at the ass crack of dawn for the shoot.
"C'mon babe, let's get the bags and go find the hotel." I looked up at Brian who had stopped walking for a moment and pulled my body flush against his. His brown eyes that were usually full of life and excitement had dulled down with exhaustion and his face looked tired and faded of color. I couldn't thank him enough for coming with me on what could only ensue as a dreadful few days filled with a never ending supply of makeup, tight clothes and extremely high heels.
"We need to get there, like now," I chuckled. "I'll be running on five or six hours of sleep max tomorrow."
"I know, damn jet lag takes a lot out of ya."
"It definitely does, so let's get there quick, ok?"
"You got it princess."
We made our way to the baggage claim and stood somewhat impatiently, waiting for our bags to come around the carousel. I subconsciously rubbed what little life I had left from my eyes before resting my head on Brian's arm and sighing deeply. The bags on the carousel seemed to move in slow motion, until I finally saw Brian's black duffle bag followed by my black duffle with pink stripes. In one swift motion he grabbed both with his free hand, while the other remained entwined with mine.
"C'mon, let's get out of here." He looked down at me with tired eyes and I nodded my response as he led me away from the baggage claim.
We made our way to the exit and quickly found the car we had rented the day before. Brian threw the bags in the trunk and got in the car, almost speeding off to the hotel, way to eager for sleep. We fought the typical New York City traffic, and made it to the hotel at around midnight, completely ready to just check in and crash in the room.
The hotel was one of those fancy pants places that all the rich snobs stay at while they're sight seeing or shopping until their hearts content. The man behind the counter made a disgusted face when he saw Brian and me approaching, but at this point why should we care? We had enough money between the two of us to last this guy ten lifetimes. But he didn't have to know that.
"Can I help you?"
"Yea, I'd like to check in please."
"Well, do you have a reservation?" He asked snootily.
"Yea, I'm with the World Wrestling Entertainment, my name is Gina Seward."
"Oh, my apologies Miss Seward," He said, catching himself from making a total ass of himself. "Room 2015, enjoy your stay!"
"Thank you."
I gave him a quick smile before taking the key card off the marble counter and starting towards the elevator. As we passed the hotel's restaurant and bar, I saw a flash of blonde and red before I was unceremoniously pushed past Brian and onto the floor. I only knew two people who would do that, Trish and Amy.
"Push me down a little harder next time why don't ya!" I grunted, getting up and dusting off my black dickies.
"Gina! It's been like five months since we've seen you," Trish shouted, causing Brian to give us a look. "Who told you to disappear across the freaking country?"
"I went home." I laughed.
"To California?" She stressed. "Why?!"
"Because it's where my home is." I laughed.
Amy suddenly pushed past Trish in an attempt to greet me, but was mauled over by her boyfriend Matt and Trish's boyfriend Chris, both of whom I worked with.
"Jesus Canada, calm down!" Matt laughed.
"Oh stop, I missed you all too and you know it, but right now me and Brian are going upstairs and going to bed."
"Who's Brian?" Amy asked coyly.
"Well, he's the big tall tattooed hunk of man standing next to me who I love dearly."
I looked up and sent Brian a smile and he pulled me closer to him.
"She's taken, wait till the websites and tabloids hear this," Chris laughed. "They'll have a ball."
"Let them," I laughed. "We're going to bed, good night assclows!"
I sent them a wave as we headed towards the elevators and waited for the doors to open. Once we were inside the safety of the elevator, I took the moment to lean against the wall and recollect myself.
"They seem, nice?" Brian offered.
"They're great," I laughed. "But they were drunk, definitely drunk."
"I gathered that," He laughed. "There is a shoot tomorrow, right?"
"Yea, those two are gonna be hurting in the morning."
Brian laughed and pulled me out of the elevator and down the hall towards the room, where he eagerly opened the door and threw the bags down on the floor.
"This room is niiice." He stressed, walking around and taking in the many amenities the room held for us.
"Oh yea, creative definitely went all out for this one," I laughed. "We only get rooms like this when we shoot in the islands or something."
"That must be nice, like a room over looking the water and the beach."
"Most of the time I'm in there I'm asleep though," I laughed. "Not much time to really enjoy it."
"Well, what if one day we go there," Brian said, coming over from his bag and wrapping his arms around me while I unpacked some of my stuff. "Just you and me, and all the beach you could dream of."
"I think that would be amazing," I said, turning around in his arms and laying a lazy kiss on his lips. "But right now I'm about ready for bed."
"I'm right behind ya." He laughed.
The next morning the sounds of my cell phone ringing combined with the knocking at the door brought me out of my sleep. I quietly slipped out of Brian's arms without waking him up, and grabbed my phone and headed for the door. By the time I got to the door my phone had stopped ringing, but the knocking persisted, and seemed to be getting louder. When I opened the door I saw Amy standing outside with Matt, both looking exhausted as all hell, as well as hung over.
"Morning guys," I greeted, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What's up?"
"Creative knocked on my door two hours ago," Amy said, leaning against Matt for support. "Can we come in?"
"Uh, Brian's still sleeping but if you're quiet ill put up some coffee and we can sit for a while." I said, looking at my phone for the first time and noting that it was nine in the morning.
They both nodded and followed me into the room and towards the kitchen area, where I proceeded to put up a pot of coffee.
"So, what's the deal with the shoot?" I asked.
"Well, fuck if I know, cause it's today but something got fucked up," Amy stressed, putting her head down on the counter. "So after I had been up for half an hour creative called me back and said that it was pushed back a few hours."
"So you felt the need to come wake me up?" I laughed. "I wouldn't expect anything less from the two of you."
"Oh stop," Amy said, sitting up straight and swatting playfully at my shoulder. "So, tell me about Brian."
I grinned involuntarily at the mention of his name and got "the look" from Amy.
"I met him at one of my brother's wild and crazy parties," I said laughing. "He was like staring down an empty beer bottle and I couldn't take my eyes off him."
"Was he single when you met?"
"Yea, Val made me go talk to him cause she knows exactly how to spot when your swooning over someone." I laughed.
"She seems to have a knack for that." Brian's voice sounded from the kitchen entryway.
I looked up to see him standing in a pair of gym shorts and an old avenged tee shirt, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Did we wake you up?" I asked, walking over to him and giving him a kiss.
"No, I smelled the coffee, you know how I am with that shit." He laughed.
I couldn't help but laugh as Brian staggered over toward the coffee pot and poured himself a cup, before joining the rest of us at the small table.
"So, what time is the shoot?" He asked.
"We don't know," Amy answered. "They woke me up at 7 and then said it got pushed back so we came here."
"They came and woke me up." I said, faking a bitter tone in my voice.
"Oh stop, they would have came and knocked down your door eventually," She laughed. "Besides, I wanted to meet the infamous Brian."
Brian let out a throaty chuckle at that and took another sip of coffee before speaking.
"Well, last night you were a little 'woo'." He said.
"Yes, Gina never fails to remind me of when I get drunk," She laughed. "Like my mother I swear it."
"Now you sound like my brother."
The four of us burst out laughing, knowing that my brother would accuse me of being as bad as our mother.
The rest of the morning continued on the same, mindless chatter about work and the shoot, and Amy and Matt getting to know Brian a little better.
We arrived at the shoot around noon, and the three of us were immediately thrust into hair and makeup, while people kept shoving a ton of different outfits down our throats.
"Ok, look I'll pick some stuff when I'm done, just, stop sticking them in my face ok."
The guy looked at me like I had ten heads and walked away, carrying the different tops and pants with him.
"I hate when they do that." Trish sighed, shaking her head.
A few minutes later the guys came into the room to sit with us, all three of them eating something, something we didn't get the pleasure of doing while at a shoot.
"I feel like I've been in this chair for two hours already," I sighed, looking at Brian. "I'm like ready to go home."
"I'm sorry babe, but look on the bright side; you're with your friends."
I nodded and smiled as the woman attacked me with a powder brush, sending me into a sneezing fit. This caused everyone in the room to laugh at me, and the woman to apologize profusely.
An hour later we were finally getting dressed and ready to get this shoot on the road. I had chosen a pair of denim jeans that sat low on my hips, and a bright pink tank top, with a back fishnet top underneath it. Amy had chosen something similar to mine, only she was wearing black cargo's and a blue top, and her top showed off less of her stomach than mine did. Trish was wearing low rise black pants that hugged her ever curve and a white belly shirt that criss crossed in every direction across her stomach and back.
"Ladies, you look lovely." The photographer said as we walked out of the building.
"Why are we outside?" Brian whispered to me.
"Fuck if I know." I laughed back.
"Ok ladies, the idea of this shoot is to capture you in the pure element of Manhattan," The photographer said. "So with that being said we're going to be on location."
"Define 'on location'." Trish said, sounding a bit annoyed.
"All around the city and such."
I scowled at that, annoyed at the fact that I would have to be walking around the city in the blistering heat of summer, dressed up like I was getting ready to perform, while attempting capturing the element of the city.
"How far on location do you plan on dragging these girls?" Chris said, speaking up for the first time.
"Just around the city, over to the Brooklyn bridge and-"
"Excuse me?!" I shouted, cutting the guy off as abruptly as possible.
"This is a location shoot, ok?" He said getting annoyed.
"I signed on to take pictures, if you wanna do this outside that's perfectly fine, but I refuse to walk across the god damned burrow so you can take my picture on the Brooklyn bridge!"
My outburst was the final straw for the guy, and we then decided that we would take pictures outside the studio, which was a few blocks from time square. I didn't have a problem with that at all because we took a cab to the middle of times square, and when we got out, the photographer decided he wanted me to stand on the cab.
"Gina that's amazing, can you like pose on it or something?" The photographer asked.
"Sure, no problem."
I stood tall on the cab with one foot on the hood of the car while the other rested between the glass of the windshield and the top of the car. As weird as it might have looked to someone walking down the street, I knew it was going to be an amazing shot. I looked over to where the boys were standing and caught Brian's gaze for a few seconds and sent him a smile, which he graciously returned. Now all I wanted to do was go back home with Brian and not have to worry about work for another two months.
