Sadie stared in shock from the top turnbuckle as AJ turned around and looked at her, quickly puckering his lips in her direction. "As hard as you can," Petey reminded her. "Take that fucking hockey stick and nail him, right in the back..." He was so distracted explaining to Sadie what she should do that he didn't even hear the bell ring, giving AJ the early advantage and first strike which Petey unexpected.
She gave a small yelp as she felt the arms of A1 wrap around her waist and brought her down from the turnbuckle and away from the action. She watched from ringside with Eric while Bobby, A1 and Coach went over to the commentators booth. They stood side by side as they watched Petey and AJ wrestle, wincing at every stiff shot they gave each other; every kick and every punch connected and echoed throughout the Impact Zone.
"See, when the ref is down, you go in and hit him with the stick," Eric explained. "Then Bobby goes in, drop a clothesline, Al will go in, neckbreaker, I'll do an elbow from the top, and Petey will win. Watch, here comes your part..." her focus went back to the ring, just in time to see the referee get hit with AJ's signature Pele kick. The referee hit the ground hard and rolled over to his side, holding his head.
Putting a knee up on the ring apron, Sadie grabbed a hold of the middle rope to yank herself up so she was on her feet. When AJ stood up and saw her standing there, he walked over instantly. "What's it to you, Niall?" he asked. Sadie froze as she realized she wasn't in the ring like she was supposed to be for the spot. Eric hoped in the ring quickly, giving AJ a lowblow, making him hover over. When she finally entered the ring, she took the hockey stick and whacked it across his back, just like she was told to do. The contact echoed through the Impact Zone, and almost immedietly she could see a big, red line appear across his back.
But that didn't make Bobby go any lighter with him. Out of nowhere, he attacked AJ with his stiff clothesline, which was quickly followed by A1 giving him a neckbreaker. He laid helplessly on the ground as Eric went off the top rope, giving him an elbow drop that barely touched him. He wasn't like the other Team Canada members, Sadie realized. Eric was the only one that didn't want to hurt AJ while he was in the ring with him.
Petey lifted up his slump opponent, bringing him to his feet and nailing him with a Canadian Destroyer. After the three count, Team Canada stood in the middle of the ring, standing over the fallen AJ with their hands conjoined and arms in the air. The fans booed them and even started the throw garbage in the ring, just to show the Canadian's how frustrated they were with their antics.
Sadie was the last member to leave the ring and she tried her hardest not to look back. He hadn't moved since he was pinned, he just laid there motionlessly with his eyes closed and his breathing steadly.
Walking up the ramp with her team members, she walked close to Eric, whispering, "I think he might be hurt."
Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her close. He didn't say anything, didn't even look at her. Sadie was smaller than him, her head hardly went up to his bicep, but she was someone that he was willing to guard. While he knew Petey said he would look after her, Eric knew that his mind was occupied on other things, such as his career and Libby. Al had his mind occupied by girls and more girls, and due to Bobby's trust issues with women, he was a last resort. Coach D'Amore was a long shot for looking after Sadie; she'd have to earn it.
Finally in the backstage area, Coach had them all standing in a corner, going over what they could improve on. She was only half paying attention, staring at the hockey stick that was still in her hand...what she wouldn't give just to shut him up right now...
"Tonight, lets go bowling! Tell the locker room, we're meeting at Lanny's Lanes by ten! And uh...Petey is buying drinks for everyone! Alright!" Al turned to Sadie, hand in the air hoping for a high five. She turned on her heel and walked away with Eric following her.
"You're coming bowling tonight," he told her, his voice low and raspy. "You're coming tonight and you're going to have fun, and invite AJ."
"I can't invite him!" She protested, gripping the hockey stick harder. "Petey would kill me! Eric, I don't like AJ. Like, I do, but I don't like like AJ. I don't think. It's too fast. Why bowling?" Since her attention was wrapped up in deciding if she really did like AJ, Eric walked with her down the hall, just outside his locker room where they waited for him. "I mean, yeah, he's a nice guy and all...but what if something happens? What if he doesn't like me how I like him? Like, I like him but I don't like like him..."
"Hey guys!" Sadie was cut off, her eyes widening. While it wasn't AJ that was standing in front of her, it was just as bad. He had his trunks on still because of his match earlier, as well as his bring orange shirt that TNA had made just for him. Half of his hair was jet black, the other half was blonde and right away Sadie recognized him. He was the only person in the locker room she knew, and the only person she didn't want to talk to.
"What's going on for tonight? Eric, introduce me to your friend here!" The way he eyed her made her uncomfortable. He scanned her face first, raising his eyebrows as he glanced at her lips, then made his eyes at home as he blantly stared at her chest. His brown orbs scanned down her body, past her hips and down to her legs, only to have them go right back to her torso. "She's a pretty lady."
Eric rolled his eyes. "Sadie, this is Alex Shelley. Try to stay away from him, him and Al are best buddies."
"I'm not surprised," she commented, giving Eric the hockey stick so she could button up her shirt. Her arms went around her stomach protectivly so he would stop staring at her. Alex's eyes were fixated anywhere from her shoulders to her hips, espically her stomach. She was always self conscious about her stomach.
"Well, I'm going to go back to the change room," Eric said, giving Sadie a quick smile. "You two get to know each other better or something..." he dashed down the hallway with the stick, just in time to be out of reach of Sadie's slap.
Alex grinned when he saw it was just the two of them. "My, my...you sure have grown," he commented, staring at her chest. "Maybe me and you can go out sometime and uh...catch up, yeah?"
"I don't want to be seen with you," she answered through grit teeth.
"You know, I wasn't sure at first if the rumours were true. You were so much stronger back then...so determined. I didn't know one little fuck up would change you. What is your name? Sadie?"
"Stop acting like you don't know and leave me alone."
"Aw, but that's taking the fun out of the game!" He caught her arm as she tried to walk past him, spinning her around so they were face to face again. "I was hoping you'd come back and visit sometime, everyone back at the school misses you! Come on, sweetie...just one visit?" She jerked her arm out of his grip and continued to walk away from him, her face turning red from embarassment and frustration.
Her foot steps echoed in the hallway as she got closer and closer to the women's locker room, but she could still hear his voice. "Just a visit!" he shouted at her, grinning. He watched as the door to the women's locker room slammed shut, his grin only getting wider. Leaning against AJ's door, Alex ran his fingers through his hair. There wasn't much else he could do now, except find out where everyone was hanging out tonight. He'd join them of course and sit as close to Sadie as he could, try to make sure that nothing serious would happen between her or any other male on the roster. And as long as he was around, he was pretty sure nothing like that would happen.
Her entire career was in the palm of his hands.
LegendSpeaking: Good news, bitchcakes! I've finished the story! No, this isn't the last chapter, because clearly everyone wants to know why the greatness (or, as Candy will tell you, the "sexyness") of Alex Shelley knows Miss. Sadie. How? Why? Oh, the questions and the answers that are possibly there! What could it be? How about...you tell me when you review, eh?