The WWE was in Cleveland/Ohio for a special show with both rosters. Corey was very excited to meet the Smackdown guys and divas and was constantly laughed at by Chris and Joelle.
" I guaran-damn-tee you Kid, when you're through with them you wish you'd never met some of these guys."
" What makes you say that? Just leave me…" Corey answered, looking forward to meeting more of his fellow workers.
" But you HAVE to check out that Gracie Callaway, she's tha bomb." Bobby exclaimed, his hands drawing the curves of a woman in the air.
" Don't let Mark hear that, man, or you WILL rest in peace." Joelle chuckled.
" Hey, my Dad beat him, and so can I." The youngest Orton pointed out cockily, causing Joelle to roll her eyes.
" Really Bobby, women are not just a piece of meat, well not all of them.." Chris grinned and earned a playful slap by Ruby.
Corey had fallen silent again, not knowing how to join in this conversation. He admired Chris and Bobby for being so open about certain things where he was just too shy and unexperienced.
" C'mon CJ we'll leave these two woman-eaters and I will introduce you to the guys." Joelle said linking her arm with Coreys and dragged him with her.
Their tour began at the men's locker where Corey met half of the Smackdown roster. The rest was gathered around at catering, and Corey learned that, like on Raw, most of the wrestlers were 2nd or 3rd generation superstars.
Many of the guys talked about their 'famous' mothers and/or fathers, and Corey had quietly backed out of these kind of conversations. He felt a little left out not being able to talk about the accomplishments and championchips of his own parents.
The show wouldn't start until later tonight, so Corey wandered around and found himself at ringside. The arena seemed much bigger without an audience, and as Corey glanced around the deserted place he caught glimpse of a woman sitting in the front row with what seemed like her boyfriend or husband as the two were holding hands.
Jay? He thought to himself. No, this can't be, she's in Greenwich with Hunter. But she looked like…
" There you are, I was looking for you." He turned and found Joelle smiling at him.
" Hey..I was just.. looking around." He answered, then looked back at the woman.
Joelle followed his gaze.
" That's Jordan. Jordan Waltman."
" Never heard of her. But she..she looks like..like Hunter's wife." Corey said, amazed at the similarity.
Joelle laughed. " She sure does, but probably because it's her mother."
Corey looked at her dumbfounded. " Huh?"
" Jordan Waltman, former Jordan Levesque, is the daughter of Hunter and Jay and older sister to Brandon. You really didn't know that?"
So that was Jordan, Corey thought to himself. She was the spitting image of her mother. He had known that Brandon had a sister, but he had never met her before.
"I knew that Brandon had a sister, but I've never met her. Is that her boyfriend?" Corey asked, pointing to the man sitting next to her.
" Husband. You don't recognize him?" When Corey shook his head Joelle continued. "That's Nathan Waltman, the son of Sean and Joanie Waltman, former known as X-Pac and Chyna."
"Wow.." Corey exclaimed amazed. He had to learn a LOT of that kind of stuff.
" Yeah, and you see these two girls over there?" Joelle pointed to the announcement tables where two girls, probably 9 or 10 years old, were playing with their dolls, and Corey nodded.
" Their twins."
So Hunter was already a Grandpa, Corey grinned. How cute, he didn't know that either.
" HEY SIS!" someone called from the other side of the ring.
Brandon, being back from his time off, waved at his sister who jumped up from her chair and ran toward him, throwing herself in her brother's arms. Brandon laughed and hugged her tightly, then greeted Nathan and his nieces.
Corey saw another woman appear at ringside and join the group.
" That's Brandon's wife Kim." Joelle explained.
Corey smiled at the little family reunion and sighed.
" C'mon let's find the others." Joelle said and together they walked backstage where Joelle was suddenly pulled away from Corey by Selma and Gracie Callaway for whatever reason, both giggling and snickering as they did so.
Corey shook his head and took a seat at catering next to Cameron Hickenbottom.
" Girls.." Cameron grinned and Corey nodded in approval.
" So, how've ya been Kid?"
" Good, just looking around and stuff." Corey replied.
" Met some interesting people?"
" To be honest, yes. Saw Hunter's daughter for the first time, and her children. Have never met her before."
" I know, you barely see that woman at all. Kind of sad history." Cameron said shaking his head.
" What history?" Corey asked curiously.
" You don't know the story? Well let me tell ya something. You know my Dad and Uncle Hunter have always been pretty close. And so they talked about everything, they still do.
But, you know, many years ago Hunter was unfaithful to his wife. Jay and the kids found out that he was sleeping with one of Jordan's friends, and you know Jay, so you can imagine that the shit was flying. Anyways, Jay forgave him in the end, and Brandon too, but Jordan dissociated from her family, that betrayal hit her pretty hard, but who can blame her, you know? She moved out as soon as she had finished college, then she met Nathan at a Raw taping and I think you can imagine the rest. They live somewhere in Rhode Island with their twins." Cameron finished.
Corey was shocked. He had never thought Hunter could do something like that, but obviously he did.
" Wow…" was all he managed to say. " And..and now? I mean.."
" You mean Jordan and Hunter?" Corey nodded. " Well, they manage to get along, but this..thing.. is still standing between them, and honestly, I think it ever will. I mean, what would you think if you found out that your mother was sleeping with one of your friends? I mean..that's some hard shit, you know. Like I said, sad story."
That was more that sad, Corey thought. He had always seen Hunter's and Jay's marriage to be perfect, but the last two minutes had completely destroyed his illusion of the perfect family.
So it was true, everybody had his skeletons in his closet, even Hunter.
He felt bad for Jordan though he didn't even know her, he could only imagine what she had gone through, and he also felt bad for Jay, and to his surprise even for Brandon.
But Corey made a promise to himself that this 'secret' wouldn't react to his friendship with Hunter. He figured this was a long time ago, and Jay had forgiven him.
Confused Corey left catering and wandered through the hallways with a lot in his mind. Should he talk to Hunter and tell him that he knew?
" HEY KID."
Corey saw Joelle waving him over and approached her slowly. She was standing with the woman that was Hunter's daughter, and her husband.
" That's the guy I told you about." Joelle smiled at the couple.
" CJ, Nathan Waltman." She introduced the men and they shook hands.
" It's an honor to meet you." Corey said amazed, then turned to Jordan who extended her hand and he took it.
" That's his wife Jordan. Jordan, that's Corey Johnson."
As soon as his name exited Joelle's lips Corey saw Jordan's expression change. She looked at him with big eyes, her mouth open.
He wondered what this was all about, but his thoughts were interrupted by Jordan withdrawing her hand as if it had been burnt.
Corey began to feel very uncomfortable under her piercing gaze, and the sudden coldness in her facial expression made him shiver.
Joelle looked confused from Jordan to Corey, as did Nathan.
" Let's go." Jordan said in a deadly voice that would make anybody run for life, and she turned on her heel and stomped down the hallway, dragging her confused husband with her.
When they got out of sight Joelle turned to Corey.
" What the hell was that?"
" I have no idea.."
" She looked like she was ready to kill you." Joelle said shaking her head.
Corey didn't know what to say nor to do. But he remembered something. And that was that Brandon had acted the very same way when they had been introduced to each other.
There has to be a connection, Corey thought. But what? What did I ever do to them? First Brandon, and now his sister? I don't even know her.
The voice of Morgan Porter pulled him out of his thoughts.
" Hey Kid, let's get over the script again. We don't wanna mess up our rematch, now do we?"
Corey shook his head and followed Morgan to the workout room.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The show went by without further incidents, and by the time Corey reached the hotel he was worn out and felt like sleeping for two days straight.
After showering and changing he slid into bed, but was unable to sleep. He lay awake for hours trying desperately to figure out why Brandon and his sister hated him, but it was no use.
He felt the strong urge to call Hunter and talk to him as he always did when something was bothering him, but he decided against it. Brandon and Jordan were his children, for chrissake.
But there was another person who could help him out.
His mother. Corey hadn't talked to her in a while, and he missed her terribly, especially in times like that. He decided to call her in the morning. Maybe she had the answers to his questions.
A knock on the door startled him, but he was too lazy to get it so he called for whoever to come in.
The door opened and Joelle stepped in the room, dressed in hot pink pyjamas.
" Oh..sorry.. I didn't know you were asleep.. I'd better go.."
" No..it's..uhm..ok..come in.. I wasn't sleeping anyway."
Corey sat up and gave Joelle a questioning look.
" Everything okay?"
She nodded. " Yeah..I.. just wanted to check on you, I mean..after tonights events.."
"I just don't understand, you know, I never did anything to them, and I just met his sister today, why do they hate me? I..I…just don't..understand.."
" I know, I don't understand either. But as hard as it sounds, you have to deal with it. I just wish I could help you.."
" You..you already..do help me..with..being..my friend.." Corey admitted blushing.
Joelle looked at him for a second, then bent down to hug him.
Corey was surprised at first, but soon leaned in and hugged her back. He closed his eyes to save this moment forever, her smell, her hands on his back. He sighed deeply before pulling away.
" Thank you." He mumbled.
" That's what friends are for." Joelle smiled at him. " I'd better go back or Selma and Felicity will get suspicious and I'll never hear the end of it." She grinned.
" Yeah..night."
"G'night Corey."
When she was gone Corey leaned back in the pillows and smiled. His heart was racing as he thought of Joelle. She felt so good in his arms and he hadn't wanted the contact to break.
Feeling much better Corey slowly drifted of to a peaceful slumber.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next morning came way too fast, and Corey reluctantly got up and ready to face the new day. After showering and dressing he called his mother to let her know he was doing fine and that he missed her. After chatting and exchanging news for about half an hour Corey hesitatingly told his mother about the events of the previous night. His mother sounded understanding, but like he had expected she couldn't tell him what he wanted to know so bad. After saying their goodbyes Corey hung up and went to the cafeteria for breakfast. When he passed the table the divas were seated at they giggled and whispered to themselves. Corey raised an eyebrow at them but thought nothing of it.
What he found more disturbing was that Jordan Waltman, who sat at a table in the corner with her family, shot daggers at him.
All the while during his breakfast Corey felt her piercing gaze on him and wondered if she tried to burn a whole in his back.
He had finally enough and shoved the plate across the table. When he passed the divas table they started to giggle again, and Corey lost it. The events of the previous weeks had been too much.
" WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU? YOU HAVE TO TELL ME SOMETHING? THEN TELL IT TO MY FACE!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU TRASH-TALKING BEHIND MY BACK!" he yelled, shooting death glares around the whole cafeteria.
The conversations died down and everybody stared at him.
" GOD DAMMIT!" Corey shouted and stormed off.
Hours later Chris found him sitting on a bench in the corner of the workout room by himself.
" Hey Kid.." he greeted, but received no answer.
" Corey listen, they.." but he was cut off.
" They what? What? Would somebody finally tell me what the hell is going on here? I'VE HAD ENOUGH CHRIS. FIRST BRANDON THE BRAT HATES ME, FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THEN HIS SISTER! WHAT IN THE HELL DID I EVER DO TO THEM? AND WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE GIRLS? I SWEAR WHEN I HEAR THAT STUPID GIGGLING ONE MORE TIME I'M GONNA KILL SOMEBODY!"
Corey yelled, well aware that Brandon was in the same room, but he didn't care anymore.
He felt another presence in front of him, and looking up he met the cold hazel eyes of Brandon Levesque.
" What did you just say?" he asked through gritted teeth.
" OH DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR ALL THE DUMBASSES! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE; I DON'T WANNA HEAR YOUR TRASH TALKING ANYMORE! YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN HATE ME IF YOU WANT, YOU AND YOUR STUPID SISTER AND ALL THESE STUPID GIRLS! I DON'T CARE!" Corey yelled at him.
Brandon's eye began to twitch, and he took a step forward. " Take that back."
Corey rose to his feet and stood eye to eye with him, their noses touching.
" No." he said calmly.
Corey saw Brandon's fist draw back, but out of nowhere a huge arm caught his wrist.
When Brandon turned he found himself staring back at his father's hazel eyes.
" Don't..do…that." Hunter said and released his son's wrist. Brandon stared back at Corey, then stomped away.
" What was that?" Hunter asked.
" Nothing." Corey mumbled and tried to walk past him but Hunter wouldn't let him get away so easily.
" Bullshit. Shoot."
" FINE I CALLED BRANDON A BRAT,SO WHAT,HE IS! I CALLED YOUR DAUGHTER STUPID BECAUSE SHE HATES ME, WHY I DON'T KNOW, AND I DON'T CARE, AND I HATE THESE STUPID DIVAS GIGGLING THEIR HEADS OF EVERYTIME I WALK BY!!" Corey yelled and pushed Hunter out of the way.
Before he exited the door he turned and looked back at his co workers.
" AND I HATE THE WWE!"
And with that said he slammed the door behind him.
So, that was Jordan's first appereance, but she wont play a major role until later in the story.Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading.
Jacky