Chapter 7

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Randy left his house Wednesday night to catch a red eye to the Bloomington, Illinois. He knows what time Arianne's flight should arrive so he was kind of miffed when she hasn't showed up or called after half an hour of waiting.

It was still very early in the morning and he didn't get to sleep in the plane at all. He wouldn't have minded waiting much, had she only called.

He was growing more annoyed by the minute and was about to leave the airport without her, when she arrived finally. And he was still pissed.

"Why are you late?" He asked.

"Sorry…flight got delayed." She pouted.

No change in his expression.

"Aww…you're doing the stoic thing again!" She said, "Come on, don't be mad. I bought you coffee." She lifted the Starbucks paper bag from her cart.

"Non-fat?" He asked.

"And decaf." She said, handing it to him.

He took a sip as they started to walk out of there. "I'm still a little angry." He said.

"Pssh!" She reacted, rolling her eyes.

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John's plane just landed in Bloomington, IL. He has been accustomed to showing up early wherever they were going to have a show to kick off the week, to be able to get some work out in. And that week was no exception. That's just how he is. After all, you don't get to the top by slacking off.

He just got his luggage and was about to leave the airport when he spotted Randy. He was surprised because he never comes down that early. It was only Thursday and he's still usually at home especially when it wasn't such a long flight.

He was about to approach him when Arianne suddenly appeared.

Apparently, Randy was waiting for her because he got up and left with her right after. And that's when John got the idea that there must be some truth to the rumors he was hearing about those two. He just never really believed it because he knows Randy. They've been friends for a long time.

But then he's never seen him like that with other girls either. And why would those two be meeting so early when they could just as conveniently show up the next day for that Friday's house show? He couldn't help but think Randy's still playing the game. Well, either that or he's really having an affair with Arianne.

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"So, where are we going now?" Arianne asked Randy when they were in the car.

He hasn't said a word to her since they left at the airport and his silence was starting to bother her, and it looks like he wasn't planning on saying anything still. He just wore that brooding look on his face.

"Randy, let's go there." She told him when she saw the signage of the Apple Barn in front of the entrance.

He looked at where she pointed and frowned. "What for?"

"Because you're so grumpy!" She said, nonchalantly. "We need to get off the road and get you some fresh air. It will be good for you. You need to just chill." She touched his arm. "Come on, trust me."

He looked at her, and she smiled at him. With a sigh, he relented and drove towards the barn. The Apple Barn is one of Bloomington's tourist attractions.

It's basically an apple orchard, market and park rolled into one. The place is usually full of people, especially during harvest time, but since it was only Thursday, there weren't that many people.
He just followed her around, letting her lead the way.

Finally they got to the orchard where they get to pick the apples that they were going to buy. Randy just sat on bench in the middle of the orchard, under a shade of a tree. He just watched her enjoyed herself, picking apples as one of the employees helped her.

As he did he felt his tension go down, and he began to relax and he didn't even realize he was smiling until Arianne came back.

"Wow! Would you look at that?" She said, as she sat beside him, putting the basket of apples down on his lap. "Grumpy's actually smiling now!"

"Pssh." He teased back. He looked at the apples. "This is all you got? Pathetic."

"Well I didn't see you lifting a finger to help me!" She said, laughing.

He just smiled. It made her feel good that he seemed in a better mood. He looked at the apples in the basket and picked the best one.

"So…you want to tell me why you wanted to meet up so early?" Arianne asked.

"Nope." He said simply. He wiped the apple with his shirt and then he took a bite.

"Why not?" She looked at him. "Come on, you made me fly out here to meet you. The least you could do is to tell me the reason."

"Because I'd rather enjoy this time with you than to talk about my problems." He said, looking at her.

He surprised himself when he said it, especially when he saw how it surprised Arianne too—enough to make her blush and speechless. He thought maybe he shouldn't have said it.

But then again, that was exactly what he meant. That was exactly how he feels. But he didn't want to make things awkward between them. Not now. So he took another apple and wiped it clean with his shirt and gave it to her.

"Try it. It's really good." He said.

"Yeah." She took the apple and took a bite too.

He put on his sunglasses, and took a bite on the apple. "By the way, I'm not Grumpy." He said, "I'm Dopey. See?" He pointed at his ear.

That made her laugh a little.

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Meanwhile…

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John has checked in at the hotel they were all going to stay in. He was met at the hotel lobby by a few fans since nobody expected him to be there that early. After signing autographs and taking pictures with the fans, he finally got to the front desk and do his business.

"Here you are Mr. Cena." The guy at the front desk said, "Room 807, that's on the eight floor, right wing."

"Thanks." He said, "By the way, has ah…anybody from my group checked in yet?"

"Nope, you're the first one, sir."

"Hmm…" He thought maybe the guys wasn't a wrestling fan and didn't know who Randy is, so he tried describing him. "No one by the name of Orton checked in? Tall guy, handsome, lanky, lots of tats on the arm…could've come in with a woman?"

"No, sir. And I know who Randy Orton is. I'm a big fan."

"Oh. Cool." He said. Now, where did those two went off to?He thought to himself.

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Back at the Apple Barn…

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The two had been pretty quiet for some time. Arianne was watching people walk past them, picking apples. Randy, tired and sleep deprived as he was, sat idly on the bench, watching her under his dark sunglasses pretending to be taking a nap. He just doesn't know what to say to her after that awkward moment.

They were being inconspicuous, trying not to get attention so Randy was enjoying himself, relaxing, breathing in the fresh air. He was always on the road, going from city to city, yet he never really gets to slow down and take in the scenery.

So this was a very welcome change of pace—albeit just a little while. Not to mention he was happy with the company he has. He closed his eyes for a little bit and just took in the atmosphere.

"Aww…where did you come from?" Arianne suddenly said, "Come here buddy!"

He opened his eyes and took his glasses off to see who she was talking to. The sun was shining down on her through the leaves of the trees surrounding them, and he thought she almost looked luminescent for a second.

She was petting a small dog by her feet. It was a Terrier.

"Where'd you come from little one? Where is your owner?" She asked the dog as if it can speak, as she picked it up. The dog seems to like being pet by her.

Randy sat up right, "You like dogs?" He asked.

"Sure." She said, "Dogs are great. You take care of them, they take care of you back in their own way."

"Jackie!" A little girl called the dog not far from where they were sitting. "Jackie, come here boy!"

The dog jumped off from Arianne's lap and ran towards the girl. When the dog was a few feet close to her, the little girl ran and the dog followed her to where her parents and brother was.

Arianne watched them for a moment, and Randy saw a little smile on her lips.

"Do you want a dog?" He asked.

"No." She said, withdrawing her gaze from the family and staring off somewhere else. "It's hard to take care of one with the lifestyle we have, being on the road most of the time…especially when you have no one to go home to…like a family."

She shook her head a little bit like she was trying to refocus. "I mean, you know, like me, I live alone…I have no one at home to watch the dog for me."

She cleared her throat, after her voice cracked up a little as she said that. And Randy, knowing what happened to her parents, felt compelled to comfort her. But he doesn't even know the first thing to say. So he didn't say anything and just put a hand over her knee.

She took his hand in both of her hands and looked at him, "I'm fine, don't worry about me." She said.

She put her head on his shoulder, and closer her eyes. "I'm gonna be just fine."

Somehow, his presence makes her feel stronger, giving her strength, like having him beside her makes her feel like she can take on anything that comes her way.

She couldn't even begin to explain it, not even to herself because it all happened so fast, and perhaps no one could understand her—except maybe for Randy. Because he feels the same way.

They stayed like that for a while before they left. They drove around for a while, taking in the sights, something they never get to do a lot, travelling as much as they do.

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When it started getting dark, they decided to head to the hotel and get settled and rest before everyone else starts arriving. They didn't count that John would be there already at all.

John was coming out of his room when he saw them. Randy was walking Arianne to her door, pulling her luggage along. When John saw them, he didn't went out yet and just peeked from behind his door. His room just happened to be between Arianne and Randy's room.

"This is me." Arianne said when they got to her door. "My bags, please?"

"Oh, right!" Randy handed her her luggage. "So ah…you wanna get some dinner?"

"I don't know…I'm hungry, but I'm more tired." She said, "I think I'll just rest, maybe sleep it off."

"Or we can just order room service and stay in my room…or yours." He said, faster than he could think about it. "Uh…I mean if you want to, no pressure." He added when he realized what he said.

She smiled, "Randy, we've spent the whole day together already. Aren't you tired of me yet?" She joked.

He just smiled, and didn't say anything. Something in the way that he was looking at her gave her an answer. But she didn't entertain it and chose to ignore it. Not because she didn't want to, but because she's afraid if she let it happen that she might cross a line she'll never be able to come back from again.

A line she knows would be wrong if she crosses.

"You should get some rest. It's been a long day." She told him, pulling her luggage inside the door. "Good night."

Then she went inside and closed the door slowly behind her. As soon as she locked the door, she leaned on the door and closed her eyes, as she tried to make herself relax.

Her heart was beating so fast, and she thought it might just leap out of her chest if she hadn't gotten inside the room. She realized she was that close to crossing that line.

Outside, Randy didn't leave yet either. He just stood there, a little bit dejected, looking at the door. Part of him thought it was just as well that she didn't agree to his suggestion, otherwise he doesn't know what could possibly happen next, if he could control whatever it was that was pulling him towards her or not.

But then another part of him wished he had the guts to say out loud what he was thinking when she asked him if he wasn't tired of her yet to her face. It's like the feeling is getting stronger all the time, every moment he spends with her, and maybe even when he doesn't.

He wondered how long he can keep fighting what he was feeling. Maybe he should try distancing himself from her, but he couldn't even really begin to imagine it because it almost feels like cutting his own limb off.

"How can I be tired of you?" He said. "I don't even think that's possible."

With a sigh of confusion and distress, he walked to his room.

John saw and heard everything though, and was just as confused about what he's witnessed. He knows what it looks like, but he just didn't want to believe it is what it seems to be.

He just can't believe that Randy would still be playing Arianne after all this time. He thought he was having a legitimate friendship with her already. He was very disappointed with Randy.

What was he trying to prove? What was he thinking? He's married, and with a kid, so why is he still doing this? What is he getting out of it?

He also felt sorry for Arianne. He's seen the way she looks at him and if Randy is still playing her, she's just going to end up getting hurt.

She's a nice girl, and she has her whole future ahead of her, it would be awful if she ends up getting hurt because of what Randy is doing. That kind of heartbreak can affect a girl so badly it could just ruin her life.

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The next day…

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The other Superstars and crew from both shows have started coming in for the house show that night. Randy went to see Arianne so they could get breakfast together, but John had other ideas.

So when he saw them at the lobby, he approached them and tried to talk to Randy.

"Hey, man! When did you guys get here? I thought you'd arrive today." John said, pretending he didn't see them yesterday. "Hey, Arianne."

"Hi, John." She smiled.

"Uh…yeah…I landed last night." Randy lied.

"Right." John said. "Well, I'm meeting the other guys for breakfast before going to the gym, you want to join us?"

"We're actually just about to grab a bite…" He looked at Arianne like he's asking her what he should do.

"It's okay." She said, "You guys go…I have to see Stephanie in a few minutes anyway." She touched his arm, "I'll see you at the arena." She smiled.

"Alright." He said. He watched her go before he got back to John. "So, where are the other guys?"

"Actually, they're not here yet." John said, "I just said that because we need to talk."

Randy felt a little irked about that. He really wanted to go to breakfast with Arianne because they weren't going to see each other until later that night at the show.

But John looked serious and he was curious as to what John wanted to talk to him about. They went to get some breakfast while they talked.

"Okay…what do you want to talk about?" Randy asked.

"About you…and Arianne." John said.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading. I hope you like it. :) I'd appreciate feedbacks/comments. ;)