To Pique an Interest

Chapter 16: For Her

That night, Lilly returned home from another day in the office, having just finished a late night gig at one of the coffee houses in campus with her band. Although she'd completed her final project to wrap up her three-year graduate's program in architecture, she still had several gigs to play within Providence as well as some French tutoring she'd been hired to do part-time for a local high school. Graduate life wasn't as easy as she thought it'd be when she initially decided to continue onto the graduate's program. However, after the graduation ceremony in a week's time, she would walk away from RISD with graduate's degrees in architecture and graphic design, as well as undergraduate degrees in interior design and urban design. Afterwards, she planned on searching for a job within the US or in her home country of Canada.

After putting her prized Washburn Maya Series DD91 away in its case, Lilly took a quick shower and changed into an oversized white t-shirt and a baggy pair of cotton pajama pants. She walked into the kitchen, pulled out a box of the ultimate comfort food—Kraft Mac and Cheese—and began preparing her dinner; she was usually a good cook but wasn't in the mood to spend too much time on a meal for one. Laurel had gone out clubbing with Kayla and a couple of her other model friends, so Lilly was all by herself tonight.

While she waited for the water to boil, Lilly turned on her laptop and inserted a DVD that contained a collection of her favorite matches of her favorite WWE Superstar and newest friend, Adam Copeland, or Edge in this case. She started the first match—Edge vs. Mick Foley at Wrestlemania 22—and quickly turned her attention back to her Mac and Cheese.

Five minutes later, Lilly was lounging lazily on the recliner in the living room, watching the match, paying attention to every single spot Adam and Mick made in that match, while at the same time slowly feeding herself a spoon of Mac and Cheese. She was so engrossed in the match that she grew greatly annoyed when the sound of a phone ringing in her earphones interrupted her. However, she noticed the call was from the very same man whom she was just watching on the laptop screen she was just about to destroy in frustration.

Lilly's heart leapt as she hurriedly clicked the green 'answer' button, elated at not only the fact that he had managed to call, but also that he was making a video call with her. That meant she got to see his beautiful face, the fact that she so dearly missed for days. She hadn't seen him at all since the day they parted at the airport, but the emails, texts, photos, and e-cards he'd been sending her were little reminders that she would someday see him again. The little hearts he sent her through texts, the email he sent her of a love poem he wrote with the help of Jeff Hardy, the photo of him holding a pink teddy bear holding a heart that said 'I miss you'…they all made her melt. Never in her life had Lilly ever experienced such a feeling, the feeling of being in love.

"Hey you," greeted Lilly, when the image of Adam appeared on her screen.

"Hey babe," replied Adam back, his eyes glowing with happiness. Lilly noticed his hair was wet and he was shirtless. She blushed, praying that it wasn't easily noticed.

"Haven't seen you in a while," said Lilly, trying to hide the grin on her face.

"Haven't seen you in a while too," replied Adam, "it's not the same without you by my side."

"I know," said Lilly softly, "I miss those times too. How come you called now?"

"Didn't feel like going out tonight with the boys, so I returned to the hotel right after the show to call it a day, and I was just on checking my email and I noticed you were online at the same time as well," said Adam, slipping on a wife-beater, "to be honest, I notice you're hardly on your Skype at all."

"I usually don't go on that much," admitted Lilly, "but today I had it on because I was chatting with my parents, and I was just watching one of your matches before you called."

"Which one?"

"The one of you and Mick Foley at Wrestlemania 22."

"I remember that match, Lil, you could obviously tell how painful it was," admitted Adam, shuddering, "I think the burns I got from spearing Mick were just as bad as the tacks in my back."

"Not a very good choice for me to watch all that blood and gore while I'm eating my dinner," said Lilly, taking another bite of her meal.

"Mac and Cheese?" asked Adam, smiling at what she was eating.

"My favorite," confirmed Lilly, giggling. Adam smiled softly at her cute, soft giggle, a very feminine giggle no one would have expected from someone like Lilly.

"Cute," he commented, "so what's Lilly Pad doing staying home on a Friday night? Shouldn't she be out with her friends?"

"Nope, she's too lazy to go out," laughed Lilly.

"So how've things been going, babe?"

"Well, but busy. Everything for my final project is finished and I just finished my term paper last week as well. But I've still got gigs to play and French tuition on my schedule, so I am somewhat busy," answered Lilly.

"You speak French?"

"I am from Canada, Adam," Lilly pointed out, "It is one of the national languages. I had to take it up in school, plus my mom's French Canadian."

"Say something to me in French," requested Adam.

"Why?"

"I just want to hear you say something in French."

"Fais-moi l'amour," purred Lilly, bursting into giggles upon what she'd said that Adam didn't fully understand.

"You need to speak more French, babe, you sound hot!" growled Adam, wiggling his eyebrows, "we need more hot French speaking chicks here in the WWE."

"I think Maryse will suffice," said Lilly, "besides, I don't intend to be a WWE Diva after graduation. Speaking of which, Adam, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead, babe."

"My graduation ceremony is in a week's time, and I was wondering if you were available to come see me," asked Lilly. She'd been waiting to ask that question since she and Adam began hanging out.

"I don't know if I can, Lil," said Adam sadly, "we've got shows that are all going to mostly be in the west coast. And since I already took a week off recently, I doubt Vince is going to let me off for you."

Lilly's heart sank. She was well aware of his very busy schedule, but that still didn't stop her from feeling extremely disappointed.

"Oh," said Lilly softly, biting her lip, "I just wanted to see you again."

"Me too, babe," said Adam, "but I will do whatever I can just to see you again. I promise I'll come back and see you when I can, but I'll try and talk to Vince. Lil, no matter what happens, I'll be there when you need the most. Even if I can't make it, babe, it doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you walking up that podium and getting your diploma."

Adam's words only made Lilly want him even more to be there at her graduation. That was probably the sweetest thing any guy had ever said to her. At twenty-six years old, Lilly felt like a teenager engrossed in young love. Adam was the first guy who'd ever been this sweet and affectionate towards her, ever.

"Adam…I…" Lilly was lost for words.

"Get some sleep, Lilly Pad," said Adam, when he watched her let out a yawn, "I'll talk to you whenever I can."

"Goodnight, Adam," yawned Lilly.

"Goodnight, babe."

The next day, Adam instantly went to work to try and negotiate a day off or two to go watch Lilly's graduation. Knowing time was running out (the ceremony was in a week's time), he requested an urgent appointment with Teddy Long later that afternoon in the hotel lobby.

"Hey, playa, how was your break?" Teddy Long greeted him cheerily, watching Adam take a seat in front of him.

"It was excellent, Teddy, very much needed," replied Adam before ordering drinks for him and his boss.

"I hear the dirt sheets have been screaming about you and a girl while you were in Toronto, Adam," said Teddy, "I know it's none of my business to ask about your personal life, but what was all that about?"

"That was kinda what I wanted to bring up, Teddy," said Adam, "you see, I met her after Backlash at the club some of the guys and I hit later that night, and…er…" Adam didn't want to get into detail and confess that he'd actually tried to seduce Lilly the first night they met, "we…decided to exchange numbers and coincidentally happened to meet up with each other in Toronto. She happened to be there on a break as well. We became friends and started getting closer during that week."

"Well that's cute," said Teddy, nodding, "and what was it about her that you wanted to ask, playa?"

"I was wondering if you'd let me take a few days off so I could head up to Providence, where she's attending college, and attend her graduation ceremony," blurted Adam nervously. This was the first time Adam had ever felt nervous asking something from his boss.

Teddy contemplated for a moment. Adam nervously fumbled with his fingers, praying that he'd get a chance to see Lilly soon again. He knew that by the time he was able to return up to Providence, Lilly would most likely not be there, long out of RISD and finding a job somewhere else in the country or within Canada, which they weren't due to visit until late this year.

"Tell me more before I say what I think, playa."

Adam reflected back on a dirt sheet article Jason had shown him not too long ago about him and Lilly being a 'couple' and clenched his teeth at the many comments he saw from users accusing Lilly of being nothing more than a ring rat seeking to gain her fifteen minutes of fame from using him. He knew she wasn't like that. He knew there were plenty of girls like her who would've done so if given the opportunity, but Lilly wasn't one of them.

"I think Lilly is worth skipping a few days off, Teddy. She's a really special girl and she really means a lot to me," Adam felt his heart swell as he tried to convince Teddy that Lilly's graduation was extremely important. Lilly really did mean a lot to him and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be there for her when she was being honored, "and I believe it would really mean a lot to her if I were to attend her graduation ceremony."

"Playa, if I were in charge, I'd let you off, but I gotta talk to the big boss first," said Teddy, "you just came back from a week long break and I doubt he's going to let you go again this time. But don't worry, playa, I promise you'll see your little lady soon."