The flight landed, just in time too. I was really tempted to punch the kid beside me in the face. He was loud, obnoxious and threw three tantrums in a four hour flight. My mp3 could only do so much against his crying. I scurried away from him as quickly as possible, almost running. I did gain a few glances from the people I almost stumbled into, but at least I was away from that kid. I started to walk normally as I got closer to the luggage area.
"Ella Valentine Smith!" The high-pitched voice rang up behind me. I turned around and saw Cynthia prancing towards me.
"Whoa…" I thought to myself as I saw the girl from my high school years. It had been…five years since I had actually seen her in the flesh. I had watched Smackdown, which was the show she was on, and I saw her grow up, a little. She got into wrestling when she was about 19. Her dad was a Superstar and she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. She was good at what she did in the ring surprisingly.
"Um pardon me, bitch, where have you been all my life?" She laughed, as she hugged me, accidentally hitting me in the back of the head with her purse. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She giggled as she stood up straight again.
"I'm alright." I rubbed the back of my head and smiled.
"You better be, bitch." She laughed. I raised an eyebrow at her. "How am I supposed to live with myself if I hurt the baby of our trio? And before KJ even got to see your smiling face?" She scoffed dramatically. I laughed quietly. She had changed so much from a 5'3", black haired, junior in high school to a tall model blonde.
"You wouldn't live with yourself because KJ would kick your ass." I smiled. She shook her head and glanced behind her. "And why in the hell are you wearing heels? You are a skyscraper!" I laughed.
"Well, 5'7" seemed a bit short in the business. The heels are to make my legs look great!" She laughed putting an arm around my shoulder, leading me to get my luggage. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"You went from 5'3" to 5'7" and you're saying you're short?!" I snapped playfully. "I am 5'4", bitch, and I haven't grown an inch since I was in 6th Grade!" I nudged her. She shook her head and raised her eyebrows with a small smile.
"I said they make my legs look great too!" She defended herself. "Plus with the new blonde hair, long legs are so in right now." She insisted. Her hair looked like it had bleached in the sun. She had hidden behind her black hair for so long, it was going to take time to get used to the new looks.
"If you say so." I shook my head at her. "So, where did you just come from?" I asked as she grabbed her suitcase from the luggage carousel.
"We just came from Dallas. We have a show here in, like, five hours. I was a little late because I was with some friends and Natalie." She said glancing back again. I grabbed my luggage as she looked back at me. I guess this Natalie girl wasn't a good friend of hers.
"I swear Cynthia was friends with everyone that was willing to listen to her." I thought to myself.
"Speaking of friends, I want to introduce you to Barbie." She said nudging me along to a bench nearby. "She's totally amazing." She smiled and nudged me down. I looked at what Cynthia was wearing compared to what I was wearing.
I was in black sweatpants and had my glasses on. My white outlined pendant star necklace hung underneath my tee shirt that read 'Let the Music Take Hold' with a cassette tape. She had a short denim skirt on and a pink tank top with pink heels. She even had make up on! I woke up to get through the day, not seize it, woman! Stop making me look bad! Oh no…did she have to dress like that? I quietly hoped not. I would be dead in three minutes if I even had to put on high heels and get on a plane.
"Okay, wait here, I'll try and find her. If I get lost or something, I'll text you. Hold my stuff." She said breaking me out of my trance. Leaving her suitcase beside mine, she walked away. I sat on the bench and got out my phone.
"Let me just pick this up." I thought as I glanced at the luggage and snickered to myself. "May as well text my dad in this meantime." I thought to myself and started a text. "Dearest Father, I have made my arrival at Saint Petersburg International Airport in Clearwater, Florida. I am glad to inform you that I am in tip top shape after the flight." I always sent text to my dad like that. It made him laugh. I glanced at the time after I sent the text message. It was only 10:05. I bet everyone was still sleeping at home. I blinked. I still wasn't used to this new time-zone. I groaned and leaned my head back. Sleep was needed. I closed my eyes.
"Hi." A concerned voice opened my eyes. I looked at the woman talking to me. I blinked.
"Um…hi!" I said looking up at the blonde. It wasn't Barbie though. It was Natalya in a white dress with dark blue stripes on the bottom half and dark blue boots.
"I saw Cynthia leave you; I kind of assumed that you were Ella." She smiled at me warmly.
"Um, yes, hello, I'm Ella." I laughed and wiggled my fingers at her. She smiled.
"Natalie Nedhart, or Natalya." She shook my hand before she sat by me without warning.
"Hello." I laughed. "I'm Ella Smith, or, you know, Ella." I joked. She laughed warmly.
"Hello Ella." She smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. Cynthia can talk up a storm to anyone with an ear, but I had to eavesdrop a little bit." She glanced around and smiled. I raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Why did you have to eavesdrop?" I questioned. She shrugged lightly.
"Cynthia isn't really the kind of girl I get information from. Plus, I think I'm not on her list of friends." She quoted 'list' with her fingers.
"Why wouldn't she try and be friends?" I questioned.
"I'm a nice person…just not to her. She's not really the kind of person I want to be friends with anyway…not to say you being her friend is a bad thing. We don't really match well with our personalities." She shrugged and laughed.
"That seems understandable." She smiled at that comment. "What?" I questioned, cocking my head slightly in a confused manner.
"You're a lot more…" She thought for a moment. "…well…accepting to me saying that than she was." She laughed. I shrugged.
"It's hard to find nice people now-a-days. I can accept anyone if they're not a jackass." I stated with a small smile and a shrug. "I guess that's just how I was raised." I snickered. She gave me an approving nod.
"Oh, I know how you feel. I just haven't had the pleasure of meeting someone with the same idea." She smiled.
"Well, hello! I'm Ella, and I was raised not to be an asshole to human beings!" I exclaimed. Natalie laughed longer. I smiled.
"Well hello there Ella! I was also raised not to be an asshole! Call me Nattie!" She laughed and extended her hand again. I shook it and laughed with her.
"So, where's Cynthia?" I questioned, only realizing that some bit of time had passed.
"Hmm…oh, she's right over there with Barbie." She said pointing over to Cynthia, assumingly Barbie and a man…a big, bulky, familiar looking man. He was turned away so I couldn't really tell. It could have been half the roster of the WWE from just the back.
"So you were the only late ones?" I question, looking back at her. She nodded.
"Yeah, pretty much. It's a long story, but to make it short, just imagine a drinking tale that didn't end well." She laughed, nudging me. "Have you got any drinking stories…just to break more ice? We are on an iceberg, as of now, if you don't talk." She said seriously. I glanced over at her. She was only smiling.
"My drinking stories are long and…embarrassing…involving recordings of my misadventures." I stated. "I danced half naked in Wal-Mart one time, though." Natalie started laughing.
"If you were the captain of the Titanic, you just smashed into the iceberg." She laughed. "Good job. You broke the ice!" She smiled. I laughed. It was nice having someone to actually carry on a conversation with. It didn't make me as tired as it would have if there was a crowd. I can only do so much with me being an introvert. But this, joking and not feeling like a total jackass when talking to someone new was nice.
"We're going to have to drink some time." She smiled. I laughed and nodded in approval. "Hey wait…aren't you the new girl?" She questioned suddenly like she had discovered the lost city of Atlantis. I cocked my head. "You know, the new Diva!" She exclaimed. I started laughing, but nodded.
"Yes, hello, that is me." I stated. "Was Cynthia telling two stories about me or…" I trailed off raising my eyebrow.
"No, no, no, all I heard from eavesdropping on Cynthia was that you and she were friends. KJ talked to me that you and she were friends, but she also said that you were moving here to work." Natalie rambled. "And Vince said that there would be a new Diva. He sent this email to all of us Divas, saying that there was going to be a new girl." She continued. "I just put two and two together now, so don't judge me with those judging eyes of yours!" She snapped playfully. I laughed at her explanation before I had time to processes then news. My face began to drop.
"Wait…Mr. McMahon sent an email to all Divas just to inform them of me?" I furrowed my eyebrows together. This talking thing was going so well until that very sentence.
"Some girls need to be reminded to not be an asshole. Not everyone grew up like us." She winked. I smiled and shook my head. "And hey, don't worry about them. You have KJ and Cynthia. And hell, you live across the street from me!" She smiled. I smiled and cocked my head.
"I do?" I questioned.
"Yeah, I saw Cynthia and KJ moving boxes into the empty apartment across from my house. I asked KJ and she said it was for 'Ella', and everything is coming together now!" She smiled excitedly. I could literally feel my spirits rise up just because of how happy she was getting. It must have been like Clue to her, only no one died. I laughed quietly.
"Yes, hello, it is I, the mysterious 'Ella' that everyone has been speaking of." I stuck my arms out, pretending to be a God.
"I never imagined that you'd be this 'Ella' girl though. No offence." I put my hands up.
"No offence taken. I'm not really 'Diva' looking material." I shrugged. "I'm kind of an awkward blob that can flip around a wrestling ring." We laughed. She shook her head in disagreement though.
"I hope you take no offence to this either, but for a model diva, you could fit the part." She said. I wrinkled my nose at the word. "That's why I said no offence." She laughed.
"If potatoes were models, than yes, I would be a good potato model." I laughed. "I would be the potato model!" I cackled. She nudged me and shook her head with a smile.
"She's the potato model only-" She sang out waiting for me to reveal my age.
"ONLY TWENTY THHRREEE!" I sang back to her in a loud, obnoxious voice. Her whole body shook as she laughed alongside me.
"So," Natalie stated after calming down from her laughter. "Are you planning on doing anything fun tonight?" She asked. I shrugged coming down from my own laughter.
"Not that I'm aware of." I laughed. "Sleeping, maybe?" I suggested.
"Why don't you come to the house show tonight?" She asked.
"Am I allowed to do that?" I asked quizzically.
"If you want to." She winked. I laughed. I hadn't really met someone so willing to invite me anywhere; even if it was work…or really anyone who was seemingly happy a lot of the time. Well, at least a morning person. Jesus, it wasn't even 10:15 yet and I was laughing. What the hell was this witchcraft?
"I suppose I could do that." I laughed. Cynthia finally came over to us with Kelly Kelly and John Cena…aha, that was who it was.
"Sorry, had to catch these losers up with all the news about you." Cynthia smiled. "So you've meet Natalie." She said pulling me to my feet suddenly, giving me a head-rush. I blinked trying to let my blood flow correct itself. "Okay, so here's Barbra or Barbie." She smiled toward Kelly Kelly…Of course I knew her name, when Cynthia talked to me on the phone, she would always talk about Barbie.
"Hi! It's so good to finally meet you! Cynthia has been telling me about you for some time now, so it's great to finally meet you in person." She smiled with excitement, putting out her hand. I shook her hand.
"Ella. Cynthia has told me a lot about you as well." I smiled back. From what Cynthia had told me from our previous Skype speaking, Barbie was the same person, inside and out of the ring.
"Come on, Ella. Be nice. You were raised nice. You can do this." I thought to myself as I smiled at her still.
"John." My ears perked up at the voice and the name. My eyes first caught his extended hand.
"Ella." I said looking up at him. He smiled at me warmly. Sure, I knew who he was, who didn't? I myself wasn't a huge fan of his wrestling, but it didn't mean I didn't respect him as a person. Plus, he is kind of easy on the eyes. Cynthia's narrowed eyes stopped me and my wondering mind.
"Note to self; Cynthia can read minds." I muttered in my head, trying to suppress a giggle.
"Sorry to not get in a full conversation and learn evey aspect of you in this very instant, but I have to go to the hotel." John said ignoring the look Cynthia was giving me. I smiled, but let my eyes turn towards my feet, away from both Cynthia and Cena's eyes. Cynthia blinked as she quickly left her glance from me and looked at John.
"Okay baby," Venom spat off the word as Cynthia looked back at Barbie. "Barbie, would you like to stay with me tonight?" Cynthia asked looking at Barbie. Barbie nodded and smiled at the offer.
"Three days with a real bed, I'll take it." She giggled. My eyes widened for a small amount of time hearing her laugh, keeping myself quiet. Two laughs rose up. One from Natalie and one from…John…? I first looked at John, as he smiled and shook his head at me, before looking at Natalie, trying to cool Cynthia's sudden rage against me down.
"We'd better go." Cynthia snapped, suddenly. I didn't protest as I looked to Cynthia quietly.
"I can take Ella to her house." Natalie offered. I looked back to her. "Well, if that's alright with you." I raised my hands in defense.
"You'll get no protest from me." I smiled, happy to make a new…friend. Could I even call her that? I felt like I could. "She lives right across from me, doesn't she?" I asked more towards Cynthia, already knowing the answer.
"KJ told you?" Cynthia asked looking rather offended. I nodded cautiously. "Well, I have to go to my apartment anyway, and it's miles away from yours." She rolled her eyes 'playfully'. Playfully being a very loose word. If someone had just poked an angry bear and the bear started clawing off your face, that would be the kind of playfulness her eye rolling was. "I'll see you later okay, bitch." Cynthia smiled at me before pulling Barbie, her luggage and John through a crowded area.
"Um, Cynthia, why are we going through a crowd?" I heard John ask, gaining him a small smile from me.
"Well…that was…fun." Natalie said as soon as the group was out of hearing distance.
"That's Cynthia all right." I shrugged as Natalie stood up grabbing her suitcase handle.
"And Barbie…you don't like her, I assume?" Natalie asked pulling her suitcase towards the same crowd, pulling on her hood and nodding for me to follow.
"Cynthia wouldn't shut up about her when we talked. I wasn't going to be a total bitch the first time she met me." I said as I pulled the handle of my bag, glancing up to see if she was going to wait. Her steps only slowed down. "I'll just wait until she does something to annoy me. That is when I will destroy her." I cackled evilly, catching up to her quickly. She only laughed.
"Come on, you little mouse!" She snickered as I finally caught up to her.
"Are you saying I look like a mouse?" I asked her as I scrunched up my nose.
"I'm saying you're small and practically harmless, like a mouse." She corrected me. "That is, until you need to be an asshole." She suggested. I rolled my eyes at her and smiled. "You know, not many people are like that," She shrugged. "Their own person, I mean, inside and outside the ring. Only the really dumb people or really awesome people are both their ring persona and their own person, and it's up to whoever you are to figure out which ones which." She smiled as we got out to the parking lot. I smiled to myself. I did enjoy that way of putting people; and to have her not judge me for who I would or wouldn't like was also nice.
"Do you know where your car is?" I asked, changing the subject as we walked out into the parking garage. She froze.
"Do you even know how hard it is to leave your car in a parking garage for a week and instantly find it, Ella?" She hissed with a small laugh breaking through. "No, you don't, so you can shut your whore mouth." She laughed as she fumbled, trying to get out her keys. Once in hand, she clicked the panic button, only to hear the sound of the alarm blaring from a few cars away.
"So, are you going to the house show tonight?" I questioned as she found her car and turned off the panic.
"Of course I am." She smiled opening her trunk and putting her suitcase in it. "But first, let's worry about getting you to your place first."
"Oh, come on now, I need to plan ahead or else I'll panic." I muttered, half joking and half being deadly serious. She only chuckled putting her suitcase in her trunk.
"Fine then, I'll drop you off at your place. I'll go to my place for a bit so you can adventure in your new place, and then I can take you to the gym to see KJ." She stated as she stuffed my suitcase beside hers.
"She doesn't like surprises." I shook my head as Natalie went to the driver's side and got into the car. I scurried to the passenger side quickly, jumping into the seat.
"Does anyone really enjoy surprises?" She questioned with a snickered as she started the car. With a low rumble, the engine kicked on.