Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the WWE or its superstars.
RAW
With Wrestlemania just around the corner, the pressure was on to try to get storylines to get a match at the big event. Tonight was one of only four Raw's before Wrestlemania. Zack wasn't cleared for tonight which made him quite grumpy. Luckily, it looked like I was still going to be involved with a Wrestlemania story line in some context. My immediate future looked bright. I couldn't help but be brimming with happiness.
Dolph and I walked into the arena together, our belts over our shoulders.
"Feels good to walk into an area with a belt on my shoulder again," He said soaking it in.
"It's a great feeling. You definitely deserve it," I said happily as I grazed my hand over my own shiny title.
"I guess. Hopefully these belts will get us matches at Wrestlemania!"
"I fucking hope so! I want my Wrestlemania moment!" I said pouting.
"You'll get one. I promise!"
"Either way, I'm just excited to be involved with Wrestlemania week. I've never been to one before."
"It's a lot of fun. But it's so tiring." We finally reached the locker room area.
"I'll see you later Dolph."
"Bye Blondie."
My match tonight was another uneventful squash match against Alicia Fox. It was becoming evident that they wanted me to really hold onto that Divas Championship. I didn't mind, I loved having a championship belt. It was weird to be so heavily involved in male superstars storylines when so few divas did. But on the other hand, I was glad that in a time where screen time was hard for Divas to get, that I was fortunate enough to have a good storyline going. I rushed backstage to shoot another Dolph promo. Dolph was already waiting for me, he didn't have a match tonight.
We took our places for the promo.
Action!
He approached me.
"What no bikini today Kelsey?" He said smugly.
"No. But seriously, can't you take a hint?"
"Whatever do you mean?" He said coyly.
"I hate you, I was willing to risk walking out to the ring in a bikini for a chance to get rid of you. Yet here you are…still here."
"Well you lost the bet, I don't HAVE to leave you alone." I rolled my eyes.
"You're an idiot."
"I was smart enough to get you nearly naked." He winked. "Well I have to be going now." He started to walk away and slapped my ass.
"Jerk!"
Cut.
"What is with you hitting my ass all the time?" I said giggling.
"You've got a nice ass. I'm just showing it that I appreciate it," he said with a cheesy smile.
"I wish I could argue with that."
"That's because you love arguing!"
"No, I don't! I'm just good at it."
"You are a stubborn woman!"
"You know it! I'm going to go to my room and change. See ya later." I slapped him on the ass and walked away. He smiled.
The Next Week on Raw
Tonight was Zack's first night back in the ring. He was scheduled to face Santino tonight in a squash match. It was hard to go out and pretend to be a happily married couple when Zack and I had been on such a roller coaster as of late. We get along one day, we yell and fight the next. Once the cameras roll, we were convincing and professional. Being around each other off camera was like walking through a minefield. One wrong move and we blew up on each other. I was more than stoked when his match was done and I could get away from him and go back to my room. His outbursts lately were out of line and made me a little skeptical about being around him. Zack and I have been through a lot together and I was more than happy when we were getting along. But now some weird jealously has emerged and I cannot decide how I feel about it. Four years ago I would have been overjoyed at this development but now…I didn't know how to feel about it. He was my husband after all. I was snapped out of my thoughts by Dolph.
"Earth to Blondie!"
"Oh hey Dolph," I said giving him a hug. "That was a great match out there tonight by the way."
"Thank you. I'm just glad I got my Jack Swagger rematch clause out of the way. Too be honest, I'm getting sick of fighting him." I just laughed.
"I bet, you two have been put up against each other so many times in the last couple months."
"Yeah, tell me about it. It does look like I'll get a non-Swagger opponent for Wrestlemania."
"That's great, any idea who?"
"No idea… So where are you off to?"
"I have an interview to do with Zack and Josh Matthews," I said unenthusiastically.
"That sounds so fun?" He said laughing.
"Want to come watch? It'll be entertaining I promise."
"Well…Why not? I'm already done for the night." We walked arm and arm over to the interview area, our championship belts gleaming on our shoulders. As soon as Zack saw us his face went from a smile to an immediate look of irritation.
"Hey everybody!" I said cheerily to the crew, Josh, and Zack.
"Hey Kelsey! Are you all set?" the camera guy asked.
"Absolutely."
"Knock 'em dead Blondie." He kissed my temple. I walked over and stood next to Zack.
"Was it really necessary to bring Him here?" Zack spat quietly into my ear. I looked over to the crew.
"Will you guys excuse us for a minute?" I pulled Zack away from the crew and out of earshot. "Look, I asked him to come, he was done for the night and wanted something to do, get over it."
"I can't get over it…I can't get over you!" He said whispering. I looked at him.
"Then you shouldn't have walked out on our marriage four years ago."
"It wasn't that simple," He said sadly.
"But it was and now you get jealous over my platonic relationship with Dolph. You are unbelievable."
"I made a mistake Kelsey! I've paid for it everyday!"
"It took you four years to realize this?" I asked angrily.
"No, it didn't take me that long."
"I waited for you. I didn't date, I didn't move out of our apartment, I didn't take off my wedding ring. I waited for a year. You didn't come back. I accepted it and moved on."
"I know, but I was afraid if I came back, you wouldn't take me back. So I just stayed away."
"I can't believe you are doing this to me right now."
"Well I couldn't hold it in any longer, Kels. I see you all the time and it hurts. I know I screwed up, I know I hurt you. I hate that I did that to you." I saw a tear slide down his cheek.
"It's been four years Zack. This didn't just happen. It's too late to fix this now!" I could feel my eyes well up with tears.
"No! No, it's not too late! We may be separated but you are still my wife. I am still your husband. We made vows and a life together!" he said eagerly.
"The vows are kind of shot to hell now don't you think? You walked away, you made that choice. You left me feeling broken, and now that my life is going well and I'm put back together, and now you want to work it out?" I said furiously.
"Kelsey, it's not like that! I-" He was interrupted by Dolph.
"Is everything okay here?" He asked skeptically. His gaze fixed on me. I nodded.
"Yeah, we are finished with this conversation …" I said walking away from Zack and back to the shoot spot. Zack followed.
"Are you guys ready?" the cameraman asked.
"Yep, we're ready. Sorry about the interruption."
"It's alright, happens all the time."
Action!
"I'm here tonight with Zack and Kelsey Ryder. So Zack you were attacked weeks ago sustaining enough injury to be deemed ineligible to wrestle at Elimination Chamber. What's your game plan from here?"
"Well Josh, my goal is to exact revenge on my attacker."
"Who do you suspect that individual is?"
"Dolph Ziggler, who else? I couldn't wrestle for the title and he's the only one whose benefited from that. He's a conniving bastard. To get back at him, I'm going to take that belt away."
"Sounds like you are pretty angry with U.S. Champion Dolph Ziggler."
"Hell yeah I am. He attacked me, he took my title shot, and he constantly harasses my beautiful wife. He made her prance around in a bikini for goodness sake! I've had it and he'll pay."
"Kelsey, what do you have to say about all of this?"
"Well, obviously Dolph has become a pain in our asses. My husband will take the title off of that smug bastard and then it will be right where it belongs, with the Ryder's. From the day we married, we wanted to be a golden couple. Soon enough, this dream WILL be a reality. We will reign as champions side by side."
"Strong words from team Ryder. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Back to you guys."
Cut.
I strolled over to Dolph. "How'd I do?"
"Wonderful as always. The camera loves you. You and your hubby trash talk me quite well."
"I've had a lot of practice!"
"Hey! You know you didn't mention the interview was a Dolph roast!"
"I thought you'd like that."
"I did not. So just for that, I'm going to kidnap you." He smiled at me and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder.
"Hey!" He began walking down the hallway. "Can you at least help me cover my ass!" I said trying to hold down my skirt.
"Nope, I'm letting the good people of the WWE enjoy the view."
"Jerk face!" he chuckled a bit and continued walking. "You know the view isn't so bad from here either!" I said checking out his butt.
"Why thank you Blondie. I take pride in that ass!" He carried me all the way to his locker room. He entered the room and plopped me down on a chair.
"Thanks for the lift!" I joked.
"You are very welcome…so spill," he said looking at me very seriously.
"Spill what?" I said coyly.
"What was going on today before the interview. It seemed pretty heated."
"Yeah, yeah it was. He just said some stuff."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Like saying that he's not over me and that it isn't too late for us," I said not looking at him.
"Wow. Just wow."
"I know. It's all just a little weird. Like four years ago I wanted nothing more than him to say stuff like that…to fight for us and our marriage."
"And now?"
"And now…I just don't know. It's been a long time. I don't know where my head is."
I thought I saw a glimmer of disappointment at such a non-committal answer. Maybe Dolph really did want more than a platonic friendship. I had a lot to figure out.
Thanks to everybody who has been reading! It really means a lot and keeps me writing it :] Review if you feel like letting me know what you think!
