Chapter 4- Doubt
Randy
Hate is a harsh word. I was raised to believe that it was wrong to hate someone. But the feelings I had for Jake Hager, or Jack Swagger, well, I didn't hate him. I absolutely loathed him. The mere sight of him made my blood boil, and I wanted to beat the neanderthal back to the Stone Ages. I was angry that he interrupted my match, but I was even angrier that I wasn't told about the attack before hand. Vince and his damn business deals. I was supposed to lose to Dave anyways, and John was supposed to come out with his "STFU" submission hold. But that damn Swagger. I ran both hands over my head in frustration. Which was a bad idea. My neck was killing me. That superplex had whipped my neck hard and I had the worst pinch in my muscles.
I was sitting in the middle of a room full of trainers, pulling at my arms and legs, stretching my muscles, making sure nothing were out of the ordinary. I heard the door open and looked up to see John, followed by Casie and, my breathe caught in my throat. Why was she here? After the horrible things I said to her? But there, standing timidly behind John and Casie, was Lora. I looked past them, trying to meet her eyes, but she seemed to refuse to look at me. I guess I deserved that.
"So, what's the damage?" John asked, smiling, trying to break the tension around me.
"I'm fine," I mumbled.
"I got him good for you though," John smiled. I laughed, I couldn't help it. I saw when John made his running entrance, knocking the idiot out in the process.
"I owe you one," I promised, and John just waved it off.
"Hey John," Casie said, "Let's go say hey to Evan, want to?"
"Huh?" John asked. He looked confused. In fact, so was I. Since when was Casie best friends with Evan Bourne? I cocked my head at Casie, but she just rolled her eyes at me, and pulled an equally confused John away; leaving me and Lora. Alone. Now I understood what Casie had had in mind. And Casie Patterson would pay for this. I didn't look at her. I didn't want too. I didn't want to see those accusatory eyes again. So I went about unlacing my boots, and nearly jumped off the bench I was sitting on in shock when she spoke.
"Are you okay?"
I looked up into her green eyes. She looked scared. She had a right to be. I was an awful person, and I was awful to her. But she also looked worried. She was worried about me, for some absurd reason. I couldn't help but smirk at her.
"I'll be just fine, don't you worry about me."
I reached into my bag, grabbed one of my shirts, and trying to pull it over my shoulders. But I had to move my neck, and the pinched nerve, which caused pain to race from my neck, across my shoulders and down my back. I had one arm in the shirt, and one out.
"Ah, shit!" I gasped, my teeth clenched together, as I winced in pain.
"Oh, my! Here, let me help you," Lora rushed to my side. She stood between my legs and gently took my hand. Her hand was warm and so soft. I watched her face the whole time she worked my arm through my sleeve. She took hold of the shirt with her other hand and pulled it away from my body, and guided my hand slowly and with care, through the sleeve of the shirt. I didn't feel any pain as she adjusted the shirt on my shoulders and pulled it the rest of the way down my waist.
She straightened up and looked me in the eye. A string of auburn hair was in her face, but she didn't seem to notice. I noticed that the longer I stared at her, the more flushed she got. And even with heels on, she only came up to about my chin. She looked shy standing here in front of me, but I knew first hand of the fiery attitude she could possess. I shivered inwardly at the memories of all the different Lora's I have experienced.
"Thank you," I said softly.
"You're welcome." But she didn't walk away. She didn't move. Nor did I. And I felt like I should say something about last night.
"Lora, what happened last, well, I'--"
"Lora! There you are! Oh, hey Randy! How's the neck?"
I saw red. Swagger. My eyes snapped to his, seeing the idiot, gloating, coming towards us. The next thing I knew, John was at my side. Which was probably for the safety of Swagger's life. I was in another world right now, and all I wanted to do was get my hands on him. My eyes narrowed at him when he got close to Lora.
"I was just looking for you Lora. I was wondering, since I had such a great night and all, if I could cash in that raincheck you offered me."
I had forgotten about that. I had heard her promise him at the airport when she went with John that, Lord knows why, and now he was going to hold her to it.
"Not such a great night, I do believe I saw you get your head knocked off by John," Casie said, "Or was it a speeding locomotive?" Did John actually blush a little? Wow. "Either way, you were left drooling like the idiot you are, on the floor."
I saw Lora's lips twitch, trying not to crack a smile, which Swagger failed to see as he glared at Casie. But he masked his anger and turned back to Lora.
"So, how about it? See some sights before we leave London?"
I don't know what came over me. I should have just kept my mouth shut. It wasn't my place to say anything in the first place, but Casie's words and Lora's reaction had boosted me.
"I believe that if she wanted to go, she would have said so before now. So leave her alone."
I kept my eyes on Swagger, sending him death glares, when a voice tore my eyes away.
"Excuse me? Who do you think you are?"Lora exclaimed, staring at me. Apparently my plan backfired.
"What?" I was baffled.
"You, of all people, don't need to be telling people to leave me alone, Orton," she hissed. Of course she was still furious with me. "And I might have not answered him because I was just too happy for words!"
That left John, Casie and I gaping at her. She said it with such confidence that I couldn't tell whether she was telling the truth or not. She threw me a glare one more time before turning to Swagger.
"I would love to see some sights with you tonight! I'll call you later tonight Casie! Bye John!" And she hooked arms with him and walked out of the room, leaving the three of us gawking behind.
"What just happened?" John asked, looking to me.
But I was too angry. What was her problem? I know I'm an ass, but what does she see in that moron! I was trying to apologize, but he had to come ruin things. He ruined my match. I was off my game. I wasn't paying attention like I should have been. I was letting things get to me.
And I knew what it was. I had a secret. A secret that gnawed at my gut and soul. And I was letting it get to me. I was letting her get to me. Maybe I should just tell her, but if I told her, she would probably never talk to me again. Well, I guess, I should tell her. Things would be a lot better that way. She makes me fall off my game, worrying when the next time I'm going to do, or say something to upset her or when the next time she is going to fly off the handle on me, or when the next time I will even see her will be.
I decided to go out tonight, to try to get back to the old me. There was nothing better than a drink, and looking at the local ladies. I dressed in my best clothes and headed out of the hotel. I found a dark club between two pubs not too far away from the hotel that looked appealing, so I made my way to the bar and ordered me a Whiskey Sour. I turned in my seat to observe all the locals. There was group of women giving me the eye from across the club, but two of them had the whitest blonde hair I had ever seen, including Maryse, and another had washed out red hair. It made think of Lora, with her natural thick red that no bottle could produce. Their clothes were so scarce that it left little for the imagination. That also reminded me of Lora and her long skirt and modest top, and how gorgeous she looked in it.
There was no doubt about it, Lora was gorgeous. I had known that from the moment I had laid eyes on her in St. Louis. She was gorgeous when she was mad, when she was happy, when she was sad, when she was scared. Unfortunately, in the short amount of time I had known her, I was the cause of all those emotions in her. That's why I had to stay away. I had to push her away. We were dynamite for each other.
"Hello," said a small voice next to me, I turned to see the cutest little brunette sitting on the stool, wearing a low cut teal top, and short skirt.
"Hi," I said, turning towards her.
"Can I buy you a drink?" she said, batting her heavily-mascaraed lashes at me. This shouldn't be too hard, I thought.
oo
A loud knocking sound rose me out of bed the next morning. I groaned and opened my eyes to a bright sun. As I lay on my stomach, I propped up on my elbows to read the electric clock. 11AM. Shit, our plane left in two hours, and I was no where near packed, nor close to getting ready. I slid out of bed, wrapping the sheet around my waist as I went. I propped my forearm on the wall for support for my still half-asleep form as I opened the door.
"Yo man, put some clothes on!" John said, shielding his eyes.
"Ah, you know you like it. What's up? Besides waking me from a blissful sleep," I added. John looked past my shoulder and smirked.
"I can see that. I just wanted to remind you that we return to the states in two hours, alright?" The corners of his mouth tugged upward. Soon he was keeled over laughing
"What is so funny?" I asked, making sure the sheet was tightly secure around my waist.
"You liked England so much, you had to have seconds?"
At first I was confused. Was I that obvious, besides the sheet? Then it hit me. I slowly turned around. There, in my bed, was the brunette from last night. She lay on her stomach and the comforter covered her from waist down. But it was easy to see that we just didn't watch a movie last night. Her hair was sprawled out all around her like a fan, covering her face. Somewhere in my subconscious I noted that I preferred red-heads. I squashed that quickly.
I laughed for John's sake. "Well, you know man. Eating speaks louder than words."
John walked away, laughing the whole time, then called out, "Remember, two hours!"
I closed the door and turned to face the sleeping brunette, not knowing what to do with her. I only had to hours to get ready and get to the airport. So I decided to get a shower. And while I was in the shower, I was loud. Really loud. I was banging stuff around, and dropping things. I know it was childish, but I hoped it would wake her up, and, basically, scare her off. And, I was surprised that it worked. When I got out of the shower, she was gone. I smiled to myself as I walked over to my suitcase, looking for a change of clothes. There was another knock at the door. I groaned. I went to answer the door in just the towel I had wrapped around my waist.
"Honestly, John, I think you just want to see me naked!" I exclaimed, only to come face to face with Lora when the door was completely open. "Oh, hey."
"That's not really at the top of my list for today," she said, rolling her eyes. I smirked, leaning against the door frame.
"Just today then? Well, that leaves for another day. But, what brings you here, if you don't want to see me naked?" I commented, looking up and down the hall, praying that he was no where around.
She scoffed. "Whatever, Orton. I was just on my way down the hallway, when I bumped into some, high class lady," she said vehemently. I was confused. What did this have to do with me? "And she dropped this, now, being the nice girl I am, I was trying to help her out--"
"Lora, the point… I'm kind of standing here half-naked," I urged her.
She threw me her famous glare. "The point is, you," she said, shoving something at my chest, "sure, do know how to pick 'em!"
I grabbed at what she thrust at me. It was a watch. It was completely silver, with a black face, a diamond on the twelve, three, six and nine spot. I flipped it over and read the engraving. "R.K.O." It was my watch. The brunette was stealing from me. And the ironic thing was, Lora had, unceremoniously, stopped her. But her words had triggered something in my mind. If I sure knew how to pick them, then so did she. Did she not just spend the evening with Swagger? The thought made me sick with anger.
"Careful there Lora," I lowered my voice, inching closer to her, I felt her tense and freeze. We were almost touching. My eyes never left hers. I saw the blush creep up her face that I never see when Swagger is around her. "I picked you too, remember?"
Before she could say anything, I retreated as fast as I could, and shut the door. I leaned against the wall, smiling at my accomplishment. Even though I promised myself that I was going to stay away from her, it still felt good that I had that pull over her to make her blush.
oo
I was in my locker room two days later at the next Raw event that wasn't televised, so it wasn't as hectic. I like this a little better. Everything is just a little more relaxed. John and I had tag team match tonight with Dave and Swagger. I was looking forward to it. I wanted to get my hands on him. I wanted to tear him to pieces. The door to the locker room opened and John, Casie and Lora, to my surprise walked in. Casie and Lora were best friends; of course Lora would accompany Casie places, even if it was to endure my company.
The next thing I noticed was that John and Casie were more than a little quite and Lora looked on the verge of laughter. I eyed the three of them
"What am I missing?" I asked.
John opened his mouth, but just closed it. He did that repeatedly. He looked like an idiot fish. Casie was just staring at me in confusion. I looked to Lora for answers. She just busted out into laughter.
"Someone please, tell me what's going on!" I begged.
"John and Casie… er 'Tamara'," Lora began, between outburst of giggles, "Vince told them, starting tonight, during ya'lls match, they are starting a story romance!" And she fell into another fit of giggles.
I barely paid attention to what she said, except for the cute way she said "ya'll", because she was smiling for the first time in a long. A real smile. I tried to remember what she said. Something about Casie and John… and a story… what? Story? Story Romance?
"A story romance?" I smirked, holding back my on laughter. Casie was slowly turning a deep shade of red, and John looked sick. I was thoroughly enjoying this. "Aw, Vince finally took some pity on our Johnny for not getting any!"
Lora had to walk away she was laughing so hard. I smiled after her, and turned my attention back to John and Casie.
"So, what are you supposed to do tonight Casie?" I asked her, as I oiled up.
"Well, during the match, Jake is going to run off, and you're supposed to chase after him, leaving John in the ring along with Dave. And he starts beating the crap out of him, and I come running out, and place myself in front of him."
I was shocked. They were putting Casie in harm's way. I didn't like Dave. I'm sure Dave wouldn't have a problem in showing off his jerk skills on Casie.
"He doesn't do anything," Casie said.
"This time," John added.
"What?" Lora and I said together. I hadn't noticed she'd come back over to us.
"What do you mean, 'this time'?" her voice was low and dangerous. I knew that tone, and it scared me. I'm just glad it wasn't aimed at me; yet, using John's words, this time.
"Upon showing that Tamara cares for John, that makes her a target," John said.
"And he will use me," Casie said. But the way she said it, with finality, like she was okay with it; it was impressive. "John, don't worry about it. This is what I train for. I am a Diva. I am a wrestler, just like you. I can take it."
John looked at her with worry in his eyes. I could tell that he was scared. He knew what I knew. Dave could be a vicious guy. I have never seen him take it out on a Diva, but I wouldn't put it past him.
oo
Finally, I was waiting for my music to play. I was itching to get my hands on the barbarian. He was already out there, they both were. John had just gone out and the crowd had gone wild. My music was cued, and out I went. I had eyes only for him. I had made a deal with John to let me get in there first, just hoping Dave would chicken out, make Swagger go.
And that's just what happened. Swagger was running his mouth about whatever, but I wasn't listening. I wasn't going get distracted. Not this time. I was going to take out all of my pent up frustrations on him. And it went on like that. Soon he turned the tables, and he wore me down, but I made the tag to John, but so did Swagger.
I leaned against the ropes, watching John and Dave exchange blows, and John shoulder block Dave, and I just happened to look behind the announcer table, where the person who rings the bell sits, and met a pair of green eyes that were staring at me. It was Lora. She wasn't expecting me to look at her apparently, because she blushed and forced her eyes towards John and Dave. I narrowed my eyes at her and looked to Jake. He was trying to get her attention with everything he had except getting off the ring and standing in front of her.
John being back dropped right in front of me brought me back to my match and reality. John was stretching his hand out, and quickly made the tag and got in there as Batista made the tag as well. And the battle began. I began to stalk him. To be the "Viper", as they call me. But I made one mistake, and he had me in a submission lock. My face was pressed against the mat, and he was contorting my body in pain. But he was still running his mouth. This time, though, I heard him.
"Look at her." My eyes popped open and immediately found green.
"She's here for me. I asked her to come and watch me. She said yes to me."
I snapped. I somehow broke the hold and he scuttled away from me. He slid from the ring, and ran up the ramp. I guess this is when I was supposed to chase him. Which I gladly obliged. I took off after him at top speed. Of course, being a non-televised event, once we got backstage, we had to stop chasing each other. I didn't obey, and it took ten or eleven security to keep me from chasing after him. By the time they let me go, he could have left the building for all I knew. I punched the closest door out of rage. As I was walking back to my locker, when I passed a TV playing the scene from the arena, I watched on as Batista laid into John, getting back at him for Monday.
"It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops shouting out,
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops having it
Baby I'm ready to go"
There ran Casie, or Tamara, as planned. She had a black, short wrestling tank top with thick straps and bright blue flames coming up from the bottom with matching boy shorts with the same bright blue flames. She had on boots that came up to right under her knee. Her mahogany hair flying behind her as she ran to ring, slid in, and jumped in front of Dave. I didn't know if Dave was aware of the script change with John and Casie, but I can practically see the wheels working in his head as how he can use this in advantage for him. Dave held his hands up in surrender and left the ring, but called for a spotlight, a very prick-like move, and slowly went back up the ramp. I watched as Tamara dropped to her knees and made John sit up. John looked at her with wondering eyes, and stood up. Tamara held her hand out for him to shake but John shook his head, laughing and pulled her into a tight hug, and the crowd went wild.
oo
I got into the elevator to get up the main lobby; it was me and three other people. But before we reached the lobby, I had the elevator to myself. Three more floors and I would be able to get to a bed. However, the elevator stopped two floors away. Damn, I thought. My body ached. I needed sleep.
The doors slid open and there stood Lora. Of course. Life was bitch. I heard her sigh as she stepped on the elevator, and pressed the button to close the doors faster. But it wasn't as soon as the elevator began to move that all light was gone and there was a giant jerking movement, following two loud thuds. I realized the two loud thuds were me and Lora hitting the floor in the elevator.
The elevator had broken down. What in the blue hell is wrong with my luck? I fished around for my cell phone, pressing any button, to shed some light in the dark space. Lora was lying on her side, trying to sit up, rubbing her head.
"Are you okay?" I asked, scooting closer to her.
"Yeah, I think so. What the hell happened?" She was cute when she cussed. Shut it, Orton. She usually cussed at me. I smirked.
"I don't know. Either it's broken down, the powers' out."
"Oh, that's just great," she said, banging her head against the side of the elevator. She dug her phone out of her purse. I watched her face go from serene to annoyed to angry; then she threw her phone across the floor.
"No service?" I asked, trying my best not to laugh at her. But she saw the look on my face.
"Don't patronize me."
"I would never think of it," I said with wide, honest eyes.
"I don't like enclosed spaces," Lora noted, to no one in particular. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness. I could see her glancing around. I could hear her breathing. It was getting a little faster.
"Do you have any service?" she asked me. Of course I didn't, but I checked it again, just to placate her. I looked at her chest. Normally, I would be happy to stare at her chest, but her breathing was getting so fast and shallow, it was catching my eye.
"Randy, I really, really, don't like enclosed places." That was my first clue something was seriously wrong. She hadn't called me by my first name in a long time. Always by my last name, well, because she's always mad at me.
"Lora?" I was getting worried. "Lora, hey! Are you okay?"
She shook her head, her hand on her chest. It took me only a second to realize that she couldn't speak and that she was hyperventilating.
"C'mere," I said, and I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me. I put her back to my chest and I took deep steady breathes. I could feel her shaking against me. I draped one leg around one of hers, and circled my arms tight around her body. I rested my head on her shoulders.
"Hey, calm down. I'm here. I know that really doesn't mean much to you right now, but it's going to be okay," I whispered in her ear, hugging her tighter to me.
Being this way, reminded me of the night when I woke up with her in my arms, in my bed, back in St. Louis. That seemed so long ago, even though it has only just been about a week. I had to hold her tight to me for around ten minutes, before she calmed down.
All too soon she was pulling herself out of my grip, but she didn't move to the opposite side of the elevator. She sat Indian style in front of me close enough that we were six inches apart. I watched as she brushed her dark red hair out of her face and looked me in the eyes.
"I..um.. thank you Randy," she whisper. I hated to admit that I loved to hear my name slip from her lips.
"You don't have to worry about it," I assured her, waving it off.
And now, being in her presence, I had an overwhelming urge to tell her the secret. To just get it over with. If it meant not talking to her ever again, so be it. It would be better than living with this.
"Lora, I have to tell you something," I began.
She sighed. "What is it?"
"I don't know what you're gonna say, but--" I began, but the doors started opening slowly, and John's face appeared. I loved the man as a brother and everything, but sometimes, he had the worst timing.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" he joked.
Lora yelped in delight and jumped to her feet. My shot was lost to the wind at clearing my conscious. Another time, I told myself.
"Get us out of here!" We yelled at the same time. John smiled at us.
"We're workin' on it! Get your panties out of a wad Randy," and I threw him the bird.
"Oh and Lora," John said, turning to look at Lora, "Jake said he would be waiting for you at the front doors okay? I still think you're a little off in the head for dating… it, but whatever floats your boat!" And his face disappeared.
I turned to look at Lora. She wasn't looking at me. I felt this pain that wasn't recognizable. It hurt. She was dating this loser? I backed up as far away from her as I could in the elevator, until my back was pressed against wall.
"Dating?"
"I'm not dating Jake," she said without any real force. She still hadn't looked at me.
"You know you could do a lot better than him, right?" I had to know that she knew this. She had to know this.
"Like who? Like who Randy? You?" she laughed. More liked scoffed.
I bit back a "Well, yeah!" retort, because that was neither true nor helpful at the moment.
"Well, I hope you're happy settling then," I shot back. I was getting angry. The elevator lights had turned back on. We were beginning to move again. I started grabbing up all my stuff when her words stopped me.
"Why do you hate me so much?" I heard the utter sadness laced throughout each word.
The doors opened, and I turned and saw John, Casie and Jake, among others, all waiting in the lobby. I turned back to Lora.
"I could never hate you. You're the one that hates me, remember?"
Thanks for reading!! Please read and review!! More to come! I hope you liked the first chapter in Randy's POV!! R&R!!!
