-Phil's POV, the next day-
"I feel like a douchebag of a dad…" I said, covered in swear entering the house, with Colt trailing in behind. We both just got done with an intense lower body workout at the gym.
"It isn't your fault you tried being a good dad," Colt said, wiping sweat off of his forehead.
"Key word is tried, and I failed," I said, walking over to the kitchen.
"Again…it isn't your fault!" Colt said, following me into the kitchen.
"I know, but," I said, but then paused to open the fridge and grab a Pepsi out of it, then opening it up. "I still ruined it all for Emma. Her first game and she plays great, but that doesn't matter, why? Because her dad stole the show and he did nothing but show up!" I yelled, then took a long sip of my Pepsi.
"It's not your fault you're popular…" He began, but then his eyes widened. "And we just get back from the gym and you're already drinking Pop? Don't you know how bad that is for you?"
"You drink it every day, you hypocrite," I said, rolling my eyes and walking back into the living room, then flopping onto the couch.
"Yeah but I'm also not injured, so I can work out every part of my body and burn it off, you can't," Colt said, making reference to my shoulder, which has been basically killing me slowly. "You're gonna end up like Dusty Rhodes."
"The American Dream?" I asked, then I snickered. "I'd kill to end up successful as he was."
"Wouldn't anyone?" Colt agreed. "But I mean the body type."
"Hm, well, I've been meaning to add more weight, so…" I said, then, I took another long sip of my Pepsi.
"Wow…" Colt said, rolling his eyes, then taking his cell phone out of his pocket, but went bug-eyed after. "Dude, it's 2:00pm."
"You can tell time like the average American, good for you Colt," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Not that, dummy," Colt said, an offended look on his face, but he got over it. "You gotta go pick Emma from school."
I perked up from my seat after he said that, then realized he was right. I put my Pepsi down on the coffee table, then ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. "I need you to pick her up for me."
"Whoa…what? Why?" Colt asked me.
"Because, I need to figure out what to say to her," I said.
"You? Thinking about what you're gonna say before you actually say it? That's a first," Colt said, with a laugh afterward, but I gave him a hard, serious glance, and he stopped. "But seriously, why me?"
"You're here, that's why," I said to him.
"Ace lives nearby! Have him pick her up!" Colt protested.
"I hear he has the flu, why would I bother him?" I asked him.
"You are so lucky you're my best friend…" Colt mumbled, shaking his head and walking out the door.
"Alright Phil….figure out what to say…you have about 45 minutes…come on, Phil…"
-Emma's POV-
"I think…we call you Shooter? You know, since you're the best Free-Thrower on the team, and have a good Shooting Accuracy," Blake said to me as we were walking down the halls together of the school, heading out.
"Shooter, eh?" I said, a smirk on my face after, he just smirked back. "We could go for that…what about you?"
"The other girls already call me 'Roo'…so maybe that, I don't know, I'm just team manager," Blake said, with a shrug.
"But you're still apart of the team," I said.
"Yeah, but not as important, not like I'm the best free-thrower or anything," He said, winking at me. I just giggled.
"Next best thing, right?" I asked him.
"You know, if we actually played a little one on one," Blake said, then pausing his speech and stopped walking to look right at me. "I would beat you SO Hard." I just raised an eyebrow.
"HA! You? You really should be a comedian. I bet you don't even know how to dribble a ball…" I said, laughing afterward.
"Oh, you really think so, Shooter?" He said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is."
"A bet?" I asked, raising an eyebrow again and also crossing my arms.
"Monday after school at The Y," He said. "You and Me, one on one."
"You're on, Roo," I said, a smirk covering my face.
"WHEN I win…you have to kiss me. However, if somehow you win, I owe you a date," He said, causing my jaw to drop. I couldn't believe what he had just said.
"Interesting prize choices…" I said, a little uncomfortably. "But, once again, you're on."
His smirk grew across his face, as did one appear on mine, then, we shook on it near the end of the hallway, then we continued walking.
"So…" He began "Other than basketball…anything interest you?"
"Well, I do have an interest in-" I began, but my mind wandered off after noticing something.
I saw in the corner of my eye Dr. Manning and Officer Carlson, and Chris…or is it Colt? Maybe Conner? I don't know, but that one friend of my dad, whatever his name is. They were talking to him, and he looked pretty defensive, like they were about to throw him in jail. I closed my eyes and sighed, then turned back to Blake, who had an eyebrow raised.
"Um…I uh…i…" I stammered out.
"You know him to, don't you?" He asked me.
"My family is pretty messed up…" I said, with a shrug.
"I get it," He responded with a slight chuckle and his infamous half-smile. "I'll see ya on Monday."
"Bye…" I said in a dreamy tone, waving at him as he walked away, but then I realized I sounded like an idiot and snapped out of it, then turned my attention back on…whatever his name is.
Then, I noticed he pointed at me, and Dr. Manning and Officer Carlson looked right at me. They were talking to, but I couldn't read their lips, but it really looks intense.
"Hey, Emma!" My dad's friend yelled, motioning me to come over, as I did.
"Um..what's going on?" I asked, confused.
"Mr. Cabana over here is a friend of yours?" Dr. Manning asked me.
"He's friend's with my dad," I said, still confused.
"You sure?" Officer Carlson asked me.
"I'm pretty sure…" I said, looking at him like he was an idiot- he is, actually.
The two looked at each other, then back at Colt, then back at me.
"When you get home, tell Mr. Brooks to call the school and add Mr. Cabana over here on the list of legal guardians for you. If he isn't on the list, he can't pick you up," Mr. Manning said.
"You're picking me up…?" I asked Cabana.
"Your dad asked me to…" He said with a shrug.
I kind of shrugged too, then looked at Dr. Manning and Officer Carlson, and they got the hint and left as I looked at Cabana, then we got into his car and started driving.
XxX
The whole car ride was silent. I just sat in the passenger's seat, sitting and looking out the window. Cabana was just driving, sitting awkwardly in his car seat, keeping his eyes straight on the road. Then, halfway through, we hit traffic. We both sighed at the same time, and continued doing what we were doing, until Cabana broke the silence.
"Look, I've known Phil before you were even conceived," He said. "And…he can be a bit…." He paused again, trying to figure out the right word. "He can be a bit hard at time…so, you know…if you ever need a break or anything…here."
Then, he reached into his pocket and grabbed a key, then handed it to me.
"Here's a key to my place, I live a couple blocks down, I'm usually only away during weekends, but I'm usually always here in the Midwest," He said to me.
"What's your name again?" I asked him, as I took the key.
"It's actually Scott, but I go by Colt, Colt Cabana," He said to me, as I made a note of that to myself in my head.
"And what do you do?" I asked.
"Same as your dad," He said. "Except a different company, and I also have this side project with my other man, Marty."
"What?" I asked, curiously.
"You sure ask a lot of questions…" He said.
"Yeah, and you should answer them," I said back, as he sighed.
"Fine," He said. "It's a Web-series with my friend, Marty. It's called 'Creative Has Nothing For You'. Maybe someday we could write you and your dad in," He said, giving me a little smile.
"Really?" I asked again, slightly smiling.
"Yeah, along with my Art Of Wrestling podcast, that's a hit," He said.
"I'd actually like that," I said, fully smiling now.
"Yeah…you would," He said, a slightly cocky tone. "But, remember, keep that key with you, just in case he gets too overbearing for you to handle."
I just nodded, then put the key in my pocket. Colt has the same job as my dad AND side jobs. He even lives near my dad, and our area has some pretty good houses, so he probably has a good house too. Who knows, maybe someday I can use this to my advantage.
XxX
Colt dropped me back off at my dad's, then left. I wanted to stay outside and play some basketball for a while, but the Ellen show was on soon, and Justin Bieber was going to be on, that's way more important. I walked in, planning to just go upstairs, but that didn't exactly happen- Phil was leaning up the kitchen wall, kind of just waiting for me, like he was expecting me or something. It was kind of creepy.
"Um..hi," I said to him.
"Hey," He said back, then looked down. "Um…look, we need to talk."
"About what?" I asked, even though I knew what.
"Yesterday, at the game…" He said. "I'm really sorry about the ruckus I caused during your game."
I just bit my lip before speaking again, trying to choose what to say. "Um..whatever…" I said, shrugging.
"Whatever?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Em, there's gotta be much more to that then just a 'Whatever'." He said.
I bit my lip again. I could feel some slight rage flow through me. I really didn't want to talk about this at all. "Don't worry about it…"
"Emma," He said to me. "Talk to me."
"Seriously, it's fine," I said, getting annoyed at his pestering.
"Don't give me that, we both know you have more to say," He said.
"Alright, fine, you really want me to talk!" I asked.
I tried collecting my thoughts real quick before I opened my mouth back up, you know, so I didn't sound like an idiot. I finally took a deep breath in, then let it all out.
"Is this how it's ALWAYS going to be!" I asked, almost screaming basically. "Everytime I wanna spend time with my own dad in a public place, everytime I want my own dad to come to my basketball game, people are just going to attack you and ruin it!" Then, he sighed.
"Sweetheart, I wish I could give you a straight answer, but I really can't," Phil said, a certain tone in his voice, it sounded kind of sad. "It really just depends on the fans, some of them may be nice and respect I want alone time, some may just come and attack me begging for an autograph."
"This NEVER used to happen to me before you came into my life," I said, starting to cross my arms. "This isn't normal!"
"My life isn't normal!" Phil said. "I said good-bye to normal a long time ago."
"Just because you did doesn't mean I should have to," I said to him.
"I don't want you to, I really don't," Phil said to me. "But, it's not under my control, I really am sorry."
I just looked at him hard, standing still and arms crossed as he looked back.
"You know, sometimes, sorry doesn't mean anything. This is one of those times." I said to him.
It was quiet after that, speechless. He didn't know what to say, and I wish I could take back what I said. I could tell by that sorry look on his face it clearly hurt him. I just took a deep breath and sighed.
"Look…I'm just…I'm still not used to all of this," I said. "All of this has just happened so fast. Me finding out you were my dad, meeting you, moving in with you…it's still hard to wrap my head around.
"You're not alone, kiddo," He said to me.
"I just don't know," I said again, sighing, then walking over to the couch and flopping down onto it. "It's hard to go out with you in public now and you aren't even wrestling, what happens when you start wrestling again?"
"I'll always have people chasing after me, but that won't take me away from you, not one bit," He said, walking over and sitting next to me.
"Not just that…what about when you're back on the road full time, what happens to me?" I asked. "I don't want to just get abandoned…"
"You will NEVER be abandoned, not ever," He said to me. "But…as far as what we're gonna do when I'm back on the road…"
I just sighed, as did he.
"We still have a long way to go…don't we?" I asked him.
"Yep."
A/N- I know I said I'd have this up yesterday, but it's been busy with my Schedule lately, plus since I was at the United Center in Chi-Town Wednesday, I've had my sleeping schedule thrown off. It's been hectic. BUT, hope you enjoyed the chapter! :) I have SO many ideas for this story, I'm just trying to space it all at, since I hate how some writers just make things happen without any build up whatsoever, . Like one chapter that's when they decide to do all this stuff…doesn't make sense for me. It's a pet peeve of mine, just is. I do plan on ending this by…Wrestlemania time, it's getting hard balancing this and school, plus I have other ideas for stories that I want to try. But that's irrelevant, but within the next month, look for more quality updates!