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I Will Be There
Sequel to Over You
The woman's locker room was slowly clearing out as the night progressed, the show finally coming to a close. Kelly Blank and Eve Torres were soon the last two Divas inside the large room, both dressed in street clothes, gathering their belongings before meeting Kelly's boyfriend – Adam Copeland – who was going to drive them all back to the hotel. The blonde was talking animatedly as she got her things together, her mind in a much better place since she got together with the Rated-R Superstar. Eve couldn't help but smile. She was so happy for her friend. She had finally found someone who loved her and would take care of her, not use her for their own personal gain. Kelly was a much happier person since she allowed Adam inside her heart. Her smile seemed as bright as the sun whenever he was around her, it would never leave her face.
Once all of their belongings were together, the two friends walked out of the locker room, both laughing and giggling at God knows what. The two found over the ten years of friendship, they could laugh and joke about anything in the world and not at all make sense. That was just how they were, though. They were so similar, but at the same time, so different, which made them unique as two different people, but so familiar like sisters. Turning the corner, Kelly and Eve slowed to a stop when they saw what was happening a good ways ahead of them. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. we're talking to Michelle McCool and Kaitlyn Bonin, their casual touches and body language a clear indicator that they were on the prowl again. What was even more horrendous was the fact that they were doing it in the middle of the hallway, both too aware that at any moment, their current girlfriends – Nikki and Brie Bella – could walk over and catch them right in the act. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that they were moving in for the kill.
That was the frustrating part, knowing what Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. were, knowing before the relationship started, but ignoring it, thinking that somehow, they would be able to change them, to make them a better person. And for a little while, for that excellent amount of time, they thought they were. Nikki and Brie were both very much aware of Cody and Ted, but like Kelly, they were afraid to except the truth, because no matter how cold and malicious they are, they were stupid enough to believe that they were happy.
"I can't believe they are doing this," Eve said, shaking her head, breaking the silence for the first time since they caught the Simply Priceless faction. "I mean, I can, but I can't."
"God, I can't believe I was so stupid," Kelly sighed, unable to take her eyes off of what was happening before her. The sight baffled her, made her want to just slap herself for ever believing that she was loved and cared about by someone like Cody and Ted. His name wouldn't be mentioned. "It's so completely noticeable, but I was so blind."
"Honey, it's over. You're out of that relationship now," Eve wrapped an arm around Kelly's slender shoulders and pulled her best friend closer to her, hoping that the act would bring some comfort. "And you weren't stupid. You were hopeful. You have Adam now and he is more of a man than them," Eve added, nodding her head towards Cody and Ted who were making progress with the two needy Divas.
"That is true. I'm very happy now," Kelly smiled and gave Eve a one-armed hug before pulling out her cell-phone to get a look at the time. She looked up and gave her friend a smirk. "We have about ten minutes before we're supposed to meet Adam. What do you say we interrupt and give the Simply Stupid faction a hard time?"
"I think that is the best idea you've come with tonight."
Looping arms, the two Divas made their way over to Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. Their presence was immediately felt to the two Superstars when they drew closer, their cocky attitudes shifting to caution then coming to rest on annoyance. Michelle McCool and Kaitlyn Bonin looked confused by the sudden mood change, but didn't say anything.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here," Eve said, looking between the two irate men, loving every single time they clenched their jaws, trying to hold in something harsh. "It looks like we have two players in our mist, Kelly."
"You would think they'd learn the first time," Kelly shook her head, sighing.
"Can we help you two with something?" Ted asked his Southern accent more noticeable now that his anger was rising.
"We're kind of in the middle of something," Cody finished.
"Aw, how can you take him seriously with that lisp of his," Eve giggled, putting a hand over her heart, faking her adoration. Just as quickly as it came along, though, it was immediately dropped, her attention then turning to the two other Divas, who were still standing there, looking as confused and out of place as ever. "Michelle, Kaitlyn, can you ladies excuse us for a moment? We need to have a little talk with Rhodes and DiBiase."
"Uh … yeah, sure," Michelle shrugged her shoulders. After a look to Kaitlyn, the two girls moved away from the wall and headed down the hallway, glancing over their shoulders until they turned the corner and left.
"Okay, what in the hell do you two think you're doing?" Ted demanded, trying to keep his voice to a low roar.
"What we're doing? What do you think you're doing?" Eve demanded right back, not at all afraid to get in DiBiase's face. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you with Nikki and Brie Bella? So what do you think you're doing trying to get some more asses with Michelle and Kaitlyn?"
"We were unaware that our affairs were any of your business," Cody spoke up, coming to his friend's rescue … or at least give him time to settle down before he did something he would most definitely regret later on in the future. "Besides, they won't believe you even if you did tell them …" Cody started, but Eve waved him off, shaking her head in annoyance.
"Save it, Rhodes, I've already heard that before from a dick bigger than both of you."
"We know," Ted replied, taking a step closer. "We were there when it happened and we are very much aware of the stoned silence that you gave in return. I don't like you, Eve, but I liked the silent Eve much better than I like this one."
"So how about we give you some advice of our own," Cody said, stepping up, as well, his eyes going from Kelly to Eve and back. "If you were unable to convince Kelly here of what Randy was doing, what makes you think you could possible convince the Bella's that we are doing the same thing?"
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
The second Kelly laid her beautiful eyes on Adam, she quickly handed Eve her bag and took off running over to her boyfriend, her eyes sparkling with newfound passion. Adam smiled and put his bag down, his arms opening wide for the younger woman, his own eyes never leaving Kelly as she drew closer and closer. Smiling, Eve stopped a few feet back, not wanting to intrude on the precious moment. Kelly jumped into Adam's arms when she finally got to him, wrapping her own around his neck. Adam buried his face in the crook of her neck, closing his eyes as if he was holding her for the first time, the passion and love in his eyes so undeniable, Eve had to look away, feeling as though she was looking upon something that was private.
Instead, she sighed quietly and looked around the empty garage parking lot, trying to find something that would keep her attention until Kelly and Adam were finished with their moment. And something she found, indeed. On the other side of the parking lot, with his hands deep in his pockets, a permanent frown on his face was Randy Orton. With his bag slung over his shoulder, Randy was slowly walking towards his rental car, which was on the far side of the lot. Why Eve was staring, she had no idea, but there was just something about the way he was looking, the lack of confidence and stamina that was always with him that made him look almost unrecognizable. Her first instinct was to look away. After all, he was the reason Kelly fell into her dark place, he was the reason why so many Divas swooned and found themselves in the same situation as Kelly. He didn't deserve anyone's pity, but for some reason, Eve couldn't stop staring. His pace was agonizingly slow, as if he was trying to prolong getting to his car, prolonging wherever it was he had to go. Randy's head was down, staring at his feet as he made his way closer and closer to his black rental. Pulling out his car keys, he unlocked the SUV with one of the buttons on the keys and finally got to his vehicle, opening the driver side door Randy tossed his bag into the passenger seat and hoisted himself up. He slammed the door and just sat there for a minute, his eyes staring straight ahead, his expression blank.
"Eve?"
Blinking her eyes, Eve snapped out of her trance and turned her head in the direction of the voice. Adam and Kelly were both giving her weird looks, though Kelly looked a bit worried about her friend. Shaking her head, trying to get her thoughts back in order, Eve walked towards them, coming to a stop in front of the two.
"Are we ready to go or are you two going to start making out in the middle of the parking lot?"
Even though Eve's voice was clearly her usual happy self, Kelly could tell that she was holding something back. Anyone else would think that she was acting completely normal, but that sort of thing will happen when you have been friends with someone for ten years. Adam – even though he wasn't connected as strongly to Eve as Kelly was – could also sense that there was something troubling Eve. He also knew that Kelly would definitely want in on what she was thinking, so it was with that did he step in. Wrapping an arm around his beautiful, blonde girlfriend, he brought her attention away from Eve and directed it back to himself.
"You get to decide where we get to eat tonight," He smiled, leaning down to kiss Kelly gently on the forehead. "You did, after all, win your match."
Kelly giggled and a blush crept to her cheeks, which Adam found absolutely adorable. He smiled down at his girlfriend, mentally pinching himself for being as lucky as he was. Glancing up, he caught Eve's gaze, receiving the silent thank you that she was sending his way. And it was very true. The Latina had no idea what she was feeling – and thinking, for that matter – as she watched Orton drive off. There was just something about it all that just didn't feel right. She hated that man, especially after what he did to Kelly, but Eve couldn't help but feel … what was the word … curious? Intrigued? Whatever it was, she wasn't anywhere near ready to talk to Kelly about it. Besides she didn't even know if talking to Kelly about it would be a good idea. Given the history between The Viper and the pretty blonde, it wouldn't do any good bringing the man that almost destroyed her up. Nevertheless, Eve was grateful that Adam had come to her rescue, giving her some time to straighten out what she was thinking – or just forget it altogether. Cocking her head to the side, a playful pout gracing her lips, Eve put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at the two.
"Now wait just a second. I'm pretty sure I was in the same match as you were, Kelly."
"Indeed you were, Evie, however, you and I have ESP, so it wouldn't really matter which one of us decided, because we'd end up at the same place," Kelly pointed out, smiling at her friend.
The blonde's smile was utterly contagious, because the next thing Eve knew, she had broken into one, as well. She nodded her head and dropped her hands from her hips. "You are right, Kells. You are right."
"Yes!" Kelly cheered before laughing and turning back to Adam. "Well, let's get going then! The night is semi-young! Let's grab something to eat and go celebrate our victories!"
"I'm down with that," Adam replied, smiling back at his girlfriend. "What about you, Eve? Are you down with that?"
"Will you give me the 'Suck It' line if I say no?"
Kelly and Adam looked at each other, looked at Eve, and looked at each other once more before turning back to the Latina, shaking their heads.
"Naw," They replied in perfect unison.
"I guess I'm down with that, too," Eve replied, smiling and wrapping an arm around her two friends.
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
After making a quick stop at the hotel so Adam, Kelly, and Eve could drop their belongings off – and for the ladies to quickly dress up for their night out – the three meet in the lobby of the hotel before proceeding back out into the cool night air. As they drove by, they couldn't help but notice a bar only a few blocks from where they were staying. It was an interesting place – from what they could see on the outside. There were no curtains. The light from the moon and a lot of candles was the only source of illumination the place allowed, it seemed. Kelly was quick to suggest a visit and Adam – always willing to please his beautiful blond girlfriend – immediately agreed. Eve was willing to give it a go, so an hour later, they were making their way towards the place.
Walking inside Lune Aux Chandelles, the three were awestruck by how immaculate the place was in comparison to the outside. Upon further inspection, Adam, Kelly, and Eve realized that there were no windows at all, only open spaces were the glass should have been, and for a very good reason, too. There were designs on the wall purely made from candles, each lit up and sending shimmers of smoke from the flames. Lune Aux Chandelles was one huge, wide open room with a bar on the far side. There were tables along the walls, leaving plenty of room for patrons who wanted to dance. They were all elegantly dressed, which made the girls feel better. Both had thought they had overdressed for the occasion, but were too excited about the night out to really care until they were halfway to the bar.
Dressed in a floor length, navy blue dress, Eve looked around the exquisite bar, taking in the unique style. She couldn't help but wonder how the place could even be called a bar, seeing as how everything was in pristine condition. It looked nothing like a bar at all. But hey, she was down to trying something new. The only thing that kept it along the same lines of a bar was the music that seemed to make the walls shake due to the sheer volume. Tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder – which was up in a high ponytail – Eve slowly started to make her way around the bar, taking in the sights as she hummed to one of her favourite songs – Get Around This by SafetySuit.
Kelly, on the other hand, dressed in a dark purple dress, grabbed Adam's hand, and pulled him onto the dance floor, more than ready to get the night moving. She couldn't help but shiver when he placed his hands on her lower back and waist. It didn't really matter what he did, Adam always made her feel as though she were floating, as though there was no one else in the world, but them. Her heart pounded so hard, she often wondered if he could hear it. She definitely could. Just looking at her boyfriend, Kelly couldn't help but smile, a light blush creeping to her cheeks. He looked absolutely stunning to her. Dressed in a suit with a dark blue tie, his hair tucked neatly behind his ears, Adam looked as handsome as ever.
Finally making her way to the bar, after exploring as much of Lune Aux Chandelles as she possibly could, Eve sat down at one of the stools and motioned for the bartender. After ordering her beverage – a glass of icy water – Eve crossed her legs and swirled around, taking in her fellow patrons. Resisting a sigh, Eve noted that everyone seemed to have someone with them, a partner to dance the night away with. Even though she was with Kelly and Adam, it just wasn't the same. She hated feeling like a third-wheel, but that was exactly what she felt like whenever they went out like they were doing tonight. And it was always the same. They would be dancing and having a good time, while Eve stayed in the corner and watched, only pretending to have fun whenever they were around. At first it was pretty easy … now it was getting harder and harder to do.
Rolling her eyes at how pathetic she was acting and how she was feeling sorry for herself, Eve turned her attention to the door, wondering how long it would take for Adam and Kelly to realize she wasn't there if she snuck out when someone she clearly wasn't expecting happened to step through the threshold of the bar. Randy Orton paused at the doorway, wearing loose-fitting jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, looked completely out of place, but at the same time, he blended in perfectly. The confidence that he displayed as he took a few more steps into Lune Aux Chandelles was astounding, to say the least. But what caused Eve's mouth to drop was what the candlelight seemed to do to him, how his skin glowed under the flames, making him all the more attractive. Of course, right after that thought crossed the Latina's mind she chided herself for even thinking of such. It was thinking like that that got girls like Gail Kim and Kelly hurt in the first place.
Just as she was about to look away from the lady killer, something caught her eye. Something was so completely off about The Viper that she couldn't look away until she knew exactly what it was. Narrowing her eyes, Eve watched as Randy made his way further into the bar, his eyes scanning around the huge room. And it was then that she saw it. Looking past the confidence that seemed to radiate from the man, Eve looked deeper.
He looked … sad …
There was nothing physically wrong with Randy Orton, but Eve could tell that something was truly bothering the man. His eyes looked tired, worn, like he hadn't slept in days. He looked … lonely, which was completely crazy since he had at least two girls to fall back on every single day and night. There was no reason why he should be lonely. But maybe that was his new thing. Maybe he was only pretending to be sad and lonely so some chick in the bar would see his puppy-dog eyes and immediately take a liking to the man. It wouldn't surprise Eve if Orton pulled something like that. After all, he was a man whore, willing to do whatever it took to satisfy his needs.
Eve was ready to believe that until Randy suddenly froze, his entire body tensing, his eyes locked on something that must have truly shocked and stunned him to have stopped right in the middle of the dance floor. Furrowing her brows, Eve leaned forward in her seat and followed his gaze, only to find that it was directly at Kelly and Adam, who were wrapped up in each other's arms, their lips gently brushing against each other's in a sensual kiss. Confused, Eve looked back at Randy, who was suddenly looking around the room, as though he was self-conscious about himself before turning and making a bee line right to the door.
Why she did it, she had no idea. Hopping off the stool, Eve quickly followed after Orton – as fast as her heels would allow – intent on finding out what the hell was going on with the man. Ever since she saw him earlier that night at the arena, she couldn't get him out of her head. Even though he wasn't entirely on her mind, Randy was always in the background, always there, just out of sight. The fact that Randy Orton was on her mind was infuriating, but Eve knew that, until she was able to get to the bottom of the mystery that was The Viper, he would most certainly be on her mind more often.
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
With a feel of electricity in the air and the distant rumble of thunder a few miles away, Eve quickly followed after Randy, who was already several feet ahead of her. How the man was able to walk that fast was beyond her, but apparently he was in a rush to get far away from Lune Aux Chandelles, which in itself was highly confusing to her. Why had he rushed out of there after seeing Kelly and Adam together? She quickly dismissed the notion that Randy was jealous and still in love with Kelly. There were two things seriously wrong with that statement. One, Randy Orton was not a jealous person and he especially wasn't jealous of gullible girls. Two, the mere idea of Randy being in love was just outrageous. Men like Randy didn't fall in love. They were immune to that type of feeling … right?
The sky cracked open with an explosive roar of thunder, water pellets soon poured from the sky, immediately drenching Eve, her dress sticking to her in a suggestive way. No matter how much the Latina loved the rain she knew that she needed to get indoors. Standing in the rain wasn't worth getting stuck by lightening. But even as the thought went through her mind, it was immediately casted aside when she saw Randy veer off the sidewalk and head towards a graveled path and seemed to lead towards a park. A part of Eve wanted to just forget about it, but the other part – the dominate part – was controlling her, forcing her feet forward until she was also walking on the graveled path. The rain was falling down hard, the thunder growing louder and more constant. And as Eve continued down the path, which was sloping and becoming very slippery – especially in her heels – the Latina could feel herself growing more and more frustrated. She was frustrated with Randy for causing so much harm to her best friend and to the other Divas she worked with and had befriended, she was angry that he was so damn alluring, and she was frustrated that she was so enthralled with him. Eve hated the fact that she always seemed to fall for the ones that were in the most need of help, the ones that had something to hide and were hell-bent on keeping it that way. Randy Orton was that type times ten. But of all the people it could have been … why did it have to be The Viper?
Letting out a squeal when she slipped and fell on her bottom, Eve could feel her patience excel the legal limit. Jerking the heels off her feet, the Latina climbed to her feet and dusted herself off before storming down the path, ignoring the pebbles that stabbed into her soles. She was ready to beat the holy hell out of Randy Orton she was so angry, but as she made her way deeper and deeper down the path, as the trees and woods grew thicker Eve could feel her anger diminish some, being replaced with worry. Where in the hell was she?
"Damn it …" Eve whispered to herself as her dark green eyes scanned the area around her. For the first time, she truly wished she was in The Viper's presence.
Her few seconds of fear were soon over when she heard the sound of creaking metal. Wiping raindrops from her face, Eve slowly made her way to the noise, making sure to have an exact look at the person before jumping out of the bushes with all guns blazing. And she was going to do that, too. When she peered over some tree limps and tangles of leaves, Eve could feel her angry rise. Off the path, obscured by bushes, was a little park that was rusted and completely out of use. It was there did Eve catch sight of the man she had been following.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing!" Eve demanded, busting out of the bushes, startling The Viper. That was the first time that she had ever seen him caught off guard, but at the moment, she just didn't care. She stormed over with her heels in one hand, her other arm swinging as she got closer. Eve's dress was stuck to her, revealing all of the feminine curves of her body.
Sitting up straighter in his swing, Randy Orton narrowed his eyes at Eve Torres. He had no idea that she was behind him, no idea that she was actually following him through the path, but after getting confronted by the Latina, Randy couldn't help but feel confused. But not only was he confused, it seemed that every time he and Eve Torres were around, a wave of red hot anger always seemed to take over the majourity of his emotions. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the annoying woman at the moment. He had too much on his mind to have to put up any energy in dealing with her.
"Excuse me?" Randy finally demanded back.
"What were you doing at Lune Aux Chandelles? Why did you run out of there after seeing Kelly with Adam?" Eve said, her voice rising over the downpour and the clapping of the thunder. "Why are you here?"
"Why do you care?" Randy suddenly shouted jumping out of the swing he was sitting on. Who in the hell did Eve Torres think she was, following after him and demanding answers like that? Did she have any idea who she was dealing with? "Why don't you answer a question for me now? Why are you following me? What possibly could have spurred your interest enough to follow me and ruin your pretty little dress?"
"I asked first!" Eve snapped, not at all wanting to answer any of Randy's questions, because that would mean confessing her curiosity towards him, and that was just something that didn't need to come out.
"No! You're answering my question now!" Randy snapped back. The two were always in sync when it came to each other. When one got pissed, the other was equally pissed off, ready to snap and claw at each other. "What are you doing here!"
"I … I …" Eve started, suddenly not feeling so confident anymore. Before, it was her anger that was guiding her through the motions. Now that it wasn't there anymore, Eve was feeling a lot smaller than the simmering Orton, who was glaring down at her, his icy blue eyes piercing right through her. "Don't turn this on me! You're the one on the spot here, not me!"
He could see the fight drain right out of her, which was why Randy slowly took a few steps toward her, his eyes not once leaving hers. He approached with caution, like a predator would its prey. When he got closer to her, Randy stopped and crossed his arms, taking in her soaked appearance. Her beautiful navy blue dress was clinging to her, pronouncing all of her curves. Eve was definitely a beauty that much Randy did know. He couldn't help but think about what had happened the night that Eve confronted him about Kelly, the 'I'll let you take out the trash' reference running over and over in his head. He cocked his head to the side.
"What are you doing here, Eve?"
The way her name came out of his mouth right then made the Latina have an intake of breath, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest as the assurance of what she was doing completely vanished. What was she doing? No answer would come to mind – only the truth. But could she really tell Randy the truth about how she had followed after him? Would he only laugh at her and call her delusional? Eve wouldn't put that past Orton, but then she thought about the look on his face when he saw Kelly with Adam. Even though Randy was a pretty strong guy, there was no denying the shocked, hurt look on his face when he slowly backed out of the room and took off down the road.
"I saw the look on your face when you saw that Kelly moved on and …" The words got caught in her throat, her voice shaky as she laid it all out on the table, the fear unbelievably there. "I wanted to fix you."
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
To say Eve Torres was pissed was the understatement of the year. She couldn't believe that she completely forgot about the solo trip from Toronto to Buffalo she would have to take since Kelly was flying to God knows where with Adam for some media before meeting her at the arena. Her head had been in the clouds ever since that stormy night in the park with Randy Orton and because of that the Latina had absolutely no idea how she was going to get to Buffalo. Foolishly, she waited in the lobby, her bag and suitcases around her feet, for nearly an hour while she watched Superstars and Divas slowly check out and leave while she waited for her two blonde friends, only for them to never show. Nervousness slowly crept up and that was when Eve finally pulled out her silvery metallic cell-phone and called Kelly.
The phone rang three times before Kelly finally answered it, her voice cheerful as her favourite band played on the radio. Even though it wasn't Adam's favourite, he didn't say a word, only smiled, when she pushed the CD into the device.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kells, what are you doing?" Eve asked, her hysteria rising even more when she heard the music through the line. Did they leave without me, Eve thought as she ran a hand through her tussled, brown curls.
"Adam and I are on the highway heading towards the airport, why?"
"No reason," Eve answered in the most convincing voice she could muster. Her eyes were closed, her heart racing faster than she ever thought possible. She had a match scheduled and if she couldn't get to Buffalo then all hell would surely break loose. "I just wanted to make sure you guys were making good time. Call me when you two land?"
"Sure thing, Evie," Kelly replied, her chipper voice tearing right through Eve.
After their goodbye, Eve had hung up the phone and all but threw it into her bag which was on the floor, not caring at all if she damaged it in the least. A broken phone was the last of her worries. Shaking her head, the Latina bent down, grabbed said bag, and made her way over to the front desk a short distance away. She put on a smile and asked the man if all of the WWE Superstars had checked out yet. It might be a bit of the inconvenience for them, but Eve was confident that they would let her ride along.
"The only ones who haven't checked out are you and …" The desk clerk's eyes suddenly looked over her shoulder and smiled nervously. "Ah, Mr. Orton, are you and your party checking out now?"
Eve's entirely body froze, a chill running up her spine as she felt the presence of The Viper, the man she confronted in the park a few nights ago. They hadn't spoken a word to each other after Eve told Orton she wanted to fix him. The broken, vulnerable look in his eyes was something that would never leave the Latina. It was something she had never seen before and it was definitely etched into her being. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Eve slowly turned around and met the icy blue glare of Randy Orton. She slowly moved over some, giving Orton room to proceed to his check-out.
After putting the three men and their bags together, the clerk must have come to the conclusion that checking out was exactly what they were doing, because he quickly printed out a sheet of paper for him to sign. Without saying a word, Randy took the pen from the man's hand and quickly, but elegantly, signed his name on the dotted line.
"Thank you, sir. I'll now need your keycard," The man smiled, clearly nervous of the angry looking man in front of him.
Randy fumbled around in his pocket, his eyes narrowing when he couldn't find it. Eve watched as Randy slowly turned around to look at The Simply Priceless Faction, who quickly got the silent command and started feeling around their pockets, looking for the missing keycard. The two looked at each other nervously before looking back at Randy, Cody shaking his head no, while Ted shrugged sheepishly. Sighing impatiently, Randy's fist clenched tightly around the pen he was holding before dropping it on the counter.
"Stay here," Randy commanded to Rhodes and DiBiase, who nodded their heads, all too willing to oblige to that request. Shaking his head in complete annoyance, The Viper gave one last chilling look in Eve's direction before making his way back through the lobby, heading towards the elevator.
When Orton started pounding his pointer finger into the button to open the electric doors, Eve jumped into action, pushing her bag into Cody's arms before rushing after Randy.
"Hold that for me, Cody," Eve said over her shoulder.
"What? No!" Cody shrieked, holding the bag as far away from him as possible, as though he were holding something deadly.
"Hold it!"
"Torres, what the fuck," Cody groaned and put the purse to his side, his crystal blue-green eyes glaring after Eve as she made her way over to Randy. He grabbed the strap and flung it over his shoulder, shaking his head before turning his attention back to his best friend, Ted, who was staring at him like he was crazy. "What?"
"Dude … no."
Cody jerked the bag from his shoulder and tossed it on the floor between them, his arms immediately crossing. His dislike for Eve Torres was intensifying with ever second.
The Latina could practically see Orton's body stiffen and tense up as she drew closer and closer. His finger fell from the button beside the elevator and he let out a tired sigh as his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Eve slowly walked up to his side and waited by the elevator with him, her gaze slowly flicking up to his as he avoided hers, his icy blue eyes locked on the metallic doors, willing them to open up. Letting out a sigh of her own, Eve mentally prepared herself for a fight, an argument that would more than likely ensue when she opened her mouth.
"Randy?" Eve finally voiced.
The Viper's body – if possible – tensed up even more. His eyes closed momentarily before they opened again. "What?"
"I have a favour to ask of you …"
"Haven't you done enough?"
"Excuse me?" Eve blinked, confused. She had expected Orton to fight her tooth and nail about this, but she wasn't expecting that.
The doors to the elevator opened and Randy quickly stepped in, probably hoping that the doors would close right after him, leaving Eve on the bottom floor while he went up several stories. He just couldn't deal with her right then. He was tired – another sleepless night awaited him when his head hit the pillows. The only other noise in the hotel room was of Ted and Cody snoring softly in the background, which left Orton in his troublesome thoughts.
"Nothing," Randy finally answered, shaking his head when Eve stepped into the elevator after him.
"Well …" Eve let out a frustrated sigh, her eyes scanning over the lobby, hoping no one would come into the elevator after them. As the doors were closing, the Latina met the angry glare of Cody Rhodes, who was staring at her with such hatred, it was almost amusing. "Why does Rhodes hate me so much?"
"Because I hate you," Randy answered without hesitation. He reached over and hit the number 7, mentally praying that it would rise quickly.
Eve looked up, her eyes thoughtful as she stared at The Viper, willing him to look at her, only he wouldn't. He kept his pale, icy stare on the numbers above as they slowly started to move, indicating that they were indeed rising, but not nearly as fast as Orton wanted. She shook her head at him.
"Why do you hate me?"
"For the same reason you hate me!" Randy suddenly snapped, his cold stare raining down on her, almost making her take a step back in shock. Letting out an angry curse, Orton slammed his hand down on the metal bar that was along the wall and released an impatient sigh. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to be trapped in an elevator with the woman.
"Kelly?"
Even though Randy never said a word, with the reaction that Eve got, he really didn't need to say anything. His actions were speaking for themself. Those cold, pale, blue eyes fell to the floor, that sad look immediately filling them. Without thinking, Eve took a few steps forward, reaching Orton's side. She placed a hand on the metal bar, too aware of how close it was to Orton's.
"She's happy now, Randy."
"Yeah, well, I'm not!"
"Why do you care so much?" Eve suddenly demanded. She had no idea why, though. Maybe it was because she hated that fact that he actually did care, maybe it was simply because he was snapping and raising his voice to her. All that she knew was that Randy was getting hostile and it was seriously starting to piss her off. "You were using her, Randy! You didn't give a damn about her, never took interest in her! All you really cared about was satisfying you own needs, not giving a damn about hers!"
And just like that Orton's anger was boiling over, his eyes flashing with maliciousness, he turned on the woman. Neither were at all aware of how close they actually were, Orton staring down at her while Eve stared up at him, their lips closer than they knew.
"Who in the hell do you think you are! What gives you the right to attack me like this, huh! I know what I did! But why in the hell do you still care when you say she's happy with someone else! Why are you still down my throat!"
"I care because you're still hurting and I want to know why!"
"Why!" Randy all put shouted, his voice a mixture of anger and sheer desperation.
"Because I want to …" Eve started, but was immediately interrupted by Randy, who was even more worked up than she was.
"Fix me! You want to fix me!"
To that, Eve said nothing. Just then she realized how close to each other they actually were and, for some reason, she didn't back off, didn't take a step back to give either of them any room. For some reason, the Latina actually … liked … the closeness; she liked the feeling of being that close to The Viper. Before anything else could happen, though, the metal doors opened and Randy Orton walked out.
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
The car ride was quiet, uncomfortable, and so completely awkward. With Randy Orton driving, his piercing, blue eyes staring straight ahead, Eve Torres sat in the passenger seat beside The Viper, her arms crossed, her beautiful dark green eyes peering out the window at the continue trail of trees that lined the highway. In the backseat were Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr., both of whom were confused and rather annoyed with the events that transpired only an hour before.
"You're pissed, fine. Stay pissed. But right now, I don't have a ride and I need to get to Buffalo, so can you please let me ride with you?" Eve asked, keeping her voice even. She had followed Randy out of the elevator and down the hallway until he got to his room. He all but kicked the door down since he didn't have a key and immediately found it lying on the table by the door. "Randy …"
"I heard you the first time," Randy said, not even looking at her. He had made his way back down the hallway until he was right in front of the elevator once more, his pointer finger shooting out, stabbing the button several times before the metal doors finally slid open.
Sighing in complete frustration at the ignorance, Eve followed after Orton, her arms swinging at her sides as she tried to keep up with The Viper's fast pace. He could ignore her all he wanted to, but Eve knew one thing – there was way no he was going to get away without answering her. When both got into the elevator – Eve having to squeeze her way into the doors before they closed since Orton clearly didn't want her in there – Randy hit the number 1 and leaned against the wall. Apparently that was his way of ignoring her and pretending that she didn't exist.
"Randy, ignore me all you want, but I'm not going to leave you alone until you give me a damn answer," Eve said, not at all concerned about keeping her voice neutral anymore. The man was pissing her off.
When all the Latina got was silence, something inside of her snapped. Walking over to the control panel, Eve slapped her hand over the STOP button, putting a halt to the elevator. That certainly got the man's attention. Orton's eyes snapped open when he realized what Eve had just done.
"What in the fuck do you think you're doing?" Randy demanded, straightening up. His eyes flashed dangerously, but it did absolutely nothing to Eve, who simply glared back. She didn't say a word, which only seemed to piss Orton off all that much more. Shaking his head, Randy took a step forward, intent on getting the elevator moving again so he could get the hell away from her. "Move, Eve."
"No."
"Move, damn it," Randy growled.
"No!"
"Why!"
"Because I asked you a damn question and I'm not leaving until I get an answer, that's why!" Eve snapped right back, practically getting in his face. She was so sick and tired of his behaviour, she was about ready to kick him so hard in the balls.
Randy had to admit, a part of him was impressed that she was standing up to him like she was. Not many people had the guts to do what she was doing, but the other part … well, that part was ready to push her down an empty elevator shaft he was so pissed off with her. He needed his space. Whenever he was around Eve, his thoughts turned to the one person who rejected him, left him feeling empty and so completely alone. It was something he had never felt before and he hated that someone like her had the ability to do that to him.
His hand reached out towards the button, but Eve merely slapped his hand away, getting in front of the control panel.
"No!" Eve yelled, ready to do anything and everything to keep Randy's hands away from the control panel. She was willing to stay there as long as it took to get him to stop acting like a child and answer her. "Stop being an asshole and just answer the question!"
"Do you honestly think I can't move you on my own? Do you really think you can stand there and keep me from that button?" Randy asked. Though his voice was calm and at a decent level, there was no mistaking the fury in those piercing blue eyes. "Do yourself a favour, Torres, and move."
"You are such a child," Eve said, shaking her head. She turned around and hit the first floor button before stepping back to the other side, wanting to be as far away from Randy as humanly possible now.
When the doors opened, Eve was out the door first, her arms swinging at her side as she made her way quickly over to the front desk. By the time Orton finally got there, Eve had already finished checking herself out. She grabbed her bag from Cody, who picked it back up when she got closer, and snatched it out of his hands. After collecting the rest of her suitcases, Eve stormed out of the hotel and made her way down the driveway. She had no idea what she was going to do, but at that moment, she just didn't give a damn.
"Let's go," Randy said, motioning for Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. to follow him. He tossed his keycard on the desk and ignored all of the nervous quips coming from the man behind the counter and continued out the door towards the rental car he shared with his two friends.
"What the hell was all that about?" Ted finally asked as they were loading their belongings in the trunk. He tossed his rolling bag in and gave Randy a questionable look.
"I don't know and I don't give a damn. I just want to forget about her …" Randy started, but stopped. He was staring over Ted's shoulder, unable to believe that the woman could be so ridiculous. His anger could clearly be seen from his two companions. Ted cursed silently as he turned to see what his friend was staring at and shook his head, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair while Cody walked around the car to join in on the outrageous sight.
"What in the hell is she doing?"
Ted and Cody were both waiting for an answer, but none came from The Viper, who simply glared in Eve Torres' direction. The Latina was walking towards the road, waving occasionally at some of the cars, hoping one of them would pull over and get her so far before finding someone else to get her to Buffalo. Shaking his head with his fists clenched so tightly, Orton stormed after her, his feet moving quickly, easily making good timing in catching up with the stubborn woman.
By the time he got to her, his patience were in a far worse condition then when he first started out. He reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around, almost knocking her right off her feet. Catching her before she could fall, Randy set her right then grabbed the two suitcases that fell to the floor up in one hand and started making his way back to the rental car where Ted and Cody still stood, both watching.
"What in the hell are you doing!" Eve demanded, struggling against Orton's hold. No matter how much she struggled, though, there was no breaking the strong grip of The Viper.
"I think I should be asking you the same fucking question," Randy snapped, throwing an annoyed look at the Latina. "What were you planning, hitch-hiking the whole way there?"
"Well, you didn't leave me with much of an option," Eve replied, faking a sweet voice, only to yank at Randy's arm with strength she didn't know she had, making The Viper stumble some and turn in her direction before yelling right in his face. "YOU NEVER ANSWERED ME WHEN I ASKED FOR A RIDE!"
"I didn't think you were stupid enough to believe you'd actually make it to Buffalo alive if you hitch-hiked the whole way there," Randy shot back, his voice cold and heartless.
"Yeah, well, I guess we'll find out, because I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Who said I was asking?" Randy questioned and, before Eve could say anything, he jerked her after him, not saying anything else as she fought and struggled against him, calling him every name in the book until they got to the car. "Ted, trunk, Cody, backseat," That was all Orton said before dropping Eve's luggage on the ground. He walked to the passenger side door, jerked it open, pushed the Latina inside, and slammed it shut.
That had been an hour ago and nothing had been said from anyone since that happened. Cody was glaring at Eve still. She could still feel his eyes and couldn't help but roll hers.
"Take a picture, Rhodes, it'll last longer."
"Fuck you, Eve!" Cody snapped, leaning over the armrest to glare at the woman. "You ruin everything!"
"What did I ruin! I didn't want this damn ride!" Eve shrieked before shooting a hate-filled glare in Randy's direction, though he didn't even turn his head to look. He wasn't paying attention to anything but the road.
"It was my turn to be in the front seat!"
"Are you serious?" Once again, Eve couldn't help but roll her eyes at how absurd Cody was being. "Don't worry, little Cody, you'll be able to sit beside daddy Randy soon."
"Once again, fuck you!"
"Cody, you can sit in the front on the trip to Boston," Randy finally said.
His voice was much more calm and patient when he was talking to Cody. It was something Eve hadn't heard before. Every time she was around when he spoke, he always sounded rude and hateful. Then again, there was a lot about Randy that Eve didn't know about and, as the time passed, the Latina didn't know if she wanted to know anymore.
"I better. If this bitch takes my seat again then I'm going to throw her out of the car while it's moving," Cody threatened, sitting back in his seat. Ted patted his leg before looking back out the window, an amused look on his face.
"Get over yourself, Rhodes. I'm not taking any more rides with any of you," Eve said and, for the third time, she rolled her eyes. "I didn't even want this one."
"For the love of God, you were going to fucking hitch-hike to Buffalo!" Randy suddenly exploded, making everyone in the car jump, Cody so far as to squeal. "Forgive me if I don't want your fucking death on my conscience, Kelly, I have too much to deal with for that, too!"
Nothing was said after that. Nothing really needed to be said. She had her answer and even though she should be cheering for finally understanding, Eve couldn't help but feel a sharp pain in her chest when she finally realized that Randy was still head over heels in love with her best friend.
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
"It was amazing! Adam was just amazing! I can't believe he's so perfect," Kelly gushed, a permanent smile plastered across her pretty face. She and Eve were sitting in the locker room, all dressed up and ready for Raw. Kelly was going on and on about the mini trip she had with Adam and while Eve was happy that Adam could make her so joyful, she wasn't paying any attention whatsoever. "He can make dinner at a fast food restaurant so romantic, it's not even funny!"
"That's great, honey," Eve said, giving her friend a smile before looking back at her nails again.
"Okay, what's wrong?" Kelly asked her attention shifting so she could solely focus on her friend, not on her thoughts of Adam Copeland. "You were barely listening and that is not like you at all. Plus you have that look on your face."
"I have a look?"
"Yes. When something is wrong, you immediately start picking with your nails," Kelly replied, her eyes casting down at the actions she had just spoken of. Looking back up with concern filling her beautiful blue eyes, Kelly brushed some of Eve's long, brown hair over her shoulder. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
She couldn't keep it in, especially when it would drive Eve absolutely crazy. Most of the time she was able to keep certain things down and buried so deep, it wouldn't really bother her, but this … sighing, the Latina nodded her head softly, knowing in her heart that it was time to confess and let Kelly in on what was going on. She had a right, after all.
"I know this is going to sound so completely wrong and unbelievable, but I need you to just listen to me," Eve started, her voice controlled. There were so many emotions going through her at the moment, it was hard to decide which one she was feeling the most.
"Okay …" Kelly replied, cocking her head to the side. She said nothing else, only waited for Eve to continue, unaware of what was about to be said next.
"Randy Orton is in love with you."
"What?" Kelly asked, not at all expecting that. Her hand dropped from Eve's shoulder, her expression reflecting the sheer confusion she was feeling. Randy Orton never loved her. He lusted over her, he used her and tossed her to the side when he was finished, but he never loved her. "You said it yourself a while ago – Randy doesn't love. He doesn't know the feeling."
"I know I said that a long time ago, but I'm serious now."
"How do you know?"
This was it. Now was the time to come clean about everything. A part of Eve really needed it. Bottling up what she was feeling, what she was thinking, it was slowly driving her insane to the point where it was all she could think about. Randy Orton was consuming her thoughts and dreams. It was impossible to not think about him, dream about him, wonder what he was doing whenever he was out of sight. It worried her; the sudden feelings that were developing about someone whose didn't come anywhere close to resembling hers. The other part was afraid of Kelly's reaction when she was finished. The Latina knew she was a hypocrite after all the warnings she'd given Kelly over the past few months. She just couldn't help it … she was falling for The Viper.
Taking a deep breath, bracing for Kelly's reaction, Eve cleared her throat and opened up, telling her friend everything that had happened in the last week, what she felt in the beginning and how she now felt. She told Kelly about what happened earlier that day, what happened in the elevator, what she was thinking when they were so close to each other, what he did when she was getting ready to hitch-hike. Everything came out in such a rush and, the more she talked about it, the more convinced Eve was that Randy still had serious feelings for Kelly. By the time she was finished, the Latina was standing in front of her blonde friend, unable to stay seated while she expressed what had happened.
"So … yeah … he loves you, so completely in love with you," Eve finally said, almost out of breath by the time she finished.
Kelly opened her mouth to say something, but closed it, unable to say anything. It didn't make any sense whatsoever. Randy hurt her more than she would like admit. The fact that he had feelings, actual genuine feelings left her confused and … even more confused. Shaking her head, the blonde beauty looked up at Eve and clasped her hands together.
"Even if he was – and that's a big if – what are you going to do about it?"
"What do you mean?" Eve asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion. "You need to talk to him and tell him you aren't in love with him anymore. He needs to know."
"Perhaps, but what are you going to do after?"
"I don't know what you mean, Kelly …"
Smiling softly, Kelly stood to her foot and took Eve's hand. "What I mean to say is – are you going to try to get him to open his eyes and actually see what's in front of him?"
"I don't understand a word you're saying."
"It's obvious you have feelings for him," Kelly replied, giving her friend a knowing look. It was true, though. Not once in the ten years of knowing her, did Kelly see that look on Eve's face. Even through all of the annoyance and frustration that came with Randy Orton, the blonde beauty had never seen Eve look so at peace when she was speaking about The Viper. It was new, but Kelly would easily recognize it, because she, too, felt – and still felt – the true power of love.
"I … what, no," Eve shook her head and wouldn't stop. She took a few steps away from Kelly and started pacing back and forth, her mind trying to process so many things at once. "That is ridiculous. Why would I be in love with Randy Orton when all he's been is a pain in the ass?"
"Because you're a pain in the ass," Kelly replied.
Eve gasped and looked at her long-time friend. "I am not!"
Kelly didn't say anything else. She just raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, watching as Eve slowly started to get into a defensive stance, her eyes turning down, a pout slowly starting to form. The Latina furrowed her brows and sank back down in her seat, her eyes locked on the dirty coloured tiled floor. Running a hand through her tussled, brown hair, Eve allowed her mind to go back to Randy, to assess everything that had happened the past few days. Could she really be falling for The Viper? As unbelievable as it sounded, for some reason, Eve couldn't just let that notion disappear. There was just something about it that caught her attention and kept her hooked, reeling her in when nothing else seemed to make any more sense.
"He drives me insane," Eve finally said, shaking her head. "Not including what he's done to you and to the other Divas he's been in contact with, Orton's mean, he's violent, he has random outbursts and temper tantrums that are just ridiculous and so childish," She looked at her finger nails and started picking at some of the paint that glossed them, her mind far from what she was staring at. "He puts up a front, pretending he doesn't care what people say, what people think of him, but in all actuality, he really does care. I think it drives him crazy trying to keep everything together so people don't have anything more to say about him. He loves to argue, he loves to fight, he loves to make every little thing difficult, even to the people who are trying to help him," Letting out a small, smile, Eve blushed slightly at the next thought. "He wouldn't let me off the hotel's property when he found out that I was going to hitch-hike here. He dragged me back to his car and pushed me in."
Kelly smiled and sat back down beside Eve, waiting for her friend to continue. The more she talked, the more love she saw seep in, lighting up her beautiful green eyes. Of course she was worried. Who wouldn't be worried when she was dealing with someone like Randy Orton? But for some reason, Kelly couldn't help but feel somewhat comforted. Eve was able to get somewhere with Randy, somewhere where no one else ever been. Whether she or Randy knew it or not, they were emotionally attached.
"I don't know why I give a damn so much. I really don't. He's caused so much damage, not only for you, but for half the Divas here. He's used them and broke them into pieces. Maybe he deserves this. Maybe this is his payback for hurting so many people."
"Or maybe he's lost and needs to be found again."
"Why did it have to be me?" Eve whispered, finally picking her eyes up from the floor, looking over at her best friend.
"Because you saw something that no one else did …"
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
Strolling down the hallway, Kelly's mind whirled with all the new information that had been given to her just minutes before. It was still a little unbelievable to hear, after all, she never expected it. A part of her wished that the revelation had come out earlier. Maybe things would have been a bit different. The other part, the dominant part, was grateful that things happened the way they did, because Kelly couldn't have been happier. Still, that didn't stop the thoughts from churning in her head. After all, she was only human.
Randy Orton was still in love with her.
If she had walked up to anyone and told them that, they'd probably just laugh in her face and walk away, calling her crazy for even thinking such a thing. Just like Eve had said earlier, they would have only repeated it. Randy Orton is immune to love. There's no way he even knows how to feel such a thing. But it had come from Eve's lips and because of that, Kelly believed her. Which was one of the many reasons why Kelly was walking down the semi-crowded hallways, her feet carrying her with a purpose. It didn't take long after a few turns down various corridors to pick up on the very voice – or voices – she wanted to hear.
"You have to calm down, Cody. Now isn't the time to badger him about this right now. He needs to just focus on his match," Ted DiBiase Jr. soothed, trying his best to get a handle on the situation.
"No, Ted, I can't and won't calm down!" The youngest man snapped, his voice echoing down the hallway. "He needs to get through this and move on! He's been listening to you and that's why he's still going through this shit! He needs to just let Kelly Blank and Eve Torres go so he can get his life back on track! Those bitches are what are keeping him in the dark!"
"Can we please not use their names? I cannot deal with it right now," Randy's pained, almost desperate voice finally sounded.
"No, Randy! You need to get it through your head, man! She's not coming back! She's not going to take you back! You played with her heart, got her hopes up, and ripped it right out of her chest!" Cody bellowed at the top of his lungs.
As Kelly got closer to the door, she could see Cody flinging his arms up in the air after every other word. He was circling Randy, who was sitting on the bench, his elbows resting on his knees, a trouble look on his face. Ted was standing in front of The Viper with his arms crossed, a firm, yet concerned look plastered across his face.
"I mean, honestly, Randy! Do you really think she's going to take you back after everything you've done to her!"
"You do understand why she won't, don't you?" Ted asked. He bent down some, getting somewhat eyelevel with Randy.
"It's funny how you two are in my face about this when I'm pretty sure you two were doing the same thing," Randy suddenly snapped, his brilliant blue eyes flashing dangerously as they jerked up and locked on Ted's.
"YOU KNOW WHY WE DID THAT!" Cody yelled, getting in front of Randy, his blue-green crystal orbs shimmering as they pierced through Orton's.
Whatever anger that was in Randy's eyes immediately died out after Cody said that. His eyes dropped back to the floor, his body sagging. He nodded his head and wouldn't stop as he ran a hand through his shaven head.
"You're right, I'm sorry," He apologized, closing his eyes. "I know."
"God, Randy, will you look at yourself," Cody sighed, shaking his head. He was trying to stay firm, but he couldn't help but let his voice drop at the sight of his friend. It killed him to see Orton like that, knowing he couldn't do anything to ease the pain. "You're not sleeping, you're barely eating. You can't concentrate on anything other than Kelly. You have to get ahold of yourself, Randy. You have to let her go."
"I'm surprised to say that I agree."
By that time, Kelly couldn't just stand there and watch the scene before her. She had heard enough and just wanted to try to make everything right. She had never been a huge fan of Rhodes and DiBiase, but she couldn't hide the fact that they were both sincere in what they were doing. Both genuinely looked like they were concerned and it showed with the way Cody was lecturing and cooing over Randy.
Randy … the blonde beauty could hardly recognize the man she once knew over the man that was sitting on the bench, looking as though his world had crumbled to the ground. The second he saw her, a hopeful expression crossed his face, but upon more observation, it dialed down into caution. Sighing, Kelly tore her gaze from Randy and looked at Cody and Ted.
"Is that alright if I talk to Randy alone for a moment?"
"No!"
"Yes, you can, Kelly," Ted replied, grabbing Cody's arm and pulling him towards the door, an arm wrapping around his body as he whispered something in his ear before looking over his shoulder at Randy. "We'll be back in ten minutes."
When they were gone, Kelly closed the door and turned around, leaning against it. She stared at Randy, not really knowing what to say, only knowing that it was time to tell him the truth. When another moment passed, the blonde beauty pushed off the door and walked over to Randy kneeling in front of him.
"You're a mess," She finally said.
"I'm sorry," Randy immediately said, his voice full of such sorrow, it was hard for Kelly to continue to stare into those pale orbs. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you, Kelly. Please, I'm begging you, give me another chance. I swear I won't break your heart again."
Kelly gave a soft smile, her hand coming up, caressing the side of his face, placing everything into memory. She had done it so many times before, but this time was especially different. She had never seen this side before, the true side of Randy Orton, the one behind the façade.
"You know, if you came to me earlier, while I was still broken, I probably would have said yes. I would have given you another chance," She sighed and shook her head. "I'm happy, though. I really am. And no matter how I try to picture us again, what we were before I knew the truth, I still find myself by Adam's side … not by yours."
Randy didn't say anything. He simply looked down, his eyes full of unshed tears. He couldn't say anything even if he wanted to. The lump in his throat just wouldn't allow it.
"You broke my heart and I didn't think I was ever going to be able to put the pieces back together. I wanted to hate you so much. I wanted to tease you and hurt you the same way you hurt me, but it looks like you beat me to it. You're just as broken as I once was … you still are."
"I'm sorry …" Randy choked up, looking at Kelly with pain filled eyes.
"I am, too, Randy, I really, really am."
Leaning forward, Kelly pressed her lips gently against Randy's cheek before standing up, slowly making her way to the door. She hated leaving him there like that, but she did want she came to do. Randy – hopefully – knew that she had moved on and that she was happy with her current boyfriend. It was time for Orton to move on and try to find happiness of his own … preferably with a certain Latina.
"Eve talked a lot about you today, you know," Kelly said when she got to the door. She turned around and looked back over at Randy, watching as his body tensed on the bench. "She doesn't hate you as much as you think, Randy. In fact, she doesn't hate you at all. Eve's a good person and behind all the conflicted emotions and the turmoil of feelings, I think you know that, too."
-x- -x- -x- -x- -x-
"What the fuck am I going to do?" Randy asked himself as he paced back and forth in front of the pool. It was well past midnight, but The Viper was wide awake, his mind going over and over what Kelly had told him hours before.
They were officially through with no chance of ever reconciling their differences. There was no possibility of ever coming back together, no possibility of ever rekindling the affection they once shared – no matter how surreal it seemed. It hurt like hell, knowing that he wouldn't be able to show Kelly how much she meant to him, but maybe he could try to move on …
In his hand was a pebble he found near the gate outside the poor area in the back of the hotel. He tossed it around while he paced around the huge swimming pool, trying to figure out if he should really do what he was planning on doing. After talking/threatening the man at the front desk, Randy finally knew where Eve Torres' room was located. The idea was to throw it to her window and, when she finally came outside, Orton was going to …
That's where the plan died. He had no idea what to do after that and it was driving him insane with each moment that passed. It was weird, what he was feeling, wanting to be in the presence of the very woman that seemed to give him a bigger headache than Cody Rhodes. The Latina had a mind of her own and wasn't at all afraid to express her own opinion – no matter how irrelevant or annoying it might be. She was fiercely protective of the ones she loved and, even though she and Orton had their differences over the past that was one characteristic that he had to admire. Regardless, Eve Torres was the one who made his conquest with Kelly that must difficult to keep intact. After he broke up with Kelly, he knew that it was a mistake. Something inside of him just seemed to snap into place, a feeling of betrayal and shame engulfed him, finally making him see reason for all the horrible things he had done. He blamed Eve for that, for getting inside of Kelly's head, telling her not to fall for his tricks again. He wanted to hate her forever, but the more the time passed, Randy couldn't help but hate himself for blaming Eve when she was only protecting her friend.
His feelings for the Latina were questionable and inconclusive, but the one thing that was clear was the fact that he, for some reason, couldn't help but seek her presence. She was the beacon he needed when he was in his darkest place and that fact scared the hell out of him. Sighing to himself, Randy tossed the pebble to the side and sank down in the nearest lounge chair, his head coming to rest in his hands. The longer he sat the ever present feeling of the shame and misery surrounded him, slowly suffocating him.
The door leading to the pool area opened quietly and out stepped the beacon that seemed to lead The Viper through his nightmares. Eve had woken up with a feeling of such sorrow and dread, so much, in fact, that she couldn't even fall back asleep. She had gotten out of bed and immediately went to the window, as though something was calling for her, and as she peered through to the outside world, Eve quickly figured out why.
"Hey …"
His head snapped up at the sound of her voice, the shock clear on his face over the fact that he was just thinking about her and there she was. Slowly, though, with the caution that always came whenever she was around, Randy rose to his foot, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Hey."
"What are you doing out here so late?" Eve asked, cocking her head to the side as she took in his appearance. He was dressed casually – blue jeans that fit perfectly to him, a gray T-shirt that made his pale eyes shine beautifully, with a dog tag necklace around his neck. "It's a little past three in the morning."
"Oh, yeah," Randy felt so completely out of place. He shoved one hand in his pocket while the other rubbed the back of his neck. "I couldn't sleep, so I just went for a walk. I found myself coming here, I guess."
Eve nodded her head and, after a moment, she smiled softly, a light blush appearing across her cheeks. The Latina found herself getting caught in the man's eyes, his gorgeous steel blue orbs slowly starting to become her favourite colour. The way the light from the moon hit them, making them sparkle made Eve feel as though she were in a dream, they were so alluring.
"Wow."
"… What?"
"We're talking and we haven't even started yelling at each other yet."
A small smile graced his lips as he realized that Eve was telling the truth. They were actually having a civil conversation without thinking violent thoughts towards one another. That was something new. With the lazy smirk still playing on his lips, Randy nodded his head.
"Yeah, you're right about that one, no gunfire yet."
"Yet," Eve replied, dazzling Orton with a gorgeous smile that seemed to knock the breath right out of him. The Latina must have seen his reaction, because the smile faded almost immediately, being replaced with concern. "Are you alright?"
Collecting himself, Randy looked down again and shook his head, getting himself back into the present before looking at Eve again. "Yeah, I'm alright."
"Alright …"
"What are you doing out here?" Randy asked, shifting the attention from him back on her. Her eyes seemed to be piercing through him, trying to figure him out. No one could really figure him out, though. He was a walking puzzle, a mystery that was impossible to solve.
"Pretty much the same as you," Eve replied, blinking her eyes, focusing back on him as she shrugged her shoulders. "I woke up and just couldn't go back to sleep. I looked out the window and saw you and … I needed to talk to you about what happened earlier …"
Randy nodded his head and sank back down on the lounge chair that he earlier resided in, his mind drawing a complete blank on what else to say to the woman. There was so much to say, but nothing seemed to want to come out anymore. He sighed quietly, waiting for Eve to say something.
Eve cleared her throat softly and looked around the pool area. There were no clouds in the sky so the moon shined brightly down upon them, making the water shine beautifully. Even at the late hour, the Jacuzzi in the far corner was still going, the light bouncing off of the bubbling water. The place was definitely relaxing, which was probably why Orton found himself over there of all the other places he could have gone. It was now or never, though. She couldn't keep this inside, especially when she knew that it would also benefit Randy in the long run.
"Kelly told me that she talked to you, told you that she had moved on, that you should do the same."
"Eve, honestly, I don't want to have this conversation," Randy said, reaching up and tiredly rubbing his eyes. "I can't have this conversation right now."
"I'm sorry, but I need to say my peace. I can't just keep this inside anymore."
"Why?" Randy suddenly asked, looking up at Eve, his eyes flashing. The tone of his voice was harsher than it had been since she came out and just like that, Eve could feel her temper rising with just that one word.
"Well, for many reasons. One, I don't listen to you. You don't tell me what to do and you never will. Two, I'm not going to keep this on my chest. I'm tired of keeping it inside and I'm going to get it out and you're going to listen."
Despite how annoyed he was getting, Randy couldn't help but chuckled at that, his lips curving up at the Latina's warning. Placing his hands on his knees, Randy pushed himself off the lounge chair he was on and looked pointedly at Eve, waiting for her to do something.
"Go ahead – stop me from going inside. If you really want me to listen to you then you better do something drastic, because I'm telling you now, I'm not talking about this. I'm not listening to this. I have too much on my mind right now to even think clearly, so just go back to bed."
"You are delirious, you know that?" Eve shook her head and stared at Randy with a mixture of anger and confusion. The man had absolutely no idea how twisted he was. He said one thing then came back and said another. He accepted something then immediately rejected it, turning it around on them. He wasn't stable at all.
Randy pursed his lips and looked up, as though he were actually thinking about it then snapped his eyes back to her, shaking his head. Though he wasn't smiling anymore, Eve could clearly see the humoured look plastered across his face and that made her temper rise even more, her breath quickening.
"That's not the first time I've been called that. Sorry."
"How are you able to put up with yourself! Better question, how in the hell have Rhodes and DiBiase not killed you yet! You are such an asshole!" Eve shrieked, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation, her mind completely oblivious to how Orton could possibly be acting this way. The instant he opened, his mouth, though, something inside of Eve just suddenly snapped. Propelling herself forward, the Latina grabbed the collar of Randy's shirt and jerked him down, her lips slamming against his in a heated kiss, one that left The Viper completely frozen. Only after a moment, when he slowly started to kiss back, did Eve suddenly push Randy away, knocking him so hard in the chest that he actually fell into the pool. "Now you're going to listen to me, Randy! Do you understand me!"
The Viper had no idea what to say to that, he was too shocked to even come up with something to say. Eve Torres just kissed him then pushed him into the pool. The water was dripping down his face, his pale blue eyes shining brightly thanks to the moon's glow. Slowly, Orton nodded his head, not know what else to do at that moment.
"You are so annoying; I don't know how I've been able to stand it for as long as I have. You have this air around you, like your shit doesn't stink. We'll, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Orton, but it does! You've broken so many hearts, my best friend's heart, and for the life of me, I honestly didn't think you were human with the way you flaunted around after it was all said and done. You work with those girls, you see them almost every single day and you were oblivious to their pain. How could you do that? How could you just walk around like some god and laugh in in their expense, laugh to their pain?" Eve started pacing, her mind going a million miles a minute. The woman barely stopped for a breath as she literally poured her heart out in one final attempt to get Orton to see … to finally see. While she was doing that, Randy was slowly swimming to the steps at one end of the pool, his eyes never once leaving hers. "You have no idea how happy was I was when Adam came into Kelly's life. He was there to help pick up the pieces after you dropped her on live television. And that's another thing. Who in the hell did you think you are doing that to her, breaking up with her on Raw? Have you lost your mind? No, don't answer that, because we've already distinguished the fact that you have," Eve waved her hand at him and turned around, crossing her arms as she stared at some of the exotic plants they had around the wall of the hotel. She shook her head, not really seeing them. "I wanted to hurt you for hurting her. I couldn't believe that she actually blamed herself for something you did. She kept going over and over in her head the things that she could have changed about herself to get you to love her just as much as she loved you. She asked us to leave you alone, to not mess with you. I didn't want to, but I agreed, because unlike you, I actually respect her enough to trust her."
Randy had gotten out of the pool, his entire body soaking wet. The jeans he was wearing were clinging to his lower half, while the gray shirt did the same to his chest. He didn't seem to notice any of that, though, because he was solely transfixed on Eve's voice, on the words that were coming out of her mouth, and the feeling that was emanating from her very soul.
"I told myself that I would never fall for someone who could be so heartless and uncaring as you, but …" Eve bit her bottom lip and wiped a stray tear off her cheek and sighed slowly, trying to come up with the words to express how she truly felt. Closing her eyes, she pressed on, needing to get it all out. "But last week I see you walking to your car after a live event and I can clearly see how sad and lonely you were and … I don't know, I just … I didn't like it. For reasons unknown to me, I just couldn't stand seeing you that sad," Her eyes quickly watered, but she didn't let them fall. The feelings were a jumble inside of her – scared, relieved, worried, and loving – there was no telling which one she was feeling the most. "I guess that explains why I've been all over you since then … trying to talk to you, fix you …"
"Why do you care so much?" Randy asked his voice shaky.
When Eve turned around and studied Randy was who was standing only a few feet from where she was at, she didn't know whether he was shaking due to the cool temperature of the water or from her own words. His eyes were penetrating straight to her very soul, making her shiver in response. She stared back at him, though, trying to figure out why on earth is was so drawn to him, why she was falling completely in love with him, but some things didn't really need a reason. They were just so.
"Because somebody gives a damn …" Eve whispered to him, unable to raise her voice any louder than that. "I give a damn."
Taking a few steps forward, Randy closed the distance between them. He was standing so close to her; both could feel each other's breath. His hand raised, his finger gently caressing the side of her face, his breath hitching when the Latina's eyes rolled shut. He didn't know what came over him, but he didn't really care at that moment. He just needed to touch her, to let her know that he cared, too. He might not have known it earlier, but he knew now.
Leaning down, Randy's lips gently brushed against Eve's, relaxing when she immediately kissed back. Eve reached up and wrapped her arms around Randy, not caring about how wet he was, only needing to get closer to him. The kiss became more heated; more intense, full of unspoken feelings that both knew were mutual. Right then Randy knew that he was going to be okay, that moving on from Kelly wasn't going to be as tough as he thought it would. He smiled into the kiss, knowing that no matter how, Eve was going to have his back and she would make sure he made it through, to keep him straight on the path – their path – and not stray. Contagiously, the second Randy smiled, Eve did, too. That feel of floating, of flying, soaring in the sky was upon her, making her feel dizzy, though it was a good kind of dizzy. Tightening the grip she had around his neck, Eve moaned softly, knowing that where she was, in Randy's arms, was right where she was truly meant to be.
Thanks, guys, for reading! I hope you enjoyed!