Hello again! Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, I'm still on the fence with who Bethany will choose. Would love any feedback or your opinion. Thank you :) - C
Chapter Fifteen - Wake Up Call
Scott snored loudly as he curled up on the recliner, I giggled at his expense nudging Punk to show him the site of his sleeping friend, he cracked a smile, "If you think that's bad you should hear the noises the other end makes." I scrunched up my nose at the thought and Punk laughed, "Do you want a drink?" he asked getting up from his seat and starting to walk towards the kitchen, I nodded in response pausing to drape a woolen blanket over Scott before following him. I sat down on a stool facing the kitchen, Punk poured me an orange juice and stood at the other side off the counter.
"So what are you going to do as you first day as champ?" he asked, he grabbed a cutting board and knife and began to slice up an apple giving every second piece to me. "I'm going out for breakfast with Wade and then just getting on a plane back to Tampa." He stopped cutting and asked "Why?" I frowned not sure where this conversation is going, "I'm going home for 3 days." he placed the knife down and leaned on the counter closer to me, "No, why are you having breakfast with him?" I shrugged, "He called before and thought we should chat." He sighed, "But he hasn't talked to you for two weeks, he ignored your calls and texts, why even bother with him?" My mouth dropped in shock, "Why are you saying this?" I had to be honest with Punk, "I did something wrong and I understand that it upset him." He sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, "You didn't do anything wrong." I pushed away from the counter and stood up,
"Yeah, I kissed another man right in front of him, even though we were in character it was wrong it could have me my job and his if he didn't stay in character."
"Then if you knew that why did you kiss me?" We stood in silence, his question was valid and there was only one answer for it he and I both knew it; there was no need to bullshit this time.
"I wanted to."
"That's all?" his eyes were filled with smugness knowing he got exactly what he wanted to hear.
"Yep." I whispered; at this moment I felt like a little kid, he had this power over me; I would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked and I can't explain why. Is it lust? I asked myself, we stood in silence; the other determining what it say.
"Bull-fucking-shit." He spoke; it caught me off guard and called my bluff, "Tell me the truth."
"Well…" I shuffled my feet trying to buy time to think of a better answer, "Your totally hot." Fuck it! I'll be honest.
"I'm hot?" he shook his head with a laugh, he took a step forward and leaned on the counter, he turned his head to face me, "Is that all?" his eyes were full of curiosity.
"No that's the first thing that came to my head." I laughed at my own stupidity, "I'm not very good with this stuff." I moved in front of him and gave him a playful shove, "Now that I've been honest with you, can we move on and start a new and fresh friendship that doesn't include all this stuff?"
"Nope." He shook his head, I frowned at his answer. Have I ruined our friendship?
"Oh. I should probably go before this gets even more awkward." I didn't really know what else to say, what was I suppose to say to something like that. I really wish I had Mike's gift of the gab.
"I think your 'totally hot' too." He raised his hands to do the invisible air quotes on totally hot.
"Don't make fun of me." I joked not knowing where this conversation was going.
"I wasn't mocking you. I was simply describing my feelings towards you in the same way you described them to me." I walked towards the laundry to get my dry clothes, Punk followed closely behind me, "You don't have to go."
I sighed, "I've got to go, what's Lay going to say when she wakes up and my bed is empty?" He pulled my jeans out of my hands and walked in the opposite direction, "What are you doing?" I chuckled at his childishness.
"Taking your jeans hostage. You can't leave now it's too late." He placed my jeans on the top of a shelf, I jumped at his arm, "Face it you can't go anywhere in this weather with shorts on." He turned me around and placed his hands on my shoulders and directed me up the stairs and to his bedroom, "Sit" he directed to the edge of the bed and turned on the television.
"Oh so where are you sleeping?" I asked but I already knew the answer.
"On the right side." He raised a DVD, "And we will be watching this, Creature from the Black Lagoon. It's a classic."
I made myself comfortable in the middle of the bed and arranged the pillows just the way I like, "I think you will like the floor better since I sleep in the middle, there isn't room for anyone else." He had already put the DVD in and pressed play.
"Oh I think I can find room." He moved so his legs were draped over mine, stealing a few pillows in the process. "Shut up and watch the movie Australia, it's my favourite."
Buzz, buzz, buzz. My hands aimlessly reached for my phone, Layla's name appeared on the caller I.D, "Yes?" I mumbled, letting my eyes adjust to the bright light pouring through the window.
"Bethany Jane Jenkins where the fuck are you?" Layla hissed into the phone,
"Huh?" I responded, and then it hit me. My eyes went wide when I realized where I was. Punk's tattooed arm was tight around my waist while he slept silently; I quickly wiggled out of his grip and leaned against the wall with my phone pressed up to my ear taking in the sight of his naked tattooed torso.
"You didn't answer my question; I was freaking out! You could have been murdered for all I know!" she dramatically cried into my ear.
"Sorry Lay, I totally forgot. I crashed at a friends house because it was so late when we finished watching a movie." I whispered into the phone, hoping not to wake Punk.
"Oh! Is this friend Wade? I heard him talking to Sheamus about wanting to start talking to you again. Sheamus was bugging him to call you, you've won over the best friend good work Bethany." Her tone completely changed, distracted by the gossip, she paused, "Hold on." I heard muffled voiced on the other end of the phone, "Okay I just saw Wade and Sheamus walk in to breakfast, who were you with?" I opened my mouth to talk but she cut my off, "Oh. My. Freaking God. Please don't tell me it was Phil."
I ruffled my hair, "I take it by your silence I'm correct."
"Yep. But don't get the wrong idea nothing happened." I lifted up the hem of my borrowed t-shirt to ensure nothing did happen.
"You can't blame me for getting the wrong idea, it looks bad from where I'm sitting Bethany." Layla whispered in between bites of her breakfast.
"Calm down I'll fill you in once I get back to the hotel in about 20 minutes." I cautiously padded down the stairs to the kitchen to retrieve my jeans, "Just don't say anything to anyone."
"You owe me." She sighed before hanging up. I slipped on my jeans and grabbed my top from the laundry, I changed my top as I reached the end of Punk's bed leaving the borrowed t-shirt neatly folded, I noticed a pen and paper pad on his bed side table, 'Had to run. Thanks for yesterday, see you tonight. B J' and placed it on the t-shirt before creeping silently out the door to the early Chicago morning.
Layla handed me a bagel as I walked into the hotel, "Thanks." I mumbled accepting the food, "You seriously look like you've done the walk of shame." Layla commented as she pushed the button to summon the elevator before smoothing down my hair and repositioning my top, "I didn't think I looked that disheveled." Layla snorted at the comment, "Hey you." Wade appeared next to me, he had the ability to make me smile ear to ear, "Hey yourself, what are you doing up this early?" I asked, "Just getting in a work out before media stuff today, talking about that we are on the same table for a signing today. Don't hate me for being in character." Crap, I smiled sweetly, I could feel the warm feeling building at the bottom of my stomach, "I promise." The elevator arrived and Layla and I entered leaving Wade outside, "Oh I totally forgot, these are for you, I was standing here like an idiot." He handed me a small but beautiful bouquet of red roses, "For good luck tonight." I accepted the flowers with a smile, "They are beautiful thanks Wade," The doors closed and I turned to Layla, her eyebrow raised so high it would envy the Rock. "So…?" She asked, "What?" I asked innocently, "Details. Now." She damned. She's in for a earful.