Chapter Thirty-Five - Little Rock
My nude Barney's criss-cross ankle strap heels echoed through the empty Verizon Arena hallway, it wouldn't be long until it would be filled with the hustle and bustle of the WWE before a live Monday Night Raw. I pulled at my Parker Henley pink, white and navy shirt under my pink blazer before I knocked on the makeshift office door.
"Yes?" I opened the door to Vince McMahon sitting behind his desk reading over what looked like tonight's script.
"I'm here in Little Rock like you asked."
"So you have written your name on the dotted line?"
"Not yet." I sat on the nearest chair, "I have one issue."
"You shouldn't have, this contract is incredibly generous thanks to Cena. You have the largest salary of the divas, guaranteed television time, first class travel, picture on posters and collectable cups. What else could you possibly want?"
"Does my guaranteed television include matches?"
"Not neccesarily."
"I want guaranteed matches and I don't have to be a valet."
"Fine." I took a pen out of my Lavin bag and started initialing and signing the contract, "Before finish I want a promise."
"Yes, sir."
"Please don't mess around with any of my superstars."
"I can assure you that won't be happening. I'm here because I love the business and because of what John has done and I love my friends but I won't lie that the money is part of why I stepped into your office." I signed my name on the last line and handed it to him,
"Welcome back Miss Jenkins." We both stood up and he held out a hand, but I ignored it and gave him a curt nod instead, "Go get ready your back on the air tonight and send the next person in." I picked up and bags and left the office, I kept my head low and saw and pair of sneakers to my left,
"Vince wants you in there." I muttered,
"So John wasn't lying that your back." Phil spoke,
"He is big reason why I'm back. You should get in there I left him in a pretty sour mood."
"Thanks Bethany."
"I've got your back Phil." I said sarcastically, I walked back down the hallway and stood in front of the dressing room. I ran my hand over the sign on the door and smiled, 'Sydney Myers.'
I blasted Black Rebel Motorcycle Club through my headphones while I walked through catering; I politely smiled at my co-workers, the ones who acknowledged me anyway. In my 4 hours and 14 minutes of being back I was an outcast. Word had gotten around about my contract and it had caused a bit of resentment between the majority of the diva's and small part of the undercard talent. The Bella's were scooping salad onto their plates when I approached the table, I was greeted with an eye roll and spiteful lip raise, I responded with something with something that wasn't very mature, I stuck my tongue out at them. I went to grab a bottle of water when I touched hands with someone else,
"Oh shit sorry you take it." I pulled an my headphones off,
"No you take it." The girl with bright red hair held the water bottle in front of me,
"Don't be silly I'll just grab another one."
"Sorry, I'm just new to this place and I've been told to watch out for some people, apparently wrestlers can be primadonnas."
"Whoever told you that is very wise. I'm not one to be cautious around though, my stage name is Sydney but call me Bethany." I extended my hand and she took it smiling, "Oh cool t-shirt by the way The Blue Van is one of my favourite bands."
"Well I actually manage these guys and a few others. I'm Anna and I'm Phil's girlfriend." A lump formed in the middle of my throat and an icy feeling settled in my stomach,
"That's really cool, I guess you have a good taste in music. It was nice meeting you Anna, I have to go and finish my warm up." I nearly ran to my dressing room and threw open the door and dropped to the floor,
"Why did she have to be nice?!" I cried,
"Huh?"Layla turned away from the mirror to face me, her lipstick half done.
"What's wrong?" Ry looked up from his Men's Fitness magazine,
"I just met Anna."
"Oh baby I'm sorry." Layla rushed to put an arm around me,
"She's nice, likes the same music and she's pretty." I took a deep breath,
"Wait who's Anna?" Ry asked,
"I know she is a lovely girl she has been touring with us for the past two weeks." Layla sympathized.
"I get it you mean Phil's girl."
"Don't be so cold about this. Bethany has lost the man she loves and he has moved on." She snatched his magazine off him and hit him with it,
"Jesus Lay I'm not good with this girl stuff. This is starting to get too romance movie like I'm going to go see Ricky about my match. I'll see you back in the room tonight B."
"Push it to the back of your mind for the next few hours we have to shoot some segments." I let my head fall into my hands, "I don't want to hear this 'Oh woe is me' act. We have a job to do and you have to prove to Vince and the entire roster that you are worth every single penny he is paying you." I wiped my eyes and forced a smile.
"Your right Lay I've got to tell these people where to stick it."
I watched the monitor in gorilla as Alicia Foxx walked down the ramp to the ring, I could feel the eyes of the Bella's and some of the other diva's on the back of my head. I pulled up the hood of my floor length black leather coat and cross my arms, trying my best to block them out. I cracked my knuckles as Layla's music played, the arena cheered in anticipation the song got to the chorus,
"Where's Layla?" asked Michael Cole on commentary,
"You know ladies, sometimes they need extra time to look beautiful and I don't mind waiting on the gorgeous Layla." Jerry Lawler added, and then I watched as the titatrons went black,
"What's going on Cole? Someone needs to get out here and fix it we are live from the Verizon Arena!" cried Lawler, I smiled when my heavy rock music hit.
"Seriously Jerry what is this?" I faintly heard Cole asked when I pushed open the curtains and walked to the middle of the entrance ramp, my head low and microphone in my hand. The arena was filled with red and white lights as I stopped and pushed back my hood to take in the crowd, Oh how I've missed this.
"I'm sorry but Layla will not be joining us this evening so she sent me to replace her. It's a shame that she can't compete in this qualification match for the title of Miss WrestleMania." Some of the crowd had caught on to my return with the building chant of 'Sydney'. I started to walk slowly up the stairs and to the ring, "For those who have never met me or are stupid enough to have forgotten, my name is Sydney Myers. Two-time Diva's Champion, soon to be three time and the future Miss WrestleMania." I took of my coat and threw it at the referee, I walked up and stood nose to nose with Alicia, it was tense between us, she had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want me back, she didn't come to the meeting before our match with Finlay. "Alicia your about to take part in a demonstration to the rest of the Diva's locker room watching backstage and I want you to tell them in person when the medic's are carrying you to first aid on a stretcher tell them I'm back and I'm not going anywhere."