Chapter III: Taking A Chance

Wednesday, December 12th, 2018 - Orlando, FL

A couple of weeks had passed since Cedric had last seen Keana but over that span of time he had taken every available chance to talk to her and get to know her over the phone and through texting. He had learned a lot about her over that span of time yet he felt like he hadn't learned that much at that same time. A lot of details about her were still hidden behind a wall and while he wanted to bulldoze that wall and learn everything he could about her and earn her trust, he couldn't rush her process. Their was a method to her madness and something told him that he would learn about what was causing her to hold back eventually.

And while his personal life was starting to take off with Keana. His in-ring career was going smoothly. He hadn't had any matches on NXT Television as the creative team was looking to hold off on having him wrestle on any tapings of NXT to have his debut match be at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. But to warm him up, he had matches on live events and this was great for Ced. It allowed him to fine-tune his skills, connect with the live crowds, and establish his presence in the NXT universe.

Currently the young stud sat in his living room of his apartment on the phone with his parents. It had been a few weeks since they last had any conversation primarily due to his very busy schedule. His parents both knew just how much being a WWE Superstar meant to him. Hell they knew just how much being a Professional Wrestler meant to him. In fact it was his father who actually bought his first pair of wrestling boots.

When Cedric first told his father he wanted to be a Professional Wrestler, his dad told him no and told him he would not help him fund his training. So Cedric worked with his dad and the money he earned in that mechanic shop he used that money to pay for his training. Or at least, he thought he did. After about a year of lesson, Cedric Sr worked a deal with Reginald King to the point where he would pay for the rest of his lessons and the money that Cedric Jr would give to pay Reggie, he would give that money to Cedric Sr who then used to buy his wrestlings boots and get him some gear to start off and give him a little bit of a boost to start his career.

And ever since then, he knew that he had earned his family's approval to go through with his dreams and pursue a career. He had already purchased 4 tickets for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix for ringside seats. These tickets were $345 a pop and he didn't mind paying it because he knew his mom and dad would be able to see him wrestle live. The other 2 were hopefully gonna go to Keana and a person of her choosing to make sure that she was comfortable but she didn't know that.

Cedric sat comfortably in his living room, his heart warmed by the sound of his parents' voices coming through the phone. It had been too long since they last connected, and he relished the opportunity to catch up with them, to share the recent developments in his life.

(For the sake of this scene Cedric will be called CJ since he's ya know a junior)

"Hey Ma, Hey Pop, It's been a while since I heard your voices," CJ said with a genuine smile.

His mother's voice filled with joy and warmth. "Oh, Cedric, it's wonderful to hear from you too. We've missed you so much. How have you been, son?"

CJ leaned back, his mind flooded with memories of the past few weeks. "I've been great, Mom. Life has been a whirlwind, to say the least. I've been training hard, preparing for my debut at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix."

"That's good son, you already got the tickets?" Cedric asked as CJ simply nodded.

"Yes sir, you just gotta buy your plane tickets. I'll look at some hotels around the arena and I'll try to book you room," CJ said as his father spoke up with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Everything okay, son?" his father asked making him chuckle.

"Yeah, everything's good. I met this girl a few weeks ago and we've just been talking. And it's not serious or anything, we haven't gone on andy dates or anything but we've just been talking. She's in school, she plays basketball and her name is Keana. I'm still learning a lot about her for right now that's all I can share for right now," CJ said with a chuckle as he heard a shout of excitement over the phone.

"Well, I'm glad you've met someone. I can't wait to meet her? Is she pretty?" his mother said as she began badgering him making him chuckle in response.

"Yes, I think so. And if she goes to Phoenix, you might get a chance to meet her."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before his father spoke, his voice filled with gratitude.

"We're so proud of you son and everything you've achieved. We'll be there front and center" his father spoke. And before CJ could get a word out his mother chimed in making him chuckle as he could tell by the excitement in her voice hearing that he had met a girl got way more excitement out of her than him saying he bought a ticket for her to watch him perform.

"And we can't wait to meet Keana!"

"Alright, I can't wait to see y'all. I've got to run but I'll check in with y'all later," he said looking to wrap the conversation up.

"Alright bye," he heard on the line before he heard a click ending his conversation. He sat back on his couch and looked up at the ceiling releasing a deep breath as he allowed his mind to roam.

(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)

The man who hoped to make a good impression on the NXT Universe at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix with his in-ring performance walked into Full Sail University with a frown on his face. He was clad in a pair of black joggers with a black hoodie with the emblem of a Gold Lion embroidered in the corner of the hoodie with a pair of "Gold Top 3" Jordan 1s. The hoodie was apart of his last business venture, his own clothing brand: "Heir to the Throne" it took him a little while to save the money for this but once he had gotten his first WWE Check he took the chance on himself to launch his own brand. A premium athleisure wear company but as for right now he was just able to launch hoodie and shirts but soon he would go for shorts, sweatpants, sweaters and various other projects.

His older sister Desiree said it was time for him to become more than just a wrestler. An Icon. A King. A Legend. And a business mogul with plans that included more than just guys on their head in the ring but dropping apparel that wasn't completely wrestling related all the time.

"Damn playboy, you got that shit on!" Cedric heard making him turn his head to see Kenneth Crawform AKA Montez Ford sitting on a crate.

"Damn bruh let me get that hoodie," said Montez' partner, Gary Gordon AKA Angelo Dawkins as he stood next to Montez. Cedric looked down chuckling as he walked over to the two fellow NXT Stars.

"Hoodie coming soon, shop Heir to the Throne launching on January 26th, 2019," Cedric said as he dapped up Montez and Angelo.

"Alright now superstar, you got it. I'm Ken AKA Montez," Montez said introducing himself. He was one-half of the Street Profits and he was known as the more high-flying and charismatic member of the tag team that had taken over NXT, "This my boy Gary AKA Angelo Dawkins but we call him Dawks."

Montez introduced his tag team partner who was the other-half ot he Street Profits. He was the more powerful member of the group being the energy of the team.

"What's good yall, I'm Cedric but I go by Ced, you can call me Ced, CJ, Cedric whichever one you feel comfortable with," Cedric said this time taking the opportunity to introduce himself. And the trio of Ced, Montez and Dawks all started to make their way to the locker room creating a small sense of comradery between the trio.

(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)

"Rise of the Young Ones" Hits

The crowd immediately started raining down boos as the music of Ced hit the sound system of the NXT Arena. The lights around the arena were off and the LED screens around the arena were off with the sole exception of his the titantron showing his titantron graphics. He walked out to the center of the stage standing in the sole spotlight that shone on him. He slowly raised his head from the stage floor looking on with a smirk before he spat out a msit as the lights came back up in an array of colors while he started his descent down the ramp as the fans booed.

Ced saunted down the ramp as the NXT Universe booed him loudly for his actions 2 weeks ago on NXT Programming. He soaked in every last one of the boos as he reveled in the boos from the crowd. Once Ced reached the ringside area, he walked up the steps to enter the ring and made a beeline to the corner. He walked over to the corner and stepped up onto the turnbuckle hitting his pose for the NXT Crowd to see.

Afterwards, he jumped down the turnbuckle and grabbed a microphone from the stage crew as his music faded away.

Ced stood in the center of the ring looking on at the crowd with a frown on his face as he held in his grasp a microphone with the gold NXT logo plastered along the side of the microphone cover. The man who had the NXT Universe in the palm of his hand weeks ago just say there absorbing the energy from the crowd. He raised the microphone up to his lips as the crowd started to quiet down.

"Everywhere I go, I hear the same three words: Why, Cedric, why?" he declared, his voice carrying over the crowd.

The sounds of gasps, murmurs, and cheers reverberated throughout the arena, heightening the impact of Ced's words.

"And the answer is fairly simple," Ced continued, feeding off the energy of the crowd. "I've known Ricochet for a very, very long time. We've always had each other's backs. But recently, something changed."

"I've always been there for Ricochet. I consider him to be a friend and in this business, there are very few people that you can consider to be your friends, I can count on one hand who I consider to be a friend and I consider him to be one of the men on that hand. He and I we've had several battles across the globe over the years some as teammates and some as rivals in the squared circle but despite our up-and-down relationship, I've always had his back."

As Ced spoke and his words intensified, the crowd reactions intensified along with his, their emotions mirroring his own.

"And for a long time, I thought Ricochet had my back. I called Ricochet when I first signed with WWE, seeking advice, but he never answered," Ced revealed, his voice tinged with disappointment. "I reached out several times, but received no response. Then, when I saw him in person, he walked right past me as if I were a stranger."

"I thought he was my boy," Ced declared, his voice laced with betrayal. "But clearly, I was wrong."

He lowered his mic and looked around the arena as the fans booed him.

"So, I waited. I waited like a predator, ready to strike at my prey," Ced proclaimed, his voice filled with malice. "When The Undisputed Era attacked him, I saw my chance, and I struck. I dropped him in the center of this ring."

Ced pointed to the titantron which showed a replay of what he did a few weeks ago on NXT Programming giivng the fans another chance to see what he did to Ricochet.

Ced stood in the center of the ring looking on with a smirk as he chuckled watching the destruction he caused a few weeks ago.

"What I did to Ricochet was only the beginning. I will not stop until he is down. I will not stop until I have systematically destroyed Ricochet and until I have taken what he deems the most precious to him, the NXT North American Championship," he said as the smirk dropped to a frown.

"I made a vow to myself many, many years ago when I first came into this industry. I made a vow that I will go through any and everyone I have to, to get what I want and it doesn't matter who it is. I don't care if it's Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman. Hell, I don't care if it's Vince McMahon or Triple H, if they get in my way of getting whatever I want, I will personally make it my mission to go through them and victimize them to get to what I want. That's not a threat, that is a promise."

Just as he looked around at the crowd, a certain music hit making him smile.

"One and Only" by $CFO Hits

Ricochet walks out onto the stage in his wrestling attire with his NXT North American North American Championship title on his shoulder. He looked around at the crowd before he walked down the ramp much to Ced's approval who looked on with his smirk on his face. Ricochet entered the ring while the fans cheered for him causing Ced to chuckle at the fans. The stage crew handed Ricochet the mic that he asked for and he looked at the crowd once more.

As the music faded away, Ricochet stood in the center of the ring, his eyes locked on Cedric. The crowd's cheers for the NXT North American Champion filled the arena, creating an electric atmosphere.

"Ah, look who decided to show up," Cedric taunted, his smirk widening, "Ladies and Gentlemen, your NXT North American Champion: Ricochet,"

The crowd cheered as they heard the name of their NXT North American Champion being recognized.

"Or at least, he is your Champion until he steps in this ring with the one true destroyer, me!" Cedric proclaimed, his words met with an onslaught of boos from the fans. Ricochet looked at him with a determined frown, ready to defend his title.

"Ced, it's been a while," Ricochet began, his voice filled with confidence. "Last time we faced off, I walked away victorious. And mark my words, when we meet again, history will repeat itself. I will come out on top."

The fans erupted into cheers, rallying behind their champion. Cedric, however, simply chuckled, looking down at the mat dismissively.

"It's funny, Ced," Ricochet continued, his voice growing stronger. "When we first crossed paths, I was chasing the title you held in that promotion. And now, here we are in a different promotion, and I am the champion you're after. Fate has a funny way of working, doesn't it? But let me remind you, Ced, it was fate that allowed me to drop you on your head before, and it will be fate that drives me to do it again and pin you for the count of 1, 2, 3."

The crowd erupted into cheers, fully behind Ricochet's bold declaration. Ced's smug expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. But he quickly regained his composure and responded with a venomous retort.

"Ricochet, trust me when I say this," Ced sneered. "When you and I lock up again, I will kick your ass and take that title from you. You parade around as a cheap thrill for these jackoffs," The NXT Universe booed as Ced insulted them getting a loud chorus of boos but this didn't cut him off from his speech.

"Pretending like it means something. Newsflash, it doesn't. You're just like all of them, nothing but a cheap thrill ride with nothing worth living for."

A wave of boos cascaded down upon Cedric, the crowd vehemently rejecting his words. Ricochet, fueled by the crowd's support, spoke up once more.

"How about I give you a thrill ride right here in the middle of this ring?" Ricochet challenged, his voice filled with determination. "At NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, it will be me versus you, one-on-one, for the NXT North American Championship."

Cedric's smirk faded, replaced by a steely expression. He stared at Ricochet for a moment, contemplating the challenge, before responding with a single sentence.

"You want me at TakeOver, Ricochet? You got it."

With those words, Ced dropped the microphone in the center of the ring and walked past Ricochet, purposefully bumping him with his shoulder on the way out as his music blasted on the PA system. The tension between the two competitors hung heavy in the air, setting the stage for an explosive showdown at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)

Cedric sat in the locker room with a cup of water in his hand scrolling through social media just to make time pass by and get a feel for how the wrestling side of twitter was reacting to his segment. Being in this era, you didn't have to wait till the show came out on TV to find out what people thought about your segment or your match. You could find otu instantly what people thought about your work, Now there were some negatives and some positives to all this.

Of course as he was scrolling through wrestling twitter and reading some of the comments left to him by surprise as many had digged his promo. Now while he did have some negative commoments which was expected. But he had to take a break from the social media and handle a more pressing matter which revolved around NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. He needed to see if the woman whom he had been trying to court for the past few weeks, Ms. Keana Parker.

He had a plan, he wanted to check in with her and see if she'd be free tomorrow after class and after practice to grab a meal with him. They hadn't gone on a date yet mostly because of their schedules being so packed, him with NXT and her with Basketball and class. Their season had started on November 6th and with them being midway into the Non-Conference Regular Season he knew she had a lot on her plate and he didn't want to be a burden for her.

Cedric set his phone aside, the glow from the screen reflecting in his eyes as he contemplated his next move. He knew that pursuing a relationship with Keana would require patience and understanding, considering their demanding schedules. But he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the thought of finally getting to spend some quality time with her.

With a determined expression, Cedric reached for his phone once again. This time, he dialed Keana's number, hoping that she would pick up and give him the opportunity to ask her out.

After a few rings, Keana's voice came through the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me Cedric, I know it's been a little while," he said, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"Hey, Cedric and yeah it has been, what's up?"

Cedric took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Hey listen, I know you have a lot to do tomorrow with class and practice but I was wondering if you'd be down to grab a bite to eat or something,"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, causing Cedric's heart to skip a beat. Then, Keana's voice came through.

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"I-I-It doesn't have to be, if you don't want it to be, I'm down for-"

"I would love to."

A smile spread across Cedric's face, relief washing over him. "That's great to hear, Keana. I've been looking forward to this. I'll pick you up around 7."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tomorrow then," Keana responded cheerfully.

As they said their goodbyes, Cedric couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness. He knew that balancing their demanding schedules would still be a challenge, but he was determined to make it work. Keana was worth the effort, and he was willing to go the extra mile to show her how much she meant to him.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness. His career was taking off and his personal life was starting to take off. With a renewed sense of purpose, Cedric set his phone down and focused on the upcoming NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event. He knew that his match against Ricochet would be a defining moment in his career, and he was determined to make a statement. But for now, his thoughts were consumed by the anticipation of his date with Keana, a chance to explore a connection beyond the wrestling world. Everything for him was starting to go up so to speak. And he couldn't feel any happier.

(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)

The Next Day- Thursday, December 13th, 2018

The next day had rolled around and Cedric found himself in Tallahassee, Florida right outside the student dorms for Florida State. He was clad in a simple pair of black slacks with a pair of chelsea boots and a burgundy polo. He had his gold 20-inch Cuban around his neck with a gold 40mm Gold Omega De Ville Prestige watch. He leaned up against his F-150 looking on with a smile that couldn't be wiped away.

He was just happy that he got the opportunity to take a woman like Ms. Parker on a date. He could tell just by his short interaction with her that a lot of gentlemen had tried to take her out but plenty of them ha failed and now Cedric was already on the short list of individuals who had taken her out on a date and was looking to put himself on a even shortler list of guys who probably had a good date with.

Cedric took a deep breath, his excitement palpable as he waited outside the student dorms. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he stood there, knowing that he had the opportunity to take someone as remarkable as Keana on a date. He was determined to make this evening memorable for both of them.

As he leaned against his F-150, Cedric glanced at his reflection in the polished surface of the truck, adjusting his burgundy polo and straightening his collar. He wanted to make a good impression and show Keana that he genuinely cared about her.

Cedric's eyes widened in awe as Keana emerged from the dorm, her figure adorned in a stunning dress that accentuated her beauty. The dress flowed gracefully around her, hugging her curves in all the right places. The vibrant color complemented her skin tone, making her radiate with an undeniable elegance.

For a moment, Cedric was speechless, his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't help but stare, captivated by Keana's stunning appearance. It was as if time stood still, and all that mattered was the vision before him.

"Is it too much?" she asked looking on with concern.

"N-N-No. Not at all," Cedric finally managed to say, his voice filled with admiration. "You look great."

A blush crept onto Keana's cheeks as she twirled slightly, the dress swirling around her. "Thank you, I was nervous about tonight. I wanted to make sure that our date felt special, I'm glad you like it."

Her breath paused as Cedric walked towards her, his steps filled with confidence and warmth. He reached out his hand, gently placing it in hers, and smiled reassuringly. This was the first time that the two had any physical connection since they first shook hands on that faithful day when she had a flat tire.

"Ms. Parker, I love it. You look absolutely stunning and I'm honored that you would allow me to take you on a date tonight."

Keana's eyes met his, a mixture of excitement and vulnerability shining within them. She squeezed his hand, feeling a wave of reassurance wash over her. But she couldn't let her wall break down.

"Thank you," she replied softly, a smile gracing her lips. "So about this date? What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, you are just going to have to wait and see."

With their hands intertwined, the couple set off on their date, their hearts beating in sync.