Chapter 4: Selfish

Punk was making his way over to AJs, and he couldn't believe his life had come from this. On a Friday night, he was on his way to babysit his daughter because his wife was going on a date. Mindfuck.

But he knew this was his fault. His stupid decisions got him in this situation, and the only thing he could do now is hopefully turn this around in his favor. Dean was right. Him and AJ have history, and one date with this guy wasn't gonna change that. Right?

12 years ago

"I can't believe I let you drag me out here." A young 21 year old Punk groaned, running his hands through his blonde shoulder length hair.

"College parties are a different breed, I'm telling you." Dean said, rubbing his hands together in excitement as they walked over to the fraternity house.

"I have a fight in a week. You're on that card too." Punk reminded him. "I should be training."

Dean rolled his eyes & kept walking as Punk followed behind.

"I don't do this fighting for shits and giggles, Dean." Punk clarified. "And all you want to do is party. You need to start taking this seriously."

"I do take this seriously, okay." Dean basically jerked his body around so he was facing Punk. "But I won't let it consume my life like you do. You get so caught up in that shit. One night of fun won't hurt."

He knew Dean was right. They've been training their ass off these last few months, so what's one party?

"Fine. But if Tate finds out and chews us out, this is all on you." Punk pointed at Dean.

"Whatever." Dean shrugged. "Now, cut the Debbie Downer shit out, and let's go enjoy the college fantasy life that we are to dumb & poor to live."

Dean ditched Punk as soon as they entered the massive frat house full of college students. He stood towards the door, and it was making him stick out like a sore thumb. It wasn't that he didn't like partying. He liked it, and him and Dean partied a lot. It's just he didn't like to party when he had a fight coming up. As a amateur, he was trying to make a name for himself & felt like every moment he wasn't in the gym was a moment wasted.

But Dean was right, he did need to cool it down. He looked around at all the drunken teens & young adults. It took him a while to get comfortable at parties just because he didn't drink or use any type of substance. So, he needed to feel out the party first. Just as he was about to make his way over to a girl who had been eyeing him since the moment he walked in, a dark haired lady ran up to him & grabbed a hold of his arm.

"There you are." She sighed in relief, and Punk was taken aback considering he was pretty sure he never met this girl in his life.

"Hey?" He said, but can out more like him trying to question who hell she was. Was she a one night stand he couldn't remember? No way. As he got a good look at her, she was one of the most beautiful girls he's ever seen in his life. Tanned skin, big brown eyes, thick and wavy dark hair that ran down her back. He'd remember her, and she wouldn't be just one night.

"Play along, please." She whispered to him, but he was still confused as to what she wanted him to do.

Just then a blonde haired guy walked up to them with two drinks in his hand.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted. So, I got you a tequila." The guy said then noticed Punk was there. "Oh. Is this the boyfriend you were talking about?"

"Yes it is." AJ quickly replied then turned back to Punk. "I was looking for you everywhere, baby."

"My bad, honey. This house is so big I got lost on the way back from the bathroom." Punk looked back at AJ, wrapping his arm around her, catching on that she wanted to shake this guy.

"Sorry, man. I thought she joking when she said she had a boyfriend." The guy explained.

"Yeah, well she shouldn't have had to tell you about me in the first place." Punk turned back to the guy. "I'm sure she made it clear to you she wasn't interested. You should've got the hint then. But then again, you seem like the type of dude who doesn't take no for an answer. Now, I suggest you get the hell away from both of us."

The blonde guy scoffed, seemingly offended, looked at Punk then AJ in defeat, and was about to walk away when AJ stopped him.

"I'll take these." She said as she swooped the drinks away from the guy, hoping this would prevent him from trying to take advantage of any other girls here. "I hate tequila, by the way."

The frat guy looked like he was about to protest to get his drinks back, but Punk gave him a look that said "don't you dare," so he against it & just walked away. Once he was out of sight, AJ threw the drinks in the nearest trash can, and rushed out the party. Punk quickly followed after the mystery girl.

"Wait up." He yelled towards to AJ was practically running away from the house onto the campus. "Hey, wait."

Punk finally caught up to the girl causing her to stop in her tracks.

"You okay?" He asked. "You need a ride home or something?"

"No, I'm sorry. I just need to take a walk." AJ replied, obviously flustered by the whole situation.

"Can I come with?" He could see that she was a bit shaken up, and didn't want her to walk around this campus alone.

AJ nodded, and her and Punk started to walk side by side around the campus.

"You go here?" Punk broke the silence.

"No. I'm a senior in high school. I'm 18, though." AJ felt the need to add in. She didn't know why she did, but she just wanted him to know. "You?"

"Nah. I graduated high school but that's about it. I didn't have grades nor the money to go to someplace like this." Punk replied with a small laugh. "I'm Phil, by the way."

"April. But no one calls me that. Everyone calls me AJ." She introduced herself back.

"I think I'll be that one that calls you April, then." Punk smirked, and AJ playfully rolled her eyes.

"My sister dragged me out here then ditched me for her boyfriend." AJ said. She didn't know why but it just felt so easy talking to him. "I'm not even the partying type. I'd much rather stay inside, and keep to myself. If that makes me boring then so be it. What about you? When I first spotted you out, you looked pretty lost in there."

"You noticed that? I, also, got dragged out here by my best friend Dean." Punk told her. "I have a lot on my mind. Work stuff."

"You're so cryptic." AJ laughed.

"Am not. I just.. I feel like if you find out what I do, you'd probably look at me different." Punk said. He's never been ashamed about what he did but now he felt nervous.

"Okay, now you have to tell me. I didn't just pick a serial killer or something as my fake boyfriend, right?" AJ teased to which Punk let out a laugh.

"I'm a not your local Chicago serial night killer. I'm an.. an amateur fighter." Punk told her and she looked over at him a bit confused. "Mixed Martial Arts? Wrestling, Boxing, Muay Thai?"

"Yeah, no, I've heard of all that. But I just imagine guys who did that to be a bit.. bigger?" AJ was trying to find the words to not come off as disrespectful.

"Ouch." Punk playfully touched his heart like she hurt him. "There's different weight classes. I'm in the lightweight division. But I'm considering putting on some weight & moving up. I have a fight next week, actually."

"Is this the part where you invite me to your fight?"

"No. I mean, if you want to come we can exchange numbers and I'll make sure you have the best seats in the house. But I won't beg you to come." Punk teased a bit with his words.

"Okay, we can exchange numbers, and I definitely won't be coming unless I want to." AJ teased back as she pulled her phone out of the little shoulder bag she had with her. Then, her & Punk exchanged numbers.

"I have a question, though." Punk said.

"What?" AJ asked.

"Why me? There were a lot of guys in there & you picked me, and then you let me go on this walk with you. What made me look so trustworthy?" Punk wondered. "I mean I have tattoos, bleached hair, never touched an iron in my life."

"I've watched enough coming of age movies to know I'm more safe with you than I am with any of the frat boys back there." AJ said, as they managed to make their way back over to the frat house after circling around the campus. "Plus, a lost cause knows another lost cause when they see one."

"Yeah." Punk stood there smiling at her, and she smiled back up at him.

"Anyways, I should get going. Go find my sister." AJ broke the stare.

"I should go find my friend, too. He's probably a dozen drinks in already." Punk chuckled.

"It was nice meeting you." AJ said as she started to walk towards the doors of the frat house.

"Wait, April." Punk called out and she turned back around towards him.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked. He desperately wanted to hang out with her again.

"Why?"

"Let me take you out." Punk said. "On a date or something."

"Sure. I'd, uh, really like that." AJ nodded with a bit of a shy smile. "Just text me."

She waved goodbye then walked back into the party as Punk watched her.

"See you, tomorrow. April." Punk whispered to himself.

AJ was rushing around in her room in her white robe, looking for something to wear. She's only been on dates with one person for her entire life up to this point so this was nerve racking.

What's even more nerve racking is while she was searching for dresses at the mall earlier, she was internally asking herself "What would Phil like?"

But she wasn't trying to impress him, right? I mean, she could wear a pajamas set & he'd still believe she was the beautiful woman in the world. This wasn't about him, though. It's about Jeremy. She wanted to impress Jeremy. But, doesn't mean that she can't show her husband what he's missing.

"Mom, someone's at the door." Daniela yelled from downstairs, and AJ gave up her search for something to wear to go answer the door.

"Is it your date?" Daniela mocked while sitting on the kitchen table doing her homework, and AJ playfully rolled her eyes at her daughter's sass.

AJ tip toed to look in the peep hole, then unlocked & opened the door.

"Dad!" Daniela excitedly exclaimed, jolting up from her seat and running to hug Punk.

"Hey, Squirt." Punk greeted his daughter back with a hug as AJ shut the door, and looked on at the exchange between the two with a smile. Their relationship was one of her favorite things to watch.

"What are you doing here?" Daniela asked, breaking the hug. "It's not your weekend."

"Ouch. Do you not want me here or something?" Punk teased his daughter.

"No, I do but.." She looked over to AJ and decided to whisperer the next part to him. "Mom supposedly has a date tonight."

"I heard that." AJ said walking up to them. "And I don't supposedly have a date. I really have a date tonight, honey."

Daniela still looked at her suspiciously but then it clicked for her.

"Dad's your date." Daniela had the biggest smile on her face. "That's why he's here. You two are going on a date. Wait, then who's gonna watch me? Do I finally get to stay home alone?"

"Slow down there, Squirt." Punk interrupted his daughter from the tangent she was on. "I'm here to babysit you. You're mom is.."

Punk trailed looking at AJ then back to his daughter.

"Going on a date." Punk forced out. It has hard to think about it let alone say it out loud.

"Oh." Daniela said with obvious disappointment in her voice then walked back to do her homework.

AJ looked at Daniela and sighed then went back upstairs, leaving Punk just standing there.

It had been about an hour and a half since Punk arrived at the house, and it's been silent ever since. Dani finished her homework and then went upstairs to her room, and AJ was still getting ready upstairs.

Punk was downstairs watching some hockey on the TV but decided to go upstairs to check on his girls. He passed Dani's room first but her door was shut so decided against bothering her, and walked further down the hall to the room he once shared with his wife.

The room door was wide open, and Punk leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, watching his wife. She was standing in-front of the stand alone mirror while seemingly trying to zip up her zipper that was in the back. She looked up, and saw Punk in the mirror then smiled.

"Gonna help?" She asked.

Punk smirked then unfolded his arms, and made his way over to her, grabbing the zipper from her hands & looked at her in the mirror. Even 12 years later she was the most gorgeous woman he's ever laid eyes on.

"You look beautiful. You always look so beautiful." Punk leaned in closer to her and whispered in her ear as they both looked in the mirror at each other.

AJ could feel her heart racing at lightning speeds. Her and Punk were basically pressed up against on another, his lips so close to her ears, and she could feel things so she was sure he could feel things as well. On top of that, he was giving her that look. She could melt right here and now.

"Thank you." She choked out, and Punk could see how flustered she was. He was too. Even though he's been pretty active since their break, not one of those hook ups could compare to her. Not only did he miss her emotionally, but he missed her physically as well.

"Whoever this guy is, is one lucky motherfucker." Instead of zipping up her zipper Punk pressed his hand up against her bare back, and AJ immediately responded by arching her back.

"You don't believe in luck." AJ managed to get out in between her slightly heavy breaths.

"Well, he must have some sort of luck." Punk moved his hands up to where AJ's bra was. "Lace. My favorite."

"Just zip of the dress, Phil." AJ forced out. Of course she didn't want him to stop. But just the feeling of his hands on her back was making her go crazy. She missed this. She missed him. But she couldn't let her wants take control.

"Okay." Punk obliged, grabbing the zipper once again but this time zipping it all the way up. "There."

AJ took one last look at herself then turned around. There was still barely any space between her & Punk as they were looking into each other eyes.

"I was thinking about the night we met, earlier." Punk told her.

"Yeah?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. I didn't even wanna go to that stupid party." Punk slightly laughed.

"I didn't either."

"But I'm glad I did." Punk clarified. "Because I wouldn't have met the love of my life. And I wouldn't have the most amazing daughter ever."

"She really is amazing, isn't she?" AJ smiled and Punk nodded.

"Later that night, I pretty much annoyed drunk Dean because all I could talk about was you." Punk said. "It was the first time since I started fighting that I didn't overly think about my next fight, or that I should be training. All I could think about is that I somehow landed a date with a girl that for that one moment in time helped me forget about everything that I thought mattered. You were more important to me than any fight."

AJ could see just by looking in Punk's eyes that he was pouring his heart out to her. He was completely vulnerable. She could see her husband. The man she married. And she wished she give in. Put her barriers down, and let him back in. But all she could think about is how he shut her out. He doesn't even know the half of how much he hurt her by doing that. And she's not sure that she'll ever tell him.

"I was? Yeah, well, what happened, then." AJ coldly replied then walked into the walk in closet to continue to get ready for her date. Punk sighed, but followed after her.

"Don't go on the date."

"You can't do that." AJ said, with her back turned to Punk looking for some shoes to wear.

"I know. I have no right to be telling you that, but I have to try." Punk said, and AJ turned around. "I don't wanna see you with anyone but me. Don't go. Let's talk. You and I. Don't wanna talk? Then, let's just sit in silence or something."

"Phil-"

"April. I'm gonna fight for you." Punk grabbed a hold of her hands.

"Little too late for that, don't you think?" AJ bit back.

"I don't think it is. I think you're trying to convince yourself it is." Punk held onto her hands. "I'm trying to remind you of all the good memories we've had, and you're trying to bring up the bad shit."

"With you, the happy memories come with the bad ones. You don't get to pick and choose." AJ responded.

"Just.. just.. tell me you still want me as much as I still want you." Punk sighed. He didn't understand why she was fighting this so much.

AJ was about to reply, and then her phone started ringing. She pulled her hands away from Punk and walked over to the bed to answer her phone.

"Hello. Yeah, you're here? Okay, I'll be out in a second." AJ said then hung up the phone.

"Wow, what a man he is. Can't even give you the courtesy of knocking on the door." Punk scoffed.

"I have to go, Phil. I know it's the weekend, but make sure Dani doesn't stay up too late." AJ ignored his jab at Jeremy then walked back in the closet to pick out & put on some black flats.

"Ape." Punk tried to reach for her again but this time she pulled away.

"I have a date. Okay? I have a date." She repeated then grabbed her coat, turning off the light, and exiting the closet & bedroom to which Punk followed.

"Sweetie, I'm leaving. Open up." AJ lightly knocked on Dani's door, and she opened it up. AJ could tell from her red puffy eyes that she'd been crying, and it absolutely broke her heart. She knew this hard on her and if anyone could make her not go through this date it would be her daughter. She always came first.

"You okay?" AJ leaned down on a knee in front of her daughter.

"Yeah." She nodded, but AJ could tell that she wasn't.

"Hey, if you don't want me to go then just tell me." She cupped her daughter's cheek with one of her hands. "I won't go."

Daniela looked at her dad who was standing in the door way watching them then back to her mom.

"No.. no.. go." She insisted. She wanted her mom to be happy. She truly did. Even though she wanted that happiness to be with her dad & she was still confused as to why it wasn't—she was trying to understand.

"Dani-"

"I'm really cool with it, mom. I promise. I want you to go. I want you to be happy." Daniela said with a smile. Punk looked on in realization.

His 11 year old somehow managed to be so unselfish, thoughtful, and caring at such a young age. While he was selfishly begging AJ to stay due to jealousy, and his own agenda's she was encouraging her to go because she wanted her to do what would make her happy. He was her father but he found that everyday she was teaching him something.

"I won't be happy unless you're happy." AJ replied, caressing her cheek. "I can tell you've been crying."

"I'm sensitive." Daniela defended. "And I'm happy when you're happy. So, go or I'll start crying again."

This caused Punk to smile. Even though Dani was like his sidekick, he knew ultimately AJ was her favorite person. He didn't mind, between himself and AJ—she was his favorite person, too.

"You're too cute." AJ kissed her cheek then stood back up. "Okay. Don't stay up too late, don't give your dad a hard time, and no ice cream because you always like to have it before dinner & it ruins your appetite."

"But mom." Daniela groaned.

"No buts. I love you. Be good." AJ said then turned to Punk. "Both of you."

AJ & Dani said their goodbyes then AJ headed downstairs to her date.

"So, pizza and a scary movie?" Punk asked Daniela once he heard the door shut downstairs.

"Ice cream, pizza and a scary movies." Dani corrected.

"Squirt, you heard your mom." Punk said.

"Please." Daniela begged, and Punk knew he couldn't win this battle.

"Fine." Punk groaned, and Dani started clapping excitedly. "But pizza then ice cream, and only if you beat me downstairs."

"Deal." Daniela agreed, then ran off downstairs.

"Hey, I didn't say go yet." Punk shook his head then ran after her.

Maybe it was time to accept that AJ was moving on. He still very much intended to show her he has changed, but no longer will he be trying to do so at the expense of her happiness. He wanted AJ to be happy too, and if that happiness is not with him then he would just have to accept that. No matter how much it hurt.