A new girl in town
Chapter 25
Kane/J.J./Taker/Sammy/Kayla/Kayla's friends
Kayla sat in front of two monitors with a pair of studio headphones over her ears. The left most screen contained a video editor; the right hand screen was filled with a dizzying amount of website code.
She typed furiously but her eyes never focused on that screen. Instead, she stared without blinking at the video she was editing as her mouse clicked rapidly.
"Fuck flash. HTML5 or nothing," she muttered.
"Jesus fuck, Hunter really does look like a roided up freak," she added as she spliced video frames together.
Taker stepped forward and tapped her on the shoulder.
A hand on her shoulder made her jump but she didn't pause in her work.
Taker stepped forward and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey. Sorry, I can't leave," Kayla said without looking up.
Pulling the headset off her head gently Taker said. "Time to go Kayla."
"No, sorry. I can't. Vince wants results so it's all-nighter time," Kayla said.
"I don't think so." Kane said. "They are going to start packing the trucks in about an hour for the next venue."
"I would save your work Kayla. I get the idea they are taking you with them whether you are ready or not." J.J. said smiling.
Kayla had been feeling the downer effects from the E for hours along with who knew what else. Her head felt as if it was filled with mud. The only thing keeping her going was thinking about the next frame or the next line of code.
Vince really was an ass. She'd pitched her network idea to him out of pure desperation to seem both innovative and like the best person for the job. To her surprise, he had loved the idea. However, his demands were outrageous.
He had refused to give her more staff, not even unpaid college interns. How was she supposed to run a department without people?
He had also put her under a fixed timeline for the network launch. She had told him that the process normally took about a year; Vince expected her to launch it in a mere 3 months.
Fuck you and your brilliant ideas. She thought.
This is fucking impossible.
That can probably fit somewhere.
Kayla sighed.
"Fine, whatever. But this stuff is coming with me," she said gesturing at the computer equipment.
Taker reached down and grabbed her chair pulling it backward.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Kayla snapped.
"You're leaving and you are leaving the equipment here." Taker said. "If you need to work at the hotels you'll just have to get a couple of laptops tomorrow."
"Yeah, tonight you rest." Kane added. "You need your sleep since you didn't get much last night."
Kayla looked like she was preparing to hit both of them. Then Wade stepped in.
"They're right, babe," he said.
"You look like shit. Coming down from E is never a fun time," he added.
"Don't fucking babe me," Kayla snapped.
"None of you realize what Vince is asking me to do. I'm not only responsible for a completely new website but I was also stupid enough to mention a network idea I had.
"It would be like the Netflix of wrestling; 24 - 7 content, original series and access to the entire library of available show content.
"It typically takes at least a year to launch something like this. He expects me, and me alone, to do it in 3 months," Kayla said as she vented all of her evening's frustration at the room.
"You'll manage I'm sure. But you're not staying here all night." Kane said and Taker agreed.
"You'll have to pick up a couple of lap tops and some portable drives that way you can carry the work back and forth." J.J. said. "Even then I don't think you should work all night any night because you'll only screw up if you're too tired. Then you'll have to redo the work and it will slow you down."
Kayla's spine stiffened.
"I'm not leaving," she said firmly.
"I've been up for two days; another day won't make a difference. I worked in much worse conditions during my college practicum; I lived in the studio for two weeks without a break. I'll be fine," she added.
Kane shook his head and pulled her out of the seat.
"I'd save it quick." J.J. said.
"Do as she says cause you're leaving now." Kane said gruffly.
"No, I'm not," Kayla replied.
"Fine have it your way." Kane said lifting her and putting her over his shoulder and turning toward the door.
"You're leaving that's what the fuck." Kane said smiling as he walked out the office door.
J.J. leaned over the computer and hit save on both systems then as an afterthought saved them to the server as well.
"I fucking hate you. Forget about all of the nice things I've said. This is kidnapping!" Kayla said.
Then J.J. shut down the machines and followed the group out the door.
"Jesus fuck, you can put me down already," Kayla snapped. Wade, Cassie and Vanessa were in hysterics.
"No," Kane said continuing to walk with her slung over his shoulder toward the parked SUVs
"This is the most fucking humiliating thing that has ever happened to me," Kayla said.
Then a memory, probably from last night hit her. It was immediately followed by another.
"Oh, fuck me. . ." she groaned.
"I told your brother that I wanted to fuck his eyes last night," Kayla said. Then she blanched.
"You better fucking stop right now because I think I'm going to be sick," she added.
She had told them about Mike.
Kane just laughed and fished out the keys handing them to J.J.
A moment later she was being dropped unceremoniously into the back of the SUV. Wade climbed in after her and the other two followed Taker to his and they were on their way.
As the SUV made its way in to traffic, panicked thoughts assaulted Kayla's brain.
They knew. Both of them knew. She'd been beyond words can't describe it fucked up and she'd let her best kept secret join the party like it was no big deal.
But neither Kane nor Taker had mentioned it. Did this mean that they'd forgotten all about it? Maybe chalked her rambling up to her being drugged out of her mind?
How could she ever begin to explain any of this to Kane? Some of it still didn't even make sense to her and she'd lived through it.
Would Taker send more lightning bolts of judgment down upon her head? What about Sammy and J.J.?
She hadn't even confided her secret to Cassie until a year after they'd met. Cassie had been both understanding and supportive; her first 'not just a fling' girlfriend had been Trans and Cassie's empathy had always known no bounds. Kayla's revelation hadn't changed a thing in Cassie's eyes. She'd just thought that Kayla was even stronger for it.
Wade finding out had been an altogether different story. They'd gotten wasted yet again at a dive bar one night and he'd nearly fallen over a curb that he'd somehow failed to spot. Kayla had grabbed him, practically picked him up, without a second thought. He'd given her a weird look but hadn't said anything about it. He had continued treating her like that strange combination of girlfriend and best guy friend that only Wade seemed to be able to balance and she'd loved him for it.
Then had come the yearly call for trans pride. They had all moved in to the bungilo by then and Kayla had stupidly given them the number for the house. Wade had taken the call and had looked both confused and slightly wounded when he had approached Kayla afterwards.
She had been given no choice. Over far too much weed, she'd finally confessed her story, breaking down more than once. She had been convinced that Wade was going to leave her. But he hadn't. Instead he had given her one of his Wade hugs asked her some questions and that had been that.
Vanessa had suspected all along. How she'd figured it out, Kayla would never know. But she had been as accepting of the revelation as Cassie and Wade had been and Kayla loved her fiercely for it.
But Kane,, Taker, Sammy and J.J. were another story entirely. How much did they know about being a trans person?
She had no answers. The thought of bringing it up made her feel like she was standing on the edge of a cliff about to be pushed off in to vast, empty space. She closed her eyes. It was all just too much right now.
Kane looked into the back from the driver's seat and saw that Kayla was definitely upset about something.
I wonder what it is. She looks almost panicked. Kane thought.
When they reached the hotel Kane went into the back to pass out bags keeping most of his and J.J.'s himself.
I need to tell at least him. Kayla thought. Oh god, I don't know how to do this! I've never known how to do this. But I've been lying to all of them this entire time; I need to take ownership of that and deal with whatever cards I'm dealt.
As Kane gathered his and J.J.'s bags, Kayla came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, uh. . .I kind of need to talk to you. It's ab. . .uh. . .shit I said last night," she said.
"Don't worry about last night." J.J. said calmly. "You weren't yourself."
Fuck, I can't. Kayla thought as she watched Kane handing out luggage.
He's never going to be able to understand this. Weed and gay marrage were foreign concepts to him and so was being poly; this is going to make me seem like a fucking alien from outer space.
"What's wrong, Kayla girl?" Wade asked as he came up behind her.
"The usual," Kayla replied.
"Sorry about earlier," she added tersely.
Wade smiled down at her and took her hand.
"I get that you're stressed. I learned a long time ago not to take that shit personally," Wade said.
"They know, Wade," Kayla whispered.
"Ab. . .Mike," she added.
"Oh sweetheart, it's going to be fine," Wade said gently, pulling Kayla in to a hug.
"No, it really isn't," Kayla whispered as she fell apart in his arms.
Kayla/ Kayla's friends.
"Shit, I only have a queen sized bed in my room," Kayla said as they entered the lobby.
Wade laughed.
"We definitely can't have a people pile on that," he said.
"Or hot four person sex," Cassie added.
Vanessa shook her head but laughed as well.
"I'll see what I can do," Kayla said as she approached the desk.
The clerk blanched when he got a good look at her face.
Surprise surprise. Kayla thought cynically.
"I'm going to need a room change," she told the clerk.
"Preferably one with a king sized bed," she added with a smirk while gesturing at Cassie, Vanessa and Wade who stood behind her.
The clerk looked completely stunned for a moment. Then he looked down and made a choking sound.
"Guess he's unfamiliar with being poly, babe," Wade said.
"Fucking eh," Cassie added.
"We're all pretty exhausted. Can you just let us know if there's anything available?" Vanessa asked. If she left it up to Kayla and Wade, nothing would ever get done. Cassie wouldn't help either; she'd be too busy making quips from the peanut gallery.
After several moments, the clerk told them that they could switch rooms; however, Kayla would have to pay a fee for the change. She shrugged and handed over the credit card and the clerk quickly completed the transaction.
"Jesus, that was a trial," she said when she'd finished.
"Ready to go?" she added.
They all nodded and proceeded upstairs to their room.
"It's okay. You're going to be just fine," Wade said as Kayla struggled to regain control over her emotions.
"He's never going to understand, Wade," Kayla said.
"Neither will Taker. What am I even doing here?" she asked.
"You're here cause you know how to do this. You have amazing ideas and an amazing vision. You're here cause we all need to get back on our feet eventually, sweetheart," Wade said.
Kayla closed her eyes and kept her head berried against Wade's chest as she fought to breathe.
"Fuck, this means I need to tell Cena too," she said.
"One thing at a time, Kayla girl," Wade said.
"Look, there's Cassie and V. Let's get our shit and head up," he added.
Once everyone had settled in, Wade looked down mournfully at his guitar case.
"I know why you didn't go the special forces rout with the bitches but I'm surprised no one asked you about it," Vanessa said.
"Fuckin' hell, if I had to explain that one again," Wade replied.
"It's kind of like disassociation, right?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah, pretty much," Wade agreed.
"Man, I wish we had some equipment. . .or maybe a shooting range. Kayla here needs to destress and the last thing she needs is more drugs," Wade said.
"We could rent some stuff tomorrow I guess," Kayla said.
"I miss just jamming with you guys like we used to," she added wistfully.
"We can jam whenever you want; just say the word," Cassie said.
"Not while I'm on the road and you guys are at home we can't," Kayla said.
"Well, you'll just have to enjoy us while we're here," Cassie said. Then she pounced onto Kayla who hadn't been expecting it.
J.J./Kane
"J.J." Kane asked once they were settled in the room.
"Yes hun." J.J. replied.
"Kayla said something last night that confused me." He said.
"What's that hun?" J.J. asked.
"Well she said she used to be Mike but that Tye had picked her name Kayla." Kane said sounding confused.