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Breakdown 1-26-23


 

January 6
Santa Barbara
The Starmaker
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The week after the End of the Year Special was fucking fun. The night of the show, me and Tommy celebrated almost all night. Of course he came to Toronto with me, just cause he can't wrestle doesn't mean he can't come and watch me. I didn't get to leave the arena with the car, the black one they showed on air isn't even the one I got. Turns out there was paperwork to be taken care of first, like the title, taxes, license plate, all that shit. So they contacted a Mercedes dealer in Los Angeles, told them what SUV I was supposed to get, and let me pick out what color I wanted. How cool is that? So I chose a dark green with brown leather interior. All of the seats are heated. The cup holders chill and warm. It's fucking awesome. I would say Tommy was jealous if I didn't know he preferred classic cars. His kids though? Lost their shit. It was fun to watch.

After we got home it was like a week long celebration, all leading up to Friday night at The Starmaker. It wasn't meant to be any different than a usual Friday night but of course our regular customers knew I won the battle royal and most of them showed up to congratulate me and drink. They also brought friends. It was ridiculously busy. The newest bartender, Jada, told me it was just about the same as New Years Eve., which judging by the numbers I saw, was pretty damn packed.

About halfway through the night, I was sitting at the bar with a drink, I'd lost count of how many gin and tonic's I'd already had. Tommy was behind the bar with Ashley, and Jada was walking around bringing fresh rounds to the tables and picking up empties. Until she sat next to me at the bar

“Whew!” I need to take five, that cool?”

“What do I look like, your boss?”

“I mean... yeah. Kinda.” We both laughed. Jada is a really good looking blonde, almost as curvy as I am, but pristine skin, no tattoos. After both Tommy and I were hurt and had surgery, he had to hire extra people because both of us were limited in what we could do here. Once I was able to walk around better and Tommy could lift a bit more weight, two of the three extras weren't needed any more. But Jada... she knew her shit and she brought in customers. Looking at her as she laughed, I could see why. She's gorgeous.

“Please, if you need to breathe, you need to breathe.”

“This is why I love working here. My last bar job? If the boss saw me with my ass on a stool for more than thirty seconds he was screaming at me to quit being lazy. I think he just wanted to look at my ass.”

“It's a good ass.”

Jada laughed. “Thanks, that's high praise coming from you.”

“I call it like I see it. I bet you and your ass have at least a little to do with our business picking up.”

She smiled, her eyes flicking towards the bar where Tommy was working. “Yeah? That's what Tommy said too.”

“Oh did he?” I glanced over towards my man- husband.. still getting used to that one even though it's been months... and smirked. Since we'd agreed on playing around, he seemed to have a preference for blondes. I guess that's because it's different from me. And that's cool. I briefly wondered if he and Jada had hooked up, he'd told me before that he thought she was hot. But I pushed that thought away for two reasons. One, he would have told me. And two, she wouldn't be so comfortable around me. That's usually how I can tell, Bella, the Ante Up student Tommy was messing with until we got married, got so nervous around me after, even more so than when she joined Ante Up. But Jada? She seemed just as cool and friendly as ever.

“Yeah, a few days ago He was going over the numbers when I went into his office to bring the beer invoice, and he mentioned it. Is that bad?”

“Not at all. He's just telling the truth.” Hmm. Maybe Jada did catch his eye, but nothing had happened yet. Just then, Tommy walked up to us from his side of the bar.

“Need anything, ladies?”

I wiggled my nearly empty glass. “Refill?”

“Yes ma'am.” He smirked at me, then turned to Jada. “You?”

“A really, really cold water. Like, almost frozen.”

“How about a glass witha lot of ice? I don't think our fridge is that cold.”

“Do the best you can. I'm dying in here, running around so much.” She fanned herself as she spoke.

“Gotcha. One gin and tonic for wifey, one extremely cold water for the hot girl.” Tommy smirked just before he walked away. Jada turned to me, shocked.

“Did... did he just call me hot?”

“Think so. Nice use of double meaning. Is he talking about the fact you're working hard and are physically hot, or giving you a compliment? I'm impressed.”

She looked back towards Tommy. I saw my gin on the back bar, and watched as Tommy filled a frosted beer mug with ice, then water from the soda tap (don't freak out, the water is filtered). Jada turned back to me.

“I was about to be shocked that you were unbothered but then I remembered how you guys are. I always have to remind myself.”

“Oh, like the time you walked into the storage room and saw Ashley with his hand on my ass?” I laughed. She sort of chuckled, shaking her head.

“Yeah... but that surprise was more about who you were with than the fact you were with anyone at all.”

“Oh come on, it's not like we hide it. Well... anymore.”

“I never paid attention!” She laughed. Tommy walked up and put drinks in front of us. Jada grabbed the frosted mug with both hands. “Oh my God! You're a genius!” She then drank about half of it at once. I picked up my gin and sipped, then gave Tommy a raised eyebrow.

“Did you double shot me?”

“Yep.” He smiled.

“You trying to bribe me or something?”

“Or something.”

I laughed. He wanted something and I had an idea but I couldn't be sure. “Alright, well do you baby.”

“I'll do something anyway.” I saw his eyes flick towards Jada. I knew it! I laughed again.

“Oh. Okay. Have fun.” I gave him a wink, then stood up with my drink. “I'll catch you later, Jada. I see someone across the room I need to talk to.”

“Oh, okay. I'll only be sitting here long enough to finish this water anyway. Can't make tips sitting down.”

I've made plenty of 'tips' by sitting... but I wasn't gonna say that. Besides, if I knew Tommy – and I know Tommy – he'd have Jada sitting there much longer than that. Either that or they'd disappear. Fine with me. I made a mental note to ask later as I walked away.

There wasn't really anyone that I saw that I wanted to talk to, but as I walked across the room, I saw Coral walk in. My sister was dressed like she was looking for a fun night, in a skintight blue dress and matching fuck-me heels.

“Kandis! Heeyyyy!” She came over and we hugged. “I was hoping you'd be here.”

Let me pause a minute. Despite the extremely fucked up way me and Coral's relationship began – you know, the whole ticking my man into thinking she was me so he'd fuck her thing – she'd apologized, a lot. She explained her motives, our mother called her on her bullshit, and she legitimately changed her attitude towards me. She even went as far as to join Ante Up and train just as a way to get close to me. The months I was injured, we saw each other more, and even though at one time I thought I'd never say this, Coral has become one of my best friends. Having a shared fucked up background kinda helps.

“I'm always here, doll.”

“I know but I mean like right now, tonight. Cause remember that guy I told you about from two weeks ago? He's meeting me here tonight and I want your opinion.”

Coral had been doing the internet dating thing. “Sure. Is he here yet?”

“I don't think so. He said he'd text me.” Coral started looking around the room, as if looking for the guy, but her expression changed when she looked towards the bar. “Uh. Sis?”

“Yeah?”

“Who's the blonde your husband is fawning over?”

I looked, and laughed. Tommy was leaning on the bar talking to Jada, and by the way her head was tilted towards him I could tell they weren't talking about the beer order or her schedule.

“That's Jada... you don't recognize her?”

“Not from this angle. Wait... he and her...?”

“Not yet, that I know of. I think we may be watching the beginning of something though.”

We watched in silence as Tommy walked off, out from behind the bar and down the hallway. I knew hr was headed towards his office, even though the storage room and cooler was down there too, just past the restrooms. Jada looked around a little, drummed her fingers on the bar.

“Oh, maybe not. He just walked away.”

“Give it a minute....”

A minute or two later, Jada got up and looked around again before going down the hallway. I laughed.

“Ha! I knew it!”

“You don't think she's just going to the bathroom?”

“Not at all. Tommy's office is back there.”

“So? Does he always do it this blatantly?”

“It's not really blatant unless you're watching. And we were.”

“I don't know, she never came across to me as the type to-”

“Trust me, she is.”

Coral gave me a mischievous look. “You wanna bet on it?”

“What's the wager?”

“My bar tab. For the month.”

My eyes went wide. That was steep. “Oh really? And what do I get when I'm right?”

“Um... I'll do your next braids for free.” Coral is a professional hairdresser, and works on some TV and movie projects around Hollywood. I stuck my hand out.

“Deal.”

Coral, not letting go of my hand, pulled me towards the hallway. The women's room is the first door on the right. Only a minute or two had passed since Jada went down the hallway so if she had gone into there, she would still be there. No one pees that fast when they're drinking, and not with the line that was there. Coral pushed through the line. “Excuse me, just need the mirror, excuse us!” We stepped in, and there was no sign of Jada. Coral looked around at everyone, frantic.
“Excuse me ladies. Did any of you see the bartender girl come in here? Blonde, red halter and tight jeans?”

“Oh, Jada? No.”

“I didn't.”

Everyone else shook their heads.

“Dammit!”

I laughed. “So, do I get colors with those braids, or just my own hair?

Coral shook her head at me, fighting off laughter, and walked out.

I followed, determined to find my own fun. I saw Coral check her phone. She turned, looking for me. She mouthed the words “he's here.” Well, I could start my fun by judging this dating app dude for her.

 


ON CAMERA




Okay. Let me get this straight.

I come back to SCW after eight months, tear through everyone in the End of the Year battle royal, hurt Asher Hayes' fee-fees, win the whole damn thing along with a hot car and a ton of money... find out that seven percent of the voters wrote my name in to face the world champion... and my return singles match is...

Kelsai Adamson?

Are you fucking kidding me?

This little girl just came back too, after getting divorced and having some kind of epiphany or some shit. And this is the woman the powers that be decided I should face on my mission to prove those voters were right and that I deserve my shot?

Are you fucking kidding me?!

Look, I know Kelsai had a lot of success another company, I know she isn't a rookie or a jobber or anything like that. But the last time she was in SCW, I don't even remember what she did or who she fought or the last time she won. That's how long it's been since she meant anything to this company. The last time I fought on Breakdown I was headed into a World Championship match. Everyone remembers that, because whether they want to admit it or not, they wanted me to kick Selena Frost's ass. They wanted to see me as World Champion. They still do, as the End of the Year vote proved.

How the fuck am I supposed to get anywhere by facing and beating someone who just walked back in herself? There's no bragging rights to that. That's not a notch I can point to and say “Look! I beat her!” as proof I am at the top of my game despite just coming back from knee injury and reconstructive surgery. Kelsai, as talented as she is, has no rank in SCW right now. She has no credibility. We haven't seen if she's still as good as she was when she was on top of GCW, or if she's covered in rust.

Nah, all she is right now is the returning wrestler who was in the battle royal for three eye blinks, and now has the unfortunate position of facing me when I am on a mission to get the shot I earned last year and never got. Sure, she won her return match... against some new dude. My return? I won a whole battle royal! Ten other motherfuckers!

Is this a joke? Is whoever is in charge now testing me? Testing my patience? Testing my drive, how serious I am about every word I've been saying?

Listen real closely, motherfuckers. I'm not gonna overlook Kelsai Adamson like you probably hoped I would, to fall on my face, to give you a reason to not give me my shot. I've already been told I'm not getting it now... but all I got out of that was “yet.”

I'm not getting it yet.

With that in mind, I would much rather be proving my point against someone else, who's been around for a while and has some meaning around here. Like, oh... I don't know.... Selena Frost, the woman I was supposed to have faced for the World Championship last year and never got the chance, through no fault of my own. I didn't back down, I didn't forfeit. I got hurt! What about Syren, the woman who keeps getting chance after chance after chance to get another reign and break the record, yet has failed all of them so far. It seems like all she has to do to get opportunities around here is bat her eyes in the right direction.  Hey, maybe even Adam Allocco, since he seemed so pissed about me supposedly jumping the line, trying to stake my claim before his. Nevermind the fact that I had my shot earned long before he did, yet I never had it! And I can't forget about Asher Hayes, another man who thinks he should be ahead of me in line, but that will come soon enough at Body, Heart, and Soul.

Kelsai? I can beat her, and I will beat her. But is that gonna get me any closer to where I want to be?

Maybe. It could be some kind of fucked up test. To see if I'll underestimate her, walk in half assed, not take her seriously. If this is the case, whoever's idea this was is a fucking dumbass. First of all, I never half ass anything. If I'm gonna go through with something, I'm walking in whole assed. I've never underestimated anyone and I'm not about to start now, not when I'm trying to prove that I deserve everything I'm claiming!

But more than likely? This isn't going to change anything. The next few title contenders are set and none of them are me. I won't be any closer Friday mornig to what I want than I am right now. It's just a match that I'm gonna win. It's not against anyone that me beating will mean anything in the bigger picture. So...whoever booked this is just wasting my time. They're trying to fuck around with me, and they're gonna find out real quick I don't react well to being played games with.

But that's fine. Ima go out there and fight Kelsai. I'll throw her around from post to post, she'll give me a good fight, I don't  doubt that one bit. But in the end I'm gonna make her see stars, and walk out with the win. I hope Asher is watching. Paying real close attention. Because whatever I put Kelsai through before pinning her, is in his future.

As for everyone else? Keep watching. I'm going to get what I want, one way or another. I always do.