Breakdown 12-9-21 #2
{{Thursday, December 2
Montreal
Bell Centre}}
Following the talk on camera with Christy, Spencer, Amy, and Marie go down the hall towards the locker rooms. Marie stops at the door to the women's locker room.
“I'm just gonna duck in here and get a shower, try to calm down. Okay?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Are you sure you're okay?” Spencer speaks with concern.
“I'm not hurt, if that's what you mean. I just didn't expect to be caught in the crossfire of some of the biggest names in the company so soon. I just need to breathe in some steam.” Marie grins.
“Alright.”
“If you need anything, text.”
Marie nods, and slips through the locker room door. Spencer and Amy take a few more steps down the hallway, the men's locker room was a few more doors down.
“Marie has a good idea, I think I'm gonna hit the shower myself while everyone else is still busy.”
“Before you go... can we talk a minute?”
“Yeah, sure. What's up?”
“I want to know if you really understand why both Christy and I stopped you from getting back in the ring a second time. You seemed upset with us.”
“I was... but I get it. I could have got hurt, or had my match next week revoked. But do you understand why I was trying to fight?”
“Honestly? I don't. You have no history with any of the Jackals. Christy does, and that's part of why she wanted to keep others out of it.”
Spencer crosses his arms. “Oh, did she tell you that? Since when are you her best friend?”
“She didn't. And I'm not. But I've worked with her a long time, I know how she thinks. There was no reason for more people to get involved in the Order of Chaos, LexyCorp, and Jackals mess.”
“I wasn't trying to.”
“Really? Because from my vantage point, you jumped back in when it wasn't necessary, prompting Marie to follow you. Why were you trying to keep fighting them after you were out of the ring?”
“They cost us the match!”
“They weren't concerned with you whatsoever, until you slid back in. You created a target on your backs. Why would you do that?”
“I don't run from fights. I didn't back down from Tsunami, and-”
“And this is bigger than that. You do not want to get dragged into that war.”
Spencer sighs. Deep down he knows Amy is right, but when adrenaline is flowing, it's hard to think clearly. “Yeah. That became obvious when we were getting our asses kicked.”
“Then please explain to me why, after both Christy and I pulled you and Marie out – again – you were trying to get back in?”
“Because they jumped Marie.”
Amy blinks in surprise. “Okay... but they jumped you, too.”
“Yeah, but I'm the one with a title mach next week. That's gotta put me on some radars, right?” Amy nods a bit. “Okay, so. Marie is the only one truly innocent here, with zero business with any of them. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to fight with me cause we were partners. I wasn't gonna stand for her get hurt because of me.”
Amy just looks at Spencer a few seconds. It's clear that his explanation isn't what she expected.
“Wow. That's... very noble of you.”
“What, you thought me running off the asshole at the Academy a few days ago was just cause I don't like him?”
“I...”
“Look, I know what you think about me, just cause I like to have some fun on the road sometimes. Maybe I brought that on myself, but you gotta understand... I love women.” Amy raises an eyebrow. “And I don't mean that in a, 'I'm a womanizer, I gotta have em all' way. I mean in a, 'women are to be respected and when necessary, protected,' way.”
“Who are you?” Amy seems genuinely confused. Spencer shrugs.
“I can't help it if everyone misjudges me. Simon a few days ago, you. My mom raised me and my brother mostly by herself. She taught us respect for women both by her words and by how she treated us. What happened a few days ago and what happened a few minutes ago ain't no different. A woman was being disrespected, and that doesn't fly with me.”
Amy shakes her head. “Just when I think I have you figured out, you find a way to surprise me.”
“What am I, a hobbit?” Spencer grins.
“No, you're much too tall for that.” Amy grins back. “I just meant that... I didn't know you had such a sense of honor.”
“You'd be surprised how deep it really is.” The ultimate disrespect was what his father did to his mother, and that was the foundation for Spencer's entire worldview. “That's why I had to try do something earlier.”
“Okay. I understand that. No one likes a sneak attack, no one likes to be cost their match over something that isn't their business. It's admirable that you don't want to run from fights, but part of being successful in this business is knowing when to back down.” Spencer looks down at the floor. He hates it when Amy is right about something he did wrong. “Christy and I haven't agreed on much over the years, but she was right earlier. You can't take on the world. You'll run yourself ragged before you really get started. Trust me... I tried. It doesn't work. You have to pick your battles, and what happened out there? Wasn't your battle. You and Marie were collateral damage.”
Spencer sighs, and looks back up. “Yeah... you're right. You're both right. My battle is next week, not whatever the hell was going on out there.”
“That's right. And don't think for a half second that because Christy helped you earlier, that she's going to give you one inch of slack next week. You're gonna try to take her title. She has a really tight grip when it comes to gold. Trust me on that, too.”
“Yeah, I know. Like you say every week, never underestimate anyone. Not like I would have with her anyway. I know her reputation, I know I don't have much of a chance. But-”
“Hey. Everyone has a chance, on any given night. You need to remember that 'underestimate no one' also means yourself.”
Spencer nods, taking that in. “Got it. Christy is a killer, but trust that I can survive and catch her off guard.”
Amy laughs. “Something like that.”
“Well, whatever happens next week, I'm gonna go down fighting. Just like I tried to do tonight.” Amy thinks about making a sarcastic comment, but Spencer was being serious, so she leaves it alone, just nodding instead. “I'm gonna go grab that shower now.”
“Alright. I'll go check on Marie.”
Amy walks off, and Spencer heads to the locker room.
Spencer was annoyed, he wanted to continue his winning streak, get some momentum behind him before the title match. Instead he and Marie took a loss – it was by DQ, neither he nor Marie was actually beat. But a loss is a loss and it wasn't a good look going into a title match. Especially not when the champion he was going to face is the person who held him back from fighting back against those who cost him and Marie the match. It made Spencer feel like he was a kid trying to play adult games. He'd have to come back really strong, and actually beat Christy Matthews for the US Title if he wanted to regain the ground he'd lost tonight.
{{Saturday, December 4
Gretna, LA
Spencer's Apartment}}
After getting home, Spencer had texted Marie asking if she wanted another introduction to good food. She agreed, but Spencer told her the catch. The place he was thinking of didn't do dine in, it was only carry out or delivery, so they'd have to meet at either his place or hers. She chose his, jokingly saying she wasn't sure if she was ready to let anyone into her place. She was still unpacking. That worked just fine for Spencer, he was happy to have her over. When she arrived, he shoved a menu into her hands. The place was called Munchie's, and they specialized in po boys. After a few questions, Marie chose fried shrimp, and Spencer ordered fried fish, They decided to split a large fries.
Thirty minutes later, the food was delivered, and Spencer and Marie sat at his table, the foot-long sandwiches in front of them.
“This might be the biggest sandwich I've ever seen.”
“And this is the regular.” Marie's eyes go wide. “The large is like a foot and a half.”
“That's insane. How do people here eat like this all the time and stay in shape?”
“It's rough, I admit.” Spencer runs his hand over his stomach. Marie laughs. “But you know... if you play hard, just work harder the next day.”
“So, living in the deep south means you have to work out harder than everyone else to keep fit. I wish someone would have warned me.” She grins as she plucks one fried shrimp off the bread and pops it into her mouth. “Oh my God... that's amazing.”
They dig into their meal, each with a Coke to go with it. After a few bites, Marie breaks the silence.
“I have to ask you something. Well, a few things.”
“Okay... go for it.”
“Well... it's just that, the way I've seen you act myself, and some of the things some of the other students at BOA have told me about you? They don't line up.”
“Other students talk about me?” Spencer grins, amused.
“Yeah. Just locker room gossip, you know.”
Spencer is now concerned, he wonders if Jodi had said some damaging things about him. “Like what?”
“Well... like they say that you and Amy tend to bicker a lot, and that you and Simon don't get along at all.”
“How did that come up?”
“Oh, they were talking about the incident last week with that girl Jodi and the guy who got kicked out.”
Spencer shakes his head. “Yeah... well, Simon jumped to conclusions, and I wasn't standing for it.”
“That's what they said. But they also said that it goes back further than that.”
“They're not wrong. The old man rubbed me the wrong way my first day in training, and nothing ever really changed. Me and Amy...” Spencer shrugs. “Look, she's great. I respect her. But I think she can be a little too old school, even for someone as progressive as she is in everything else.”
“You mean her relationships.”
“Yeah... that.” They both smirk, Amy's open marriage and the relationships involved had been common knowledge for a few years now.
“So, she doesn't like the fact that you sleep around on the road?”
“No, she doesn't– hold up.” Marie smirks. “That was clever, you just assumed that talk was true.”
“You answered the question so it must be.”
“Touche. Yeah... I've had my fun. The gossip probably makes it sound worse than it is.”
“It usually does. Can I ask.... what about Jodi?”
Spencer puts down the french fry he had in his fingers. “What about her?”
“Like... what's the deal? I only ask because of last week. People said you came to her defense because you were a thing. Or, used to be.”
“Oh, so we getting real now?”
“You don't have to answer if you don't want to.”
“No, no, no. It's okay. I don't mind. Yeah, we kinda had a thing for a minute. But, she wanted things I didn't, and... that was that. I wasn't gonna stand back and let that asshole assault her though. I'd have done the same thing if I saw that happening to any woman. Like I said that day, my mother raised me right.”
“I'm sure your father had something to do with that, too.”
“Nope. Never knew the bastard.” Spencer stuffs a bite of po boy into his mouth. Mainly to stop himself from cussing.
“Oh.. I'm sorry.”
Spencer swallows his food before replying. “No need to apologize, you didn't know.”
Marie smiles as she eats one more shrimp off her sandwich, she'd only eaten half of it. She wraps the rest up in the paper it came in. “I can't eat another bite. Are all the portions here so big?”
“Pretty much. I think I'm done, too. Maybe we should have passed on the fries.”
Marie laughs. “Maybe.”
“You know what this meal really needed though?” Might as well take a small risk, Spencer decides.
“What's that?”
“A beer. Do you drink?”
“Um... I should counter that by asking if you know how old I am.”
“I do. I admit it was my brother who told me, but yeah, I know you're underage. No one's gonna raid my apartment though. Promise.” Spencer grins.
“Okay... well, I have. My parents started letting me have a drink every now and then at home when I was seventeen. There are a few beers I like. What do you have?”
“Not sure you'd have tried this one, its local. Abita?”
“I have! It's available in Savannah.”
Spencer smiles. “Then you know what to expect. Go make yourself comfortable in the living room, I'll grab us one.”
Marie nods and gets up. They leave their wrapped up sandwich halves on the table. Marie goes into the living room and sits on the couch. Spencer goes to the fridge and grabs two Abita Amber, then meets Marie in the living room. He sits next to her and hands her one.
“Yep, I've had this one. It's really good.” Marie has a drink, and closes her eyes. “Mmm. Yep. So good.”
“It's probably my favorite one.” Spencer drinks from his, and settles in comfortably on the couch, turned slightly to face Marie better. “Alright, you asked me about my non-existent father. What about yours? All you ever talk about is your mom.”
“Dad's around. He's more the quiet type though, Mom is more outspoken. Always has been. They had a rough patch for a few years. Mom married and divorced one guy, dated another for a while...” Marie shakes her head slightly. Spencer assumes she didn't like that guy. “But they eventually found their way back to each other. Everyone is much happier this way.”
“That's good. A lot of times people can't make it work. I'm glad your parents did. You know... it almost sounds like Amy and her husband. The off and on kinda thing.”
Marie nods. “It does! I've always found it strange how she and Mom have done so many things similar, even though they haven't really spoken much since the last place they worked together closed down.”
“VWA, right?”
“Oh, you grew up watching everything, huh?” Spencer nods. “Yeah, that was the place. They... were not on the same side at all at that time. But things are good now. I think Mom actually called her recently. They tend to get along better when they're not working on the same roster.”
“Good, the last thing we need is another war between those two.”
“That won't happen. They've both vowed not to go down that road again. They're both retired, it's all in the past. I don't know if they'll ever be friends like they were at the start, but they respect each other. With the way things can blow up between people in this business, it's all I can really ask for, you know?”
“Heard that.” Spencer finishes his beer. He wiggles his bottle in the air. “Another?”
“Oh... I'm still working on this one.”
“Alright... be right back.”
Spencer gets up and goes to the kitchen to get another beer for himself. When he sits back down Marie has an odd look on her face.
“You alright?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I was just thinking about Mom and Amy. Some of their battles.”
“Is that why you came to BlackOut? Because of that history?”
“Partially. It's also that I've known Amy in one way or another for most of my life. I can't remember not knowing her.” Marie drinks, and smiles. “You know, Jaina and I used to sit together backstage watching shows when we were kids. Not too often, cause we weren't always both at shows at the same time. But enough times for me to wish that back then Mom and Amy hadn't had those blow ups. Maybe Jaina and I could have been really good friends.”
“You're both grown now. What's stopping you?'
“I don't know.” Marie shrugs. “Maybe she doesn't want to be friends.”
“So ask her. All she can do is say no. I asked you to come over tonight not knowing what you'd say. You gotta take risks sometimes.”
“I know all about taking risks. I moved here, didn't I?” She grins, and finishes her beer. “Leaving my comfort zone, the only place I ever really trained. My family. But I had to do it. I had to get away and figure things out for myself. I didn't want to be stuck in their ways, under my parents scrutiny all the time.”
“I feel that. If you can do that, you can talk to a girl you've known your whole life and ask her to meet for coffee and catch up.” Spencer grins.
“Yeah... I guess you're right.” Marie shakes her bottle. “Um... can I have another one now?”
Spencer answers by getting up, taking the empties (hers and his two, he'd finished his second while they talked) and going to the kitchen. He returns with two more, and hands Marie one. She immediately sips it.
“Okay, so tell me... why did you choose BlackOut?”
“You already asked me that, I told you it was the best option.”
“No.” Marie shakes her head. “I mean the real reason. I told you mine, my parents were suffocating me. What's your real reason?”
Spencer was mid-sip as she asked. He swallows the beer, and sets the bottle down on the coffee table with a sigh. “I... came here to find my father.” Shit! Well, can't put that back in the can.
“Oh wow. You said you didn't know him, do you know who he is?”
Spencer debates cutting off the conversation here, but what was the point? He'd already said too much, it didn't matter now. “Yeah, no thanks to Mom. My whole life she never told me one thing about him. Only that he walked out when she got pregnant. She passed last year-”
“I'm sorry.”
Spencer nods a thanks. “And I found his name in some of her papers. Did some research, tracked him down to this area. So... here I am.”
“Have you met him yet?”
“I've seen him. He doesn't know who I am.”
“Why haven't you said anything?”
“It's not the right time.” Spencer grabs his beer again and downs some, then shakes his head. “I really shouldn't have told you any of that. You can't say anything.”
“I won't.”
“Promise me. It's important!” Spencer is almost panicked.
“Okay, okay... I promise.” Marie rests one hand on his knee. “Your secrets are safe with me.” She smiles, and the sight makes Spencer feel better. “It's not like you told me who he is, anyway.”
“No, I didn't. And I'm not going to. I've already said too much. Damn beer and you being easy to talk to.” He grins. The panic is gone, and he's starting to think maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that someone else in New Orleans knows.
“I really won't say anything to anyone. It's your business. I do hope things work out for you and your father, though.”
“They won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“Yeah... yeah I do. I'm not trying to work things out.” That came out a little harsher than Spencer intended.
“Oh.... I see.” Marie looks down at her beer, then finishes it all at once. She makes a face as she sets the bottle down. “And now I've ruined the mood. I didn't mean to upset you. I should probably go home.”
Spencer sits up. “No, you don't have to.” He leans towards her, grabbing her hand that was still on his leg. Marie gently pulls her hand away and stands.
“No, I really think I should. You obviously regret what you told me and now it's just weird.”
“I didn't intend on telling you any of that, it's true. I haven't told anyone what I'm really doing here. But I don't regret it. It kinda feels good to have someone here who knows.”
Marie sits back down slowly. “You mean not even Amy knows?”
“No! She's the last person I'd talk to about this!”
“Why? Does she know your father?”
Shit. Spencer rubs his face. He didn't want to lie to Marie, but he couldn't tell her the truth, either.
“It's not that... it's just that she'll think I'm not serious about my career, or that I used her and her school, or something. But that's not true, I can do both at the same time.”
“Maybe you know her better than I do, but I don't think she would say that.”
“It's not a risk I can take.”
'For what it's worth... I believe you. You seem serious about your career to me.”
“Thanks.”
Marie stands up again. “I still think I should go. The vibe is just off. I'm sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. But I won't keep you if you want to leave. I'm glad you came over.”
“I am, too.” Marie smiles, and turns to grab her coat from the back of a chair. Instead... she stumbles a little. She grabs the back of the chair for support, just as Spencer bolts to his feet to help her.
“Maybe I shouldn't have given you that second beer.”
Marie laughs. “I should have warned you I'm a lightweight.”
“I'll walk you home.”
“You don't have to-”
“But I will. You have stairs to go up. I insist.”
“This is twice now you won't let me go home alone. What is a girl supposed to think?”
“That maybe I'm not the asshole the locker room gossip tries to make me out to be?”
“We'll go with that.”
Marie gets her coat, not bothering to put it on, and they head out. They walk through the property and across the street in silence. Spencer helps Marie up the stairs to her door, walking close behind her, to be able to catch her if she happened to trip on the stairs. She didn't though. At her door, Marie fumbles with her keys, but finally gets the right one.
“Thank you for the escort. I think I can walk through the door safely.”
“Are you sure the city of unpacked boxes won't trip you up on the way to bed?”
“Pretty sure. I made a path.”
Spencer laughs, and Marie giggles. “Smart.”
“Seriously though, thank you. It's been a while since I had any alcohol and... yeah, not reacting well.”
“You can thank me by not telling anyone I gave it to you.”
Marie smirks. “I already told you... your secrets are safe with me.” She looks at him a few seconds, then leans in and up quickly and drops a kiss on his cheek. She smiles at Spencer's surprise. “You told me to take risks.”
“I did say that. Good night, Marie.”
“Good night.” She smiles again as she turns to unlock her door. Spencer steps back as she goes inside. The door closes softly. Spencer stares at it a few seconds before shaking his head and going back down the stairs.
On the walk back to his apartment, Spencer could only think one thing: what the fuck happened? He'd been here in New Orleans over a year and never even thought about whispering one word to anyone about his father, looking for him, knowing who he is, any of it. He hadn't wanted to. It was too risky, he couldn't have word get to the man and ruin everything he'd planned. It was why he pushed Jodi away when he felt her getting too close, that week she was with him in Beaumont, asking questions. Yet here he was, one dinner and a few beers with Marie and he'd damn near confessed it all. At one point he even wanted to tell her all of it. Who the man was, the real reason he couldn't tell Amy about it. But he stopped himself. Marie was far too close to Amy for that, she may have claimed that his secrets were safe with her, but he didn't think anyone with connections to her like Marie had would be able to keep silent if they knew the whole truth.
Spencer shakes his head at himself as he enters his door and slams it shut. What the hell is wrong with him? He could have ruined everything! He then glances at the table and realizes Marie left the rest of her po boy here. He picks up the wrapped sandwiches and puts them in the fridge. Maybe he'd give it to her tomorrow. Maybe she was so lightweight with alcohol that the two beers got her drunk and she wouldn't remember anything he said about his father.
Maybe.
Spencer takes a lukewarm shower to sober up – he'd had three beers – then crawls into bed without bothering to put anything on.
He would just have to trust Marie to keep her word... and his secrets.
ON CAMERA
Before I say anything about the United States Championship match tomorrow night... I have to talk about last week. Y'all know what happened. Marie Caedes and I were firing on all cylinders as a team, despite the fact it was the first time we've worked together, and the first tag match of my career. We had the Farmstead Friends on the ropes... literally. But then everything went to hell, thanks to The Jackals crowding the ring and jumping our opponents. Look, I get it. They have heat with Lexy Chapel and her group. They were trying to make a statement, they wanted Lexy Corp's attention. Their interference gave us the loss. If that wasn't bad enough.... Kandis and Drake Hemingway decided to throw hands at me and Marie! Yeah, we got in the ring after they beat down the Bear and Penguin. But what were we supposed to do, huh? Hang back and let them and everyone else think we were just fine with having our match ruined?
Okay, so it clearly wasn't the brightest idea to try to stand up to The Jackals. I bet they don't even know our names. We just got in the way of their plans. If it wasn't for Amy and Christy Matthews... I would have made an even bigger mistake, in getting back into the ring, looking for more.
Hey, I never claimed to be a level-headed person.
Luckily for me, the two Hall of Famers are, and they saved me from myself. Especially Christy, as she pulled my dumb ass out of the ring and stopped me from going back in. I didn't get it at the time, I was pissed, I admit that. But after everything was over, she and I spoke, I calmed down... and I understood.
Christy Matthews didn't want me to jeopardize my chance to face her. She didn't want me to get hurt. I've watched a lot of film in the last two weeks, and I think I understand her motivation a little bit better. Christy is the type of person who needs to always be proving herself. The rest of the wrestling world sees her as a legend, one of the greatest of our time. Just look at her career! All that she's accomplished. But that's never enough for her. She doesn't want to get complacent. I respect that. So I get it, she didn't want to fight a hurt Spencer Pryce, because she didn't want it to be said that she retained against me because I wasn't one hundred percent. She wants to beat me at my best.
I'm walking into this tomorrow night with the knowledge that no one expects me to win this. The odds are not in my favor here, right? Christy is... well, Christy. And I'm this rookie who won the opportunity of a lifetime by outwrestling a ring full of... other rookies. SCW wanted to give a newcomer a shot, put a spotlight on them... and I took that spotlight. Here I am, getting ready for the biggest match of my career while my contract ink is probably not set yet. No one expects me to win, no one thinks I can win, I'm not supposed to win. No matter how good my best is.
Thing is though... I can't think that way. I'm not built to think that way. I bet a lot of people in my position would be standing here talking about how they know they're the underdog, they know they don't have a chance. But that's not me. Okay, let me not lie... that was me, for about five minutes. Then I remembered where I came from. I remembered how I was raised. I remembered where I was trained... and I remembered all the talent I possess. I don't want to sound arrogant, cause I'm far from it, I just know what I bring to the table. I know almost no one expects me to beat Christy Matthews. I say almost, though...
Because I expect to beat her.
I have to expect to win, there's no other option. I can't step into the ring with someone of her caliber believing I can't beat her, because if I do? It's over before it starts. If I don't step between those ropes with more confidence in myself than I've ever had? I might as well not even show up. Christy is like a shark. She'll sniff out that self-doubt and use it against me. I can't allow that to happen. So... while everyone else is expecting this match to be a decent challenge for the champion before she goes on to defend another day.... I'm walking into it with the expectation of leaving Breakdown as the new United States Champion.
You might think that's a risky mindset and I'm just setting myself up for disappointment, but nothing epic ever happened by playing it safe. That's what this business is all about, isn't it? Risk taking. As wrestlers, we take risks every time the bell rings. Look at how many people have been injured just in the last few years, simply by coming to work and doing their jobs. I'm not gonna name drop them, if you follow SCW, you know. If each and every person on this roster can risk their bodies and their lives every time they step in the ring, I can risk being disappointed when Breakdown is over.
I don't expect to be, though.
Look, I might be a rookie here in SCW, but I'm not new to wrestling. I've been doing that since high school, through college. Got back to back Texas State Championships to my name. SCW wrestling is new to me, but competition isn't. Facing stacked odds isn't. I figure the only reason everyone expects me to lose, is because they all know what to expect from Christy. I'm the unknown, the unproven talent. Tomorrow night though? Is where you'll learn everything you need to know about me in the ring, this is where I prove myself. I know what I can do. Every person I ever faced in high school and college knows, every trainer that's helped mold me and every student I've worked with at BlackOut... knows. And Christy Matthews? She's about to find out. Just because you don't know what I'm capable of... doesn't mean I'm not capable of beating a legend. It doesn't mean I'm not capable of becoming a champion.
I can beat her, and I can be a champion.
I know that in my heart, through my soul, down to my bones. That's not meant to be a putdown to Christy, I am in awe of her talent. Her accomplishments, her longevity. She's part of the foundation of SCW, her accolades speak for themselves. She helped shake things up when she was one of the first women to hold the World Championship here in SCW. And that's all I've wanted to do since I signed my contract... shake things up. Rock the very foundations of everything people believe and expect. I can start that off at Breakdown tomorrow night by pulling off the upset of the year, defeating Christy Matthews and becoming United States Champion. Not only can I do it... I expect to. I can't afford to believe anything less.
Wouldn't that be epic?