Leaving Everything Behind

[Keegan Hightower]

Everything had crashed down for Luke Jackson. His father had passed away and the funeral well was the funeral. Those of course will always tough but the toughest part was going back to the house with his wife Jules and his sister Larissa after the show where he had lost to Nero. They had to clean out the house and put it on the market. Luke was happy for one thing and that thing was that he was finally going to be able to get out of Oakland for good. He didn’t hate Oakland but there were just so many memories that he wanted to escape. Cleaning out the house had been a lot of hard work of course lifting things and taking them into storage or leaving them on the side of the road and people picking them up. There were photo albums of Larissa and Luke has young children with their father Grant lifting them and smiling. A huge man with an even bigger heart was in all of those photos. It made Luke smile and of course tear up a little bit.  

One photo album he had picked up was full of photo shoots that his sister had done. Their father was proud of her and of him as well. As he sat the photo album down Larissa came up from behind him and handed him a letter it was addressed to both of them: 

“Dear Larissa and Luke. 

I don’t have much time left and writing this has taken a lot of energy out of me. I wanted to write it though because I wanted to tell you how proud I am of the both of you.  

Larissa, you are so beautiful just like your mother was. Don’t hate her for what she did. None of us are perfect and we do things that we don’t really mean. I know that you have hatred towards her as I do but you need to grow out of it. I know you’ll probably never see her again but if you ever do talk to her see what happened. As for you and men you’ll find one as much as I liked Brett it seemed to me it was more of a lust thing between you two. You needed an outlet and I don’t want to know what the two of you did I know that there really wasn’t love there. You might not agree with me but you know deep down it is true. Also the one thing that you told me about with one of Luke’s friends you have to tell him. It will only hurt him more if you don’t. Do it when the time is right, I love you and baby be something in New York you have the looks and the smarts to become what you want to in this life. Just take it with both hands and be proud with whatever that you do. Don’t look back. I love you. 

Luke, you are stubborn. But you have someone that is just like you that you are now married too. I’m so proud of the man that you have become, and if something ever happens to Jules you better not see me up in heaven because I will kill you again…Laugh son don’t cry because I know you are now. As much as I didn’t like this wrestling thing that you are doing I know that you would have done it no matter what. It might not be what you really have want it to have been yet but it will because you have worked hard. You could have left so many times but you have kept going and that shows that you have heart. Keep that because after all that is the best quality that you have. As for you and Larissa keep the relationship that you have now. This is what I wanted from you two not the hate that you two had for so long you guys need to be close. Having a brother or a sister is an amazing thing just don’t ever break the bond that you two have now. Please. 

I love you two for now and forever. I will see you again soon. 

Dad” 

Luke put the piece of paper down and closed his eyes. The words were true and he just missed his dad more than ever now. He turned to Larissa and cocked his head. 

Luke Jackson: What did he mean by you telling me something about a friend of mine ‘Ris? 

Larissa got up and looked out the bedroom window that overlooked the driveway. She took a deep breath and turned to Luke putting her hands on the window sill. 

Larissa Jackson: You are going to hate me Luke. 

Luke Jackson: Don’t say that ‘Ris we have been through a lot we have gotten better. Nothing will change that.  

Larissa Jackson: This actually might… 

Luke Jackson: Just say it. 

Larissa Jackson: Look Luke this was before dad was sick and well easily before you and I got closer. Remember that time we went to the video game convention or whatever? 

Luke cocked his head and nodded allowing Larissa to continue. 

Larissa Jackson: Well, anyways we were with Jessica and all of that and we met Ricky and May, anyway that night I went out to eat and you and Jessica were doing your thing anyways while out I ran into Ricky. He was by himself which I thought was strange because he had been with May earlier in the day. So I saw him by himself so I waved him over because I didn’t want to really eat alone and I didn’t think he should either. So he came and joined me and we had dinner and a good conversation. He seemed like a good guy and everything I asked what was up with him and Jessica and I found out they were friends and that you had nothing to worry about or be stubborn about but I told him that was the way you were. 

So after dinner I tried to pay but he paid so we decided to walk around the city for a little bit. Well one thing led to another and he came up to my room and well… 

Luke Jackson: Well what Larissa? 

Larissa Jackson: I didn’t mean for it to happen… 

She put her head down and turned back and looked back out the window. 

Luke Jackson: Why are you telling me this now? Did you really think this was the best time when him and I in a few days have a huge match that he and I need to focus on. We don’t…I DON’T need this on my mind right now? Thinking about you and him…WHAT THE HELL ‘RIS!? 

Larissa Jackson: I’m…I’m sorry Luke…I… 

Luke Jackson: I nothing ‘Ris. Ugh, whatever just don’t ever bring that up again. It’s fine. 

Luke walked up to his sister and hugged her. He couldn’t let this bother him he had to move on from it. He turned around and picked up the last box in the room. 

Luke Jackson: It happens. I’m not mad or anything just don’t know what everyone sees in him. 

Larissa Jackson: Hey! He is somewhat charming… 

She laughs a little bit as she follows her brother out of the room. 

Larissa Jackson: Who am I kidding he is a dick. 

They both laugh as they closed the bedroom door and walked out of the house. They walked outside and got in the car and backed out never to see the house again. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luke Jackson had just gotten out of the gym with his tag team partner Ricky Valero. They had decided to spar a little bit before the match that would show how good they were as a unit. Larissa, never came up during the session which was good because Luke didn’t know how to approach the subject and well he felt that it probably wouldn’t be a good thing to talk about. Of course there was some rage in the eyes of Luke has they sparred but he had to scale back because otherwise Ricky would have noticed something was going on. Luke wanted this match he wanted to beat Mr. Rottentreats and Ai. A victory here would be huge for him a chance at a title that would be huge, it would prove that he was actually good. As he was walking it started to rain a little bit he got to the hotel and plopped down on the bed and closed his eyes. He needed a little bit of rest knowing that soon this match would happen, soon he’d need to step in that ring and win. He slowly got up from the bed and sat on the edge of it and started to speak. 

Luke Jackson: I don’t want to get into what happened with Larissa and I, it is something that is personal with her and I can’t touch that man. I might not be happy about it and I might have wanted to rip her hair out of her head but it is fine. It is what it is and she did what she did I can’t be pissed at her for something like that when it never really meant anything or at least I hope it didn’t. Another reason why I cannot dwell on it is that I have to get ready for Ricky. Ricky and I have a huge shot in a few days. We can do something that a lot of people thought that we wouldn’t be able to do man. When this tournament was announced and Ricky and I decided to team together a lot of people man felt that we would lose our first match and we’d go our separate ways with the knowledge that the experiment didn’t work. We proved people wrong though man, we went out there in our first match and we won. People can talk about how Ricky carried me through the match or whatever and so be it. Let them talk like that man because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. We waltzed down to that ring and did our thing and got our hands raised. Now all we have to do is do it again against two people that at any other tournament would win it.  

I said would because in other tournaments they wouldn’t be facing Ricky and I. Okay, man I can hear all of the talk about how I suck as a singles wrestler. That whenever I step in the ring by myself I cannot get a victory and all of that shit man. I get it, but I am not stepping in the ring by myself here. Ricky will be there as well and with whatever has happened between him and I man it has been fixed.  

Luke smiles as he cracks his neck and gets up. 

Luke Jackson: Ricky and I are on the same page man. We have talked a lot and we know what is at the end of the tunnel and we want to take it. Doing the unthinkable makes us want to do it even more. I know everyone doubts us that they think sooner or later one of us will screw up and hit the other person and not want to stop until that other person is bleeding. But when you are working towards a goal with one another you’ll stop at nothing to get it. There is tag gold right around the corner for us man and if we have to go through Mr. Rottentreats and Ai to get it we will. This is my biggest match here in FGA and I will do whatever it takes alongside Ricky to get it. No matter how hard it is it is time for us to keep making people wrong about us. All I need is for Ricky to be Ricky and for me to step up. As for our opponents well they see the light at the end of the tunnel as well and they will not make it easy on us. 

Ai, is good but everyone that has ever stepped into a FGA ring is good man. This is the best place on the face of the earth right now because of the talent that surrounds it. So for being here well she must have done something good, look at her technical skills you can see that they are top notch and she will use that to her advantage because she knows how to stretch you and make doubt yourself and why you even stepped into the ring with her. She also has friends in this company like Annie, and Laurel. So she knows what this company is like and she knows that she has to be on the top of her game to make anything happen here. She had a good first match here with Mr. Rottentreats because if they didn’t they wouldn’t be facing Ricky and I. I’m not sure if she is the weakest link in this match or not but she has been in this business for a while so she knows what will happen. She knows what people will bring to the table and well she has seen everything. 

Man she has probably seen people like me all the time. People that sit in front of the camera and talk about all of the heart that they exude man and she doesn’t care. All she wants to do is get in that ring and fight man. So that is what she will do and I will have to be ready for it. If she gets a hold on me I will have to fight out of it because she will grind you down and keep on testing you. You just have to be strong and like I said fight out of it man and I hope that I can do that against her.  

Now as for her partner Mr. Rottentreats they are the same. As I have said she likes to wear you down and with the background that Rottentreats has he will do the same thing. He will wear you down and he will make you beg for him to stop doing what he does. He knows how to work the ref he knows how to make people hurt but once he has you hurt he starts to become overconfident. With the overconfidence comes a lack of work once and awhile. If he has you down he gets happy which well you should but then you start to slack a little bit. No man I can see the questions coming are you going to start to lay down for him and let him get overconfident? Nah man you see he will be good and at points in the match he will probably start to take control and start to hurt me which is fine because unbeknownst to him man I keep on fighting.  

All of you have seen it man no matter what comes my way I will keep on fighting. Rottentreats might not know that and he might stand in front of the camera and already be overconfident about me. Why? Well like I said you all have seen me in this ring before and I haven’t been able to do some things and it sucks but I have to keep on fighting and I will. He can say what he wants to about me but he hasn’t been in the ring with me yet. He can make fun of the lack of size and the lack of wins but at the end of the day no matter what I will outwork you. Rottentreats and Ai might be good and people might be thinking about the fact that they should be able to beat us and all of that but I will keep on working and I will keep on fighting.  

Luke gets up from the bed and starts to walk around the room. 

Luke Jackson: Look, I know that both of them are good. And at the end of the day they will have all of the confidence in the world but Ricky and I have confidence as well. We both know that we want to prove the world wrong man and that means a lot. What also means a lot is that Ricky and I are trying to defend the turf of FGA. Rottentreats and Ai are just guests here. They saw a tournament going on and they hopped on it and wanted to take the chance of winning. We cannot let that happen, Ricky and I are guys that have made FGA our home and we will not let some guests come in here and win a tournament. We need to stand tall and we need to become the winners of this tournament and move closer to the goal that he and I sat out for us. 

I will be at my best in this match because I need to be man. People are looking at me and like I said man saying that Ricky carried me through our last match and that is fine man. Like I said we still won and I will take him carrying me and a win then losing. I want this win man I want to be on top of the world and prove to people that I can be good in the FGA. That losing is past me now, that I can step up when the stakes are high. Of course it’ll be tough but look at what I have just been through. My life is in shambles I need this ring and I need to do good. I will do what it takes to win I will look up into the heavens and ask for help because I might need it at some point. But Rottentreats and Ai want it as well so it will be hard and it will probably hurt but I know one thing that I have over them. I have a lot of heart and I have someone that I am fighting for now. And as Ricky would say… 

ITS GAME TIME BABY!  

Luke nods his head as he opens the door and walks out as the scene fades to black.