Annie's Story 041

[Deleted]

As usual, Annie perches down on the edge of a bed, except, it’s not her bed. The pile of pillows and soft toys isn’t behind her, as we’ve grown accustomed to. Instead there’s only four pillows, and a brown headboard. And a wall there the window should be. Annie has been down in New Orleans for the last few days – since arriving back from Japan – to visit Chase and his family. Then it’s off to Winston-Salem in North Carolina to commentate on Rasslin’ Rendezvous alongside Mr. Rottentreats, before flying down to Miami to continue work on the #AnnieRaps album.

Then she can really focus on the task at hand and that pay-per-view match against Savannah Taylor in Toronto. Annie bites her bottom lip coyly as her thoughts drift away to what happened a few days ago, but she has to focus on the task at hand. She smooths down her new #sparklebuddies t-shirt, and straightens her French braids, looking back up at the camera before it’s time. “Heyyy guys,” she chirps as the camera starts recording. Annie winks at the camera and makes the fingerbang gesture, which only serves to make her giggle for a moment.

“Canadian Stampede is less than a week away now and that means it’s finally time for the match me and Savannah agreed to last month. One on one for the first time ever, Annie Zellor and Savannah Taylor meet inside the squared circle, and I really can’t wait…” Annie stresses the word can’t, “…literally, I dunno when was the last time I was this excited. But it might not be for the reason that some of you are thinking.”

“Especially after what happened in the tag match last week.” Annie pauses to shake her head, and sigh softly. “To Izzy and Salem, I wanna say sorry things ended that way. It’s not the way I ever wanna win. And I know some people are expecting me to be really mad at Savannah for cheating like that, and I was when I first saw it.”

“When Spencer told me I should re-watch the match to see how it ended, I was just so mortified. And it’s not ‘cause Savannah cheated – people cheat, I don’t like it, that hasn't changed at all. But I’m not gonna sit here and label her as a cheater or, like, condemn her for being a crook…” Annie shakes her head again, “…but she did it in the tag match.”

“A match we were all looking forward to. A match that the FGA fans were all loving. A match against one of my friends. And that just, argh!” She balls up her fists and shakes them while snarling – albeit adorably, “That just annoys me more than anything. And it’s really just made me think about the upcoming match. ‘Cause, like, ever since this match was announced I’ve really been looking forward to it. I’ve been counting down the days until Canadian Stampede, and the day I’ll finally get the chance to face the one and only, Savannah Taylor!”

“The last ever EXODUS Pro World Champion, Savannah Taylor.”

“My friend, Savannah Taylor.”

“This last week, though, my whole world has just gone and been, like, flipped upside down. ‘Cause there’s Savannah who I thought was on my side, and she cheated so we could win the tag match. Then The Crimson Baroness – who we all know isn’t that nice – and she saved me from a three on one attack in Japan…” Annie sighs again; TCB brought a hockey stick with her as she fended off the members of Project Venom, but not before they had attacked Riley Owens and got him a DQ victory in the quarter finals of the Glory Cup. “…so it’s just like, who do I trust now?”

“And I wanna trust you, Savannah. I wanna be able to go out to ring in Toronto on Saturday night and open this show off right. To make sure the first FGA pay-per-view of 2016 starts off with a BANG! So the fans watching inside the Ricoh Coliseum, and those watching at home are happy that they just watched two wrestlers give it everything they’ve got. So all the Anniemaniacs around the world can watch as I cross one match off my bucket list.” Annie sighs, contentedly, a smile across her lips as she shifts in her seat.

“And I know we can do that. ‘Cause you’re one of the best wrestlers I know, Savannah, and you’re one of the best independent wrestlers around today. That’s why I was so excited when you signed to FGA, that’s why the fans were so happy when you debuted. There’s a reason why you managed to become the EXODUS Pro World Champion.” Annie gesticulates as she talks, emphasising each sentence. “And there’s a reason why I’ve been getting ready for this match for over a month now.”

“Why I’ve been putting in the extra hours at the gym, and pushing myself harder than usual. And I’ve been psyching myself up for this match ever since you agreed to my challenge, Savannah, ‘cause I know you’re gonna be one of my toughest tests to date.” Annie says, sincerely. “I’ve faced people like Tony, Chandler, Jimmy Page, Johnny Karma, Cyncity – I won some, I lost some – but they’re all tough. They’re all amazing wrestlers who have deserved their success here in FGA. Who have fought for all they’ve earned here. And I know your name is gonna be on that list some time…”

“It’s just a matter of time before you’re an FGA champion of some sort, Savannah.” Annie almost boasts.

“But next week, at Canadian Stampede, there’s no gold on the line…” although with a win over the Mid-Atlantic Champion in that tag match, maybe they can dream of a future title shot, “…it’s just pride and the desire to put on a show for these fans. So when anyone thinks of Canadian Stampede in the future, and they see Luke Jackson and Ricky Valero challenging for the tag titles, or they see Johnny Karma and Johnny Cannon – which is gonna be all kinds of awesome – or they see Cyncity and Zero facing each other for the FGA World Championship…” Annie pauses, “…and they see our match as well. So when this year comes to an end people still remember the first time Savannah Taylor and Annie Zellor ever faced each other. So people remember your first ever FGA pay-per-view appearance for years to come.”

Annie pauses again. A wry smile crosses her lips before she speaks. “Even if you end up losing!” She winks at the camera before giggling to herself, covering her mouth with one hand. She recomposes herself, glancing down at her hand as she lowers it back down to her lap; a sweet smile replacing the smirk from a moment ago as she speaks again.

“But seriously, I’m not gonna let this be easy for you. And I hope you’ve been training for this one as hard as I have, and you’ve been psyching yourself up to face me as much as I have you. ‘Cause I don’t wanna start my 2016 with another loss. I don’t wanna walk away from one of my dream matches with a defeat to my name. And I certainly don’t want a repeat of the disappointment I felt the last time I wrestled in Toronto…” she refers to her appearance in last year’s Queen of Sin battle royal, “…so this Saturday night, Savannah, get ready to step in that ring and see this #grrface staring across from you, ‘cause we’re gonna rock the show!” Annie exclaims, pulling her patented #grrface, complete with raised devil horns. And the scene fades to black.

---

“Chaaaaaaase,” she yells out from the bathroom. “Chaaaaaase!”

Chase Dupree sits on his bed, his legs hanging over the edge as he’s roused from his slumber by the wailing. Looking behind him, he notices the empty other half of the bed, the covers removed in a clumsy fashion. He wipes the sleep from his eyes and stumbles across the bedroom, clad only in his boxers and a white vest. The bathroom door is open, so he peers inside.

“Cher?” he asks with caution; Chase can’t help but laugh at what he sees, though. A single hand raised in the air from within the bath tub. He tries to stifle his laughter as he enters the bathroom, making his way over to the tub as he sits down on the edge of it. “You ok there, petite?”

“I fell…” Annie mews as she looks up at her boyfriend, a dopey smile on her face. She’s still got all the beads she collected during the night around her neck, as they dangle on top of the vest she was wearing to sleep in.

“You want a hand up?” Chase offers, extending his hand. She had one too many cocktails throughout the night and is now feeling the full effect of them.

But Annie just shakes her head, “Nuh uh,” she murmurs, “come lay with me.” She pats the cold ceramic surface next to her. “Pleeeeease…” she begs, shifting over to make room for Chase. The Cajun kindly obliges, sliding into the tub as he sits with his back against the inclined end. Annie cuddles up next to him, resting her head back against his chest as Chase wraps his arms around his girlfriend…until Annie guides his hands to her breasts and squeezes; she makes the sound of a clown horn and laughs.

Chase blushes, trying not to laugh himself as Annie’s giggling comes to a stop … and then starts right back up as she imitates the clown horn again. “Sorry,” she says as the laughter finally stops.

“That’s ok, cher.” Chase assures her, before kissing her delicately on the forehead as Annie tilts her head back to try and look him in the eye. “I take it you had fun today, no?”

“Sooo much fun,” she replies, “Thanks for, uh, for inviting me.”

“I’m just glad you made it back in time to see the end of Fat Tuesday,” Chase says, squeezing Annie gently as he does so. She was in Japan for the GFP show that show, but flew back soon after to attend the latter half of Mardi Gras with Chase. “Although I really wanted you to see the baby in the king cake…”

“You’re not wearing your beads anymore,” Annie interjects randomly, rolling her head from side to side to make sure. But no, Chase isn’t wearing any bead necklaces.

“I didn’t get that many,” he replies.

“I got more beads than you,” Annie boasts as she raises her arms high in the air. Chase stifles another laugh; the story about how Annie got so many beads can wait until she’s sober, so she can fully appreciate it. There’s the chance she might die of embarrassment, but Chase is willing to risk it. “I got so many beads and, uh, and you got no beads…”

“You earned them, cher,” he assures her.

“Nuh uh, here…” Annie tries to take off some of the necklaces, but they get caught on her ear. She squeals, but gets the necklaces off her ear, only to get them in her hair. Finally, Chase helps her lift some of the beads over her head. Annie turns around so she’s kneeling in the tub, facing her boyfriend as she places the beads around his neck. “…you can have some of my beads.”

“Merci,” he replies, just getting the word out before Annie leans forward to kiss him on the lips. She giggles as the kiss breaks.

“I’m gonna need to, uh, to see your boobs though.” She suggests, whilst peeking down her boyfriend’s vest.

“Annie!” Chase protests, but another kiss silences him…

“You’re getting a six pack,” she giggles, “my muscle man is getting all ripped.”

“It’s that training, cher.” He replies; the few weeks he’s spent in LDFC have helped him develop his previous training regime, and his body is starting to reflect that. His biceps are a little bigger, and slightly firmer. And his six pack is only just starting to take shape, but it’s enough for Annie to notice.

“I’m so proud of you,” she says, leaning in for another kiss, “for following, uh, your dream.”

“Well last time I tried,” he starts ”I never really got the proper training I needed to give it a real go of things. But now I think I’m ready for this, cher. I’m ready to become a wrestler, and maybe one day when I’ve finished my training we could wrestle alongside each other.” Annie gasps at the suggestion. “And then we won’t have to have such long breaks between us seeing each other. So we can be together…”

Annie listens intently to each word her boyfriend says, staring longingly into his eyes; his are alive with passion and enthusiasm as he talks about wrestling, and about following his dream. And it makes her smile. Inside as well as outside; the warm loving feel rising up within her as Annie speaks up again. “I love you,” she starts, pausing only to kiss Chase again. “I love moments like these, getting to spend time with you and sharing, uh, sharing our thoughts together.”

“I love you too, cher.” Chase replies, smiling all the while.

“And I was thinking,” Annie goes coy, breaking eye contact momentarily as she tenderly strokes his cheek.

“What were you thinking?” asks Chase.

“That I’d wanna be with you always. And, like, even when we’re apart I could carry part of you with me. ‘Cause I think of you when we’re apart and it’s like the song…” she starts, before bursting out into song, “…I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss. I just want to be with you right here with you, just like this….”

Chase laughs as he puts one finger over Annie’s mouth – he doesn’t want her to wake up anyone else in the house, not at this hour in the morning. “Shh, you’ll wake up Tori!”

“Sorry,” Annie whispers from behind the finger across her lips.

“And you know I want to be with you too, cher. I love you more with each day,” he says, prompting Annie to giggle and blush.

“Then…” she starts, taking a deep breath as she looks into Chase’s eyes again, “…lets get married…in a big cathedral by a priest. ‘Cause if I’m the girl that you love the most you can say ‘I do’ at least.” Chase starts laughing again, wrapping his arms around Annie as he brings her in for another kiss. “One, two, three, four, take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba I’ll be glad to see you later. All they’ve got inside is vacancy. And it’s five, six, seven, grab your umbrella, all they’ve got inside is vacancy…”

“You missed a coupla lines,” Chase jokes.

“Oh,” she whines.

“Do you really want to get married though?” Chase asks again, their faces mere inches apart.

“I do,” Annie replies, “more than anything in the world. Like, I wanna be Mrs. Annie Dupree so bad, and be your wife for the rest of my life.”

“Annie Dupree, eh,” Chase repeats the words, a smile forming on his face again as he brushes some stray hairs out from in front of Annie’s eyes. “We could have a li’l ceremony in Vegas on our anniversary…”

“Really?! Just, like, find a chapel and invite a few friends?” Annie’s eyes light up at Chase’s suggestion.

“Of course, cher. We don’t need a big ceremony, as long as I get to marry you.”

“So we’re gonna do this?” she asks, grinning from ear to ear, “We’re gonna get married in May?”

Chase’s only response is a tender kiss on the lips, his hands lowering to the trim around the bottom of Annie’s vest…and the scene hastily ends with a fade to black!

---

“No, I don’t wanna!” Annie protests. Her agent is trying to explain about the modelling job that’s been offered to the youngster, but Annie doesn’t seem to want to hear anything about it.

“Annie,” Lisa says, sternly, “just think about it for a moment. Think about what it could do for your career. The extra exposure you’ll get, and the doors it could open for you.”

“No,” Annie shakes her head, frowning as she looks down into her bowl of cereal. It’s slowly turning into a mushy paste the longer this phone call carries on for, but Lisa doesn’t want to take no for an answer. “I’m not comfortable with that sorta stuff.”

“They’re doing a lot of work around that, Annie,” Lisa states, “but I really think you should consider their offer a little bit before just dismissing it. This is Marcus St. Croix we’re talking about, and he asked for you by name – trust me, that’s a big deal, Annie.”

There’s a pause on Annie’s end as she tries to think of a reply to that.

“Look, let me send you a file with some of his more recent work. You can look it over, see what you think…” Lisa starts, “…and if you want I’ll try and work the money for you, because I don’t think that’s enough.”

“Ok, Lisa…” Annie replies, unsure of herself. “…I’ll look through the file when you send it.”

“Fantastic,” Lisa replies, “and I’ll talk to you later, Annie. Ciao!”

And with that the phone goes dead as Annie stirs her cereal a bit more with her spoon. She knows Lisa is right about the exposure and the new doors that’ll open for her if she says yes … but is that a road Annie wants to go down? Really?