Annie's Story 053

[Deleted]

Friday October 7th
Off Camera

Annie looks at her reflection in the mirrored cabinet, unable to hide the widest smile that she’s been wearing since last night. It’s barely past dawn but she’s always been an early riser, even after busy nights. Annie grabs up her toothbrush and toothpaste, and starts brushing as she hums the tune to ‘Walking On Sunshine’ to herself.

“I use’ to think maybe ya loved me, now baby I’m sure…” he sings as he enters the bathroom, wrapping his arms around Annie’s waist, sealing the deal with a kiss on the cheek. “…morning, cher.”

Annie spits the paste out before speaking, “Heyyy you,” she switches the brush off and puts it down as she turns to her husband, kissing him on the lips softly. “How come you’re awake?”

“I wen’ta hug ya, an’ ya weren’t there,” he shrugs, “then I needed to find ya. Tell ya how much I love ya.” Chase says as he hugs his wife tightly, causing Annie to giggle.

“You liked last night then?” Annie didn’t need to ask it, but Chase nods his head just to confirm her suspicions. “Mmm, this last week has just been so perfect; maybe we needed that fight just to, like, sort things out between us, I dunno. But you’ve been sooo amazing lately…” she kisses him again as the hug breaks.

Chase smiles at his wife; he hasn’t told her about Dom going to his hotel room after the argument, nor how he thought Harter was jealous of him for getting to marry Annie. She doesn’t need to know why he came back to apologize, or why he’s agreed for them to buy that house together. But he wants that; Chase wants to be able to laud his prize over the head of someone like Dom. That man has everything he ever wanted – looks, fame, fortune – but he won’t have the woman he loves … maybe for one night now and then, but not in the long term. Not if Chase has any say in the matter.

“Mmmorning,” she says as she enters the bathroom, wearing only a pair of black boyshorts. Chase steps aside, receiving a quick peck on the lips before she leans across to share a passionate kiss with Annie. The brief embrace breaks as Josie Wales turns to Chase again, “you’re awake too? Thought we woulda worn you out, shug.”

“Slept like a log,” he replies as his hands drift downwards to cover his modesty.

“And now you’re still wooden,” Annie jokes as she looks down at her husband’s crotch. The two women share a laugh as Chase moves his hands out of the way, “now I dunno about you two, but I still feel kinda dirty…” Annie moans as she unclips her bra, letting it drop to the floor, “…who wants to join me in the shower?”

“I will,” Josie eagerly accepts the offer as Annie takes her by the hand.

“Now there ain’t room for three in there,” Chase sighs, “you two go ahead now, I’ll just watch. How ‘bout that?” He suggests as Annie gives him a kiss on the lips before the water starts running. He takes a seat on the toilet as he watches his wife and Josie undress fully; he’s come to greatly enjoy the sight of Annie and other women together, and Chase knows damn well that while she feels guilty about her affair with Dom, Annie will continue to put herself into these situations to try and make it up to him. It just seems almost ironic that this revelation came to him after the confrontation with Dom. That Harter of all people bestowed this knowledge upon him, and now Chase is going to try and use it to take Annie away from the man himself.

---

Saturday October 8th
On Camera

“Heyyy guys,” Annie chirps as she winks and makes the fingerbang gesture with both hands. She’s sitting in her room as per usual with the FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy title belt on her lap. Wearing an FGA ‘Villain’ shirt and with her hair in French braids, Annie takes a deep breath before continuing. “It’s coming up to that time again when I’ll be defending this-” she pats the belt, “–the FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy championship in what I guess’ll be my second defense.”

“I wanna beat Izzy’s record, and I know a couple of her defenses have an asterix by them,” Annie pauses, looking down at the belt in her lap, “like when she hit her opponent in the face with the belt, or when her opponent dislocated his shoulder. Or when some interfering little bitch pulled her butt outta the fire and got a decision reversed…” Annie shrugs, “…guess I made this more difficult for myself really. And I guess if they all count for Izzy then this is my third defense - nearly there!” she says, shooting the camera a thumbs up.

“And I know people laughed when I said I wanted to beat Izzy’s record. When I said I wanted to become the best Legacy champion in FGA history. They laughed when Molly got named as the number one contender,” Annie giggles as she twirls her finger around one of her braids, “but now she’s the Pride champion, and I always knew Molly was always meant for great things – like, amazing things! Whether it was winning the SSWA Titan of Trios with me and Emily, or the SSWA Trios titles, or the FGA Pride title. So I guess I was right when I said the Whitest Girls You Know don’t mess around when it comes to title matches! ‘Cause we’re here holding half the titles in FGA right now. And I know Molly’s gonna whoop some Evan Envi butt on Saturday. And when the first challenger comes around she’s gonna knock that challenge right out the park. ‘Cause that’s what we do!” A sneaky little #grrface makes a brief appearance as Annie flips the devil horns up.

“But I beat Molly back then. I did what Fujiko couldn’t, what Evan, Savannah, Noelle, and Mark Storm couldn’t – what Salem couldn’t in the qualification match. But I know that was just the first step…” Annie gesticulates with both hands as she speaks, looking away from the camera for a couple of seconds as she sighs, “…and First Wave?”

“Look,” Annie starts, “I know I shouldn’t have done what I did back then. I know Salem didn’t deserve that. I know the fans deserved better than that. And I know I can’t change what happened … maybe it’s this title. It’s cursed and brings out the worst in people – me, Izzy, Mirage, or we just have bad luck after holding it. Hopefully not too bad though…” Annie muses.

“So I don’t blame the FGA fans when they boo me. I’d boo me too if I was them.” She states, shaking her in dismay. “Maybe there comes a point when I just have to accept things are the way they are; ‘cause I tried to get Kenshin Takamura to beat some sense into me. Ryan LeCavalier tried to kick my ass for what I’ve done – and I put ’em both down for the three count! I took what they threw at me, and I just shot right back. I beat them both, I kicked their asses all around that ring! And now I’ve got a Triple Crown winner knocking on my door–” in more ways than one, she thinks but doesn’t say, “–wanting a shot at me. Wanting to put me on my back and have his way with me. But, Dom, that’s not gonna happen either! When I walk outta Retribution still the FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion you can have your match at the Fifth Anniversary Show, but I don’t go down for you! I don’t go down for Salem! I don’t go down for Kenshin, Ryan, Molly, or anyone else!”

“This belt isn’t leaving my waist, though. Salem has a lot of fire in her belly, she has so much fight in her, so much heart that she shows every time she steps into the ring. And I know – I know! – she wants to make it third time lucky. She wants to make up for her loss to Izzy back at the Canadian Stampede. Or for First Wave. She wants to be the hero that takes this belt from me, so maybe she can restore some honour to it…” Annie pauses, sighing to herself as she looks away from the camera again.

“People tell me I’ve changed lately…” she muses aloud.

“They wanna laugh at me ‘cause I don’t wanna speak to Spencer Burke no more…” Annie scoffs.

“But the one thing that hasn’t changed – that’ll never change! – is my desire to be the best. It’s why week in, week out, I’m fighting for what I want. It’s why so far in my short career I’ve managed to hold seven titles, why I’ve won tournaments, why I’ve wrestled around the world – America, Japan, the UK, Germany, Mexico! And it’s why I’ve been a champion on three different continents. It’s why I’m gonna finally become a World champion soon enough. Why I’m gonna be the most dominant Legacy champion in history.”

“And what have you done, Salem?” she asks as her expression harshens, her brow furrowing, her lips pressed tightly together as she stares at the camera. “What has your heart, your determination, your spirit gotten you? Now you’re approaching a year without a title belt to your name. Now you’re known as the runner up, or the one who tried. How does that make you feel? When people keep rooting for you, and you keep letting them down! When people prefer you just ‘cause you’re not me – that’s gotta be a real self esteem boost, huh?”

“But just ignore them, Salem. And listen to me ‘cause I’m gonna tell you what you need to hear. You’re good. For as long as I’ve known you I’ve had so much respect for you. But you’re capable of so much more. You deserve so much more than you’ve been getting lately – and I’m not just talking about First Wave,” Annie shakes her head, “but you don’t seem to want it. And if you wanna stand there and tell me I’m looking past you when I challenged Dom, then you’re just proving me right really. ‘Cause you shouldn’t be worried about that; you should be wanting to be the one defending this belt at the Fifth Anniversary Show. You should be the one wanting to stop Dom Harter from achieving the Grand Slam. You should be the one wanting to become the most dominant and longest reigning champion in FGA history.”

“But you’re not.”

“Always the challenger, never the champion.”

“And the shots are gonna run out soon, Salem. The opportunities you keep getting are gonna stop coming your way unless you do something to change things. You coulda been one of them in the five pack challenge a few weeks ago. You coulda been the one challenging Fujiko for the title last week. Right now, you could be the HKW World Champion! But instead the biggest impact you’ve made recently is signing with UKWF…” Annie rolls her eyes and sighs, “…instead you’re gonna give me my third title defense ‘cause I don’t see the fire in your belly anymore. I don’t see the heart you once fought with.”

“People tell me I’ve changed … but what about you?”

“‘Cause this is your chance to prove me wrong, Salem. This is when you prove all the doubters wrong, when you show the fans that you can still wrestle five star matches! ‘Cause next Saturday night in St. Paul, Minnesota, you’ve got the chance to right so many wrongs. You can be the one to take this belt from the bitch who holds it now, and show the FGA fans that their faith in you isn’t being wasted. You’ve got the chance to stop me from taking another step closer to making history. Of making up for First Wave, and Canadian Stampede. Not just the wrestler who took Jimmy Page as far as she did. Not the one without a win to her name here in … two months? More?”

“I’m not gonna make it easy though. ‘Cause this is my belt! This is my time! And next Saturday I’m gonna go to that ring and kick your butt! ‘Cause I don’t need sense beaten into me anymore. I don’t need to be broken. And nothing is gonna get in my way, nothing is gonna distract me from being the best FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion I can be. Just you wait and see…” Annie pulls a #grrface and throws up the devil horns again as we fade to black.

---

Monday October 10th
Off Camera

“That was delicious, kiddo. Thank you,” Johnny Zellor says to his daughter from across the table before wiping his mouth with his napkin. He’s taken a day off from coaching the Denver Divas LFL team to be here for Canadian Thanksgiving, which the household celebrates because of Dom’s heritage.

“Thanks, Daddy,” Annie beams a wide smile; she’s more pleased that everything went off without a hitch after a hard couple of days slaving in the kitchen, trying to make sure Rolf and Animal didn’t get to any of the food. But as she finishes eating alongside her husband, her Dad, Dom, his mom, Katie, Molly Reid and Hunter Werth (who’ll be moving back in after recently breaking up with his fiancée) she knows this meal went as well as could be expected.

“That was the best Thanksgiving I think I’ve ever had,” Elizabeth Harter adds, “good food, good company. What more could I ask for?”

“Thanks Mrs. Harter,” Annie replies before turning to Chase, leaning across to kiss him quickly as she adds, “Told you I could cook a Thanksgiving meal.”

“I ain’t said you can’t, cher.” Chase mock protests.

“Didn’t you cook one last year?” Molly asks before sipping her wine. Dom stares out of the corner of his eyes at her, not wanting Molly to get too drunk when his mother is around – Dom knows Molly has loose lips when she’s imbibed a few beverages, and his mom doesn’t need to know what’s been going on.

“And where was my invite to that one?” Hunter jokes.

“We gave it to Lexi,” Dom snarks, drawing a glare from Hunter. “Bygones!”

“Dom, don’t be mean to your friend,” his mother scolds him, “if you were going through a real break-up yourself you’d know how painful it is.”

“The fake ones hurt too,” Katie chimes in, “although that’s mainly having to read Twitter comments from idiots!” She and Dom clink their glasses together; their rouse was as successful as they could’ve hoped it would be, fooling most people into believing they were a couple and that they broke up. Soon she’ll be free to publicly date Chris Bond, and they can move into their new home together. Even if that means being neighbours with Annie and Chase.

“It was good to find out what some of my so called friends thought of me,” Dom shrugs, “but seriously, Annie, that was the best Thanksgiving meal I’ve had…” his mother stares at him, “…recently! Best I’ve had recently.”

“They’re right, cher,” Chase praises his wife, leaning across to kiss her again as Dom watches on, “that was perfection, yeah.”

“Thanks guys,” Annie blushes as she breathes a sigh of relief, “you dunno how long I was in that kitchen cooking for.”

Johnny Zellor unbuckles his belt, breathing a sigh of relief as his gut hangs out over the top of his pants. “Not at the table, Johnny,” Elizabeth shakes her head playfully, “people are still eating here.”

“I don’t think anybody could eat another bite,” Johnny replies with a hearty laugh.

“If we’re all done here we could go through to the living room,” Dom suggests, “watch a movie before we have dessert.”

“We’ve got pumpkin cheesecake,” Annie boasts, reminding everyone of her love for all things pumpkin.

“Sounds good to me,” Johnny says, and most everyone agrees with him. The eight of them all stand up, holding their stomachs and groaning as they do so. Dom watches out of the corner of his eye as his mom reaches across to wipe some crumbs from Johnny’s lips with a wetted thumb, but thinks nothing of it as they move through to the living room. “What are we watching?”

“Well, Harter Thanksgiving tradition dictates we watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” Dom starts, “but we’re going to break from tradition and see whatever’s on Netflix…” he turns the TV on and grabs the Apple TV remote from off the side. Everyone settles down on the sofa; Johnny and Elizabeth sitting next to each other on the three seater, with Annie and Chase next to them. Molly and Hunter share the recliner, leaving Dom in a quandary as he turns back to face the room. “Seriously? I’m going to have to sit on a beanbag”

“Don’t complain,” Katie says from her own beanbag chair. The Apple TV boots from sleep mode as Annie turns to Chase with a panicked expression on her face. She can’t remember unpairing the iPad from the box last night when they were getting busy in the living room – Dom had left the house to walk Rolf and they knew they’d only have an hour or so of alone time! The passion overtook them in the moment and they’d made love on the sofa where they’re sitting now, with the aid of…

“W-w-what?!” Elizabeth stutters as her face goes red with embarrassment.

Next to her Johnny can’t manage to say anything, his face turning white as a sheet as he sees the screen.

“Whoa,” is all Hunter can say as he and Molly stare wide-eyed. Katie and Dom do the same; the paused picture is a naked Annie sitting astride the face of NKP wrestler, Kimmi Keister. Her heaving bosom is in plain view, while Chase is barely in shot as he was the one holding the camera. But as the clip randomly starts playing again he becomes more visible. Or, part of him does. Annie leaps up from her seat and takes remote from Dom’s hand, pressing menu enough times to get back to the start screen as she stands there … shaking, panicking. She’s more embarrassed than she’s ever been – not even getting arrested in Florida was this bad. Having her friend Eric be able to overhear her in the throes of passion was nowhere near this embarrassing. And getting caught having drunken sex in a bathtub by Chase’s sister doesn’t even come close to this. Her friends and her family have just seen her engaged in lesbian sex with a relative stranger while her husband was filming them … and Annie doesn’t know how to react to that.

The room stays silent as Annie stays looking at the screen; she can see the reflection of those behind her and even through that medium she can still sense the hurt and disappointment in her father’s eyes. Tears begin to form in Annie’s own eyes and she can’t stop them from falling. The levee breaks and tears fall down her cheeks as she rushes from the room. “Annie, wait!” Dom cries out as he goes to follow her, but she’s gone. Annie grabs her handbag from off the bottom of the bannister and she’s out the door, heading to her car.

The roar of the Spyder engine tears through the silence inside the house before the squeal of tires signifies her exit from the property. Johnny Zellor is still sitting there white as a sheet, his head in his hands; he’s probably thinking about gouging his eyes out to try and erase that picture from his mind, but he knows that wouldn’t help. “I t-think we should leave,” Elizabeth Harter breaks the silence. “I’ll take Johnny back to my house to calm down, so you can all … you know.”

“Ok,” Dom replies, unsure of what else to say.

“Whoa,” Hunter says again, causing Molly to punch him on the arm. “What?”

“Just shut up,” she whispers to him.

“Umm,” Elizabeth murmurs as she helps Johnny to his feet, “it was lovely seeing you again, Dom.” She gives her son a kiss on the cheek before saying her goodbyes, escorting the still silent Johnny Zellor from the premises. The tension in the living is still palpable as four remaining people all turn their attention to Chase Dupree. He’s sitting there with his head bowed, hands in his lap, not saying anything.

The silence continues until finally Dom, standing there with a stern expression on his face and his hands on his hips, speaks up. “Could've been worse … could’ve been one with me in it…”