Annie's Story 054

[Deleted]

Tuesday 11th October
Off Camera

She's sure the news of her arrest had gotten out already; Annie had spent the night in the cells waiting for her preliminary arraignment hearing, but this kind of news doesn’t stay hidden for long. She’d have to endure the jokes about popping pills, or people wondering whether she took them recreationally or whether she needed to. To suffer through the questions about how she got them, or why she didn’t have a prescription for the pills.

The fact is she never needed a prescription; Dom had his prescription to alleviate his dislike of flying, and he was always willing to lend Annie some every now and then. Especially lately when she’s been stressed because of her marital problems. The bag just fell out of her handbag when she threw it onto the passenger’s seat, so that the police officer could see it. Unfortunately Annie was in no state to explain anything at that moment.

So she spent a night in jail. She got arraigned and bonded, and released for another week until they set a trial date. But that isn’t even the biggest problem Annie has right now; she has to check with her father to see how disappointed he is in her. He might not have thought she was daddy’s little angel before, but he certainly doesn’t now. Annie can make things right with Hunter and Elizabeth later, but her dad…

She sits down on the bed as she dials the number, lifting the cell phone to her ear as it starts to ring … twice before it goes to voicemail. And she knows what that means.

“No answer?” Dom asks from the doorway. Annie sighs, putting the phone down on the bed next to her.

“He keeps hanging up on me,” she sighs, “but I’ll try again later.”

“Give him time,” he replies, making his way across the room towards where Annie is sitting. Dom takes a seat next to her, wrapping an arm around Annie’s shoulder as she instinctively rests her head on his shoulder. “He’ll get over soon enough, he’s just … shocked about seeing you like that.”

“He hates me…” Annie states, causing Dom to kiss her on the forehead.

“No he doesn’t,” he reassures her, “he still loves you. But something like this? I mean, he was a wrestler he knows what happens on the road. And if you and Chase want to have to fuck Kimmi, Molly, Katie, Charlotte, Josie…”

“Or Laurel.” Annie adds.

Dom chuckles to himself, “Or me, then don’t let anybody make you feel ashamed of that. Don’t feel like you have to change who you are because it conflicts with their conventional views, or their conservative beliefs. But…” he pauses, “...knowing it and seeing it are two different things.”

“I guess…” Annie sighs again, “...has your mom said anything yet?”

“Not yet. Hunter did say you've got nice tits though…” Dom jokes, and Annie buries her face in her hands. “...I’m joking, he didn’t say much of anything afterwards. But you’re going to be ok, kiddo. Getting caught with some pills isn’t the end of the world, and first chance we get we’re taking you to my doctor to get you a prescription.”

“Thanks, Dommy,” she mumbles through her hands. “And sorry I ruined Thanksgiving.”

“Are you kidding? We’ll be telling this story for years to come!” he exclaims, “We just need to figure out a way to top it next month…” but that joke doesn’t go over too well with Annie, who just glares up at him with a stern expression on her face. Dom leans across to give her a quick kiss on the lips, his hand caressing her cheek as he does so, before whispering in her ear. “Bygones!”

---

“Heyyy guys,” Annie waves at the camera from her position perched atop her hotel room bed in Chicago, ahead of her quarter final match against Avaset Kaiser tonight. She’s wearing one of the white ‘I Got Friendzoned By Cordy Stevenson’ t-shirts that XCVIII Apparel produce, her hair is cascading down across her shoulders, and Annie has a wide smile on her face. “Now I dunno where to start with all this; I know you’ve all heard about Zero walking away from FGA with the title.”

“That’s why we’ve got this tournament!” Annie throws her hands in the air.

“‘Cause he finally managed to defend the FGA World title, and now he has nothing left to prove here,” her voice is laden with sarcasm, “and I’m, like, conflicted about the whole thing. ‘Cause I never managed to beat Zero - he’s one of those names I still need to cross off my Giant Killer list. Him, Dom, and Johnny Cannon. And I don’t like how he’s walked away with the title belt like he owns it - but maybe that’s ‘cause I’ve never been a World champion I just dunno how he feels!”

“Maybe ‘cause I’ve never held a World title I dunno what it’s like to have everybody looking at me,” Annie pauses, gasping as he pulls at the neckline of her t-shirt, “nope, I dunno what that feels like at all. But I’m not gonna talk about my legal troubles right now. I’m gonna focus on the wrestling for the time being. Focus on my career, and the opportunities ahead of me. ‘Cause I’ve got the filming of A Clockwork Knight coming up soon, I’m a few steps away from becoming the Queen of the Mountain over in CCP - even if that means having to wrestle two more matches on Sunday night!” Annie giggles, knowing that’d be six matches in five days, and a bit much for her. “Levi Chambers is gonna give me my shot at the NKP Grand Championship soon, ‘cause he doesn’t wanna be called chicken…”

“And some secret stuff I can’t tell you about!” Annie taps her nose twice.

“On top of all that, though, there’s the possibility of a shot at the FGA World Championship that’s right there,” Annie points upwards, reaching for something that’s just out of reach, “so close and yet so far. A few matches between me and one of the biggest prizes in this industry. And after losing in the Gold Rush Rumble again, after missing out on the Frontier Lions Cup again, after just losing my Mid-Atlantic Legacy title, I’m sooo ready for this one.”

“I’d prefer to beat Zero for the title - two birds with one stone,” Annie shrugs, “but he’s gone. And when God closes a door he opens a window…” she pauses, “...not that I’m calling Zero a God or anything.”

“Two matches in one night though? I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again on Sunday too. And lucky for me, I haven’t just wrestled a Lego deathmatch recently!” Annie shoots the camera a quick thumbs up, referencing Molly’s recent match in the UK against Laurel Anne Hardy. “By Saturday Molly mighta got all the bricks outta her though. They might be hidden in your hair, by the way, be sure to double check there - I hear Cordy was finding them there days later…” Annie smirks before making the heart gesture with her hands, “...love you Cordy!”

“A tag match though! One half of the #sparklebuddies teaming with one of The Black Hand. Nobody ever thought they’d see that” Annie states matter of factly, “Two people who have fought against each other, but who’ve grown as people and competitors since the last time they met in an FGA ring, who’ve come a long way since they battled over those FGA World Tag Team titles. And I’ve heard what people have been saying about Chris Madison since he came back to FGA.”

“The people who say he wants an easier time, or that he just wanted to extend his unbeaten streak a little further. And the good news for Chris is he gets one more win to add to that record of his,” Annie pauses, “before I end this streak of his too. You can call me his kryptonite, ‘cause Chris Madison might look across that ring from me and see the #grrface and have those flashbacks to when he was tryna make Tommy Knox into a champion. He might have nightmares about what happened the last time we faced each other, ‘cause that’s just, like, a blemish on his record…”

“But despite what people might think,” Annie starts, “I don’t hate Chris Madison. I don’t hold anything against him from what happened a coupla years ago. It’s water under the bridge now, and we’re kinda lucky that we might be one of the few teams in this tournament who’re on the same page when we head into that first round. ‘Cause I know Frankie Morrison said that Chris thinks highly of me, and I’m gonna take him at his word on that. ‘Cause Chris knows that we just needa co-exist for one match before he can try and get his hands on what he wants more than anything…”

“The FGA World Championship.”

“And he might wish he got a better partner than me, but he coulda done worse…” Annie pauses, “amirite, Cannon? Molly? Karma? Tony? Savannah?” she shrugs her shoulders again before giggling behind a raised hand.

“They know I’m right. One match, Chris, that’s all we need to work together for. Then you can set your mind to revenge; then you can make up for what happened years ago, make up for the black mark in your books, and you get your chance to kick Annie Zellor’s butt - and if you ask our opponents, that’s something you should really want! And if you do it, then I getta go chase the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title again, and I get to try and stop Dom Harter from getting his Grand Slam by revoking my rematch clause…” she pauses again, looking confused for a second, “...no, invoking it. For one match, Chris, we need to make the unthinkable possible, and make two of the best teams in FGA history come together to make magic happen.”

“Then you get me one on one,” Annie grins widely, “and that’s when the magic really happens. ‘Cause I know you might think of me as a tag team wrestler, Chris, and I might always be a tag team specialist. FGA, GFP, NKP might all agree with that too. But you gotta trust me when I tell you that I can go when it comes to one on one matches. That’s why I was the Mid-Atlantic Legacy champion, that’s why I’m the Giant Killer around these parts. It’s why I’m gonna achieve my goal of becoming a World champion before the end of the year - it just happens that FGA is giving me another chance after missing out on the Frontier Lions Cup a few months back.”

“But before we can face each other, we’ve got a couple of problems standing in our way. Molly and Ruby,” Annie nods her head, “now which of you do I start with? ‘Cause Molly, I dunno what more I need to say to you after everything I said before ASS five,” she stifles her laughter, “earlier this year. I dunno what more I need to say to you after all the back and forth jabs we’ve been taking on Twitter. ‘Cause you’re one of my best friends, one of my closest allies, and you’re a helluva wrestler. That Pride title is proof of that!”

“And I know first hand that beating you isn’t easy,” Annie shrugs her shoulders again, “and I joked earlier about you recovering from that Lego deathmatch against Laurel a coupla days ago - congrats on the win again! And I know - I know - you wanna be the World champion too. And you’ve got your reasons, maybe better reasons than wanting to win a bet with a friend. Maybe better than wanting to bring pride and decency back the FGA World title after what Zero did. Maybe better than wanting to burn in a trash can!” she sighs and rolls her eyes.

“More than that, I know you wanna have the chance to wail on Ruby Tyler,” Annie says, knowingly, brushing some hair back behind an ear as she does so. “I’m not gonna rob you of that chance though. I’m not that mean. So all you gotta do is turn your back on her, we’ll beat her down three on one, then Li’l Miss We’re Gonna Wreck This Place can do that really important first step, and learn her place.”

Annie shakes her head before continuing, “I love you, Molly, I do. Your toughness in dealing with everything that’s thrown your way, your resilience in bouncing back from that defeat against Evan, the way you’ve become of the most loved wrestlers in FGA today. But this Saturday, I’m not gonna ease up on you. If you’re hurting, if you wanna get that one on one match against Ruby, if Evan attacks you backstage again like the jackass he is,” Annie stresses the swear word, “it’s not gonna change nothing. And I hate to be the one to stop your dream of becoming the FGA World Champion … just like I hated being the one who ended your dreams of becoming the Legacy champion--” Annie pulls a brief #grrface for the camera as she throws up the devil horns, “--but this is how it’s gotta go down.”

“And you’re not gonna like that. And you’re gonna argue against it. But for nearly three years I’ve battled through everything this place has to offer. I worked my way up from the dark matches against ‘Iron’ Mike Keaton and Sirius Sloan to compete in Gold Rush Rumbles and a Dynamic Duos too. I’ve missed out of the Frontier Lions Cup every year. And through two tag title reigns, and this recent run with the Legacy title, I’ve never really had my chance to step up to the main event. Like, the main event - not just closing a Vertigo against Tony or Zero. Not just being in the deathmatch on the last DVD taping that FGA did. This is my chance to headline a pay per view. To have my face on the poster. To really be the top wrestler in FGA!? And friendship can go out the window for one night, Molly. If anything, though, you being my friend may push me harder. ‘Cause wrestling against someone like you, like Fel, Dom, Tony, even Kimmi in NKP, I bust my ass in those matches. I bring my A game to those matches. And this Saturday, Molly, I’m not taking a backseat to you. I’m not stepping aside for you. You want that title shot? You’re gonna have to earn it, and me and Chris, we’re not gonna make it easy by any stretch of the imagination. And if you want that sweet relief at the end of the evening, of getting to beat on Ruby Tyler, then you damn well better earn it…”

“‘Cause if me and Chris have our way, there ain’t gonna be much left of it.”

“I can’t remember what I told you last time we faced each other, Ruby,” Annie admits, “Did I say I was looking forward to facing you? Welcome you to FGA, that sorta thing? What a difference six months makes, huh?” Annie sighs as she pushes her hair back behind her ears again. “‘Cause now you’ve made it clear what you really think about FGA when, two weeks ago, you attacked Dan and Cordy after their ladder match.”

“Congratulations,” Annie snarks, “you stooped as low as The Usual Suspects or The New Kings. You remember them, the same people you were on a crusade to stop! But I guess that’s part of you stopping ‘playing nice’...” Annie makes the air quotes with her fingers, “...says the most morally grey person on the roster. But now I’m curious, Ruby, what was it that pushed you over the edge? Was it when FGA gave you the chance to step up to the plate - you beat The Usual Suspects, you beat Yun & Cami months ago - they couldn’t deny you that title match any longer!”

“And you blew it…”

“So why did The Usual Suspects have another match, huh? ‘Cause they stole the belt. So if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Just like you did with Hardaway, huh? ‘Cause you’re sick and tired and beating the crap outta him apparently…” she pauses, “...despite not facing each other for over ten months. FYI, that’s one of those things people mean when they say you talk about Exodus too much. Just like when Hardaway says he’s sick and tired of people saying ‘oh you two should get married’ or stuff like that. ‘Cause, guess what? That’s your dumbass E-Pro friends saying that, not us! And if you wanna stop that talk maybe don’t use your ship name as a tag team name! ‘Cause it kinda sends the wrong message.”

“More importantly, people here don’t care about your relationship with Hardaway. Our bosses aren’t dumb enough to hire a fan-fic writer to write about the roster. And if they were #RubyWay aren’t even the most popular ship in FGA!” Annie throws her arms up in exasperation again. “That’s #Donnie! But facts have never been your friend have they, Ruby? They get in the way of the narrative you’re peddling. They stop you painting the picture you want, to show that you’re hard done by.”

“Other Exodus alumni have done well for themselves…”

“You even had a tag title match…”

“You even lost the WLW tag titles while you were at it,” Annie pauses, “which we all remember you guys beat fifteen other teams for. By the way, you always forget to thank me and TCB for eliminating four of those teams for you.”

“So now here we are, and you’ve ended up in the ring with three people who wanna kick your ass. And not just for what you did at Retribution. But just ‘cause you’re you. And knowing you, you might take it as a ‘moral victory’ if Chris beats me in the second round…” she pauses, “...like losing to Cannon was a moral victory?”

“Nah,” Annie snarks, “there’s nothing about Saturday that’s a moral victory for you. Nothing about Saturday is any kinda victory for you. Molly ain’t gonna save you from the beatdown you’ve got coming, and you’re getting no satisfaction in the second round. This weekend, Ruby, you’re gonna learn the hard way that it doesn’t matter what attitude you’ve got when you don’t got the ability to back it up. You wanna be the discount New Kings, fine. They don’t have any titles right now either. They’re gonna get knocked outta this tournament by me just like you are. And none of you - nobody - is gonna stop me from becoming the FGA World Champion.”

“I’ve faced tougher judges than you and you can throw the book at me, Ruby, but you’re not gonna send me down. This week you’re gonna find out that being against the World isn’t where you wanna be. That being against me and Chris Madison isn’t where you wanna be. But one of those is by choice, the other is luck of the draw. What they have in common is that neither of those end well for you! So I’ll see you Saturday, and I’ll leave you flat on your back again. That much I remember from the last time we faced each other!” Annie exclaims before waving good-bye at the camera, and the scene comes to an end.

---

Tuesday 18th October
Off Camera

Annie adjusts the neckline on her blouse, fidgeting in her seat as her lawyer continues to shuffle papers in the seat next to hers. With a cautious look over one shoulder, Annie sees Chase and her friends, Molly and Felicity sitting in the gallery behind her. She smiles bravely, and they do the same; the room is largely empty besides them, with the exception of the officers guarding the room and a prosecutor from the attorney general’s office.

“All rise for the Honorable Judge Edith Rowan presiding,” the bailiff exclaims, forcing all the people in the room to stand. A brown haired woman in her mid-forties, wearing cat-eyed glasses enters the courtroom and takes her seat behind the bench. Everybody sits down as Judge Rowan shuffles some papers, before she speaks up.

“Good morning, this is Philadelphia County file number FDER710057, the state of Pennsylvania against Annie Dupree. The matter scheduled for today is arraignment. The state of Pennsylvania is represented by Leonard Feigenbaum, the defendant is present with her attorney, Erin Bollinger…” the judge pauses, “...Did I say that right?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Annie’s lawyer responds.

Judge Rowan looks up from the bench to see who replied, but is taken aback when she sees Annie sitting there. “Miss Zellor, this is a surprise.”

“Good morning, Your Honor,” Annie replies with a polite smile.

“Or is it Mrs. Dupree now?” Judge Rowan asks.

“It is, Your Honor,” Annie nods as she replies.

“And here I thought you’d been keeping your nose clean,” the judge states, drumming her fingers on the bench as she looks down at Annie, standing there, dressed prim and proper in a white blouse and black skirt. “The defendant has been charged with the illegal possession of a schedule iv controlled substance, a misdemeanour n violation of Pennsylvania code thirty-five, point six. Ms. Bollinger does the trial information reflect your client’s true and correct name and identification?”

Erin rises from her seat to answer, “Yes, Your Honor, it does.”

“And has she received a copy of the trial information minutes of testimony?” the judge looks up over the rim of her glasses to stare at Annie.

“Yes, Your Honor, she has.” the lawyer confirms.

“And how does your client plead?” Judge Rowan asks, not taking her eyes off Annie.

“At this time, Your Honor, we’ll enter a plea of no contest,” Erin states as Annie sighs heavily. The judge continues staring at her, staying quiet for a moment as she tries to remember the last time she saw Annie. It would’ve been nearly seven years ago when Annie had just entered high school. Edith’s own daughter, Lindsay, was a senior and allegedly bullied the young Zellor girl and her friends. That is, until the school found marijuana in the lockers of Lindsay and her friends, which resulted in the three of them getting expelled. Lindsay lost her scholarship after that, and never got to go to university. Now she works at a Dairy Queen making just above minimum wage to support her and her infant son. And it might be possible that Judge Rowan blames Annie for that.

“Ok. The trial date that is set in this matter is November 17th, 2016 at 10:30 am. Anything for the record from the state, Mr. Feigenbaum?”

“No, Your Honor,” he replies.

“Anything from the defendant?” the judge asks, glaring at Annie once more.

“No, Your Honor,” Ms. Bollinger replies.

“Alright, thank you,” the judge says before leaving the courtroom.

Annie stands back up with her lawyer by her side; she thanks Erin for her service before walking towards Molly and Fel. “Gotta wait a few more weeks, I guess,” Annie says with a sigh.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” Molly reassures her.

“Hopefully you don’t get that judge again,” Fel jokes, “she was just glaring at you throughout.”

“Yeah,” Annie draws out the word as she glances over her shoulder to make sure the judge has left the room, “I don’t think I will. I hope not anyway…” she muses, knowing that if she comes up against Judge Rowan again that no matter how much her lawyer reassures her, Annie might be looking at jail time. “...so, Chinese for lunch?” she asks as the scene comes to an end.