Queens of the Underground

Chapter 6

Becky felt like she had been fighting all her life to be a wrestler. Sometimes she was fighting fate or circumstances; most of the time she was fighting herself and her own stubbornness and pride. She had taken about two weeks away from it and thought she would miss it horribly, but instead she nearly froze when she arrived at the arena. Going back to Ireland for a week had helped: spending time with her family was always a gift, and being in her homeland gave her the chance to use her magic in smaller, more manageable ways, so she wasn't bogged down by an accumulation of energy when she went back to America.

All of the calm and confidence she had gained back in Ireland started draining away the instant she stepped into the locker room, though. Several of the women had warned her that Seth was asking about her, so she had finally caved and sent him a very basic text, but it didn't make her feel any less guilty. "Sorry he was bothering you," Becky said when all the women were there. This was definitely a case where she didn't want to have to keep repeating herself. "I should have just told him to give me space, and instead he started bothering all of you, and that's not fair to you."

To her surprise, it was Alexa who approached her first, giving her a tentative hug. "Are you okay? If something's going on, you know we've got your back. None of us told him anything."

Becky nodded jerkily, doing her best to fight back tears. None of the women had any clue about her magic or even what had happened with Seth, and yet there they were, all offering their support. "Thank you. That means a lot. I just needed some space, really, but I should have said something before I left so he wasn't pestering you." Then she paused. "He was probably asking the guys too, wasn't he?"

Alexa grimaced. "He was asking everyone, pretty much. But don't worry about that. That's on him, not you." She gave Becky another squeeze before stepping back. "We're all just happy that you're back and you're okay."

"Thanks." Becky finished dressing and left the locker room before she could get too emotional or the girls started asking questions. She had a promo to cut first and she had to be on the top of her game for that. Were the women whispering about her right now? Possibly. Probably. But she couldn't worry about that at the moment. If she could lose herself in her work like she normally did, she'd be fine.

She talked, she posed for photos for the upcoming ad campaign, she wrestled. Becky did her job and she knew she did it well, because everyone praised her for her efficiency, her focus. It still all felt like a blur, though, and before she knew it, she was back in the locker room, changing into her street clothes. "Are you coming to the party, Becks?" Charlotte asked, straddling the bench beside her.

Becky glanced up in surprise. Had the girls been discussing a party? She had heard people talking, but her mind was a million miles away. "No. I'm beat. You know how it is, first day back and all. I think I'll just go to the hotel and get some rest. You go, though. You deserve a break."

"I'm dropping you off at the hotel at least," Charlotte insisted. "Or if not me, one of the other girls." Her gaze was steely and she eyed the locker room door as if she expected Seth to try breaking it down any minute. "It's on the way to the club," she added, "so don't even try saying it's an imposition."

She wasn't intending anything of the sort. Becky truly was wiped out, though she couldn't quite say why. The promo wasn't that challenging, the photo shoot was quick, and her match with Nikki Cross was fluid and fast. "I was going to say thank you," Becky replied, kissing Charlotte's cheek.

"Oh, well, in that case..." Charlotte turned and pointed to her other cheek. "I didn't get my bestie fix for two weeks, so I'll take whatever I can get."

Charlotte must have sensed that Becky wasn't in a talking mood, because she kept the conversation light on the way to the hotel. "Thanks, Char." Becky leaned across the console and hugged Charlotte quickly before hopping out of the SUV. "Enjoy the party. We can catch up tomorrow at brunch." Breakfast, she assumed, was going to be out of the question: when all the women on the roster went out, they tended to make it an all-night affair, even if they suffered for it in the morning.