Reality (Linstead AU)

Chapter 27

A couple of days later, there was a non-televised WWE event. Erin wasn't in attendance, and neither was Zelina, who had been sent home for a couple of weeks to rest an ankle that she had rolled in a match. That left both Jay and Raquel needing someone to talk to, so they had met up out in the arena for a catch-up.

"How's Z doing?" Jay asked as they sat down in seats a few rows back from the ring. It would be hours yet before fans were admitted to the arena, so wrestlers were free to come and go as they pleased.

"She's fine," Raquel reassured him. "Think she's glad of the break from all the travel to be honest. It sucks that she's not around though. I didn't text you about what happened yesterday morning, did I?"

"No," Jay said, giving her a quizzical look. He didn't know where this was going.

"I had just woken up. Z was up before me, like she always is. She walked into the bedroom and I could tell she had been crying."

"Oh no."

"Right? I thought someone had died or something. So I asked her what was wrong and she came over to the bed to show me something on her phone. Here, I'll show you what it was."

Raquel took out her phone and took a minute to find what she wanted. Then she gave the phone to him. On the screen was an article with the headline 'Raquel Gonzalez has the potential be the biggest star in wrestling, not just women's wrestling.'

"I agree," Jay said with a smile. "It's touching it moved Z so much, but yeah, I totally agree. You're so unique, and you're amazing in the ring. There's no woman like you in this business, and if everything goes just right, why shouldn't you be the biggest name? Well, the second biggest anyway. You'll never be better than me of course."

Raquel laughed, appreciating his humour. "Bitch, I'm past you already."

"You wish," Jay fired back, enjoying the banter. "But seriously, you're killing it. You don't need my advice, but if there is anything I can do, ask."

"Thanks, I will," she said sincerely. "So, did you go to that viewing with Erin?"

"I did. You should have seen the place, Raquel," he said, shaking is head in disbelief even though he had seen it with his own eyes. He proceeded to tell her all about his trip to New York, the stay in the hotel suite, Erin's sports car, the house and the dinner they had eaten that night.

"When she dropped me off at the airport, I didn't want to leave," he said, bringing the tale to a close.

"Did you tell her that?" Raquel asked. To Jay's surprise, she didn't seem all that happy with what he had told her.

"No," he admitted.

Raquel closed her eyes for a moment in annoyance. "I'm going to have to slap you upside the head."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to end up losing Erin, the way you're going."

Jay looked at her in bewilderment. "Huh?"

Raquel changed tactic a little bit, speaking more gently. "Look, I know you're not good at expressing yourself. I get that, and I'm sure she does too. But you're going to have to start to tell her how you feel about her, and about the things you do together. On top of that you need to start making more effort."

Feeling attacked, Jay fired back at her. "How am I not making effort?"

"How are you making effort? She paid for a hotel suite, took you for a ride in a nice car, asked you to view her new house with her, bought you dinner, then took you to the airport. What have you done for her that's close to any of that? I'm saying this because I'm your friend and it needs to be said, not just to take a shot at you. That's shouldn't need explaining."