𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘛𝘖𝘋𝘈𝘠 | RHEA RIPLEY

𝓒 ᴴᴬᴾᵀᴱᴿ 37 | not today

And the plane ride went just as expected.

Rhea acted very, very reserved, and nobody really tried to find out why.

Now, she was usually to herself, but to be this kind of quiet, it was pretty strange. She would've yelled at someone for doing whatever it was that they were doing or maybe, muttering how tired she was under her breath, but no one heard a single thing from her.

Alex knew why but she obviously wasn't going to tell the others, so she had to act just as disregardful as the others and deem her behavior as Rhea just being Rhea (when obviously, it was so much more than that).

Toni didn't fight with her this time and left her to sit by herself while Alex sat with Tegan and Toni sat with Dakota.

Alex thought everything seemed to be falling apart - not only just she and Rhea but the other things around them too.

Like Dakota and Tegan avoided each other all of that morning and clearly, Rhea and Alex were dealing with something - something that would remain a secret for only both of them to know - and Toni was just caught in between it all, confused as ever.

Things were the complete opposite to how they were when they initially came over to England, and Alex couldn't ever imagine how much worse it was going to get.

They got back to the States and days went by like the last couple meant nothing.

She started to see Rhea less and less, and whenever they shared the same space with one another - even inside of her apartment -, not a word was said. Alex was continually met with complete silence and if it wasn't silence, it was Rhea disappearing for days at a time.

It was alarming, but Alex didn't budge. She couldn't, because she felt like she had no place to speak on this.

They spoke enough in that hotel room and if this was how Rhea was going to act toward this, Alex was just going to let it hurt her as it already was.

Because she should've expected this.

It was too good to be true to think things would magically be how she wanted it to be. She shouldn't have thought the best of things, she should've known Rhea's words weren't going to hold so much weight.

Alex had her back against the wall. She knew if she would try to talk about it with Rhea, it'll just get shut down, but if she stood as voiceless as she was already, things will remain the same.

And that's the last thing she wanted.

She was hoping for better between them. She thought that night would've started that, but it just didn't.

"Everyone has been acting weird lately," Toni's voice broke through Alex's endless thoughts as they walked along the sidewalk beside one another.

Alex got the clearance to start walking again and as uncomfortable and weird as it felt, she was happy that she was progressing in that area of her life. She was going to get back in the ring sooner or later and that was all she ever wanted.

If she was able to wrestle, maybe her thoughts wouldn't be overwhelming her as much as they were.

She would've been able to escape them, but all she's doing is drowning within them.

"Ever since our trip to the UK, Tegan doesn't want to hang out with me and Dakota, I haven't heard from Rhea in a while, and you still haven't told me who gave you those hickeys like you usually would've," She kept going on and Alex just listened.

"Like what's going on? Did something happen that I don't know of - - oh my god, I'm I the problem? Do you guys not like me anymore?" Toni was rambling now, practically talking to herself since Alex didn't verbally respond as she looked over Alex's way.