Face Your Demons

two

Sòller was experiencing one of the best summers I'd seen in a long time. The town was lively with people, events, and music. Boats bobbed in the nearby sea and many people occupied the shores, trying to catch the rays of the sun. Children chased each other down the sidewalks with smiles on their faces and frozen treats in their hands. Older ladies occupied the outdoor seats of the cafés, talking about the latest gossip. Merchants stood in their booths trying to sell their goods as musicians played in the town's square. It felt great to be home.

For the past two months, I'd been sitting by the phone waiting for someone, anyone, to call me and give me an offer. I missed being in the ring so badly. The feeling of coming out to the cheers, or boos in my case, of the crowd, the adrenaline rush once you set foot into the squared circle, the ability to catch the breaths of the fans; everything about it, I missed.

I tried to get my mind off it for the time being. I spent time with friends I hadn't seen in months, I helped my family around the house, and I kept up with my training at a local gym. But as the days went by, I feared that no one would want me. Maybe companies just saw me as another indie darling who wouldn't be able to handle the big leagues. That just drove me to work harder, to show them that I was worth taking a chance on.

One day, I decided to take a trip around town. With my parents starting to hound on me about trying to get back to Ring of Honor or even New Japan, I needed a break. Grabbing my bike, I headed off into town.

Along the way, I stopped at one of the ridges near my home to take in the sight of the Balearic. The sea was a rich blue color and it sparkled from the light of the sun. I smiled as my heart swelled. Home was always breathtaking to me; I always seemed to find something new and beautiful when I came back to the island. It was a nice change in pace from being on the road all the time.

Continuing on my trek, I was greeted by the sound of music when I got into town. It was filled with this lively atmosphere that brought a smile to my face. People smiled my way, some even recognized me and asked for autographs. I happily obliged and signed my name on things from t-shirts to napkins. I even found myself posing for photos before heading out.

Going into one of the small cafés, I was instantly greeted by staff members and customers alike. Some I knew, but some I had never seen before. It wasn't unlikely that they knew me because of my profession, so I smiled sweetly and greeted them back. Approaching the counter, I was met with smiles from the staff members.

"Ms. Luna Montoya." One of my good friends, Maximo, greeted me with a warm smile and even leaned over the counter to hug me.

"Hey, Max." I smiled back as he started to write down my order. Whenever I came back, I always stopped by at least once and got a drink. I was there as soon as I got home, but I decided to come back one last time. I was planning on making my rounds around town once more before I headed over to London to meet with some friends.

"So, you head to London soon?"

"Yeah. Since I haven't been given an offer yet, I decided to go up and visit some friends and train with them until I get the call."

"Understandable. I bet it's been eating you alive to hear something, anything." He rung up my order and I soon paid him.

"You're telling me." I giggled as he started to work on my drink.

As he was doing that, I noticed his younger sister, Elena, make her way out past the counter towards me. She smiled brightly before pulling me into a hug.

"I thought I heard you out here. How are you?" The younger girl asked.

"I'm good. Just making one more round around the island. I'm heading to London soon while I wait for an offer."