Broken Handcuffs [III]

ix.

April stepped into the Performance Center, her gear bag slung over her shoulder as she looked around at the talents occupying the exercise equipment and the rings. She took another deep breath, putting her things away in a locker and headed to the treadmill where Ember and Zelina were. The other women left when they saw her coming.

She sighed, starting at a light jog. Her earbuds were in as she bumped up her speed to a run with Panic! At the Disco blasting through her ears. It had been a good twenty minutes of just running, her speed increasing only a little as to not wear herself out before running the ropes later. With her heart pumping and high octane rock music flowing through her ears, AJ felt a genuine kind of feeling she hasn't felt in a while.

Happy.

She wasn't worried about how to act around Nicole or even everyone else backstage that did in fact look at her like she was crazy. The New Jersey native walked up to a ring and saw new faces— the same faces that quietly rolled out of the ring when they saw her approaching. Her mood was slowly falling when she registered they were leaving because of her until one of them came closer and AJ pulled an earbud out.

"We've been in there for hours and nobody came by. We're just tired and needed an excuse to leave the ring, trust me." The woman encouraged. "I'm Bianca, by the way. Bianca BelAir."

"AJ." They shook hands, the rookie smiling.

"Only the greatest wrestler to ever lace up some Converse!"

What? "Oh no, no, you don't have to—"

Bianca grabs both of her hands, "I mean it! You were awesome back then, y'know?"

April feels like she's about to cry, "I know you know about the incident."

"Well of course I do," Bianca shrugs, "that doesn't take anything away from your wrestling ability. Plus, I know what's it like to be misunderstood. I know how it gets when you're down, like really down. No judgement coming from me, girl." She lets go and gently twirls her long braid. "Good luck running the ropes, those things hurt like hell." The NXT prodigy leaves with April feeling way better.

AJ nodded with a smile before getting in the ring.

Fuck whoever wants to judge me.
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AJ had arrived back to the hotel around 4 in the afternoon. Shane texted her and expected her attendance at tonight's Smackdown— the last one before WrestleMania coming up that Sunday. It was a little sad for her. She remembers the festivities and fun of WrestleMania Axxess, the pure joy and excitement of the Grandest Stage of them All. She remembered the Hall of Fame ceremony, honoring the worthy inductees and sitting amongst your coworkers and family, even fans dressed in your best. It stung that she wouldn't be able to enjoy it, but that was one of prices she had to pay being in hiding. After taking a hot shower and getting dressed against the humidity in the Florida air, AJ checked for time. There were about two more hours until 7 now (which was when they would start filming) so she decided to meet him now and avoid possibly incurring Nicole's scolding for lingering backstage again.
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Of course it was hectic backstage— it always was right before filming, sound checks and lighting adjustments were being made and the construction workers were making sure there were no mishaps with the ring. She brushed past the stagehands herding the first few people kicking off the show and passed the superstars bumbling about in the locker rooms. She truly did miss the entire thing.

April made it to Shane's office avoiding familiar faces and knocked thrice before she was allowed to enter.

"AJ, good to see you." Shane greeted warmly, "Please take a seat." He gestured towards the empty chair in front of his desk and she sat with him doing the same in his office chair. "Great, so I've called you here to get and give an update status. First, how's training?"