It's Been A Long Time... [Desperate Measures Sequel]

TwentyFive.

AJ always gave me sound advice, he even went as far as to suggest I should put a call into Skip. I knew if I called Skip I would end back up in that home, that was something I definitely didn't want to happen. I knew at some point I would have to call my brother back, I would have to tell him that Seth was mistaken, I was not crazy, I did not go absolutely mental in the gym. 

Laying on the bed I checked my hands over, I had found time to have a shower and wash off the dried blood. This hotel room was not my first choice at a place to stay but it was where we had been offered a place to go. There were a bed and a shower, I really didn't need much more, not in this room anyway. 

Climbing off the bed I looked in the mirror, my hair was a bloody mess, pulling the wet strands away from my face I tied them back before I turned away from the mirror. Grabbing a jacket from my suitcase I slung it on before I picked up my mobile and purse before I headed out of my hotel room. The hall of the hotel was bright, the sun shining through the nearby windows making me squint. 

There were a few people walking around with their bags, looking for their rooms, most of them normal people who were staying in the hotel, although I could see a few superstars heading to their rooms, they must have left early like myself. As I turned away from everyone else I saw a purple blur walking towards me. 

"Tasha," Sasha smiled at me as she looked at me as she stopped in front of me. "You're here early."

I smiled, "Early bird catches the worm and all that."

"Well, if you aren't busy wanna head out and get some food?" She asked as leaned against the wall waiting for my answer.

Clicking the side of my phone I checked the time, it was getting on for lunchtime. I looked back at her and nodded, "Sounds like a good idea. I am starving." Okay so the last part was a lie, I wasn't hungry at all, but it was nice for someone to actually be talking to me in the flesh and she didn't know about my incident yesterday so for the rest of the day I could pretend I was normal. 

She stood up straight, her back off the wall as she ran her hands through her long purple hair. "Let's go then." She led the way and we didn't speak again until we left the hotel and began to walk side by side down the streets. "How are you finding being on the show?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's not what I am used to. The people here are different too. I spent a lot of time with AJ and the two lads back on Raw."

"I'm always here to hang out if you need some girly time." 

Nodding I smiled, mainly to myself. It was nice to hear such kind words, it was nice for a girl to want to be in my life. I had lost a lot of friends since the last time I was in the wrestling world, the Bella twins making sure of that. Making friends, in general, was hard for me, I didn't have the confidence a girl my age should have had. 

"Anyway," she laughed, "I hear you have a big storyline on the horizon."

"Oh," I tried to let that conversation go but she obviously wanted to know. 

"Don't be shy," she spoke kindly. "It looks like you and Seth are going to be spending a lot of time together during this."

Oh, she only knew about the storyline me and Seth were involved in, I thought the word might have gotten out about the potential return of 'The Shield' plus me, that would have been a disaster, especially with Dean not being so keen on the idea in the first place. 

"I don't mind," I told her. "Seth is a great guy, I love spending time with him. He's not like most guys, he actually listens."

She nodded, "Honestly Seth is one of my closest friends. If anyone can look after you in the ring, it is him. And he does know all the best restaurants at every stop."

"Well he never let me in on that little secret," I held a hand over my heart playfully. "I am shocked."

"Don't tell him I told you this though, but I think he has a little soft spot for you."

Shocked, I raised an eyebrow, "What does that even mean?" I didn't need any more complications in my life, as if I didn't have enough problems. 

She waved her hand like she was waving it off. "Not like that," she rolled her eyes, "What I mean is for some reason he feels a little protective of you, like a brother or something."

I swear I could have gagged, I mean now I don't think of Seth as anything more than a friend, but brother was a bit much, even for me. 

"Anyway," she grinned, "You need to spend more time with me and the girls. This weekend we have a big night out planned, a little something to get rid of the stresses of the week." She looked me up and down before smiling and nodding, "I think you'd make a nice little addition, you should come along."

"Oh I dunno," I tried to play it off. It's not that I am rude, but whenever I get invited out with the girls something stupid or bad always happens, it was like someone was trying to tell me to stay away from the girls and just have boy friends.

She nudged me playfully as she tucked her unnecessarily long hair behind her ears, "Honestly," she looked at me, her smile seemly fading and a sympathetic look crossing her face. "You really look like you could do with some female company in your life, maybe even make a few friends."

A few friends would be nice, female friends. I used to be pretty close to both Brie and Nikki, that friendship ending when I no longer was the picture perfect person in their minds. I used to be close to AJ, but since returning she was no where to be seen and I couldn't seem to get into any contact with her, she didn't have any social media and without my old circle of friends getting her number seemed pretty impossible. I guess I had Stephanie, but at the end of the day she was my boss and I didn't think she would want to listen to my dramas, not that she even liked me that much. Charlotte was my only other female friend within the company and as of now she was no longer around, my mind quickly blocking her out of my mind, somethings are not worth thinking about. 

"Okay," I relented. "I will come along, just this once."

Sasha grabbed me and hugged me on the sidewalk, I could hear a few people tutting behind us since we literally stopped in the middle of the path. She held me close and spoke "I am so excited that you said yes, you are going to love it."

She had better be right, under 24 hours ago I was having some kind of breakdown, I needed some way out.