face your demons // finn bálor

Chapter 28

I pretty much skipped my way to the gym after signing my brand new contract. I'm making it to the main roster! I don't think I'll tell Aiden or Carlos, for now. I can't help but wonder who the other two girls are going to be.

"What's got you so uppity this morning?" Lexi asks me, seconds after I step into the fitness room.

"Oh, nothing. Just happy to be here." I hope she's one of my partners. I don't really get along with many other women around here.

"That's what people who are keeping secrets say. What is it?" I'm transparent to her. She always knows.

"I'm getting bumped to RAW. Some triple tag group thing they're coming up with. I don't know when I'll actually debut."

"Oh. My. God! That's awesome! Any room for me?" That would honestly be super awesome if Lexi was joining me. I'd have a familiar face by my side. The only person I've talked to from the main roster so far is Colby, and we are not on speaking terms right now.

"I hope so! I'm going to try to get more details this week. If you get a call from Talent Relations, answer it!"

The two of us start our treadmills, getting warmed up for a more intense workout. I want to look my best if I'm going to be on live TV. NXT ain't shit compared to RAW.

"So," I start, taking one earbud out. "Any plans for Christmas?"

"Probably going back to Columbus to see the fam. I haven't gotten anyone anything yet and it's already in a couple weeks. What about you?"

"Thank God for Amazon Prime, right?" I cringe, at the thought of going back home. I don't have any family back in Iowa, really. A set of divorced grandparents and a few aunts and uncles, a couple cousins. No one my brother or myself are any close to. "I'll probably set up a tree in the apartment. It will probably just be me and a couple bottles of wine, same as last year."

"No way! You've gotta go home and see your folks. It's the only time a year that we actually get to. And when you get on the main roster, that's not even guaranteed."

I thought Lexi knew that I lost most of my family. Ace must have told her back when they were together, right? I don't want to make things awkward.

"Yeah, we'll see."

The last Christmas I ever spent with anyone besides my brother and Carlos was nearly four years ago. With Colby and his mom. Who, by the way, was encouraging the drunken dress-up and actually took the picture that he plastered all over Twitter a couple months ago. Needless to say, I'm staying far away from both of them this year.

The treadmill next to me slows and comes to a stop. Lexi hops off and removes both of her earbuds.

"You ready?"

---x---

"Oh my god, I need a shower so bad now!" The battle rope nearly rips my arm off as I drop it on the floor.

"That was enough to work off the last of that Thanksgiving weight, huh?" Lexi laughs.

"Same time tomorrow?" I ask. We've been working out together pretty consistently for the last few weeks now.

She nods, grabs her bag and heads out to her car. I decide to stick around for a while and scroll around on social media.

Ace is pretty quiet on Twitter lately. There have been a couple pictures online showing Leah's little bump, and fans are starting to get suspicious and questioning him. The only reason people actually know about them is because of the paparazzi. The cameras love Mella.

Ring, ring, ring.
Rami's name pops up on my phone.

Why is he calling me right now?

"Hello?"

"Hey, uh." There's a pause. "You busy tonight?"

Oh no. He is not calling me for seconds. There's no way.

"Depends. Why?"

"New Star Wars is out. Wanna come see it with me?"

Phew.

"Sure, text me the time."

"Cool."

Click.

Did he just ask me on a date? Or was that my brain wanting him to ask me on a date?

Either way, I'm going to watch my first Star Wars movie in ten years.

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