Page 13

Chapter Thirteen

AURORA

Rise

Episode 570

Roanoke, Virginia

T he next chapter in the story we’re building is a friendship with Jules. A friendship with Jules means ties to Hext. It makes the betrayal at the pay-per-view even more shocking. It’s easy enough. We knew each other before GRW. Friendly, but not quite friends. We’re quickly becoming better friends now that we’re seeing each other every week. Last week on Rise , she warned me about Theo. This week, she’s recruiting me for a match against two of the other girls, as if she wants to take me under her wing the way that Hext did for her.

Backstage promos are beginning to feel a lot more comfortable. I don’t love them. Public speaking is probably one of the most terrifying things that I’ve ever done, but the backstage environment is comfortable.

A lot of that probably has to do with Clara. She’s bubbly and funny, even off-camera. She talks about her daughter a lot, telling cute stories about the times she’s brought the toddler backstage and how she’s interacted with some of the wrestlers. It brings to light a certain feeling backstage. Like the whole place isn’t out to get me. It’s just the brown-eyed devil who always feels like he’s lingering in my periphery.

The producer gives his cue, and Clara, Jules, and I go to our marks.

Jules falls into this whole thing so easily. It’s like breathing for her. Not even a second thought as she melts into her character, looking like an enigmatic goddess.

“Juliette, it’s been announced that you’re scheduled to face Sage Nesbitt and GRW Women’s Champion, Carolina LaVile. It seems like you need a partner,” Clara says.

Jules pushes her long hair over her shoulder, shrugging. “Sage and…well, whatever her name is—they’re nothing. I could take them both down without blinking.” Her blue eyes settle on me and she smiles. “However, you impressed me last week, Aurora Dawn. Wanna give me a helping hand?” She extends her hand.

I eye it before my fingers lace with hers and I nod. “Yeah, why not?”

Clara smiles into the camera. “Looks like that’s all settled. Tonight, Juliette Stanton and Aurora Dawn will be facing Sage Nesbitt and Carolina LaVile.”

The producer yells cut and the three of us girls easily fall into conversation about whatever comes to mind. For the time being, I’m able to forget about the bane of my existence who’s always lurking around a corner somewhere, waiting for the opportunity to wiggle under my skin some more.

Forgetting doesn’t last long. Theo finds me as I’m finishing up my hair and makeup. Shayna, the makeup artist for GRW, is a kind woman. Although she’s very strict about moving in her chair and isn’t big on conversation. She turns on her playlist of techno music and gets to work on your face. If you move once, you get a glare. Twice? She’ll comment on how funny it would be to do your makeup in a very clown-esque manner if you do it a third time.

He ambushes me as I stand up from the chair, before I can make it back to the safety of the women’s locker room. “I’m coming out during your match tonight,” Theo announces.

I still. “Why?”

“To watch you.”

I want to say that he watches me enough. Backstage, during our promos. His eyes are always on me and I hate it. It feels as if they see right through me, figuring out all my weak spots so he can target them perfectly the next time we interact.

Instead, I ask, “Is there a point to that?”

Theo rolls his eyes as if he’s explaining the concept to someone who’s never watched wrestling before. “Tension. People are going to want to know why I’m watching you. You’re going to get your interest piqued even more. Maybe I’ll hop on commentary and make a few comments.”

“Great.”

He’s following me as we walk. If I can make it to the locker room, I can end this conversation. I can pretend to like him on camera. That’s my job. I can do that. I don’t have to talk to him outside of the damn ring though.

Before I can turn the corner, he stops me. He places his palm against the wall, blocking me from turning down the hallway and keeping me from safety. I wonder if it’s counted as workplace violence if I stomp on his foot and mess up those stupid shiny shoes of his.

“Roo, baby doll, I know we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Let me make it up to you. Drinks? I’ll buy. Dinner? Whatever. We can start all over again. ”

“I don’t want to, Theodore. I know who you are.”

He rolls his eyes again, exasperation on his face. “Yeah, obviously, I’ve never hidden who I am. Doesn’t mean I’m not offering a chance for us to start over though. I’m serious.” He pauses. “Call me ‘Theo’. Only my mother calls me Theodore.”

There is no way he doesn’t see the irony in what he’s saying right now, right? Looking up at him, I huff out a sigh. “You won’t call me Rory.”

“I hate Rory. I call you Roo.”

“Maybe I hate ‘Theo.’”

The corner of his mouth turns up in a little half-smirk. It would be hot if he wasn’t so infuriating. “Yeah, kinda picked up on that one. It’s all good. You’ll love me one day.” He shakes his head. “Love is the wrong word, actually. You’ll admit how badly you want me one day.”

Wanting him is the last thing on my mind. He’s gorgeous. He knows that. I know that. The whole goddamn world knows that Theodore is attractive. But I can’t get past it when I know what he’s really like. A dream hiding a nightmare underneath.

“Whatever you wanna believe, Theo .” I make sure to put as much venom as possible into that sentence before I duck underneath his arm and start down the hallway. Don’t look back, don’t let him think you care.

Theo laughs behind me. “That’s the spirit, Roo.”

The ring shakes as Jules suplexes Carolina, holding her body up in the air for a few extra seconds before dropping to the mat. The crowd pops. They always love watching hot girls be strong too. She checks to make sure that Carolina is staying down before she returns to me, holding her hand out so I can tag in.

As soon as the referee acknowledges the tag, I climb up to the top rope, fully prepared to do a moonsault and end the match. In the back of my mind, I think about how amazing it would be if it really was the end of the match. I wouldn’t have to deal with Theo. I get to the top rope, but before I can make my descent, Carolina is up again and she slams her body against the rope.

I tumble down, hitting the outside of the ring, right on the apron, before I land on the floor. Jules hops down to check on me, while Carolina bounces around the ring. The crowd boos.

The moment that Jules’s hand clasps mine and helps me to my feet, the bass of a familiar theme song shakes the arena. The crowd tears their attention away from the ring and turns to see Theo walking down the ramp. He’s wearing another one of his button-ups, another shade of blue. The world championship is displayed proudly around his waist.

He walks down to the end of the ramp, just standing there. His eyes are locked on me, like usual. I know it’s part of the story that we’re building, but I hate it. I hate it so much.

I turn my focus back to Jules, back to the match. I have a job to do. I climb back up onto the ring apron and through the ropes. People are torn between watching the match and watching Theo, waiting to see what he’s going to do next.

Back in the ring, I hit the ropes, using the momentum to propel me forward. I clothesline Carolina, push Sage off the apron, then I back over to Jules; I tag her in. Jules hits the ring like lightning, rushing to pick Carolina up off the mat, and locks her arms around her neck. She lifts her body with ease, slamming her back onto the mat. A quicker version of her finisher, the ‘Snake Bite’.

Rushing back over, she slaps my hand to tag me back in. I hop to the top turnbuckle without hesitation this time. Once I’m sure I’m steady, I hit my moonsault and make the pin.

One, two, three.

My generic theme song blares through the arena. Sage helps Carolina out of the ring and Jules joins me inside of it. I play the part of the giddy newcomer. I hug her and she looks unimpressed by it, awkwardly patting my back as we celebrate our win.

When we climb out of the ring and walk back up the ramp, we have to pass Theo, who flashes that charming grin in my direction.

“You looked amazing out there, sweetheart,” he says so the camera can pick it up. “You’re a star.”

I let the blush that threatens to take over my cheeks do so, and I don’t make eye contact. Before I can open my mouth to respond, Jules wraps her arm through mine and yanks me to follow after her.

“Come on, Rory. I told you not to pay him any mind. Let’s go.”