Post by Paige Garcia on May 1, 2017 4:32:07 GMT
I’m sitting in the trainer’s room, holding an ice pack on my neck after the brutal assault from someone I once called a friend.
I should have seen it coming from a mile away. I’ve travelled with this girl, stayed at her house. She took me and my sister under her wing and taught us everything we knew.
So why didn’t I see this coming?
I look up at the camera held by my sister Sara. I take the ice pack off of my neck and throw it to the side.
Alexis, if you think we’re done, you have another damn thing coming. You attacked my sister...you attacked ME!? And why? Because I got to you first?
I snicker, the irony of all of this isn’t lost on me.
You told us that if we ever got ahead in life, that somebody would ALWAYS be there to take the spotlight from us. No matter how hard we worked to get better at what it is we do, there’s always someone else in the shadows, lurking, waiting for that one moment where weakness kicks in, and then, they leap from the shadows and try to take everything you have.
I shook my head.
I just never thought it would be you.
I take in a breath and force it from my body, clearly frustrated with the predicament I’m in.
And now we’re partners? Who the hell came up with this brilliant idea? Who the hell thought it would be a perfect situation to put me in a match with a lunatic as a partner who clearly wants to destroy me, the dance queen who now has a shot at my title, and the hot headed bitch who just had her title shot stolen from her?
I throw my hands in the air.
Clearly, someone wants to see me killed or something worse...disfigured.
I stand from the table, my feet now firmly planted on the floor beneath me. I reach over and grab my Diamonds Title, holding it out toward the camera for all to see.
Do you see this? Look closely.
Pandora?
Alexis?
Gabriela?
I point to the nameplate with my name clearly showing.
Do you see the name on that championship? It sure as hell isn’t any of yours, and I promise you that unless one of you kills me...it never will be. This belt represents excellence. Alexis, you know, the other two...you wish you did. This shows that without a shadow of a damn doubt, I’m the best woman on this roster today. This symbol of excellence is recognized the world over, and it’s about damn time you people show me the respect I deserve.
I set the title on the table beside me.
I don’t deserve to be attacked from behind. I don’t deserve to be told how to live my life as champion because I’m Paige freaking Garcia, and I’m going to do what I’ve always done, and that’s rise above the hate spewed at me on a daily basis based solely out of jealousy.
I nod.
That’s right, I said it...JEALOUSY!
I point into the camera.
Pandora, the world has finally recognized you, how does it feel? Your name is mentioned in the same breath as all of the past Iron Maidens. The opportunity in front of you is massive. For the first time in your career, you have a chance at real, true greatness...I just hope for your sake you plan on backing up your actions of the last few months...otherwise you end up on the scrapheap like Fiona did last year.
That’s right Pandora...the Iron Maiden guarantees you nothing.
It’s a ticket on a theme park ride...a roller coaster. It’s a lot like your emotions. They’ll go up, and down, and twist all about, but eventually, like all good things...it’s going to end, and it will do so at Night of the Immortals, and come Sacrifice when we’re in that ring together, you’re going to get a small taste of what’s to come.
I grab the title and sling it over my shoulder as I prepare to leave the trainer’s office.
I’m not stupid little girl. I know you’re talented, you wouldn’t be Iron Maiden if you weren’t. The difference between you and I is the perception of said talent.
Whereas you have yet to fulfill that potential, I’ve not only fulfilled it, I’ve exceeded it. I’m the Diamonds Champion Pandora. I beat a bonafide all time great in the center of the ring to win it. You have to ask yourself though dancing queen...if I beat her...what the hell is stopping me from beating you?
I rub my neck, the pain still coursing through my muscles.
It takes a lot to keep me down, and you’ll get a piece of that come Sacrifice. You’ve seen it before and you couldn’t overcome it then. You’ll see it again, and once more the results will be oh so similar to our past encounters. Then, at Night of the Immortals, when there’s nobody by your side, nobody in your corner cheering you on, just you and me in the center of that ring, you’ll find out real damn quick why I am the Diamonds Champion, and this whole damn division is ALL...ABOUT...ME!
I walk off and the feed is cut.
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I should have seen it coming from a mile away. I’ve travelled with this girl, stayed at her house. She took me and my sister under her wing and taught us everything we knew.
So why didn’t I see this coming?
I look up at the camera held by my sister Sara. I take the ice pack off of my neck and throw it to the side.
Alexis, if you think we’re done, you have another damn thing coming. You attacked my sister...you attacked ME!? And why? Because I got to you first?
I snicker, the irony of all of this isn’t lost on me.
You told us that if we ever got ahead in life, that somebody would ALWAYS be there to take the spotlight from us. No matter how hard we worked to get better at what it is we do, there’s always someone else in the shadows, lurking, waiting for that one moment where weakness kicks in, and then, they leap from the shadows and try to take everything you have.
I shook my head.
I just never thought it would be you.
I take in a breath and force it from my body, clearly frustrated with the predicament I’m in.
And now we’re partners? Who the hell came up with this brilliant idea? Who the hell thought it would be a perfect situation to put me in a match with a lunatic as a partner who clearly wants to destroy me, the dance queen who now has a shot at my title, and the hot headed bitch who just had her title shot stolen from her?
I throw my hands in the air.
Clearly, someone wants to see me killed or something worse...disfigured.
I stand from the table, my feet now firmly planted on the floor beneath me. I reach over and grab my Diamonds Title, holding it out toward the camera for all to see.
Do you see this? Look closely.
Pandora?
Alexis?
Gabriela?
I point to the nameplate with my name clearly showing.
Do you see the name on that championship? It sure as hell isn’t any of yours, and I promise you that unless one of you kills me...it never will be. This belt represents excellence. Alexis, you know, the other two...you wish you did. This shows that without a shadow of a damn doubt, I’m the best woman on this roster today. This symbol of excellence is recognized the world over, and it’s about damn time you people show me the respect I deserve.
I set the title on the table beside me.
I don’t deserve to be attacked from behind. I don’t deserve to be told how to live my life as champion because I’m Paige freaking Garcia, and I’m going to do what I’ve always done, and that’s rise above the hate spewed at me on a daily basis based solely out of jealousy.
I nod.
That’s right, I said it...JEALOUSY!
I point into the camera.
Pandora, the world has finally recognized you, how does it feel? Your name is mentioned in the same breath as all of the past Iron Maidens. The opportunity in front of you is massive. For the first time in your career, you have a chance at real, true greatness...I just hope for your sake you plan on backing up your actions of the last few months...otherwise you end up on the scrapheap like Fiona did last year.
That’s right Pandora...the Iron Maiden guarantees you nothing.
It’s a ticket on a theme park ride...a roller coaster. It’s a lot like your emotions. They’ll go up, and down, and twist all about, but eventually, like all good things...it’s going to end, and it will do so at Night of the Immortals, and come Sacrifice when we’re in that ring together, you’re going to get a small taste of what’s to come.
I grab the title and sling it over my shoulder as I prepare to leave the trainer’s office.
I’m not stupid little girl. I know you’re talented, you wouldn’t be Iron Maiden if you weren’t. The difference between you and I is the perception of said talent.
Whereas you have yet to fulfill that potential, I’ve not only fulfilled it, I’ve exceeded it. I’m the Diamonds Champion Pandora. I beat a bonafide all time great in the center of the ring to win it. You have to ask yourself though dancing queen...if I beat her...what the hell is stopping me from beating you?
I rub my neck, the pain still coursing through my muscles.
It takes a lot to keep me down, and you’ll get a piece of that come Sacrifice. You’ve seen it before and you couldn’t overcome it then. You’ll see it again, and once more the results will be oh so similar to our past encounters. Then, at Night of the Immortals, when there’s nobody by your side, nobody in your corner cheering you on, just you and me in the center of that ring, you’ll find out real damn quick why I am the Diamonds Champion, and this whole damn division is ALL...ABOUT...ME!
I walk off and the feed is cut.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
“Only The Beginning”
I was hurting all over. My jaw took the brunt of the assault and I was none too pleased as I headed back through the backstage area. As I head through the halls I see my sister walking up from the training room.
Paige Garcia: Where were you?
Sara Garcia: Uh...getting stitched up. I saw what happened...I’m sorry. She’s going to pay for this.
I nodded. I was infuriated as I saw the stitched up wound over my sister’s eye, no doubt a sign of the attack by Alexis. I grabbed a water bottle from the table and threw it down the hallway in a fit of rage.
Paige Garcia: Who the hell does she think she is? She thinks because she taught us a lot of stuff on the road that she can just waltz back into things like she never left? Does she know who she’s dealing with!?
Sara Garcia: I think she thinks she does.
Paige Garcia: WELL SHE’S WRONG!
I clear the entire table of whatever was left on it. My sister grabs me and spins me around, holding me in place by the shoulders.
Sara Garcia: Relax. We’ve got this. Two against one if always the better of the odds. She’ll pay for this.
Paige Garcia: You’re damn right she will! COME ON!
I grab my sister by the hand and pull her down the hallway. I was breathing heavy and storming through the arena before being stopped in my tracks by Riley Gordon.
Riley Gordon: Ah...Ms. Garcia...just who I wanted to see.
Paige Garcia: What the hell do you want?
Riley Gordon: Wow...someone’s upset. Seeing as how you just got out of a title defense, I’d think you’d be happy.
Paige Garcia: HAPPY!? Do you think I like having some psycho little rodent looking girl trying to break my jaw?
Riley Gordon: Well, that doesn’t sound that pleasant. I don’t think you’ll like this either.
Paige Garcia: What’s “this”?
Riley Gordon: You still owe Gabriela a title shot...and if you’re lucky enough to get by Pandora Freeman at Night of the Immortals...Gabriela is going to get her shot at Bloody Assizes...good luck.
Before I can reply, Riley walks off. I was so stressed, so angry, I was trembling in place. I couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a raging scream that scared some of the people around me. I started throwing things and kicking anything near by. A stagehand walked up and touched me on the shoulder to get my attention and received a slap for his efforts. I glared at him and then looked at my sister.
Paige Garcia: Let’s go...NOW!
We walked off as the scene fades.
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The scene opens and I’m leaning on the rental car in the parking lot, up against the trunk.
And then there’s you...Gabriela. I hope that you don’t think this was a plan of mine from the start. I issued an open challenge with the sole intention of beating whoever accepted, fully cementing my claim of greatness.
I was robbed of that opportunity, just as you were robbed of being a footnote in the greatest Diamonds Title reign in history, and for that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that the jealous rage of my partner robbed you of the glory of being yet another title defense of mine.
I’m sorry that I didn’t get to show you how much things truly are about me and nobody else.
I hold my hands out to temper her rage.
But don’t fire up, not yet. I know you’re an angry person, and I can sense that rage from a state over. I’ll just say this...curb your enthusiasm. Don’t let the gift of Riley Gordon get your mind all warped and twisted. You’ll get a shot down the road...and for the life of me, I can’t really figure out why. Really, I can’t figure out why you’re mad at all.
You didn’t earn the title shot you were given, you got on a microphone and answered a challenge laid out on a silver platter. It’s why I can’t imagine what the hell the higher ups were thinking, Ms. Gordon in particular, when she granted you a rematch...again...of which you haven’t earned.
I think the world has it out for me because I’m better than the rest of you.
I shake my head and wave my hands in front of me as if to dismiss it all.
It all isn’t worth stressing over though to be quite perfectly honest. I am the Diamonds Champion, a leader in the locker room, a competitor that you should all fear, a queen you should all worship.
Come Sacrifice, when I team with that little bitch to take on you and Pandora, I’m going to flex my muscle and show off the skills that I’ve perfected over a short amount of time. I’m going to prove that there’s not even a sliver of a chance of Pandora beating me at Night of the Immortals, and there’s even a smaller chance of you beating me at Bloody Assizes.
Do what you will with Alexis...I couldn’t care less.
Just know that if you step across from me, you’ll get the beating I had planned for you at Motor City Mayhem.
I walk off and the feed cuts, not to be heard from again...until next time that is.
The scene opens and I’m leaning on the rental car in the parking lot, up against the trunk.
And then there’s you...Gabriela. I hope that you don’t think this was a plan of mine from the start. I issued an open challenge with the sole intention of beating whoever accepted, fully cementing my claim of greatness.
I was robbed of that opportunity, just as you were robbed of being a footnote in the greatest Diamonds Title reign in history, and for that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that the jealous rage of my partner robbed you of the glory of being yet another title defense of mine.
I’m sorry that I didn’t get to show you how much things truly are about me and nobody else.
I hold my hands out to temper her rage.
But don’t fire up, not yet. I know you’re an angry person, and I can sense that rage from a state over. I’ll just say this...curb your enthusiasm. Don’t let the gift of Riley Gordon get your mind all warped and twisted. You’ll get a shot down the road...and for the life of me, I can’t really figure out why. Really, I can’t figure out why you’re mad at all.
You didn’t earn the title shot you were given, you got on a microphone and answered a challenge laid out on a silver platter. It’s why I can’t imagine what the hell the higher ups were thinking, Ms. Gordon in particular, when she granted you a rematch...again...of which you haven’t earned.
I think the world has it out for me because I’m better than the rest of you.
I shake my head and wave my hands in front of me as if to dismiss it all.
It all isn’t worth stressing over though to be quite perfectly honest. I am the Diamonds Champion, a leader in the locker room, a competitor that you should all fear, a queen you should all worship.
Come Sacrifice, when I team with that little bitch to take on you and Pandora, I’m going to flex my muscle and show off the skills that I’ve perfected over a short amount of time. I’m going to prove that there’s not even a sliver of a chance of Pandora beating me at Night of the Immortals, and there’s even a smaller chance of you beating me at Bloody Assizes.
Do what you will with Alexis...I couldn’t care less.
Just know that if you step across from me, you’ll get the beating I had planned for you at Motor City Mayhem.
I walk off and the feed cuts, not to be heard from again...until next time that is.
Well howdy there pardner.