DECEPTION
When Peyton Rice was pinned in the tag team match against Kandis and Dylan Cent, she had two goals, first to prove she could be Kandis and second that she can defend against Dylan and stop hearing the criticism that she doesn’t belong as EMERGE Champion….
Kandis was defeated and now Dylan Cent was next.
Peyton knew that he would be more determined than ever as he lost to Jason Dillinger, Peyton couldn’t worry about that, this was her match to win at Invasion, her title to keep and if she blinked, Dylan would do whatever it took to take it.
Peyton was laser focused.
First though there was the relationship she had with Ricky Octavius which was on break, his recent signing with The Beauty Factory didn’t sit well with her. Then there was the secret her father was keeping that involved Mika Kozlov, the woman who tried to paralyze and even end her career though she states different. Her friendship with Jason Dillinger was in question. Kelcey Wallace, her mentor just didn’t trust him….
Everything was coming to a pass….
Everything.
Last Week
Downtown LA.
She sat at the bar of Club Noire. The music was blaring, her green eyes stared at her phone, texting back and forth. She wore pleather black pants, open toed white heels, a matching halter top with her hair down and nails polished white. Biting down on her lower lips she thinks back, waiting for another text by Ricky….
One Week Prior
EMERGE 7
It was one of the moments she was waiting for, Peyton rice needed this victory to get back on track and show why she was champion. It was a good night for both her and J-Dilly, victorious over their rivals. Kelcey Wallace was there in jeans, boots, a purple blouse with her hair hanging down, sitting next to Peyton who was still in her wrestling gear….
Kelcey: “Who silenced some doubters. Did you see Cent’s face? Kandis extended her hand, she made the right choice considering what you said was truth, love. I have been there in those situations. When Blake pinned me after Selena kicked me in the face, people were disappointed, I was upset, I knew I had to come back out the following weeks and prove a point, I won the World Championship. Now it’s your turn. Shut them up, Peyton.”
Peyton: “You have helped me so much in this, it’s the reason why I have been so motivated to do so. Thank you so much, without you, I don’t know if I could have pulled it off and….”
Before she could finish her sentence, J-Dilly walks in, he too fresh off his victory earlier in the night over Cent much to the chagrin of Kelcey….
J-Dilly: “There she is! The most beautiful Champ in the world!”
Peyton giggles, Kelcey is not amused as the young Champ stands up and gets a hug from Dillinger who makes eye contact with Kelcey….
J-Dilly: “I never doubted you for a moment. We taught them. I beat Cent in your honor and softened him up for you at Invasion.”
Peyton: “You were awesome out there, J-Dilly.”
J-Dilly: “Because of you! So how about we celebrate?”
Peyton: “Yeah, I…..”
Kelcey cuts in…..
Kelcey: “She has an early flight to catch, needs to get back to see her father. I’m sure you two can get together and “celebrate” in the next three weeks.”
Dillinger’s eyes narrow, he knows that Kelcey could become a problem…..
Peyton: “She’s right and I need to listen to my coach. But hey, once I get back to SoCal next week, you’re on, okay?”
J-Dilly: “You got it, I mean, we cannot deny the world of a celebration from two people like us, right?”
Peyton: “Right! You are so funny, J-Dilly.”
Dillinger and Kelcey again lock eyes before he turns to Peyton, smiles and hugs her again, the man who looks chiseled out of stone walks out, Peyton turns to Kelcey and tilts her head….
Peyton: “He’s a good guy you know.”
Kelcey: “Be careful with him Peyton, he is one man that I just do not trust. I’m sorry if you disagree, I know a thing or two about men and their intentions, love.”
Peyton: “Hey, I promise, I will be fine. Okay?”
Kelcey: “I know you will.
Peyton isn’t who Kelcey is worried about, it was Jason Dillinger. And with what happened on EMERGE 5, this Zero character and others running their mouth and taking the law into their own hands, she was not taking any chances on the young Champion.
Last Week
Downtown LA.
The music was playing loud, Peyton sipped her drink and continued to text Ricky, shaking her head. They were supposed to meet there and have a night out. Both had taken a break from their relationship but recently with Ricky signing with Laura Steinbeck, a move Peyton really was not thrilled with, the two seemed to be going separate ways. She finally swallowed the rest of her drink, grabbed her phone and walked out the side door into the alleyway where she called him….
Peyton: “Ricky, what are you talking about?”
Ricky: “I didn’t think this was going to upset you but lately you have been distant, we haven’t hung out much, I needed a break from the ring, Laura made a nice bargain.”
Peyton: “Laura Steinbeck is one of the best in Fashion, she is a genius, but she is also in wrestling and doing what she thinks is right which is all wrong. Ricky, that is not who we are, you know that.”
Ricky: “Then who are we Peyton? I have been trying to warn you about things and you won’t listen. You almost were paralyzed, I was attacked, it seems like you think everything can be settled in the ring.”
Peyton: “I cannot believe you are saying this right now. I needed a break from us because we were moving in separate directions. Have I made bad decisions lately? Yes, I have, yet I am still trying to figure yours out.”
Ricky: “Pey, there is nothing to figure out, it’s a good opportunity and I’m going to take it. We can discuss it later, okay?”
She rolled her eyes in disappointment, saying nothing before finally muttering the word….
Peyton: “Fine.”
Ricky: “Sorry I can’t make it, tell Jason I’m sorry too.”
Peyton: “He’s not here either, I’m probably heading back home. Talk to you later.”
Ricky: “Pey…”
She hangs up the phone, lowering her head and covering her face for a second as her eyes start to swell up. Upset, she doesn’t realize the man walking up to her….
Man: “Excuse me….”
Peyton turns around…..
Peyton: “Yes?”
Before she can respond the man dressed in all black wearing a mask drives his forearm into her neck and drives the back of Peyton’s head on the wall knocking her semi-conscious. He quickly tries to grab her pants and rip off her belt…..
Peyton: “Hel…..”
Smothering her mouth, he rams her head into the wall one more time this time causing her eyes to roll to the back of her head as she tried to fight consciousness. Her phone drops from her hand…..
Man: “First I’m going to take your money, then I’m going to take you bitch.”
Peyton: “Fuc…..”
Before Peyton can finish the sentence, he tries to ram his head into her pants when suddenly from behind Jason Dillinger shows up, he grabs him from behind, letting go of Peyton she crumbles to the floor. J0-Dilly punches the man in the gut and throws him into a dumpster. Peyton’s green eyes narrow as she watches what is happening. The man gets up and starts to run, J-Dilly chases him off before quickly going to Peyton, scooping her up in his arms…..
J-Dilly: “Are you okay!? Pey!?”
Peyton: “I’m okay …… “
Lying her head on his shoulders, she goes a bit limp as he grabs her phone and quickly scurries out and to his car.
An Hour Later
Peyton’s eyes slowly open, se finds herself on the couch, bare foot and without her jacket. She starts to get up noticing J-Dilly in dress slacks, shirt and shoes tending to her wounds with a glass of water in hand….
Peyton: “Did I pass out?”
J-Dilly: “He hit your head pretty hard on the wall. You were out for maybe an hour. I checked your eyes, you don’t have a concussion.”
Peyton: “J-Dilly… to the rescue again.”
He helps her sit up, gingerly holding the water to her lips, so she may sip some. She smiles, feeling comfortable with J-Dilly, thankful that he was there at the right time….
Peyton: “He snuck up on me, I should have known better. I was arguing with Ricky, oblivious to everything else.”
J-Dilly: “Everything okay?”
Peyton: “No. The last thing I need is an injury before Invasion. Thank you, J-Dilly.”
J-Dilly: “I’ll always be there for you Peyton, you know that.”
Peyton: “I know…. You always are there to protect me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it.”
J-Dilly: “Deserve it? You stuck with me and defended who I was when others wouldn’t give me a chance. You are everything that brings out the good in me, I don’t need to be the Man of the Century around you.”
Peyton: “You never will and yet I need to stop being the damsel in distress, it’s getting embarrassing.”
J-Dilly: “Stop Peyton, you will never be embarrassing around me. These things happen, creeps see a beautiful woman in an alleyway, they try to take advantage of a situation. I…. “
Their eyes lock, she can see how sincere he is being right now. Maybe it’s the injury or even caught in the moment. Listening to the criticisms of others has finally taken its toll. Peyton doesn’t lead anyone on, they are like best friends and yet….
It’s the moment, the argument with Ricky, all that has happened the last four months, she feels herself getting closer to J-Dilly as their lips lock for a kiss that last a few seconds and feel like an eternity. Her eyes open and she backs up, feeling maybe it was a mistake….
Peyton: “I’m sorry…. I shouldn’t have done that.”
J-Dilly: “No… no it’s fine.”
Peyton: “It’s not fine J-Dilly. With everything that has been happening, I was caught up in the moment. I can’t have anymore distractions…. And I’m not feeling so hot.”
J-Dilly: “Lay down, sleep.”
Peyton: “I should go home.”
J-Dilly: “Peyton, please?”
She could tell that Jason wasn’t going to take NO for an answer. Peyton slowly nods, holding his hand, she lays back and closes her eyes. He gets up and grabs a blanket, covering her up, brushing a few strands of hair from her face as she falls fast asleep. Dillinger leans in and kisses her again….
J-Dilly: “I love you.”
After saying that, he stands up, walks over to the table, grabs his phone and an envelope and quietly walks out, closing the door behind him, leaving Peyton asleep on the couch. He steps outside to the back of the house where a man stands there waiting, he is dressed in black, it is Alistair Taylor, the attacker….
Alistair: “Good show mate, you got a bit intense, I…..”
Dillinger drops him with a crushing right hook. Taylor quickly gets up and jumps in his face….
J-Dilly: “You were supposed to scare her NOT hurt her! F you ever lay your hands, on Peyton again and not do what you are paid to do, I will break you in half! She’s already had head injuries thanks to Mika! She’s up there right now asleep and not in my arms because of you!”
Alistair: “Let me tell you something mate, you want this bird to fall in love with you, yes? Guess what, lad? You can’t make an omelet without cracking some eggs. She was arguing with Ricky on the phone, my timing was impeccable, so you can get upset all you want, bottom line? I helped you there. I was watching, I saw you two kiss, I call it progress. Now give me my fucking money.”
Begrudgingly, Dillinger slaps the envelope in his hands. The two have a stare down before Jason gets right up to his face….
J-Dilly: “Don’t hurt her again.”
Taylor just smirks before nodding and walking away. Dillinger watches as he leaves before going back into the house. Peyton is there still asleep on the couch, he looks at her phone on top of the coffee table, Kelcey is trying to call her, he doesn’t answer and instead he sits on the couch, lifting her feet on putting them on his lap knowing the Perfect Ten will be the next obstacle in his plan….
But for now, he’ll enjoy his time with the woman he loves, Peyton….
Even if things did get a little out of hand.
SCENE FADES
REC:
“I have lived with doubt all my life. Since I was a little girl, there were many times where all I ever heard was I couldn’t do this or that. I was too cute, not big enough, maybe I should just model like the rest of the girls do, right? Wrong. For the last few months and since becoming the EMERGE Champion all the criticism resurfaced. First, the way I won the title, it wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair, I’m no real champion, it should have never happened that way. The second, being pinned in a tag team match by Kandis thanks to Dylan Cent, attacked afterwards by Mika and laid out…..
And while Dylan Cent, Kandis, Dexter Schmidt and others continue to question me as Champion, I use it as the fuel to the fire which burns bright. I look at my father for inspiration, I watch Kelcey Wallace and the things she has done, you want to be an SCW Superstar again Dylan? Watch her matches and learn something. I’m a student of the game, I will make mistakes, things will not always go easy and at Invasion LA, in my backyard, the City I call home, I get to once again silence all the doubters like I did at EMERGE 7 when I beat Kandis, proving to everyone what I already knew….
I can beat her, I can beat Dylan, I can defeat anyone on this roster.
Dylan, you may be stumbling a little, overlooking what J-Dilly can do, that’s always been your problem, massive inflated ego of yours which thinks it’s better than the rest of us. This is your chance not to just prove that I am a fake champion, this is your chance to prove that you can BE a Champion in EMERGE…
And I promise sir, you won’t.
Kandis went into EMERGE 7 confident, she gave me the match of my life and at Invasion LA?
I expect nothing less from you, Mr. Cent.
Let’s see just who the real fraud is, Centerpiece.”
/REC
Ray: “I watched what happened on TV, I talked to Ricky, I even called EMERGE, I didn’t know what was going on, I took the first plane here, I wish you would have come straight to Arizona instead and since I knew you wouldn’t thinking that I would be worried? Well, I came here.”
Peyton Rice 