THE ROCK AND THE HARD PLACE
Peyton Rice was having major success in the Television Championship Division, the young former EMERGE Champion was known to keep titles when she won them, like she did before stepping foot into the SCW on the next chapter of her career. She has seen the competition get tougher and tougher, which in turn has helped in establishing her as a hot young star and the future of the company. With the death of Ricky Octavius, Peyton had changed, becoming more focused and really concentrating on her wrestling. Deep down inside she was hurting and dealing with the death in her own way. Lucky for her there were a few people there for support, two of them were Alistaire Allocco, a man that she had quite a unique friendship with but didn’t know where she stood with him on anything other than being cozy. The other was Owen Cruze, the young man that had been friends for a few years now.
Owen and Ricky were also very close, that brought him and Peyton together.
After RTG XVI, Peyton continued to defend the Television Championship, Alistaire went on to win the World Title. Owen Cruze was successful too at RTG XVI, he and Kennedy Street defeated Chris Cannon and Sienna Swann. Now Owen was gifted a chance at the World Championship where Peyton found herself in the middle of a huge match between both men and stuck between a rock and a hard place. Peyton tried to keep it cool, becoming a liaison, a bridge between both competitors who have faced each other in the past and didn’t have kind things to say when it came to each other. Peyton knew about their past and was ready to bring the gap closer between two of the top competitors in all the SCW.
Everything came to a head after Breakdown.
After Breakdown
Bar 32
Cleveland, OH.
Peyton had invited Alistaire Allocco to go out for drinks, it seemed like Adam Allocco was starting to convince his son that Owen Cruze was starting to move in on “his girl” and that Alistaire needed to do something about it. Peyton had also invited Owen to come alone, just for an innocent night out where they could all get along, she wanted them to bond in her own mind and at least have a friendly rivalry. There was nothing friendly about it when it came to Adam, he was more concerned with his son retaining and while what Peyton was trying to do was not vindictive in any way, Adam wasn’t going to allow it without planting a seed. Peyton and Owen went to Bar 32, she waited for Ali to arrive. Wearing jeans and a red halter top, matching peep toe pumps with her sandy blonde hair hanging down and nails polished white, the gorgeous TV Champion sat across the Number One Contender for the World Championship, Owen Cruze in jeans, a long short sleeve designer shirt and sneakers. Peyton had a glass of wine, Owen wasn’t old enough to drink, he had a sweet iced tea. Peyton looked at her watch….
Owen: “Is he even coming?”
Peyton: “Of course he is, Ali wouldn’t miss this, at least I think he wouldn’t. It’s tough for me that you two are going up against each other but at the same time I think it’s super cool that you get a shot at the World Championship and he IS the World Champion. I hope nothing but the best and if a little friendly night out means some bonding time, then why not, right?”
Owen: “Yeah, I guess so.”
Peyton: “Owen, come on. He is a good guy. He’s changed a lot since he first started here and even since your last match. Ali is misunderstood at times. I see it. I think you just need to give him a chance. I know that deep in my heart, you two can go out there and Main Event Apocalypse and give everyone a match to remember. Either he stays Champion, or you come out as the youngest champion of all time, something must give, right?”
Owen: “If you put it that way, sure. Pey, you know that I care about you, I’m just trying to be protective here, maybe a little over-protective.”
She chuckles a little, sipping her glass of wine….
Peyton: “Protective to the point that people think something is going on between us? Because that is how it looks at time. They think we are a thing and well…. I don’t know.”
Owen: “You don’t want Ali to think there is, right?”
Peyton: “Well… yeah. I have this feeling Jaina already thinks there is with Bree feeding it into her, but I am only speculating from the tweets I have seen. I know it’s over between you two but I can’t help to think that’s what they are assuming….. and I don’t think you seem to care.”
Owen: “At this point? No. Let them think what they want Pey, I can’t do anything to convince anyone otherwise. As for Ali, be straight with me, what is going on between you two?”
Peyton: “Owen…. I don’t know. I mean, I like him, and I know he likes me but it’s weird.”
This time Owen chuckles a little and sips his tea….
Peyton: “What?”
Owen: “Okay, don’t take this the wrong way, I am being truthful here, you are a catch. You have everything that a guy would want in a girl. Now, how we first met and how I have gotten to know you for me its different, I see you as my older sister. I guess what I am saying is that I don’t know if he deserves you Pey and I know that it sounds wrong because I am judging him but even you don’t know what is going on.”
Peyton: “I get it Owen, there will never be a better guy for me than Ricky.”
Owen: “Well Basically….”
He lowers his head and nods….
Owen: “Yeah…. Basically.”
Peyton: “Owen, listen to me, okay. I love Ricky and will always have a special place in my heart for him. I at some point have to let go, if I don’t, I can never grow as a person or myself. I think about him every night, like right now I know that he is laughing at us as we speak. God, I miss him so much and the guilt I feel doesn’t go away easily. There is nothing more that I want then to see him smile again and tell him how sorry I was for not trusting hm. I can’t though stay in this holding pattern, if I do, I will drive myself mad.”
Owen: “I know that, and I would never expect you to. Ricky was just the perfect guy for you, I don’t think at least in my eyes there will be anyone else. That is the measuring stick. I’m sorry that I feel this way. Look, Pey, I don’t hate Ali, I guess what I am trying to say is, I don’t trust him either and his pops? That fella is bad news, I reckon you know that already.”
Peyton: “Mr. Allocco can be a bit crass, yes. I believe in Ali though, I’m his friend, he’s mine, while Mr. Allocco is a huge influence on, I still feel like Ali is his own person if that makes sense. When he gets here you will see, I feel comfortable around Ali, safe. It’s how I feel when I am around you.”
Owen blushes a little, Peyton smiles when she receives a call, she turns and grabs her phone and answers it, excusing herself….
Peyton: “It’s Ali, I’ll be right back.”
Owen: “No worries.”
Peyton gets up and walks right outside to the sidewalk…..
Peyton: “Hey… you almost here?”
Alistaire: “Hey Pey, I’m not going to make it.”
Peyton: “Wait… is everything okay?”
Alistaire: “Yeah… yeah… everything is fine, I just don’t feel well. I need to get back to the hotel and rest.”
Peyton: “Ali… tell me the truth, you were fine forty-five minutes ago.”
Alistaire: “You and Owen have fun.”
Peyton: “Ali?’
Alistaire: “Yeah Pey?”
Peyton: “I really want you to come out, I would never question that you are sick, but I don’t think that is the case here. Is this because of Owen?”
There is silence on the other line for a second, then Alistaire responds…
Alistaire: “No, seriously, just tired and not feeling up to it. I’ll call you in the morning.”
Peyton: “Alright. Take care of yourself.”
Alistaire: “Yes, you too.”
He hangs up. Peyton stares at her phone for a minute before letting out a sigh and standing on the sidewalk a bit annoyed. She knows that there is nothing wrong with Alistaire, he just doesn’t want to go out with her and Owen being there. Peyton places the phone back in her jean pocket and walks inside. Still very sore from her match with Ikiro Yoshida, she sits back down, Owen obviously knows that something is wrong….
Owen: “He’s not coming.”
Peyton: “Nope.”
Owen could see the disappointment in her eyes that teared up a little, Peyton when she is upset is a very emotional person. She grabbed her glass of wine and took a big sip as Owen grabbed her hand and at least tried to make her smile….
It worked.
SCENE FADES
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL
The Scene Opens…
The Lincoln Memorial is an American national memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, DC. across from the Washington Monument. The architect was Henry Bacon; the designer of the primary statue of Abraham Lincoln, 1920 was Daniel Chester French; the Lincoln statue was carved by the Piccirilli Brothers; and the painter of the interior murals was Jules Guerin. Dedicated in May 1922, it is one of several memorials built to honor an American president. It has always been a major tourist attraction and since the 1930s has been a symbolic center focused on race relations.
The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address. The memorial has been the site of many famous speeches, including Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, during the rally at the end of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Like other monuments on the National Mall, including the nearby Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and National World War II Memorial, the memorial is administered by the National Park Service under its National Mall and Memorial Parks group. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 15, 1966 and was ranked seventh on the American Institute of Architects 2007 list of America’s Favorite Architecture. The memorial is open to the public 24 hours a day, and more than seven million people visit it annually.
Here is where we find the beautiful, SCW Television Champion, Peyton Rice, a young woman whop has been on a roll since winning the title months ago. She has slowly seen her competition rise, now faces a former World Champion in Damian Angel, a very dangerous and unpredictable man who has done it all in the SCW. This maybe one of the toughest if not the toughest challenges for Peyton and her young career as she will be in the ring with a man that has no remorse or care in the world and would do anything to hurt Peyton and take the TV Championship away. The young upstart knows that, she has fought some tough opponents in EMERGE who didn’t care for what she stood for. They may not had been as evil as Damian, but she can stand up for herself long as she doesn’t fall under the pressure of winning.
Wearing ripped designer jeans and a loose white blouse, thong sandals with her nails polished white and long sandy blonde hair hanging down. The TV Title is on her shoulder, wearing sunglasses, looking out at the Mall in the Nation’s Capital while sitting at the top step of the Lincoln Memorial. Peyton is ready for the challenge as the camera begins to record…
REC:
The gorgeous Arizona native starts to speak in her sexy and cute girl voice….
“The Nation’s Capital, sitting here on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, thinking about the freedoms that have been given to us and how this country is so divided, I feel a sense of pride and yet sadness at the same time. There is no better place to be, I firmly believe it, though things have been crazy not only in the real world but that of professional wrestling as well. The Television Championship is still with me after I defeated Ikiro Yoshida last week in one of the toughest matches I have ever had in the SCW so far. To come away with a victory was pretty awesome. It is also a good feeling to see those that work hard get rewarded like Owen Cruze and Alistaire Allocco. Two people that are dear to my heart and will Main Event at Apocalypse.
Now, while I am not part of the PPV Card, I pretty much have myself a PPV match on Breakdown tomorrow night against a former World Champion and a man who IS on the PPV card against the very dangerous, Datura who had a memorable feud with Regan Street, that being Damian Angel. When in Ante Up, there were many wrestlers we studied, watched and even feared, Damian Angle was always one of them. Damian has done it all in the SCW, won Taking Hold of the Flame, been at the top, the guy continues to be a thorn in the side of many and while he may have lost to Konrad Raab, the truth is, Damian Angel can beat anyone at any time, he practically calls his own shots. The TV Title too is a bit enticing for a man like him who was beaten by Manvel to take the belt after he was attacked before the match.
Looking at this, this match is very intimidating to me.
I can freely admit I am a bit nervous BUT had this happened months ago, I don’t know if I would have stood a chance of beating him. This time I do, and you know why? This Championship right here. This title has given me the confidence each and every week to grow more and more into my role here in the SCW. After seven title defenses, I fell that I can take on anyone and have a good chance of winning. I’m not arrogant, I know how dangerous Damian Angel is and what he could do to me. I can’t say that I am ready for his onslaught, all I can do is go in there and do what I do best….
Wrestle.”
Peyton turns to the title, she knows that it saved her sanity, it made her refocus on what was important. Peyton is a fighting champion; the young woman has a good head on her shoulders and is willing to do whatever she can to be on the look out for a dangerous and unpredictable Damian Angel. She looks out at the mall; the Lincoln Memorial is the backdrop while she speaks…
“I know the history of Damian Angel in the ring, I also know it outside the ring. Kennedy Street and Jonathan Knots now take care of his daughter. Sonia has changed Kennedy’s life for the better and I see her face glowing every time she talks about her. Kennedy might be off to Hollywood and starting her movie career for the time being, but I see how the Damian influence can be such a powerful entity that no one is ever truly safe from him. I believe in Heaven and Hell, never really come off as a religious person because at times it is hard to keep the faith when life is always throwing the kitchen sink at you. If I didn’t then I don’t know where Ricky would be right now, and I refuse to think he is anywhere but heaven. Damian, I respect your in-ring ability, I know that you are one of the best in the business and could probably throw me around like a rag doll. I have to believe in my abilities, I don’t like your approach, all this “Devil” stuff is downright scary but if I allow you to get in my head before I even step in the ring then you have already won sir. Maybe when I first started here, I would have but Kelcey Wallace has faced you, she told me just how unique and deranged you were.
I wish she was here right now, if anything just to talk to her, pick her brain, have my best friend and mentor back…..
… right now it is about the TV Championship. Damian Angel, I can tell you this much, I am not a fortune teller and I certainly will never predict the future. This TV Title right now means the world to me, it is the reason I fight and one day, I will lose it, maybe to you, I don’t know. What I do know is that if you are going to walk away as the TV Champion, you better bring you’re A-Game sir. As I continue to climb up the ranks, I see now some of the best coming out to take what I have….
And this is why I love wrestling.
I look forward to tomorrow night, this will be another gauge into just how far I have come in recent months. The devil wants to dance?
Well, let me go ahead and pick a song….
So that he knows after tomorrow night in the Nation’s Capital?
That Peyton Rice isn’t just another “Pretty” face.”
With an infectious smile, Peyton holds up the TV Title, brushing her hair back and ready to talk on the Devil himself in a match that will prove she is ready for the big time? Or she has a lot more work to do. Ask Peyton….
And she will tell you, there is no better time to be ready for the Devil than now.
FADE TO BLACK
/REC
Peyton Rice 