Diary Entry
7.22.2020
I keep on getting this sinking feeling that everything around me that has to do with my engagement sees, to be falling apart. I want to trust Alistaire in what he does and the decisions made, but I continue to get this notion that he is moving on without me being a part of it and I am just supposed to be okay with that? How does any of that make sense? I wish that things were different, of course, and maybe I am part to blame for all of this, as I have a tendency of allowing people to walk all over me but at what point do I finally say enough is enough? It’s already pretty stressful knowing the challenges I have ahead of me. I have never seen Glory Braddock more focused than I do now. I watched her beat Kelsai Adamson-Mason earlier tonight, and that was scary, to know just what she wants to do with me, the last thing I needed is to be worked up and caught up into this crap.
I keep telling myself that things are going to work out for the best, that Ali is going to do good and that I am simply overreacting. I wish I were though, because there are times, I want to cry about this. It’s not fair to me either, I don’t think he realizes how much he is hurting me right now, and thinks it is okay or he is just making dumb choices. There is no one here that wants to make this work more than me, but come on, seriously? I want to talk to my dad about it, but I don’t think I am even there yet with him as we continue to crawl back from the argument, we had back over me working for that escort service. I want to confide in him, but don’t know if it is the right time.
What am I going to do? I need to fix this, and I am wishing upon a star here, Ali needs to see my side of things too, but this is not about my life, this is about wrestling too.
I don’t know.
I really don’t.
I’m going to sleep, and hope tomorrow is a better day.
XOXO
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
PROLOGUE: THE BEGINNING OF THE END
Life itself seemed to be good for Peyton Rice, the young and beautiful Adrenaline Champion was beginning to see that all her trials and tribulations were beginning to become a thing of the past. There were a few instances situations that Peyton fell into, and didn’t come out on top, but that was all part of the learning process, in an attempt to continue growing into her new role as both Adrenaline Champion and a role model that many girls could look up to. As Peyton continued to make her climb up the rankings, her mentor and manager, sometimes mother figure because her real mother was not always in the picture, Kelcey Wallace became the anchor to Peyton Rice, she was her guardian angel, and for Kelcey it was more than that, a way to repay Pey for being there for her while last year she lay in a coma. Peyton Rice now had to face Glory Braddock, a woman that is practically a legend and who could easily take the Addy title from Peyton, who has found her niche, and is riding it high but there are things that sometimes you cannot control and one of them was the wedding plans she had with Alistaire Allocco, her fiancé.
Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned.
It was a slow boil for Peyton, she was starting to see things that bothered her more and more, at first, they were cute nuances, nothing that can be seen as a deal breaker, she accepted them and considered it part of the package, where she never expected Ali to change, but she did expect for him to evolve from that and understand marriage was a two way street. It doesn’t always go the way you planned unfortunately and for Peyton and Alistaire, the engagement was cut off. It was Peyton’s decision, it could be seen as rash, or not thinking things through, but for Peyton, maybe it was all about that, and all she was waiting was for the trigger to finally give her the chance to react…
And react she did.
Breakdown
July 15. 2020
Washington DC.
Peyton found out her opponent for Rise To Greatness was Glory Braddock, and afterwards she had some things to say about the young upstart and the Adrenaline Champion. Peyton knew that Glory was not only one of her toughest challenges, she was a woman that could beat anyone at any time, and the circle of friends she kept, was one that could play a part on this too as they were never fans of Kelcey Wallace, the mentor of Peyton. The gorgeous Rice was also concerned about Alistaire and his match with Matt Hodges. Alistaire though at times had been acting distant, it was starting to build up slowly with Peyton. Alistaire was doing his own thing, whether that was intentional or not was a different story. After Breakdown, Peyton wasn’t tired, she instead slipped her feet into a pair of white sneakers, threw on some jean shorts and a cute halter top, put her hair in a ponytail and walked out on her own to the Lincoln Memorial. There she walked up the stairs, her long nails with the white polish text quickly, she was talking to Kelcey and smiled some, before sitting down at the stairs, enjoying the scenery of the bright lights illuminating the nations capital. After a few minutes, she saw Kelcey walking up, she was in jeans, thong sandals and a black blouse, her long hair was also ion a ponytail and nails polished a matte lavender. Peyton was thinking back to the week before, when she was having a blast with Jennifer Helms and Kelcey Wallace….
Buying a wedding dress…
Beverly Hills Bridal
Beverly Hills, CA.
One Week Ago
Peyton was so excited, this was her chance to start shopping for a wedding dress, even though her and Alistaire seemed to be having some issues. He was really messing up, not showing up on time to places, getting involved in other things and not really being able to spend time with his fiancé. There were other times when she felt he was cold, hiding things, but she wanted to keep believing, to know that her and Alistaire were still strong. Calling venues and getting quotes, she was setting up meetings with them, but wanted Ali to be a part of it, the wedding dress was different. Peyton stood in the dressing room looking at the four dresses she picked, looking at the price tags, she felt a knot in her stomach wondering if she overstepped her boundaries, as it was the suggestion of Jennifer and Kelcey to come here, it was the best in the area. In her underwear, nails polished white, Peyton put on the first, a form fitting straight long dress with no train. She stepped out; the sales representative was talking to Kelcey as Jennifer’s eyes widen….
Jennifer: “OH MY GOD! Get out of here, seriously! Kelcey!
Peyton: “Jenni, stop you’re embarrassing me.”
Jennifer: “Embarrassing you, uh how!? You are like one of the most beautiful women in the world and Alistaire has no idea what he has right now, lemme tell you girl! Seriously that dress is all you, and I am loving it all!
Kelcey turned to look at me, Jennifer had already made It aware to everyone in the entire city of Beverly Hills that the dress looked good one me. I did think it was cute, I really liked it for what it was, and I would love to wear something so simple and elegant like this, really shows off my curves, but a ten thousand dollar price tag is way too stiff…..
Kelcey: “That is incredible, I haven’t seen you in any of the other dresses but that one is just stunning. Try the next one on, but I think that Jennifer and I can both agree that this type of dress is probably what you want to go with. I had a train in mine, a vail, it was all crazy, but I loved it. What do you think, Peyton?”
Peyton: “I love the dress, there is no question about it.”
Kelcey: “Do you even want to try a new dress?”
Peyton: “Can I talk to you for a second?”
Kelcey: “Sure love.”
Jennifer was just turning nineteen, I don’t know as a super model and EMERGE Champion would she understand the value of a dollar, the Helms are loaded and though Regan doesn’t flaunt her money, she doesn’t wear Walmart or Marshall’s either. We stepped away, Jennifer was seen talking to the sales rep, as I was kinda of embarrassed to bring this up but had to anyway….
Peyton: “Kelcey, I can’t afford this dress. I mean, I make a decent living wrestling for the SCW and being a champion and all, but an over 10K price tag is too much, and this was one of the cheapest, I saw a dress in the dressing room that was over 30K, I mean, we can go to David’s Bridal, I can get a nice dress for a maybe 2 grand the most?”
Kelcey: “This is your special day, right? Then do not worry about it. I hope that you only get married once, but that first wedding for both of you is going to be extra special. Don’t worry about the price tag.”
Peyton: “I have to, I don’t think I can afford this, I send half my earnings to my dad to support him right now, disability is chump change. I need to think about that. And ….”
Kelcey: “I wasn’t going to tell you this, I am paying for your wedding.”
Wait, what!?
Peyton: “Uh… wait, no! Heck no, Kelcey there is no w3ay that I am going to let you pay for my wedding, no way.”
Kelcey: “I am, this is my way of repaying you for everything you have done for me. When I was in a coma, you were there, when I was lost, you were there, when I was drunk, watching old wedding videos, you took care of me, Peyton, you’re like the daughter I always wanted, I am not going to allow you to have a wedding and have to worry about expenses, this is also not up for discussion, period.”
Peyton: “I can’t accept.”
Kelcey: “You are going to accept, love. It is already done, I have taken out the funds, and I am not taking NO for an answer. Now come on, we have a lot of things to do, and getting you the perfect dress is one of them.”
Peyton: “I think I found it, yeah it was the only one I tried but I really like this dress a lot. I just can’t believe you would do that….”
Kelcey: “I have no problem at all doing that for my protégé and daughter, besides, you should be gleaming with happiness, do not let all the other stuff bother you so much, alright? Just worry about this. We have Rise to Greatness, and so much more going on, it is going to be an exciting time, alright?”
I couldn’t answer back anything else, I mean she pretty much already drew the line in the sand, so I had to abide by the rules. Nodding, I smiled because I was so appreciative of what she did, and that alone was enough to make my day. Maybe this was going off without a hitch who knows, but one thing I do know., I am really excited about it. Walking back into the dressing area, I smiled….
Peyton: “I’ll take this one.”
Jennifer: “It is amazing! See? Easy shopper.”
Sales Rep: “I will get her measurements.”
Jennifer: “I am so excited for you, seriously I am. Sometimes you find the dress and then the dress finds you, I think this one found you babe.”
Peyton: “Yeah, I think you’re right, I really believe it did, I am really excited.”
Kelcey: “We all are.”
It was a nice happy moment, helped me forget about all the negativity in the SCW. The Wonderland and Owen, what they did to Kelcey, Matt Hodges and Ali, the whole thing with me and Glory Braddock, sometimes it is extremely therapeutic to just be able and get away from everything. And now all I hope is that this wedding goes off without a hitch…..
Breakdown
July 15. 2020
Washington DC.
Peyton saw Kelcey approach her, as se sat down next to her, taking out a couple of waters, handing her one. Peyton nods and takes a sip….
Kelcey: “It’s a little humid out here love, I mean, I don’t mind DC, the monuments, the sites but when the bottom of my feet are already sticking to my sandals and I just showered? Yeah it is hot.”
Peyton: “I am sorry, I didn’t know who else to turn to. I am not very good at relationships and you seem to be the expert in them.”
Kelcey: “Look where I am currently, I am not an expert either.”
Peyton: “Okay Ms. Every Guy in the SCW wants to marry you.”
Kelcey: “That is not true….. okay maybe one. What are we getting at here?”
Peyton: “I normally would have just gone to your room, but I know you value privacy and on top of that, with everything going on with Owen, he needs your attention more than anyone.”
She could tell something was wrong, Kelcey Wallace has facial expressions for every mood she is in. This one I think is a mix of curiosity and worry. I didn’t want to alarm her, but after everything that had been going on lately with Ali, I was starting to get concerned, and it was more than maybe I was looking for reassurance from a trusted voice.
Kelcey: “I always have time for you, Peyton. What is going on? Is it Alistaire?”
Peyton: “Yeah, it is. When I first started dated him, he did these quirky little nuances, I thought they were cute, different, I respected his space, I knew that we were never going to have sexual intercourse while not married. For me I was fine with that, I liked him that much. But then, those nuances, he would stop for a moment, and then they would come back, or he started doing things like a single guy does that doesn’t have a girlfriend, like go out without letting me know where he went, he decided to go do something one night with family, I had no clue, and he then told me afterwards. Lately he has been going back to Rochester and I have been asking him to let me go with him, as his stepdad passed, I wanted to be there, but when it comes to anything his family, he shuts me out and now it is starting to become aggravating. It’s not cute anymore, Kelcey, he doesn’t get that he thinks and I’m sorry or that I am overreacting is okay, not it is NOT okay. It is starting to build up to the point that I am wondering if I should even get married and be stuck with it.”
Kelcey: “Let me ask you a question, first. Has he given you any explanation as to why he doesn’t want you going to Rochester?”
Peyton: “After I confronted him, he told me that he was having problems with his family, and they wanted nothing to do with him. I don’t know if that is true or not, I always believe Ali, I trust him, hoping that is isn’t lying to me in anyway, but I don’t know. He lives with Claire Bailey, his “Personal Trainer” and friend. I live with Owen, not really my place to chastise him, right?”
Kelcey: “Wrong. He knows Owen, he also knows that Owen is dating a beautiful former model and champion wrestler, if he thinks for one second that is the same thing, it is not. We don’t know this Claire, where she came from, who she is, you have a right to be concerned and ask questions, lover, you’re his fiancé and that is your ultimate right.”
Peyton: “Well, I don’t know, he gets very ruffled and upset, nervous and is not a very good liar so I have that going for me. It’s just weird, his father is a jerk, the rest of his family I have no idea who they are, I had Russian mafia drug and kidnap me just for Adam to act like a hero and impress his son, while they were ready to cut my finger off. I don’t know what I am getting myself into. Maybe I am trying to hard….”
Kelcey: “Too hard for what?”
Over the past few weeks, I had recognized that there was something I wasn’t telling myself, and instead trying to deny it. I was always an emotional person and it’s no secret that I have been riding that train for quite some time. Ali was the guy I fell in love with, but I had to ask myself, one question, was I trying to make him a void I was missing. He treats me great, but there is a reason that everything started to come crashing down. I could be overstating things, maybe even overreacting, at this point, I didn’t know….
Peyton: “… to make things work? This could be so totally unfair for Ali but at the same time, it’s not fair to me. I want to be a part of his life; I want to share moments with him. I went to get some quotes ad brochures from venues, I have a stack full of them along with caterers, wedding cake decorators, photographers, and florists. I want him to be with me on those, but it seems like he is off on his own doing his own thing and well…. It… I don’t know.”
Kelcey: “It hurts.”
I knew thinking about it, I was going to get emotional, my eyes started to swell up, the last thing I wanted to do was cry but here I am. I quickly dried my eyes, but Kelcey handed me a little hanky., I took it, and collected myself. I don’t want to cry about this, because deep down inside I believe in him, but the more it happens, the more I am becoming numb to it all…..
Kelcey: “Peyton, you need to talk to him. You need to tell him exactly how you feel and have it out. The last thing you want to do is marry a man that is already making you feel like this. You should be certain, Ready for anything, and that is why these little nuances and problems need to be dealt with now and not later. They will only get worse and that is the last thing I want to see.”
Peyton: “I know. I just….. I am not sure anymore, Kelcey.”
Kelcey: “Then if you have your doubts, talk to him first and do not go through with it. Right now you should be concentrating on the biggest title defense of your career, Glory Braddock is one of the best, I have watched her for years, and Alistaire needs to be focusing on Hodges. Maybe I will talk to him and….”
Peyton: “No…. please don’t.”
Kelcey: “Peyton, I am worried about you, alright, I don’t want any of this to just spring up and go sour quickly, that is not productive here. This is a huge event, we need to stay focused, alright? Talk to him, hash it out before next weekend, that way you have one less thing clouding your mind, alright?”
I finally mustered the courage to admit something to Kelcey, and this could be why all of a sudden, I am taking less and less, as I just can’t keep having this happen to me…
Peyton: “Can I ask you something and then give you a thought I had?”
Kelcey: “Always love.”
Peyton: “Have you ever compared your other relationships with other men you have been with?”
Kelcey: “I think we all do to a certain extent. I mean Chris, Scott, and Blake, I’ll use them for examples since they have been my last relationships. Chris was always strong and steadfast, he was a man that took charge when needed and had a sense when to do it right, he was a very good husband until all that stuff with Sienna went down. The downside, is Chris was easily hurt, he had a tough exterior but could be easily insulted or felt betrayed, and I think that was our downfall, I never really thought about my words and just said them, which ended up being a pretty fatal blow to our relationship. Scott is a very intelligent man, a gentle giant who is always thinking. He likes to be in control of things but when he loses them, it rattles him some, Chris didn’t get rattled, but the opposite, Chris wasn’t an analyst like his brother, he went right into something, never thinking about the consequence. Blake is a different kind of guy altogether. I call him the “Trial by Error”. Blake likes to settle, he is okay with something comfortable and easy, if it fits his lifestyle he takes it and adjusts, the only problem with that, is sooner or later, he realizes that this was not for him, but what I will say about Blake is this, he stands his grounds and ideals. Whether they are right or wrong, he is also very chivalrous, coming to the rescue, but see Peyton, every man you date has their upside and downside. One will be different than the other, it is a natural feeling, why?”
Peyton: “I compare everyone to Ricky.”
I knew that was going to get a reaction from Kelcey, who slid next to me, as I rested my head on her shoulder, holding her hand….
Kelcey: “That is unhealthy.”
Peyton: “I know it is, I wish that I could sit here and just realize how stupid and asinine that sounds but it is true, I hate it. But I think about him all the time, and what am I supposed to do. I wish that Ali had his traits, but he doesn’t, and I was willing to forego it, but now? I…. I don’t know.”
Kelcey: “Ricky will always be a special person, alright? Remember that, he will always be the one who was your first love, but now you have got to let it go, because nothing is going to change it, we both know that. Try to fix things with him. Alright?”
I let out a sigh and a surrendering nod, I had given up and that was alright with me, because Kelcey was right, this was something that could affect me in my relationships, there was no way that I could live the rest of my life hoping someone can be my late ex…. I am so stupid. We sat for about another half hour before heading back to the hotel, it was a moment of clarity, but my blood was starting to boil, and I was just hoping, that we could work things out.
BROKEN HEARTED
It had finally happened; Peyton had broken everything off with Alistaire as he had prepared to have her meet all his side of the family. It was a bit of a shock that this was all happening at one time and it was supposed to be a surprise, but that was the hanger in all of this, Peyton didn’t mind the surprises, she actually thought deep down inside that it was cute in a way, but it had been something she has wanted for quite some time to do, meet his friends, family, acquaintances, so while this was appreciative at the same time it was very annoying for the gorgeous Sandy blonde haired Adrenaline Champion. There was already a huge challenge on the Horizon for Peyton, that didn’t even account for what else was happening. She knew that any distractions could be fatal to her chances of defending the belt against a veteran like Glory Braddock. For Peyton though, especially after what had happened when Kelsai Adamson-Mason faced Glory on the last Breakdown, she had taken notice. Peyton was mature, but her weakness had always been dealing with tragedy. Losing Ricky Octavius while she handled it well in the public eye, really took an emotional toll in private. Then came her love for Alistaire, the chance to build a new life after a few failed relationships. But was that the case again here, another albatross to her feelings and emotions, did she not trust Alistaire to do the right thing and was he right? Did her insecurities play a huge part in her decision to end the engagement when there was actually a moment with his injury and through the argument that maybe Peyton was blowing things way out of proportion? Can you blame her for feeling this way, can anyone really state that she was out of line and even paranoid when she was pushed to this? It seemed like the world was falling apart.
Now what was on her mind? What did all of this really mean?
The work she had put in, looking for places to have the wedding, the reception, the caterers and the wedding cake, photographer and flowers, Peyton already had started working on that, even her wedding dress that she went shopping for with Jennifer and Kelcey, what was that all about? The chance to reassure herself that everything was going to be alright between her and Ali….
And all she was doing was lying to herself.
Right After the Break-Up
Minneapolis, MN.
Peyton walked inside the hotel room, it was supposed to be shared by her and Ali. The Adrenaline Champion sat down on the couch, wearing jeans, slip on wedge sandals and white halter top, nails polished white and long straightened sandy blonde hair hanging down, her green eyes fixated on a pile of paper work and brochures that she had brought with her thinking her and Ali could talk about it. Instead she found out that he wanted to raise a family in New York without even asking her first. She was hoping to live in Los Angeles but was open to compromise, she just couldn’t live that far away from her father, on the other side of the United States. It seemed surreal, she didn’t know what to do, when Jennifer Helms came in, she was shopping for Peyton and her, wanted her to come along but Pey was with Ali. They shared a suite, Peyton didn’t move, flipping through the brochure of the venues….
Jennifer: “Oh hey girl, I did not see you there, I thought you would be with Ali or something, he was downstairs having an argument with the front desk agent, he looked pretty pissed. Anyway, I am glad you are here, so I bought us some bikinis, I know that it is Minneapolis, but I figured after RTG, we should go to a nice island and spend a few days, just the four of us and get away from this mess. This one here is a one piece but screams mid-90’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model with the Cheetah print, okay so here we go….”
Jennifer doesn’t get a response from me, it’s like I heard her speaking and then I didn’t. Before I knew it, she walks over and shows both Bikinis, the huge grin on her face slowly started to fade when she knew something was wrong as I couldn’t even make eye contact….
Jennifer: “Okay something is wrong, did you two have a fight or something?”
I didn’t say anything, instead I felt this anger coming on, and took a deep breath, when the sound of the ring hit the coffee table, Jennifer’s eyes almost fell out of her head, then back at me not knowing what to say, she was speechless….
Jennifer: “Peyton…… I am so sorry, what happened!?”
Peyton: “I ended the engagement.”
Jennifer: Why?”
Peyton: “Because I have had enough…. I simply had enough, Jennifer.”
Jennifer: “What did he do?”
Peyton: “What doesn’t he do, Jen? The same stuff all the time, and I finally had enough. It started with me running into his “roommate” earlier and she was a total bitch. Of course, Ali says they are my insecurities, I guess I am supposed to have those when my fiancé is involved, and he is living with a stripper. You know what…. “
I had enough, thrusting the brochures and everything for the wedding to the ground, I don’t care if it was a tantrum. I had a right to be upset, I had a right to be angry and lose my cool. How could he do that to me, after everything I have gone through him, all that I sacrificed…..
Peyton: “…. I can’t believe me. Everything that I did and goes around planning our future, he wants to have me live on a farm in Rochester and pop out like a dozen kids, then I am supposed to enjoy hanging out at the barn in the back like we are the Dukes of Hazzard. He made all these plans. Had everything figured out, went to venues and was making bookings didn’t even talk to me, all he had to do was let me in his life, and he couldn’t even do that!? Do you know how much shit I was getting for him!? It was awful, it was stupid, I don’t understand how I put up with it for so long, but this was not fair to me! I was ready top spend the rest of my life with him, but oh no, let’s forget about the other half of the engagement, and I tried to be understanding, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but every single chance he was getting all he did was screw up again.”
Jennifer: “You need a drink. Let me make you something, or maybe I should call Kelcey and….”
Peyton: “Don’t. I don’t need you to call Kelcey. I don’t want to be bothered right now, by anything! Maybe I will go for a walk.”
Jennifer: “Don’t go alone, let me go with you.”
Peyton: “No… no, stay here. Owen needs you. I’ll be fine. If you need to call me, I have my phone. I need some fresh air.”
Jennifer: “Peyton….. please? You’re like one of my best friends, let me do something.”
Peyton: “Jenni, it’s okay, I’ll be back later, promise.”
I couldn’t stay there any longer, I was mad, and I didn’t want to take it out on anyone. All I kept thinking about was the way it all ended, and how I could have handled things differently. He was trying to be sincere; he knew that it was a mess up constantly but how many times are you going to apologize for the same thing?! I couldn’t handle it anymore. Grabbing my things, I walked out, knowing that Jennifer was going to call Kelcey at some point, everyone calls Kelcey when something bad happens. As I made my way downstairs and outside, I head out to the park not too fat from the hotel. I put on my hoodie as I knew it would get cool there later, and just walked, not even paying attention to where I was. All I kept thinking about was the breakup, playing on loop over and over again…….
“For weeks, I’ve been having doubts that I keep pushing aside but they keep nagging me. My gut is telling me to run, Alistaire. Run from you! Run from this! And I think, I finally found my answer to all those questions wrecking my mind,” Peyton turned to the side, stared forward, her thoughts churning inside her head. She nodded. “Alistaire. You’re a great guy. I do love you. But I don’t think you’re the one for me.”
“Just like that?”
“Sometimes you can fall out of love as quickly as you fall in. Yet I can’t continue this, I’m done, Ali. I’m done,” Peyton turned towards him. She frowned. She pitied him now, perhaps noticing her the anguish upon his face. His heart imploded in his chest. Chest pains followed. She thrust a dagger right dead center in the chest without a second thought. He shook his head in disbelief. Why was this so easy for her?
“No, no. You’re wrong.”
“I know I’m right.”
“You’re overreacting,” Alistaire’s statement came out more as a plea.
“I wish I was,” Peyton lowered her head. She turned towards the bedroom. “I, of course, will get a different room. We can’t share a room. Not after all of this.”
“You’re breaking up with me? Like this? Right before Rise to Greatness?” Alistaire’s pain consolidated into raw anger. She hurt him gravely. He shook his head. “Just like that. We’re over?”
“It’s how it goes,” Peyton seemed distant now as if her thoughts had gone elsewhere. She seemed like she was making a list, almost as if she was planning out dinner and trying to determine the ingredients she needed for a recipe.
“You know what? Fine! I think you’re making a huge mistake, Peyton. I really do and I hope you realize what you’re doing to me,” Alistaire snapped back at her. She didn’t respond, simply adventured into the bedroom. Alistaire followed in as she was putting away her belonging into her suitcase. Alistaire slammed his fist down upon her bag. She seemed taken aback, perhaps even defensive now at the aggressiveness of Alistaire. “No! I’ll leave. You can stay here. I can’t even imagine spending a night in this room. Keep in mind that you’re tearing me apart.”
“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” Peyton coldly stated as she looked past him. She then called out as he ventured to grab his suitcase. “Oh, and Alistaire?”
“Yeah?” He clung to a shred of hope that she changed her mind.
“I hope we can keep things professional between us at the shows.”
That infuriated him even more. He found himself speechless. At least, any words that wanted to come out of his mouth was nothing but vile. He rather bit his tongue; on the off chance that she might change her mind. He slammed his clothes into his suitcase, only bothered to zip it halfway before he went stomping out of the room and then the suite.
Was I wrong in what I did? Should I have given him the benefit of the doubt and accepted his apology even if he was planning this life with us somewhere else? I didn’t know if I was overreacting but I became so cold and distant, that it angered me so much, I wasn’t even accepting any explanations, it was to the point where I didn’t even care what the excuse was. I tried my best, I really did, and now I feel like I jumped the gun, but not like it was any easier for me, Claire acted in a very rude and condescending way when I was nice to her, Jesus Christ, I am nice to everyone! I don’t know what to do, I really don’t, I mean I broke off the engagement, did I make a mistake like I did Ricky? Oh my God, am I going to regret this. I felt my knees week, ready to buckle, so I sat down and took a deep breath on the bench, rubbing hands on my knees, just nervous…..
I closed my eyes, feeling like I was about to have an anxiety attack, thinking of what happened earlier with Claire…..
A Few Hours Earlier
There were a lot of wrestlers when it came to Rise To Greatness weekend, many of them stayed in the cluster of a few hotels. Unknown to Peyton Rice, Alistaire had invited a lot of people that Peyton never knew existed to throw them a little surprise party. The problem was that he made all these plans and didn’t include Peyton in it, and one person that she had wanted to meet for a long time was the voluptuous Claire Bailey. She was Alistaire’s roommate and friend, but she was the type of woman that wanted to meet Peyton, she seemed disingenuous but that could have been an act. Peyton was walking through the lobby, she had grabbed a mineral water and a Cliff Bar from the Micro Markey after her workout, in long tights, sneakers and a black tank to. As she started to head toward the elevator, she takes a turn, running into a red head, she slowly picks up the water she dropped and smiled…
Claire: “Sorry, didn’t see you there.”
Peyton: “No worries, it was an accident.”
Claire: “I want to say that you either look or sound familiar?”
Peyton: “I don’t think, we have ever met, my name is Peyton.”
Claire: “Wait…. Peyton Rice, Alistaire’s fiancé?”
I looked at her kinds of curiously, I mean people would probably know me from TV, but it seemed like she was different, taking a general liking to me the instant she knew my name. I tried to be cordial and smile, extending my hand, where she slowly shook it….
Peyton: “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”
Claire: “Claire. I’m Ali’s roommate and trainer.”
I thought so, but I smiled and hugged her, trying to be friendly as I could…..
Peyton: “Hi! I mean we finally meet one another.”
Claire: “I know right, I always asked Ali when I was ever going to meet you, but he kept saying soon, and soon. Here we are finally. I can say this you’re adorable, I don’t know about this, you might be too good for Ali.”
Peyton: “Oh stop, He is a great guy.”
Claire: “Yeah, he is, just very needy, make sure that you have that in you.”
Peyton: “What do you mean?”
Claire: “Oh he loves you to boot, but sometimes he has this thing about being in love, that he as to put a ring on the finger to keep then, typical guy stuff, you know.”
If she was trying to turn me off from Ali, she was really going hard at it. I thought this was going to be pleasant and drama free, I didn’t not expect for her to be this way. It shouldn’t surprise me though, but now I am asking what their training sessions consists of, trying to keep my cool, because I was already upset with all of this, I smiled and nodded….
Peyton: “Right, right, of course. So, I am sure you have him ready for Matt Hodges?”
Claire: “Of course, he is ready, I had to get down and dirty with him, get those muscles going, because he can’t tackle a guy like Hodges lightly, we don’t want him to lose like you did, so trust me, I was all over him this week, and his knee is still tender, we can adjust all that and have some therapy sessions at night before he goes into RTG.”
Peyton: “Right … right, yeah we don’t want him to get outwrestled like Hodges did me, that is the last thing I want and of course. Getting ready for Glory Braddock is a tough one and well, I need to be ready for that too. Well, it was nice to meet you, I am sure that we will meet up again this weekend and have more…. Uh girl talk.”
Claire: “Oh, for sure, I am super excited about catching up, I see what he likes in you, a very nice and sweet beautiful woman. Just be careful though, nice girls finish last and we don’t want that to happen.”
Peyton: “Oh no, of course not….. never. Yeah, okay bye.”
She gave me some smug smile, and I walked off, trying to keep my cool and be nice was hard, that woman tested me but for Ali’s sake I would try to get along, but she already set the tone for me, I was already in a mood when I ran into Ali, and that was it. Claire was playing games and I wasn’t about to bite…..
Present Time
I sat there still thinking, then decided that I was going to the little Martini bar right around the corner and grab me a drink. Maybe a glass of wine or something, looked really nice and the type of place no scumbags would be in. I made my way across the street and entered, it wasn’t very full, I took a seat at the end of the bar, they had a bunch of Martini’s. A great selection of wine, but looking at that, I felt like the best thing for me would be a Lemon Drop Martini. The Bartender was cute, older guy, seemed to think I was attractive, and this is where my thoughts stop. He passed me the Martini; I went to hand him my credit card….
Bartender: “No need, the gentleman at the other end of the bar said he will pay your tab.”
Peyton: “Gentleman? What gentleman?”
As I look over, I see someone, but the sun is still shining through the window and I can’t really make out who it is. He then stands up and walks toward me, as he gets closer, I roll my eyes and shake my head….
Peyton: “Take my credit card, I will get my own drink, thank you.”
Bartender: “He insisted.”
Peyton: “I…..”
He sat next to me and smiled, looking all handsome in his shirt and dress pants, but a guy that was bad news since the last time I saw him, I figured he was here to watch his dad and Sienna wrestle, Christian Cannon. The last time I was with him was on Halloween when he tried to kiss me after he and Jennifer had a fight. This was when Kelcey returned unannounced and the shit hit the proverbial fan. After that he broke up with Jennifer, wasn’t very cordial either, but of course, he happened to be here….
Christian: “Hey, I come in peace. You don’t seem very happy and I must admit, you’re not the kind of girl that goes to a bar and drinks alone. Everything okay?”
Peyton: “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t tell you, besides, are you underage?”
Christian: “It’s Rise to Greatness weekend, they see wrestlers in here, they don’t card. Look, I was simply buying you one drink, that is all, after that I will leave you alone, but if you need to talk.”
Peyton: “Christian, you and I were good friends, I really liked you and felt like you’re a great guy until that crap at Halloween and the way you treated Jennifer.”
Christian: “I know, I made a huge mistake and I apologize. I wasn’t exactly in a good place that night, after I saw Kelcey, and I freaked out. It was a pretty tough time for me, but you knew that, we always spent a lot of time together with Kelcey at the hospital, I know you didn’t forget that, right?”
Peyton: “Of course I didn’t forget, you were my buddy, the guy who I played chess and cards with, had the milkshake and burger runs in the middle of the night. We supported each other during the whole scenario with Kelcey, but then you started changing, Christian. It seemed you were becoming more like your dad.”
Christian: I will admit, I was angry, breaking up with Jennifer, I handled it wrong, and what I did with you, I messed up also. I am happy that Owen and Jennifer are together, I was happy that you and Alistaire were getting married, though I will admit, I always thought you were too good for him, really too good for anyone.
Peyton: “Christian…. I appreciate that, I really do, I’m just having a really bad day, and I didn’t expect to see you of all people. I’m not being myself right now. I always thought you were a good guy, Christian, just disappointed in what you did and how you handled it.”
Christian: “I totally agree, so again, I’m sorry.”
I was not going to hold this against him forever, I am not that vindictive person, but at the same time, I’m not just going to forgive and forget either. I know who his dad and stepmom are, he is dangerous waters that is best not to swim in, but at the same time, right now I am having a drink, and someone to talk to could be refreshing, especially one that is not in my own inner circle.
Peyton: “Fine, fine… apology accepted.”
Christian: “Your finger.”
Peyton: “What is wrong with it?”
Christian: “Where is the ring? Aren’t you still engaged to Ali?”
Peyton: “It is a long story.”
Christian: “If you don’t mind me saying Pey, we have all evening to talk about it, if you care to share.”
Peyton: “I don’t know if I do, but I will say, maybe I was too good for him, maybe I wasn’t.”
Christian: “Then how about some good company, just a couple of drinks.”
I picked up my Martini and took a few sips, looking right into his eyes, for some reason, I was feeling a little rebellious right now and hurt, so sure, I think maybe talking about it and having a few drinks will not be so bad….
Peyton: “Sure, I guess we can have a couple of drinks, I have some time.”
I knew staying there, drinking some Martini’s and talking to a guy who obviously has a thing for me and is younger is a huge mistake, but sometimes, you just have to take a chance and be willing to make those mistakes.
Five Hours Later
Kelcey Wallace and Jennifer Helms, along with Owen Cruze stepped out of the elevator, Peyton didn’t show up to dinner with the rest of the Perfect Pack including Aaron Blackbourne, of course Alistaire wasn’t there either, after what Jennifer told Kelcey she didn’t expect him there. Kelcey was worried, she text Peyton consistently for the last hour but heard nothing. Kelcey and Jennifer walk inside, Owen goes into the bedroom as Jennifer see Peyton’s room closed, she slowly opens it to check on Peyton and she sees clothes strewn all over the floor. Jennifer sees Peyton’s bare leg and foot laying over the blanket, as Jennifer is about to leave, she hears some moaning, from a male voice….
Jennifer: “Peyton?”
Peyton: “What… uh….. Jennifer….. don’t turn on the light!”
It was too late, Jennifer flipped the light on and saw Christian sitting there next to me, he had no clothes on, I don’t even remember how we ended up in bed, I could hear a squeal before Jennifer slammed the door shut. I quickly rolled out of bed, threw on a robe and bolted outside though I was still really drunk, working off my pure adrenaline and not the title, as I came out, Kelcey was standing there arms folded as Jennifer had slammed the other door of her bedroom….
Peyton: “Jennifer… wait!”
Kelcey: “What the hell did you do?”
Peyton: “I…. I had some drinks.”
Kelcey: “With Ali?”
Peyton: “No.”
Kelcey: “Why is Jennifer so upset!?”
Peyton: “I…. don’t….. well…..”
Just as I was about to say something, here comes Christian fully clothed, I had never seen Kelcey’s eyes widen like that before, and I knew that this was not going to go over well with her….
Kelcey: “Are you fucking serious right now!?”
Christian: “Mom…. I can explain, don’t be mad at her, this is not her doing, we met up and had some drinks.”
Kelcey: “First of all, you are too young to be drinking! Secondly, I need to talk to Peyton right now. Christian, go back to your hotel room and make sure that when I come over in a little bit, you are there to talk, understood?”
Christian: “It was not her fault, you need to know that.”
Kelcey: “NOW, PLEASE!”
Christian: “I’m sorry, Pey.”
Peyton: “It’s okay, listen to her, and just go.”
We looked at each other, he had remorse painted all over his face as he left quickly I stood there, arms crossed, trying to keep my balance, when Kelcey glared right into my eyes, if looks could kill, I would be dead.
Kelcey: “What the hell!? Please tell me this is not what it looks like!”
Peyton: “We met up at the bar, he was there, so we had a couple of martinis. he brought me back here to make sure I get home safe; I was starving so we ordered some room service and I don’t know what else you want me to say….”
Kelcey: “You don’t know!? How irresponsible can you be Peyton!? You are at Rise To Greatness defending the Adrenaline Championship against one of he best wrestlers out there and you are fucking around with my stepson!?”
Peyton: “Don’t yell at me.”
Kelcey: “I heard about the day you had, I get it and I am so sorry that this happened but going out and getting drunk and hooking up with Christian is unacceptable! This is not how a Champion acts and this is not how a Champion treats the biggest event of the year! We have to get past what happened with Ali, but not like this! You’re smarter than this! You don’t mess up!”
After the last line, I lost it….
Peyton: “I am not Perfect like you!”
Kelcey: “That is not fair, Peyton, no one is expecting you to be, but you are one of the smartest women I know. I have never expected you to be perfect.”
Peyton: “Yes, you are!”
Kelcey: “No, I am not. What I expect from the Perfect Pack is proper conduct! Especially during one of the biggest weekends of the year. I was able to get Nathaniel back, what happened has been messing with my head and brought up some emotions I didn’t think were still there. This rollercoaster ride is too much. It is bad enough the shit I am going through with Owen and the Wonderland, I don’t need to have to worry about the one person I thought would be smarter than this!”
Peyton: “I can screw up once in a while and if that means I slept with your stepson then so be it! I tried to make that marriage work and he basically threw me to the side for his own goddamn ambitions! I am sorry if I wasn’t Pretty Perfect tonight! It’s not like you never screwed up either!”
Kelcey: “We are not talking about me! We are talking about you! I get it, what happened earlier is devastating, and I am sorry, but this is not the way to go about it.”
Peyton: “Because you’re an expert in the subject?”
Kelcey: “No, because I know better, I have some experience in the subject, Peyton.”
Peyton: “EXPERIENCE!? YOU DESTROYED YOUR MARRIAGE!”
I stopped and realized what I had said, covering my mouth and closing my eyes, I started to tear up because I knew that what I did was hurt Kelcey more than anything. She had Nathaniel back home, but the guilt she felt about what happened to Chris and her had always overwhelmed Kelcey. Her nostrils flared up, staring at me, I was waiting for her to say something and instead, she turned around and walked out the door. I slowly turned into my room, closed the door and slammed on the bed, burying my face in the pillow, crying my eyes out until I passed out.
EPILOGUE: SHAME
Peyton was ashamed of how she acted and what she did, hurting her relationship with Jennifer, betraying Kelcey’s trust, she didn’t handle things well and when alcohol was involved, it was worse. After Peyton had gone out, slid into the bar closest to the hotel, listened to music and had drinks, she ran into Christian Cannon, a man she knew all too well. He was also the former boyfriend of Jennifer Helms and son of Chris Cannon, stepson of Kelcey Wallace when they were married. Peyton was so embarrassed for what she did, getting drunk, allowing her inhibitions to get the best of her and sleep with Christian, that she quickly left the room and was downstairs working out.
An Hour Later
Hotel Gym
She ran on the treadmill, and just kept running, she needed to get everything out of her mind and concentrate on one thing, that was to defeat Glory Braddock. The gorgeous Peyton was in her black tights, sneakers and white sports bar, hair in a ponytail, little makeup. She just kept running and running not realizing that her father had rolled into the gym, there was only a few more patrons, she was so focused on RTG and trying so hard to put her mistakes behind that she finally caught him off the corner of her eye, almost losing her balance and falling, but catches herself quickly….
Peyton: “DAD!?”
Ray: “Don’t fall on my behalf, shit.”
Peyton: “Jesus Christ, I… you startled me! What are you doing here? I thought you were going out to the Hall of Fame Breakfast with Kelcey?”
Ray: “Yeah, my little baby is more important. I heard about the shit show with Alistaire. She told me what happened yesterday, why didn’t you call me?”
Peyton: “You were flying in late, I went to bed early, really didn’t want to bother you with my problems, truthfully, I was not feeling it dad. Seemed like everything was moving so fast, that I lost track of everything. This morning, has been awful so far too, I still am sick from yesterday.”
Ray: “You mean hungover.”
He knows me too well….
Peyton: “Yeah, that too. Dad, I screwed up, I seem to always screw up when it comes to my relationships and if you found out what I did last night, you would never talk to me again. I do not want a repeat of what happened earlier this year, I can’t go through that again, dad, I can’t. You not being in my life was the worse thing to ever happen to me, and if you think I used really bad judgment and made myself look like a fool, which I believe I did, then you wouldn’t understand.”
Ray: “Understand? You mean like get drunk, hook up with another fella? Happens all the time pumpkin, we are not immune to sadness, we are entitled to make mistakes and deal with it in our own way. Kelcey told me about it, because she was afraid of the same thing, but I need you to remember something Peyton, you don’t need to keep up appearances, it is okay once in a awhile to deal with a situation that is out of your control. No one is mad at you for going out drinking, they are mad at you for not reaching out, and when you are drunk, we all say some stupid shit.”
Peyton: “But us…”
Ray: “Us? What happened before was a shitty situation, I messed up, I screwed the pooch that time around, I should have been more understanding and I wasn’t. We are fine, there is nothing that is going to happen to us, I can promise you, no way in hell will I allow that, I’m not losing my kids again.”
It was very comforting hearing those words from him….
Ray: “Well, Kelcey was really upset, I hadn’t seen her like that, the argument you two had really shook her up.”
Peyton: “I disrespected her, for I shouldn’t have acted that way. She is like my mother now, and I treated her like garbage.”
Ray: “You recognize that, it is a start. Thing is, you have a huge opportunity this weekend to make your stand on the biggest stage of them all against one of the best, and now you need to push all of this aside and concentrate on that. What happened with Ali, he fucked up, plain and simple, he let go of the best thing that has ever happened to him. Unfortunately, now, you have some making up to do. Kelcey and Jennifer, who by the way is a really sweet girl.”
Peyton: “I know she is, and I probably ruined our friendship. She has been there for me whenever I needed her, I even hooked her up with Owen, and now I feel like I just thrusted the knife right in her back, and am frightened of even approaching her right now.”
Ray: “No you didn’t, but if you run away, then you may. These people are here to support you Peyton, we all do stupid shit that will bite us in the ass, but in the end, there is forgiveness out there to be given, you just need to seek it. Take a moment to talk to her, if you don’t it will not solve anything.”
He was right, I needed to make amends somehow but it was tough for me, I said some really mean things to Kelcey, I also hurt Jennifer who probably doesn’t trust me anymore, I really did screw up. Now I need to fix things, but the hurt is there, I have been thinking about Ali, what happened yesterday, and also what I did with Christian. I allowed by inhibitions to get the best of me and now I have to pay the price. I lowered my head and nodded, but my dad will always support me, no matter what which is comforting to know.
Ray: “Finish up, we can go to that Breakfast together, if you want, I would like to see it.”
Peyton: “Oh dad….I can’t, not after what I said to Kelcey and…’
Ray: “Save that part and tell her yourself, pumpkin.”
I didn’t get what he meant at first until just then the door open and Kelcey walked in, my dad nodded, telling me to go over to her. I slowly started to walk, didn’t know what to expect. I said it, not wasting anytime….
Peyton: “Kelcey…. I need to tell you something.”
Kelcey: “No you don’t, love.”
Peyton: “Yes, yes I do and I will do whatever it takes to fix this. I am so sorry.”
Kelcey: “I know you are. What you must be feeling right now is terrible and I will not add to that. Sometimes we get thrown a curveball and wonder why this is happening to us, and if I could fix it for you, I will, but I think that you already had that decision made in your head.”
Peyton: “I…. I supposed I did, huh?”
I never thought about it that way, seeing it now, maybe I had some sort of predetermined decision which needed a trigger, and yesterday was it….
Peyton: “But Christian…. that was never meant to hurt you or Jennifer, I swear. It just happened and now looking back, I am so ashamed, I feel so damn stupid.”
Kelcey: “Don’t be so hard on yourself. We love you Peyton, what happened with Alistaire is terrible news, what you did last night was poor judgment and you hurt a few of us, including me and Jennifer.”
Peyton: “I have accepted the fact that you will never look at me the same again.”
Kelcey: “No love, I’ve been there too. We all have, but if I can prevent you from making the same mistakes I made, then I will do that. Your apology is accepted, we are good, you don’t have anything to worry about there, but now you need to go talk to Jennifer, because right now, she feels really betrayed.”
I can’t believe I did this….
Peyton: “I’ll go see her now. I am so sorry…… I….”
I couldn’t hold it anymore, I tried all day yesterday and this morning, but it was too much, I broke down because I didn’t know if I had made the right decision or not. I held it long as I could, feeling like my entire existence was shattering into pieces before my own eyes. I couldn’t lose the respect of Kelcey or Jennifer, I didn’t want to disappoint my dad again. There are people who may not care what happens to them and their lives, what people think about them, but I do, and without them, I would be nothing. Ali is a good man, and I did love him, but damn it, I couldn’t take it anymore, and it scares me so much, because the last time I let someone go, they left forever….
And now I feel that way again.
SCENE FADES
Diary Entry
7.25.2020
I am so stupid, and there is no excuse for my actions and how I reacted. I guess it was months of boiling over that finally did me in. I felt like he thought messing up all the time was okay, no Alistaire, it wasn’t. It’s like a Jenga set, everything starts building up and then suddenly it comes crashing down. Shit, it wasn’t supposed to be like that, and here we are. Did I overreact? Sure, I probably did, and I feel bad for messing up all these plans he had, and instead this is what happens? I don’t know, I mean I guess I should have thought about things a little more than I did but was I going to continue getting hurt, or ignored?
And for the record, Claire Bailey is a bitch.
I don’t like condescending, snarky girls like her who think they can act all high and mighty especially at Ali’s expense but what could I do about it? Huh? Really, I had no answers for that. Working in such an environment, you are exposed to so much, we all tend to meet each other and there are a lot of relationships that come out of it, my last three have been wrestlers and now I am thinking to myself, it is time to break a break from the dating scene in general and just be single, I already pissed off one of my good friends and disappointed my mentor, I mean what more could I do?
Lose the Adrenaline Championship?
Of course, I could and yet this is the time I have been waiting for, to finally walk into Rise To Greatness for a THIRD time as a champion and defend it successfully, but this will be the toughest. I need to get these next 24 hours ready and set, concentrate on what is right and what is wrong, remembering I have a woman ready to kill me for the gold I hold.
I love Alistaire, I know that deep down inside he is a good person and genuine, but being the way, he is, was too much and in the end it was what did us in.
I’m sorry Ali…
It’s better this way.
XOXO
NOTHING “PRETTY” ABOUT RISE TO GREATNESS
The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River. It is the second oldest bridge on the river next to Eads Bridge. The bridge was built to connect the railway system to the new Union Depot, which at that time was planned to be built between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. The bridge was completed in 1883, costing $650,000 at the time. 117 Portland Avenue is the general address of the historic complex. Here is where we find the Adrenaline Champion, Peyton Rice, the young woman who will defend her title against one of the best in the world, Glory Braddock. For Peyton, it is all about the challenge and competition, but in recent days, her personal life seems to have fallen apart. Her engagement with Alistaire Allocco was broken off, she didn’t like the way it happened, but it had to, and Peyton is the type of woman that feels bad foe what she did afterwards especially if it hurt someone else, but to Peyton, she was also hurt which led to her decision making in the first place. Now she has to pick up the pieces and move one, find a way to put it behind her at least until after Rise to Greatness, the biggest event of the year and now with her biggest test as Adrenaline Champion one on one with Glory Braddock.
Kelcey has her ready, as she too has been going through an emotional roller coaster with everything that had happened earlier int the week. With Peyton entering her third RTG, she seems poised for another huge night, and continue to climb the ladder of success in the SCW. Things may not be going her way outside of the ring, but inside, she has the chance to erase some mistakes and get to the next step in her development. Kelcey has also been worrying and readying Aaron Blackbourne and especially Owen Cruze with everything that has been going on there and the Wonderland, but Peyton isn’t going to be a burden, she understands the fires burning all over and she is one, capable of taking care of it herself.
Walking on the bridge, Kelcey Wallace with her, Peyton wears jeans, thong sandals and white halter top, hair in a high ponytail and nails polished white, carrying the Adrenaline title. Kelcey is in jeans, purple halter top and matching slip on flat sandals, nails polished a matte lavender and long hair hanging down.
REC:
After a few moments, Peyton stops, she stares out into the water, with Kelcey standing by her, taking a second to digest all that has happened, turning to the camera and speaking in her cute girly tone…
“At times I feel like I am always crossing another bridge in my life, never to cross it again, There are so many different memes out there these days and inspirational quotes that are used to pep someone up when things are not going their way. When I look back at the last year since Rise To Greatness in 2019, when Kelsai Adamson-Mason and I stole the show, it has been a constant reminder of how all can change so quickly, for better or worse and that other stuff. As a rookie in the SCW, but not wrestling as I spent most of a year in the UWA Cruiserweight Division and one full season in EMERGE as its champion, I had a feeling what the tough road ahead of me would be and entail. I consider myself lucky for one reason, I have an incredible support group with the best minds in wrestling to help and pick me up whenever I am down, answer any questions I have or give much needed advice. I think it is safe to say they are one of the reasons why I am still around right now and holding the Adrenaline Championship.
Wrestling and your personal life though, it is hard to keep one separate from another. Training at Ante Up Academy, meeting new people, being so involved, and entrenched in the business, it literally becomes your life. I know of many stars that have taken a step back and realized the business consumes them, I was warned of it, and usually there are these blurred lines that suddenly become really hard to determine and make out. The first part of my journey was an adjustment period, the chance to get my feet wet and really learn the ropes and everything that surrounded itself with the sport. Getting acclimated with a new venture and career choice can be tough at times, but I learned a ton from my dad, as he was always a fighter, so I could never let him down. After the incredible success I had in EMERGE and the UWA, it was time to come here, and honestly, I was scared to death. It really says a lot about a company which harbors the best wrestlers in the world, they do not play around, always putting out the top talent and I wanted to be a part of that, no shame in being scared or nervous.
And when I had my first taste in SCW at Rise To Greatness a few years ago defending the EMERGE Championship against Kandis, I wanted to experience it again. Here I am but with it, the road to get here was very difficult, and I don’t know if I have ever been the same since. I’m young, there is a lot of room for me to grow, but I like to think I am more grounded than most, a person who learns from her mistakes and misjudgments, for I have made many, and some have had dire consequences. I love the SCW, this is my home and I admit, it was a rough start, until I won the TV title where I finally found my place. After I lost it to Aaron Blackbourne, I found myself in a little rut again, but picked up the pieces and moved forward, and winning the Adrenaline Championship from Jordan Majors who was on fire a the time and still is with a high profile match against one of the best in Sienna Swann. It turned it all around, I felt that confidence again and was able to really put all back into perspective….
And an incentive to take this title all the way to RTG.
Being back with Kelcey Wallace has been huge for me, aligning myself with friends makes me feel right at home. In my personal life, I lost my first love and best friend, Ricky Octavius, a hard pill to swallow and I haven’t been able to get over it and never will. I never took a break, I didn’t take a step back, I continued to move forward because that is what Ricky would have wanted me to do. I try to honor him every time I step out into the ring and look forward to the challenges presented in front of me, because I draw a lot of my strength from him. It is hard though yet being able to continue in his memory has really changed my perspective.
I was also engaged.
Life on the road can be lonely, we meet people, start to feel them out, not that way, you know what I mean. We become friends and then much more, but at the same time, when your heart is in the right place, but your mind is not, we come to rash decisions. Alistaire Allocco is a good man and a great wrestler, I know that he will show Matt Hodges a thing or two, something I was not able to, that’s fine, we live, we lose, we learn, and we get right back up and try it again. Matt Hodges along with so many other great wrestlers I have faced since coming here have prepared me for this, the chance to meet Glory Braddock one on one for the Adrenaline Championship and knowing her ties, this match will get quite interesting.
The question now is, am I up to the task to defend my title against the self-proclaimed “Best in the World”? With everything that has been going on with me behind the scenes, and the life I chose as a wrestler, I knew there would be challenges like this which people would look to test me as both a wrestler and a champion. I know this much, my life as a whole has been this whirlwind since the last RTG, and I will never forget this past year, but one thing I promised myself and those who have faith in Peyton Rice and have stuck with me this whole time…
When the odds are against me, I don’t disappoint, and I am not going to let them down…
I can’t and won’t.”
Peyton takes a deep breathe, the young champion has had a very hard week in her personal life, but now it is time to focus all of her energies on the biggest match of her career, at Rise To Greatness, where she faces Glory Braddock and the British Bombshell doesn’t think too highly of Peyton or Kelcey Wallace. Peyton is ready, she looks at the title over her shoulder, then back at the camera and speaks….
“I think a lot of us in the business put so much weight on our success and define it all on the biggest PPV of the Year. We see this as the last show, the finale to many great feuds and stories, and the start of new ones, the end of the chapter, a new season and beginning that we look forward to doing, but as many wrestlers who win, there are many who lose and must stew, waiting for their chance to prove themselves, they must question the motive, style and result.
Why did this happen?
The question doesn’t always lie in the result, it could be in your actions, words, or approach. I see that often because EVERYONE wants to win at Rise to Greatness, no one wants to lose. For us though, at least someone like myself, I want to entertain, put my best foot forward and not allow the distraction in my personal life get in the way. I understand now that I’m going to live with a lot of regrets and consequences, I may not be the best to let things go, and lately, I have changed. I’m not as patient as I used to be, it could be more of a growing feeling that has been stacking up slowly for months. I get frustrated more and more, which a lot could be my fault, see, I have certain standards and used to ways I have become accustomed to, which doesn’t always translate to being the most rational person when it comes to things I don’t like. I try to be everyone’s friend; I will not disrespect a wrestler here because we are all in this together. That doesn’t mean I will like or be a huge fan of them, which is why there is competition and we settle this in the ring. That is not always the method in most cases, as there are many who care not for the career or well-being of others, we saw that with Ali and Matt Hodges, or the Wonderland and Owen Cruze, at a time when we should be looking forward to this PPV, with Fan-Fest, the Hall of Fame, Pre-Show and the RTG itself, it has become such a huge weekend for the SCW and the end of another great year.
And that is where I am at now.
I want to end this right, after starting off on the right note, doing it for Ricky and moving on to bigger and better things, the Adrenaline Championship means the world to me, and I say that a lot, I know, but why? Because these titles signify something, they symbolize you’re the cream of the crop and it shows, which brings out the best in everyone, including one who doesn’t need to because she is everyday at the top of her game, Glory Braddock.
It was tough wondering who my opponent would be, for I was ready for any challenge, credit to Kelcey Wallace who has me ready at all times and after a few bumps on the road including Taking Hold of the Flame and a couple of Breakdown’s ago, I simply need to not look back in the rearview mirror and continue on concentrating on what thing…
A Legend in the ring.
I am excited to see David Helms compete for the World Title, the matches are all Main Events but as I enter Minneapolis, the Adrenaline Championship is on the line and my challenger has so much experience on me, it is intimidating. This time though it will be a little different, I won’t be feeling the same, as I have to do what is best for me, which I don’t, I think about the feelings of everyone else and always neglect mine. I am not using my past, the struggles and triumphs I experienced or the pain and agony I suffered, they will not be my crutch, they can’t be, for I will not walk into the biggest night of my career and fail due to my own insecurities. I believe in myself; I need to start believing in my choices and decisions to better my life even though right now it doesn’t feel this way. Time always had a funny way of working, with a promise I made this time last year, I would be on the Main Show, I would be going after or defending a championship and finally I would be against one of the best wrestlers in the world, period.
Now I am here, what I do with it is all up to me, for I asked for this, working hard every single day, sacrificing so much of myself to do so, that shortchanging me now is counterproductive. Nothing is forever, things will evolve, change, or take a turn, but whatever path I have been put on, I will continue to fight and survive. Glory Braddock poses this next test for me, a woman that makes and break careers, needing to take the challenge head on. My father is going to be there watching, my friends, mentors and trainers will be there too, some in their own encounters. We could see a Supreme Champion crowned at Rise to Greatness, so titles change hands, but I want to give you the fans and every single competitor including Glory a stark reminder…
I am just like you.
A wrestler, a girl who was a fan first and someone willing to dig deep inside herself and bring out more than what you have seen. This is my time to shine, and in doing so defeating a World Renown athlete. I won’t let you down, give everything I have and when this is all over, you will know that Peyton Rice put on a show, on the biggest stage of them all.
This is the moment I have been waiting for, as a little girl sitting at the front of the TV….
And now I’m there….
I made it dad, I made it!”
A small smile forms on her face, probably the first time she has all weekend. Thinking about her dad being there, going up against a woman who has been a champion so many times. Glory Braddock is all over the map, and now Peyton can prove herself against Glory. She takes a second, to look back at the camera while Kelcey nods….
“The Best In the World?
I would never take any issue in calling someone that if I knew that there will always be someone better that comes along, this is the beauty of professional wrestling, but for Glory Braddock, she thinks that I made a mistake, why? Because I accepted her challenge? I decided that it would be an honor to step in the ring with a woman that has done It all in the sport on the Biggest Stage of this company? Okay, so that was a mistake? The fact I have Kelcey Wallace by my side as a mentor, is also a mistake, Kelcey who has accumulated the best and this is no lie, win loss record in the history of the business and could step in the ring tomorrow and become a World champion?
Okay, that was a mistake, too?
Finally, I need to be ruthless and cutthroat, and this is the one that I have the biggest issue of them all with, no you don’t. Do you know why people, fans from all over the globe acknowledge you, Glory Braddock as simply the best? They respected your approach. The Best in the World defeats all comers in WRESTLING, what we were trained to do. The Best in the World welcomes NEW challenges, the Best In the World wants to see the sport evolve with young talent that they can help pattern, learn and leave their legacy with. The Best in the World, doesn’t mock or scoff at challengers, they don’t belittle athletes like me and Kelsai-Adamson-Mason or Jordan Majors, instead they guide, nurture and teach them the tools to be successful, for they one day could be where you are at.
The Best in the World?
Is someone like Kelcey Wallace.
Glory Braddock, what you are is a self-entitled successful woman who has allowed HER fame and press to get to your head, not mine, I haven’t reached those levels. When you had a few shortcomings last year, the Main Event at RTG for example, where Alistaire won, you couldn’t handle the fact that a young talent like that could walk out as World Champion. Time and time again, if you had one hiccup, all you had to do Glory is show us why you are The British Bombshell and why you can walk out a winner in the eyes of the fans and the wrestling community, but instead you allowed these mishaps drive you to start taking shortcuts….
That doesn’t sound like the Best in the World with all due respect.
That sounds like the Most Desperate in the World.
It is quite disparaging to see women like you and Syren so keen on protecting your spots, that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to hold them down, out of neglect and selfishness. Instead of being a role model to someone like me or Kelsai, because yes, I saw what you did to her, you would rather put us down, insult and protect the pedestal you’re standing on. I believed in the spirit of competition, and I was naïve when I came here, I thought that veterans and those who paved the way for youngsters like myself, were willing to bring us in and teach us the ropes, not try to destroy our careers. What Rise to Greatness means to me, Glory Braddock, to step up on stage for the first time on the main show, with the Adrenaline Championship, testing myself against you, and if I fail and lose this title, then it was because on that night, you were better than me.
See though, Glory, much as I respect the wrestling ability, able to choke people out, be at the top of your game, what you have done to your legacy, is tarnish it. Don’t you want to be remembered as the woman who was one of the best in the SCW? Or the bitter and self-absorbed bitch who thinks looking down at everyone else like Sienna Swan is cool?
Let me tell you about SCW, Glory.
I AM SCW.
I am not carrying some Riot title and talking all kinds of crud on Twitter about what a great champion you are, this is the SCW and last year you Main Evented the event that people like Regan Street have not, but Kelcey Wallace? THREE TIMES. That was an honor and instead you sit there and do it as a spouting match with Syren because both of you have the same catchphrases, how petty.
Well Glory, I am not the best in the world, not even close, I ma a just a woman that loves what she does and tomorrow night will go out there in front of millions and fight for her survival and defeat a legend, but I won’t do it because I am better than you, I’m the underdog, I’m going to do it because I never forgot what the wrestling business is all about like you did and threw it away for self-preservation.”
Peyton turns to the title, she then looks at the camera, holding it up in the air, as Kelcey looks on and nods…
“At Rise To Greatness, some will rise and some will fall, but when this is over Glory Braddock, you will still be considered one of the best in the world, and after I walk out as Adrenaline Champion, I’ll be that gal, who’s not just another…
“Pretty” face.”
Peyton glares into the camera with her green eyes, ready for the biggest challenge of her career. Kelcey smirks as Peyton then winks.
FADE TO BLACK
/REC
Peyton Rice 