Once again this is fiction and not meant to imply anything about the BSB. The other characters are from my own imagination. If you aren't supposed to read it, don't get caught. Thanks to all the people that have e-mailed me. Oh also to those who have told me this is already too weird and emotional, my apologies, I am a pretty weird, emotional person, I can't help it. If you'd like to see something else, let me know. I'll do my best.
The next morning four young men sat around the table eating in an uncomfortable silence. "So, I uh guess AJ still isn't feeling well, huh?" Howie said weakly. When no one replied he continued. "Maybe I should go up and see if he is ok." Howie stood slowly and glanced around but everyone was lost in their own thoughts. "Ok, great guys, and there is a green elephant on fire behind you." Still no one moved, Howie sighed and left the room.
Up in his room AJ sat motionless, gazing at the Tv. He didn't notice the quiet knock at the door. After a moment Howie tried again, calling out softly. "AJ man, you in there?"
"Yea, I guess, come in."
Howie pushed open the door slowly "How you feeling buddy?" "I'm fine, why?"
"Uhm, Kevin told us you were sick or something."
"Well, I'm over it." AJ smiled slightly
"That's good to hear. So you gonna come get breakfast?"
"Nah, I'm not hungry, no big deal."
"You? Not hungry? Are you sure you are all right? Did something happen?"
"Whoa, D, Chill. AJ laughed. "That's a lot of questions for one sentence, brother."
Howie sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, found out when I got down stairs, we've got the day off. Wanna go shopping and catch a movie?"
AJ thought a moment. "You know what, I don't really feel like it today. I think I'll just hang here and get some rest."
"You don't feel like shopping?!" Howie was shocked. "Now I know something is wrong."
"Hey now, I'm telling ya, it's nothing. I'm just really tired, you know? I'm missing home, too."
Howie nodded his understanding. "I totally know what you mean. Why don't you get some sleep or something, we can go out later."
"Cool, thanks buddy. I knew you'd understand."
Howie wandered back into the hotel dining room feeling better thinking his friend was ok. Kevin looked up as Howie sat down. "Well, what did he say?" Kevin questioned.
"Huh?"
"What did AJ say to you."
Howie frowned in confusion. "Not much. Why, was he supposed to?"
"No, no. I was just wondering how he was doing."
"Not great, but it's just a case of home sickness and we all know what that's like."
"Yes." Kevin nodded and leaned back in his chair, thankful AJ had kept quiet, he wasn't prepared to deal with this. On the other side of the table Nick gazed at his older friend suspiciously. Kevin was acting way too weird he had to be hiding something but what and why?
After spending most of the day in his room AJ was thoroughly bored with television, reading, and writing. He needed to get out for a while, if he didn't there would be no way he could keep Kevin out of his mind. He grabbed a hat and sunglasses and slipped quietly out the door hoping to avoid questioning from the others. AJ sighed in relief as he made it down to the street unnoticed. He'd seen a place when they'd come into town that might be ok to hang out in. Setting off down the street he felt his mood lightening, maybe this wasn't as bad as he'd felt like it was. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a small building, the windows were covered with black paper but a tear in one corner revealed flashing lights inside. AJ paused, there wasn't a sign anywhere on the building. Curiosity getting the better of him AJ advanced slowly towards the door. Peering inside he saw a fairly typical scene, a bunch of men and women sitting around drinking and talking, someone playing darts in the back, there were a few pinball machines and pool tables, music, and a few colored strobe lights. Well, AJ thought to himself, this seems ok and I definitely won't get recognized here.
Before long AJ had become bored and wandered towards the pool tables, a group had just finished and he decided to just play by himself for a while. Things went uneventfully for a while and AJ was beginning to feel quite relaxed but as he paced around the table concentrating on his next shot an array of small bits of paper rained down in front of him. "What the fuck?" AJ looked up in time to see a guy with long black hair and a gold shirt turn around quickly. The young man next to him looked at AJ with a slight smirk and waved, his hair, cut short on top the rest was left long and rather curly, was a combination of a bad bleach job and pink and orange dye. His clothing was shredded beyond classification it seemed to have once been blue jeans, gray shorts, a white t-shirt, and dark blue trench coat. AJ couldn't help but notice the body underneath the ratty outfit, the boy definitely looked good. AJ blushed slightly "What's your problem?"
The boy looked around the room and then jabbed his black haired friend in the side. "Hey yo, Chris, I think somebody's talking to ya."
"No way, you leave me out of this. You want to start a fight go for it."
"Me!? I didn't do anything... yet. What are you talking about."
"You, ya asshole. Why are you always trying to get me in trouble. Why don't you get your own ass kicked for a change?"
"I save that for when I'm at work, jabronie."
The man behind the bar interrupted them. "Why don't you both just shut the hell up and not bother the customers."
The younger, louder one stuck out his tongue. " What'cha gonna do 'bout it, kick us out?" The bartender glared at him maliciously then turned away. The youth laughed "Ha, that's what I thought you were gonna do."
AJ groaned. "Grow up will ya?"
The young man blinked in surprise, then smiled. "No thank you, dear." His friend rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Raine, shut up. I don't care if you think he's..."
Raine smacked him. "You shut up." Chris laughed.
"You think I'm what?" AJ said uncertainly. Instead of replying Raine got up and wandered over to the table.
"How can you play this game? It looks boring beyond belief." "It just requires an ability to think."
"Oh, Ouch." Raine tried to look offended.
"Awww, did the big mean weirdo hurt the little boy's feelings?" Chris interjected
"Shut your mouth Christopher. So, why haven't I ever seen you here before?" He smiled at AJ.
"Well I'm not from around here."
"Really, where are you from then?"
"Florida actually." AJ was trying to figure out why this guy was so interested.
"Wow, Florida to Ohio, must be a shock to your system, huh. What brings you here?"
"Business, I'm in a band." "A band? It must be.."
"Jesus," Chris broke in again "Lay off it already will ya? The guys not even.."
Raine launched an ashtray at Chris barely missing him. "Keep your damn mouth shut already!" The ashtray smashed to the floor and the bartender looked like he was ready to kill. "I am damn sick of you little assholes, I don't care what you know or who you work for, GET OUT! Take your new freak with you, too!"
Raine pretended to look hurt. "Oh, why didn't you ever tell me how you felt, my darling. We could have saved our love you and I."
The burly man took a step towards him. "You little..."
"Ok,ok. I give, we're outta here. Just leave him alone." Raine indicated AJ "He didn't do anything."
"It's not a big deal." AJ shrugged "This place sucks anyway."
"Damn I could have told you that, just take one look at the owner." Raine grinned. The three hardly had time to escape as the furious bear of a man charged at them.
"Shit, what did you do to that guy?" AJ asked incredulously. Raine walked down the street laughing followed by a pouting Chris and a confused AJ. "Damn it, Raine, why are you always getting me in trouble?" Chris groaned.
"Because it is so easy." Raine smiled sweetly. "If you weren't so easy to freak out it wouldn't be any fun to mess with ya."
"I hate you."
"I know you do."
"Wait a second." AJ interrupted them.
"You mean you're still here?" Chris sneered.
"Yes he's still here Chris, so be nice." Raine smiled at AJ. "If you didn't notice I'm Raine this jerk off is Chris, and you are?"
"AJ, uh why did I get to be involved with your little suicide mission?" "Cause you're just special."
"Is that a fact?"
"Most definitely." Raine's smile brightened.
AJ blushed slightly and looked away. "So where we going now?"
Well, I don't give a flying fuck about the two of you, Raine I am sick of your bullshit. Leave me alone, I am going home!" Chris exploded violently, storming off.
"That's great buddy, see ya tomorrow!" Raine called after him.
Chris sighed and yelled back. "Yeah, I'll call you."
AJ walked along beside Raine silently for several minutes before questioning, "What was all that about?"
"Nothing much." Raine shrugged. "Just killing some time. What about you, only depressed and/or psychopathic people ever go to the Rana."
"Well, I supposed you can put me in the depressed category then."
"You wanna tell me what happened, chico?"
"I guess it isn't really a big deal, you see, I told a friend of mine that my feelings had gone past friendship. They didn't agree with that, even worse he, er, she led me on before telling the truth."
"Damn, that freakin sucks, man. Buncha asswipes in this world I swear."
The pair wandered into a small park. "Ok you know why I'm in town, so, what's your story, you live here?"
"Not any more, I grew up here though. I don't really have a home right now. I mainly stay in hotels, well that's too nice a word, but it's 'cause I travel a lot."
"I know how that is," AJ commented. "we've been touring a lot. What is it that you do?"
"Well, most people try to tell me that it isn't a career, but I am totally dedicated to my work."
"And that would be...."
Raine grinned vaguely. "Professional wrestler."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Yes I am and this sprained wrist and cracked rib came from bagging groceries."
"Jeez, how'd you do that?"
"Now that's a stupid question if I ever heard one, I was supposed to take a fall off of a speaker stack in a Hard-core match-up, my opponent sold it a little too well and I took a dive, landed wrong. I finished the bout but I lost."
"Well you should have gone to the hospital!" AJ sounded worried
Raine laughed. "No way, that was nothing. I've taken a hell of a lot worse."
"Well," AJ shrugged "I thought you looked like you worked out."
"There's an understatement." Raine smiled and sat down on a nearby bench. "Tell me about this band of yours."
AJ sat up on the back of the bench. "It's not a big thing really, I doubt you'd like our music."
"Well, I was trying to be polite. I know who you are, my sister is in love with you guys. Hell she's made me go to every concert you've done in Ohio, Your sound is actually pretty cool."
"Oh, um, thank you." AJ felt oddly flustered by the compliment. "I don't really get in to wrestling you know so um..."
"It's all right, it definitely isn't for everyone." They sat for a moment in silence. Raine felt a little awkward so he pulled a deck of card from his coat pocket.
Want to see a card trick?" He asked with a slight smirk.
"Uh, yea, sure."
"Pick a card any card." AJ drew out a card and Raine tried to look like he was concentrating. "Ok now what card did you pick."
"The uh 4 of hearts."
"Yep, that's what it is." Raine attempted to look perfectly serious.
"Oh, that's real cute." AJ laughed.
"Thank you." Raine stood and bowed. "I'll be here all week, ladies and gentlemen."
AJ looked up at the sky. "Sure is a nice night."
"Yeah, I think I actually see a star... Nope just a plane."
AJ laughed again. "You are strange."
"Thank you very much, my dear" Raine suddenly sat forward. "Tell me about yourself."
"What?"
"You know, everything. You tell your story and I'll tell mine."
"Uhm, well, I was born in Kissimee Florida..."
Hours passed as the pair shared everything they could possibly think of. AJ marveled at how completely comfortable he felt with this guy that he had just met. Raine seemed so enthralled with every word he said, he was enjoying listening to Raine talk as well. He was funny, kind, friendly, and... AJ shook his head trying to get his train of thought back to the station. Raine had fallen silent and was looking up.
"What's the matter, Raine?"
He looked back to AJ and smiled. "The sun will be coming up soon."
"Seriously? Oh my God, I can't believe we've been here for so long. I'd better get going."
Raine nodded with a sigh. "Yes, well, maybe I'll see you around sometime."
"Well, hey, where are you staying?"
"I was supposed to be at Chris's place but I know he has locked me out by now. He can be such a dork."
AJ couldn't help but smile. He seemed to be doing a lot of that tonight. "You know, my hotel room is, like, huge. You can stay there if you want."
"Really, you mean that? That'd be cool, thanks."
"Well let's get a move on the, we both totally need sleep." The pair rose and Raine followed AJ back to his hotel, both lost in their own thoughts.
To be continued
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