My eyes never moved away from the ceiling, always glaring at it. The more I stared at it, the more it looked like waves of an ocean. The ceiling was pointy and uneven like a mountaintop, from some pointed edges that were taller than others to flat surfaces making it look more like a ceiling rather than a flat surface that you don't want to lay on if given the chance.
      I pinch my thumb and pointer to my nose, rubbing against my eyes briefly as some of the gunky shit is still in my eyes yet, a good shower would help wash that stuff out.

"Must be Monday."

Getting out of the bed, my body was cold and heavy, perhaps as heavy as a sack of potatoes. I lumbered out of bed and into the hall, taking a left to enter into my bathroom. I raised my hand up, hovering right over the doorknob, before dropping it down, hitting the knob with some light force. I briefly say,

"Ow."

Opening the bathroom door, I nearly trip on my way in. Saying a simple "shit" as I scrape my knee against the solid marble floor. While it did sting, it didn't cause any scar or bruise to be left behind. Didn't hit my face at least. Eat your heart out, Shockmaster.
      The water was colder than usual, either that or I have gotten too used to the hot showers I have been having the past few days. Probably the latter, my blood has always felt hot from the inside, I feel like a fire has been inside my blood stream, like a forest fire spreading rapidly across my bones and arteries. With my heart pumping so fast, it could probably collapse at any moment.

———

After taking the rather quick shower, I pushed the towel against my body. The somehow both rough and gentle touch of the towel, ran along my skin. Like a cushiony piece of rusted metal taking off the drops of water on my back. Potentially leaving some short-term scars on my back, but my mind was elsewhere, mostly in two different directions. One was about the opportunity to be in the WWE. The other was on Drake. It fills my head with excitement and grief all at the same time. In order to get my mind off of some heavy things, I just put on some basic clothes, from my barely worn black DBGT shirt to my damp and wrinkled blue and red basketball shorts.
      The way I slithered through the halls and slid down the stairs, trying to be quick, as quick as a dog when hearing the treat bag shake. To my hands barely grazing the hand rails near the stairs, basically hovering over the rails in case my dumbass tripped over a tiny crack in the floor before flying forward.
When making it to the bottom floor, I was greeted by someone I didn't expect to be here early. When I opened the door to leave the stairs, I took a right, heading through the open doorway, entering the lobby. On the left side was the main desk, with a row of keys hung up on the wall, many of which were taken, yet there were a decent amount that haven't been taken which surprised me. On the right were a couch, two chairs opposite to it, and a small coffee table in the middle of it.
      Sitting at the right end of the couch was Axel, I asked him saying,

"What are you doing here so early?"

"I think you know why."

"Tampa's quite a drive eh?"

"It's only five hours!"

      Technically it's seven, since we were living in Augusta, Georgia. With there being a few local gyms that are rented out where we perform, usually for very little money but at least helps get our names out there.

"Only five. He said......Well, first of all, who's driving first?"

"Gary says he's driving first."

"Ah fucking hell....."

"I know....I know....But he said so himself...."

      Gary wasn't a bad driver, it's just that the music he plays is boring and the same. He has one good song in his playlist, Drive by Incubus. Which he would later use as his entrance music. But then, he's one of the guys who enjoys post-Pinkerton Weezer, specifically Green. As much as I love Weezer, Green is an album I'm not the biggest fan of. Mostly because all of the songs sound the fucking same.

      Speaking of Gary, we see a familiar gray Chevy traverse pull up outside. There he is.

"Think we should go get our stu-."

      As I spoke to Axel, I didn't realize he had his suitcase next to the couch this whole time while I didn't start packing yet. I sigh before heading back to my room out of embarrassment.

———

After about an hour and a half and some assistance from Axel. I now had a full suitcase ready to go, with the room now barren and empty, I closed the door with a little bit of energy as I locked it up. I went on ahead to give the key back to the man at the front desk saying,

"I don't know when I'll be back....All I know is that I'll have the payment by end of the month!"

      When leaving and shuffling to the back of Gary's car, I nearly stumbled on the sidewalk. Hitting the edge of the concrete, my body almost tumbles forward but Axel was right behind me as used one hand to push against my chest to stop me from falling.

"That could have been rough."

"Thanks."

      Axel just forms a smile as I turn to face the trunk, when we open it. I was both a little surprised and also annoyed at how much Gary had put in the trunk of his car.

"What the fuck Gary? There's no room in here!"

      Several suitcases flooded Gary's trunk, only having some room near the top, perhaps me and Axel could fit in our suitcases, but Jesus did Gary pack like he was hauling ass and traveling across the country like Jesse Pinkman at the end of Breaking Bad. Spoilers......Sorry.

"There's some room back there it should be fine!" Gary said, in a nonchalant, annoyed tone.

      My eyes roll to the back of my head, knowing that Gary wouldn't change his mind about this. Me and Axel had to basically shove the suitcase up to the top from an angle. It took about three minutes to get them in but it felt like it took forever. With how I got a scrape in my right palm, to Axel producing a few drops of sweat from his forehead.

      Once we had gotten the suitcases in, we knew they weren't going anywhere. They were locked in place. Not moving one inch as I closed the door to the trunk. Me and Axel then got to the front passenger seat. Axel put his left hand on my shoulder.

"Come on......You know I haven't ridden shotgun in a while."

      Admittedly, Axel hasn't but, he probably wouldn't want to be bombarded with Gary singing every single one of his songs from his mixtape. Especially given the height difference between the two with Axel being 5'2 and Gary being 6'3. I had above average height, I was about 5'9-5'10 ish.

Axel had his hand out with his palm facing up.

"Rock Paper Scissors?"

"Rock Paper Scissors."

I take my hand out as we start.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. SHOOT!"

Tied, Double Rock.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. SHOOT!"

Tied again. Double Paper.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. SHOOT!"

Tied? Double Paper.

"Fuck man!"

"Are you cheating man???"

"One more! One more!"

Axel shakes his left hand, almost like how a man gets someone to blow into his dice for good luck. We both have our hands out, my eyes locked onto my palm, focused on winning.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. SHOOT!"

Paper to Rock. I win.

"Crap!"

"Ha!"

My finger pointed at him, as I produced a manic cackle, opening the front passenger door. One cackle similar to The Giant's as he ran over Hulk Hogan's motorcycle in WCW.
Axel sulks while trudging to the passenger seat door behind me.

"Jesus you guys don't know how to end a game of Rock Paper Scissors, do ya?"

"You probably can't relate. You have probably never played!"

"Yeah, well, guess what? I don't want to waste 9 years of my life only to win with a rock."

      Gary starts up the car, it makes a loud growl, huffing and puffing, like a big bad wolf. After a few seconds of waiting, Gary had started to get out of the temporary space parallel to the sidewalk as he drove forward.
He seems to have a GPS, with the destination being Orlando.

"Alright fellas.....Let's go break a leg!"

"Let's not actually do that....."

———

      The drive was long, arduous, and most of all, tedious, from the same songs Gary would play for two hours. Repeating the opening to "Island In The Sun" by Weezer, almost every five minutes. After two hours, Gary was getting tired, but not before he had to take a quick piss break. Out in the middle of a forest terrain, I say to him,

"Look we haven't seen a car in an hour. Just go!"

      Nah nah, Gary was stubborn as he goes out far into the woods to hide and piss. At this point, I get tired and switch to the driver's side. I take out Gary's old, worn out, and scratchy mixtape, putting it into one of the moist and grimy cup holders.

"Time to play some new tunes."

My right hand went down into my pocket, taking out my phone.

"What kind of music you got?"

"The less tedious and repetitive kind."

I pull up my Spotify playlist and plug in the charger to hook it up to the radio. Gary had just come back from taking a piss and now sat in the front passenger side.

"Where's my mixtape?"

"In the cupholder."

"But why put it there? You could have put it on the top here!"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it does to me!!!!"

"We'll sort that out later. For now, let's get to Florida."

      The last three hours did pass by a bit quicker, not to brag, but I think my less repetitive soundtrack did the trick. Especially with a few songs that stood out to me the most. Those being, Say It Ain't So by Weezer, Remedy by Seether, and Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette.
With me and Axel performing a duet during Say It Ain't So.

"Dear Daddy, I'll write you, in spite of years of silence. You've cleaned up, found Jesus. Things are good or so I hear. This bottle of Stephen's awakens ancient feelings. Like father! Step-father! The son is drowning in the FLOOOOOOOOOODDDD!!! YEAH! YEAH YEAH! YEAH YEAH!

With less than twenty minutes till we arrived in Orlando, I checked the time on my phone. 4:07 it read.

"What time did they ask to meet with us exactly?"

Gary hearing what Axel had to say, wobbled from side to side in his seat as I did my best to keep my eyes on the road. Then I thought about it for a little bit.

"From what I read; it looks like they're gonna want us here tomorrow...."

"Tomorrow? What time did they say?"

"About 2:00."

"We still got some time....."

"Some time? For what?

".....I don't know....Lost my train of thought...."

Chuckling to myself, I adjust the rear-view mirror, taking a peek to see both Axel and to check if there were any cars behind me. There didn't look to be any as I drift my car over into the lane on my right carefully.

Judging by the time we do reach Orlando, we should probably find a local motel, and a good place to eat.

"How close can we have an apartment to the performance center?"

"Pfft.....I don't know.......You should probably check on that....."

"Thanks for the help, Gary......"

Arriving in Orlando, I got to see all of the tall, glass, buildings. With some logos on the side, or right above the front entrance, to all of the fancy shops nearby. Ones with the bright yellow lights inside the shops, to the vogue titles, giving me the feeling of being spoiled and pretentious. Like a young rich kid whose dad buys literally everything for them. Taking a left once the light turned green, I had gotten the suspicion that I had been traveling in circles. I felt like I was in a trance, the buildings drew me in. Like being hypnotized by a mysterious woman with a crystal ball.

However, that trance broke as Axel said to me in a roaring tone,

"There it is!!!!!!"

I look in the rear-view mirror to see Axel having his arm out, pointing to the right side. Thankfully the stop light just turned red, so me and a still very out of it Gary, moved our heads to the right. The right turn, on the left side, The Performance Center.

"That's the one."

"Just think about it. Us together on WWE T-."

*HONK*

"Ah fuck!"

"Move your ass (M/n)!"

———

Driving through Orlando, trying to find a nice motel that wasn't too far from the performance center wasn't easy. Finally, we found a local motel that happened to be right across the street from a park. I made sure to park at least in the middle, two empty spots beside us.

"Ok. The rates aren't too bad."

"They're not? Enough to get our own rooms?"

"Probably."

"Works for me....."

Upon checking out the motel, it didn't look that bad from outside view. With a row of ten doors in front of us and a staircase near the ends that led to ten more doors directly above us. There weren't any other cars aside from one at the far right end, so me and Axel went in to book the rooms while Gary still sat in the car. Having a little shut eye, despite it not being nighttime yet.

———

      With our rooms set up and our luggage put up. I just stretch my back a bit while leaning against the rail on the second floor of this motel. My room was 203, the third room coming from the right side, with Axel having 202 and Gary 204.
      Speaking of both Gary and Axel, they both came out of their rooms at basically the same time. Though Gary opened the door first.

"So guys......You both ready?"

"Yeah......."

"Absolutely......What you feeling tonight?"

"A nice steak and some alcohol..."

"Look Gary the last thing you need is alcohol..."

"Come on.....What's the worst that can happen?"

2 Years Ago

Current WWWA Tag Team Champion Gary Brooks was now indulging himself in his favorite pastime, drinking. And drinking lots and lots of beer. Mostly just wanting to fight with fellow tag team partner (M/n) (L/n) aka Rough and also try to smack Perry Stewart, a former hardcore wrestler now retired, in the back of the head. Needless to say, Gary and Perry were both throwing haymakers at each other to the point where Gary was stumbling and nearly falling on his ass as Perry made him bleed hard way.

Now

"So believe me when I say it.....Let's not get slammed."

"Fine! Fine!"

———

The steak dinner was good, and actually reasonably priced considering how fancy the place looked on first glance. The name alone,

"Tartar adieu"

was enough to make me say "eugh". But, the night didn't end there. Axel had informed me of something as I just shrugged it off.

"Yo.....I think I see a few NXT stars!"

"Stop being a mark Axel."

"No! No I'm serious! I think I even see Roxanne Perez and Gigi Dolin!"

"Sure you do.....Alright I gotta go use the bathroom."

Getting up from my seat, I take a right, as I heard from others that it was right, take another right, then the men's is on the left side. After swinging my feet down along the wood panels 5 times each foot, I turn over to the right, seeing that rather cramped corridor leading to the bathrooms at the end. As I make my way down, I look to my left, seeing the open windows, almost amazed by the way Florida looked at night.
When I turn back, I have enough time to see this brunette haired woman coming towards me as I stop myself saying,

"Sorry!"

"Oh no don't worry about it!"

The girl looked at me with a cute smile. Oh shit.....Is that?..........

"Ummmm.....Hi?"

"Aren't you Roxanne Perez?"

"Uhhhh....Yes?"