Chapter 5 #4
“This company needs a reality check. This title means everything to me, and those Barbie dolls pretending to be wrestlers don’t deserve it.
They haven’t done what I’ve done. They haven’t fought the battles I did to get here!
All this company wants is a pretty face to stand there and do what she’s told.
Newsflash, this isn’t the ’50s, and we’re not here to be your playthings anymore.
If this company really cared about women’s wrestling, they’d stop hiring models and cheerleaders. ”
Harper stares directly at me when she says it, and while she means to try to intimidate me, it does the opposite.
She only manages to piss me off. She has done nothing but harass and tear me down from the second I walked in the door, and why?
Because her bestie Caitlin couldn’t cut it.
And instead of facing the fact that her best friend wasn’t up to EWE standards, she uses my background as her excuse to tear me down.
Raelynn came from the indie circuit, too, but she’s never held my years as a cheerleader against me.
Neither has Bennett, or any of the trainers.
Sure, they might call me Barbie or Pom-Poms, but they’ve never purposefully made me feel out of place.
“I didn’t win this title because I’m pretty.
” She bats her eyelashes. “Or because I’m a legacy.
” Her venomous stare is now on Callista, the daughter of two EWE legends, who stands on the other side of the ring.
“Or because I fucked the right people. I earned this title. I worked my ass off for this, unlike the rest of those bobbleheads backstage. Unlike your precious Ivy Jade.” Harper smirks, glancing around the room at every single face, including John, who she winks at.
He only chuckles in return, shaking his head.
“But no more! I am here to save the women’s division, and I am going to rebuild it brick by brick.
” Her gaze finds me again. “Just try and stop me.”
I do my best not to react, but my jaw clenches and my tongue presses against the roof of my mouth.
Taking a deep breath, I rip my gaze from hers, only to land on John, who I know has been watching me the whole time.
His brow quirks, but I look away, rolling my lips between my teeth, and keep my mouth shut.
It’s not my place to say something. This isn’t a real storyline.
It’s just practice—even if Harper can’t separate the two.
“Savannah,” Sheldon says, and I meet his wide grin. “You’re up. You are now the other half of this brewing feud. Your character is the antithesis of Harper. Go.”
Bennett doesn’t waste time, lifting me onto the apron as if I’m as light as a feather.
Why couldn’t he pick Rae? An inward groan resonates through me as I wipe my shoes on the apron and climb into the ring. Just let it flow, Sav. Make it believable.
Without thinking, I begin, “You’re here to ‘save’ the women’s division?” I scoff. “That’s funny considering how you barely show up for work.”
A low snicker sounds around the ring, but I’m locked in on Harper.
If she wants to play games, fine. I’ll play.
While she might have come from the indie circuit, she is far from the best of anyone standing here.
How she manages to keep her job is beyond me because there have been too many times she hasn’t shown up or shows up halfway through the day.
And that’s not how this is supposed to work.
From day one, it was made clear that you show up, you put in the work, and you try your hardest. You respect the ring, respect your peers, and respect the sport.
You may fail, but you get back up and keep going.
That’s how you get to the main roster one day.
That’s how you make a name for yourself.
And those who didn’t want to put in the work?
Those who didn’t want to show up? Those who didn’t want to show respect?
They were supposed to be out. So why hadn’t she been tossed out yet?
Rae has her theories—so do I—but Bennett doesn’t say much. It’s one of those situations where you keep your head down and mind your own business unless you want to put yourself on the chopping block.
“You know something, Harper? You’re right. This company does need a reality check, and so do you. You think I’m not worthy to be here just because I was a cheerleader, but—”
“Pretty much.”
“You wouldn’t last a damn minute on that field.
And let’s face the facts, Harp. The only reason you’re mad is because you’ve had to work for years before this company ever considered you.
Not to mention two failed auditions before that.
But all it took was one look at me, and they knew they wanted me. ”
I force my gaze to remain on Harper, but I want to look over my shoulder and see the look on John’s face when I hear him laugh. He tries to cover it with a cough, but it’s obvious.
“These people don’t care about boobs and ass—”
“Yes, we do!” Colin calls out, earning a few laughs from those around the ring.
“Okay, maybe some of them do, but are you sure you’re not just bitter because the Good Lord didn’t bless you? Doctor Nassif did.” I smirk when her face falls, eyes wide in horror. A chorus of “holy shit” rings out around us.
“You bitch!” Harper cries.
“No, Harper. I’m just honest. The majority of these people couldn’t care less as long as we put on a good show.
And if we look pretty doing it, that’s just a bonus.
The sob story is old. Pretending like the rest of us can’t do this because we didn’t spend years in the circuit doesn’t make you better than us.
It just makes you pathetic.” My feet move on command, circling her, the same way John circled me earlier.
I guess some good did come out of his presence after all.
“You feel threatened by us because we see behind the mask. And no matter how hard you try…you’ll never be anything more than a sniveling, pathetic excuse for a woman from Ohio.
” Her face set in stone, eyes blazing with fury.
“So, no. You’re not here to save the division.
And if you think I’m going to let you stand there and disrespect the hard work every one of these women has put into it, you’re sadly mistaken.
You want to see what a real woman looks like?
I’ll show you. And I’ll start by taking that title. ”
“You’ll never get your hands on—”
“Just try and stop me,” I say, stepping into her.
My heart beats so hard in my chest, I’m sure it’s going to jump out any moment.
Finally, I take a step back and take a deep breath.
I don’t want to let the others see how I feel, like I’m either going to pass out, throw up, or both from the sheer amount of adrenaline pumping through my veins.
It’s quiet for what feels like hours before a slow clap resonates from the corner. John. All eyes are on him as he stands from his makeshift seat and walks closer, a shit-eating grin on his lips. “Where have you been hiding that? Because that…that’s what I want to see.”