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Shawn Warstein · (02-23-2020)

February 6, 2020
6:47pm
Outside of Atlanta Georgia

I slowly open my eyes from the backseat of the Subaru. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust as I rub them vigorously. I sit up and lean forward between the two front seats.

“Are we almost there yet?” I said in a mocking tone.

“Real funny but actually yeah we are.”

Off in the not too far distance you can just see the lights emanating from the carnival. Lighting up the entire neighborhood. The closer we got, the louder the sounds became, and the more clearly you could hear them. The children’s laughter and screaming. The whirring of the rides and the bells going off for lucky individuals who were somehow winning all of the rigged games.

Noah’s driving with a purpose, and finally we reach the parking lot. Well lot is a big word for this open field of grass with a few teenagers manning the entrance. Noah pulls up and rolls down the window, holding out a twenty. The kid grabs it and points Noah where to park. Not a single word was exchanged, and just as quickly as we were there we were heading towards a parking spot. Noah whips the Subaru into the spot, and quickly hops out. Vita isn’t that far behind them. I sit in the car for a moment, and check my phone, there is nothing. Oh well it’s a carnival I can’t possibly be bored here. I open the door and both of them are standing there.

“What is your hip broken?”

“You need me to get your walker?”

Normally I’d fly off the handle at them, but not tonight. I just smile and shake my head. After the battle Noah and I had at Cuntfest, I’m surprised that either one of us are walking. The fall Noah took at the end was the best possible outcome for him. It was either that or it was a suicide on Pay Per View.

I pat Noah on the shoulder.

“So what are you two going to do first?”

“What do you mean us two? There are three of us.”

“I know Noah, but don’t think I don’t know I’m a third wheel when I see it. I know you guys didn’t want me to actually come, you were only asking out of respect. Just go on have fun, just text me when you’re ready to go.”

“It’s not like that.” Vita chimed in. “It’s we were thrown off when you said you’d come. This doesn’t seem like the kind of place where you’d be caught at, you know with the X-Treme title and all still around your waist.”

She was right, but there comes a point when you are holding this title that people just stop even trying. I’ll go weeks sometimes without anyone attempting to get a fast one over on me. Plus I’ve held it for so long it’s not even a bother anymore. It was at one point a hindrance, but now I’ve grown to live with it.

“Well I’ve been out of the safehouse for a while now, me being out in public isn’t out of the ordinary.”

“Yeah it is!” Noah piped in as we were approaching the main entrance. “You may be able to go out, but you still just sit at home smoking weed and playing Madden. The NFL season is over, play a new fucking game.”

He’s not wrong. It has been a while since I’ve been out in the public eye. There was a time where I’d get mobbed while out in the public eye, now it’s dwindled. I’m not quite the draw I used to be… I mean I still draw better than the current Universal Champion, but that’s a story for a different time.

We walk up to the ticket counter. I pull out my wallet. Noah pantomimes searching for his, and holds his palms up, then shrugs.

“Really?”

“I forgot it…”

“I’m sure you did, you do realize that you make quite a bit of money now. You don’t have to keep mooching off of me.”

“Fair Dinkum. So……”

I pull out a wad of cash from the wallet and hand it to Noah. He quickly folds it and stuffs it in his pocket. I walk up to the counter and purchase three tickets, and quickly hand two of them over to Noah and Vita. Noah rushes ahead into the carnival. Vita just shakes her head, and follows after him.

“Noah slow down….”

It didn’t take long for Noah to find the nearest game. I watch as he throws down some cash and takes his time lining up a shot.

“This is bullshit. The ball is bigger than the hoop. In ‘Stralia the ball actually fits in the hoop..” Noah begrudgingly throws more cash down on the counter, and grabs the ball and tries again. The ball clangs off the side and ricochets wildly.

*Bzzz...Bzzz...Bzzz*

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and pull it out.

1 New Message
Atara: I’m here, where are you guys?
Fuzz: Noah couldn’t help himself, the first game you see when you walk in.

I slide my phone back into my pocket, and turn my attention to Noah. Vita is currently getting in the carney’s face yelling at him to show her that the ball does in fact fit in the hoop. The man is pale white, and stumbles backwards as Vita let’s go of his shirt. The man quickly scurries into the back of the booth and returns with a small stuffed toy and hands it to Noah. He gets a shit eating grin on his face and wraps his arm around Vita’s shoulder, as they begin to walk towards me. Noah’s waving the small stuffed animal in front of me with the glee of a small child.

“Look what Vita won for me!” He said aloud for everyone in a sing songy voice.

“Won isn’t the words I would use, but good for you buddy.” Noah mockingly scoffs.

Noah points towards the gate, and Vita notices the same thing.

“What’s she doing here?” Noah questions Vita and both of them are confused. Then their glare both turned towards me. I smile and shrug.

“What!? I never said I was coming alone….” Noah interrupts.

“Wait is this like a date? Or a double date?” Noah looks over to Vita and mouths ‘I didn’t know’, and she shakes her head.

“No it’s not a date, she just wanted to get out and relax,” I stated while trying not to lose my temper. “You know blow off some steam. So yeah I invited her. So you two are either going to act like adults, or you can leave. And should you choose the latter, leave me the keys to MY car…. are we understood?”

“Damn Dad. You didn’t have to go all parental on us.”

“Yeah pops, we will be fine.”

“Good, I'm glad.”

I finally turned around, and my god is she stunning. I don’t even have the words to express just how incredibly gorgeous she is in that light pink sundress fitting just right. Not a single hair out of place, flowing down and over her shoulders. I wasn’t the only person to notice her as she had garnered the attention of some of the other men there, much to the chagrin of their significant others who were throwing so much shade it could cause an eclipse.

Atara sauntered up to the three of us smiling. She glances over to Vita who just nods. Noah looks like a deer caught in headlights, does nothing.

“Hope you didn’t have any issues finding your way here.”

“Oh yeah the Uber knew exactly where we were going.” She smiled as we all started to walk deeper into the carnival. We stopped every few booths where Noah would eventually lose money playing the rigged games with Vita by his side. I notice a liquor booth and make my way towards it. I glance over my shoulder as Atara stands there watching Noah play the game.

The line was longer than expected but eventually I made my purchase and headed back to the three of them.

“Fuck this stupid fucking game!”

“Here take this and shut up.”

Noah snatches the beer out of my hand, as Vita grabs her drink. I hand Atara her wine and take a sip of my bourbon. Noah is obviously the first one of us done with his drink, and is quickly followed by Vita.

“Sick…. come on babe we’re going on the zipper….” And just like that Noah grabbed Vita’s hand and they were gone, lost in the crowd.

“Well if you wanna….”

“Nah, I’m not really dressed for rides, but you can go if…..”

“Now that just wouldn’t be fair to you now would it? Coming out all this way just to be left by yourself…I’m not that kind of guy. Look we can go sit over there and just talk.”

“I mean if that’s what you want.”

“Of course.” I grab her by the hand and lead her towards a picnic table and we sit down across from each other. She takes her drink and takes a sip.

“So why don’t you tell me about yourself? I don’t know much about you at all.” As she leans forwards on the table. It’s nice that there is someone that doesn’t have any preconceived notions about me. I’m not going to lie, I was close to leaving all the bad out.

Yet that would be the old me. So there we sat, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I know the reaction the old me gets from everyone, and I wouldn’t be surprised if all of a sudden she had to leave for some emergency.

But I did it. I laid everything out. From the good to the absolutely despicable. Drink after drink the glasses began piling up on the table. My story is one that everyone knows verbatim by now, and I’ve become quite alright with it.

February 6, 2020
9:43PM
Outside of Atlanta Georgia

“And that gets us to today.” Now is usually when people run. Yes something amazing happened.

“That’s quite a story. I’m glad I met this version. Of you.” A calming smile came across her face. I get a sly grin on my face.

“I am too, but everyone wants to see the old me again.”

“I don’t, I kinda like this one.” Again the smile not leaving her face. As she reaches a hand out across the table and caresses mine. I feel a sudden calm fall over me. This must be what contentment feels like. Could she finally be the person to put an end to the past?

I feel her grip tighten on my hands, and in an instant she pulls them away. She quickly grabs her drink, as I turn around.

Sure enough Noah and Vita are making their way back to us. Noah is carrying an ungodly large stuffed bear on his back and a large smile across his face. Vita is holding his one free hand, either to keep him balanced or just to hold it.

“Dad…. Look what Vita won me…..”

“I’d say won is a stretch wouldn’t you?”

“Fair Dinkum, but I think it’s time we got out of here.”

It didn’t take much for all of us to agree. Soon we were all walking out to the parking lot, Noah and Vita leading the way. While Atara and I trail behind. Our hands would only briefly brush up against one another, and we’d pull them aside. Until she just grabbed my hand and held it. Surprised I squeeze her hand, and the pressure from her let’s me know everything I need.

As we approached the Subaru Noah pulls out the keys. He opens the back door and fights to jam the oversized teddy bear into the back seat.

“Get in there you cunt….”

Noah begins to kick and shove it into the car. Vita watches and gets into the passenger seat. Atara pulls her hand away from mine as we get closer.

“Uhhh Noah?”

“What’s up Dad?”

Noah is still trying to get the bear into the back seat, but pauses to turn to us.

“Where are we going to sit?”

Noah looks at the car, and then back to us, and then back to the car.

“There’s room on the other side…...maybe.”

“Alright I can see where this is going. Just make sure the car gets home in one piece.”

“Sure thing pops… Noah get in before he changes his mind.” Noah quickly jumps into the car and slams the door. He reaches his hand out the window and we do our secret handshake and before we knew it we were watching tail lights.

“Well I guess I’ll get you an Uber to get you home.” I pull out my phone, but she grabs it from me.

“I’m not ready to go home yet…”

“Okay, then what do you suggest?” It’s as if she already knew what I was going to ask and points to a bench right by a pond.

“We can go over there and continue our talk.”

This time she took the lead, not dragging me over to the bench but forcefully leading the way. We sit down next to each other, the moon reflecting off of the pond. The sounds of crickets echoing throughout, and the lights of the carnival illuminating and casting out shadows on the ground in front of us.

She leans her head on my shoulder, and nuzzles in closer. The smell of ivory and rose drifted carelessly. She turned her head up towards mine and smiled.

“This may sound weird, but I feel oddly comfortable with you…”

I smiled and placed my hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer. All alone, but together. No distractions, just us. Pure contentment.

“Don’t worry….I’ve got you.”

[Image: VAPORGRAM1582459472848_500x300.jpg]

[Image: VAPORGRAM1582459472848_500x300.jpg]

Part Three Coming Soon

The Afterthought:

Shhhhhhh……

Everyone you’ve got to be quiet.

If you listen closely you can actually hear Az realize that they never stood a fucking chance.

Apparently Az is just sooooooo shook that he couldn’t even bother to say one fucking word towards me. Yet why would he I would just tear everything they could possibly say apart. The fact that specific rules were put in place whenever you held a title seems a bit odd to me. I mean it’s not something I haven’t seen before, but it’s amazing that since a certain someone wasn’t in charge you’ve become nothing.

Meanwhile no matter who’s in charge of this place I always find myself in the same spot over and over again. I mean just look we are vastly approaching a time where I will have been a champion longer that I wasn’t. I’m going to be honest with everyone watching this right now…..

I was planning on leaving after XX. I had no other plans beyond that, but something wonderful happened. I beat Ace Vincent, and right then and there I knew this is what I needed to do. It was all, WOW Fuzz you didn’t make a fool of yourself, you should stick around. I seriously considered calling it right then and there, but that wouldn’t be my style.

What this is right now is a fucking crash course for Robert Main, on how to do a fucking promo when your competition is below you. You don’t run down the rest of the card you are on to make yourself feel better. Congratulations you were able to pick the winners in all of the matches. We are all shocked that you even cared about anyone other than yourselves. No what you do is you continue to go at your opponent.

You show no mercy, you look right in the camera and you tell the entire world that they haven’t and will never deserve to be in the ring with you. You tell them that no matter what they have said or even haven’t none of it makes a difference in the end.

All the silence should be a motivator to get you angry. Were you not worthy of their time or words. Instead you have to prove a point, the point being that no matter what happens all they have done is essentially waste your time.

And you need to tell them as much. You have to waste no time in cutting deep, because you want them to open their mouths so that way everyone will just know that you are right.

You with me so far Main?

You could go your route, and say you’re putting over the rest of the roster….

Fuck them!

It’s not your job to put them over. They have to eventually stand for themselves. It’s a difficult business to be involved in and you doing that is only giving hope to the flunkies that are floating around. Hell I’ve already spent way too much time on Az but that’s what you have to do.

Then again not everyone is like me.

Not everyone loves the sound of my voice nearly as much as I do. Well I can think of one person maybe. How did you describe her?

“Cute as a button.”

Even more than that my man. Cute doesn’t even begin to describe her. Some more appropriate ways to describe her are, alluring, exquisite, stunning, divine, ravishing, etcetera. Just trying my hardest to increase your vocabulary.

But that’s not your style is it?

Nah just like Az……

I don’t need 280 characters on twitter to get you flustered and ready for a fight but,

For someone like me, it’s just that easy.

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