Wonderland [WWE] [Shawn Michaels] {Book 1}

Chapter 52: Get Out

[Kat]

I sat with Paul in a little diner on the outskirts of the city we were staying in for the week. I picked the booth way back in the corner, just to be out of the way of prying eyes. As much as I loved meeting fans and all of that, I thought my head would explode if I was asked to sign one more thing.

Shawn really was at the height of his fame, and being not only his manager but also his girlfriend, I got to experience it with him. It seemed like the more popular he got, the cockier he got about it. He had such an intense need to be talked about, but not necessarily liked.

Tensions between him and what felt like literally anyone else in the locker room were just getting worse as the days went on. Shawn and his big mouth were definitely not helping.

The closer we got to Wrestlemania, the more I was worried he was going to lose it. The pain he felt every time he got in the ring coupled with his denial of his career ending took their toll. He was becoming more and more irritable and overall just hard to be around.

I longed for the days we could just sit on the couch and laugh at old movies. All Shawn wanted to talk about anymore was the business, and how fucked it all was.

I was beyond grateful when Paul invited us to dinner. I would have given my left leg to just kick it back and talk about nothing at all with my friends.

Shawn didn't want to come. He made some bullshit excuse and basically told us to do whatever the fuck we want without him. That was what we wanted anyway, right?

I couldn't understand what he meant. He got so pissed just because Paul and I were going to dinner. Well, excuse me for not wanting to spend another night watching him wallow in self-pity.

"Thank you for bringing me here," I told Paul.

He looked up from his menu for a moment to respond. "I felt like you needed some air. Shawn's kept you cooped up."

"You got that right..." While Shawn may not have been physically holding me down, I felt like I needed to stay by his side at all times. I didn't want to admit it, but I was worried about what he might do if I wasn't there.

"What are you going to get?"

I looked at my choices, and nothing really seemed appetizing. "I don't know. I've kind of been sick to my stomach." I really, really hoped it was just a stomach bug.

"The Katherine McMahon I know would not leave here without a milkshake," he told me.

I grinned. "You know me too well. Would it be bad to just get a chocolate milkshake?"

He shook his head. "Get what you want. I don't want to make you sick. I'm getting a burger, though." Of course. He had to eat a lot to keep up with all the weight lifting he did.

"That's what I'm ordering, then." I flipped my menu closed with a small sigh. I thought Paul wouldn't hear me, but he did.

"Alright, what's up?" he asked. "Something's bothering you. We can leave if you want."

"No, no, I'm happy to be out, but..." I had so many thoughts buzzing around in my head, I didn't even know which one to bring up first. "Did you hear the radio today?"

"No. Why?"

"Another wrestler overdosed today. And... I know I didn't even know him, but every time it happens... it's a shot to the gut." I wrestled with my words for a minute. "Just, what if...?"

"He won't." Paul always knew what I was thinking.

"How do you know?"

"I don't." I liked that Paul didn't pull punches with me, but it still made my stomach turn hearing the truth. "You have to have a little faith in him. It's the only way you'll keep yourself from going insane."