Rainy Day | Rhea Ripley

Chapter 3

I need to heal what I inflict 

But I'll burn that bridge when I get to it

- Masterpiece by Motionless in White

When we got to our hotel, Demi realized that her manager forgot to book me a room. And since the hotel is completely booked we now had to share one like we're in a shitty romcom, which didn't really matter much to me since there were two beds but Demi seemed really pissed about it. She just brought her suitcase to the room and immediately left for the gym. Since I apparently had the whole day to myself (I wasn't about to try and film her again when she was in a mood like this) I decided to talk a walk through the city.

I had never been to Atlanta before and I left my phone in the room under the guise of making this walk "meditative". However, I had gravely underestimated the absolute labyrinth that is Atlanta and due to the fact that I was tired and unfocused I ended up getting lost and it was eight pm when I finally got back to the hotel.

When I entered our room I heard the shower running so Demi had probably gotten back recently as well. As I was looking through my bag to find an outfit that didn't smell like an airplane and the grime of the city she came out of the bathroom in tracksuit bottoms and a tank top, hair still dripping. "There you are I thought you'd gotten lost" she let herself fall onto her bed. I made the executive decision not to admit that I had indeed gotten lost.She took my phone from the windowsill and threw it at me, I didn't catch it but it landed on my bed."Some guy called Xav keeps calling you" I tried to remain neutral at this information but apparently, she'd seen my face go white because her face lit up with curiosity."Oh, so that's someone important. Ex-Boyfriend? Deadbeat dad? Drug dealer?" I wasn't in the mood for games though."That's not funny Demi. I'm sorry that the calls bothered you but no, he is nothing of the sort. I'm gonna go take a shower now" I got in the bathroom with my clothes, locking the door behind me, and fleeing the situation. I wanted to throw my phone out the window but I knew that realistically that wouldn't change anything.

"Don't take too long, we're going to dinner with the guys in 30" Demi shouted from outside the bathroom. The 'guys' could technically be anyone but I assumed she was referring to the rest of the judgment day. I briefly pondered whether or not I should wear something a little more put together but then I decided that my usual black leggings and oversized T-Shirt would have to do. If kept this job these boys would be seeing me all the time so what was the point in pretending I was someone I'm not?

45 minutes later I found myself in the hotel restaurant sitting across from Dom, Finn, and Priest, which were the names they insisted on being called despite me usually preferring real names over stage names because using their stage names made me feel like a weird fan.Demi had been bantering with Finn ever since we got here and I was glad that she seemed to have relaxed a little.I was pretending to study the menu, trying not to draw any attention to myself. I was still a little rattled over the calls.

Priest had other ideas though. I quickly found myself in a very longwinded conversation about growing up in Staten Island (apparently my accent had been a little too obvious) compared to Puerto Rico, since he had also been born in New York City. Damian was a great conversationalist but not good enough to distract me from the fact that Dominik Mysterio kept staring at me like there was something on my face. I wasn't the only one noticing it either.

"Mate what the fuck is up with you? Wanna take a picture of her so you don't forget what her face looks like?" Demi asked, slightly irritated.This seemed to snap Dom out of whatever sphere he had been residing in for the past half hour."What? No, of course not, I'm sorry, it's just that I could've sworn we've met before" he stuttered. "That is the oldest pickup line in the book and I'm not going to fall for it" I distracted, grinning at him while getting up from my chair. I didn't want to show how nervous that sentence had made me.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom really quickly"When I got out of the stall I was greeted by a certain tall, dark, and handsome Aussie woman, looking at me with furrowed brows."Can I help you, Demi?" I wondered while turning on the faucet to wash my hands."Do you need any help mate?" She leaned on the counter and looked at me in the mirror."What do you mean?" I played dumb."You're deflecting every personal question anyone asks. And you get fidgety and weird. Are you okay?"

"It's my first time traveling with you. I've never sat at a table with four pro wrestlers before. And I'm also generally a private person. So I'm sorry that I'm not telling you my whole life's story without even knowing you which, by the way, you are not doing either. Get over yourself" I regretted these last three words the second I said them. It was uncalled for and I knew it but I really wanted her to back off.

Which she did. Literally. With a look on her face like I'd just egged her house.The rest of the dinner went over seemingly without any more incidents although that was mainly because Demi pretty much ignored me completely.Once we got back to our room I apologized to her but she barely acknowledged it and went to bed soon after.

I spent a while laying on my bed in the dark room, trying to think of something to do.I knew that I couldn't go on like this. I couldn't keep treating people like this and expect them to not ask questions. I needed to get my shit together. And I started by blocking Xav's number. This wouldn't solve anything and I knew that but I needed this job and the only way I could try and focus on it was by eliminating the distraction. But I still needed to get rid of some of this nervous energy somehow and there was only one surefire way I knew how to do that.I waited until Demis' breathing made it clear she was asleep and slipped out of our hotel room into the unknown city.