The Princess of The Ambrose Asylum ( Book 1of 3)

21

I was heading back to my hotel room that night after the Smackdown taping when I spotted Randy fishing through his pocket for the key card to his room. He was stood outside his door, searching both pockets of his jacket for the card.

"Try your jeans," I interjected. "That's where you usually keep it, isn't it?"

He jumped at my words, not expecting me to be walking down the corridor towards him. His head darted in my direction as I casually walked over to him. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but I wasn't going to let his surprised look deter me. This was a conversation that was needed and we were having it whether he liked it or not.

He'd managed to avoid me for the whole of the Smackdown taping. He wasn't in his locker room, he hadn't been in the cafeteria, and whenever I'd spotted him at some point in the corridor he'd managed to get away before I was able to approach him. I wasn't sure if it was coincidence or whether Randy was actively avoiding me, but either way, we hadn't spoken since the kissing incident the night before and I was determined to sort it out now.

"Uh, yeah. Good call," he murmured, sliding his hand into his pocket and pulling out the key card, flashing it at me. "Found it."

"Can we talk?" I asked as I reached him, his body instantly stiffening up at my words. I noticed his Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed, his eyes cautiously looking down at me.

"Right now?"

"No better time than the present," I shrugged, making sure he wasn't getting out of it this time.

He rubbed the back of his neck before he slid the key card into the reader on the door, the motion unlocking it. "Sure," he said. "Come on in."

He pushed the door open and entered the room, switching on the lights. I followed him quickly, letting the door close behind us.

I took a seat on the bed as Randy began emptying his pockets, taking off his jacket and sorting through his bag. He had his back to me as he messed around and I knew it was a delay tactic. I knew it was his way of keeping busy and avoiding the conversation we would inevitably have, a silence enveloping us.

But I wasn't here to sit there and watch him sort out his bag or tidy up, I was here to discuss the situation he'd put us in last night. I was here to put things right between us.

I was here to get my friend back.

"Randy..." I tried but he didn't listen to me. He continued to sort out the clothes in his bag. "Randy... Randy... Randy!"

I was more stern in tone with my last attempt, my voice a lot louder and clearer. His shoulders dropped and he sighed, turning to face me.

"Sorry..." he said as he left his bag and dropped onto the bed beside me. I turned to face him, ready to talk.

"I think you can guess why I'm here," I said, my hands clasped tightly in my lap.

He laughed once to himself. "Yeah, I've got a good idea why."

"I just think it's the big elephant in the room and I seriously think we need to talk it over," I suggested. "It's clear from today that things aren't right between us after what happened and I want to get us back on track."

"Makes sense," he said, hardly looking at me, his answers short.

I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm not sure where to start," I said. "I suppose the best question to ask first is why?"

"I thought it was pretty obvious why," he said. "Why else do you kiss someone?"

I looked at him, not exactly a big fan of his sarcasm. That wasn't going to get us anywhere. "Well normally it's because you like them."