The Only Exception (Sheamus)

Chapter 23-Es' Home

N/A; If any of you wanted to know who I based Es' name and looks on. It was from Esmeralda from Hunchback of Notre Dame. She's my favorite Disney character.

Stephen P.O.V

It is one week from Christmas and Es was eager to go back home. The second she woke up she started packing everything in her luggage bag instead of snuggling up to me until noon.

Normally I would head back to Ireland to see my folks but I told them I was going to be staying with Es' family for Christmas. I've already met half of her family so all I need to meet is Erin and her mom.

We took a plane to L.A and watched old Degeneration X videos. Es would laugh and explain the stories behind them. Her eyes would seem to have a glimmer of happiness whenever she saw her brother and her do something silly, I could tell that the two were deeply close.

Suddenly, a video popped with Chyna in view and Es' smile seemed to drop. She looked pained but also upset as she watched Chyna wrestle. In a way, she was watching but her mind was some place else.

"You've never mentioned her." I said quietly.

"It's complicated." Es said sadly as she played with her fingernails.

"How so?" I asked her.

"Chyna was always my hero; I loved how she threw men around and stood tall against them. She is everything I tried to make myself be." Es said gently and I could tell in her eyes that she was pained by seeing Chyna."When she was fired, I tried everything to get her job back up until Hunter threatened me to stop. Chyna slipped into Playboy and I couldn't look at her..it's too painful to see what she's become."

"Haven't you ever tried to stop her?" I asked.

"Eddie and I personally went there to talk to her but she called security on us." Es shook her head."It's not my place to tell her how to live."

Es said that last sentence so bitterly, I think she was quoting Chyna rather than really believing what she was saying.

"I'm sorry." I frowned and patted her hand.

"I call her every holiday but she rarely ever answers." Es spoke softly, barely even a whisper."Hunter and I rarely ever fought but we almost lost our friendship over her. I was so angry with him."

I've heard the rumors of Chyna being fired because of Stephanie and Hunter. I was never sure to really believe them or not but judging by how Es sounded, they seemed to be painfully true.

We changed the subject by watching a movie instead. The rest of the ride was quiet since Es was thinking about something else.
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I've always loved visiting L.A, there is so much to do and see but I never once thought of living here because how crazy it is. But Es seemed really happy to be back, she had the window rolled down with her left arm out the window, she moved her hand through the wind like it was soothing her.

It was a long drive from all the crazy traffic, but Es liked the ride. The radio was on blast and it was hot in the car so I was starting to sweat. Es looked like she was enjoying the heat, she seemed to be in a relaxed state and loved to be in the sun. It's December 23 but California doesn't understand the word 'winter'

Then again, she is Mexican so this is probably a sunny day to her.

Es pulled up to a real fancy neighborhood that took my breath away. There was a long row of fancy houses and they all looked spectacularly unique.