Post by Anastasia Hayden on Jan 5, 2017 1:50:05 GMT -5
December 19th
The jail door slid open and made an awful sound as it did, causing Anastasia to open her eyes. The jail officer stepped up and motioned for Ana to get up. She rose from the bench in her cell and adjusted the jacket, the only piece of clothing that prevented her from being entirely in her wrestling gear.
“Your bail’s been posted.”
Ana almost asked who, but she wasn’t in the mood. Between her splitting headache and the overwhelming mixture of embarrassment and anger from being jailed, all she wanted to do was get back to her hotel and sleep. At the front counter, her bag, which had also been taken upon her arrest, was returned to her. Walking through the main lobby, Ana saw the person she had called after the arrest. The only person she knew in the area.
Isabella’s head was resting against the wall, her eyes closed when Ana walked up to her and gave her foot a light tap. Isy awoke, nearly bursting out into laughter at the sight of Anastasia Hayden still in her wrestling gear inside a police station.
“I know it was real cool when Johnny Cash did a jail concert...but a jail wrestling show? Don’t think that holds the same weight, Ana.”
“Real funny.”
Rolling her eyes, Ana looked at her “friend” with a hint of guilt.
“I know I asked, but...you didn’t have to post my bail.”
“Post your bail? Ana, I didn’t bail you out.”
“Then...why are you here?”
“Because I knew they’d let you out sooner or later...not like they had any reason to arrest you to begin with. I was just here for emotional support mainly.”
“Who bailed me out then?”
“You’re asking the wrong chick. God works in mysterious ways...or something like that. Now, come on, I’ve got a change of clothes for you in the car.”
Isabella stood up and started making her way toward the exit, Ana following behind as she zipped up her jacket in anticipation for the weather. Isy pushed the front door open and Ana was met with the cruel blinding light of the morning sun.
“Hello? Earth to Ana.”
The blinding light vanished and was replaced with a softer setting. Ana looked around, slowly piecing together where she was. She was seated across from Isabella and a menu was in her hands..
“Huh…”
“I was asking what you wanted to eat. I’m leaning toward eggs and bacon myself.”
Just before Ana could reply, her head started violently throbbing. So much so that she put her hand up to her forehead, as if to serve as a preventative measure to keep her brain from exploding out of her skull.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah...I think...just think I just need some sleep. My head’s killing me.”
“Didn’t get any sleep in your cell?”
Isy sported a worrisome smile, halfheartedly joking at the expense of her friend. But the obvious pain showcasing itself on Anastasia’s face went beyond a lack of sleep.
“I can’t remember…”
“Well, what do you remember?”
A good question. Ana thought about it, but her memory only came in brief patches. Spending too long on one moment caused a sharp stabbing pain and she’d quickly have to move onto the next.
“I remember arriving, most of my match, then in the back packing up, the cops coming in, and waking up in the cell.”
“You don’t remember anything in between your arrest and waking up in the jail cell?”
“Not a thing. I just woke up there.”
“That...certainly doesn’t sound good. Did you tell them your head was hurting?”
Ana shook her head in response.
“You don’t remember your fall to the outside, do you?”
“Not really, no. I don’t even remember how I got in the back…”
“And you didn’t see a doctor any time during this?”
“Not that I can remember…”
Isy sighed and took out her phone, starting to type away something on it.
“Let's assume you didn't. I'll find a doctor. Look at your head, scan it, whatever..”
“I’m fine, honestly. You’ve done enough.”
“That’s not going to work, Ana. We’ll just eat and try to keep you going.”
“Isabella, I’m reall-”
“Cut the bullshit, Ana. I’m not messing around with this.”
A sincere yet strict tone from Isabella jolted something in Ana. Perhaps more guilt from forcing someone to keep dragging her broken body around. Or perhaps it was just a lingering effect from her fall at the Massacre event.
“Fine.”
“Good, it’s settled. Now let’s...”
She kept speaking, but Ana couldn’t hear a word of it. An overbearing ringing in her ears dominated everything around her. The chatter of the diner, the morning traffic, and even Isy were replaced with ringing. Ana turned her head toward the window. Outside, a passing car caught her eye with the reflection of the sun, another blinding light.
“Sorry...what did you say?”
“Is your head still hurting you?”
The blinding light shut off as the doctor put his pocket flashlight away and the ringing vanished.
“No...I mean, yeah, a little. But I’m fine.”
“That’s what a lot of athletes tell me. But head injuries shouldn’t be brushed off, Miss Hayden. You’re moving a bit sluggish and your MRI suggests you’re not fine. It’s not serious, but...I’d recommend at least a month off.”
“A month?! I...I can’t take a month off in my line of work.”
“And my line of work won’t let me medically recommend anything else.”
Ana shook her head, there was no chance of her taking a month off. She already had two bookings set for the first weekend of January. And everyday, she drew closer to moving out of her flat in England to wherever was next for her in the States. No work meant no money and no money meant relying on someone else.
A month off meant missing out on the Alpha Cup and missing even more money. Taking time off wasn’t an option.
“Look...if you can’t take a month off, and I highly recommend that you do...at least try and take off as much time as you can. Keep your physical movements limited, don’t strain yourself. The woman who brought you in, she’s your friend, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Great. You seem to be fairly in the clear, but I’d recommend having her watch over you for a few more hours. Just to keep you awake. By tonight, you’ll be able to sleep fine once you get out of this 24 hour window. Other than that, just take some kind of pain reliever and take care of yourself.”
“Will do, doc.”
“Oh, and one more thing, how often do you drink?”
“Not...often.”
The doctor nodded, writing away at the paper attached to his clipboard.
“Good, that’s good. Alcohol can slow down the healing of a concussion, so avoid it at all costs. Again, avoid it for at least a month.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
Of course, she knew that was a lie. And she felt ashamed for having to lie to a stranger over something as ridiculous as her drinking habit. She would already be ignoring one recommendation, it’s not like another would hurt. Technically.
“Alright. That’s everything.”
Ana hopped off the examination table and shook the doctor’s hand on her way out
“And please, Miss Hayden, take my advice.”
“I’ll do my best.”
She said with a false smile. A smile that was almost mocking him. She pulled open the door and headed out into the hall, blinking, and finding herself next to Isabella. The two walked down the corridor of the hotel.
“You’re not actually planning on taking a month off, are you?”
There was nothing from Anastasia, who was too focused on trying to regain her mental balance.
“Yeah, didn’t think so. Keep your workouts light. I guess...I don’t know what to tell you, Ana. Just...don't do anything stupid.”
Isy slid the hotel key into the door and turned the handle after the confirming click of the card reader. In one swift moment, she turned off any lights and hurried over to draw the curtains shut. The room was consumed with darkness, just how Ana planned it with or without the head injury. Ana dumped her bag on the floor next to her bed and sat on the edge of the mattress with a heavy sigh.
Finally in comfort, but with no opportunity to enjoy it. Though, she did know of one method. But she wasn’t the only one with that thought. Ana watched Isabella walk over to the fridge. She swallowed hard, trauma to the brain or not, she could sense what was next as Isy opened the refrigerator. The six pack of Stella was next as Isy took it out and placed it on the table she was sitting at.
“What...what are you doing with my beer?”
“I’m not stupid, Ana. I’ve had a concussion before. And I know for a fact that these...these aren’t doctor recommended. So, I’ll just keep these six with me for a little bit.”
“Whatever.”
Ana rolled her eyes, just a tantrum shy of completely acting like a spoiled child.
“So...if I’m meant to be babysitting you for the next few hours...what do you wanna do? Could watch a movie or even better...we still haven’t properly caught up.”
There was some hope in Isy’s voice when she offered her suggestion, but Ana was quick to shut it down with the retrieval of her laptop and earbuds.
“I need to study...I don’t think trying to catch up would be wise...ya know, with the head injury.”
“And taking notes isn’t too stressful?”
“Not as stressful as trying to think back to a time I’d rather forget. Alright?”
“Sure, Ana...whatever you say.”
The sound of defeat managed to tug at Ana’s heart, but she couldn’t show it. She was dangerously close to reconnecting with Isabella and becoming friends again. That just couldn’t happen. Keeping the contact as minimum as possible was the only plan in Ana’s mind. She popped in her earbuds and opened up YouTube, searching for whatever match to take her mind elsewhere.
And it worked. The Alpha Cup tournament was back in her mind. But with that came some curiosity. She pulled up the Massacre event from the night before, scrolling through the show until pausing on her match. For the most part, she sped through it until her last memory from the match.
It was always surreal to watch a match back. That feeling never went away. But to watch an injury. To watch an injury she didn’t remember. She watched as Owen Salvo’s manager pushed off the top rope and that was the last thing she recalled. Her body slamming onto the edge of the ring apron and then the back of her head bouncing off the concrete. The sight made her wince, almost grateful she didn’t remember it. But the bell rung and she was declared the winner.
A smile formed. She won. One step closer to the Alpha Cup. A step closer to having one less thing to worry about. She knew she got lucky against Owen, but would never admit it. All that mattered was the next fight. The next war. But more important, well, almost as important: Not getting another concussion. Any added damage, no matter how minor, would just pull her back further from the Alpha Cup.
And that wasn’t an option. She pulled up the updated brackets, pleased to see her name onto the next round. Hanzo Kirigaya. Just another name preventing her from greatness. If AWE wanted to charge her with a crime she didn’t commit, she took pleasure in knowing she’d give them a reason to arrest her at the next Massacre.