Perfect Match (27 page)

She saw a few of the Goddess’s come into the
viewing room, Kayla and Kristi.

“Oh my God! I had no idea he would attack
him!” Kayla said.

Noelle turned to her and noticed how pale and
scared she looked. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? What
did you do, Kayla?”

“Noelle, I’m…” Kayla started but was cut off
with Larry running in.

“Come on, Lady. Jackson’s in the back.”

She gave Kayla one last look of death before
she quickly followed her Pop down to medical. She hoped that Tony
would end this feud. He would see that this cannot happen. These
guys are out to kill each other, and it was all her fault.

“What is the deal between the two of you?”
Noelle was able to hear Tony demand as she walked in. Jackson was
getting cleaned up by one of the medics and looked like he was
going to have one hell of a black eye.

“Nothing,” Jackson said as he noticed Noelle
come in. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.” He didn’t take his eyes off
Noelle.

“Listen to me,” Tony started to get angry,
and he is a man that never gets angry.

“There is some real heat between the two of
you and I want to know what it is. If you don’t tell me, he
will.”

“It’s because of me.” Noelle said. All eyes
were on hers, including her Pop’s.

“You?”

“Noelle, don’t.” Jackson started.

“No, you are already paying for my mistake.
Derek and I have history and that is what they were fighting about.
It’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”

“Like I said,” Jackson stated, “It’s nothing
I can’t handle.”

Noelle left as soon as she confessed. She saw
the look in her Pop’s eye and Jackson needed to talk with Tony
about the real punches that were thrown. She needed to get air. She
heard her phone go off a few times with text messages. She finally
looked at them. The only one she cared about was from Jackson and
it just about broke her heart.

MY NOSE IS NOT BROKEN. I’M GOING TO GO HOME
TONIGHT. TALK TO

YOU TOMORROW.

Chapter Eighteen

Fortunately for Jackson, his nose was not
broken, though he would have handled it if it was. His father would
say it built character. Unfortunately, the crowd loved this
segment. They had no idea it was a real fight and there was real
bad blood between the men. All the fans was knew that this was a
good story and Tony was going to stick with it. Jackson was told in
a meeting in Tony’s office. He tried to focus on what was being
said, but he couldn’t. His whole damn life has been turned upside
since Derek’s unwelcome arrival.

“I have a lot of faith you in you, Jackson.
This is the biggest match of your career at the biggest show. No
matter what your personal feelings are towards the man, you are to
remain professional. I can’t risk the two of you fighting for real
and getting hurt in the process.”

“Yes sir.” Jackson said.

“Now go on home.”

Jackson sighed and slowly got up. He was sore
and restless. He had a lot on his mind and wasn’t sure what he
wanted to do or where he wanted to go. Walking out into the hallway
he saw Larry standing there. He stopped and looked at him. He
looked as bad as Jackson felt. “Hey, Larry.”

“Got a moment?”

“I do.”

A half hour later Jackson found himself at
Drew’s having lunch with Larry. It didn’t take a genius to know
what this lunch was about. It wasn’t until the orders were already
placed that Larry began. “Did you know?”

“I knew there was one before me, sir, but she
didn’t tell me who.” Jackson could see Larry tense up. “I found out
in Tony’s office. He told me in his own way.”

“That had to be something. Explains the real
heat between the two of you.” Larry stopped talking and Jackson
wondered what he was thinking. “Of all the men she picked…what the
hell was she thinking?”

“He picked her. He never cared about her. He
wanted her to help further his career through you. She refused. She
stood up for herself.”

“At what cost? She got beat up in the
process.”

Jackson looked up in surprise. “You know
about that?”

“I do now. I wasn’t sure and I was hoping I
was wrong. One of the reasons besides him failing the drug test,
for getting fired was he had a few ex-girlfriends press charges
against him for physical abuse. I prayed that Noelle was spared
that. I was shocked that Tony even wanted him to come back even if
it was only for one show. I never liked the guy and for good
reason.”

“He won’t hurt Noelle again, Larry.”

“How are the two of you?”

“I’m really trying to understand all of this.
I just can’t think clearly when it comes to her and him. The
biggest match of my career and it can’t give it the attention that
it needs to be given.”

“Derek fights dirty, Jackson. He always did.
You keep your head in the game. He is short term. You get through
this feud and there is no stopping what you can do.” Larry promised
him. Jackson took a drink of his water and hoped that he can get
through this without hurting himself or Noelle.

It was three days before Holiday in Hell, and
Noelle was a wreck. Things with Jackson haven’t been the same
between them since before Derek showed his face again. It wasn’t
like he was angry. He was just polite. Too polite. Like they were
strangers. She finally told everything to Chelsey, who was
supportive and told her to come out to Monroe’s with her and Darin.
Noelle agreed thinking that it would do her good just to be away
from BRAWL. Her night was going surprisingly okay, until she saw
Mike come in. He saw her immediately and came up to them.

“Hey, did you know we were coming here?” Mike
asked.

“Who?”

“Everyone. An impromptu Christmas party.”

“Oh no! Jackson too?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I didn’t know about it.” She was hurt that
Jackson didn’t tell her.

“Oh, I’m sure he just forgot.”

Noelle appreciated what Mike tried to do, but
she knew better. She looked over at Chelsey who immediately told
her that it was going to be okay. Noelle excused herself to head to
the restroom. She thought about texting Jackson and letting him
know she was here but thought against it. She would see him soon
enough. She freshened up her lipstick, in the hopes of dancing with
him tonight, and walked out of the ladies room. She made her way
towards the bar area when she heard a low whistle. It didn’t take a
genius to know who that was. She kept walking but he stopped her.
“What a surprise to see you here. How about saving me a dance
later?”

“Get out of my way.”

“Answer my question. I’ve never known you to
be rude.”

“I’ve never known you to be nice.”

Derek chuckled. “Noelle, what are you doing
with him? He’s just a boy. Don’t you remember what it was like to
be with a real man?” He stepped so close to her that he was almost
touching her. He leaned down to her ear and said, “Remember baby,
remember what it was like with me?”

Derek was shoved into the bar causing Noelle
to be pushed out of the way in the process. She saw Jackson. “I
thought I told you to stay the fuck away from her!”

“I told you I don’t listen to anyone.” Derek
regained composure and took a swing at Jackson. His fist landed on
his jaw and Noelle winced.

“Stop it!” She screamed. Noelle tried to get
in the middle but Derek pushed her. She fell and Jackson ran to her
to see if she was alright. Derek took that as a weak moment and
sucker punched Jackson again before some to the other guys came to
break up the fight. Jackson’s nose was bleeding. “Oh my God!
Jackson!” Noelle was crying.

“It’s fine. Are you okay?”

She nodded. Mike came up to them. “I’m sorry
man, the owner is kicking you out.”

“I don’t care who you are. I don’t want any
fighting at my bar.” The man that Jackson nicknamed Skippy all of
those months ago told him. Jackson just nodded and headed for the
door. Noelle followed him out. He was furious. He reached his car
and punched the door. He was always so sure of everything. How did
his life turn upside down and he was suddenly sure of nothing!

“Jackson…”

He stopped and looked at her. “What were you
doing here?”

“I told you I was going out with Chelsey.
Didn’t you get my message?”

“I didn’t read it.”

“Jackson, what is going on with us? You
barely even speak to me.”

“Don’t you get it? I cannot be clear about
this match because of you.”

“That’s not fair.”

“No, it’s not. Noelle, I want to hurt him bad
whenever I look at him because when I see him all I think about is
him laying his hands on you.”

“You can’t focus on that.”

“He makes sure that is the only thing I focus
on. You don’t even want to hear the things he says to me in the
ring. I’ve never hated anyone the way I hate him, Noelle. He tries
to say anything that will piss me off. He has taunted me about him
being your first. He tries to tell me all the things that he used
to do to you. He knows how to throw me off of my game. This man
hurt you and I cannot get past that. I cannot get past the fact
that you ever went out with him.”

She stopped dead in her tracks. He knew those
words hurt her, but that is what he was thinking. “Wow, I forgot
you are such a saint, that you have no ghosts in your past.

Well you know what, Jackson. If you can’t get
past this, I’m going to make it easy for you. I’ll stay away from
you so you can be clear. Pop was right. I should have listened to
him about his no wrestler rule. I cannot believe I made that
mistake twice. Go clear your head.”

“Damn it,” he said when she was gone. That
isn’t what he wanted, but he also didn’t have the strength to admit
he was wrong.

For such a huge event that Noelle was looking
forward to for so long, she now wished it was over. At least she
had some moral support with her. Chelsey and Darin were here as her
guests and Jennifer and Paul were here as well. She had to be on
call in the event that someone got hurt. She felt the buzz and
excitement all around her, but that was it. She didn’t feel the
excitement of it. She was heartbroken. Pop wasn’t speaking to her,
and she wasn’t speaking to Jackson, or maybe with him it was the
other way around. The event was about to begin, and she found
herself wishing she was anywhere but here.

“Hey, are you doing okay?” Chelsey asked her.
Noelle was standing in the doorway of the viewing area not fully
realizing she was hoping to see Jackson.

“No. This should be such a huge deal tonight,
and I cannot wait for it be over.”

“Hey, honestly, wrestling bores the crap out
me. Darin and Paul over there are so excited and into it I don’t
think they’d realize it if we ditched them to go get
margaritas.”

Chelsey was trying to lighten the mood, and
Noelle was grateful for that. Even if she wasn’t working, she still
couldn’t leave.

An hour into the show and it couldn’t have
gone any better. The crowd was loving it and was excited and very
involved with every match. Next up was the grudge match between Pop
and Howie. Noelle sat beside Jennifer in the viewing area and they
focused on her Pop. He came out second to a standing ovation.
Ruckus Reid was a legend and the fans loved a legend. He was all
smiles and in spite of her mood, Noelle could see how extremely
happy he was out there. After Howie and Pop took in their cheers
from the crowd the match started. It went according to plan, and
honestly better than anyone thought. It wasn’t scheduled to go very
long, and the next match up was Jackson’s. The nerves were getting
to Noelle in a big way.

Pop was slated for the win. He went to do his
finisher on Howie when something went wrong. Pop dropped to the mat
with Howie falling with him. The next thing they knew was Howie
covered him for the win, and that is when she knew something was
wrong. “Pop!” She screamed and ran to the entrance way to the arena
to wait for them to bring him back. All kinds of scenarios played
out in her mind. He would be paralyzed. He broke his neck and sunk
into a coma. She couldn’t lose her Pop over a damn wrestling match.
Jennifer was right there beside her, holding her hand as they
waited for Pop to be brought back on a gurney.

The ten minutes it took for them to look over
Larry and for them to allow her to see him was an eternity. “Pop,”
Noelle said when she reached him. Her heart was about to fly out of
her chest. This is exactly what she was afraid of. The exact reason
why she didn’t want him to do this match in the first place. Now
things seemed to be even worse with the distance she has felt with
Pop since Derek came back.

“Hey, Lady,” he barely managed to say those
words without wincing in pain, “It looks worse than it is.”

“Pop, are you going to be okay?”

“Looks like a torn shoulder. May need
surgery.”

“You’re done, Pop. Do you hear me? You can’t
do this anymore. Stick to the school. I can’t take it if anything
were to happen to you.”

“Noelle, sit down,” Larry demanded. “This
right here, my injury, it’s the reason why I always wanted you to
stay away from wrestlers. The fear, the constant worry. It’s not an
easy life. What I did not realize was that you would have gotten
yourself mixed up in a much more dangerous situation.”

Noelle knew where this was going and it
totally caught her off guard, “Pop…Derek was a huge mistake.”

Larry held up his hand to stop her. “Lady,
I’m not happy that you never told me about him and pissed about
what he did to you. Oh, I am damn proud of how you handled him. I’m
sorry he hurt you and I hope Jackson makes him pay.”

They both stopped because of the crowd’s
noise. Jackson’s match was in progress, and they had no idea what
was going on, but the sounds of the cheers told them that Jackson
was probably winning. She ached for him. She hated that they fought
and for what she said to him. She feared that she messed things up
between them for good. She felt like her whole life was falling
apart. Her Pop was hurt and she wasn’t so sure if Jackson was ever
going to forgive her.