Two losses when they mattered the most has Priscilla-Jasmine Blake thinking long and hard and it has for an entire week.  What is she even doing here if she cannot win a match when it really matters?  You can pick off this opponent, that opponent, but when the this or that opponent is the one to take you to that next level; what then?

Having incredible matches only get you so far.  You have to be able to take that next step and now PJ Blake is starting to doubt herself and all because of two important matches that she lost.  She has turned her phone completely off and she hasn't even opened her laptop to do more than watch YouTube or do things that require little to no thought.

"I know who would call and what they would say."

She says, walking down the side walk with a bottle in a brown paper bag, but the seal still intact.  PJ lets out a sigh of relief after cracking the seal; her head leaned back and her eyes closed.  She brings the bottle close to her lips, but lowers it back to her side and opens her eyes; continuing to just walk.

"You did great, kid!  You will get them next time!"

PJ scoffs.

"Everyone always tells me what they think I need to hear.  Everyone always thinking I need to be protected, but I don't.  I understand things.  I see the world for what it is."

Stopping, she lifts the bagged bottle up and stares at it.

"No, this would not be my first bottle in the past week.  The day I lost, the only thing I wanted to do was drift off and not think about it.  The question is, do I continue to numb myself or do I pick myself up and try harder next time?"

Starting to walk again, she finds herself stopping not long after and staring at an empty bench and starts laughing softly.

"Do you know what the funniest thing about all of this is?"

She stands there, just laughing softly for a few moments.

"Both Marisol and Nicole met me backstage and told me 'just give us the word'.  So guess what that means?"

Letting out another sigh, PJ turns on the tips of her toes and lowers herself to sit on the empty bench.  She holds the bagged bottle in both hands, sliding one up towards the cap.

"Am I breaking down or showing strength?"

She shrugs her shoulders.

"Honestly I don't care and I really don't like wallowing, but here I sit because sometimes it just needs to happen.  Sometimes I just have these moments where I feel so much is being bottled up that if I do not vent, talk about it, I will explode in the exact wrong way."

She says and then sets the bottle next to the bench and rests her elbows on her knees.

"Look into my eyes, each and every last one of you."

She says, staring straight forward; unblinking.

"Do I look like I am going anywhere?  Do I look like I am going to give up?  No, I do not, because no, I am not.  I am still here.  I will always be here.  There are ups and there are downs, but I will always get up and be ready for the next show, the next match, the next autograph session.  So do not for one second think there is any opportunity to had because I am having a low moment.  My matches with Silas and JC were incredible and I sent a message to everyone on the roster.  They will never admit this, but they know how capable I am in that ring and they were lucky to be the ones with their hands raised because there were times things could have swung my way and it would have been my hand raised.  I would be the one standing tall as the winner."

Once again, she lets out a sigh.

"Incredible matches will only get you so far, however.  Now I am left with no other options.  The easy road passed and now it is all uphill if I am to stay in the Alpha/Omega Tournament, but guess what everyone?"

She cracks a smile.

"I love the feeling when some people start to back way out of my camp because they have that thought 'it will not happen', because that is when things get real good."

She leans back and slaps her knees.  PJ stands up and picks up the bagged bottle; continuing to walk down the sidewalk.

"Ataxia, that brings things to you.  I don't know you and honestly I am not exactly in the mood to spout pleasantries.  Both of us have the same motivation.  You and I both do not want knocked out of this tournament.  We need this victory to stay alive."

After pulling off the cap, PJ holds up the bagged bottle up; no longer walking.

"Here's to us, Ataxia, because here we are on our last leg.  Here we are ready to go head-to-head to simply catch that last breath.  You have people and I have people pulling away from our camp and siding with those who remain, but what we do to each other in the name of desperation and final measures is going to have them flocking back to us.  The one thing both of us will be able to say is this match was a blockbuster, but only one of us will be able to call ourselves the clear winner."

PJ lowers the bottle and takes a long drink then wipes her mouth with her other hand.

"I will be bringing everything I have.  You will see me for who I am and no that does not mean I took Marisol and Nicole up on their combined offer to involve themselves.  This hast to be me and you.  When I defeat you after the two of us go head-to-head and leave nothing left... it has to be me.  If you think you have seen the best of me... PA---LEASE!  I am only getting better each and every week and I will keep getting better.  So Ataxia, the two of us... how about it?  Let's go all out one more week and prove we still belong in this company?  You throw everything you got at me and I promise to pull out that little bit extra than you and blow the roof off the building?  See you at the Vivint Smart Home Arena!"

Once again PJ Blake holds up the bagged bottle with a smile on her face.

"Here's to us... let's knock it out of the park!"

She lowers the bagged bottle and takes another drink.

~Fin.