[And So I Danced…]

I’ve never danced in the rain before, never twirled like I am now. Spinning slowly with just a small pink skirt on and a light white top while the weather is still slightly warm enough. As each drizzling drop comes from the sky as I am near a small river in New Orleans, Louisiana. My clothes are quickly becoming matted down to my small feminine frame, showing off every curve and portion of my body. The white top pushed to my skin reveals the black slightly lace bra underneath. I do not care as I spin about in the rain smiling knowing that I have nothing to hide from anyone. I hear other people dancing around me as a more pop music plays from the band under a tiny tent. It’s a local gathering a few fans invited me to, my white heeled sandals are being watched by a young woman that dragged me here after a few drinks. The camera from a local news group is there, I’m not that famous but the girl who brought me stops me from spinning. She uses the digits of her right hand to grip my wet shirt moving me with her. Gaining back my balance after spinning so much I am placed before a camera in clothes that are matted down to my form and before a small group of people who have heard of me. The rain comes down and beats against my face, I close my eyelids and then letting the rain wash away any nervousness. Opening my eyes I let my emerald orbs look directly at the news interviewer as the woman who brought me strikes up conversation.

Young Woman: “This is Ariana, she is like totally the future of TWE. I mean she has the whole package, I got a recording of her first dark match where she won. It was like oh my god impressive. You so need to have her relay to you about this Sunday. It is like such a big deal and stuff, she is totally going to win this battle royal thingy that they are like having. So many talented people are like involved and it is like totally huge. I like really think she is the next Bombshell to make a difference in the company of TWE.”

News Reporter: “Well with a remote little party we were only expecting some simple local news but Miss Ariana we would love to hear about your thing in this company known TWE, you seem like a beautiful young woman. So it is safe?”

Ariana Sears: “Safe? It is if you know what you are doing and have been trained. But yes it is safe for those that can understand the risk. Sometimes in wrestling we all get tossed around by many others and the match I have coming up soon is a representation of that within itself. A battle royal that is including both men and women. It is probably not safe in the eyes of those who do not believe men should face women. I honestly never thought that when I got into this that I would be facing men but it is what I chose to do. Safe for me from training but I don’t recommend anyone untrained try to copy what we do.”

News Reporter: “That is actually very sound advice Miss Sears. I am not a big fan of wrestling but I would like to get a few words from you about what that Pay per View night will mean to you?”

Ariana Sears: “What it means to me is what it means to every single man and women in competitions. It means that we have a chance to grasp at something that everyone else wants to. It’s for two people to get a shot at the TWE tag team championships. It is not everyday someone gets a shot at something like that. So the pairings could be odd or good depending on the two that win and talent does not shy away from the match itself. You may not know a lot about wrestling but some of the names in there are impressive. Alexis Terry, Tyler Page, Seth Owens, and many others are going to be there. It’s a match that I am going to have fun in. Twenty nine of us will compete before the eyes of many but only two will come out of the situation. I prefer it to be me and someone else of good standing. It is the best way I will prove to people to not underestimate me.”

News Reporter: “That is really all of it. I just want to ask you why are you out dancing in the rain anyway when you should be traidning for a match?”

Ariana Sears: “All work and no play doesn’t get you a win. If you don’t have fun in your life then you won’t have fun doing anything else. See I see the rain a lot like I see that battle royal and don’t worry I am going to explain it to you. The rain is like tons of drops and in the match there is a numerous amounts of talent always washing over one another like each new crashing rain drops to the surface. It never stays the same, never a constant rain drop remaining where it once was. The rain comes down across the land and brings change, it continues the cycle watering and refreshing new plants. Here it is the cycle of one talent being on top and then the next rises up a fresh new face rising up just so people can see their growth from one time just like the weather. I love rain because it is also cleansing, gives you that feeling of washed away doubt or sorrow. It is like taking your mind and putting it at ease that is what I feel the rain does in its own way.”

News Reporter: “Thank you for that interesting analogy and good luck in your match when it comes around. To all the people watching at home that was Ariana a Bombshell from TWE. I suggest checking it out and this party also still seems fun for some.”

I look to the news reporter as he signals for the camera to cut off and they stop filming. He shakes my hand and even leans down to kiss the back of it. I blush a little at the act of chivalry and they head away from the group enjoying the rain. Moving with the young woman who brought me along we go back to an area grabbing my shoes as well as my purse. I twirl one more time after her smiling as the rain beats against my fair skin leaving me with a sensation of peace. We walk off to a corner as the party is actually winding down and there is tents set up along the way. This woman leads me to a tattered yellow tent that looks to be well used throughout the years. She points to it for me before taking off into another tent, I crawl inside looking about there is a sleeping bag along with a pillow. I yawn shivering from the wet clothes and climb inside the sleeping bag after changing into shorts and a hoodie that have been provided for me. I sit up wrapped in the sleeping bag warming up slowly and grab my purse. Reaching in with my left hand I pull out a video camera, I turn it on and smile as it is recording. I set my purse down and set the camera at an angle on top of it. Doing a video log for TWE’s website.

Ariana Sears: “So I suppose a video log for the website won’t hurt one bit I mean not much I can do. I will just upload all of this when I get home so you can all watch it. But anyway in regards to the battle royal I know that some people are doubting the ability of this Bombshell. I mean I am not the most known nor am I the most experienced. I’ve had  one match so far but nothing televised. So this will be my real debut for on screen. Some of the people in the match are new and some have been around for awhile. One woman that is looked up to as the head Bombshell is in the match and her name is Alexis Terry. Out of all the Bombshells it is her and Kinley that I am going to keep my eyes on the most because I believe out of all of the women that they are the biggest competition. I have no discreet hatred or even favoritism to either one. I respect Alexis because she is the World Champion and not a lot of women in wrestling get to say that. But I am new and starting off that title holds no interest to me. I actually wanted the tag team championships so this works out for me. If Alexis watches this I want her to have the truth that I will not back down from her, she may be the Queen but in the ring southern hospitality switches into a whole other meaning. We fight to win and if we lose well we go down fighting and sure as hell won’t make it easy for you know that girl.”

I pulled out a picture of Mark one of the men in the match and I hold it to the camera.

Ariana Sears: “This is the guy that I have been seeing in a friendly manner right now. He has been sweet, I know how hard he has fought to get where he is and a former soldier. He won’t give up and he won’t back down. He told me a story that when you are on the battle field it’s not really friends it is just people you serve with. Now Mark you better be watching because if that is the case this is a battle to determine the challengers for tag titles. Now if you wind up winning alongside me that is just fine but even this girl whom you like is not going to take it easy on you. I am going to take you out if it comes to that because this is just another battle we are serving in as superstars and bombshells, this is about doing your best for yourself even if one of us will wind up alongside another that we are beating the tar out of. Mark you are an example for me to tell everyone that I don’t care in this match how much you know me I am going to scratch and claw my way to the very end.”

I put the picture away and slowly pull out a different one holding it to the camera. I point to me and Lya having one arm around the other’s shoulders.

Ariana Sears: “Lya is like my sister, she is the woman who has trained me. I feel as though that me and her should have debuted on the same team but tonight we both could possibly win. How amazing would that be for student and teacher to outshine all the other athletes here? Lya has trained me well and I am really ready for all comers for sure. I may not be the biggest athlete in the company but I have a lot of what Lya told me was important. I have a lot of heart to do what I need to. I was afraid to really get in the ring when I first met her but do you want to know what she told me? She said Ariana, fear is doubting and doubting is only proving you are afraid. So I risked a chance and I climbed into the ring. I stood there for a moment letting the feeling wash over me. I knew then that this wrestling is truly what I wanted to do with my life. Lya if you don’t win and we have to take one another out same thing as what I told Mark. There is no friends in a match where you need to prove what you can do.”

I stop talking as my hand strokes against my cheek I am clod now. Pressing the button on the camera I wave bye to it before it shuts off. Laying my head down I close my eyes as the rain beats against the tent and I drift off into slumber. Waking up the next morning though someone unzips my tent, it’s the same woman from before. I climb out in the clothes given as extra and I grab just the camera heading toward the edge of the water. Moving along the river edge I find a rock and I sit there, setting the camera on another as I turn it on. My small feet are kicking in the shallow bed of the river’s side. The camera is recording again.

Ariana Sears: “I thought I would be more tired when I awoke I guess I was wrong. But now this Southern Belle has to find her way back home now too. I do though want to continue on with my statement about the Battle Royal. I know there is a many amount of people that are within it. I’ve named a few that are important to me. I won’t say anything about the rest because I barely know them but I will sit here on this gentle river bed and say don’t let my looks deceive you. Don’t let the small frame of this blonde from Texas make you think that I am some pushover because I can guarantee you that is the last thing I am. I want all participants to wake up and ask themselves do I really deserve this? Am I really going to face all of these people unscathed by what will happen. Well I am going to answer in my own privileged way. To be something you have to start from nothing and to pretty much everyone I am considered nothing in the locker room. Barely anyone knows my name but a few do. I am prone to climb quickly and show all I can to be deserving of any title. In one night I could go from being a nobody to having a chance, that great leap of faith that people tell you to take. This is my leap of faith and I don’t feel like passing it up for anything in the world. Don’t be afraid to take risks because when you start from scratch you have more times to try and fail before people give a damn about even your first name. I know I am pretty and I know I can get anything I want if I were to flaunt my beauty but that is not the kind of girl I am. I’m the kind of girl that will get in the ring with you and try to make you submit. I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t stand for failure and only wants to achieve the dream. I may sound cliché but whatever accept me how any of you want to. I just want something more in life than to rely on my beauty.”

I stop talking and I grab the camera, I close the lens as I look into the water. I see my own reflection and I let all the things cross my mind. I rub my hands together and  stand up slowly walking away from the river bed going to find my way home.

[I Want To Shine…]

I sit backstage dressed in a pair of short pink tight bottoms and a white and pink tight top that pushes my chest into a perfect angle. I have on white boots with a pink trip with the symbol of an A upon them. Looking into the mirror the vanity for the makeup table where Bombshells get help to appear better I gaze vividly into the emerald green eyes of mine. I think back to my mother and I speak.

Ariana Sears: “Mom I wish you could see me now, I wish you could see your little girl before she starts to make her father proud by doing what he loved to watch. I hope you are proud as well to watch me achieve everything I’ve wanted for myself and us. Tonight I could easily be tossed aside. But for the love of those who support me and the love of those who even made it possible for me to be here that is why I do this. I want to shine like a star that you gaze at all night long. I want to glow like the sun during the day and know people rely on me like they do it. I want to be the glow of the moon to be found glorious in my existence. Just like the glow of my eyes that captivates people, the way they shine. Before the eyes of others inside the ring, before all of them I just want to make my mark, want to show my skill, I want to shine…”

I put my head down to look at the counter for a moment, slowly into my lungs I draw a long breath. As I inhale I begin to raise my head back up, my eyes meet my reflection one more time. My lips part as I speak the same words I finished my last sentence with.

Ariana Sears: “I want to shine…”

I get up from the chair I have been sitting it, I check over my attire. I look to the backstage curtain a short ways down the hall. With one hand I brush back my long hair, I gaze still to the curtain knowing that soon enough I will be fighting other women as well as men to stake a claim. I’m prepared as I keep saying in my own head I want to shine, I will shine, here comes Ariana Sears world, here comes the Southern Belle.