NO ROLE MODELS [KYLE ANDERSON PG III]

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9th of August, 2020 - Manchester, England

One year and three months. That’s how long it took me. One whole year and three months to finally make my grandeur return to the wrestling ring after the accident that put me out of action for over a year. Back then, I had a hot streak and I was on a roll, I was ready to be the next top contender to the World Champion at the time until I was abruptly stopped in my tracks with some scars that never tended to heal and neck problems that sidelined me in the fear of myself being put back onto the shelf again. I had awoken from my humble sleep not forty minutes ago and catching up with Proving Ground that aired last night when I had taken a look at the preview of the next show, and even if I knew I’d be booked, seeing that my opponent is now one of the three in the Grand Championship match has now put a smile on my face. Those doubts I might have had when re-entering the ring are being faded away knowing that even this place might see me as a threat to one of their top gunning at the biggest prize here. I searched through my apartment until I found what might have seemed like an old friend to me, the same camera I had used to record myself all that time ago.

“I never thought I’d see you again, old friend.”

I place the camera down onto the bookshelf and at a perfect height to capture me from just below chest height, perfectly capturing me in the frame of the shot. I take a few steps back and stare into the lens of the camera - I was ready to send a very clear message. I looked behind me, seeing a grey TAPOUT hoodie resting on the kitchen table. It had no sleeves, and as I picked it up, it was like having a flashback back to my first ever time in front of the camera. I had swapped out my Iron Maiden shirt for the grey hoodie as I reached over, took a few steps back as the timer ran down before it began recording. I take a deep breath, not knowing what to say at first but then I begin to speak.

“It’s been a while since I was last seen on television, not since the days of the Underground in London, not since my first ever wrestling match where I was placed into a deathmatch and ultimately-” I pause. “I ultimately met my fate and was put out of action for thirteen whole months. I will not lie to you, it was rough trying to get back what I had back then. I had momentum, I had hype, I had a lot of things but in the end, I was never seen or heard from again because of that one match. I can stand here and blame people for it but I choose not to. There is no one to blame, of course, I know my history with the assistant to the General Manager - Caden Young - and I know that it may seem that I seek that retribution but I do not.”

I let out another deep breath as I gulped from my water.

“I seek for one thing here in Project: Honor and that is the Grand Championship,” I smirk as I point one finger up. “I seek for one thing here and that is the top prize because I once was that top contender and with that said, I was never given my shot to be in line to the proverbial throne. I could have come in on day one, I could have been in that Trials of Time tournament but I wasn’t because I was still speculating. I was still thinking of if this was what I wanted, but alas, I am here. Project: Honor has allowed me to enter their home - but instead of walking in normally, I’m kicking in the damn door and I’m bringing in my own seat to sit at the table the likes of Jason Terrance, Dickie Watson and Kasey Winterborn have all been sitting on since their first matches here.”

I sigh but I nod my head.

“That’s actually one person I want to bring up. Kasey Winterborn. Low and behold one of the three that are entering the match at Hell on Earth for the title. One of the three I’m willing to skip the line and sit at the table with, but I’d assume you’re just wondering who I am, don’t you?” I ask. “I mean, you know my name and all you might have known about me is the fact that I’ve wrestled only once, you’re all wondering how well do I think I am? I consider myself to be very well talented, I’ve been training hard for the past three years of my life and I’ve been the star student of my trainers. They know how good I am, they know how well I can wrestle but of course, you don’t know that, Kasey.”

“I’m not saying that you’re bad, but you know, you’re not good either. You might have gotten a few lucky wins under your belt there, didn’t you?” I ask again. ]“Take a look into my eyes, and tell me that you thought that win against Ryan Young was worthy enough for you. Take a look into my eyes and tell me that win against Phoenix LeStrange was a truly fought out battle between you two. Would I ever say these wins were flukes? No, but I won’t stand here and tell you that. I will tell you that you just have gotten very… very… VERY… lucky indeed on winning a place at Hell on Earth. If I had joined on day one, I’d doubt you’d be in the position you’re in right now. You’d more than likely hang around with people like Colton Saint or Elijah Copeland, maybe even people like MYOJIN or even-”

I bite my lip a little as I remind myself of the past, just even baring to bring up his name is like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I’m physically frozen but I can just barely bring my lips to say his name.

“Or even- Even someone like Caden Young. If it wasn’t for me not being here day one, you’d be more than likely hanging around with all four of them in the X-Division race, and I don’t intend that as some false fantasy, Kasey.” I tut a little. “I do mean it, I honestly do. See, I can stand here and tell you how good I am because I know I am. I’m one of England’s biggest talents right now, I am on a hot streak, I’m on a goddamn roll and will be continuing that roll by going through you. See, Kasey, I am the true definition of luck. I am pure-blood lucky. I am always destined with luck. Hell, I never thought I’d be doing this again without some luck. You, on the other hand, just barely made it to Hell on Earth. I know I said you’re a very lucky girl but your life itself was never full of luck for anything else, was it?”

“You’re not even a Winterborn, are you? Yet, you take their name as if you’re really a part of the family lineage, how pathetic of you, Kasey. How extremely pathetic of you, Kasey. You’ve been soaking in someone else’s spotlight as if it belonged to you but you know for yourself that it doesn’t even come close. It’s not the same, is it? What do you actually bring to that family name?” I ask. “You’re an outsider, you’re nothing without a family’s name that isn’t even your real name. All of this has been handed to you, and what happens to those who have everything handed to them? They get victimised and they get ripped apart one by one until they realise that everything they’ve had has been handed to them and for you, Kasey, you’re about to see that harsh realisation.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as I shake my head from side to side.

“So what happens between me and you, Kasey, is nothing more than a harsh realisation that you are nothing- you have been nothing and you always will be nothing. For once I finally set my course and I cleanse you of everything wrong about you, everyone in the back watching that match and the management finally seeing that you aren’t deserving of a title shot like the one you have, and they’ll soon realise that they have a wrestling prodigy right here that’ll take up the spot when they see fit.” I smirk. “Kasey, you’re going to crash and burn like your parents did and then you’ll have nothing more but shame brought upon yourself. I’ll see you at Proving Ground.”

I reach over to the camera, placing my finger on the record button but I look right into the lens for one final shot of myself smiling before hitting the button. I feel pleased with what was said, it was quite a lot to have gotten off of my chest and it helped me feel a bit more relieved. Though this Friday couldn’t come sooner, I felt as if I was ready to take on Kasey Winterborn. All of a sudden, there’s a voice that startles me a bit.

“You look as if you’re happy with what you said, Kyle.”

After that, I knew exactly who it was- of course, it had to have been Sara.

“You know… those were some harsh words that you said, was it really necessary?”

I turn my head to face her.

“Depending on whom you might ask, then yes, it is very much necessary. I thought you would have known me for saying much worse than just that.”

“I have heard you say much worse things than that but come on, Kyle. It’s one thing to go after someone’s family, but not when they’ve been fostered and lost their parents to a crash!”

[color=#ccff00]“It is what it is, Sara. We’ve all said things we regret and even some things that piss off the snowflakes of the world, but you know what?”[/color]

Sara sighs.

“...what, Kyle?”

“Something like that would have been said anyway, so I might as well take my shot and stab her with it first. I know you’d rather I’d have not said something like such things but where’s the fun in that?”

Sara brings her right hand and rubs it along her cheek.

“Just know that if she kicks your teeth down your throat, I hope you come to the realisation of why she did what she did.”

“She’d need to have a clear shot at me to do such, Sara, and I can assure you that will not happen.”

I smile as I walk towards Sara, slowly tilting her head up with one finger and placing a soft kiss on her lips before walking out of the room and leaving Sara by herself. She stands there in the same place she always has been standing, sighing with her arms crossed. She’s a slight bit confused but also hoping that Kyle can keep his word. Biting on her fingernail, she slowly turns around to follow Kyle out of the room as we fade to black.

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