❊ "what the fuck is wrong with you?!" ● vs. siobhan & declan

[Rora Sky]

● ● ●   ● ● ●   ● ● ●

❊ INT. QXT - NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 19TH, 2018

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Shiloh shot Sebastian a murderous look. He simply shrugged as Aurora waved to them from across QXT’s, like he hadn’t purposely followed his partner and her date there.

“Hey guys!” Aurora’s voice was uncharacteristically loud as she pulled Alyx towards their table. Shiloh flashed them a rather fake smile but Seb was staring a hole into Alyx. Aurora’s green eyes were glassy, indicating she was a little buzzed, and that made Sebastian’s protective instincts kick into overdrive. “What are you doing here?”

“Why are we here?” Shiloh sarcastically asked.

Seb paid her no attention. He exchanged a tense handshake with a smirking Alyx.

“Heard this place was great.” Seb’s reply was a bit forced, but Aurora didn’t notice. Alyx let his hand roam and come to rest on Aurora’s thigh. No one else would have noticed, but Seb picked up immediately on the slight hint of discomfort in Aurora’s posture. “You guys want to have a seat?”

Shiloh rolled her eyes and got up. “I’m going to get a drink.”

“Grab me a beer, babe.”

“As if I would ever,” Shiloh snapped and headed off.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Who? Shi?” Seb was so clueless about his own girlfriend whenever Aurora was around. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Also,” Alyx spoke up, right as Aurora was about to sit down. “We aren’t staying.” He took Aurora gently by the arm and pulled her to his side. Aurora looked a little nervous, but when she caught sight of Shiloh staring daggers at her from the bar, she giggled a little. “That’s probably for the best. Excuse me, though. I’m going to restroom before we leave.”

Aurora weaved her way through the crowd, which wasn’t bad considering it was late on a Monday night, and headed into the bathroom. It was single stall and she locked the door behind her. She wasn’t sure how she felt with Alyx being so handsy. She truly felt that his intentions were pure, but at the same time she was a little uneasy.

● ● ●   ● ● ●   ● ● ●

❊ INT. NEWARK PENN STATION - NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 20TH, 2018

It had been a great night and Aurora was sad it was ending. After leaving QXT, Alyx had taken Aurora to a friend’s place where a small group of mates were hanging. The entire group had been pretty chill and kept her laughing all night. By the time they'd all looked at the clock, it was well into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Aurora knew she needed to head to Newark Penn Station to catch the last train back to New York, and Alyx insisted on driving her. The drinks they had consumed had worn off ages ago.

“I had an amazing time tonight.”

The two were sitting in Alyx’s Honda Civic.

“I hope I made up for the fact I slammed into you with a door.”

Aurora smiled. “You did. Maybe we can do it again?”

Alyx nodded.

The way he was looking at her made Aurora feel a little uncomfortable but she tried to ignore it. The last time someone had given her that look, her entire life had fallen apart. As soon as Alyx leaned closer, Aurora felt something inside her break open. A rush of memories came flooding back to her. Alyx’s hand gripped her arm, trying to pull her in for a kiss.

“NO!”

She forcefully shoved Alyx back, the momentum sending him back against the door. “The fuck?”

Aurora began fumbling fom the door-handle, bile rising in her throat. She couldn’t breathe. Tears were pricking at her eyes. “Unlock the door!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Alyx watched as Aurora literally clawed at the door, trying to get it open. He reached for her, wanting to calm her down, but Aurora started screaming. Alyx quickly unlocked the door and Aurora fell out, landing hard on the concrete of the parking lot. Alyx threw her purse at her.

“Crazy bitch!”

Aurora deflected the purse, the contents spilling out. Her breathing was labored and her heart was racing, but she was quickly crashing back down to Earth.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Alyx. I am so sorry!”

Alyx was in a state of shock. He watched Aurora slowly get up, wondering what had just happened. She went to open her mouth, but he wasn’t interested. Alyx cranked his car back up and sped out of the parking lot, leaving the Canadian a complete and total mess.

● ● ●   ● ● ●   ● ● ●

❊ INT. SEB & AURORA'S PENTHOUSE - NEW YORK CITY - MARCH 20TH, 2018

“Morning sleepyhead.”

Aurora rolled her eyes at Sebastian as she padded into the living room of their home. It was well past lunchtime.

“Where’s Shiloh?” she asked, flopping down at the far end of the couch.

“Off somewhere being pissed.” Seb shrugged it off. “How did it go with whatshisface?”

The edge in his voice was evident and Aurora silently sighed. She definitely wasn’t going to tell Sebastian about her breakdown. He would pry and Aurora would crack, and she wasn’t going there. Ever. “Fine.” She kept her voice neutral and changed the subject. “Did you see we’re facing Declan and a girl named Siobhan Rojas?”

“Of course I did.” Seb gave her a look. “Hale deserves everything I’m going to give him at Warzone. I’m glad I’ve got my partner back.”

Despite her shitty mood, Aurora grinned at that. She loved teaming with Seb. “I love being part of the most experienced team in The Factory. We’ve been together for 16 years and that’s our biggest advantage. No one can take that from us.”

Sebastian nodded his agreement. “Exactly. I know this will be Siobhan’s first match. She doesn’t know her way around the ring yet and you and I have been wrestling for two years. She’s definitely at a disadvantage against us.”

“I doubt Declan will be much help to her. He’s proven that he can’t or doesn’t want to team with anyone else in the company. He treated you so poorly these last two weeks, then left you. How can Siobhan trust that he’ll have her back?” Aurora folded her legs underneath her. “Do you think Declan’s stalker will show up again?”

“I kind of hope so,” Seb admitted. “Whatever is going on there has now cost him two victories. That distraction is killing him during matches and honestly, we need that. I hate this, but we need every advantage we can get.” Seb looked into Aurora’s perfect green eyes. “The Factory is not a safe place. Each week it gets more violent.”

Aurora chewed on her bottom lip. “Dijuanna said she didn’t think it was a good fit for us but we’re making it work. You did amazing last week against the Bro’s until Declan left you high and dry. Plus, we can always make this a wrestling match to play to our strengths. Declan only wants to fight with people. That hasn’t helped him at all in The Factory so far. His temper is so awful.”

Sebastian took a deep breath. “Look Rory, I need to tell you something.” He was so serious and that caused Aurora to frown. “I googled Siobhan’s name and I found some stuff.”

“You’re scaring me. What did you find?!”

“Let’s just say I don’t think she’s a wrestler and if we try and wrestle her, we will be fine.”

“What aren’t you telling me, though? I know there’s more…”

Sebastian got up from where he'd been sitting and crossed to his partner. He knelt down in front of her and took her hand. “If this is the same Siobhan from Google, then she just got out of jail…”

Aurora gasped. “We’re facing a felon?”

Seb gravely nodded his head and squeezed her hand. “It’s awful."

Aurora shook her head. "Unreal. What kind of place is this?"

"A terrible one, but look. No matter what they throw at us, we can handle it. We're on the same page, now and forever. They will never be able to work together, and we would die for one another. I'll never not take a bullet for you."

The look Seb was giving Aurora made so happy inside; temporarily forgetting the previous night/morning. She reached for Seb and he pulled her up, and close to him. They stood their together, wrapped up in one another. Neither noticed when Shiloh opened the door. The moment she saw them, her heart dropped to her stomach. As quietly as she opened the door, she shut it again. Seb and Aurora were none the wiser.

● ● ●   ● ● ●   ● ● ●

❊ INT. CENTRAL PARK - NEW YORK CITY - MARCH 20TH, 2018

“Thanks for meeting me,” Aurora shyly said as she sat down next to Alyx. The two were in Central Park and despite the freezing cold weather, it was a beautiful day. Shiloh had eventually come back, and once Seb had disappeared with her, Aurora had texted Alyx. She wanted to make things right him.

The aspiring wrestler shrugged.

Swallowing her nerves, Aurora looked down at her gloved hands. “Look,” she finally said after a moment. “I know I made you feel awful last night, this morning, whatever, and you did nothing wrong. It was such a lovely evening and I really did have fun with you.”

Alyx absorbed her words and finally looked at her. “Then why make me feel like a fucking dick?”

Aurora swallowed the lump in her throat. There was a damn good reason she had freaked out but it wasn’t something she wanted to open up about. “I - I just haven’t had the best luck with men and other people not named Sebastian.” That wasn’t exactly a lie. It’s just no one knew how horribly broken Aurora was when it came to love and dating. “I promise it had nothing to do with you.”

Alyx just shrugged, and kicked at the ground with the toe of his black combat boot. “Whatever ya say, babe. Like I don’t wanna be rude, but you know. I thought you wanted me to kiss you.”

“I honestly don’t know what I wanted in that moment.”

Aurora was being truthful. She never thought she would experience that giddy, butterflies in your stomach feeling again after what happened to her, but she had come so close with Alyx. Aurora had only ever had two guys in her life - Seb and Vitaly. Both of them had hurt her several times over. Alyx was someone new and he didn't really know Aurora. That was one part comforting and one part terrifying. A troubled expression crossed her face and Alyx sighed.

"Look, if you figure it out, gimme a call," he said and got to his feet. "I don't play games."

Aurora bit down hard on her bottom lip as Alyx started walking away. Her first instinct was to let him walk away. But her mother's words kept echoing in her head, 'there's more to life than work and Sebastian.' And when Aurora had left, Seb and Shiloh had been shut up in his room.

"Alyx!"

He paused and turned around, but Aurora was already walking towards him. "I'm not trying to play games," Aurora promised, stopping in front of him. Before she lost her nerve, Aurora closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Alyx's. It was awkward and a bit clumsy, but Alyx quickly took over from there. His arms closed around the small of her back, and Aurora's hands gripped at his coat. After a few minutes, they broke apart and Aurora felt the heat in her cheeks. Alyx tucked a strand of silken hair that had come lose from Aurora's ponytail behind her ear.

"That was..."

"Intense," Alyx finished.

Aurora nodded. She pulled away, but didn't look away. Their eyes remained locked on each other. "Do you want to grab a coffee?"

Relief washed over Aurora. "I'd like that."