Don't Fucking Lie To Me [vs. Croy & Ares]

[Crosby Carter]

March 24th, 2018 - Blu Alehouse

Carsyn and Clementine are once again the only two people left inside the bar. The blonde is leaning over a table, wiping it down with a cloth while her colleague walks around collecting empty glasses and bottles. The newest member of the Factory’s payroll is wearing a pair of high-waisted black skinny jeans with rips all down the front and a white crocheted crop top. Her long blonde locks are flowing around her shoulders in loose waves and the look is complete with a pair of black converse. You can tell that Carsyn’s mind is elsewhere as she slowly wipes the table down, staring off into space. The Factory has been an amazing place for Crosby and she is couldn't be happier to watch the love of her life excel at his dreams. But her mind has been weighed down by her own medical issues and all of the lies she’s been telling to Crosby. Most people can lie with ease, but not Carsyn. She has never felt more guilty for taking that envelope and help from Dirk and keeping it from her love.

Clementine walks past Carsyn with an empty tray in her hand and stops, watching the blonde move as slow as molasses.

“Did you have your appointment yet?” Clementine was the only person that Carsyn had explicitly told about her medical problems. Her voice jolted the blonde back to life. She turned towards Clementine, placing the rag down on the table.

“No. My doctor was booked until mid-April.” Her head hung low. Not only was lying to Crosby murdering her soul, but not knowing if she was going to live or die didn’t help.

“You know, he’d understand.”

“Of course he would.” The Staten-Island native snapped back. No one knew Crosby Carter better than she did. But she knew her friend was just trying to be supportive. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I know he would understand. But it would distract him, take his head out of the game and there is a huge scramble for the title coming up. I can’t cost him this chance.” She knew that he would chose her health over wrestling any day of the week. If she was the reason he didn’t attain his goals, it would destroy her.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Clementine couldn’t stomach the idea of Carsyn being alone for the scariest moment of her life. But Carsyn shook her head.

“I’ll be fine.”

Carsyn reached out to her back pocket and felt it. It was empty. “Hey, I left my phone at home. Can you just give me a ride?”

The single mom nodded before heading back to collect the rest of the empty glasses from around the bar.

---------------------------

March 24th, 2018 - FloBro’s Shitty Apartment

It was late at night and Logan was sitting on the couch in the living room of his brother’s apartment. There was still dried blood on his face and he was holding a towel full of ice to his head. After him and Emi were attacked, they both refused to go to the hospital. Emi was with Thadd in his room and Logan couldn’t bare to see her right now. The youngest Carter had beat the shit out of Lio’s cousin a few weeks ago. This was retaliation. If he had been able to keep his temper in check, Emi wouldn’t have been hurt. He had no problem letting her get involved in his matches. Her strength and charisma was awe-inspiring to him. But this had gone too far and he hadn’t been able to protect her. He was crushed.

His brother grabbed two beers out of the fridge and headed over to couch. He cracked them both open and handed one to his underage sibling. Crosby was wearing a pair of zebra-print Zubaz and a black hoodie. His flawless hair was tied back into a bun and he took a sip from his beer.

“I think I have a concussion.” Logan muttered before taking a drink of the beer in his hand. Even his voice sounded defeated.

Crosby simply shrugged. “Everyone gets a few of those. It’s a right of passage in JWA.” Crosby had gotten more than he could count.

“I should have protected her.” His eyes fell and he let out a soft sigh. Crosby understood more than most. He had those feelings the first few times that Carsyn had gotten hurt in one of his matches.

“Bro, Emi does this because she loves it. And she is strong AF. A little concussion isn’t going to keep her down and she won’t hold it against you. She certainly wouldn’t want you to hold it against yourself.” It all made sense but the words didn’t quite sink in. He couldn’t get the sound of the brass knuckles hitting Emi’s skull out of his head.

Taking the ice pack off his head, he laid it on the couch. “Let’s talk about something else. What’s your match this week?”

“I’m facing two newbs - Croy Calhoun and Ares McCullough.”

“So what’s the plan?” Logan asked as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and started googling.

“My plan is to outlast them. No one can touch my endurance and stamina. You know me, I can’t be killed. Graham suplexed me onto the outside, on concrete, in my first match and I got back up to win it. Last show Declan threw my ass through my amazingly badass chair set-up and I got back up after that too. I’m indestructible bro, just like your girl.” He winked and Logan couldn’t help but smile softly. “As usual, I’m the smallest dude in the match. This just means that I’ll use my speed to avoid their fancy wrestling moves and hit ‘em with something simple like a superkick right to the face. Everyone usually underestimates me ‘cause I’m small but I’ve learned it just means I have less weight to carry around and I can move quicker.”

“You’ve pretty much proved fancy wrestling moves mean shit in the Factory. In two shows you’ve faced submission experts like Nora, power athletes like Stian and Declan and technical wizards like Graham and you’ve beaten them all.” The longer-haired bro looks down at his phone. “Looks like both of these guys are trained wrestlers in submission and technical wrestling but that means shit all in the factory. You’ve overcome every other skilled athlete they’ve thrown in your path. It says here Croy Calhoun has been in a few hardcore companies but he isn’t like you. It looks like he barely uses weapons. You’re sick when it comes to weapons - just like that set-up last Warzone. This your scene. Ares and Croy will be out of their element and you’ll be able to use weapons to even the playing field like you always do.”

All valid points. In the Factory many wrestlers have scoffed at the Bros and their backyard wrestling skills. They’ve all lost at the hands of the Bros. It was a sense of pride for Crosby to show the world that he is not a lesser athlete and that he can step into the ring with any athlete and shine.

“Not to mention - no one can touch my high-flying skill. I won our first match with a my sick Swanton and those mat technicians are always little bitches who are afraid to go up top. They see high risk. I see high reward. And then of course, I have the numbers. Because having your girl at your side evens the odds. Carsyn has helped me win both of my matches. That girl is gold.” You could almost see the stars in his eyes as he talked about the love of his life. Little did he know that her life was currently spiraling out of control.

“With Carsyn at my side, she’ll get involved or hold one of those losers back while I pin the other, just like she did last Warzone.”

“You’ve got this in the bag bro.”

A few moments passed as both brother’s scrolled through their social media. A ding rang through the room and Crosby glanced down and saw an iPhone sitting on the side table with a hot pink case. The background image was of course of the Dynamite couple. It was Carsyn’s phone.

Appointment Reminder - Dr. Evelyn Brewer-Langley
JFK Medical Centre - April 24th, 2018 - 3pm

The message came across the screen and he stared at it for a moment. Why wouldn’t Carsyn tell him she had an appointment? Who was this doctor? It must have just slipped her mind. Maybe it was just lady stuff.

“What do you know about Alyx Flash?” Logan’s question tore Crosyb’s attention away from the phone. But something about it made him suspicious.

“Why?”

“I saw him today. He was at JWA - with Thadd. It’s still kind of a blur in my mind. But I saw him standing next to him in the stands and I saw them talking when I was down.” The pieces didn’t quite fit in Logan's mind but something about it felt weird. Crosby shrugged at his brother but the pieces started to fit together quite perfectly for him.

“Why don’t you go see Emi?”

---------------------------

It took a little coaxing but Thadd left Emi and Logan alone and ended up in the living room with Crosby. Seeing that message on Carsyn’s phone and hearing that Alyx was at JWA today had all put Crosby on edge. There was something going on with the Factory and with his friends and no one was talking. He took another sip from his beer as Thadd sat on the arm-rest of the chair, running his hand through his gorgeous locks. Frustration was painted across his face.

“Why was Alyx at JWA?” There was no bubble wrap on his words. He was cutting straight to the point. Crosby was sick of the lies.

His bro just turned and looked at him. He couldn’t tell him the truth. But lying to him just felt wrong. So he shrugged.

“Bro, don’t fucking lie to me. I saw you backstage with him after the last show and it looked heated. He flipped you off behind your back. And now Logan sees him at the show where Emi and him get attacked with brass knuckles? I know Lio. That isn’t his fucking M.O. Something is up and I deserve to know what the fuck is going on!”

Crosby was heated and this happened very rarely. Thadd got up off the arm of the couch and started pacing around the room.

“You’re right bro. But I can’t tell you.”

“That’s bullshit!” The daredevil yelled at his bestie.

Thadd looked back at him and sighed as silence hung between them. There was a fire in Crosby’s eyes and Thadd’s looked torn. He wanted nothing more than to come clean to his bro. But no one knew what Dirk was capable of yet and he didn't want to put Crosby in danger. His daredevil of a bro wouldn’t hesitate to get involved.

“Bro, I can’t tell you. It has to do with Dirk but I don’t want you guys involved.” Of course he meant Carsyn because no one knew she was already involved. “Just trust me, bro. And don’t fucking trust Dirk, no matter what.”

The look in his eyes was serious. Crosby had never seen Thadd this serious so he nodded.

What neither of them noticed was that the front door was ajar. Carsyn was standing on the other side and she heard everything. A look of bewilderment filled her blue eyes. Protecting Crosby and Thadd was her number one concern. She had no idea getting involved with Dirk could put them in danger. But it was too late now. The female Bro had an envelope full of his money. There was no way out.