"Good Luck, Declan."

[Declan Hale]

Riley Calix. We know the name. He’s a huge presence in the wrestling scene in California. A ‘legend’ some would say, and rightfully so. The first trainee of So Cal Ultraviolent’s ‘Plant’, went on to win the King of California tournament and the Ultraviolent Championship. Had a bloody rivalry with Welshman Jace O’Brien before the two of them began teaming together as the “BROKEN SKULL EMPIRE”, then went on to become a trainer at ‘the Plant’ himself before and after his major knee injury. Riley Calix was looked up to, loved and respected by all of his peers, by the fans, by the community of San Diego. By everyone...

...Except his own brother.

Declan Calix, Riley’s younger-half brother. Turns out Mr. Calix wasn’t the most faithful types, and had another son with another woman. Declan ended up in his possession after Declan’s mother left the young boy with his father and skipped town. Declan was a bit of a troublemaker and it was Riley’s job to see to it that Declan fell into line. That never happened, though. Declan rebelled against his father and step-mother. He rebelled against Riley, whose shadow was cast over him even in grade school. Declan fought to step out of the shadow, picking and instigating fights just so that people would notice him, and not Riley. But it was always Riley there protecting his little brother.

The Calix brothers had their share of fights before Riley went on to become a professional wrestler, leaving Declan to watch - angrily from the shadows as his brother became a legend. Declan always had the urge to join So Cal and be the one to put his brother down, but the timing was never right. Not with Declan being married to Anastasia Tomljanovic, or ‘Stassi’. The two high-school sweethearts married fresh out of school and, ideally, would spend the rest of their lives together. But they were much too young. The two argued a lot, money was usually one of the topics - and the other was usually Declan’s temper, which generally linked back to his brother. He often heard people criticizing him, saying how he would never be like his brother. Declan would fly off of the handle, and unfortunately Stassi would receive the brunt of that anger.

He never hit her, never laid a hand on her in fact. It was just verbal, but that’s no excuse for anything.

One night after a particularly bad argument, Anastasia left the residence. It would be hours later before Declan found her -- with Riley Calix. From the vantage point Declan had, the situation looked worse than it was. Anastasia went to Riley for comfort, to maybe try to talk some sense into his brother. Declan didn’t see that. He saw Stassi’s head on his shoulder, his arms around her and them relaxing on a sofa. So. This is where Declan fucks up. He goes to a bar, meets a girl and takes her home. While this was going on, Anastasia came home and caught Declan and this woman in the middle. And this is where we find ourselves today…

Declan furiously shoving the last of his belongings from the Calix family home in Redding into the backseat of his beater car. The only one still around the Calix home this afternoon was Riley. He stood, leaning against the door frame with a can of pop in his hand - watching his brother. “Declan, what are you doing man?” he called out to his brother. Declan heard him, of course, but didn’t answer him. Snapping his head in the opposite direction, his long red hair moving with his directional movements, covering his face. Riley stepped away from the door, and down the porch steps to approach. “Dec, come on man -what..” Riley reached out to grab his brothers shoulder, only for Declan to quickly pull away from him.

Declan turned to his brother, shoving him hard. “Fuck off, Riley. You’re the reason for all of this shit, anyway.” Riley backed away, staring at his brother who was full of rage. Declan turned, placing a hand on the door of the car and slamming it closed. “Me? You better check your sources, bro. You’re the one who fucked around on Stassi, and you’re the one who’s always losing your temper. I didn’t do this, you did.” Declan didn’t bother to listen or to acknowledge if he did listen. He grabbed the last of his bags, throwing it into the passenger's side of the car through the open driver’s side door. Finally Declan looked back at his brother. “Why’d she come running to you anyway? You know what - fuck it, don’t answer that. I don’t care. And since you want to know so goddamn badly, I’m moving East. Signed a deal with the Factory. I’m starting my own career and believe me, I’m going to be better than you could imagine being. Also if I stay here one second longer, I’m going to knock you the fuck out.”

Declan remained physically still, his hands though - they were balled into fists, ready to swing if his brother took one more step. Riley’s eyes narrowed and.. Eventually a small smile crept onto his face. “Good luck, Declan. You’ll probably need it.” Riley shook his head. It was at his brother’s arrogance, ignorance and attitude really. Turning, Riley began to walk into the house again. He hadn’t planned on being here much longer himself, having to return to San Diego to help Andrew Wolfe at the Plant - since he’s now injured. Declan watched him leave, and before he climbed into his car, he shouted one last “Fuck you, Riley. I don’t need your luck or help.”

Declan entered his vehicle, starting it up and closing his driver’s side door. With one last look at the Calix family home, he rolled his eyes and snarled in disgust before backing out of the driveway and peeling off down the road. Leaving it all behind, once and for all.

----------

He pulled up outside of her place, and stopped. He knew he shouldn’t be here, but this was his last stop on the way to Newark, New Jersey. His contract sat in the passenger's seat next to him. His eyes were focused on that for a moment, before he turned the ignition off and exited the car. He walked up to the door, not even bothering to fix the hair that hung low in his face. He knocked three hard knocks, then waited. His heart was pounding in his chest, and a lump grew in his throat. This was the woman he loved, and he treated poorly. He fucked it all up. The door opened from the inside, and Anastasia stood in the doorway. Immediately her face went pale as she looked at her husband. “Hey Stassi.”, he said. She looked around inquisitively.

“Declan, what are you doing here?” she asked as her eyes came to a stop on him. He didn’t hesitate to answer, “I’m going to New Jersey, and I want you to come with me.”. That kind of took her by surprise. Her jaw hung ajar just a bit as she processed everything. She shook her head, immediately firing back a response that we should have all seen coming. “You can go fuck yourself.” Declan’s eyes dropped and he nodded his head silently. She stared at him, slightly disgusted with his presence at the moment. “I deserve that. And I’m sorry for what happened. I can’t say that enough. But in order to get passed this, we need to try and move on.”

“So your solution to that is to show up at my house, uninvited - when we haven't spoken in months, and ask me to move to the shithole of America with you. That's so typically you.” She sighed a frustrated sigh and shook her head at how ridiculous this all was. His eyes would finally lift to hers. All the while, he stood motionless, not moving a muscle other than his eyes and the momentary nod of his head just moments ago. “I have an opportunity there, Stassi. I can finally get out of here and begin to do something for myself. But I can’t leave you here. I want you… I need you with me. I want to make this right. I fucked up. I want to fix this and fix us.” He said to her, and you could hear the sincerity in his voice as he spoke. Stassi, though, didn’t care. He had his chance and fucked up, she thought.

“You aren't 'leaving me' anywhere.” She said, her tone was sharp enough to cut the hardest of men. “I have my own life, my own career, and I'm doing just fine. Maybe you getting out of here will give you a chance to think about how ruined all of this.” Cutting into him again. “You were the first friend I ever made when my family moved here. I supported you through every up and every down in your life. I never turned my back on you no matter how horrible your temper was or what you said to me. But finding you with some ho in my bed was the last straw, Dec.” She had a fire in her eyes now as she remembered that night. Her gorgeous eyes were narrowed hard onto him, watching him lower his head again as he spoke. Clearly embarrassed and ashamed of his actions.

“Look, I made a huge mistake. I’m sorry and I’ll forever be sorry. I saw what I saw, and I lost my mind. It should have never happened, and if I could take it back I would in a heartbeat.” He lifted his head again, wanting to look her right in the eyes as he spoke these next words, “You mean everything to me, and I fucked it up. Give me a chance to fix it, please?” He stopped for only a second before he carried on, “I know you have your own life and I know you have your own career, I just want a chance with you away from everything that reminds you of what happened.”

Stassi tossed her perfect and overly expensive blond hair off her shoulders and folded her arms across her chest. “No.” Her voice was firm. “I'm not clearing my schedule to move across the country with you. My bookings are here in California and I'll be in Europe the entire month of March.” - “Stassi. Please.” He brushed his red hair to the back of his head, his blue eyes locking on her for the first time without being covered by his hair. “I need you. … I love you, and I can’t do this without you.” He left it all out there, and now all he could do was wait for her answer. She silently looked at him for a couple before softly saying..

“Good luck, Dec. You’ll be fine.”, then closing the door on him. And there he stood. Broken, just like she was. He sighed and contemplated about knocking on the door to bring her back … but decided against it. He reluctantly turned and walked back to his car. Climbing inside, he grabbed the manila envelope that rested on the passenger’s seat. Opening it up, he pulled out the contract. “DECLAN HALE” printed in large font on the top page.

He wanted to begin all over again from the start. New name, and he hoped for a new beginning with Anastasia - but that isn’t happening. Placing the contract back on the seat, he started the car and drove off. Leaving California for good..