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Troubles
While Trish and Randy were on their honeymoon in sunny Greece, the rest of us tried to balance out our careers and personal lives.
Lisa Marie had really hit it big with Amanda Lancaster, her discovery who'd found success on General Hospital. Big, important clients were treating her to lunch on a regular weekly basis, and some of them were handsome, eligible bachelors.
However, there was one man in particular Lisa had her eye on. His name was John Cena... He was tall, had a great muscular body, blue eyes, dimples - basically, the works as far as our friend was concerned. The problem? He simply wasn't interested. Lisa Marie couldn't understand why, as she happened to know for a fact that John was single and most definitely available. She tried everything in the book to get his attention.
The second time they met up for a lunch meeting, the brunette had made sure to wear a most revealin and sexy dress. It was red and showed a generous amount of cleavage. And as if that weren't enough, a long, high slit ran up her right leg, displaying her taut limb from ankle to upper mid-thigh. Her makeup was done to perfection, including cherry-red lipstick that accentuated her full mouth. Her hair had been styled and touched up as well, with bright red highlights put in.
And yet, Cena still showed no interest. Lisa Marie was beginning to wonder if he was gay.
They were dining at a fancy place called The Gallery when he had suddenly excused himself to use the restroom. Lisa Marie sighed with frustration and tossed down her napkin.
She was beginning to fill with self-doubt. Was she losing her sex appeal? She knew she was a few years older than John Cena, but in her experience, men didn't care about age. But it had to be something - something personal about her. She decided to go and confront him about it, to find out right then and there.
Rising from her chair, the sultry brunette sauntered away from the table. She discreetly made her way to the back of the restaurant, where she knew the bathrooms were located. Not noticing anyone around, she pushed her way into the men's room, catching a startled and surprised Cena.
A slight smile crossed Lisa's face. The man was alone in the small bathroom, which had one sink, two stalls and a single urinal. She'd happened to catch him at the latter, and he turned away to quickly zipper up.
"Holy shit, lady! What are you doing in here?" Cena demanded.
Lisa Marie's demeanor was calm, but she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away. She shrugged.
"I was just... checking up on you," she replied lazily.
"'Checking up' on me? In the freakin' men's room?" he shot. Now zipped, he came toward her, an irritated expression on his handsome face. "Are you crazy or something?" He came up beside her to wash his hands at the small sink.
The brunette's amusement wore away in a hurry, replaced by annoyance of her own. She was ready to be serious now and cornered him at the paper towel dispenser.
"I have a little bone to pick with you," she muttered.
Cena met her eyes with confusion, but his aggravation hadn't completely left him. What on earth could she possibly be talking about?
"What's the matter with you? I have literally been throwing myself at you each time we meet for lunch, and you just completely ignore it!" she spat. "Are you gay, or what?"
John glared at her and shook his head.
"'Or what,'" he replied angrily. "Look, I'm just not interested - okay?" He turned and headed for the door, but Lisa Marie was right behind him. She placed one heeled foot firmly against the door, blocking him.
"I'm going to need an explanation," she stated, an all business look on her face.
*
While Lisa dealt with rejection, I faced a similar situation. Well, not really.
The previous Sunday, when I had stayed over at Edge's apartment, I'd left my hair dryer there - on purpose. My boyfriend had his little quirks, and he liked everything to be just a certain way. His apartment was definitely no exception.
When he stayed at my place, he never left anything there. It made me feel a bit empty, as though he felt he didn't truly belong. And so, to avoid similar thoughts about the reverse, I'd left my hair dryer in his bathroom cabinet.
I opened my front door in surprise to see him standing there. He had a bright smile on his face and was holding a bag in his hand.
"Hey, what a surprise!" I exclaimed. We kissed, and I led him inside by the hand. "You brought me something?"
"Yeah," the blond man said, reaching into the bag. And then, he pulled out my hair dryer. My smile quickly faded.
"Oh."
He cocked his head and studied me for a brief moment. Then, shrugging, he spoke again.
"I thought you'd be happy to get this back... I know how you girls are about this stuff."
I bowed my head but forced myself to look back up into his eyes - those pools of green I could have just about lost myself in.
"Well, to be honest... I left it there on purpose," I admitted.
"You did?" he asked cluelessly. "Why?"
I bit my lip, hating the way I now felt. It was sort of like when you were on the verge of tears, but not really... I looked him directly in the eye again.
"Because... I wanted to feel as though I belonged there."
He stared at me but then smiled softly and put an arm around me in a half-embrace. He gave me a small kiss on the top of my head before pressing a heartier one to my forehead.
"You do," he replied. "You're over often enough."
"Yeah, but-" I cut off my own thought, at least verbally. It suddenly dawned on me... Edge just didn't get it... and it hurt.
*
"Candice, we need to talk."
The brunette looked up, slipping her glasses down as she eyed her boyfriend. AJ was standing in the doorway of her study, looking quite unhappy.
Candice reluctantly pushed aside the legal briefs on which she'd been working.
"Um... Oh, I don't like the sound of that."
"I think I should go," the dark-haired man said. He'd been spending a lot of time with her, and as much as he loved her, there was a problem.
"What? AJ, why?" the brunette asked. She pushed back from her chair and rose to go to him.
"Candice," he said, grabbing hold of her hands as he fully faced her, "you know I love you. You're an amazing, incredible woman... But this... us... it's just not going to work out."
"Wh-What?" The brunette felt tears welling up in her eyes at an impossibly fast speed. "I thought everything was going great." Slowly, without her even realizing it, they walked toward the front door.
"You and I are just too different... like oil and water. I do love you, but..." AJ shook his head, his gaze trailing away sadly from the beautiful woman at his side.
"But what?" she demanded as she sniffled.
"You're too good for me," he concluded. "Candice, you're champagne and caviar. I'm beer and pretzels. You should find someone on your level."
The brunette's sorrow and hurt were suddenly beginning to edge away to make room for anger.
"Oh, so you're dumping me for being successful? Well, that's great, AJ. That's just great!"
"Candice..."
"No!" she exclaimed. "No... Go - get out." She opened the door and made a grand sweeping gesture with her left hand.
AJ eyed her so sadly for a few seconds more. Then, without another word, he stepped out of Candice's apartment - and, as she believed right then and there, out of her life as well.
The brunette sank against the door after she shut it, her tears and sobs taking over.