Pretender

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Dawn Marie sulked in the rental car in the passenger's seat as Lita, Stacy and Trish talked.

The redhead was behind the wheel, the two blondes in the backseat, and Stacy kept sitting forward to lean closer to Lita while they talked.  It was a habit that would normally make the brunette nervous, as, after all, she was from New Jersey - a state that had strict seatbelt laws - but she believed in using them regardless, for safety.  However, she was so distracted that she barely even noticed.

"Hey, Dawn...Are you all right?" Lita asked as she briefly took her eyes off the road to regard her friend.

Dawn Marie sighed and ran a hand through her chestnut curls.  She was not all right.  In fact, she was quite upset.  On her way to the arena that evening, she'd rode with her boyfriend, Test - so it was only natural when she'd assumed she'd be riding back with him as well.

"Actually...No, no I'm not."

Stacy glanced into the rearview mirror, briefly meeting the redhead's eyes upon those words.

"Oh, Dawnie, what's wrong?" Trish asked softly, reaching across the seat with one hand to lay it gently on the other woman's shoulder.

"I...Damn it," the brunette swore.  She'd told her three friends about Test being unable to ride back with her, but that was it.  "I think Test may be cheating on me," she blurted.  That nearly set her off, but somehow, the diva managed to hold back the tears.

"My God!" Stacy exclaimed, her face full of shock.  "I thought it was just..."  She allowed her voice to trail off.

"You really think he's being unfaithful?" Lita asked.

"I do..." Dawn Marie replied sadly.  "And I think I have good reason to think that... What would you think if your boyfriend didn't return to the hotel room you were sharing for three consecutive nights?"

"That crumb!" Trish cried, her face furious.  "I know way back when I managed him and Albert that he was a creep..."

"Not now, Trish..." the leggy blonde beside her said.  She was afraid that the Canadian might say something a little too rough and send the brunette to weeping.

"You need to confront him," Lita broke in, and Dawn looked up sadly to meet her hazel eyes, which were full of friendly, perhaps even sisterly, concern.  "If you really believe he's cheating, you have to confront him.  Just don't do it in a manner where he'll feel like he's being attacked..."

Dawn Marie nodded, her throat tightening uncomfortably as she continued to fight against just breaking down and crying.

"I honestly think he's screwing some ring rat," she admitted.  "And you know what?  I should and will take your advice, Lita - only I will attack him - because I have proof!"

"What do you mean?" Trish asked.  "Have you actually seen them?  Caught them in the act?"

Stacy winced at the little blonde's bluntness, not knowing how it was that Dawn had still not yet broken down.  If she were in the brunette's shoes, she knew she'd be a blubbering wreck by now.

"I found another woman's thong on the floor beside our hotel room bed the other night!" Dawn cried.  "A flimsy lacy one - she must be as cheap as her taste in lingerie!"  At the end of that sentence, she finally gave in to her tears, bowing her head and pressing a hand to her mouth as she wept.

Stacy leaned forward again, placing one hand into the other woman's hair.  She then pressed her cheek against Dawn Marie's in a makeshift hug.

"Oh, Dawn...I'm so sorry..."

Lita reached across the seat and grabbed her friend's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.  She knew all too well the pain the brunette was experiencing.  The same had happened to her with her ex, Matt Hardy.

"I know it's hard and it sucks, Dawnie...and I know you won't be feeling better for awhile, but...Well, you can always count on us..."

Dawn Marie raised her head to look into the redhead's eyes before turning to meet Stacy's and then Trish's gazes.  As more tears came, the brunette was too choked up to speak.  Stacy leaned forward again to give her another makeshift embrace.

Dawn Marie was feeling miserable.  Yet, at the same time, she was grateful for her three best friends, who were more dear than she could even say...







Part 4

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