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{These are my hands
But what can they give me?
These are my eyes
But they cannot see
These are my arms
But they don't know tenderness
And I must confess
That I am usually drawn to sadness
And loneliness has never been a stranger
To me...}
He was full of rage as he stormed out of the Continental Airlines Arena, his anger not spent although he'd beaten the hell out of Matt Hardy moments earlier.
He knew he'd gone overboard in his match, but damn it, he couldn't help it. And that jackass in the hallway with his microphone before that - he couldn't recall the new announcer's name, but the guy had pissed him off by asking idiotic questions. 'How did he *feel* about losing at WrestleMania last night'?? 'How did he *feel* about Trish Stratus' actions and betrayal'??
Jericho shoved his luggage into the backseat of his rental car, his mind running on all cylinders as the memory of the previous night ran through his brain.
That bastard... His former best friend, Christian, was more sneaky than he'd ever given him credit for. And Trish... He *still* had trouble believing what she'd done... How terribly she'd hurt and betrayed him... They'd gotten closer, and he'd fallen in love with her. And while he'd been an asshole at the beginning, what with that bet he and Christian had made, he'd changed.
Y2J slipped into the driver's seat of the vehicle and put the key in the ignition. All he wanted was to get the hell out of here.
"Chris! Chris, wait!"
Just as Jericho was about to press his foot to the accelerator to zoom off, he heard the feminine voice. He halted in his exit and looked up to see the diva rushing toward his rental.
The window was open, so he peered out at her questioningly as she bent over to look into his face imploringly.
"Victoria, what is it?" he asked wearily. As soon as the words left his lips, he wished he could take them back. He hadn't been cruel or cutting, but the raven-haired Women's champion winced nonetheless.
"Chris, I..." The diva bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you last night. I wanted to tell you... if you need someone to talk to, I'm here..."
"Thanks," the blond man said, his crystal-blue eyes sad as they gazed into her pretty face. He shook his head. "I'm not... Well, I'm not exactly wanting to talk right about now."
"I understand..." Victoria hefted her bag higher on her shoulder. "Um... I don't want to inconvenience you or anything, but... would you give me a ride back to the hotel?"
Jericho shrugged almost disinterestedly, not noticing the woman wince for the second time in a few minutes.
"Sure, I guess..." He leaned over to unlock the passenger's side door, and the raven-haired woman slid in.
They drove in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Victoria knew how Chris felt, and her heart ached for him. It was vile and disgusting, the way his once best friend and his best girl had screwed him over.
{Instead of spring
It's always winter
And my heart has always been
A lonely hunter...}
"You know, I never did like that Trish Stratus," the Women's champion suddenly spoke up.
Chris turned his head sharply in her direction, briefly taking his eyes off the road. Although initially angry, his demeanor calmed, and a sadness overtook him. Victoria found herself wincing at the degree of sorrow in the blond man's crystal-blue eyes.
Then, surprising the diva, Jericho pulled the car over to the side of the road, causing her to think he was going to make her get out and walk the rest of the way. She was all set to apologize for what she'd said about the woman he'd obviously been so fond of but was even further surprised.
The blond man's head was down for a good moment before he raised it again - giving her a clear view of the single tear that had escaped his left eye. Her heart hurt and her breath caught as it trickled down his cheek. He looked so sad and vulnerable that she herself felt like crying.
After an awkward five minutes, Victoria found her voice again.
"Oh, Chris... I'm so sorry." She leaned across the seat to the upset man, pulling him into her embrace, one of her hands stroking his long, soft blond hair. Her heart nearly broke as she felt his body heave with silent sobs.
They stayed there like that for a long time, and Victoria vowed one thing to herself...
...Somehow, she was going to help Chris forget all about Trish
Stratus...