Booking Glory-Chapter 49: You Abandoned ME!!!

There was utter silence in the crowd as they saw Dacey Surestone go off on her mentor Andrew Gibson.

No wrestling storyline has gone in this direction. Like never. The mentors and trainers who helped train the wrestlers have always been idolized in this world and there was usually a lot of respect afforded to them both backstage and inside the ring.

Now, Dacey Surestone was going off on Andrew Gibson like he had abandoned her. And it was riveting for the crowd to watch. The thing Rob did here was to drag back the mentors from being idols to being normal humans. And from the response, it seemed to work.

"Dacey, I really don’t know what you are talking about," Andrew Gibson stated in confusion.

And that seemed to be the last straw that broke Dacey’s composure. She backed away from him and started pacing angrily inside the ring. There was agitation visible all over her features.

"You don’t know," Dacey mumbled, "Of course, you don’t know. If you knew you would have been there for me, won’t you?" Dacey asked sweetly.

"Absolutely," Andrew Gibson said empathetically.

"So, all these things are just me imagining it inside my head, is it? All these disappointments and heartbreaks I had to go through to get here are all my imagination, is it?"

There was a dangerous edge to Dacey’s voice now. And everyone in the crowd was able to recognize it, including Andrew Gibson. So, he wisely shut up and looked on. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"You know, I have always considered you to be my idol. The man who guided me and helped me channel my energies in the right direction. That is why, that is why I have always stood by you," Dacey started speaking to herself still pacing.

"And that is why when you came up with this idea to establish LWC, I was the first one to support you. I remember you being depressed and angry when others laughed at you saying Longham City didn’t need another wrestling promotion. I remember you looking crestfallen when they said no one is going to look at what you put out when AWF is near."

"And I remember you being black-out drunk and complaining to me about it. And what did I do? I was the good trainee, so I supported you unconditionally. I supported you when others mocked you. I supported you when others ridiculed your idea."

Dacey turned to face Andrew Gibson square in the face and started speaking passionately.

"I was there when this company came into existence. I was there when you started training talents. I was there when you put out the first card. Hell, I was there wrestling for 20 mins when there were only a hundred or so people who turned up to watch your first show."

"I put my blood, sweat, and every ounce of energy I had in me at that time, to make your dream come true. I not only wreslted; I was there backstage casting weights and dragging things around, doing menial jobs when you didn’t have enough helpers to do the work."

"I was there every step of the way. Supporting you. Shouldering half your burdens. Propping you up. And proving to people that LWC is a viable option. I did it not for the money. Hell, you didn’t even have the money to pay wrestlers at that time. I did it not for anything but the love and respect I had towards my mentor."

Andrew Gibson nodded at that proudly.

"And then, what happened?" Dacey asked getting in Andrew Gibson’s face. "What happened, Andy? Why don’t you tell these people what happened? Don’t worry, we will get it all out in the open here. No more misunderstandings, no more miscommunications. And especially, no more hiding."

"Dacey, I really don’t get what you are talking about. It is true you have worked hard for this company. It is true that you were instrumental in LWC reaching this place. I am not denying any of that. I just don’t get what you are on about," Andrew Gibson said earnestly.

"Oh, you still don’t get it, do you? Fine, I will tell you and everyone out here what happened. I will tell you the raw truth you are still unable to wrap your head around."

"What happened was, I got injured. Oh, injury is common in this business. Everyone goes through it. And I am not an exception. Especially when you wrestle week in, and week out for 20 minutes on the show. And I was doing all the heavy lifting for the women’s division at that moment."

"So, naturally, I got injured. It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. It really happens all the time in this business. But, what bothers me is what happened after that. So, there I was, injured wrestling for your dream, in the bed, under the doctor’s tender mercies. And for the first two weeks, you called me regularly and enquired about me."

"I will give you that. You were a very supportive mentor back then who urged me to focus on recovering and supported me to come back when I am 100%. I was happy to have such a mentor. I was glad to have helped you achieve your dream. It was my way of giving back to you and I was proud of being that pillar you needed when you wanted one."

Dacey shook her head and paced back and forth a bit. She created some distance between her and Andrew Gibson and turned to look at the crowd.

"Then weeks passed. And his calls started dwindling in duration. I was a little upset initially, but I understood. Running a business is a busy job. And LWC was booming right around that time. So, I understood."

"But, as weeks went on, I was isolated, doubting my career and even my ability to continue to wrestle. The recovery wasn’t going well. I was all alone, battling my insecurities. And... and the mentor who needed to be there for me was busy with his dream. He was so busy that he didn’t even call to check in on me."

Dacey stated and turned to look at Andrew Gibson. Andrew Gibson wanted to say something, but Dacey beat him to it.

"Save it, Andy. I know what you are going to tell me. You are going to tell me that you were busy. You are going to tell me that you had a lot on your plate. You are going to tell me that you had confidence in me recovering back to full health. But, the thing is Andy, you never called and I was at a place where I needed someone to be there for me."

"And you weren’t there..."

"I was there when you needed me. I was there when you needed someone to support you and your dreams. But, when I needed you back, you were too busy to even call me. You were too busy making this company bigger and better to care about a single lone wrestler who got injured. Never mind that I was your protégé and I poured my blood and sweat on this company too."

Andrew Gibson couldn’t refute her words. He stood there unable to speak anything causing the crowd to murmur.

"But, I was never a quitter, Andy. You of all people know that well. I came out of that dark place and became even better. I didn’t need you or anyone else. I fought through my demons myself and became someone better for it."

"Then, I come back after months in recovery to a completely changed LWC. LWC is now almost a legitimate wrestling promotion. It wasn’t that junkyard product that I used to work on anymore. It had new faces teeming around and it had new rules, the same rules you hated and wanted to change when you began this company."

"I felt lost. It was as if I didn’t even realize this company I paid my blood and sweat for. All the things that made me agree with you and wanted me to give my best to support you were gone or completely twisted into something else."

"But, I still had a teeny, tiny hope in me. Hope in you. That no matter the change, LWC will remain the same company that had a beating heart in its core. And when I walked into your office that morning, oh boy, do I remember, do I remember what you said."

"I remember Andy, I wonder if you remember it as well. There I was expecting a warm welcome back from my mentor and hoping to revel in the success this company had become, and you dashed it all with one single sentence."

"I remember the exact moment when you looked up from your paperwork and said to me, ’Ah, Dacey! It is good to have you back. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything for you tonight. So, why don’t you take the night off?’" Dacey said closing in on Andrew Gibson.

Andrew Gibson didn’t look like he remembered that.

"I stood there frozen. Unable to believe what I was hearing. I have been out for weeks, months, due to an injury I suffered wrestling for you, continuously in 20 mins matches week in and week out. And what do I get when I return, why don’t I take the night off."

Dacey scoffed shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don’t want the night off damn it, I wanted to be out there helping you prop up this company as I did before. Even after you left me high and dry for months," Dacey shouted at Andrew Gibson.

"But..." Dacey took a deep breath and backed off and acted as if she was trying to calm down. There were whispers already in the crowd and the crowd seemed to sway a bit toward Dacey.

"But... but... I took it in the chin like a good soldier and did as you asked me to do. Week after week, I came in, expecting to be on the show, and week after week I heard the same bullshit."

"The same bullshit!" Dacey screamed once more in Andrew Gibson’s face.

"And then, you decided to throw me a bone. Didn’t you? The first match after I came back, right in this arena, right before these people. Do you know how long it was? Three minutes. I demolished my competition in three minutes. I went back backstage and expected to be presented with more opportunity to prove myself and once more become a pillar of this company."

"And what did I get, you sidelined me again for weeks. I hardly got any TV time. I hardly had any work. I was just sitting there backstage when people who got hired when I was injured were given opportunity after opportunity."

"Andy, it ate me up, Andy. I was back at that dark place once more. Not knowing what to do and who to talk to. My mentor, who was supposed to be there, was busy with his company and his newest shining toys. I was all alone once more, in that dark place."

"But, still I prevailed, I still held on. I combatted my demons and came out stronger for it. It was then that I had the epiphany. No one is going to give me anything. Not you, not her, not this crowd, no one! No one is going to give me anything. If that is so, then I will fucking take it."

"I have shed blood and sweat for this company and god damn it, this company owes me a lot more than it gave me. I am gonna take what I am owed. And there are no two ways about it. And at <Break Out> I took it."

"Now, you and everyone out here want to talk to me?" Dacey scoffed. "Now, you all want to know what is running through my mind? Now, you all want me to give you answers? Where the fuck were you when I needed you, Andy? Yes, that’s right. You were busy polishing your shiny new toys and counting that money they made."

"You didn’t care for me one whit when I needed you and now, when she needs you, you come out wagging your tail, in front of everyone and have the audacity to say that I have changed? Remember this, Andy. You abandoned me. All this change in me, you were responsible for it. So, get your facts straight before you run your mouth and embarrass yourself," Dacey slammed the microphone on Andrew Gibson’s chest and started walking out of the ring.

The entire crowd was silent for a long time as Diana stood there watching the byplay. She didn’t even utter a word as Andrew Gibson and Dacey Surestone argued with each other.

Diana watched Dacey leave the ring. Andrew Gibson looked shellshocked in the middle of the ring. The crowd was murmuring fervently hearing Dacey’s side of things. No one knew what to think of it anymore.

While it was true that what Andrew Gibson did to Dacey wasn’t right, what Dacey did to Diana wasn’t right either. No matter her justifications, it didn’t allow her to go around hurting people.

As the crowd discussed, the show came to an end with Diana looking a little confused and Andrew Gibson looking shellshocked in the middle of the ring. In the commentary, there was a heavy silence.

While everyone in LWC knew that this was going to be Dacey’s big moment, they never expected the story to take such a drastic change in just a single segment. Now, Dacey almost looked like a victim. The crowd was confused over who to support now.

Rob smiled satisfactorily. Even in his wildest dreams, he didn’t expect such a performance from Dacey. While he had only given the bare framework for the promo and asked Dacey to build on that, what she put out there even surprised him. Even he, who was the whole architect of the angle, was so engrossed in the story Dacey put out there.

This was a grade-A shit that Dacey did. And Rob knew that Dacey had truly become a bankable star at this moment. There would be a single instance in every wrestler’s career that defined them. And this moment that occurred just before his very eyes was the one that will define Dacey Surestone.

He was sure of it.

When he turned to look at the other members of the commentary team, it was clear they too had the same idea. It was written all over Dallas’s face. Irvin, for his part, looked pretty impressed with the story that was told as well.

They both patted Rob on the back. No one was in the mood to give closing commentary, but Irvin had a job and he went about it.

"Well, that was something folks. We have finally heard from Dacey why she acts the way she has been acting recently. And boy, was it an emotional rollercoaster. Mr. Gibson is still flabbergasted in the ring and even Diana is not sure about things now. Tune in next week to know more about this. With this, this is me Irvin Campbell signing off along with my broadcast colleagues Rob Williams and Dallas Moonbyte."

With the final words out there, the entire show came to an end, leaving both those in live attendance and the audience at home condused and dazzled.

*****

A/N: Hey folks!

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