When Tempers Collide

Alaina sat quietly and listened to Junko speak. She got the pride aspect of it. "I understand. Yes, my history with Talia was why I did end up smacking her. However, if I see two people about to attack an injured Taylor from behind how do I not do something to intervene?" Alaina asked with a sigh. She felt like no matter what she said or how justified she felt, she was wrong. She didn't take anyone elses feelings into consideration when she did what she did.

But couldn't anyone else see why she did what she did? At this point it didn't matter. Alaina figured she had to do a better job of listening and following instructions to the T. In the end, Taylor did have things under control without flipping out. Alaina flipping out led to things getting out of control. Nikolette was there as backup, and could have easily handled backing up Taylor.

Alaina leaned forward, and put her face down into her hands. "I feel like I tried to help and just made things worse. I guess next time I will just do what Taylor says. Nothing more, nothing less." As much as Alaina hated being left out, being a part of a problem was far worse.

Junko sighed heavily and looked over at Alaina. "Alaina-chan..." She said. "I am not saying what you did was wrong. Of course i want you to help out your comrades. That goes without thinking and no you shouldn't just be lock-step with everything we say. We love you because you're you. That's exactly why I'm worried. I have seen what Talia can do to people I care about and I don't want anything to happen to you either." She said as she started pouring the batter into the fish mold and filing one side with bean paste.

Taylor quietly stepped around the corner and leaned against the door frame, arms folded, hair still damp from her the shower. She folded her arms and quietly surveyed her mother-in-law and her kohai. Though Junko was also her manager, her coach, her boss in some ways, her mentor, she always thought of her as a mom first.

She had heard the voices from upstairs, and it had taken her a moment to summon the courage to come down. She was barefoot, in a baggy white tanktop with the words "YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL, AND BAD ASS" written across it in big, stylized letters, and a comfortable pair of bright pink shorts.

She glanced at Alaina, and then looked to Junko, silently making her request with just her eyes.

Junko looked back at Alaina only to see Taylor appear and give her a look. Junko frowned and gave Taylor a look right back but quietly turned off her griddle and excused herself.

Alaina sat back as Junko cooked and finished up her coffee. She took a deep breath as she stood up to pour another cup. She noticed Junko just walk out without saying a word. Initially she was confused but felt like she wasn't alone. She looked over her shoulder as she went to pour her coffee.

Taylor was standing there. "Oh! Hey." Alaina said, going right back to her coffee. She wasn't sure if Taylor would be pissed off still, as Alaina herself was not quite angry over what happened earlier. Upset wasn't the right word either. Nor was confused.... Alaina realized she was unsettled. Not angry but aggravated that no one seemed to want to put themselves in her shoes, or in that specific case wrestling boots, earlier.

She figured acknowledging Taylor and seeing how she replied would be a big first step in reading the situation.

"Hey."

Taylor remained leaning against the door frame, arms folded, and looked at Alaina with pursed lips and a furrowed brow. Her feelings on the girl were complicated at the moment, and difficult to sort through, and of course Talia Wilson was to blame for all of it. It was best to leave Talia out of her mind for now.

"Stuff got crazy back there," she said, measuring her words.

Alaina sat back, still not sure if she sympathized with Taylor who was seemingly pulled in ten directions at once or if she was pissed at her. "Yeah." Alaina said as she had more coffee. Alaina wanted to stand her ground and voice her opinion, but she didn't want to do it like a stark raving lunatic bitch the way she did at the arena.

"I am sorry for slapping Talia and making that situation worse." That seemed to cover that aspect of it. She wasn't sorry about going out there and didn't see any need to apologize for that at least. "What else have you been up to today?"

"It's okay..." Taylor said. She thought to grab a drink, but she was rooted in place until she said what she needed to.

"I'm not mad at you for coming out. Like, you know any of us would've done the same thing. I... I'm not even really sure if I'm mad at you at all, but..." She made a face, and looked thoughtfully at the floor, brushing back a lock of wet blonde hair that fell in her face. "Talia got really upset at me and Cassie, and she lost control and did a lot of stuff she shouldn't have. One thing leads to another, ya know? I don't want to see you crossing lines without realizing it, and doing things you'll regret, because where we are, this stuff can eat you alive. Ya know?"

She sighed. She didn't know if she was saying anything right. "You're one of the best we have. I just don't want you to turn into a bad guy."

Alaina sat back and tried her best to smile at Taylor once she finished talking and saying what was on her mind. "I know I have changed since I came into the chaos that is Friction, but I will never turn into anything like her. I guess she just managed to hit all the right buttons to set me off. I need to keep that in check though and I am sorry for a lot of what I said earlier." Alaina realized in totality how she must have come across now that she had the time to reflect on it.

She could be a whiney bitch when she didn't want to be. "I don't know what I was thinking when I said you didn't care. You have always gone out of your way for me and I never have even come close to repaying that debt ya know?" She leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head. "I need to find something that just chills me out ya know? When I think of her, I honestly do want a match with her and its for all the wrong reasons. I never took anything at work this personally before and I just have to compartmentalize better."

Alaina paused once she realized she was rambling. She always did that when she was stressed out. Instead of saying anything more she just rubbed her eyes with her hands and rubbed her temples.

"Dude," Taylor said, softly but emphatically. "I know the feeling."

She strolled across the kitchen and leaned back against the counter next to Alaina. She leaned to the side and bumped against the bigger girl. "By the way..." She said quietly. "Um... How's your dad?"