Easing The Tension

"Yeah, you can..." Stay the fuck away from me, you psycho. Taylor didn't say that, though honestly she wasn't really sure why. "Um... nothing."

She sighed. "Maybe you can explain to me what the fuck is wrong with you while I clean up this mess you made." She said, and walked back into the gym and into the public bathroom off the locker room. She leaned into a mirror over a sink and turned on the hot water while she began to examine the cuts on her face. She flinched as she dabbed at the one on her eyebrow with a paper towel.

"For the record," She grumbled. "I'm not beating the shit out of you right now because I'm not that kind of person." She said. It was true, but also in her current condition she wasn't sure she actually could. Probably, though.

She breathed another heavy sigh and stood back to look at herself. She had looked so good, she thought, considering. She had felt like she looked hot for the first time in a while, and yet here she was, a bloody mess. Her tank top was ruined, although... Well, it was all bloody, but it still hugged the curves of her tight, narrow waist and her modest bust. And nothing could stop her lower body from looking good, she thought, as she turned her hips and twisted to look over her legs and how her denim shorts fit, and she always thought tall boots looked good. Maybe she still looked alright, but probably only to a guy who didn't mind a girl's face being all beat up. That was probably a big fetish among Tension assholes. She'd be a big hit in Kyoto.

She suddenly found herself choking back tears, and she quickly splashed her face with water to cover them up. By that point, the water was hot and it stung her cuts. She let out something between a growl and a groan. All she wanted at that moment was to have a day completely free of pain from start to finish.

Talia was unsure how to answer. She knew that Taylor now thought she was crazy. Anyone would, she couldn't understand what had come over her but there was nothing she could do now to change that. All she could hope to do was make Taylor understand what she felt. Already the girl didn't tell her to leave even after she had lit up her face. Perhaps there was a little bit left in the girl to forgive her.

"Johnny...is the first good thing to happen to me since I've gotten to Japan." Talia hadn't exaggerated for effect, it was really the case. "And then when he saw you, I saw all my hopes just crumble away." Talia shrugged and looked away. "And it was because of you. Not because of anything you did or said...but because of who you are. As I said before, I saw how Johnny's face lit up when he saw you. I guess...I guess I wanted to blame you for it all but it wasn't your fault." Talia crossed her arms in discomfort. "I was being foolish...and then some. I don't know what I was thinking."

Talia proceeded to put another hand on Taylor's shoulder as she washed her face off. The pained groans showed that she was hurt, if only a little. It must have been getting old fast, but the girl was persevering. "I am sorry..." she muttered, embarrassed by what she had done. "You should hit me back," she suggested suddenly. It was what Taylor had suggested before when she had her pinned down. It was really the only way Talia could think of making it up to her. "Make us even..." she muttered from behind her.

Taylor snorted derisively. "Shut up." She said. "I'm not going to just hit you. I don't get off just hitting people." Although part of her really wanted to.

She finished cleaning herself up, tugged at the frayed hem of her shorts, and fixed her hair, and turned for the door. "You're pathetic." She said along the way. "Get your shit together, and fast, or else the next time you come at me I'll choke you out with your ugly-ass extensions."

"See ya." She said, and didn't look back. She kept up as quick a pace as she could to get away from Talia. She had walked from her apartment to the restaurant, and then from there to here, and she really didn't have the energy to get all the way home. Every step she took sent a wave of pain through her whole body. She just wanted to curl up in a ball on the floor right there for a month. She was so weary of being in constant stabbing pain that she just wanted to cry.

She'd have to take a cab. But... she was starving. She hadn't actually eaten at the restaurant... maybe she'd order for delivery from somewhere. She never once looked back to see what Talia was doing, but she hoped she took the hint and parted ways with her.

Talia felt an odd mix of relief and regret when Taylor said she would not hit her back. It could've brought some closure to what happened, but of course it would have hurt too. And the fact that Taylor did not want to hit her made Talia feel all the worse. For once, she had met someone who didn't want to do that. And sure enough, the woman hated her. And she didn't seem to care at all for her explanation. Talia was just pathetic. It made her all the more depressed that she had snapped at Taylor. Now she really didn't know what to do. She had managed to create scars on her first visit to the Friction arena.

When Taylor walked out of the place, and with a quick pace, Talia did not follow. She gave up trying to reason with the professional. The girl just had to accept that she likely already made an enemy out of Johnny's ex (and likely to be future) girlfriend. With a sigh, she left the bathroom and walked over to inspect the broken pieces of her phone. It wasn't an expensive phone, but all her numbers had been saved on it. Most could be re-added but she didn't know the numbers of others such as Johnny's. She hopelessly fiddled with the pieces as if the phone would work if they were all put back together. Finally, she gave up and got ready to leave the arena as well. After what had happened, watching the Friction matches that night seemed inappropriate.

With dried blood still around her mouth and chin, Talia walked out of the arena and towards the nearest bus station. She passed the restaurant where she had met Taylor originally. And there was the man of the hour, Johnny, still sitting there. She felt embarrassed about what had happened. When he found out, he'd probably never talk to her again. Without his number, she wouldn't even be able to call him after they parted. So Talia decided to have one last meeting with him. She walked up behind him and sat across from the table, simply saying, "Hey..." as she did this.

Johnny had went back to the tble that he and Talia had been sitting and straightened everything out with the bill and decided to relax with a small drink. He needed to collect his thoughts and consider what he was going to do next. He knew how he felt. He loved Taylor but... He didn't want Talia out of his life either. Would keeping her be possible in any fashion? He smiled and tok a sip from his cup. Talia and Taylor wee probably best friends by now, the way Tylor had been acting. Why was she like that anyway? Iit was weird how she chased after Talia and had all but ignored him.

He wasn't expecting Talia to come back at all so when she say 'Hey' Johhny was startled a bit. "Huh...?" He looked up to see a bloodied up Talia and his eyes widened. "H-holy shit, Talia-chan!" Johnny blurted out.

Johnny stood up and dabbed a napkin into his water and rushed over to her. "What the hell happened!?" Johnny pushed against her, pushing his face close to hers and wrapping an arm around her shoulder and dabbing at her lips and nose to clean herup, worry was clearly on his face.

Talia didn't move much as Johnny cleaned her face off. She felt so guilty about what had happened and didn't answer Johnny immediately. Hell, his attentiveness to her only made her feel that much worse. Even as sure as he was that Johnny and Taylor were going to get back together, she did still want to be friends with him. Unfortunately, though, that probably wasn't going to be happening. Talia truly hoped she would never snap like that again.

"Johnny..." she whispered to him up close. She wasn't sure how to explain the situation to him. She wanted to just blurt it out and be done with it. At the same time, though, she didn't want her time with Johnny to be over. "Taylor was giving me a tour of the place." Talia looked away from him. It felt bad just realizing how far she could go when provoked. Even all the men in Tension had not pushed her that far before. "We started talking and...well..." she forced herself to look back into Johnny's eyes. She had to know his reaction to see just how much he'd hate (or not hate) her for it. "We got into a fight...I started it," she added at the end. It didn't make sense to lie especially when Taylor was going to tell him anyways. "I bashed in her face, and she bashed in mine." Talia returned to looking away. "I'm sorry...she hates me now...I think I'm just going to go back to Kyoto and let you two work things out. I don't want to make this any more complicated between you two."

Johnny had to admit that being this close, doting on Talia was actually making his heart beat a little faster. He was close enoug to smellher and her ratherfeminine aroma was something that reminded him of sweet sugar. Still, as he cleaned her up, something felt strange.

But then he listened to her story. It wasn't right at all. It couldn't be possible. Taylorwas a trash talker and an instigator. Talia was... She was sweet and innocent! There was no way that Taylor could push her that far! Even... Even if that was possible, Taylor had definitely provoked her. No! He couldn't do that to Taylor. No matter how much Taylor ran her mouth, she wouldn't just beat a girl up either. But still... Taylor was no where to be found and Talia showed up all bloody.

"How couuld she hate someone like you?!" Johnny pleaded. "Y"u're amazing, Talia-chan! I can't... I... You're not..." Johnny stopped and sighed. "This is fucked up man! I don't even know what to think! I can't believe you would start a fight with her! Why!?" Johnny's hand slid down Talia's arm and he took her hand. "Talia-chan! P-please... I don't want... I wasn't ready for you to leave... I just wish... I dunno... Dammit..." He said and turned his head. "I love Taylor... But... I really like you, too... I don't know why everything has to be so fucked up!"

"Johnny..." Talia started to speak but stopped. He really was a sweet, kind guy. "...I'm really sorry...I never meant for this to happen." Even now she couldn't understand what had come over her. "But...you said it yourself...you love Taylor." It hurt Talia to say that but it was true. It was unfair to both of them for Johnny to continue seeing the two. And it was unwise for them to even be friends if Taylor hated her as Talia believed she did. "I saw the way you look at her...you really lit up. More than you ever did while looking at me." It was a painful truth to tell, but it was the reason why Talia had left in the first place. She knew Johnny was going to choose Taylor, she really couldn't compete with her.

"I don't think Taylor will appreciate me being around you. So..." As much as Talia wanted to finish what she was saying, it was too hard to do. "So..." she tried again, but this time she got caught up in herself. "I don't think we can..." but finally she was overwhelmed with it all. Her hands came up to her face and she sobbed quietly. It was hard to let go of the one good thing she had come across since coming to wrestle with the AFW. She knew it was the right thing to do for everyone...but it may not have been the right thing to do for her own welfare.

Johnny couldn't believe what was happening, what Talia was saying. Taylor should have no issue with his friends. But, were the two really enemies now? Johnny would have to talk to Taylor about it. But as he looked atTalia, who was holding back sobs, he became angry! Everything was over before it even started. Talia was sobbing. Taylor... Even though it seemed like things might be well betweem them, well, she just lethim go again. Just like that to chase after Talia nd now they were enemies?

Johnny coldnt help it. He HAD to know! He pushed Talia's hands out of her face and held onto them. He might regret doing this, but he would regret not doing it more. Not knowing, for sure. He pushed his face forward and pressed his lips hard against Talia's.

Talia didn't resist Johnny pushing her hands away from her face. She had trouble looking at him through her blurred, teared eyes. Still, she never expected what Johnny did next. She felt his lips press against hers in a rather hard kiss. Her eyes opened wide in a surprised look. She wasn't sure what to do, it had caught her off guard. At first, Talia just stood there, looking at Johnny very up close. Then, she relaxed her hands while they were in his grip. She allowed her eyes to close and she pursed her lips into Johnny's to return the kiss. It was warm and delightful to the girl, a sensation she wished she could experience more often.

She would keep going as long as Johnny did. Sure it was a little odd that they were in public, and that several people were still looking at them. Obviously, Talia had stood out since she was a little bloodied. She still didn't know what to think of what was happening, but she enjoyed it.