Dexter and Aubrey

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Off Camera

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Slowly and reluctantly, Aubrianna Powers uncovers her face.  Her eyes opened, her eyelashes faintly batting against her lids when she blinked.  She blinks, closes eyes, and blinks again. Streaks of sunlight penetrate the window and blind her. She laid on the bed next to her still slumbering boyfriend, wrestling journalist Dexter Russell, debating whether or not she should get up.  Her muscles felt weak, just like her energy and will to do anything today.  She sits up, drags her feet off the bed, and rubs her knuckles onto her eyes.  Aubrianna stretches her arms above her head and yawns as she watches her legs dangle above the off-white polyester carpet.

“You’re up early.”

The blonde haired beauty is somewhat startled by this voice but she quickly recognizes it.  She turns to find Dexter Russell, eyes wide open, fully awake, and smiling devilishly at his gorgeous girlfriend.  It’s almost as if he planned it this way.  Aubrey cocks her head to one side and frowns, studying him skeptically.

“Yeah?  So are you.  How long have you been up, buster?”

“About an hour, maybe.” Dexter yawns. “I’ve been resting my eyes.  But I may take another nap later today, who knows?”

“Awwww, what’s wrong Dex?” Aubrey says with a devilish smirk of her own. “Did I wear you out last night?”

“Last night?” Dexter grins knowingly. “Last night was amazing.”

He reaches out and runs his hand through her long blonde hair, hair that is disheveled and not yet made up, and yet Dexter still love her regardless.

“The date, the bed, you, and me, all of it was amazing.”

“Careful, Dex,” Aubrey teases “you want to maintain your journalistic integrity, don’t you?”

“I’m not on the clock, Aubrey.” He says winking. “So I can throw my journalistic integrity out the window and proudly proclaim that you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me.”

“Oh you’re so sweet!” She leans in and kisses him on the lips. “And to think, just a few years ago you were just some nerdy little dweeb getting bullied by the wrestlers.”

“Yeah, I admit that wasn’t exactly the high point of my life.  But I always had you to look out for me.”

“Which kinda made things worse for you, babe.” Powers points out as she lies back down next to Dexter.  She runs her hand down his exposed chest.  “I wasn’t a wrestler yet. I mean, my brother had been training me but I hadn’t signed a contract anywhere.  It’s one thing to be protected by a trained wrestler, it’s something else entirely when you’re being protected by your five foot girlfriend with little training at all in any kind of martial arts or self defense.”

He sighs and nods his head. “You were ashamed of me then, weren’t you?”

“Oh come on, ya dork, we’ve already been through this.” She rolls her eyes. “I broke up with you back then because I was worried that me constantly defending you and protecting you would hurt you in the long run.  I was worried that the bullying would just intensify the more I protected you.”

“Be that as it may, I think it is pretty clear that I do not need protecting any longer.”

Aubrey grins knowingly. “Yeah, I gotta admit, your workout regimen has done wonders for you, babe.  Losing the glasses helped, too.  Maybe now YOU can be the one to defend me from time to time.”

“You say that and I know you’re joking but there is a serious aspect to it, Aubrey.”

“Just as you once worried about me, I now worry about you.” Dexter kisses her on the forehead. “I worry that you’re taking on too much too soon.  I mean, think about it, you are the GCW International Champion and you are going to defend against a six foot five inch behemoth in Timothy Myers.  That’s over a foot he has on you, Aubrey.  And then you had to go and make it a 60 Minute Iron Man Match.”

Aubrey rolls her eyes. “Yeah, he’s big and he’s bad, he’s powerful, but I can kick his ass for sixty minutes.”

“Maybe so, but can you do it when you’re knowingly spreading yourself thin?  Need I remind you of your commitments to HKW Underground. “

“I know, I know, and I joined Underground with a lot of high hopes and aspirations, but things take time, Dex.  I may have had a bump in the road with that annoying Dickie Harter situation but I now have a chance to earn a Tapout Championship Match.” She holds up two of fingers. “I came this close to winning it once before, but now I can earn another opportunity.”

“I hope you’re right and not overconfident.”

“I know I’m right, babe, but thanks for being concerned.” She kisses him on his cheek. “It shows you care.”

“I just know you have made some pretty powerful enemies in your short time as a wrestler.  Timothy Myers, Brittany Kayl, the entire Lasiewicz family…”

“Ok, first of all Brittany Kayl is an annoying little gnat, hardly a powerful enemy.  Secondly, I’ve made some pretty powerful friends and allies too.  Trinity Street and Monarchy, Bobby Barabbas…”

“I’m not sure how close an ally Barabbas is.  He is the one who allowed that no ropes match between you and Harter to get booked.”

Aubrianna frowns. “You’ve been talking to that idiot Harter, haven’t you?”

“No, but I do read twitter and he’s right.  Barabbas booked that match!”

“He also has granted me this opportunity at the Tapout Championship.” She says with a smirk and a wink.

“You don’t have it yet, Aubrey.  You have to earn it.”

“And I will earn it, it’ll be a walk in the park, Dex.  That title shot may as well be mine right now.”