Subject to Change

April 14, 2003

“Really? We get to start here? Where did you even get this picture, Hannah?” I asked looking at the lucky picture that got to start off the tour of my memories.

“Online. I was looking through some pictures and I saw that one.” she shrugged. “I liked it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Awesome. Oh well, on with the show…”

*************************

“1… 2… 3…!” referee Charles Robinson signaled for the bell.

As soon as it rang, Lilian Garcia was on her feet to announce the winner. Microphone at her lips she said, “Here’s your winner: Rayne!”

“By Myself” by Linkin Park began blaring through the arena’s speakers as the blue-streaked blonde pushed herself off of a semi-conscious Trish Stratus, flipped her hair back and taunted the crowd as it booed.

Ignoring their reaction for the moment, the Dare Diva made her way over to the turnbuckle closest to her. As her foot touched the bottom rope, a hand gripped her bicep. She turned around to see Jeff Hardy standing there, one hand encircling her upper arm the other holding a microphone.

The Diva from Miami looked past the North Carolinian’s shoulder; Trish was being helped up the ramp by two referees.

At the sight, the sapphire-eyed woman smirked.

“What the hell is your problem?!” yelled the Tarheel, the Diva’s music fading out.

Rayne scoffed as she ripped her arm out of his grip and shouted back, “You! You’re my problem!”

“So you take it out on Trish?”

“It doesn’t matter who I take it out on, as long as it hurts you!” replied the blue-streaked blonde, a newly acquired microphone in hand.

“It’s like that then…”

“Yes it’s like that!” Rayne snarled, glaring daggers at the rainbow-haired Superstar. “What did you expect? That I’d be totally fine with you going off with Trish while I sat at home hurt?!”

“Of course not!” Jeff answered, raking a hand through his hair. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like it did.”

The Dare Diva laughed. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was never supposed to find out right? I was supposed to be the perfect naïve little girlfriend that never once doubted her boyfriend’s loyalty even with him cheating on her right in front of her goddamn face! Wasn’t I?! Well too damn bad!”

“That’s not it at all, Rayne! But you pushed me to it!” accused the Southern man. “If you had just listened to me when this all started, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

Scoffing once more the Diva looked up at the Superstar, seething. “So it’s my fault?”

Jeff merely looked down at his ex-girlfriend.

“Really? So it’s my fault that you went and interfered with what was happening between Big Show and Trish after Matt and Lita had beaten them… thus causing the Big Show to come after me during my match and put me on the shelf for a whole month?! Of course, it’s my entire fault. And poor little Jeff is the victim in all of this.” The blue-eyed Diva laughed. “Oh, I’m so sorry, that was before all of this wasn’t it. I’m living in the past. But let me just jump forward a bit. Not only have you cheated on me behind my back but right in front of my face! Honestly, you have no respect for me, admit it… Now how selfish of me, to only think of the pain I felt in seeing my boyfriend cheat on me and not in how you would go about your life without someone to support you with me out of the picture. Can you ever forgive me?”

The amount of sarcasm in her voice nearly made Jeff sick; at that point, he honestly couldn’t see why he’d ever dated her in the first place. “Oh, haha, you’re so funny, Rayne.”

The Florida native batted her eyelashes at the green-eyed flyer before putting on a sickeningly sweet smile and a voice to match. “You really think so?”

The Tarheel rolled his eyes at the amount of fakeness the Dare Diva was using.

Where once was a smile, now was a sneer. “Right well, I’m done here…” Just as she began ducking under the top rope, something occurred to the sapphire-eyed blonde. “Oh, silly me, I almost forgot.”

Bending over to the ropes, Rayne demanded that she be handed the small velvet box that she had brought out with her earlier. Taking it from one of the sound technicians she walked back over to where Jeff stood.

“Here...” she said, shoving the small box into his hand. “I won’t be needing, nor wanting, this anymore.”

The North Carolina native opened the box, revealing a thin silver band containing three small blue gems.

As Rayne began walking toward the ramp once more, but once more she stopped. Now standing on the apron, the blonde Diva looked around her. “Oh, just one more thing.” she pointed out to the crowd then turned to glare at Jeff. “All of you here, and those at home, remember this day. Because Hell will freeze over before you see me again… I QUIT!”

*******

I honestly thought it was over. My wrestling career, my relationship with Jeff, everything. After that night, I wanted nothing to do with the business anymore.

But as I walked behind the curtain the realization that I was actually leaving finally hit me.

*******

Trish went up to me right as I made it to the gorilla position, embracing me in a farewell hug. “I’m sorry things had to end this way, Roxy.”

Returning the hug, I gave her a small smile. “I’m sorry you got placed in the middle of this.”

“It’s no big, part of the business, ya know?” she replied, shrugging her shoulders before walking backward toward the locker rooms. Trish gestured with her thumb over her right shoulder as she said. “Don’t be too long out here, we’ve got something for you.”

I chuckled and wiped away the tears that began to fall.

“Uh-uh. Don’t you start cry in front of us, girlie.” I looked up at Chris Jericho, arms crosses over his chest as he pursed his lips. Behind him stood Karlos Charisma and a few other guys, some of my closer friends.

“I’m gonna miss you all…” I said, hugging each one tightly before looking back at the entrance. Jeff stood there, off to the side as some of the crew ran out to set up for the next segment. “But I’ve got to go. Stay in touch.”

And with that I started walking in the same direction Trish had gone. I wanted nothing to do with Jeff anymore, let alone speak to him one last time, so before he could get any chance at putting a word in edgewise I rushed into the safety of the Divas’ Locker Room where the girls waited for me with a little farewell party.