Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2020 6:34:50 GMT -5
The scene opens to a bar in New Orleans, Louisiana called Prey, owned by Jonas Starr with the two bartenders, Carrie Winter and Stephanie Tompkins tending the bar with the bouncer, Billy Hawkes at the door.
On the small stage we see the members of American Murder Log, Linnéa Lacroix, Alissa Lacroix, Zenna Zdunich, Katra Zdunich and Kelly Taylor setting up their instruments while Katra’s wives, Adriana and Eavan Zdunich are watching them when Adriana’s cousin, Nate Nitro enters the bar dressed in a pair of black leather combat boots, a pair of camo pants, a black AML tank top and a stick on black dickie bow tie.
He then walks up to Eavan and Adriana and taps Eavan on the shoulder and when she and Adriana turn around, he gives them a cheesy grin and Adriana immediately giggles uncontrollably.
Nate: This isn’t too much is it?
Eavan looks him up and down, walking around him, really getting into making Nate feel uncomfortable because she’s evil. Finally, she smiles up at him.
Eavan: Bow tie’s a nice touch. Shows you’re sincere and yet not so full of yourself. She’ll appreciate that.
Nate: Good. Oh and thanks for the vote of confidence, cuz.
Adriana, who has since stopped giggling just gives him a cheeky smile.
Adriana: You’re welcome! But seriously… it’s like Mina said on Twitter… just be yourself and you’ll be fine!
Nate nods and takes a deep breath in and out as he kneels down to pet Toretto a little who is sitting by his side to help ease his nerves a little. Sure enough, not too long after that, the front door leading into the bar opens and in walks Mina Wilk, who isn’t difficult to recognize with her long green hair.
Nate: Well… here goes…
As Nate stands back to his feet, Toretto turns his attention towards Mina, and being the loveable pooch he is, he is first to make his way over to Mina as Nate follows and gives her a wave.
Nate: Hey, Mina…
Mina, her green hair in two braids, in her own AML shirt, black leggings, and studded knee-high boots, was surprised to see the dog at first but she kneels down to greet him. She looks up as she sees Nate and immediately notices the bow tie and smirks.
Mina: You dressed up for me!
Mina draws a finger over the bow tie and nods approvingly, before cocking her head sideways a second in thought before opening her arms.
Mina: You’d better be a hugger. Fuck this Covid bubble shit, haha.
Nate: Yes, I’m a hugger. It’s hard not to be a hugger when you have a cousin like mine, you’ll soon learn that yourself.
He outstretches his arms and he and Mina share a brief embrace with one another before he takes hold of her hand and kisses the back of it.
Nate: You look even better in person, Mina. Oh and this is my dog, Toretto.
Mina: Thank you, you’re pretty handsome as well. Love the beard. Toretto seems like a sweet boy too, takes after his father I bet.
Mina looks back up at Nate and catches a tinge of nervousness in him. Mina smirks and shakes her head, placing a hand around the back of his neck and leaning up to him, her lips close to his.
Mina: Never feel shy around me. I know you second-guess yourself because of the 23 and 1 you haven’t shaken yet. It’s endearing, I know where it stems from, but it’s not necessary. Me being here should say it all.
Nate nods with a sigh of relief as he escorts her further into the bar.
Nate: Well in that case, allow me to first introduce you to my cousin, Adriana and one of her wives, Eavan.
The two approach Adriana and Eavan and Adriana immediately embraces Mina.
Adriana: Hiya, Mina! It’s so nice to meet you!
Nate: Told you she was a big hugger.
Eavan, uncharacteristically, hangs back, watching everyone. She’s reading Mina and Nate, and cocks an eyebrow. After a minute, Eav comes over and extends her hand to Mina. Adriana is confused by this as usually Eavan is about as hyper as she is, maybe more.
Eavan: Pleasure to meet you, Mina. Did you enjoy your flight?
Mina’s eyes go wide before Eavan starts giggling.
Eavan: There was no way I was going to have you pay for shit to get down here. Addy and Katra over there can tell you I’m impulsive with money but I usually mean well. Welcome to the Nitro Zdunich Funhouse.
Mina: I thought it was the Harley Floof Funhouse?
Eavan: Harley Floof only exists when I wrestle. I mean, we can throw down if you want but I would think you’d want Nate’s hands on you instead of mine.
Eavan looks over at Nate who is still trying to get past his shyness and shifts a little, while Eavan and Mina catch what happened. Mina licks her lips and winks at him before her and Eavan hug.
Mina: I think we’re going to get along well, Eavan. Actually, I like all you guys.
Mina walks back over to Nate and puts an arm around his waist and kisses his shoulder.
Mina: Especially this one.
Nate smiles and after a brief moment, he places his arm around the small of Mina’s back as he then guides her over to the stage.
Nate: And before we grab ourselves a drink and get to know each other a little better, meet Linnéa Lacroix, Alissa Lacroix, Zenna Zdunich, Katra Zdunich and Kelly Taylor, American Murder Log.
Mina wiggles a little with Nate’s hand on her back, showing her appreciation for it and giving him a bit of a show as well. She had also been watching the stage and the band getting ready. The blush she had earlier comes back brighter. She tilts her head back against Nate’s chest and shakes her head.
Mina: I still can’t believe you pulled this off, Nathaniel. Makes me wonder what surprises you’ll have for our second date.
She reaches up to play with his beard for a few seconds, trying to control her desire to jump out of her body in complete fandom watching the band. She takes a chair and sits on it backwards just in awe of them.
Nate: Well, it does help that Adriana’s other wife is Katra. So the band is pretty much my family as well. Fancy going on stage to say hello to them?
Mina claps enthusiastically, and leaps off the chair, practically into Nate’s arms.
Mina: Well, I think they heard you. And hells yes I want to meet them.
Eavan walks over, giggling.
Eavan: You two are too cute, but I had to clarify something Nate said. Adriana, Katra and I are all married to one another. It’s a long story but a great ending. I hope that won’t weird you out.
Mina looks from Eavan to Adriana to the stage where Katra is tuning up, then to Nate, then back to Eavan.
Mina: Is that even legal?
Eavan: Well, officially it’s Katra and Addy. I’m the third wheel but I was married to Katra before. Like I said, long story. Between us, we’re married. Legally, I had my name changed.
Mina: Oh, okay. No, not weirded out at all. If you guys are happy, that’s cool. I had a couple drunken nights with chicks but they’re not my thing. I mean, I can find them attractive but not get to let’s fuck, you know? That make sense?
Eavan nods and smirks.
Eavan: Totally. And hey, you came to the right family. You’ll never find a better group of people than them, believe me on that. And Nate here is a total sweetheart, and pretty badass. You two will be good together, I can see it already.
Eavan nods again as she walks away, heading up to the stage where Adriana is with Katra and the others as they’re almost ready, leaving the two alone for a few minutes.
Nate: So then… can I get you a drink?
Mina: Whatever’s on draft. I don’t do the hard stuff much anymore, it gets me into trouble of the bad variety. I prefer trouble of the good variety. Oh, and something’s missing, something I’ve wanted to do since I got here.
Mina gets up on her toes, wraps her arms around him and gives him quite the welcoming kiss. When their lips unlock, Mina smirks.
Mina: Not bad, but we’ll need more practice later. Consider yourself marked.
Nate smiles back and nods as the two of them make their way over to one of the booths and Mina takes a seat, Toretto waddles along and lies down by her feet as Nate makes his way over to the bar as Carrie approaches with a smile.
Carrie: What can I get ya?
Nate: Two of whatever you have on draft, please.
Carrie nods and begins to pour the drinks as Nate turns to look over to Mina. She’s busy petting Toretto before she catches Nate looking at her and she makes a clawing motion with her hand towards him causing him to smile as Carrie sets the two drinks down in front of him.
Carrie: Quite the lady.
Nate turns his attention back to the bartender and chuckles as he reaches for his wallet.
Nate: She sure is. How much do I owe you?
Carrie waves it off.
Carrie: On the house.
Nate nods before picking up the two beers and makes his way back over to the table and places one of them down in front of Mina before taking a seat beside her and takes a drink from his own.
Nate: So then… which one of us should go first with the stories?
Mina takes a sip of her beer and sighs. She looks towards the door and around the bar, trying to stall before lowering her head.
Mina: It was a trumped-up charge, but armed robbery. Let me explain because it’s really not as bad as it sounds. Mom and I were in a bad way, and I would go into this grocery store nearby and steal stuff, like often. Once or twice a week. This was before I dyed my hair, that’s another story. Anyways, I would never get caught, or if I did, the store owner knew my situation and would turn a blind eye. I didn’t always steal from them, it was where we would do our real grocery shopping when we had money, so we were regulars. Anyways, new employee caught me, one of those high and mighty types. She’s the one who pressed charges. Cops showed up, and I had a butterfly knife in my possession. Live in the neighborhood I did, you carried or you were carried out. So they booked me for armed robbery, was sentenced to five years because they said I threatened the employee and I probably did at the time. Got the sentence reduced to twenty-eight months. What about you?
Nate slides his hand across the table and rests it on top of Mina’s.
Nate: That’s awful, Mina… it must have been hard… on both you and your mother.
He sighs, taking another drink of his beer.
Nate: I got locked up because I was out celebrating my birthday with the family, Uncle Joey, Aunt Chloe and Addy. Had quite a bit to drink and as we were leaving the bar, this drunk guy started hitting on Addy… she was trying to be nice and politely said she wasn’t interested but he kept persisting and was very grabby with her. I flipped out and I just beat him down… but the problem was… I didn’t stop and I ended up paralyzing him. Crazy thing was, while I was locked up, I had a total of five visitors. Uncle Joey, Aunt Chloe, Addy, Katra… Eavan wasn’t with them at the time so I didn’t meet her until I was out… but the fifth visitor I had was the guy I put in a wheelchair. He told me that he had forgiven me for what I had done to him, after apologising for his behaviour… he never got the chance to play catch with his son as he was growing up because of me. Yeah, what he did to Addy was wrong, but he didn’t deserve what I did to him.
Mina’s eyes water up before reaching across the table and taking his hand.
Mina: Have you forgiven yourself for what happened? I know it took a lot for that man to come to see you and forgive you. I’m sure he lives with his actions for life, as will you. I watched you tell me that story like you were expecting me to walk out. Not happening. I don’t know if you’ve done any sort of therapy or what have you, or even if you will. Your reasons were sound and I’d have done the same thing in your shoes. I’ve only met them minutes ago and I’d go to war for all of them so I get it.
He sits back in his seat, staring off for a brief moment before focusing his attention back onto Mina.
Nate: I took some counselling while still inside… but I still do think about what I did sometimes. It’s a large reason for me getting into wrestling… it’s my way of being able to release my anger and hurt people… but in a controlled environment, you know?
Mina: I get it. I actually got into wrestling on the inside, kinda on accident. In the block I was in, there was this one big bitch, like easily six-two close to two hundred pounds and she would throw her weight around, steal from the other girls and shit. Thing is, anyone who came at her, got their asses kicked so she ran the roost. Being the new girl, well, first day Ruth came in, looked around, started claiming what little shit I had. Guards turned a blind eye of course. SO, after about six months of this, we knew Ruth was getting out shortly by some technicality, so that night, I took back my shit, plus everybody else’s stuff. Ruth came at me and I decked her. Never fought in my life, but she went down. I became Queen of the block from that point forward. Nobody stole from no-one. They let me train while I was there. When I got out, one of the girls had a brother involved in a wrestling company who let me try out. Told me to come up with a gimmick. The green hair came from a night of way too much tequila, but it got over. Then I kept adding to it and the fans ate it up, so it stuck.
Nate: I like the green hair, it suits you… and it fits your personality I think.
Picking his glass of beer up, he raises it slightly.
Nate: To new beginnings… for the both of us.
Mina raises her glass up to meet his.
Mina: Oh, babe, you don’t know a QUARTER of the personality I have, but you’ll learn. And hopefully even grow to like it. Cheers to new beginnings, and to us.
Nate nods and smiles as they both take a large gulp of their beverages.
Nate: So then, is there anything else you’d like to ask me about?
Mina ponders this, a half-dozen inappropriate questions run through her mind which makes her chuckle to herself.
Mina: I’m trying to figure out how somebody from sleepy Connecticut ends up a big, imposing guy like yourself. I know being inside did a large part, but there had to be something before that.
Nate: Truthfully?
He points over to Adriana.
Nate: To protect my family. After my Mom and Dad passed away when I was young, Uncle Joey and Aunt Chloe practically raised me. So Addy, even though she’s my cousin, ended up being more like my sister. Uncle Joey was a wrestler when he was younger, and I worked out with him on a regular basis. Addy over there, she never admits it out loud but I think she hates the wrestling industry, she hasn’t ever been able to get over seeing members of her family and the people she cares about in pain from doing what we do. So she would lose herself in her music, and I vowed to always protect her no matter what… I don’t really need to do that anymore now that she has Eavan.
Mina watches Adriana and Eavan and smiles widely, and sighing deeply in awe of them.
Mina: Nah, you’ll always be her big protector even with Eavan around. Eavan can go, I’ve seen some of her matches, but you and Addy have something nobody else has. Mom is that way with me. I come home beat up and dried blood in my hair and while she won’t do it around me, I hear her cry. She also knows it’s why we have a nicer place with no roaches this time so I think she accepts it. And you can ask me anything, I’m an open book.
He glances over to her as she looks back at him with her big beautiful brown eyes.
Nate: You talk a lot about your mother… what happened to your father?
Mina finishes her glass and puts it down, and closes her eyes for a second to collect her thoughts.
Mina: What I tell people normally is that he walked out on us. There’s a sadder story but the quick version of it is he sold my mother and I to some of his buddies to clear a debt. He went to prison for it and was killed there. I was 13 when it happened. Ten years later, I get moments when he’s brought up, and please don’t feel bad for asking, you didn’t know. If we’re going to be together, you deserved the truth. The guys didn’t do anything to me, but my mother suffered for it. I go to his stone every few years, he’s buried in Dallas where I’m from originally. We moved to New York after that incident.
Nate: Jeez…
Nate finishes off his beer now and looks into Mina’s eyes again.
Nate: Well I think we’ve let our skeletons out of the closet enough for one day, what’s say I get us another beer and I’ll introduce you to the band and then if you want… we can go grab something to eat, just the two of us.
Mina: And neither of us are running for the hills so that’s promising. You know, I’ve always been a bit of a hard-ass when it comes to relationships. I always felt people were out for more than they let on. With you, I’m sure you have your secrets, things that come out later on. We all have them. Yet, you’re legit. I don’t feel that sliminess I do with others. I hope I’m not wrong because I already feel a strong connection with you. And please, before we get too deep too soon, let’s enjoy ourselves, meet the band, and see where the night takes us.
Nate: That sounds good to me.
The two then exit the booth and Nate heads over to the bar to get them some more drinks while Mina heads over to the stage as the scene fades.
On the small stage we see the members of American Murder Log, Linnéa Lacroix, Alissa Lacroix, Zenna Zdunich, Katra Zdunich and Kelly Taylor setting up their instruments while Katra’s wives, Adriana and Eavan Zdunich are watching them when Adriana’s cousin, Nate Nitro enters the bar dressed in a pair of black leather combat boots, a pair of camo pants, a black AML tank top and a stick on black dickie bow tie.
He then walks up to Eavan and Adriana and taps Eavan on the shoulder and when she and Adriana turn around, he gives them a cheesy grin and Adriana immediately giggles uncontrollably.
Nate: This isn’t too much is it?
Eavan looks him up and down, walking around him, really getting into making Nate feel uncomfortable because she’s evil. Finally, she smiles up at him.
Eavan: Bow tie’s a nice touch. Shows you’re sincere and yet not so full of yourself. She’ll appreciate that.
Nate: Good. Oh and thanks for the vote of confidence, cuz.
Adriana, who has since stopped giggling just gives him a cheeky smile.
Adriana: You’re welcome! But seriously… it’s like Mina said on Twitter… just be yourself and you’ll be fine!
Nate nods and takes a deep breath in and out as he kneels down to pet Toretto a little who is sitting by his side to help ease his nerves a little. Sure enough, not too long after that, the front door leading into the bar opens and in walks Mina Wilk, who isn’t difficult to recognize with her long green hair.
Nate: Well… here goes…
As Nate stands back to his feet, Toretto turns his attention towards Mina, and being the loveable pooch he is, he is first to make his way over to Mina as Nate follows and gives her a wave.
Nate: Hey, Mina…
Mina, her green hair in two braids, in her own AML shirt, black leggings, and studded knee-high boots, was surprised to see the dog at first but she kneels down to greet him. She looks up as she sees Nate and immediately notices the bow tie and smirks.
Mina: You dressed up for me!
Mina draws a finger over the bow tie and nods approvingly, before cocking her head sideways a second in thought before opening her arms.
Mina: You’d better be a hugger. Fuck this Covid bubble shit, haha.
Nate: Yes, I’m a hugger. It’s hard not to be a hugger when you have a cousin like mine, you’ll soon learn that yourself.
He outstretches his arms and he and Mina share a brief embrace with one another before he takes hold of her hand and kisses the back of it.
Nate: You look even better in person, Mina. Oh and this is my dog, Toretto.
Mina: Thank you, you’re pretty handsome as well. Love the beard. Toretto seems like a sweet boy too, takes after his father I bet.
Mina looks back up at Nate and catches a tinge of nervousness in him. Mina smirks and shakes her head, placing a hand around the back of his neck and leaning up to him, her lips close to his.
Mina: Never feel shy around me. I know you second-guess yourself because of the 23 and 1 you haven’t shaken yet. It’s endearing, I know where it stems from, but it’s not necessary. Me being here should say it all.
Nate nods with a sigh of relief as he escorts her further into the bar.
Nate: Well in that case, allow me to first introduce you to my cousin, Adriana and one of her wives, Eavan.
The two approach Adriana and Eavan and Adriana immediately embraces Mina.
Adriana: Hiya, Mina! It’s so nice to meet you!
Nate: Told you she was a big hugger.
Eavan, uncharacteristically, hangs back, watching everyone. She’s reading Mina and Nate, and cocks an eyebrow. After a minute, Eav comes over and extends her hand to Mina. Adriana is confused by this as usually Eavan is about as hyper as she is, maybe more.
Eavan: Pleasure to meet you, Mina. Did you enjoy your flight?
Mina’s eyes go wide before Eavan starts giggling.
Eavan: There was no way I was going to have you pay for shit to get down here. Addy and Katra over there can tell you I’m impulsive with money but I usually mean well. Welcome to the Nitro Zdunich Funhouse.
Mina: I thought it was the Harley Floof Funhouse?
Eavan: Harley Floof only exists when I wrestle. I mean, we can throw down if you want but I would think you’d want Nate’s hands on you instead of mine.
Eavan looks over at Nate who is still trying to get past his shyness and shifts a little, while Eavan and Mina catch what happened. Mina licks her lips and winks at him before her and Eavan hug.
Mina: I think we’re going to get along well, Eavan. Actually, I like all you guys.
Mina walks back over to Nate and puts an arm around his waist and kisses his shoulder.
Mina: Especially this one.
Nate smiles and after a brief moment, he places his arm around the small of Mina’s back as he then guides her over to the stage.
Nate: And before we grab ourselves a drink and get to know each other a little better, meet Linnéa Lacroix, Alissa Lacroix, Zenna Zdunich, Katra Zdunich and Kelly Taylor, American Murder Log.
Mina wiggles a little with Nate’s hand on her back, showing her appreciation for it and giving him a bit of a show as well. She had also been watching the stage and the band getting ready. The blush she had earlier comes back brighter. She tilts her head back against Nate’s chest and shakes her head.
Mina: I still can’t believe you pulled this off, Nathaniel. Makes me wonder what surprises you’ll have for our second date.
She reaches up to play with his beard for a few seconds, trying to control her desire to jump out of her body in complete fandom watching the band. She takes a chair and sits on it backwards just in awe of them.
Nate: Well, it does help that Adriana’s other wife is Katra. So the band is pretty much my family as well. Fancy going on stage to say hello to them?
Mina claps enthusiastically, and leaps off the chair, practically into Nate’s arms.
Mina: Well, I think they heard you. And hells yes I want to meet them.
Eavan walks over, giggling.
Eavan: You two are too cute, but I had to clarify something Nate said. Adriana, Katra and I are all married to one another. It’s a long story but a great ending. I hope that won’t weird you out.
Mina looks from Eavan to Adriana to the stage where Katra is tuning up, then to Nate, then back to Eavan.
Mina: Is that even legal?
Eavan: Well, officially it’s Katra and Addy. I’m the third wheel but I was married to Katra before. Like I said, long story. Between us, we’re married. Legally, I had my name changed.
Mina: Oh, okay. No, not weirded out at all. If you guys are happy, that’s cool. I had a couple drunken nights with chicks but they’re not my thing. I mean, I can find them attractive but not get to let’s fuck, you know? That make sense?
Eavan nods and smirks.
Eavan: Totally. And hey, you came to the right family. You’ll never find a better group of people than them, believe me on that. And Nate here is a total sweetheart, and pretty badass. You two will be good together, I can see it already.
Eavan nods again as she walks away, heading up to the stage where Adriana is with Katra and the others as they’re almost ready, leaving the two alone for a few minutes.
Nate: So then… can I get you a drink?
Mina: Whatever’s on draft. I don’t do the hard stuff much anymore, it gets me into trouble of the bad variety. I prefer trouble of the good variety. Oh, and something’s missing, something I’ve wanted to do since I got here.
Mina gets up on her toes, wraps her arms around him and gives him quite the welcoming kiss. When their lips unlock, Mina smirks.
Mina: Not bad, but we’ll need more practice later. Consider yourself marked.
Nate smiles back and nods as the two of them make their way over to one of the booths and Mina takes a seat, Toretto waddles along and lies down by her feet as Nate makes his way over to the bar as Carrie approaches with a smile.
Carrie: What can I get ya?
Nate: Two of whatever you have on draft, please.
Carrie nods and begins to pour the drinks as Nate turns to look over to Mina. She’s busy petting Toretto before she catches Nate looking at her and she makes a clawing motion with her hand towards him causing him to smile as Carrie sets the two drinks down in front of him.
Carrie: Quite the lady.
Nate turns his attention back to the bartender and chuckles as he reaches for his wallet.
Nate: She sure is. How much do I owe you?
Carrie waves it off.
Carrie: On the house.
Nate nods before picking up the two beers and makes his way back over to the table and places one of them down in front of Mina before taking a seat beside her and takes a drink from his own.
Nate: So then… which one of us should go first with the stories?
Mina takes a sip of her beer and sighs. She looks towards the door and around the bar, trying to stall before lowering her head.
Mina: It was a trumped-up charge, but armed robbery. Let me explain because it’s really not as bad as it sounds. Mom and I were in a bad way, and I would go into this grocery store nearby and steal stuff, like often. Once or twice a week. This was before I dyed my hair, that’s another story. Anyways, I would never get caught, or if I did, the store owner knew my situation and would turn a blind eye. I didn’t always steal from them, it was where we would do our real grocery shopping when we had money, so we were regulars. Anyways, new employee caught me, one of those high and mighty types. She’s the one who pressed charges. Cops showed up, and I had a butterfly knife in my possession. Live in the neighborhood I did, you carried or you were carried out. So they booked me for armed robbery, was sentenced to five years because they said I threatened the employee and I probably did at the time. Got the sentence reduced to twenty-eight months. What about you?
Nate slides his hand across the table and rests it on top of Mina’s.
Nate: That’s awful, Mina… it must have been hard… on both you and your mother.
He sighs, taking another drink of his beer.
Nate: I got locked up because I was out celebrating my birthday with the family, Uncle Joey, Aunt Chloe and Addy. Had quite a bit to drink and as we were leaving the bar, this drunk guy started hitting on Addy… she was trying to be nice and politely said she wasn’t interested but he kept persisting and was very grabby with her. I flipped out and I just beat him down… but the problem was… I didn’t stop and I ended up paralyzing him. Crazy thing was, while I was locked up, I had a total of five visitors. Uncle Joey, Aunt Chloe, Addy, Katra… Eavan wasn’t with them at the time so I didn’t meet her until I was out… but the fifth visitor I had was the guy I put in a wheelchair. He told me that he had forgiven me for what I had done to him, after apologising for his behaviour… he never got the chance to play catch with his son as he was growing up because of me. Yeah, what he did to Addy was wrong, but he didn’t deserve what I did to him.
Mina’s eyes water up before reaching across the table and taking his hand.
Mina: Have you forgiven yourself for what happened? I know it took a lot for that man to come to see you and forgive you. I’m sure he lives with his actions for life, as will you. I watched you tell me that story like you were expecting me to walk out. Not happening. I don’t know if you’ve done any sort of therapy or what have you, or even if you will. Your reasons were sound and I’d have done the same thing in your shoes. I’ve only met them minutes ago and I’d go to war for all of them so I get it.
He sits back in his seat, staring off for a brief moment before focusing his attention back onto Mina.
Nate: I took some counselling while still inside… but I still do think about what I did sometimes. It’s a large reason for me getting into wrestling… it’s my way of being able to release my anger and hurt people… but in a controlled environment, you know?
Mina: I get it. I actually got into wrestling on the inside, kinda on accident. In the block I was in, there was this one big bitch, like easily six-two close to two hundred pounds and she would throw her weight around, steal from the other girls and shit. Thing is, anyone who came at her, got their asses kicked so she ran the roost. Being the new girl, well, first day Ruth came in, looked around, started claiming what little shit I had. Guards turned a blind eye of course. SO, after about six months of this, we knew Ruth was getting out shortly by some technicality, so that night, I took back my shit, plus everybody else’s stuff. Ruth came at me and I decked her. Never fought in my life, but she went down. I became Queen of the block from that point forward. Nobody stole from no-one. They let me train while I was there. When I got out, one of the girls had a brother involved in a wrestling company who let me try out. Told me to come up with a gimmick. The green hair came from a night of way too much tequila, but it got over. Then I kept adding to it and the fans ate it up, so it stuck.
Nate: I like the green hair, it suits you… and it fits your personality I think.
Picking his glass of beer up, he raises it slightly.
Nate: To new beginnings… for the both of us.
Mina raises her glass up to meet his.
Mina: Oh, babe, you don’t know a QUARTER of the personality I have, but you’ll learn. And hopefully even grow to like it. Cheers to new beginnings, and to us.
Nate nods and smiles as they both take a large gulp of their beverages.
Nate: So then, is there anything else you’d like to ask me about?
Mina ponders this, a half-dozen inappropriate questions run through her mind which makes her chuckle to herself.
Mina: I’m trying to figure out how somebody from sleepy Connecticut ends up a big, imposing guy like yourself. I know being inside did a large part, but there had to be something before that.
Nate: Truthfully?
He points over to Adriana.
Nate: To protect my family. After my Mom and Dad passed away when I was young, Uncle Joey and Aunt Chloe practically raised me. So Addy, even though she’s my cousin, ended up being more like my sister. Uncle Joey was a wrestler when he was younger, and I worked out with him on a regular basis. Addy over there, she never admits it out loud but I think she hates the wrestling industry, she hasn’t ever been able to get over seeing members of her family and the people she cares about in pain from doing what we do. So she would lose herself in her music, and I vowed to always protect her no matter what… I don’t really need to do that anymore now that she has Eavan.
Mina watches Adriana and Eavan and smiles widely, and sighing deeply in awe of them.
Mina: Nah, you’ll always be her big protector even with Eavan around. Eavan can go, I’ve seen some of her matches, but you and Addy have something nobody else has. Mom is that way with me. I come home beat up and dried blood in my hair and while she won’t do it around me, I hear her cry. She also knows it’s why we have a nicer place with no roaches this time so I think she accepts it. And you can ask me anything, I’m an open book.
He glances over to her as she looks back at him with her big beautiful brown eyes.
Nate: You talk a lot about your mother… what happened to your father?
Mina finishes her glass and puts it down, and closes her eyes for a second to collect her thoughts.
Mina: What I tell people normally is that he walked out on us. There’s a sadder story but the quick version of it is he sold my mother and I to some of his buddies to clear a debt. He went to prison for it and was killed there. I was 13 when it happened. Ten years later, I get moments when he’s brought up, and please don’t feel bad for asking, you didn’t know. If we’re going to be together, you deserved the truth. The guys didn’t do anything to me, but my mother suffered for it. I go to his stone every few years, he’s buried in Dallas where I’m from originally. We moved to New York after that incident.
Nate: Jeez…
Nate finishes off his beer now and looks into Mina’s eyes again.
Nate: Well I think we’ve let our skeletons out of the closet enough for one day, what’s say I get us another beer and I’ll introduce you to the band and then if you want… we can go grab something to eat, just the two of us.
Mina: And neither of us are running for the hills so that’s promising. You know, I’ve always been a bit of a hard-ass when it comes to relationships. I always felt people were out for more than they let on. With you, I’m sure you have your secrets, things that come out later on. We all have them. Yet, you’re legit. I don’t feel that sliminess I do with others. I hope I’m not wrong because I already feel a strong connection with you. And please, before we get too deep too soon, let’s enjoy ourselves, meet the band, and see where the night takes us.
Nate: That sounds good to me.
The two then exit the booth and Nate heads over to the bar to get them some more drinks while Mina heads over to the stage as the scene fades.