Don't Flirt With The Champ But You Will Still Catch The Eye Of One
Day 160 of The Andie Chronicles
“Are you here for the signing?”
The same man handing out flyers the night before was now performing crowd control at the front entrance.
All hands on deck, it would seem.
You had to admire the attitude. Everyone pitching in to get it done. No fuss about what you did yesterday or what you’re doing later.
“Um, what’s that?”
“The wrestlers do like a meet and greet thing before the show starts. Tickets are still available if you’re interested.”
I nodded. “Are all of them here?”
“The main guys are inside, the champ is there too. Cooper Crusher. He’s putting the title on the line tonight.”
I felt my eyes light up with joy. “Oh, then yes, I’d like to do the signing.”
The man took my money and then led me to the backstage area. We passed crates and makeshift tables and stacks of folding chairs used in the show. Before the signing area, there was a small table being used for food and drinks, with half-dressed men having their fill before returning to the dressing room.
It was quite dark, with only a curtain separating the action from the behind-the-scenes.
In what looked like a converted locker room from the old basketball court, we reached the meet-and-greet area. The wrestlers assumed their position behind a row of tables lined up against one wall. The other fans and I stood against the other wall, waiting in patient line to parade past them.
I noticed people holding autograph books, something I didn’t realise you could still buy. Others held posters or t-shirts or a replica title belt.
I didn’t have a single thing, not even a jumper in my bag I could sacrifice for such a moment.
As I approached the head of the line, I shook the hands of the wrestlers. I felt so lame.
“I just wanted to meet you. Have a good show,” I kept repeating.
They smiled at me, sympathetically. One of the female wrestlers stood from behind the signing table and hugged me. “Nawww, you’re so sweet.”
I returned her squeeze, realising how quickly I had missed physical human contact. Or a genuine hug. Now I was getting my physical connections from complete strangers. Double lame.
At the end of the row was the champ. Cooper had seen what I did with everyone else, knowing full well I had nothing for him to sign. By the time I reached him, instead of praising him, I lead with an apology. “I’m so sorry. I have nothing for you to sign.”
“It’s cool, it’s cool. How about I give you my signature my way, huh?”
I didn’t know what he meant, but as I watched him rummage around under the signing table, I saw him produce a t-shirt.
It was one of his; a black t-shirt with his cartoon motif printed next to his name in bright, fluorescent green lettering. He quickly produced the swing tag from the t-shirt and wrote on it.
I assumed it was his autograph. The black pen wouldn’t show up against the black material, after all.
“Thank you so much,” I said, once he handed it to me. “What do I owe you?”
“Nothing. Thanks for being a fan.”
He winked at me, not in a seedy way, but in this weird understanding of who I was. How did he know I was a fish out of water? Was I that obvious?
Taking to my seat, I noticed the swing tag. Holding the card between my fingers, I read his message.
‘Drink sometime?’
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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