~Beauty queen of only eighteen

She had some trouble with herself

He was always there to help her

‘That bastard,’ Randy thought and just shook his head. He knew Christian had hurt Trish, but he knew he couldn’t do anything about it. Trish had told him over and over she was indebted to Christian, that’s why she stayed. He knew Christian reminded Trish at ever turn about what he had done for her. He beat up his best friend for her, humiliated him, and lost him for her. Now Trish was stuck. She was with a guy that treated her like dog shit on the bottom of his boot. Randy knew she didn’t want to be with Christian. He also knew that Trish was so broken down she didn’t have the strength to leave him now even if she wanted to.

~I drove for miles and miles

And wound up at your door

I've had you so many times but somehow

I want more~

Randy rung the doorbell on Trish’s front door and leaned on the frame with his head held down. She opened the door a few minutes later and looked at him with huge eyes.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know, Trish, but I can’t help it,” Randy said. “I had to come see you. I drove all the way here from St. Louis. I had to see you.”

Trish gulped. “You have to leave. He’s here.”

Randy’s forehead relaxed and he nodded slowly. “Fine, I’ll go, but call me.”

Trish didn’t answer; she just closed the door.

~I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay a while

And she will be loved

She will be loved~

Randy leaned on the light post in front of his car and shoved his hands deeper in his jacket pockets. The hard, cold rain beat down on him and he was chilled to the bone, but he just stood there, staring at her house. After dark, he was still standing there and he saw her door open. She got in her car with him and they drove off.

~Tap on my window knock on my door

I want to make you feel beautiful

I know I tend to get so insecure

It doesn't matter anymore~

A few hours later, Randy was in his car with his head leaned back on the headrest, dozing in and out of sleep. There was a tap on his window and he looked up. There she stood, getting soaked and looking at him sadly. He motioned for her to get in and she did.

“You shouldn’t be here, Randy,” Trish said. “What if he finds out?”

“Let him,” Randy said. “I’ll kick that little bastard’s ass if he comes near you.”

“You know it’s not that simple,” Trish said. She saw herself in the mirror and said, “Damn, I look horrible.”

“You look beautiful,” Randy said, staring at her. “You always look beautiful.”

Trish smiled softly and looked at him. Randy leaned in and Trish leaned in towards him. Their lips met in the middle in a soft kiss. She touched his face and he deepened the kiss. She pulled away and rested her forehead on his.

“I have to go before he misses me.”

Randy nodded and kissed her again. “Come see me, Trish, please.”

“I have to go,” Trish said and got out of the car. He watched her run across the street in the rain and when she got inside, he shut his eyes tightly. He wanted desperately to take her away from everything, show her what it was like to really be loved, but he knew she wouldn’t let him. He started his car and drove away.

~It's not always rainbows and butterflies

It's compromise that moves us along

My heart is full and my door's always open

You can come anytime you want~

Randy was warming up for his match in the hallway when she walked by. Randy put down the weight bands and quickly caught her.

“Are you ok?”

Trish didn’t look at him, but she nodded.

“Good, please, Trish, remember that I’m here for you. Come anytime you want to.”

Trish looked down and just walked away.

~I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay a while

And she will be loved

She will be loved~

Randy snuck out to watch her match from one of the side entrances. The crowd roared as the ref held up her arm and the announcer announced she was the winner. Trish smiled, looking around, soaking in the cheers and adulation.

Randy smiled softly and muttered, “Trish, they aren’t the only ones that love you.”

~I know where you hide

Alone in your car

Know all of the things that make you who you are

I know that goodbye means nothing at all

Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls~

He walked out to the car park and saw her in her rental. He went over and knocked softly on the window. She rolled down the window.

“You shouldn’t be doing this.”

“I know, but I know why you’re out here hiding. You want to get away from him – even if only for a little while.”

“Maybe, but still, you are taking a huge risk.”

“Come see me tonight.”

She looked straight ahead, gripping the wheel and shook her head. “No.”

“No?”

“I can’t keep doing this. I’m never coming to see you again. Goodbye, Randy.” She rolled the window up and turned her face to look away from him.

Randy narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “You and I both know that doesn’t mean a damned thing.” He looked at her for a few more minutes and walked away.

~Tap on my window knock on my door

I want to make you feel beautiful~

Randy was leaning back in his hotel bed looking at the playing television, but not really watching it. Too much was on his mind. All of a sudden, there was a tap on the window beside his door and then a knock on the door itself. He got up and answered it. When he opened the door, there stood Trish. She looked up at him with pooling tears and Randy saw the blood on her lip.

“What did he do to you?”

“Smacked me – it was an accid….”

“Don’t give me that bullshit, Trish,” Randy said, stopping her.

Trish looked away and touched her lip. “Will you just hold me, please?”

Randy gulped and pulled her into his arms, closing the door behind them. She put her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

He kissed her head and said, “Why do you put up with him?”

She moved her head and looked up at him. “Honestly, I really don’t know.” She reached up and touched his face. “Not when I have you.”

Randy looked down at her and licked his lips before leaning in and kissing her. Trish winced at the stinging pain and Randy lifted his head up quickly.

“I’m so sorry. I should have known.”

“It’s ok,” Trish said. “Kiss me again. I want you to.”

Randy smiled softly and kissed her again. Trish’s arms went around his neck and she melted into him, pushing her body close to his. Randy slowly pulled back and looked at her.

~I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay a while

And she will be loved~

“Would you like to stay with me tonight?” he asked, running his fingertips in her hair.

Trish nodded and pulled his face down to hers again. Randy kissed her deeply, but made sure to make it a soft kiss so he wouldn’t irritate the crack in the corner of her mouth. He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed.

~And she will be loved~

He laid her down and ran his hand up the outside of her denim-clad thigh as he kissed her. She touched up his biceps to his face as he started peeling her jeans off and smiled.

“Want some help?”

“No, you just lay there, be beautiful and let me kiss you,” Randy said and kissed her again. He pulled her top off and looked down at her bare breasts. He groaned and attacked them with his mouth.

~And she will be loved~

As he made love to her with his hands, his mouth, his body, he went slow, savoring every feeling, taste, look she gave, every sound that came from her and tried to show her how he felt. He’d never spoken the words, nor did he have any intention of vocalizing his feelings for fear it would only makes things worse. He could only hope she knew by his kisses, his actions and the feeling of his heart beating on top of hers.

~And she will be loved~

When they were both spent, they laid there beside each other, kissing and touching each other’s damp skin. She looked up at him and got up.

“I should go,” she said, breaking the silence.

~Please don't try so hard to say goodbye~

“No, don’t go,” Randy said.

“I have to,” Trish said. She started dressing and said, “Randy…”

“I’m not going to sit here and listen to you tell me ‘goodbye’ for the millionth time,” Randy said, getting up. “You and I both know your ‘goodbyes’ don’t mean shit.”

“It does this time,” Trish said. “He’s starting to suspect something.”

“Then let him suspect,” Randy said. “If he comes after me, I’ll be ready for him. If he comes after you, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”

“No,” Trish said. She finished dressing and said, “Goodbye, Randy.” With that, she walked out the door, leaving him standing there looking at the back of it.

Randy sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. There was something about her tone that made that last ‘goodbye’ final. He inhaled a deep breath and lay down, staring up at the ceiling and swallowing his anger. Anger at Trish for putting up with the bastard, anger at Christian for treating her so badly and anger at himself for getting involved in the first place.

When the whole thing started, Randy had no clue what he was getting into. The first time just seemed to happen and that’s when he saw the bruises on her back. He demanded to know what had happened; he knew the bruises weren’t from the ring. She broke down, cried and told him Christian had a rough streak and a short fuse. He didn’t understand how anyone could treat a woman like that and promised her to be there for her. Before too much longer, it had blown into something else entirely. His heart got involved.

He shot up in the bed and vowed to himself that he was going to put an end to it – one way or the other.

~Please don't try so hard to say goodbye~

The next day, he headed to the locker room, dropped his bags off and went to find her. He didn’t care where she was or whom she was with, he was going to put a stop to the whole situation. He found her walking in the hallway and went right up to her in plain view of everyone around.

“We have to talk.”

Trish looked up at him with large eyes and looked around. “Randy!”

“Shut up and listen,” Randy said firmly and went on, ignoring the shocked look on her face. “I don’t know what your deal is, if you like getting the shit knocked out of you and being forced to have sex, then, darling, you need serious help. I’ve been there for you for months, nursing your bruises, soothing your emotions, trying to show you exactly how I feel about you, but you don’t seem to get it.”

“Randy!” Trish said and looked around at the people who were now deliberately listening. “What are you trying to do to me?”

“I’m trying to make you see the light!” Randy nearly roared. “He does *not* care about you, Trish and he never has. He just wants to possess you and you’re letting him over something that happened fucking months ago.”

“He…he…saved me…” Trish stuttered.

“He didn’t save you,” Randy said. “Have you forgotten that it was *him* that Jericho made that bet with?”

~Yeah~

Trish looked down and crossed her arms under her breasts, not responding.

Randy looked down at her and shook his head. “You haven’t forgotten and yet you seem to content to let yourself be treated this way.”

~I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain~

Randy gripped her upper arms and shook her. “Dammit, Trish! Can’t you see he doesn’t *love* you? Can’t you see he only wants a slave he can control? Can you not see how I feel?” He glared down at her as she looked up at him. “I love you, Trish!”

Trish’s face washed over in shock and she pulled away from him.

“What the hell is going on here?” Christian said, walking up.

Trish looked at him, and then looked at Randy with large eyes.

Randy kept his eyes on Trish and said, “If that’s what you love, if that’s how you like being treated, then go. Go with him, Trish, but never speak to me again.” He started to walk away when Trish called out to him.

“Wait!”

Randy turned back around and looked at her. Trish looked at him with small, soft eyes and turned to Christian.

“You and me are over,” Trish said and started to walk away when Christian grabbed her arm tightly.

“We’re over when I say we’re over,” he growled, squeezing her forearm.

“No!” Trish yelled and tried to jerk her arm away from him. “I’m done being treated like your property!” She reached back with her other hand, made a fist and punched him right across the jaw. “Let me go, you bastard!”

Christian didn’t budge. He gripped her arm tighter and right in front of everyone, he slapped her face. She cried out.

Randy, seeing red as Trish touched her bruising cheek, yelled, “Come pick on someone your own size, you fucking bastard!”

Christian smirked and looked at him, then looked at Trish. “So that’s him, huh?”

Trish looked at him confused.

“That’s the guy you’ve been fucking behind my back,” Christian said.

Trish’s eyes widened and she didn’t respond.

“Don’t play dumb with me, you bitch, I knew you were fucking someone else, I just didn’t know who,” Christian said, shaking her by her arm. He looked at Randy and tossed Trish to the floor. “You want the slut, you can have her. She’s all yours. Enjoy my sloppy seconds.” He sniggered and walked away.

~Please don't try so hard to say goodbye~

Randy rushed to Trish and helped her out of the floor. “Are you ok?”

Trish looked at him with tears in her eyes. She nodded, letting the tears fall down her cheeks. “I am now.” She put her arms around him and pulled her face down to hers for a kiss. Randy wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers.

“I love you, Randy,” Trish choked out.

Randy kissed her again and said, “I love you, too, Trish.”

~I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile

And she will be loved

She will be loved~

~§~The End~§~

Song ‘She Will Be Loved’ sung by Maroon 5