Nowhere to Run Steel Cage Scramble Match - RP #1

---------------------Friday, February 10th, 2012---------------------

Anna Stone
So what’s this big news that Brandon needs to tell everyone?

Aaron Rogers
You’ll see in a few minutes

I frowned at Aaron as we walked towards the press conference stage. We sat down in the front row.

Anna Stone
I don’t get it. Why did he tell you and not me?

Aaron Rogers
Maybe he wants to surprise you

I guess he was right. Brandon had called me and told me to come down to be at his press conference. I had no idea what it was for, but I assumed it was something big. Otherwise he wouldn’t hold this big press conference for it. And he probably would have told me, unless he really wanted to surprise me.

Anna Stone
Come on, just tell me!

Aaron Rogers
Nope, you’ll find out soon enough. It’s pretty exciting though.

I figured it was something to do with football. I knew Brandon always wanted to play. But was he allowed to sign with a team yet, or how did that work? I had no idea, but I’d find out soon.

I watched as everyone settles in to their seats, fans, reporters, everyone. I knew Brandon wasn’t one to keep everyone waiting, so I figured he’d get up there soon. 

Sure enough, Brandon walked up onto the podium with Keagan by his side. They both looked really nice. Keagan was wearing a nice halter top and short skirt with heels, while Brandon was dressed in a nice suit. Must be a pretty important announcement.

Brandon Macdonald
Alright, first off, I know you’re all going to have a question about something, so I’ll address that right here and now. Yes, I am well aware that Stygian has vacated his IWF title and left the company. I’m sure he realized how hard it is actually being champion, and not just talking about it. Anyways, just because he is gone, does not mean that I’ll be returning to the IWF. I’ve told you all this before, I was going to retire regardless of that final match. I don’t have the passion or desire to wrestle right now. Which brings me to my real announcement.

This had to be something about football. If he wasn’t announcing a return to wrestling, than what else would he have called everyone here for?

Brandon Macdonald
I’m making this official today, so listen up. I’m calling this press conference to officially declare my eligibility for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Of course he was. I should have seen this coming. The last couple weeks, all Brandon talked about was playing football. I should have taken a hint when he got so excited at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. I saw Brandon point at a reporter, and focused back on the press conference.

Reporter
Why are you declaring for the draft, rather than signing with a team?

This guy obviously didn’t know how the NFL works. Even I knew that you couldn’t just join the league and sign with whatever team you wanted.

Brandon Macdonald
Well I wanted to. But I talked to the league, and they told me what my agent told me. Because I played football in college, and am technically still an underclassman, that I had to declare for the draft. I’m not allowed to just sign with whomever I please. I’ll go through the workouts, the pro days, the combine, and then finally, the draft

Reporter
Will you be representing your old school, TCU?

Brandon Macdonald
Actually no. Because technically that’s not the last school I attended. I have been taking classes at the University of Houston over the last few years, to finish my degree, so I’ll be representing them.

Reporter
Does this mean that you’ll be at Houston’s pro day with Case Keenum and other members of the Houston team?

Brandon Macdonald
Indeed it does. I’ll be catching passes from one of the best college quarterbacks in the nation. I’m excited to show off my skills to the world, and to the NFL scouts.

Reporter
Have you been getting solid reps with Case?

Brandon Macdonald
I have. I’ve been down in Houston the last few days, just working out with Case, as well as working on routes and throws and all of that. I know how hard it is to throw to a guy that you barely know, so I didn’t want to wait until the pro day or the combine to build our chemistry.

So that’s why Brandon and Keagan had been down in Texas the last week or so. I assumed he was doing something for his old school, or even something business-related. Since he had retired from wrestling, he had been trying to find plenty of new ways to keep a steady income. But now I knew how he planned to do that

Reporter
Where do you think you’ll go in the draft?

Brandon Macdonald
Honestly I don’t know. There are a lot of good receivers in the draft, ones who are way younger than me too. On top of the fact that this years free agency might have the deepest crop of receivers in a long time. So who knows? I don’t like to think about things like that. I just want to work hard, and if a team wants me, then I’ll work as hard as possible to make that team, and contribute as much as I can, in whatever way they need me to contribute. If that means working on a practise squad, helping the team improve each week, then I’ll do that. If it means that I have a part in the game-plan, then great. Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it.

That was one thing about Brandon that I had always known. He was willing to work his ass off for something that he wanted. He was stubborn, and never gave up until he had achieved a goal. A quality that lead to some good, and bad times in our time together. But if he was serious about playing football, than I had no doubt that he’d be able to work hard until he was playing football. It was just the kind of guy he was. Not to mention he’s already in amazing shape.

Reporter
This will be your third different sport in the past 3 years or so. Do you see yourself sticking with football for a long time? Or will it be another few years, and then you leave to try something else?

Brandon Macdonald
Well look, I’m turning thirty this year. I’m still in great shape physically, but who knows how hard the toll on my body will be if I can consistently play. Receivers typically only have like four-year careers, if that. So I’m obviously going to try to go as long as I can, but who knows how long that’ll last. But I guess to answer your question more specifically, no, I’m not planning on doing this for a year or two and then bailing. I plan on finishing my athletic career in the NFL. Thank you all for the time, I’ll see you in a few weeks at the Combine.

I stood up as Brandon walked off the podium. I saw him motion for Aaron and I to follow him backstage. We pushed our way through the mass of reporters, trying to move towards him as he went behind a curtain. I pushed the curtain out of the way, and saw a big limo behind it, and Brandon climbing inside. I followed him in, and sat down.

Brandon Macdonald
Surprise huh?

Anna Stone
Yeah, why didn’t you tell me!?

Brandon laughed as I frowned at him

Brandon Macdonald
I wanted it to be a surprise.

Anna Stone
But you told Aaron and not me?

Brandon Macdonald
Like I said, I wanted to surprise you. Did it work? Were you surprised?

I sighed. Sometimes Brandon could be so frustrating

Anna Stone
Yes Brandon, I was surprised. But congratulations. Any idea where you’ll go?

Brandon Macdonald
Nope. Hopefully either New England, or somewhere warm. I’d say the Packers, but you guys have enough receivers as it is, I doubt you’d need me as well

Aaron Rogers
Maybe. Who knows?

Anna Stone
So that’s what you were doing in Texas? Practising with the Houston team?

Brandon Macdonald
Yeah. Just working out, practising routes, all the stuff that the scouts will want to see when they come to our pro day.

Anna Stone
Well congratulations. I really hope you can make it next year. I want free tickets to all the games though!

Brandon laughed and smiled at me as I grinned

Brandon Macdonald
Alright, I think I can work something out.

I laughed and turned towards Keagan

Anna Stone
Now I’m not the only one with a football boyfriend!

Keagan Davis-Brown
Let’s just hope you guys never play each other. I don’t want to have to cheer against Anna.

Anna Stone
Yeah me neither. That wouldn’t be any fun

Aaron Rogers
Well hopefully that won’t happen

Brandon Macdonald
So who’s down to celebrate tonight?

Anna Stone
Obviously I am

Aaron Rogers
Always down to celebrate

Keagan Davis-Brown
Guess I don’t really have a choice now do I?

Brandon Macdonald
Nope, you have no choice. Besides, you obviously want to come celebrate, don’t kid yourself here

Anna Stone
So we’ll meet you at your hotel in like a few hours?

Brandon Macdonald
Sure, that’ll work. We’re at your place now

I hadn’t even noticed that we were already at Aaron and mine’s hotel already. I looked on as Aaron opened the door and climbed out after saying bye to Brandon and Keagan

Anna Stone
Alright, see you guys soon

I hopped out of the limo as one of the bellhops grabbed my bag. I heard my phone ringing. Who was calling me now? I pulled it out of my purse and looked at it. 

Anna Stone
What the…

Why was he calling me? I hadn’t talked to him in I don’t know how long. I looked at Aaron, who was staring at me.

Anna Stone
Go up to the room, I’ll be there in a sec

I watched as Aaron shrugged and turned around. When he was gone I opened the phone.

Anna Stone
Chuck?

Chuck Matthews
Hey

Anna Stone
Took you this long to call eh?

Chuck Matthews
I’ve been…busy

Anna Stone
Yeah, I’ve been watching you fight every week. Doing pretty well.

Chuck Matthews
Yeah I guess

Anna Stone
You’ve got a big match this week, don’t you? Are you ready?

Chuck Matthews
Cut the shit Anna, I know you don’t care about my wrestling career. You don’t have to pretend that you do.

Anna Stone
Hey, you called me. Is there something you wanted?

Chuck Matthews
Look...I guess I was just calling to say I'm sorry. For lying, and for putting you through all that stuff back when we were dating.

Anna Stone
Oh. Well....thanks, Chuck.

Chuck Matthews
I'll talk to you later.

Anna Stone
That was all you called for?

Chuck Matthews
I guess so.

Anna Stone
Seriously? No snide comments? No hitting on me, or anything like that? You're not after anything?

Chuck Matthews
Yeah…I mean not really…it’s strange…

I could tell by Chuck’s tone that something was wrong. 

Anna Stone
Chuck, what’s wrong?

I could hear Chuck breathing on the other end of the line. Eventually, he said something

Chuck Matthews
Anna, I’m sick

That was it?

Anna Stone
So take some medicine? Is it really that bad?

Chuck Matthews
No, I mean I’m really sick. Like really, really sick

Suddenly it clicked

Anna Stone
What?! Like how bad?

Chuck Matthews
Bad.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing

Anna Stone
Well you’re gonna get better right? I mean, it’s not like you can’t afford doctors or anything

Chuck Matthews
No. I’m actually getting worse. You remember that whole shooting thing last year? Back when I punctured my lung?

Anna Stone
Yeah, I remember you talking about it

Chuck Matthews
Turns out my body's rejecting the lung they gave me. It's destroying it from the inside out. Soon, there won't be anything left.

Anna Stone
That’s not too big a deal though right? I mean doctors can fix that can’t they?

Chuck Matthews
Anna, I’m not going to pull through this one.

I wasn’t listening to him. There was no way I could listen to him.

Anna Stone
I mean it can’t be that bad right? You have the best doctors, I’m sure one of them can figure out a way to make you better

Chuck Matthews
Anna, listen to me

I stopped talking and listened. I felt a tear slowly roll down my cheek. I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

Chuck Matthews
I’ve been to all the doctors. I’ve done all that I can. They’ve all told me the same thing.

Anna Stone
Which is what?

I could hear Chuck taking a deep breath on the other end of the line. 

Chuck Matthews
They can’t fix this. They can give me meds to try and hold off the damage, but all that does is hold off the inevitable. It's going to slowly destroy my body until I'm gone.

I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I didn’t want to believe what he was saying. There was just no way this was happening

Anna Stone
Are you…are you serious?

Chuck Matthews
Dead serious…..bad choice of words...

I giggled slightly. Even now, everything was still a joke to Chuck

Anna Stone
Come on, is it really the time to joke around?

Chuck Matthews
I don’t know. I’ve sort of come to terms with this whole dying thing. I mean, I’ve known for a while now, I just haven’t told anyone.

Anna Stone
Who have you told now?

Chuck Matthews
You

Anna Stone
And…?

Chuck Matthews
And....that's it.

Anna Stone
You mean you’re dying and I’m the only person you’ve told?

Chuck Matthews
Yep.

Anna Stone
You didn’t think to tell your family?

Sometimes Chuck confused me to no end

Chuck Matthews
I thought about it. But I know what’s going to happen. Chris would look for more help, even though I've gotten all the help I can get at this point. Jess would freak out, and try to figure out a solution herself, and probably demand to take a look at me. Zack would be devastated. I'm sure Ashley would freak out too. I see no point in having them concern themselves over me. Nothing they can do can change it. Why worry them?

Anna Stone
But Chuck…you’re…you’re dying

Chuck Matthews
Meh, I knew it would happen eventually. Not exactly a surprise is it?

Anna Stone
It is! You’re only twenty six for god’s sake! You shouldn’t be dying now. You can’t die Chuck!

I sat down on a bench outside of the hotel and buried my head in my hands. I was crying hard now. I just didn’t want to believe it. Even though I wasn’t a fan of Chuck sometimes, I still had some feelings for him, and I truly did care for him. I couldn’t bear to see him go like this.

Chuck Matthews
Anna? You still there?

I lifted my head from my hands, and pulled the phone back to my ear

Anna Stone
Yeah…

Chuck Matthews
Look, I didn’t want to make you upset or anything. I just needed to get it off my chest, and I figured you'd want to know.

Anna Stone
No, thank you for telling me. So…how long do you have?

Chuck Matthews
Not sure, really. I've gotten different answers from different doctors. Might be a few years, might be a few months, might be tomorrow afternoon. I mean, in a couple years I'm listed to receive a new lung. If I last that long, I'll be in the clear...but I've been told not to get my hopes up.

Anna Stone
Well in that case, can we meet sometime soon? I don’t want this phone call to be my last memory of you

Chuck Matthews
Sure. How about on Sunday? I’ll be in Indianapolis for Battle Grounds

Anna Stone
Yeah, I’ll be there too, I’m helping out with some things.

Chuck Matthews
Okay. Thanks Anna. I’ll see you then

And with that, I heard a beep on the other end, and Chuck was gone.