Mixed Emotions

•April 29, 2018•
•Approx. 10:00 PM•
•Capital One Arena•
•Washington, D.C.•
•Camera:ON•



The past several weeks have been quite a roller coaster ride for one Charles James, II, aka Dead Eye. He went from technically being unemployed in wrestling to back on the NGW roster, from alone in Seattle to surrounded by friends in Georgia, and from injured to not as injured. Unfortunately, Dissension revealed that he went from confident champion in his past to timid as a green wrestler making his indy debut.

This wide range of emotions and happenings can leave anyone grasping at straws. Where does it leave Dead Eye? I guess we'll see as time passes. For now, we join Dead Eye post-loss as he walks back through the curtain. The crew is silent as they do not know how to interact with the sullen superstar as he is seen unwrapping the tape off his hands and wrists.

With the impeccable timing that wrestling interviewers have and that shark-drawn-to-blood mentality media personality tend to possess, Richard Kelly approaches with a cameraman.

Kelly: “Dead Eye, it appeared as if you had the opportunity to possibly secure a victory in your return, but you seemed to freeze. Would you care to tell the fans what happened out there?”

Dead Eye: “Look, Dick. You don't know me like talkin’ ‘bout to just post up and ask me questions like dat. I know you tryna do ya job, but now isn't a good time.”

Kelly: “Dead Eye, your fans want…”

Dead Eye: “Bruh. Do yourself a favor and get outta my face before I do something that's gonna get me in a lot of trouble and you in a hospital bed. Capiche?”

A stunned look comes over the interviewer, who turns red in embarrassment as he goes against his instinct to continue to press and simply walks away.

Dead Eye: “Smart man.”

Dead Eye rips the rest of the tape off and tosses it into a nearby trash can. It's clear that he is not in a mood to talk, at-least not to someone who is just after a “scoop”. He continues to make his way backstage, and a few people casually slide toward the wall as they approach him, seeing the look on his face.

•Camera: OFF•

He enters his locker room, almost ripping the door off its hinges. Once inside, he puts a dent into the first locker he sees.

Dead Eye: “Fuck!”

It's clear from the anger in his voice —and the expletive that is hardly ever used by James— that he isn't himself. The roar of the twisted metal causes a nearby staffer to crack the door open slightly to check to make sure Dead Eye didn't have some kind of accident.

Staffer: “Everything okay in here? I heard a loud bang and wanted to make sure you weren't hurt.”

Dead Eye: “I'm Gucci, bruh.”

Staffer: “Just making sure. If you need your bags taken, let me know.”

Dead Eye: “Yeah.”

He waves off the staffer, who quickly closes the door and goes about whatever he was doing before. The moment was good for the 27 year-old as it somewhat forced him to check himself and attempt to calm down. He sits on the nearest bench and unlaces his boots. He quickly puts his hands over his face and slouches over. The opening shot fired from Richard Kelly threw him for a loop and played endlessly through his head as if it were a broken record.

What did happen out there? He knew there was the possibility of flashback occurring, but he also thought that he vanquished that demon. This clearly was not the case, and it had the effect of making him wonder if coming back so soon after being medically cleared was a mistake.

This past week certainly had the makings of reliving the past and looking forward to what was ahead. The TV and radio interviews went so perfectly, as well as getting ready for the match, that it only felt like karma played a twisted role in the way the week would come to an end. Little did he know, he was about to be in for a bigger twist of emotions. This comes at the second approach of the staffer who checked on him knocking on the door.

Dead Eye: “Yeah?”

The young man pops in a little but keeps his distance, knowing his news won't make Dead Eye any happier.

Staffer: “Mr. James, I know this isn't a good time, but I have a memo with the next Dissension card.”

Dead Eye: “Leave it right there, Kevin. I'll look at it once I've recomposed myself.”

Kevin: “No problem, sir. I do recommend you looking at it before you try to put yourself together, though. As you say, ‘#JusSayin’.”

Dead Eye: “Aight. Thanks, Kev. Do me a favor, though. Apologize to Dick Kelly for me. I was a lil’ rough on him.”

Kevin: “So, I heard. Not the first time. I'll get on that for you, sir.”

With that, the staff member leaves. Dead Eye picks up the paper and reads it. He immediately closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose. He speaks just a little over a whisper.

Dead Eye: “You've got to be fuckin kidding me. Damned Devlin.”

He lets out a deep sigh and sits back down. He didn't know what to expect when the staffer was adamant about him reading it before he tried to recompose himself, but it certainly wasn't a match against Avery Miles. The two have had some amazing matches in the past, and Dead Eye knew there was bound to be another epic encounter on the horizon, but now just wasn't what he had in-mind.

He puts his head in his lap, face covered by his hands as he feels like he just doesn't know what to do with himself. It's at this precise moment that he hears a light tap on the door and the creaking of the door that can certainly use a few sprays of WD-40. He doesn't even bother to look up to see who entered.

Chey: “Hey there, mind if I come in?”

Chey enters without being given an answer. By now she knows, she's welcome anytime. She sits next to Dead Eye and puts her hand on his shoulder.

Chey: “I know you probably don't want to talk right now, and I totally understand. But when you're ready.. Just let me know.”

Dead Eye leans his head slightly on her shoulder without looking up. His voice is barely above a whisper.

CJ: “I blew it out there.”

He sighs again. The mental anguish is clear to anyone that has spent enough time with him to pick up on it. True to recent form, he is not much of himself.


Chey puts both of her arms around him, and speaks in a very soft tone.

Chey: "I think I know what you need. Maybe you need to clear your mind. We should go somewhere, just the two of us. I mean, as much as you need to train and be ready for your next match, you also need to have a night out where you aren't stressing. After tonight, you deserve it. So.. what do you think? Hit the showers.. Then head out to do.. Whatever?”

Chey isn't sure if he wants to go out, but she doesn't want him to go home and be miserable and alone. She hugs him a little tighter.


Dead Eye: “I just froze, Chey.”

Chey: "Hey now, come on.. Don't beat yourself up. It happens to the best of us. I know this sucks and you're feeling pretty bad right now. This just means you gotta bring it that much more to your next match. Keep training and going forward. Don't let one loss get you down like this.”

CJ: “My next match… Oh, yeah. That's the kicker.”

Chey looks confused for a moment; then, she remembers that the memo showed that he is facing Avery.

Chey: “I'm sure that won't be easy for you, seeing how close you two are.”

CJ: “You said a mouthful there with that understatement. Look, I came into this match knowing the possibility was there for me to lose to Coral Rose. She got my seal of approval here tonight, and I can't be upset with her at all for taking the opportunity to capitalize on my SNAFU. I think due more than proved her doubters wrong against me. If anybody thinks low of Coral Rose… Pardon my French, but they're a fuckin idiot.

“Losing that match, that's just a mountain I have to climb over. I'm just at a loss for freezing out there. Then, Devlin puts me in a match against my brother, my best friend, the guy that sought me out and pulled me out of the pit I'd let myself fall into after she left.”

He puts his head back onto Chey's shoulder, as she continues to hug him. He just simply can't continue speaking at the moment without ripping the bandaid off the patchwork that's started the healing process of his heart.

Chey: "I think I know what you need. Maybe you just need to clear your mind. We should go somewhere, just the two of us. I mean, as much as you need to train and be ready for your next match, you also need to have a night out where you aren't stressing. After tonight, you deserve it. So.. what do you think? Hit the showers.. Then head out to do.. Whatever?

Chey isn't sure if he wants to go out, but she doesn't want him to go home and be miserable and alone. She hugs him a little tighter.

CJ: “That could be what the doctor ordered. I did tell you I earned my doctorate while I was away, right? Nevermind that. It just depends on what kind of night out you mean. I'm not the typical go-out clubbin type of cat.”

”Chey: "No, I didn't know that you earned your doctorate. That's awesome. And yeah.. I'm not the clubbin type either. I was thinking more along the lines of maybe dinner and a movie.. Or perhaps we can go bowling. I'm up for whatever really.”

CJ pauses for a moment. While he could use time to just hang out, he also knows himself and just how vulnerable he is right now. He tosses caution to the wind, though.

CJ: “Yeah, so I really am the ‘Doctor of Kickology’. I am rather famished and honestly don't know if I'm in a movie mood. It's getting a little late, too, so I'm not sure if any bowling alleys will be open by the time we leave the arena. I could use a little chill time and your company…”

Chey: "Okay, new plan. When we leave the arena.. grab some food and head back to my hotel room, or yours.. You can choose. We can pig out and talk.. Or not talk.. And just hang out. How does that sound to you?


CJ:” I'll take a stab in the dark that my room is bigger, if that's cool with you. You pick the food. I'm too mentally exhausted right now to think.”

As he says that, he appears to be thinking, regardless of his words.

CJ: “Quick question… Three sleepovers in a few weeks. Isn't that a bit much for a couple of opposite sex friends?”

Chey: "Your room is fine, as for food.. I kinda want pizza, but also really want mozzarella sticks.. I have an idea.. Let's go to a few places for food so we can have a lot to choose from."

Chey laughs, then she thinks on the friends comment. She knows she likes CJ more than a friend. She also knows they both shouldn't be rushing anything.

Chey: "Sleepovers are fun, right? ...Especially sleepovers with you."

Chey places her hand on CJ's arm.

Chey: "It could be a bit much depending on how you look at it. To me, it's not enough."

The “not enough” comment somewhat catches CJ off-guard, as does the soft touch of her hand on his arm.

CJ: “Carbs, calories…count me in. I could use going off-regiment with food tonight.”

He chooses that option instead of the obvious one on his mind.

CJ: “Besides, we should be celebrating your huge win instead of basking in my predicament. I'm really proud of you, and I wanna thank you for rescuing me from despair. Had you not shown up, I'd probably still be sulking or punching out lockers.”

He nods toward the mangled steel behind him.

Chey removes her hand from CJ's arm as she turns to see the lockers. She looks back at him and places both of her hands around the back of his neck. She's standing so close to him, their faces inches away from touching.

Chey: "I.. Wanna thank you too. You are the reason I won. You prepared me for this, I may have been the one in the ring, but you deserve credit, too. And I didn't only win my match.. I won a lot more than that."

Chey is staring into CJs eyes, her hands still around his neck. She doesn't want to let go. In his moment of vulnerability and —once again— throwing of caution to the wind, CJ leans forward, his lips brushing against hers as an unexpected kiss connects.

Realizing he got caught up in the moment, CJ releases and looks shocked.

CJ: “Oh, ma gawd, Chey. My bad. Was I wrong there? I just got caught up…”

Chey, with her hands still touching CJ, pulls him back closer to her. She stares deep into his eyes and whispers to him..

Chey: "Don't apologize, there is nothing wrong here. How can there be any wrong when this feels so right.."

Chey leans in closer, she softly kisses his lips. She opens her eyes and looks into his. She smiles and closes her eyes as their lips meet once again. After a few minutes, the two separate. CJ issues a nervous chuckle.

CJ: “So, uh…this changes things, no?”

Chey: "It doesn't have to change things. I mean, I'm okay with this.. Are you?

CJ: “I don't know.”

He pauses for a moment.

CJ: “I have to be honest with you and myself, as well. I'm attracted to you. I, uh, have feelings for you. I know I said I'm nowhere near ready for anything, but Marcus said something the other day that made a lot of sense. He told me not to let the pain I've gone through and something else to that effect keep me from being happy and miss out on an opportunity.

“If I let you slip away or somehow push you away because you think otherwise, I don't think I'd ever forgive myself. There's just something about you, Cheyenne Rae...something that tells me to release all the doubt and heartache and worry. Something tells me I'm supposed to be with you. Now are you okay with that?”

His heart beats a mile a minute as he just took several giant leaps within a matter of minutes. There are so many mixed emotions running through the mind of Dead Eye that he wonders if he's caught in a gigantic whirlwind. He certainly cannot afford to be tossed about and thrown out of it like a rag doll. Did he make the right decision by laying all his cards on the table at once?

Chey: "I am more than okay with that. I have been feeling something for you for a while now. I didn't want to push for anything.. I didn't want to be too forward with it. But, right now, in this moment.. I can't imagine not being with you.”

Chey feels nervous but also relieved for finally saying that out loud, and to the person it matters most to hear. She looks at him and smiles. It's as if she is seeing him for the first time. This time, it's CJ that lightly blushes.

CJ: “Um...well...thanks. That means a lot. I don't know. On one hand, I'm afraid to ruin our friendship, but…I don't wanna leave this unexplored and just wonder what if. I hope that makes sense. So, where we go from here? I don't know. What I do know is that I want it to be with you. I really like you and want to pursue a relationship with you. Wow. I said that, didn't I?”

He smiles and has a bit of a nervous look on his face. He's scared $#!+less but feels he is doing the right thing.

Chey: "Where we go from here, is to pick up some food and head back to your hotel room. I want a relationship with you, too. I have for so long and I cannot believe this is really happening right now. That doesn't mean things have to change between us. It means things will just be better from here on out. I don't know about you, but I'm fully confident going into this..it feels right because it is right.”

Chey grabs CJ by the face.. She gets really close and looks him straight in the eyes.

Chey: "I'm all yours, capiche?"

CJ: “I'll remind you later that you said that.”

He winks and gives her a light peck on the lips. Sensing she wants more, he wants to take the lead and simultaneously lead her on to anticipation as he simply grabs and locks her hand in his.

CJ: “We better get going before they shut the lights off on us. Arena after dark bumping into equipment ain't cool, yadig?”

Chey: "Yeah.. But it wouldn't be all that bad if they turned the lights out on us. I could certainly find ways to keep busy…”

Chey gives CJ a wink. He squeezes her hand, letting her know that he knows exactly what she meant. She puts her head down as she is blushing now.

CJ: “Yaknow, red is kinda cute on ya...and I guess this means you're my hussy now.”

He laughs and gets his arm slapped as the scene fades out.