Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2017 12:57:05 GMT -5
:::OFF CAMERA:::
A knock at my hotel room door brings me to my feet. I was expecting someone so I’m not at all agitated by the interruption, although the only thing I was doing of significance was writing an email to my Father and Grandfather in OZ. Both of them seemed to be more on board with me coming back to the states to wrestle. At the end of this tour, I was planning on flying home for a bit before going back.
I open the door to see the very attractive Redemption interviewer, Hannah Lacey. She’s dressed casually in a pair of skinny jeans and a pink V-neck t-shirt that had the words, ‘Kindness is my Superpower’ across the front. I had told her when she asked me for this interview that there was no need to be formal, however instead of a camera crew following behind her, she is carrying a simple personal camcorder case and a tripod under her arm. I immediately reach out to help her.
“Here, let me help you with that. It seems cumbersome.”
She gives me a smile that I can only interpret as being in gratitude for the help. Not that I would put Hannah down but it seemed to be at her threshold for how much she could carry. She was a tough girl but all in all, she wasn’t a wrestler or athlete and probably had stuck to light weights and cardio to keep in shape.
“Thank you Levi. And thank you for agreeing to let me interview you. I always wanted to do one when you were NGW but something always came up.”
She steps into the room, her ponytail swinging. I liked long hair on a woman....
I shake myself mentally not to think of this woman as anything but my colleague and therefore it had to remain professional even if I was attracted to her and had been for some time. I didn’t really believe in mixing business with pleasure. There were far too many things that could go wrong... like what if we dated and then broke up. We both worked at Redemption. Neither of us would leave a good job. I saw how uncomfortable Em got every time she had to talk to Devin and I think even if she could still wrestle... she would find it difficult to come to Redemption based on the relationship. I knew she regretted breaking up with him. She blamed herself because she really thought he was the one and seeing him move on and be more happy with someone else was eating at her, but it had gotten remarkably more bearable to be in her company lately and I hoped it meant that she was finally letting go. I know that getting that spotlight title necklace off was the last step she needed. Perhaps I would discuss it with Taylor about getting her out dating.
I look at Hannah.
“Of course. Anytime you want to Hannah, I am more than willing to make myself available for you.”
Is that a blush? The woman seems to get a little pink around her smile. I decide that I must be seeing things and need more sleep. Not every woman was going to blush and be nervous around me after all. It wasn't as if I was the most attractive man to walk into a wrestling ring.
“I’m going to set up the tripod over here, we can sit on the sofa and talk. It shouldn’t take long to do this so then you can go back to... whatever more important stuff you need to do. Like preparing for this next match and such.”
I shake my head. I kinda got annoyed when women did that. Put themselves down as not being as important as some mundane task. I was of the opinion that if you had to choose between doing some thing and being in the company of someone interesting you always chose the person’s company.
“I am honoured to have you here and so, the thing I was doing before you got here can wait as long as you need to get your questions in.”
I position myself on the couch while she sets up and fixes the angle of the camera on the tripod. When she feels she is right on, she comes over with a small remote in had. I assumed it make it possible to start the filming from a distance. Clever. Technology had really come leaps and bounds even in the last few years, let alone how much it had chanced since I was born. It was things like that this that often made me feel like a dinosaur even though I was only 29.
“Are you ready?” she asks and I nod.
:::ON CAMERA:::
The camera shows Hannah Lacey, interviewer for Redemption sitting next to the large frame of LJ Daughterty. There is a significant difference in height between the two, it makes Hannah look small and she was not a short woman by any means.
“Thank you for joining me, I have the pleasure...”
She gives Levi a side long look as if the two had some private joke although LJ doesn’t react much to it. She continues.
“...of having LJ Daughtery here.”
She finally faces him fully.
“Thank you.”
LJ nods.
“I know that this is your first time being interviewed by me.”
LJ laughs.
“Yes, be gentle...”
It is obvious that Hannah gets a little red over the innuendo this time. She clears her throat.
“So let’s start with the basics. You are a third generation wrestler. Tell us a little about your family history.”
LJ nods.
“Well my grandfather started out in carnival side shows. He eventually moved up to actual venues as soon as it started getting more popular until eventually helping to create the AWA. He tried not to put himself in title matches so he really only help the second tier title and never for very long. He had more pride in seeing the company flourish than in his own glory, not to say that he didn’t have an ego.”
Levi chuckles.
“Eventually, when he retired from the ring, he set up the school and is still doing that and being on the board for AWA today. He’s an old codger with a salty tongue but god love him.”
Hannah is smiling.
“And your father was also a wrestler?”
“That's right but he didn’t get the same excitement from it that my grampa did. So he did it for a few years but when he reached about 23 or 24 he was starting up his company. The Daughterty family has always been one of money, so being a wrestler was never about getting paid for my family, it was about the love of the sport. Dad, well he had a better head for business than fighting.”
“And yourself?”
LJ smiles.
“Ever since I could comprehend I have wanted to be in that ring. My grampa trained me from a very young age. Started teaching me to take bumps, how to do moves. Although it wasn’t exactly what some would call ethical to be teaching a Kindergartner how to wrestle, he always made sure that it wasn’t too tough. My Ma would always get nervous but even in all this time, I have never had an injury or broken bone. Then when Emma was 15, we started training her too.”
Hannah smiles at the mention of Emma, LJ’s younger sister who was always a champion for a Devlin Scott production, IPW.
“We have had the pleasure of seeing Emma around backstage. It’s really a shame that she is retired.”
“A shame, yes maybe because she had a lot of talent but then again, the reason for her not being in a ring anymore is a noble one. My father had kidney failure in both Kidneys and because of his age, he wasn’t exactly a prime pick for getting a donor. Emma was a match for him so she made the choice to give up her career to give our father some more time. As you may or may not know it is dangerous to be in contact sports when you only have one kidney. If you get punched or kicked where that is, your risk fatal injury.”
Hannah seems interested, her blue eyes wide.
“I always wondered how you could only survive with one kidney...”
“The one that you have enlarges to take on the job that two did. It’s quite fascinating actually. I did a lot of research on it when we both went home to look after him.”
Hannah nods, taking control of the interview as to not have it go off on a tangent.
“And that is where we last saw you. Leaving your tag title and partner behind to go back home to Australia.”
LJ looks annoyed.
“I didn’t leave him out of some kind of... displeasure. I explained the situation with my father and it was Avery that told me that I should be there. To take time off. I could have, I insisted on staying to defend our titles but he also said that he knew that if he were in the same situation, his attention would not be on the match and the last thing he wanted was for me to get injured because of distraction. So He got another partner to help him. Unfortunately that partner turned out to not be the strength he needed to keep the titles.”
Hannah opens her mouth to name the person but LJ puts a finger up to silence her.
“It doesn’t matter who it was, things happen and far be for me to judge someone on that. The important thing is that what goes on professionally between me and Avery, does not affect our personal relationship. We are brothers. To the end. And no matter what path he takes, I will be there in a heartbeat to help him. I don’t have to like it, but regardless I am there.”
Hannah nods.
“Well moving past the personal stuff now. Two weeks ago, you defeated Avery in the first round of the tournament. Was there any feelings of melancholy had having to beat your brother?”
LJ shrugs.
“As I said, what happens in the ring, stays in the ring. Avery is at a crossroads right now. He’s finding it difficult but we are still good. Our bond is still as strong as ever. I hope that Devlin got the show he wanted from that.”
Hannah looks down at the notes in her lap quickly before continuing.
“This week, you face newcomer Lilly Parker. Not only is she new to Redemption but to wrestling. She came from another company and this is only her 4th professional match to date. How do you feel about her and the outcome of this match?”
LJ smiles, not a full out one but one that gives the impression of being amused.
“Lilly seems to me someone so new she had yet to face the hardships of really being married to this sport. She’s bright, has a tremendous amount of potential to be a top contender but right now, she’s just not there. She still had a lot to learn. Including how to lose graciously. I’m not going to sit here and trash talk the girl. That doesn’t accomplish anything but I will be honest and blunt. I really hope that this business doesn’t ruin her. That kind of exuberance that she possesses is honestly a breath of fresh air and I know others have said the same thing. It’s exceedingly rare to see someone so positive about everything. To see her go to the dark side would be a shame. However, I have no doubt in my mind that I will pin her. She may not see me as a monster, but there is a reason why I was given that nickname in AWA. I won’t hold back for her.”
“And she said that she hoped you didn’t in her promo. I believe that this will be a match worth seeing.”
“I agree.”
Levi watches Hannah, waiting for the next question but instead she seems to be staring into his eyes vacantly. LJ’s brow furrows.
“Hannah... are you okay?”
She snaps out of it and shakes her head.
“Yes, yes. Sorry. So my next question. You mentioned that you hoped that it was you and Matthew Shields in the finals. Why is that?”
LJ gives her a look as if to say, “really?”
“There is no love lost between me and him. What he did to my sister publically cannot go unpunished.”
“But Emma did give him a mighty fine kick to his....”
She coughs, turning red again.
“That may be so, but I intend to give him another lesson entirely. But we will see. If it’s not in this tournament, it will be at another date. I have told Devlin that one of the stipulations of placing me in the the Heavyweight division was that i get a match with Shields. Something with a great stipulation. I am a patient man so I can wait for the right timing but I guarantee, Shields will not be fully prepared for the onslaught of the storm I bring.”
Hannah’s eyes have gone wide again.
“That is a very big threat.”
LJ smirks.
“That’s the point. But knowing him, he will brush it off and call me insignificant because he holds the Heavyweight title and I do not hold any titles presently. But all in good time.”
Hannah smiles.
“And Lastly LJ, it was announced that the winner of this tournament will get a shot at the Heavyweight title. What do you think your chances are of getting to the final two?”
“I would say they are pretty good. I’m not going to downplay the amount of talent that have made it through to the second round but I know myself and you can call it arrogance or ego but I know what I am capable of and one of my strong ability that puts me head and shoulders above the rest is my composure in a ring. You can’t train that, it has to come from inside.”
He pats his chest.
“Unfortunately, there are quite a few that have made it to second round that I don’t see making it to the third.”
“So you have made some bets on who you think is going to win?”
LJ shakes his head.
“No. I am not a man that gambles on anything. I just know how to compare two wrestlers. I mean I could end up being surprised at the outcomes but overall, most of my picks from the last few weeks have been spot on. “
Hannah nods again and then holds out a hand to Levi.
“That was all my questions for today. Thank you so much for taking the time out to speak with me and the fans of Redemption.”
LJ takes her hand and in a show of chivalry, he brings her knuckles to his lips where he kisses them. It throws Hannah off as she blushes profusely.
“It is I that is honoured to have their and your time Ms. Lacy.”
Hannah takes a few seconds to compose herself before turning to shut off the camera.
:::OFF CAMERA:::
Guilt! All over guilt. I openly flirted with her knowing full well that she seemed to have a crush on me. I just couldn’t resist, charm was one of my better qualities. Women wanted the white knight. They wanted a man to make them feel important, so maybe I just made Hannah’s day today and tomorrow, she would realize that it was a bad idea to try and get mixed up with me. When I entered a relationship with someone I truly cared about, I go full tilt and as it had happened with Lisbeth, she felt smothered. Women were confusing creatures. They want you to give them all your attention and then when you do, they want you to give them space. It was a delicate balance that I don’t believe any man was capable of obtaining.
A life mystery that no one has been able to solve. The complexity of the female creature. Hannah was lovely to look at and she had a very sweet disposition. It seemed to be the type of woman I attracted, or rather that I was attracted too.
She fiddles with her things as she tries to pack the camera back up and close up the tripod. I stand, walking over. I didn’t want to see her embarrassment to cause her to fumble.
“Let me help you with that.”
She looks up, her eyes still showing what I had seen earlier.
“You... uh... don’t have to Levi. IT’s really not that big of a deal... but thank...”
I cut her off.
“I insist. I can carry some stuff for you. By the way, which hotel does Devlin have to staying in?”
Hannah shakes her head.
“I wouldn’t let him pay for me. He has done so much for me professionally that I didn’t want to feel like I was mooching. I’m staying at a the Kaneyoshi Ryokan.”
I knew if I offered her a room at the hotel I was going to next, she would refuse so I did the next best thing.
“Don’t take a taxi. I have a driver while here in Japan so I won’t take no for an answer. Let him drive you with all this equipment and then he’ll help you bring it to your room.”
She smiles in gratitude. I didn’t understand why some men could be assholes to women but on the other hand why did some woman prefer to date an asshole. I couldn’t quite understand how a woman would like to be mistreated. I would never treat a woman like an object, or degrade her either publicly or privately. It wasn’t in my nature. It wasn’t the man my mother raised me to be. She taught me about how one should treat a lady of any standing. And so, I treated a normal everyday girl like a duchess and a duchess like a normal girl. IT seemed to work in getting their attention but not so much in keeping them.
“Thank you Levi. I appreciate it.”
Good girl. Not to be condescending or anything but at least she knew when to just take what was offered without arguing. She really was an alluring creature and that’s why it was dangerous to have her linger in my room. It had been some time since I had the pleasure of female company that wasn’t taken or related to me. Even a man like me had the want of companionship that went beyond a cup of coffee and good conversation and the last thing I wanted to do with involve myself with her and then have her get the wrong impression of me.
I take the tripod from her and walk to the door, pulling it open and leading the way to the elevator. She’s silent and I wonder if she’s trying to think of what to say but in all honestly, I prefer her not to say anything.
The door opens and she steps inside. I hand her the tripod.
“I will... uh... see you at the show.” she says.
“Definitely. Another honour.”
She blushes again. Damn. I wasn’t even doing anything extraordinary to win her affection either. Just being myself.
“Uh... bye.”
The doors close and I finally let out the long breath of air that I had been holding in. When did dating get so complicated. There seemed to be so many rules and if you broke on, then someone got hurt. I wasn’t in the business of hurting innocent women. Better to keep her at arm's length.
I nod to myself as I walk back to my room. With a hand on the doorknob I stop and think... ‘maybe it’s the accent... yea... that had to be it...'
A knock at my hotel room door brings me to my feet. I was expecting someone so I’m not at all agitated by the interruption, although the only thing I was doing of significance was writing an email to my Father and Grandfather in OZ. Both of them seemed to be more on board with me coming back to the states to wrestle. At the end of this tour, I was planning on flying home for a bit before going back.
I open the door to see the very attractive Redemption interviewer, Hannah Lacey. She’s dressed casually in a pair of skinny jeans and a pink V-neck t-shirt that had the words, ‘Kindness is my Superpower’ across the front. I had told her when she asked me for this interview that there was no need to be formal, however instead of a camera crew following behind her, she is carrying a simple personal camcorder case and a tripod under her arm. I immediately reach out to help her.
“Here, let me help you with that. It seems cumbersome.”
She gives me a smile that I can only interpret as being in gratitude for the help. Not that I would put Hannah down but it seemed to be at her threshold for how much she could carry. She was a tough girl but all in all, she wasn’t a wrestler or athlete and probably had stuck to light weights and cardio to keep in shape.
“Thank you Levi. And thank you for agreeing to let me interview you. I always wanted to do one when you were NGW but something always came up.”
She steps into the room, her ponytail swinging. I liked long hair on a woman....
I shake myself mentally not to think of this woman as anything but my colleague and therefore it had to remain professional even if I was attracted to her and had been for some time. I didn’t really believe in mixing business with pleasure. There were far too many things that could go wrong... like what if we dated and then broke up. We both worked at Redemption. Neither of us would leave a good job. I saw how uncomfortable Em got every time she had to talk to Devin and I think even if she could still wrestle... she would find it difficult to come to Redemption based on the relationship. I knew she regretted breaking up with him. She blamed herself because she really thought he was the one and seeing him move on and be more happy with someone else was eating at her, but it had gotten remarkably more bearable to be in her company lately and I hoped it meant that she was finally letting go. I know that getting that spotlight title necklace off was the last step she needed. Perhaps I would discuss it with Taylor about getting her out dating.
I look at Hannah.
“Of course. Anytime you want to Hannah, I am more than willing to make myself available for you.”
Is that a blush? The woman seems to get a little pink around her smile. I decide that I must be seeing things and need more sleep. Not every woman was going to blush and be nervous around me after all. It wasn't as if I was the most attractive man to walk into a wrestling ring.
“I’m going to set up the tripod over here, we can sit on the sofa and talk. It shouldn’t take long to do this so then you can go back to... whatever more important stuff you need to do. Like preparing for this next match and such.”
I shake my head. I kinda got annoyed when women did that. Put themselves down as not being as important as some mundane task. I was of the opinion that if you had to choose between doing some thing and being in the company of someone interesting you always chose the person’s company.
“I am honoured to have you here and so, the thing I was doing before you got here can wait as long as you need to get your questions in.”
I position myself on the couch while she sets up and fixes the angle of the camera on the tripod. When she feels she is right on, she comes over with a small remote in had. I assumed it make it possible to start the filming from a distance. Clever. Technology had really come leaps and bounds even in the last few years, let alone how much it had chanced since I was born. It was things like that this that often made me feel like a dinosaur even though I was only 29.
“Are you ready?” she asks and I nod.
:::ON CAMERA:::
The camera shows Hannah Lacey, interviewer for Redemption sitting next to the large frame of LJ Daughterty. There is a significant difference in height between the two, it makes Hannah look small and she was not a short woman by any means.
“Thank you for joining me, I have the pleasure...”
She gives Levi a side long look as if the two had some private joke although LJ doesn’t react much to it. She continues.
“...of having LJ Daughtery here.”
She finally faces him fully.
“Thank you.”
LJ nods.
“I know that this is your first time being interviewed by me.”
LJ laughs.
“Yes, be gentle...”
It is obvious that Hannah gets a little red over the innuendo this time. She clears her throat.
“So let’s start with the basics. You are a third generation wrestler. Tell us a little about your family history.”
LJ nods.
“Well my grandfather started out in carnival side shows. He eventually moved up to actual venues as soon as it started getting more popular until eventually helping to create the AWA. He tried not to put himself in title matches so he really only help the second tier title and never for very long. He had more pride in seeing the company flourish than in his own glory, not to say that he didn’t have an ego.”
Levi chuckles.
“Eventually, when he retired from the ring, he set up the school and is still doing that and being on the board for AWA today. He’s an old codger with a salty tongue but god love him.”
Hannah is smiling.
“And your father was also a wrestler?”
“That's right but he didn’t get the same excitement from it that my grampa did. So he did it for a few years but when he reached about 23 or 24 he was starting up his company. The Daughterty family has always been one of money, so being a wrestler was never about getting paid for my family, it was about the love of the sport. Dad, well he had a better head for business than fighting.”
“And yourself?”
LJ smiles.
“Ever since I could comprehend I have wanted to be in that ring. My grampa trained me from a very young age. Started teaching me to take bumps, how to do moves. Although it wasn’t exactly what some would call ethical to be teaching a Kindergartner how to wrestle, he always made sure that it wasn’t too tough. My Ma would always get nervous but even in all this time, I have never had an injury or broken bone. Then when Emma was 15, we started training her too.”
Hannah smiles at the mention of Emma, LJ’s younger sister who was always a champion for a Devlin Scott production, IPW.
“We have had the pleasure of seeing Emma around backstage. It’s really a shame that she is retired.”
“A shame, yes maybe because she had a lot of talent but then again, the reason for her not being in a ring anymore is a noble one. My father had kidney failure in both Kidneys and because of his age, he wasn’t exactly a prime pick for getting a donor. Emma was a match for him so she made the choice to give up her career to give our father some more time. As you may or may not know it is dangerous to be in contact sports when you only have one kidney. If you get punched or kicked where that is, your risk fatal injury.”
Hannah seems interested, her blue eyes wide.
“I always wondered how you could only survive with one kidney...”
“The one that you have enlarges to take on the job that two did. It’s quite fascinating actually. I did a lot of research on it when we both went home to look after him.”
Hannah nods, taking control of the interview as to not have it go off on a tangent.
“And that is where we last saw you. Leaving your tag title and partner behind to go back home to Australia.”
LJ looks annoyed.
“I didn’t leave him out of some kind of... displeasure. I explained the situation with my father and it was Avery that told me that I should be there. To take time off. I could have, I insisted on staying to defend our titles but he also said that he knew that if he were in the same situation, his attention would not be on the match and the last thing he wanted was for me to get injured because of distraction. So He got another partner to help him. Unfortunately that partner turned out to not be the strength he needed to keep the titles.”
Hannah opens her mouth to name the person but LJ puts a finger up to silence her.
“It doesn’t matter who it was, things happen and far be for me to judge someone on that. The important thing is that what goes on professionally between me and Avery, does not affect our personal relationship. We are brothers. To the end. And no matter what path he takes, I will be there in a heartbeat to help him. I don’t have to like it, but regardless I am there.”
Hannah nods.
“Well moving past the personal stuff now. Two weeks ago, you defeated Avery in the first round of the tournament. Was there any feelings of melancholy had having to beat your brother?”
LJ shrugs.
“As I said, what happens in the ring, stays in the ring. Avery is at a crossroads right now. He’s finding it difficult but we are still good. Our bond is still as strong as ever. I hope that Devlin got the show he wanted from that.”
Hannah looks down at the notes in her lap quickly before continuing.
“This week, you face newcomer Lilly Parker. Not only is she new to Redemption but to wrestling. She came from another company and this is only her 4th professional match to date. How do you feel about her and the outcome of this match?”
LJ smiles, not a full out one but one that gives the impression of being amused.
“Lilly seems to me someone so new she had yet to face the hardships of really being married to this sport. She’s bright, has a tremendous amount of potential to be a top contender but right now, she’s just not there. She still had a lot to learn. Including how to lose graciously. I’m not going to sit here and trash talk the girl. That doesn’t accomplish anything but I will be honest and blunt. I really hope that this business doesn’t ruin her. That kind of exuberance that she possesses is honestly a breath of fresh air and I know others have said the same thing. It’s exceedingly rare to see someone so positive about everything. To see her go to the dark side would be a shame. However, I have no doubt in my mind that I will pin her. She may not see me as a monster, but there is a reason why I was given that nickname in AWA. I won’t hold back for her.”
“And she said that she hoped you didn’t in her promo. I believe that this will be a match worth seeing.”
“I agree.”
Levi watches Hannah, waiting for the next question but instead she seems to be staring into his eyes vacantly. LJ’s brow furrows.
“Hannah... are you okay?”
She snaps out of it and shakes her head.
“Yes, yes. Sorry. So my next question. You mentioned that you hoped that it was you and Matthew Shields in the finals. Why is that?”
LJ gives her a look as if to say, “really?”
“There is no love lost between me and him. What he did to my sister publically cannot go unpunished.”
“But Emma did give him a mighty fine kick to his....”
She coughs, turning red again.
“That may be so, but I intend to give him another lesson entirely. But we will see. If it’s not in this tournament, it will be at another date. I have told Devlin that one of the stipulations of placing me in the the Heavyweight division was that i get a match with Shields. Something with a great stipulation. I am a patient man so I can wait for the right timing but I guarantee, Shields will not be fully prepared for the onslaught of the storm I bring.”
Hannah’s eyes have gone wide again.
“That is a very big threat.”
LJ smirks.
“That’s the point. But knowing him, he will brush it off and call me insignificant because he holds the Heavyweight title and I do not hold any titles presently. But all in good time.”
Hannah smiles.
“And Lastly LJ, it was announced that the winner of this tournament will get a shot at the Heavyweight title. What do you think your chances are of getting to the final two?”
“I would say they are pretty good. I’m not going to downplay the amount of talent that have made it through to the second round but I know myself and you can call it arrogance or ego but I know what I am capable of and one of my strong ability that puts me head and shoulders above the rest is my composure in a ring. You can’t train that, it has to come from inside.”
He pats his chest.
“Unfortunately, there are quite a few that have made it to second round that I don’t see making it to the third.”
“So you have made some bets on who you think is going to win?”
LJ shakes his head.
“No. I am not a man that gambles on anything. I just know how to compare two wrestlers. I mean I could end up being surprised at the outcomes but overall, most of my picks from the last few weeks have been spot on. “
Hannah nods again and then holds out a hand to Levi.
“That was all my questions for today. Thank you so much for taking the time out to speak with me and the fans of Redemption.”
LJ takes her hand and in a show of chivalry, he brings her knuckles to his lips where he kisses them. It throws Hannah off as she blushes profusely.
“It is I that is honoured to have their and your time Ms. Lacy.”
Hannah takes a few seconds to compose herself before turning to shut off the camera.
:::OFF CAMERA:::
Guilt! All over guilt. I openly flirted with her knowing full well that she seemed to have a crush on me. I just couldn’t resist, charm was one of my better qualities. Women wanted the white knight. They wanted a man to make them feel important, so maybe I just made Hannah’s day today and tomorrow, she would realize that it was a bad idea to try and get mixed up with me. When I entered a relationship with someone I truly cared about, I go full tilt and as it had happened with Lisbeth, she felt smothered. Women were confusing creatures. They want you to give them all your attention and then when you do, they want you to give them space. It was a delicate balance that I don’t believe any man was capable of obtaining.
A life mystery that no one has been able to solve. The complexity of the female creature. Hannah was lovely to look at and she had a very sweet disposition. It seemed to be the type of woman I attracted, or rather that I was attracted too.
She fiddles with her things as she tries to pack the camera back up and close up the tripod. I stand, walking over. I didn’t want to see her embarrassment to cause her to fumble.
“Let me help you with that.”
She looks up, her eyes still showing what I had seen earlier.
“You... uh... don’t have to Levi. IT’s really not that big of a deal... but thank...”
I cut her off.
“I insist. I can carry some stuff for you. By the way, which hotel does Devlin have to staying in?”
Hannah shakes her head.
“I wouldn’t let him pay for me. He has done so much for me professionally that I didn’t want to feel like I was mooching. I’m staying at a the Kaneyoshi Ryokan.”
I knew if I offered her a room at the hotel I was going to next, she would refuse so I did the next best thing.
“Don’t take a taxi. I have a driver while here in Japan so I won’t take no for an answer. Let him drive you with all this equipment and then he’ll help you bring it to your room.”
She smiles in gratitude. I didn’t understand why some men could be assholes to women but on the other hand why did some woman prefer to date an asshole. I couldn’t quite understand how a woman would like to be mistreated. I would never treat a woman like an object, or degrade her either publicly or privately. It wasn’t in my nature. It wasn’t the man my mother raised me to be. She taught me about how one should treat a lady of any standing. And so, I treated a normal everyday girl like a duchess and a duchess like a normal girl. IT seemed to work in getting their attention but not so much in keeping them.
“Thank you Levi. I appreciate it.”
Good girl. Not to be condescending or anything but at least she knew when to just take what was offered without arguing. She really was an alluring creature and that’s why it was dangerous to have her linger in my room. It had been some time since I had the pleasure of female company that wasn’t taken or related to me. Even a man like me had the want of companionship that went beyond a cup of coffee and good conversation and the last thing I wanted to do with involve myself with her and then have her get the wrong impression of me.
I take the tripod from her and walk to the door, pulling it open and leading the way to the elevator. She’s silent and I wonder if she’s trying to think of what to say but in all honestly, I prefer her not to say anything.
The door opens and she steps inside. I hand her the tripod.
“I will... uh... see you at the show.” she says.
“Definitely. Another honour.”
She blushes again. Damn. I wasn’t even doing anything extraordinary to win her affection either. Just being myself.
“Uh... bye.”
The doors close and I finally let out the long breath of air that I had been holding in. When did dating get so complicated. There seemed to be so many rules and if you broke on, then someone got hurt. I wasn’t in the business of hurting innocent women. Better to keep her at arm's length.
I nod to myself as I walk back to my room. With a hand on the doorknob I stop and think... ‘maybe it’s the accent... yea... that had to be it...'
