Chapter Three

Three days later... Matt awoke in his hotel room to hear the phone ringing. Matt sat up and looked around sleepily. It was dark with the shades drawn and the fireplace had died late that night, so Matt sat rubbing his head in the dark, quite tired. He groaned as he rolled out of bed sitting on the edge, he stared at the clock. 9:43 am. He yawned reaching for the phone.

"Hello?" Matt asked sleepily into the phone after he picked it up lying back down on his bed.

"Matt." A familiar voice said. Matt recognized Jeff’s voice immediately.

"Hey. Why you calling me so early?" Matt asked slightly annoyed. Matt heard commotion in the background, people were laughing and talking loudly. "Where are you?" Matt asked closing his eye’s confused.

"I’m at the arena." Jeff said sounding very awake, and energized.

"Why are you there now?" Matt asked sitting up confused wondering if he forgot if he should be there. "Please tell me I’m not late or that I didn’t forgot to come!" Matt said rushing to the bathroom.

"No no! Matt your fine, your right, your not supposed to be here. Calm down." Jeff said as the laughing and the loud conversation continued in the background.

"Well then why are you there now?" Matt asked staring in the mirror at himself confused.

"I went out last night with Amy and Shane and Molly, we went out to a few clubbs last night after I left from hangin’ with you. Then we went all over Disney and MGM... Matt dude, you have got to go on the Superman rollercoaster with us, it rocks! It’s awesome!" Jeff said laughing. "Then we just chilled all night and never went back to the hotel, finally we decided to head back and as we drove by the arena on the way we saw a lot of cars already here, so we stopped to see what was going on." Jeff said mumbling something to someone, and then chuckling.

Matt sighed listening to the commotion in the background. He couldn’t recognize any voices except Amy’s, and Shane’s. "You never came back." Matt asked as he sighed, "Jeff man what’s going on over there, it sounds like everyone’s having a party or something." Matt said softly leaving the bathroom and going back to his bed.

"Well actually Matt you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, you gotta get down here, just take my word for it, you won’t regret having to come so early, believe me... I was shocked, I still am, get down here man, all right?" Jeff asked eagerly excited.

"Jeff I’m exhausted, just tell me what’s going on, that way I don’t come all the way for nothing!" Matt said annoyed and aggravated.

"No man I can’t tell you, you wouldn’t believe me anyways, just get down here, I’ll meet you in the back by the cars. Get here quick, you’ll love that you did! You won’t be sorry Matt." Jeff insisted laughing about something.

Matt knew he’d lost Jeff’s attention, "Why?" Matt asked impatiently trying to regain Jeff’s attention.

"Matt dude just get here!" Jeff said as Matt listened for his voice but only got a dial tone, Jeff hung up. Matt groaned not wanting to move. What could Jeff possibly want this early in the morning? What is so important?

***

Almost a half an hour later, Matt was walking towards Jeff who was sitting around the backstage entrance door with some production and tech crew people. When Matt was parking his car he had noticed that there were many cars already, which was sort of unusual, not many of the wrestlers got out of bed sooner then they had to in order to get to the arena and rehearse, which made Matt wonder why he was awake so early.

"Hey, hey." Matt said trying to seem more cheerful then he was as he looked around at all the familiar faces gathered around the door. A few people smiled and greeted him. Jeff reached over and slapped his hand greeting him they way they usually did. It had just started to rain gently and everyone looked ready to go on inside where it was a bit warmer and dryer. Matt followed the group inside unbuttoning his jacket.

Once everyone had drifted away Matt looked up at Jeff who was watching him.

"So..." Matt paused as he started to walk through the inside garage back toward the locker rooms with Jeff at his side, "What was the big rush? Why did I have to desperately get here so soon... so early?" Matt asked groaning as Jeff chuckled.

Jeff stopped and looked Matt over quickly grinning, "You look good actually... I’m impressed." Jeff said smiling as Matt gave him the evil eye trying to read anything from his face.

"Jeff what’s going on?" Matt asked staring at him as he turned to him.

"Nothing...." Jeff said pausing, "Yet." He mumbled as he began walking again. Matt sighed as he turned around and followed trying to keep up with Jeff.

"Why does it matter how I look?" Matt asked pausing as Jeff shook his head continuing down the hallway toward there locker room which for this particular show they were sharing.

Finally Matt took a breath fed up, "Jeffery Nero Hardy I know when your not telling me something, now what’s up?" Matt asked grabbing Jeff’s arm as Jeff spun around to face him.

Jeff’s face was red and Matt knew that he had irritated Jeff by calling him by his full name. Matt grinned, he knew it bothered Jeff which was precisely why he did it, he knew when to say Jeff’s full name to annoy him. And at the moment Matt thought Jeff deserved it.

"Matt, don’t do that!" Jeff said softly looking serious. Matt sighed patting his arm and shaking his head as they began walking again.

"Come on." Jeff said as they passed by there dressing room.

Matt stopped confused and looked at the closed door bewildered, Jeff glanced back at him grinning evilly. Jeff knew something in that he did not. That look Jeff gave drove him crazy, it always made him want to follow to see what Jeff knew.

Matt opened the locker room door with a heavy sigh and flicked on the light for a moment tossing his jacket onto a chair, then turning out the light, closing the door and turning down the hallway to see Jeff standing at the end, motioning to him to come follow. Matt took a deep breath and sighed jogging down the hall to meet him.

"Where we goin’?" Matt asked as he followed Jeff down to the curtain area leading on-stage.

"You’ll see its a huge surprise..." Jeff said softly as he walked through the curtain and left Matt standing alone puzzled for a moment. Matt grit his teeth but soon followed.

Once on the top of the ramp Matt looked out towards the ring. The overhead lights were lit up and a young woman, wearing tight jeans and a black tank top, with her long blond hair falling around her stood in the middle of the ring. Matt looked towards the floor around the ring and saw a band surrounding it on all sides, with tech people, some wrestlers and Vince McMahon sitting with JR and Jerry the King Lawler clapping his hands and smiling like an insane clown.

Matt felt Jeff touch his shoulder but he didn’t look at him, his eye’s were transfixed upon the beautiful woman in the ring who had started singing angelically as the band started. Some of the wrestlers cheered her on and she smiled as she threw her hair over her shoulder as some back up dancers slid into the ring and started to dance around her. Matt’s heart raced, he immediately recognized the song and he knew instantly who the incredible young woman was.

It was his Leah.......

chapter two
chapter one