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@TheGabbyLove: Thankful to have woken up in Sunny Orlando, Florida today!!
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"You're here!" Gabrielle hears her best friend exclaim, barely given enough time before the blonde bombshell jumps into the slightly larger girls arms.
They'd seen one another about a month prior to today, Gabrielle was present when Candice had signed her contract with the million dollar company. It was important to Candice that Gabrielle was there. She was at all the biggest events in her life. Gabrielle was there when Candice got engaged, then later married, Gabrielle was single handedly Candice's best friend. For her to be gone for so long, it'd been taking a slight toll on Candice.
"What a warm welcome." Gabby laughed loud and obnoxiously, not caring about who heard the ugly laugh. That didn't matter. What mattered is that the pairing was united again. Finally the two women separate, and Gabrielle lays her eyes on Johnny. Who is standing awkwardly with his arms crossed.
"It's only been a month, I don't understand." Johnny says honestly as he gives Gabrielle a brief hug. He truly didn't understand, how the pairing could be such a wreck when it came to their reunion when it was just a mere 4 weeks that they were back in this very position.
"You probably won't ever understand." Gabrielle responds truthfully with a shrug, it probably wasn't normal, both Candice and Gabrielle could acknowledge that, but it was them. It was their relationship.
"So, how was the Rumble?" Candice inquires excitedly, she had waited almost 3 weeks to ask this question. Wanting to be able to hear and see the visual excitement from her counterpart when they discussed it.
Gabrielle did surprisingly well in it, lasting a little over 40 minutes. About 35 minutes longer than what anyone would've expected. Gabrielle's performance opened dozens and dozens of eyes backstage, since that night on January 28th, she slowly made her transition from an underutilized player from NXT to a mid-card success in the Raw Women's Division.
"A dream come true. I can't believe that I was even in it." Gabrielle gushes, Candice watches as her companions bright blue eyes swirl with a touch of green, eyes getting brighter as she gains excitement.
"You did soooooo good," Candice draws out her words as she gives Gabrielle a compliment. Gabrielle's skin starts morphing into a slightly pink color. The kind words meant everything to Gabrielle. As the trio is socializing in the entrance of the Performance Center, Gabrielle notices Tommaso walk into the building. Tearing her attention from the married couple.
"Hey Tommaso!" She calls out, Tommaso nods his head in their direction slightly, quickly continuing to walk further into the Performance Center. A frown rapidly fights its way into Gabrielle's face. Never has Tommaso been so rude to her. He's always struck up a conversation with the blonde that he's nicknamed, Goldie.
"Just let it go, he's just going through something right now." Johnny dismisses, but Gabrielle can't 'just let it go'. That's not in her nature, she's learned how to keep a grudge for years.
"I don't care." Gabrielle murmurs with the shake of her head. She ditches the pairing in front of her to track down Tommaso. Finding him only a little ways past the doors separating the front office and the ring set up.
"Hey Tommaso," Gabrielle calls out once more, silently wondering if her voice is able to be heard due to all the noise being made around them.
"What?" Tommaso snaps, finally stopping in his tracks and turning around. And truthfully, it had scared Gabrielle a tiny bit, to see the dark and cold look in her former friends eyes. Gabrielle takes a small step backwards, attempting to rethink what she had in mind.
"What's your problem?" Gabrielle demands, shocking Tommaso slightly, he'd never expected Gabrielle to grow a pair and speak up about his cold behavior.
"My problem? My problem is I'm tired." He admits, Gabrielle stands there perplexed. Why act so poorly if all that needs to take place is a nap.
"Then take a nap or something," she suggests. Tommaso stares at the blonde, now understanding why they'd been given the stereotype of being the dumbest.
"No, I'm tired of the same bullshit, the same people with the same bullshit, I'm fed up with this shit." Gabrielle nods her head, understanding now what he means. Now learning that his on screen character isn't the only thing that's changed, Tommaso's personality, and physique have change. Tommaso busted his ass in the gym for when he'd make his return. He started bulking up. Tommaso's look was quite popular with the female wrestling fans. Tommaso also let his beard grow out, and quit attempting to combat the grey hairs, now accepting the grey streaks in it. Gabrielle doesn't speak up, unsure of what to tell him now.
"Listen, Goldie. Don't take things personally. I just don't have the time right now." Tommaso rushes out, he then walks away before Gabrielle can have time to process what he's even said. All she heard was Goldie. The old Tommaso is still somewhere inside the newer colder Sicilian man.
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Johnny takes a sip from the glass of wine. Candice then grabs the glass from him, downing the entire glass to make this rant about Tommaso more bearable.
"I just don't understand why he's like that now." Gabrielle complains, she starts chewing on her nails. Spiraling into a web of thoughts. Tommaso wasn't a hard person to read. Why is this so hard for Gabrielle to read?
"He's going through something right now." Candice dismisses, Johnny and Candice had no idea what exactly Tommaso was going through, but he'd told them enough times that he was 'going through something'.
"Going through something? How hard could his life be?" Gabrielle stifles a sarcastic laugh. Gabrielle couldn't help but find Tommaso's made up struggles funny. There was just something about it that she found funny.
"He's been like this for months, I don't even know the last time he was over here." Johnny shares, Candice shrugs, not even bothering to think back that far.
"Some days, I don't even recognize him." Candice inputs with the shake of her head. And the once funny story had now turned sad. Tommaso's best friends couldn't even recognize the man in his body.
"That's so sad," Gabrielle says, her voice coming out barely above a whisper. She felt a bit of guilt build up in her stomach for her mocking tone she had just a few moments prior. But, what could be the source for this? What is he not telling us?
"I'll try and reach out to him after Media tomorrow. Maybe we can grab coffee and he can let his guard down a little bit." Gabrielle ponders, the idea sounding fantastic to all three people sitting in the kitchen. Gabrielle stifles a yawn, now checking her phone for the time.
"Oh, I should get home. I've gotta be up super early tomorrow." Gabrielle stands from her chair, wishing she could've had more time to be with both Candice and Johnny. Candice stands from her seat, giving Gabrielle a tight hug just in case Gabrielle couldn't find the time to see her again before she headed back off on the road. The pairing finally release their embrace, and Johnny gives Gabrielle another quick hug similar to the one he'd given her earlier in the day.
"Make sure your stay safe," he advises, Gabrielle nods her head. Taking in the caring words.
"I will, thanks." Gabrielle replies before she heads for the door.
