Teeter Totter

[Ashlee]

Early afternoon in the arena was always busy. EBWF ran like a well oiled machine, but that didn’t stop the crew from always acting like everything had to be finished quick, fast and in a hurry. Adam Copeland was sitting in the arena, in one of the first rows right off of the floor. He had his legs stretched out over the seat in front of him, and seated in his lap, leaning back against his chest, was 18-month-old, Karlee Orton. The daughter of Randy and Nicole was swinging her left leg, watching as the flowing material of her white and gold sundress bounced under her thigh. Adam had readied her with her hot pink protective ear muffs, and when the first round of test pyro shot off from the stage, her leg stopped bouncing and her gaze became transfixed on the dancing colors and bursts of light. She looked up at him, pointing.

Karlee Orton: Pitty!

Adam Copeland: It is pretty. Just like Karlee!

Adam didn’t mind getting saddled with the progeny of the Ortons from time to time. In fact, this afternoon, he’d volunteered. Nicole had a creative meeting. Randy was off somewhere getting his picture taken. Adam hoped the two would meet up later and go have lunch, sans baby. The fireworks display would keep them busy for another thirty minutes, and then he’d take her in the ring and let her do some somersaults. He got a kick out of her, mostly because she was so much like Randy it was amusing. Particularly when she was studying something she hadn’t quite figured out. Like her father, Karlee observed everything, usually silently. Also like her father, she had displayed exceptional balance in a wrestling ring. Nicole hadn’t been very amused when Adam taught Karlee how to do a very crude, toddling sit-out power bomb on her babydoll. Randy on the other hand had recorded it on his phone. The difference between a mom and a dad, Adam guessed. Most days of the week, this was Karlee’s playground. The crew loved her. Adam loved her. Enough to watch the same pyro display launch over and over.

He had been incredibly unhappy about his matchup with AJ Styles. In fact, he’d made a bit of an ass out of himself. He’d just happened to be near Natalie Neidhart, eating in craft services, when the Warfare card had come out and Natalie told him he was on it. They’d snapped a much-retweeted selfie and Natalie had posted it to her Instagram. It was then that Adam had asked to see the card, and noticed who his opponent had been. The rest of it was a little bit of a blur. He’d stormed out of the room, went straight to Wes’ office, and without warning had grabbed Wes by the collar of his shirt and put him against the wall.

It was random. That’s what they had told him. He was supposed to believe that Wes Ikeda, a man who tried to control everything, left a 32 man bracket to chance. That didn’t seem likely. That was the story he was given though. AJ Style’s name had been drawn out of a damn Detroit Tigers baseball hat, right after Edge, and Wes had been content to just let it happen. Adam and Wes hadn’t come to blows, Nicole and Natalie had managed to use a little rationality to calm the situation down. Adam, with an audience, had told Wes exactly what he thought of the match, and moreover what he thought Wes should do with his ideas, and then he’d left the arena to go home and stew about this for a while.

Sitting here now with Karlee, he wondered why he’d let his mind go back to that day last week. He was still angry. He didn’t even like to hear AJ Styles name, and now he had to look at him. That had been the last nail in the coffin for Adam’s relationship with Trish. They’d been rebuilding a friendship, and then this total piece of shit had shown up, all jealous and insecure, and that had been it. Adam mostly blamed Trish for that, but it was hard not to project a lot of that onto AJ, mostly because he was such a pompous asshole.

Randy Orton: Well, you’re deep in thought.

Adam looked up to find his best friend standing in the aisle. Karlee had turned her attention from the crew members on the stage, and outstretched her arms toward her dad. Randy took her from Adam’s lap.

[color=#00FF99>Randy Orton: Are you okay? I said your name a few times. You spaced out. [/color]

Adam Copeland: Just thinking about my match tonight. That’s all.

Randy Orton: Need anything from me?

Adam shook his head.

Randy Orton: Let me know if that changes. I’m going to take Karlee to get something to eat. Want to come?

Adam Copeland: No thanks. I’ll stay here and get ready.

Randy nodded and told Karlee to say goodbye to Adam. Then father and daughter were leaving, and Adam stayed behind, still lounging in his seat for a few minutes before he got up and went backstage. He was on his way to his locker room, thinking about taking a shower and maybe doing a stretch routine when he saw Renee Young coming toward him.

Renee Young: Adam! Adam, if I turn the camera on, can we do a quick thing for your match?

Adam Copeland: Sure, it’ll be real quick though.

Renne readied herself and Adam approached her. When the little red light lit up on the camera, Renee introduced herself and then asked Edge the obvious question.

Renee Young: Edge, how do you feel about AJ Styles and your match here tonight?

Edge bit his bottom lip, and then looked down at Renee, speaking into her microphone.

Edge: You can always count on the Rated R Superstar for a word on his match and his opponent, can’t you Renee? Well tonight? Tonight, I’m going to do all of my talking in the ring.

He gave her a smirk as if to say “See, told you it would be quick.” Then he walked away from her before she could even do her typical interview sign off. Adam was ready for a fight. It was just lucky he’d get to move on to the next round of the King of the Ring after he won.