The Abuse - Part II

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Jenny:  "Ashley! HEY ASHLEY!"

I hear Jenny yelling at me about something or other. I walk across the street to see her.

Ashley:  "Hey, what's up?"

Suddenly I see the man that she's with. Oh my god, it's my favourite wrestler in the world! Chuck Matthews! Oh my god!

Ashley:  "Oh my god! Jenny, is that?"

Jenny nods, and I get really excited.

Ashley:  "Jenny and I are huge fans!"

Jenny:  "We love you, Chuck!"

Chuck:  "Why?"

I look at him, slightly confused. Why else would we love him? Maybe he wasn't listening.

Ashley:  "Well...you're one of the best wrestlers in the world!"

Jenny:  "You're awesome! And he's totally hot, isn't he?"

Ashley:  "Jenny! He's standing right there!"

I watch as Chuck grins. He's probably used to girls saying that by now.

Chuck:  "I suppose you want me to sign something."

I nod my head and hand him a marker. I turn around and feel him sign his name on the back of my shirt. He does the same thing for Jenny.

Ashley:  "Wait...Chu-...uh...Mr. Matthews...Do you think we could walk with you a while? It's just..."

Chuck:  "Sure. Why not? Just don't expect me to pull and Crimson Skull pedophile bullshit."

I got really excited. Jenny and I walk behind Chuck as he walks down the street. This is better than anything I had ever dreamed of. Here was my favourite wrestler, and we were walking with him!

Chuck:  "So tell me a bit about yourselves. How old are you two?"

Ashley:  "Fifteen, sir."

Chuck:  "Stop the 'sir' crap right now. I hate that."

Ashley:  "Sorry."

There is silence for a few minutes as we walk walks.

Chuck:  "Well, come on! Let's hear some stuff. What is it teenage girls do these days?"

Jenny:  "Same old stuff, really. We like to go shopping. Hang out with friends. Play sports."

Chuck:  "What do you play?"

Jenny:  "Basketball for me. Ashley doesn't play."

Chuck:  "I guess sports aren't for everyone. How's life for you two?"

Jenny:  "We do the same things everyone else does. We go to school. We do our work. We have friends. Family...well..."

I stop. Why would Jenny start to bring this up? Especially in front of Chuck Matthews

Chuck:  "What do you mean, 'well?'"

Jenny:  "Ashley doesn't really have a family."

I watch Chuck raise an eyebrow.

Chuck:  "What? How do you not have a family?"

Jenny:  "Her parents died when she was six. She's lived in a foster home ever since."

I stare down at my feet. Why did Jenny have to bring this up. Of all the things to talk about, she had to bring up the one thing I hate the most.

Chuck:  "Well, that's still a family, isn't it? Just because they aren't related to you by blood doesn't mean they aren't family. A family is what you make it."

Jenny:  "Well, it's more complicated than that. Ashley's family doesn't like her much."

Shut up Jenny, I don't want to talk about this stuff!

Chuck:  "I see..."

Ashley:  "No you don't!"

I start to cry as Chuck looks over at me.

Ashley:  "They hate me. They say that they care, but they don't. They're never around. When they are, they fight. They trash the house, and they yell at me to clean it up. Sometimes they refuse to let me have food. I have to go out on my own and buy it for myself if I want to eat. They always call me rude names, and they always force me to do all the work and cleaning around the house. And if I don't do it exactly as they want..."

Suddenly I realize what I just said. I close my mouth and put my hand over it. I can't believe that I just told all this to a complete stranger.

Chuck:  "If you don't do it exactly as they want, what?"

I shove my hands into my pockets, and look at my feet.

Chuck:  "Ashley....let me see your hands."

I keep pushing my hands into my pockets. Chuck reaches and grabs one, and pulls it out. He pulls my sleeve back, and recoils at the sight of all the cuts and cruises that are on it.

Chuck:  "Why don't you call the police?"

Ashley:  "My dad tells me if I were to report him, he'd kill me."

Chuck:  "I understand."

Ashley:  "No you don't."

Chuck:  "You know, you're starting to sound a lot like Kaos. Who are you to tell me what I do and do not understand? Who are you to tell me what my life has been? It's people like you and Kaos that look at me, and see the way I live my life. You see confidence, fame, charisma, movie star good looks. You assume I have never had to work for anything, but you don't see just how wrong you are. My entire life hasn't been fine dining and gold toilets, you know. My ass wasn't wiped with silk as a baby. In fact, my entire life is a mirror image of my NLWF career. I started at the bottom of the barrel, and I worked my way up. I am the success that I am through my own stubborn effort. I busted my ass to get where I am, and I truly feel that justifies a little bit of an ego. But for people like Kaos, to tell me I've never known what it's like to suffer? To overcome adversity? I would go so far as to say it's a bit ignorant. I know just as well as anyone else, if not more, what it's like to fight through hardship. I won't stand for-"

Suddenly, for some unknown reason to me, I reach out and wrap my arms around Chuck's neck, and sob in his shoulder. I cry there for a moment, hugging him, before I come to my senses. I let go of him and move back.

Ashley:  "Oh my god...I'm so sorry."

I immediately start to blush and turn around to walk away quickly. I can hear Jenny chasing after me.

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Brandon: "Wow. That would have been cool"

Ashley: "I loved wrestling. Chuck was my favourite. It was weird, because I did think he was good looking at the time. But obviously, it's just weird now"

Brandon: "Yeah, I'll bet. I guess you weren't big into UFC huh?"

Brandon laughed and nudged her a bit. She laughed back

Ashley: "Not as much. Although I did know who you were"

Brandon: "No shit?"

Ashley: "Yeah. I saw you at an autograph signing once. You guys were in town, because you were fighting someone in at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. I forget who"

Brandon: "Oh yeah. I was fighting Keith Jardine. I remember that actually. I tapped him out"

Ashley: "Yeah. I just remember walking by with Jenny, and seeing you signing autographs. I didn't know who you were so Jenny and I went on Youtube, which was still sort of new back then. And we found some cool video highlights of you. But I didn't really think much of it, because you were never on TV, and the Jameson's would never buy a pay-per-view for me"

Brandon: "Wow, that's pretty funny that you knew who I was though"

Ashley: "Yeah, I remember you coming into the NLWF, and I was like, 'wow, I remember this guy from when I was like, fifteen'"

Brandon: "It's a small world I guess"

Ashley: "So true"

Brandon: "Anyways, back to Chuck"

Ashley: "Right. So..."

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I hear someone knock at the door. I slowly peek around the corner to see Bill open it. Chuck is standing in the doorway. I can't believe that he's here, but I don't want him to see me like this. I listen to the conversation and watch from a distance.

Bill:  "What do you want?"

Chuck frowns.

Chuck:  "I'm here to talk to you about-"

Chuck is cut off as Bill slams the door in his face. Chuck knocks again.

Bill:  "Go away!"

Chuck:  "I just want to talk."

Bill:  "You have no business here. Leave!"

Chuck:  "It's about your daughter!"

The door opens.

Bill:  "Come in, please. I'm sorry."

I can see Chuck walking in to the house. He goes to sit down on the old crappy couch. The springs have been broken for years. I can tell that he also notices it when he sits down. I stay behind the wall, but try to listen to them

Bill:  "So, uh....about Ashley, you say?"

I can hear Elise walk into the room as well.

Elise: "Bill, did Ash- Oh...who's this?"

Bill:  "He's here to talk to us about Ashley."

I watch as Elise sits on the arm of the chair, and puts her hand over her chest.

Elise:  "Oh, whatever that little monster did, I'm terribly sorry."

Chuck raises his hands.

Chuck:  "It's okay, really. She didn't do anything wrong."

Bill and Elise sigh in unison.

Bill:  "Well, what's there to talk about? She didn't win an award, did she?"

Chuck:  "No, no, sorry."

I watch as Bill mutters something under his breath. Elise simply stares at Chuck.

Elise: "You look familiar..."

Bill looks at Chuck and shrugs.

Bill:  "So...What exactly is it you wanted to speak to us about?"

Chuck:  "Well, truth be told, Mr. Jameson...I met your daughter a few days ago in Miami-"

Bill:  "ASHLEY!"

I hear Bill call my name. Fearing for more abuse, I quickly enter the room and stand in front of Bill. I can see Chuck looking at me. He's probably wondering why I'm all dirty and gross now, compared to when he saw me a few days ago.

Ashley:  "What is it?"

Bill:  "Were you in Miami a few days ago?"

I can feel the color drain from my face. I can't lie, but I know what'll happen if I tell the truth. I don't want Chuck do see this.

Ashley:  "Yes..."

Bill stands up and walks over to me. He slaps me hard in the face, knocking me to the ground.

Chuck:  "Hey!"

Bill:  "What have I told you about sneaking out? Is that why you didn't get your work done? Too busy with that whore friend of yours?"

I look up and Bill hits me again, this time harder. I can feel the tears coming. I see him go to hit me a third time, and I close me eyes. But the blow never comes. I open one eye, and see Chuck grasping his arm tightly

Bill:  "What are you doing?"

Chuck:  "What has she done wrong?"

I just stare at Chuck. I can't believe he's doing this for me. He doesn't even know me!

Elise:  "I know who you are! You're that wrestler! The one Ashley loves so much!"

I can feel myself start to blush

Bill:  "Is this true? What is a celebrity doing in our house?"

Ashley:  "I...I don't know."

Bill:  "You lying little bitch..."

Bill stomps on my arm, and I scream out in pain. I lay on the ground as Bill grabs a lamp from the table. I feel him start to smash it against my body, anywhere that he can hit. The tears are flowing freely now, and I'm screaming out in pain. Suddenly, the lamp is dropped beside me. I wipe my eyes for a moment, just in time to see Chuck twist and snap Bill's arm. The two of them scuffle a little more, before they both go crashing into the TV, and I watch as it falls on Bill's head, knocking him out. I can feel my eyes closing on their own now. Suddenly, I'm picked up by strong arms. I can feel myself being carried out of the house. It must be Chuck.

Ashley:  "Mr....Mr. Matthews...."

Chuck:  "Shhh....It's alright."

I can feel Chuck strapping me into the seat of his car. I can't even keep my eyes open anymore. I just close them, and the last thing I remember is feeling the car start to drive away.

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Brandon: "Wow. That's amazing"

Ashley: "Chuck Matthews saved my life. I would have died in that house if I had stayed there for too long. He gave me clothes, a house, school, everything. He gave me a life. That's why I love him so much. I know he's an asshole, and there have been times where I've thought that I hated him, but I can never really hate him for anything he's done. He's the closest thing I've ever had to a real dad"

Brandon: "Wow. I never knew how much he did for you"

Ashley: "Yeah. I trust my dad a lot. There's very few things I keep from him, and he's the same with me. Obviously, neither of us told the other about you and Anna. But that's really it"

Brandon: "Yeah. I'm sorry you had to go through all that Ashley"

Ashley: "It's okay. I learned a lot, and I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't go through it"

Brandon: "Can I ask you how your parent's died?"

Ashely: "I don't know. I was told by the Jameson's that they were dead. I never questioned them. I asked dad to do some research on them, to see if he could find any Borden's who could be my parents. He said he only found the death records of my mom and dad. I've never really given them too much thought. They died when I was so young. I never knew them"[/color]

Brandon thought for a moment. He didn't really want to show Ashley the tape. But he felt he had to. She needed to know the truth. He didn't want to be like the Jameson's or like Chuck. He had to tell her.

Brandon: "Ashley. There's something...I want you to listen to"

He pulled out the tape recorder from his pocket and handed to to Ashley.

Ashley: "What is this?"

Brandon sighed.

Brandon: "This is your dads. It was on the front seat of his car. I thought it might have to do with Anna, so I took it and listened to it. You need to listen to it. It'll be hard, but just sit through it. I'm right here for you"

Ashley: "What the hell is it Brandon?"

Brandon: "You just need to listen to it"

Ashley looked at him confused. She took the tape and pressed play. Chuck's voice began to play again. Brandon squeezed Ashley's hand tightly. He waited for Chuck to mention Ashley's dad, which happened early on. He could feel Ashley's body deflate a bit when she heard him say that. He looked at her, and she had this empty look in her eyes. She stared off into space a little bit. Brandon saw a small tear form and start to roll down her cheek. He reached up and wiped it off. He hugged her tightly, and she suddenly buried her head into his shoulder. He just sat there for a bit, rubbing her back, until she eventually sat up.

Ashley: "I-I-I can't believe it"

Brandon: "I couldn't believe it either"

Ashley: "My dad is still alive"

Brandon: "He is"

Ashley: "And Chuck has been hiding him from me this whole time!"

Brandon: "Maybe he didn't want to risk losing you to your real dad"

Ashley: "Still! That doesn't give him any reason to hide my dad from me! I'm his own daughter for Christ's sake!"

Brandon: "I know, I don't agree with what Chuck did at all, but you have to see his side of the story"

Ashley: "No I don't! Too long I've put up with crap from Chuck because he saved my life, and he was my dad. He slept with my best friend! The women he's had home with him! But now I find out that I could've seen my real dad, talked to him, not thought he was dead! This is the last straw"

Brandon: "What are you gonna do?"

Ashley: "What are we going to do. We're together now, remember?"

Brandon: "Yeah, I know that. But I didn't think this really involved me"

Ashley: "Of course it does! You're my boyfriend, and if I go confront my fake dad to meet my real dad, I need you to be by my side"

Brandon: "Okay. But only because you asked so nicely"

Ashley: "Thanks. Next chance we get, we're going straight to see dad, well, not dad, so I can find out what the fuck he was thinking!"

Brandon hugged Ashley tightly, as she buried her head in his shoulder again. He couldn't imagine the mix of emotions she must be feeling. The happiness that her real father is alive and looking for her. The sadness that she hasn't met him yet. The anger that Chuck was keeping her from him. He just couldn't imagine. But he would help her through this. Because they were in it together now. No more secrets, no more hiding. They were Brandon and Ashley. And that's the way it would stay. Forever.