This is a scene from the original rough draft of Follow My Heart. Completely unedited and raw. This was one of the stories written at the very beginning of my journey. It still amazes me how much my writing has evolved.
Rough Draft History: In the beginning, this story took place in the United States. The girls lived in a small town in South Carolina.
Rough Draft History: In the rough draft version, named Twitter Me, the story follows two couples. It wouldn’t be split into two stories until a year later. The end result: Follow My Heart and Game Changer.
Ethan nervously paced the lobby of the hotel he was staying in. He had been so excited about finally meeting Hillary that he had almost tossed Seyer out of the ring during their match that night when he was only supposed to be tossing him to the mat from his attitude adjustment move. Seyer stood with him as he waited.
“Relax man.”
“I’m relaxed. I’m relaxed.”
Seyer laughed. He had known a long time and had never seen him nervous. Even when he was first starting in the wwe he had not been so nervous when he was meeting his heroes.
Two girls walked in and looked around.
“Is that them?” Seyer asked not moving from the wall.
“I think so. They look like they are looking for someone.”
“So, which one is Hillary?”
“I don’t know man her picture is this big on line.” Ethan held his fingers a part only a little.
The two girls caught sight of them and walked their way. One of them was tall and dark haired and wore all black. She looked like she had just walked wore a leather jacket and wore thick black eyeliner on her eyes. The other was a little shorter with blonde hair and was had on a pretty blue sundress. The only jewelry she wore was a heart shaped locket around her neck which she played with.
“Hillary?” When they got closer Ethan recognized Hillary from her picture. He stepped forward and gave her a small hug. “You’re beautiful.” He closed his eyes and felt like smacking himself. It was not what he had wanted to say, but she had him searching for words.
“Thanks.” Hillary said meekly looking at her feet. She knew her cheeks were turning red and she couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. “This is Tori.”
Tori stood by unphased by Ethan and Seyer’s presence. No one ever intimidated her and she never saw famous people as any better than normal people. “They just have better jobs.” That was what she had always said.
“The famous Tori.” Ethan attempted to give her a hug as well.
“Whoa stud.” Tori threw her hands up.
Ethan laughed and took Hillary’s hand. He gave her a big smile. “This is Seyer.”
Seyer stepped closer and nodded.
“Hi. Nice to meet you.” Hillary shook his hand.
“You too.” Seyer then held his hand out to Tori.
“Hi.” Tori said but she didn’t shake his hand.
“Okay.” Seyer said sarcastically. “This should be fun.” He walked past Ethan toward the door and whispered. “You owe me big time.” Ethan laughed and he followed him out holding Hillary’s hand.
“So, Where are we going?” They were taking Hillary’s car and men rode in the back seat.
“Well, there is a place close to were we live that is nice. but its a good ride from here.”
“Wait. I thought you were from Greenville?”
“Great, we’re going to be kidnapped.” Seyer muttered and Ethan poked him in the side.
“I was. I moved a few months ago and I never changed it on Twitter. We live about forty minutes from here now.”
“Oh, hell I don’t have any problem with riding.” Ethan threw an arm around her.
They drove to a nice restaurant that was built on the edge of Hartwell Lake. It had a large porch on the back that overlooked the water. The party lights lit up all around it made it even more magical. They were the only ones there that night.
“Is this place open?”
“Relax , No one wants to kidnap you.” Tori snorted and got out of the car.
“I love this place.” Hillary told them as they walked. “It’s never really busy on Monday nights. I don’t like to come here when it’s busy.”
“Oh. You don’t’ like crowds much.” Ethan asked.
“I don’t mind them, but sometimes I like to sit and read or look at the water without distractions.”
“I like to do that too.”
They chose a table that was near a big picture window with a great view of the lake. Hillary and Ethan sat close together laughing and talking. They seemed to forget that Seyer and Tori was with them.
“You want to dance or something.” Seyer asked finally. “Give them a minute alone.”
Tori rolled her eyes and tried to ignore Seyer. She didn’t hide the fact that she was the opposite of his biggest fan and wouldn’t give him a chance to show he had a personality besides what she saw on TV.
Hillary gave her a look that she knew meant she wanted to have a minute alone with Ethan she finally let out a deep, annoyed breath and stood up. She grabbed Seyer’s hand and jerked him up. “Come on.”
Seyer followed her and they danced to a slow song that played. Seyer attempted to pull her close but Tori stiffened making him stay at arms length away from her.
Ethan stared at the black headed girl. She was so different from Hillary. Tori boarded on being Gothic without the black lipstick while Hillary looked like she could teach Sunday school.
“You and Tori are very close huh?”
“The closest.” Hillary replied. Ethan laughed. “What is so funny.”
“Nothing. Nothing. It’s just.” he held his hand out and ran it back and forth between where Tori was and Hillary sat. “How?”
“We met in school.” Hillary new he was asking the same question she had been asked a hundred times. How did two girls so different from each other end up being best friends. “Let’s just say she got crazier as we grew up and I didn’t”
“Should I be worried.”
“Maybe about Seyer.” Hillary kidded. “She really doesn’t like him.”
“I don’t think Seyer likes her much either.” Ethan said looking at how awkward his friend looked on the dance floor with a girl who detested him. “I don’t think he has ever met a girl who wasn’t crazy about him.”
“Oh.” Hillary laughed. “Well, if there is one thing Tori is good at, it’s knocking someone down a peg or two.”
“Seyer could stand to be taken down a few steps.” Ethan kidded and held his hands out away from his head to show how big he thought Seyer’s head was.
The song ended and Seyer nodded for Tori to sit at a table near the one they had shared with Ethan and Hillary.
“Let’s give them a moment alone.” Tori reluctantly sat with him at a booth, but was happy to see her friend happy. She drank a beer down in almost one gulp.
“So, do you have a problem with wrestlers in general…or is it just me?” Seyer asked after they had sat in silence for a while. He motioned for the waitress to bring them another round.
“No, there are more on my list.”
“Really, well is there anyone in Muxlin you can’t stand more than me.”
“Well, If you and the Shawn O’Malley were in a match.” Tori took a sip of her beer. “I would pull for you then.”
“Good to know.” Seyer smiled.
Tori took off her jacket to reveal her bare, tanned arms and a rocker tee with spaghetti straps. She had a barbed wire tattoo around the top of her left arm with roses entwined around it. The shirt hugged her tight and he found her very attractive. She was different. She did her own thing and didn’t care what anyone thought. “They look good together.”
“Yeah.” Tori agreed. “But if he hurts her, I’m going to kick his ass.”
Seyer almost spit out his beer.
“Yeah, I’d like to see that. You do watch wrestling right?”
“Oh, please there is a big difference between a real fight and what you guys do in the ring. I know its fake.”
“Not all of it.”
“Right. Hell, from what I can see you can’t even do that right. I can see you pulling your punches.”
“What the hell would you know about it?”
“Plenty, I used to wrestle once.”
“Oh, I see.”
“See what.”
“You’re just bitter because you weren’t good enough to get out of the minors.”
“I could have gone anywhere I wanted.”
“Sure you could.” Seyer mocked.
“You’re so cocky Seyer Stone!” Tori stood up.
Hillary and Ethan looked their way because both of them were getting loud.
“Oh, and you’re just a pleasure to be around.” Seyer stood toe to toe with her.
“You’re just mad because not every girl wants to go to bed with you.”
“You think I really care if you don’t find me attractive. Please, like it would hurt my feelings. I could have any girl I want.”
“Of course you would have to have one night stands , because every girl you sleep with probably finds you a big disappointment!”
Seyer cupped her face in his hands forcefully and kissed her hard on the lips. Something about her toughness turned him on more than he had ever been in his life.
Hillary’s mouth dropped.
“I think Seyer just started world war three.” she gasped.
Tori jerked away from Seyer and delivered a hard slap across his cheek sending his head reeling back. Seyer licked his lips and slowly turned back to her. Again he grabbed her and kissed her hard and Tori shoved him away. She lurched at him angrily.
Ethan and Hillary hurried over to them pulling them apart.
“Stop!” Ethan yelled. “Both of you!” Tori fumed and her eyes looked like she could set Seyer on fire just by looking at him.
Seyer was confused. He was mad and attracted to her at the same time.
“Let’s…go to the bathroom.” Hillary said softly. Tori followed her.
“Yeah, run away!” Seyer called after her. Tori turned around long enough to shoot him a bird and continued on her way.
“That asshole!” Tori yelled when they got to the bathroom.
“What happened?” Hillary knew that Tori had her reasons for being hateful, especially with guys.
“He kissed me.”
“Well I saw that.” Hillary smiled. “How was it?”
Tori laughed at her friend then got serious.
“Awful. Just like his wrestling.” she said but Hillary didn’t buy it. “I’m sorry Hillary. I didn’t mean to ruin your night.”
“You didn’t. Ethan is great. I’m glad you talked me into coming tonight. I really wish you would take your own advice.”
“Hillary, I don’t need a man in my life.” Tori said looking at herself in the mirror.
“Look you are always telling me not to let one asshole ruin my life. When are you going to stop letting Rey ruin yours?”
“It’s different.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Hillary, you don’t know…”
“I don’t know? Tori I’m your best friend. I know exactly how awful it was.”
Tori took a deep breath. She knew her friend was right.
“It’s too soon.” She forced a smile, then pushed herself off the wall. “Come on. Your date is waiting for you.”
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