The Game Plan
By Shelly

"Great match, Taylor," Alex Shelley called as Taylor Wilde exited the tunnel. She was out of breath as she dabbed at her forehead with a towel.

Alex and his partner Chris Sabin were waiting for their match. Samoa Joe was leaning against the wall playing with his large Samoan knife. The three men had watched Taylor take on Daffney.

"Thanks, Alex," she smiled. She turned her attention Alex’s best friend and tag team partner and flashed him a smile.

Sabin’s breath caught in his throat and he forgot who he was for a moment. When he finally came to his senses she was gone. Alex and Joe were chuckling and shaking their heads at him.

"What?"

"You’re such a loser," Joe laughed.

"Why," Sabin demanded.

"Because you just zoned out on Taylor," Alex replied. "She was smiling at you and you went all deer in headlights."

Sabin groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I can’t help it," he whined. "I see her and I forget how to think let alone speak."

"Like I said, loser," Joe chuckled.

"You guys gotta help me," Sabin begged.

"No," Alex chuckled shaking his head. "Not opening that can of worms."

"Joe?"

"No."

"Come on, man," Sabin whined.

"No."

"How about if I…wash your car for a month," Sabin asked.

Joe shot him a look. "I catch you anywhere near my car I’ll castrate you," Joe replied.

"What if I make you breakfast in bed for a…"

"NO!" Joe glared at him. "And before you come up with anything else. No. No. No. And oh yeah…NO."

"But I need help," Sabin whined. "Please Joe!"

"No. No. A thousand times NO!"

"But my love life depends on this," Sabin groaned.

Alex snickered. "What love life?"

"Exactly…HEY!" He glowered at Alex. "That was low." Alex held up his hands, still chuckling.

"FUCK YOUR LOVE LIFE," Joe exclaimed. He turned his attention to Alex. "FUCK YOUR JOKES!" He turned back to Sabin. "FUCK TAYLOR WILDE!"

"He’d like to," Alex interjected. Joe glared at him. "Shutting up now."

"Most importantly, Chris, FUCK YOU!" With that Joe stalked off.

Down the hall as Joe stalked by Daniels came out of a locker room. "Hey, buddy," he called seeing Joe coming.

Joe didn’t even look as he aimed a punch at his friend. His fist landed right in the jewels and Daniels’ knees buckled and he doubled over, rasping for air.

"That has got to hurt," Greg cringed, coming upon the scene just as Joe punched the bald man. He tugged his girlfriend Sojourner Bolt along behind him.

"It does," Daniels replied, his voice several octaves higher than normal.

"Can I get you anything, buddy," Greg asked, holding out his hand to Daniels. The older man accepted it, pulling himself up from the floor.

"I’m the one who needs help," Sabin exclaimed.

"I’m fine," Daniels groaned. He glared at Sabin a moment before hobbling off.

"What do you need help with now," Greg sighed, knowing that if Joe was that mad Sabin had to have pissed him off.

"Honey, what doesn’t he need help with," Sojo asked with a chuckle.

"Sojo! You’re a woman," Sabin exclaimed.

"Thanks for noticing," she replied rolling her eyes at him.

"What can I do to get Taylor to notice me," Sabin asked.

Sojo thought a moment. "Well, you need to grow about a foot. Wash your hair more than once a month." She gave him the once over. "And…yeah that should be a start."

"I wash my hair more than once a month," Sabin pouted, examining a strand of his hair.

Sojo just chuckled, shaking her head. "Boy, you are pitiful." She grabbed Greg’s hand. "Let’s go, baby."

"Oh yeah, well…so’s your face," Sabin called. Sojo just shook her head, not even glancing back at him.

"Dude, why’s this chick getting to you? You’ve always been so good with women," Alex asked.

"I don’t know," Sabin groaned.

"Remember that one time at that club Jay dragged us to," Alex snickered. "The music was throbbing and you danced up to this chick and was like…"

Sabin began to dance, remembering the night in question and the music that had been playing. "I was like ‘sup baby girl," he said smiling. "Let me get your number."

"So, go do that to Taylor," Alex encouraged.

Sabin was still dancing when he heard the sound of giggling. Turning around he spotted Taylor talking with Daffney. Both women were watching him dance and giggling. Sabin felt the blush creeping into his cheeks and took off in the opposite direction.

"Buddy! We got a run in to do," Alex exclaimed.

Sabin paid no attention as he rounded the corner, colliding with someone. The loud scream and drawl laced cursing alerted him that it was AJ styles. He had been carrying a cup of hot coffee and was now wearing said liquid all over his face.

"My face," AJ exclaimed, fanning on the scalded flesh.

"AJ! You’re married, right? You gotta help me get Taylor," Sabin said ignoring the angry and hurt Georgian in front of him.

"Are you kidding me?! You just burned the flesh off my face," AJ exclaimed. He took off toward the medical room.

Sabin groaned, leaning against a door. He let out a yelp when the door opened and he fell inward. He was caught and righted before he could land on the ground.

"You all right, Chris," Frankie Kazarian asked. "What were you doing leaning against the door?"

"FRANKIE!" The older man jumped at the exclaimation. "You have to help me!"

"Who’d you piss off this time," Frankie asked with a sigh.

"What? No one," Sabin said confused. He shook his head. "I need your help to get Taylor."

"Get Taylor to do what," Traci asked, joining the men at the doorway.

"To go out with me," Sabin replied as if she had asked a stupid question.

"Oh how cute! You have a crush on Taylor," Traci smiled.

"It’s not a crush," Sabin said annoyed with her. "I’m in love."

"Have you even spoken to the woman, Chris," Frankie asked.

"No, but that’s besides the point," Sabin replied. "So, will you help me?"

"Let me think…No," Frankie replied, brushing past him. "You coming, babe?"

"Traci, please," Sabin said getting down on his knees. "I’m a desperate man!"

"I can see that," she replied. "Look, she’s a friend of mine, Chris. Just talk to her. Ask her out. I’m sure she’ll say yes." She gave him a pat on the back before going to catch up with her fiancé.

"Talk to her," Sabin sighed. "Easier said than done."

He turned to walk away and came face to face with Taylor. She held out her hands to prevent him from bowling her over. A nervous giggle escaped her lips.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "I must have my head in the clouds or something."

Sabin opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out besides gibberish.

"He’s sorry," Alex said swooping in to make the save. "He wasn’t paying attention either.

Sabin continued to sputter. Taylor quirked a brow, looking from Alex to Sabin.

"Well, I’m going to shower," she said with a shrug.

"PRETTY LADY," Sabin exclaimed out of nowhere.

Taylor cringed, practically deafened by his words. "Thanks…I think," she said and scurried off before Sabin could speak again.

"What’s wrong with me," Sabin groaned, slouching into the wall.

"You want the long or the short list," Shelly asked with a chuckle as she walked hand in hand with Matt Morgan. The big man chuckled.

"Actually, babe, it’s a short list," he said. "He’s a loser." He saw Kurt Angle waving him over down the hall. "I gotta go." He gave her a quick kiss and jogged off.

"Your boyfriend is a dick," Sabin pouted.

"Chris, we gotta get out there soon," Alex informed him.

"Don’t listen to Matt," Shelly said. "You’re not a loser. I was just teasing about the list. I think it’s sweet that you have a crush on Taylor."

"It’s not a crush!"

"No, it’s more like an obsession," Alex quipped. Sabin glared at him. "What color nail polish did she wear last week?"

"Pink with yellow polka dots," Sabin replied without thinking.

"I rest my case," Alex said.

"Guns, you’re on," someone called to them.

"Go do what you gotta do and when you get back I’ll give you some pointers," Shelly said.

Sabin sighed and following his partner out to the ring.


When he got back from the run in he found out that Taylor had left for the night. Dejectedly he went to find Shelly.

"We have a taping tomorrow night too," Shelly consoled him. "You can sweep her off her feet then."

"You really think so," Sabin asked.

Shelly slung her arm around Sabin’s shoulder, a wide smile on her face. "I definitely think so."

The next night when Sabin showed up he carried with him a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers. He walked into the Impact Zone nervously glancing around for the woman he desired.

He spotted her talking with Traci. Finding his nerve he headed in her direction.

"Taylor," he called, smiling nervously at her. "Can I…uh…talk to you?"

"Sure, Chris," Taylor replied excusing herself from Traci. She followed him down the hall a bit. "Are those for me," she asked seeing the flowers and candy.

"Yeah," Sabin said remembering that he was carrying them.

"That’s so sweet," she said accepting the flowers. When she brought them to her nose to sniff them she realized that they were plastic. "Plastic?"

"They’ll last longer than real ones," Sabin replied. He handed over the box of chocolates.

"It’s open," Taylor said opening the box and finding them half eaten. "You really suck at this."

"Well, if you’re on a diet then just think of it as me helping you out," he replied with a small smile.

"Are you saying I’m fat," Taylor demanded. She shoved the box back into his hand and tossed the flowers at him.

"NO! I’m not saying that at all. Taylor! Please don’t go," he begged. "You’re right. I suck at this." He groaned as she continued to walk away. "Remember what Shelly said. Be honest. Here goes nothing."

"I think you’re beautiful, Taylor," he called out. She stopped walking, but didn’t turn toward him. "You’re so beautiful that I can’t think straight when you’re around. I make an ass out myself."

She turned back to him, her face unreadable.

"I’d like it if you’d give me a chance. I promise you won’t regret it."

She walked back toward him slowly. She was not smiling, but she wasn’t scowling either. The look in her eyes was that of someone deeply touched by his words.

"You mean it," she asked. "You think I’m beautiful?" Sabin nodded.

"So, will you go out with me," he asked, hoping he wasn’t pressing his luck.

"I better not regret this or I’ll kill you," she said, but she was smiling.

"You won’t. I promise," Sabin smiled. He was on cloud nine as he headed to his locker room. He passed Shelly on the way and gave her a big thumbs up.