Come and place ya bets

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Off Camera

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Winning is what matters in professional wrestling.  It doesn't matter how you win or who you have to beat, all that matters is that you keep on winning in order to keep on bringing in a good paycheck.  That's the way many of these spectacular athletes view the sport.

Jessica Lasiewicz was raised differently.  She comes from two proud wrestling families, the Jones family and the Lasiewicz family, and both of them have drilled a particular set of values into her head and those are values of competition.  Those competitive values refuse to allow her to just accept any victory.

The Morning Star recently defeated Harmony Fisher and many view that win as the singular win that propelled her into a championship match against Dawn Lohan at Under Attack.  Jessica doesn't agree with them.  Not to disrespect Harmony, but for Jessica this was just one match, one victory over a span of several months that saw her go up and down in her SCW career.  One small victory in the grand scheme of things does not equal a title match, in the eyes of Lasiewicz.

Jessica believes that, if the truth were told, she is really just filler.  Dawn Lohan needs an opponent and Jessica is that opponent.  Jessica also understands that there is a difference between the role of challenger and the role of the opponent.  She understands the role that the opponent plays.  The challenger is a serious threat to the championship while an opponent is just placed there to give the champion an opportunity to have a good title defense, but the opponent is not expected to actually win.

Lasiewicz refuses to be just an opponent.  She cannot afford to just be an opponent because she knows that this is not just any normal women's championship match.  Dawn Lohan, the SCW Women's Champion, also holds the SCW World Championship as well.  Defeating Dawn to become SCW Women's Champion would show the SCW universe that she is a legitimate contender to the SCW World Championship as well.

And yet she knows that no one really expects her to win.  Who has she beaten recently?  Harmony Fisher.  That's it.  Jessica knows full well that she is merely filler in this match and that's it.  Dawn Lohan is expected to win.  The question everyone asks is whether or not Dawn will have enough left to defend the world title against Kelcey Wallace later on in the evening.

It's up to Jessica Lasiewicz to prove the entire wrestling world wrong.  It's up to her to prove that she is not just an opponent, that she is a challenger and a legitimate threat to defeat Dawn and become SCW Women's Champion.

It's that time of day between the night and day.  The day has just ended and yet the nighttime has not quite begun yet.  The sun has just begun to go down in Oakland, California and two lovely ladies are walking down the sidewalk.  One of the women is wearing black denim jeans, black boots, and a dark gray hoodie.  Her long raven black hair hangs freely and unrestrained to shoulder length.  This woman is Jessica Lasiewicz, The Morning Star.

Next to her, walking in stride, is her best friend Candra Stevens, better known to her friends as Candi.  Stevens is slightly taller than Jessica but her hair is the same shade of black, pulled into a ponytail in the back.  She is wearing khaki shorts and a Duke Blue Devils t-shirt.

“This is so awesome!”

Candi's face is lit up like a Christmas tree with excitement.  Jessica, on the other hand, remains somber, almost stoic.

“What's awesome about it?” Jessica asks.

“Are you kidding?”

Candra seems legitimately surprised that Jessica would ask this question.  The young Stevens reaches into her pocket and produces two tickets and waves them out proudly.

“Tickets!  Tickets to Breakdown and tickets to Under Attack!”

Lasiewicz nods her head knowingly. “You're welcome...”

“Thanks!” Candi says, stopping long enough to turn and embrace her friend with a tight hug. “You really are great people, Jess, and you deserve this opportunity.”

Jessica sighs deeply. “I'm not sure I agree with you.”

Lasiewicz may have defeated Harmony Fisher on a recent edition of Breakdown but she doesn't believe that one win, no matter who it is against, is enough to make her a true challenger for the SCW Women's Championship in the eyes of the wrestling world.  She truly believes that she is just an opponent in the eyes of the wrestling world.  She believes that she is just an opponent.  It is up to her to prove to herself and to everyone, but most importantly herself, that she is worthy of this opportunity.

“You have done a lot for this sport.” Candi says, smiling pleasantly. “How can you or anyone say that you don't deserve to be where you are?”

“It's a championship match, Candi.” Jessica responds.  “What have I done, who have I really beaten, to earn this chance to fight the women's champion Dawn Lohan, who also happens to be the world champion?”

“That's irrelevant.” Candi remarks shortly. “You have this opportunity now, an opportunity not just to win a title but to defeat the world champion.  Make the most of it, babe!”

“Don't you think I know that?!” Jessica snaps back. “I know exactly what this means.  I know what it means to fight for a title, I know what beating the world champion would mean to my career.  My mother and father drilled that into my head from the moment I was born.  I don't need a lecture on that.”

Jessica's eyes are flaring angrily.  Candra stares at her and then lowers her head, sighing sorrowfully, sadly.

“I'm sorry, Jess.” She says quietly. “I didn't mean to upset you.”

The grief and sadness from her best friend's voice causes the cold heart of Jessica Lasiewicz to melt away.  She softens and shakes her head.

“No, don't apologize.” She retorts. “It was my fault.  I just think the pressure is just getting to me.”

“It's ok,” Candra places a hand upon Jessica's shoulder “I can only attempt to understand the kind of pressure you're facing right now.”

Jessica is under a lot of pressure.  Sure, her professional wrestling career as a whole is doing fine.  She just won a world championship in Global Championship Wrestling.  But as far as Supreme Championship Wrestling is concerned, her career has been an up and down roller coaster.  She came to SCW specifically to fight Silas Mason and fight for her mother's freedom from Silas Mason.  That war kept her busy and unable to focus on her own success.  Once the war was over and Silas was vanquished she was able to focus on her own career but she hasn't been able to get a real foothold.

She lost a battle royal at Apocalypse, she lost to Dylan Howell, and then most recently she finally did defeat Harmony Fisher.  And yet somehow she finds herself in position to fight Dawn Lohan for the SCW Women's Championship at Under Attack.  Jessica realizes how important this is for her career, because she may not get another chance at the gold if she fails.  At the very least, she has to prove that she is a legitimate threat.

“Thanks.” Jessica says with a small smile upon her face.

“Good, now let's not dwell on that,” Candra points forward “we're here.”

Candra Stevens is pointing up ahead to a sign, a local bar off in the distance.  Candra is the first to grin and then Jessica.  They share knowing looks.

“Shall we?”

“Yes, let's...”

They pick up the pace as they walk with a determination towards the bar.  It isn't long until they reach the bar, turn right, and then they enter the bar.  It is a sports bar and several television sets are tuned in, some to Fox Sports and others to ESPN and some are tuned in to some of the early games.

No one seems to notice Jessica or Candra as they enter.  Their attention is focused on the food and television and other entertainment that this sports bar provides.  Jessica and Candra make their way towards the front of the bar.  Jessica sits down on a stool and Candra sits down next to her.  The bartender approaches them.

“What can I get you ladies to drink?”

“Two beers.” Jessica answers back, motioning to herself and Candra. “I'm buying.”

The bartender nods and then walks off to fill the order.  Candra then looks at Jessica with wide eyes.

“Gee, thanks Jess...”

Jessica shakes her head. “Think nothing of it.”

A few moments later, the bartender returns with the drinks, placing one in front of Jessica and the other in front of Candra.  Stevens holds her glass up for a toast.

“A toast, to my bestie, Jessica Lasiewicz!  May she bring yet another championship to Duke!”

Jessica chuckles lightly as she holds up the glass and clinks it with Candra's glass.

“Here, here!”

The two ladies take a drink and then set their drinks down.

“Speaking of Duke,” Candra begins “with your career taking off in GCW, and the possibility of your SCW career taking off after Under Attack, is it safe to say your days as a Duke Blue Devils cheerleader are over?”

Jessica shrugs her shoulders. “Can't say for certain.  Nothing when it comes to me is certain but what I will say is that my priorities are set and...”

Her voice trails off.  Candra nods her head somberly.

“...and I take it cheerleading is NOT at the top of the priority list, is it?”

Jessica shakes her head. “No, Candi, it isn't.  Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry, Jess.” Candra retorts. “You've done so much for me, so much that I cannot possibly begin to repay you.”

“We helped one another.” Jessica answers back as she tips her glass back and takes another sip of her beer. “Or should I remind you of how you helped me through a dark time in my life?”

Candra laughs. “Yeah, you were none too happy were you?”

“What's more important to me is you.” Jessica stares at her intently. “How are you dealing with your father?”

When Candra and Jessica first met it was by chance at a Duke Basketball game.  Jessica was in a dark place at the time and Candra helped her through it.  They became fast friends and, as a result, Jessica was convinced to join the cheerleading squad with Candra.  Later on Jessica learned of a difficult, dark situation that Candra was going through.  Simply put, she was being abused by her father.  Jessica helped Candra gain the courage to deal with her father and, eventually, walk away from her father altogether.

“Remember when you stood up to him that one night in Durham?”

Jessica nods her head. “Yeah...”

“Well he never did come around me for a long time after that...until recently...”

Immediately Lasiewicz puts her beer down.  She remembers how abusive Candra's father was.  She stares at Candra intensely.

“What happened?”

“Surprisingly nothing.” Candra says cheerfully. “Dad seemed legitimately sorry for what happened between us and how he had been treating me.  He wants to reconcile.”

Jessica stares at Candra skeptically. “You didn't reconcile with him, did you?”

“No, not yet,” she shakes her head “but I think I want to.”

“Candra...”

“No, Jess, listen.” Candra says quickly, interrupting her. “My dad seems sincere.  He's put himself into a program to help him treat his alcohol addiction.  He's also in an anger management program.  He seems real sincere.”

Jessica sighs. “People can fake these things very easily, Candi.”

“I know but I don't think he's faking.  Besides,” she points a finger at Jessica “doesn't YOUR father have anger management problems worse than anyone else?”

“Yes, yes he does, but the difference is my father never laid a hand on me.”

Jessica places a hand upon Candra's shoulders. “Look, just be careful, ok?”

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On Camera

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Rise To Greatness came and went, we saw the end of Silas Mason.  It was at that point that I had a revelation.  I knew that things needed to change, that I needed to move on.  I realized that I needed to shift my focuses elsewhere.  So I made it abundantly clear that from then on out I would be focusing on my career.  Instead of fighting wars for other people, I would begin to be just a little bit selfish.

I think I’ve earned the right to be a little seslfish.

Now I have no idea who I impressed with my win over Harmony Fisher, but I must have impressed someone in management.  Then again, making anyone tap out is tantamount to a major victory.  Whether that alone was it or whether it was a combination of factors, it really doesn’t matter now how I got to this point, the fact is that I am here, now, scheduled to appear at Under Attack in a match for the SCW Women’s Championship.

And that brings me to you, Dawn Lohan…

I am happy for you, Dawn.  I really am.  You used to be “the other Lohan” and yet here you are on top of SCW as not only the women’s champion but as the world heavyweight champion.  That’s damn impressive.  You should be proud.  I know my mother was proud of you.

Our respective families have been close for quite a long time.  My mother, Angelica Jones, and your sister Brittany Lohan.  They started out as enemies and through their wars they grew to have respect for one another, they worked together and eventually their relationship became much more than that.  My sister, Marie Annabelle Jones, and Brittany Lohan also had many battles with one another.  At the same time they were former world tag team champions in GDW and IWC.  Marie and Serenity had battles… Angelica and Serenity had many battles…

I could go on and on.

Now it’s our opportunity to continue that legacy, a legacy that is defined by violence and soaked in blood…

…no pun intended, Dawnie.

Go to a boiler room, take a bath in blood, do whatever you want to attempt to play mind games with me if you want.  You know as well as I do that mind games won’t work on me.  I grew up surrounded by mind games, smoke and mirrors, intimidation tactics.  The Lasiewicz family wrote the book on it.  There is nothing you can do that would surprise me.

So my suggestion is a simple one.  Let’s keep with the KISS method: Keep It Simple Stupid.  Keep it simple with just the two of us, inside a ring, going to hell and back for your SCW Women’s Championship.

Now I know you have another match at Under Attack.  Being a double champion means being double booked.  You not have me to worry about but you also have Kelcey Wallace to worry about.  But I’m not going to do the predictable thing and suggest that you’re going to look past me.  I know you better than that.  You would never have become SCW World Champion in the first place if you ever made the mistake of looking past your opponents.

I know full well that you will be prepared for me at Under Attack, but understand that I will be just as prepared for you, and also understand that when you walk to the ring at Under Attack to defend the SCW World Championship against Kelcey Wallace, understand that you will be going out to that ring with only one belt, not two, because before you can make it to Kelcey, I will relieve you of the SCW Women’s Championship.

Don’t believe me?  Try me.  Do you feel like gambling?  Go ahead.  Make my day.  Come and place ya bets!

Dobranoc…