Ayesha's new manager

Ayeshas eyes widened in complete surprise.

"You...you want to be my manager? I have a small apartment I rented out in one of the residential districts but..." the look of surprise turned to wonder.

"Y...you really mean it?" The incredulity in her voice was clear. "I mean, I'm....still kinda lacking in a lot and..."

A bubbly laugh erupted from Lily at Ayesha's surprise and disbelief

"Yes. Yes, I mean it. Really. We were all lacking in a lot when we got here. Some of us are still struggling, but we work together and we all get better for it. Besides, the first priority is putting on a match that the audience enjoys. You don't need to be able to run a marathon for that, you don't even need to win, you just have to go out and be awesome... I think you can do that. Or at least you will be able to."

Ayesha gulped.

"I uh...I....I think you...you have too much faith in me." she stammered. Her eyes now expressed a bit of panic. "I don't think I'm very awesome." Then her face fell. "Unless people find my bumbling and stumbling hilarious."

Lily giggled softly, "Well, there's definitely always room for a little comedy, but I think I have the correct amount of faith in you. I can't say we'll make you a superstar of the ring, but we can probably go for making you someone whose name people see on the fight card and folks will say: Ayesha's wrestling tonight, I can't wait."

Her free hand slipped into the tiny pocket of her leggings and fished out a business card, "You don't need to decide right now. Take my card and give me a call. We can meet up and we can figure out what comes next."

Ayesha had an uncertain look in her eyes, but she took the card.
She took a look at it. Lily half hugging her felt...a bit awkward but frankly far better than everything Angela did to her.

A small dawning look came on her face. Finally, a smile came. "All right, I'll think about it."

Lily's smile brightened as Ayesha agreed to take her card, after seeming to be questioning even that. A hand lifted up to touch the woman's cheek as Lily took a chance to lean in and place a slightly too friendly kiss on the other, "Wonderful! In the meantime, drink more water. And... endurance and coordination before speed and strength. You aren't going to sprint your way through a match." She flashed a playful wink before slipping back to give the woman a little personal space again.

Ayesha jolted at the kiss, staring at Lily in surprise. Of all the time she'd spent here so far, Lily so far was... definitely the most different. Very friendly for a manager, all right.

As Lily left, she looked down at the card, and looked at the number carefully. She looked at Lily again. "...thank you. This..." She said, taking a sigh, "this really....means....I appreciate it greatly."

Flashing a friendly smile Lily held up her hands as if to say "it's nothing".

"You're very welcome, Ayesha. We've all been where you're at, I'm happy to be able to help... Even if you don't choose to sign on with me, keep that number handy and call me if you ever just... need a friend or some advice. Anything really. Just- You're not alone."

Ayesha stared, and gave a big smile.



SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Ayesha had exited the building, standing in the tight streets. Now wearing her regular clothes (a green colored foreign dress with blue colored pants, and a grey colored jacket), she turned towards the direction the transit stops are. It took her taking 15 steps to remember something.

She quickly ruffled into her dress pockets, and pulled out the card Lily had given her.

Staring at the number for longer than she realized, she pulled out her phone, copied the number, and hit "Dial", bringing the phone up to her ear.

Lily hadn't spent nearly as long at the gym, having much more business to attend to during her day. As it happened she was not far away, in the upper floors of the AFW arena sat in an otherwise empty conference room. The long table was covered with paperwork, mostly invoices and receipts as she crunched numbers on a small tablet. Her phone rang beside her, the song "Some Kind of Stranger" telling her it was an unknown number.

Dressed in a black pencil skirt and a sheer white blouse unbuttoned low enough for the red lace of her bra to show, she took off her glasses and set them down on the table. Answering unknown numbers was always a gamble, usually an unpleasant surprise like a bill collector. But still, she answered it, her voice cheerfully speaking in Japanese with an American accent. "Moshi moshi!" An informal greeting, the opposite of bye-bye.