Sleeping with A Friend -- Ch. 1
This is another AU story that I have been working on for the last month or two, it's about my main OC Sabrina McMahon, semi-retired professional wrestler and now football coach and personality on the Pat McAfee Show. She has a playful and somewhat flirtatious banter with regular weekly guest, NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers. They get along just fine on the show, but in person it could take another turn entirely.
Chapter 1
Today, it was an unusually full studio at the Pat McAfee Show. And well, it still felt surreal to Rina as she walked in to get settled for the day's show. A couch on the right-hand side of the desk was Pat's, where Rina's station was usually set up. Today, she will be joined by both Aaron Rodgers and AJ Hawk, who typically participate via video. Setting her bag down on the floor and out of frame, the former Green Bay Packers teammates and friends entered the studio space. Before she could claim an end seat, both Aaron and AJ sat down on either end of the couch. Rina must've made an audible noise of annoyance because Aaron commented:
"Ooh, now Rina has to sit next to me; sorry bout that."
"Why are you sorry?" AJ asked since both he and Rina needed clarification about that.
"She hates me," the longtime quarterback said with a wide grin.
"I do not," Rina disagreed emphatically, dropping her purse to the ground. Rina straightened up, hands on her hips, clearly taken aback by Aaron's bold statement. She gave him a mock glare as she walked over to the couch. "Hate is a strong word," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I would just... prefer not to sit next to you."
Aaron's grin only widened, clearly enjoying the playful tension. "Uh-huh. Right. So, you're just choosing to sit next to me because?"
Rina shot him a look as she plopped down next to him. "Because I have no other choice."
AJ leaned back, shaking his head with a laugh. "The tension's palpable. I'm starting to feel like I'm in the middle of something here."
Rina rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "You guys are ridiculous." She shifted slightly on the couch, ensuring an exaggerated gap between her and Aaron. "I'll have you know; I don't hate you. I just don't like you very much."
Aaron leaned in, pretending to take offense, but his smirk never left. "Ouch. Don't like me very much? That stings, Rina." He dramatically touched his heart as if her words had truly wounded him.
AJ, always eager to fan the flames, chimed in. "Yeah, man, that's cold. You're going to take that?" He turned to Rina, giving her an exaggerated look of concern. "You breakin' his heart like that?"
Rina, clearly enjoying the banter, shot AJ a pointed look. "I'm just being honest. There's no love lost here."
Aaron raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to her. "No love, huh?" He glanced at AJ, then back at Rina. "I think you're just playing hard to get."
Rina shook her head with a laugh. "Yeah, that's it. You've figured me out."
Aaron chuckled, leaning back as if pleased with his cleverness. "I knew it! Rina, you're waiting for me to make the first move."
AJ jumped in, clearly loving this angle. "Oh, this is juicy! Should we start taking bets on how long it takes for Rina to crack?"
Rina crossed her arms, trying to look unfazed. "You both are ridiculous. I'm not cracking; I'm just here to do my job."
AJ was practically cackling now. "Man, this is like watching a rom-com," he said, mocking the overdramatic dialogue with a high-pitched voice. "Will Rina finally realize that deep down, she's in love with Aaron? Stay tuned, folks."
Rina groaned, but she was fighting a grin. "Please. This whole conversation is ridiculous. I do not hate you, Aaron."
"Sure, you don't," Aaron teased, leaning back with a mock-serious expression. "I can sense the disdain radiating off you already." Rina rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile.
"It's not disdain; it's just that I have to deal with your antics in person now." AJ laughed, shaking his head.
"You have no idea what you're in for. Aaron is way worse live than on screen."
"Hey!" Aaron feigned offense, touching his chest. "I'm a joy to be around."
"Joy, huh? Is that what you call it?" Rina shot back, settling into her seat beside him. "I'll need an extra coffee just to keep up."
"Good idea," AJ chimed in. "You might need a whole pot to survive today."
"See? I'm not the only one who thinks you're a handful," Rina said, smirking at Aaron.
Annoyed or not, it kept bothering Rina that Aaron thought that she hated him. Indeed, there were people she didn't like and a few that bordered on hatred, but Aaron wasn't in that group. They disagreed on many topics and, therefore, argued/debated passionately. As she listened to the top news coverage, she watched Boston Connor holding up his whiteboard to show Pat a specific point. This gave her an idea, so she pulled her iPhone from the pocket of her jeans and opened up a new text message.
From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: What can I do to show you I don't hate you?
Like back in college, Rina attempted to act like she wasn't texting someone sitting beside her. But she couldn't help herself and peeked over at Aaron as he retrieved his phone to read her message. A grin appeared on his face as he typed out his reply. Soon enough, the phone in Rina's hand vibrated, letting her know the message had been delivered.
Rina held her breath, curious about Aaron's response. He looked over at her, still grinning, and typed back quickly.
From: Aaron To: Rina Msg: How about you admit I'm the most charming guy in the room?
She couldn't help but laugh at his over-the-top reply. Rina typed back just as quickly, a smirk on her face.
From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: Not happening. I might concede that you have a certain… charisma, but charming? Please.
Aaron pretended to be offended, dramatically clutching his heart. "Ouch! That hurts, Rina," he said loud enough for the cameras to catch.
AJ, catching onto their exchange, chimed in, "I think Rina's just scared to admit she likes you, Aaron."
Rina shot AJ a playful glare. "I'm not scared; I just have standards."
Aaron leaned in closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You know, I can work on that. Just give me some time."
Rina rolled her eyes, but a smile betrayed her amusement. She typed again.
From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: How about you focus on being less annoying today?
He laughed, shaking his head.
From: Aaron To: Rina Msg: No promises. But I'll try to keep the charm levels up.
Rina couldn't help but smile, realizing the playful tension between them wasn't as one-sided as she thought. She felt more at ease as the show progressed, ready to keep up with whatever antics he had planned.
From: Rina To: Aaron Msg: Last chance for requests to show you that I don't hate you.
Rina sent one last message before she would let it be when she got another response from Aaron.