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HOT PIECES OF ACTION

Enzo was a creep, okay? He smelled Carmella's hair every chance he got and he didn't take her serious in the ring. Cass at least got what Carmella brought between the ropes, even if he did encourage Enzo way too much. They were total children but they were Carmella's boys. She could handle them; she had a whole pack of brothers who'd had no problem with knocking her on her ass when she'd got in their faces as a kid. They were a large family and she'd always had to fight to get noticed. Carmella had had that in the bag.

Even when hairdressing had become her focus, she'd still regularly gone to the gym. She liked to keep herself toned and outside of that she'd sometimes had to run down some asshole who'd grabbed her purse. Her brothers still didn't take it easy on her and Thanksgiving football had always been a family tradition – even after pumpkin pie, Carmella could scrimmage.

She missed working at the salon now. She trimmed Cass' hair because she was the only one he trusted with it. He was so vain when it came to his hair but he was cute about it too like a dorky little kid. And Carmella knew what she was doing; she didn't want him to lose much of that length either. Enzo could never sit still, even when his hair was being worked on, but Carmella still managed to work her magic. The styling was always most definitely all him and whatever, Carmella didn't want to blunt her skills, you know?

Now that she was rolling in NXT proper and had an actual contract, she was going to offer her hairdressing services to the roster at a real decent rate.

Anyway, so she was working out whenever she could and showing Enzo why he was wrong in his dumbass assessment of her ring work. She'd knocked him down more than once and won a match or two; she knew what she was doing here. Cass high-fived her and told her that she was going to rule. Of course she was. She caught sight of Enzo glowering at Cass but then Cass made this face that made Enzo kinda melt and swat Cass hard on the ass. Cass leered and when Carmella ordered them both to stop all of that, Enzo retorted that she should enjoy the hot view she was gettin' for free.

Carmella was never gonna tell him that she already plenty enjoyed what she saw of the two of them together because hello, if Carmella threw Enzo a compliment like that, he'd sneak an arm around her or try to sniff her hair even more, urgh. Was the view good? Sure, it was hot, but she wasn't ever going to tell them that. She'd just keep on enjoying what she saw without sayin' a word. Maybe she'd make a real nice birthday order though.

It wasn't like she was standing in a personal desert here. Even when she wasn't training, she was often hanging out in the Performance Center so she bumped into people including some cute girls and hot guys – how you doing? Carmella got several numbers and overheard a lot of conversation which was all for the good now that she'd started staking her claim in the ring. Knowing what was what and who was hot about it was a real asset. Carmella knew all about using gossip to her own advantage, all right?

So one day, she was working on her nails outside the Center, waiting for Cass and Enzo to be done so that they could all go to lunch. They were probably making out again. Good thought. Carmella heard someone laugh and turned to see a couple of guys in sweats leaving the Center. She didn't recognize them but they were easy on the eye in that real production-line gymtastic way that was all kinds of popular around here. She tossed her hair but her flirty expression quickly soured once she grabbed a hold of their conversation.

"...like a skunk on his head."

"Yeah, and with Big Cass, it's like a doberman and a chihuahua."

"Fuck, so weird and wrong, right?"

There was a lot of nasty laughter after that. Oh, really? Carmella marched over to them, building up a real head of steam. "Hey! The only thing wrong around here is you lousing up the sidewalk."

The one with a high-and-tight raised his eyebrows, "What are you-?"

Carmella threw her nail file, it bounced right off of Blonde Curls' head. He looked vaguely stunned.

"Oh, it looks like a skunk on 'Zo's head? Do you have any idea how much work goes into that? Do you really think a flattop's going to suit him? Or something like your do? Where'd you get that done, the mall?"

"What the fuck?"

She was rolling now and they were gonna get flattened.

"And I don't see either of you with a prize on your arm. What's the matter, catalog all out?"

There was a burst of noise as Enzo and Cass emerged from the Center, chattering and laughing until they caught sight of Carmella toe-to-toe with a couple of guys with more mouth than sense. Enzo was immediately all up beside her, bristling like he was just waiting for the chance to throw a punch. Yeah, Carmella owned that right now. Cass loomed behind her, like a real solid wall, the kind that wasn't ever gonna fall down. Carmella cocked her head emphatically. How you doing?

High-and-Tight shook his head, looking kinda amazed and disbelieving. Blonde Curls looked like he wanted to say a lot but his buddy grabbed his arm. Carmella snatched her nail-file up, her hair smacking Blonde Curls in the face as she righted herself.

"Weird, wrong and crazy," Blonde Curls reiterated, looking right at Carmella.

"Hey!"

Enzo took a threatening step forward, looking even madder, "You wanna talk crazy? Because I will strait-jacket you in a hot second, sunbed."

High-and-Tight snorted and dragged his friend away, telling him it wasn't worth it, fighting all unsanctioned outside the Center. Both of them sneered as they glanced back over their shoulders but they didn't return for any more. That's right. Carmella jutted out her chin and stared them away.

Cass touched her shoulder like a warning, "You make friends as good as Enzo."

"Hey I'm a regular social sensation! They line around the block to get a piece of me."

"Right, you're sensationally on the outs maybe. You wanna tell us what that was all about, 'Mella?"

Carmella shrugged a shoulder, she wasn't going to tell them the whole truth. She knew what it'd do to Enzo's ego.

"They got insulting and I took care of it."

Cass looked like he didn't totally believe her but Enzo was super-eager to talk shit after Cass' last comment and Cass let him. Carmella watched them scuffle and race their way towards the parking lot. Her adrenaline was still running, it suited her, she always glowed when her blood was pumping hard. She tucked her nail-file away, smirking triumphantly to herself. Oh, she was gonna get crazy. She was gonna keep kicking like she was back in Staten Island; she was going to keep on owning the ring. She wanted that shiny belt.

Enzo and Cass kept throwing glances her way, checking that she was all good. Her hair looked great, she was knocking training and Divas out of the park, her boys were walking the line. She was better than good.

She tossed her head and strutted. She was a fucking warrior princess, always had been, protecting what was hers and claiming all the spoils. Everybody had better bow down.

-the end