Summary: [[Miz/Paige ONESHOT]] Paige is celebrating her 22nd birthday early, and ends up at WWE's annual SummerSlam Party. She hits the dance floor to find herself with The Miz. Will this night turn into something more for the both of them?
[[Based on the cover photo as well as the song "I Need Your Love" by Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding]]
Friday, August 15, 2014: Los Angeles, California—SummerSlam Weekend
Paige's POV
Stuffed, internally and physically, I wriggle in the back of the limo where my girls are sitting almost right against me. Tonight, I'm celebrating my 22nd birthday early. Just having the birthday dinner, Rosa Mendes gets this light bulb switched on in her head. Like the young-experience-seeking Divas we are, Summer, Emma, and I listened as she described WWE's SummerSlam Party. It happens every year—absolutely exclusive to the Superstars, Divas, and invited celebrity guests for a night of fun before another live event in San Jose, and the giant pay-per-view on Sunday. Just when I think about calling it a night, majority votes this celebration to continue. Why would I even try to stop them? I want to have some fun too. This is my night, after all. I want to make my birthday this year something special.
A good ride in the long, black vehicle, the car door opens to let us out. Behind Summer, a lighted building flashes in front of us. The Nokia Theater is the get-together's host for this evening. A light feeling picks up in my legs, like my heartbeat has managed to pump excitement to every vein. Not knowing what to expect, I can only hope I don't lose my girls during the party.
Inside, we're directed to a giant ballroom-type space. Just as the building blinded my sight, this room does the same except with darkness. Dance music booms through the speakers overhead, the kind of loudness where you can feel it in your chest. The bass bumps within my throat. Who knows how many people are in here? From the corner of my eyes, white curtains drape to the floor from the dimly lighted walls. There's an orange and blue tint along the floor which makes it somewhat easier to maneuver around this vast unknown.
I feel an arm slip around mine. Emma's bright eyes are like signal flashes as she drags me to the bar. I'm focused on the dance floor, and the large horde of people bouncing up and down. I smile in amusement, eager to jump into this energy myself. From the outer layer of bodies, I recognize the Uso twins, with their ladies, pulling out their signature moves. Summer and Rosa order drinks for all of us but their voices are still behind me. I see the Bella Twins and the rest of the Total Divas, with possible Brie Mode commencing. A bunch of legs on this floor, that's for sure.
"For the birthday girl! Bottoms up, Paige!" Rosa hands me a shot glass, with what I assume to be vodka. They all hold up their glasses, waiting for me.
"Happy birthday to me!" We all toast then take the swig of alcohol down. Down the hatch, the liquid slides down my throat, but not without leaving a sharp sting as an aftertaste.
Now the party's has officially begun. I made a promise to myself a while ago that I'd cut down drinking for the sake of my reputation and career. This one shot is all for me, but in honesty, it's all I need to let loose, just a little bit. Just tonight.
"Let's go, ladies!" Summer leads the pack, stepping forward with the dance moves she had to learn when Fandango was her partner. We all laugh, following the blonde in hopes of opening the crowd for us to join in on the fun. Being the last one behind the group, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated. It's not the people that concern me, I'm in good standing with everyone (at least I hope), it's revealing this other side of me. I don't want, nor need, that side to get carried away, concluding to something I'd regret in front of the people I've been trying to gain respect from since the start of my career. Control.
It starts out with Summer, Rosa, and Emma in front of me, getting down and having a good time. My girls are letting themselves go and I'm slowly doing the same. One by one, they start disappearing into other circles around us. Before I know it, I'm dragged again. This time, it's a guy's hand on my bicep. When I turn around, another set of bright eyes flash to me. Such a piercing blue. Paired with the trademark smirk that reveals white teeth, I can only know this face to be The Miz's.
"Hi! How are you?" Taking a turn to both of my sides, it takes a moment for me to realize that he is talking to me.
"Oh—hi, Miz!" Bodies around us are still moving to the music, but we somehow manage to stand still in the mess. "I'm good, and you?" I'm actually surprised at this. In the locker room, he's very attached to his inner circle of friends. Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, Justin Roberts, AJ—among others. I pass him on occasion, with one or two words in the hallways.
"I'm great. Awesome." When he dips down next to my ear, I could've sworn my heartbeat started on something different. Not adrenaline, but...giddiness? "Summer came over and told me you guys were celebrating your birthday tonight. I just wanted to tell you happy birthday." His voice so close to my skin attacks me right at the core; his voice so calm overpowers the loud music in such a remarkable way.
"Thank you! It's actually on Sunday but tonight's the only free time I have so..." Getting close in the same way he did to me, I can't help but smell the fresh cologne behind his ear. But I'm pretty sure my voice doesn't have the same effect on him...
"Oh, well, I'll let you know again on Sunday!" We share a laugh as the air gets awkward, for me anyway. I don't really talk to Miz, regardless of how many shows we share on the road. Why does he decide now to actually have a conversation?
"Do you wanna dance with me?"
Staring up at him, I must look insane because the end of his question lingers and repeats inside my mind, like I'm processing a math equation. I was never really good at math. Apparently, I'm not good at responding quickly either.
"Erm...yeah! Sure!" Pathetic. But it's an answer that I agree with.
"Then let's go, Miss Paige." There's a tug at my wrist. He lifts my arm and proceeds to the middle of the dance floor. The feeling sends a shockwave through my system. I've never experienced something so powerful in such a gentle touch. What's going on with me?
Miz and I stand right in the center, where everyone we know can watch us freely. I'm not sure how I feel, but I'm certain there's a red tint on my face. The music picks up into another song. I can distinguish the artist's voice right away—the song is a remix of I Need Your Love. Ellie Goulding's high pitched tone combined with the trance beat increases the light feeling in my legs, shedding away some insecurity simultaneously.
"I need your love, I need your time. When everything's wrong, you make it right..."
Around me, the warmth of bodies is all too familiar. I've always loved how I felt when the music takes control over my muscles. The freedom to move and dance with others, to get lost in the crowd, then ultimately finding myself.
"I feel so high, I come alive. I need to be free with you tonight. I need your love..."
The beat drops and that's when the entire floor lights up in life. Miz is in the same zone as I am. Every time I glance, he's moving without a care in the world, which makes it easier to let loose. He grabs my hand and spins me around. His body gets close and we're right against each other. There is no hesitation, I can only feel the music. A pair of hands land on my hip, the electricity surges again. Between us, I'd be lying if I said it was completely platonic. He's making me go crazy. He's making me feel so alive with his touch.
Somehow, I just want to get even closer...
Miz's blue eyes won't leave mine. In some sort of trance, I'm trying to find out what he's thinking. Does he want to do what I want to do? Overhead, the lights dim then begin patterns of green and yellow strobe effects. Movements transform in the split second, patches of what I can see, like robots. Those eyes. Those eyes pierce right through me.
He sings the lyrics in the darkness, "I need to be free with you tonight. I need your love..."
I kiss him.
I see nothing when my eyes close and our lips touch. Like a cushion of sweetness that I can only describe to be...breathtaking. Exhilarating. I see nothing, but I feel an explosion of neon colors spread within my head.
I expect him to pull away from the initial shock, but to my surprise, he doesn't. Why isn't he pulling away? Whatever his reasoning, I don't mind holding on to this moment. Against my lips, he pushes forward. I'm motionless, so confused as to what I'm supposed to do. I never imagined to get this far in the first place. My mind wanted to know what it felt like to give Miz a kiss, my heart wanted to taste his soul... And so it happened.
Our mouths are dancing together now, just as our bodies were. Breaths exchanging in this tight space. Trapped, enchanted, and completely swept. His soul tastes of heat, like passion, warmth in the cool night where he's lighting a fire within me. Please let this last forever...
He parts away, leaving a cold draft on my lips. Back to reality, I'm incredibly saddened when I open my eyes, and he's gone. It always seems to be that way, doesn't it? A short moment of bliss that you yearn to last forever, just ends.
Returning to the bar, I spot Emma leaning against the counter. At least I wasn't left alone for long.
"I wanna get out of here," I say to my Aussie best friend.
"What? You can't be serious. It's so much fun here!"
"Well, I seriously need some air. I'll be outside, Emma." With that, I find a way out of the party.
The night air hits my skin with such defiance. Being cramped with other people can only be so fun for a short while. My blood slows its pace as the silence allows me to collect myself. I don't want to say I'm heartbroken, because I've never experienced true heartache, but I am hurt. But I really shouldn't be, it was one kiss. Miz is somebody else, isn't he? Even when I don't know him personally, it just felt right. It felt right that I kissed him.
"Paige!" A guy's voice perks my ears, the same voice that was in my ear for those precious minutes.
Turning around, I see Miz and his wife, Maryse, hand in hand walking towards me. Talk about salt in a wound. But I'm playing the role of the fool here. I knew he was married, a part of me denied it but that is the reality I didn't want to accept.
When they get closer, I can tell Maryse is wasted out of her mind, "Happy birthday, Paige! Yay!" She yells out, then laughs some sort of chuckle. "Thanks, Maryse."
A vehicle pulls up on the curb and a valet steps out the driver's seat. "Here, hold on. I'll just get her in the car," Miz says before guiding his inebriated partner into the other side. As I stand in wait, I contemplate walking away, dismissing him before he gets a chance to talk to me. There is no way I'm letting anyone lead me on tonight... But I don't, because I could never bring myself to that.
He returns, placing himself a few feet away, not against my body this time, "Hey, so Paige..."
"Save it Miz. You know, I'm sorry I kissed you. I really shouldn't have." I have to assert myself, I have to rebuild this barrier so it doesn't affect our relationship with the WWE. "So we can pretend this never happen. We can go back to barely talking to each other in the locker room, okay? Okay." I start my way back to the building, but a hand grabbing at my arm serves a deja vu.
"Paige." I'm pulled to the previous spot, back to staring up at his handsome face. I was hoping that would be the end. "I just wanted to say that I liked your kiss."
Really? I'm so close to slapping him in the face. You're married, you idiot.
"You probably think I'm a pig for saying that, but hear me out. I'd like to call that the icebreaker, you know, because we never really talk."
"Icebreaker?"
"Yeah. Maybe now we can get to know each other. Like right now? I'm talking to you. Did you think you'd even see me tonight? Probably not. We can make something out of this. Let's be friends, Paige."
The way his eyes still glow in the night is sincere. But in all honesty, I'm laughing at how he thinks it's just that easy for a naïve girl like me to brush off whatever I was feeling earlier. He doesn't know what I felt because he felt nothing, whereas, his kiss begs to differ.
"And you expect me to forget about it? How I felt?"
"No, not at all. I was afraid you'd say something like that..."
"Exactly."
"So you're just gonna go back to treating me like a stranger? Is that how you handle things when your feelings get hurt?"
"Well, apparently, you're at the end of this—"
"Listen to me, Paige. I want to be your friend. I want to talk to you. Real conversations, instead of two or three words a night. In fact, I think this is the most we've ever said anything to each other... Wait, was my kiss that good? What, you have a crush on me now?"
Again, I want to slap the dimples off his face. "No! I just—"
"We had a great time on the dance floor, a really awesome time. Paige, you're a great girl. I'm letting you know now that that's what I've thought of you all along," He opens his arms, "C'mon, bring it in, I know you wanna piece of The Miz."
I stand ground, arms crossed. That doesn't stop from wrapping those thick arms around my back himself. And if you ask me if I'm glad he gave me that hug anyway, then the answer is absolutely. I can't help but feel happy knowing we no longer have that barrier between us. Miz and I as friends rather than just co-workers, I like the sound of that.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Those whispers in my ear which sends the same chill down my spine.
"Thanks for the liplock." Is all I can manage out of my mouth.
"Here's another," He holds my chin in his fingers and goes in, landing on my forehead. "I'll see you on Sunday, Paige." When he leaves to go to his car, a draft hits the skin above my brow where his lips touched. The engine starts and it only takes a few seconds before he drives off into the Los Angeles streets.
A smile forms on my face. I'll never forget our kiss, Miz...
Well, hoped you all enjoyed this read. Thanks again. Please feel free to leave a review! Stay awesome :)
