11/7/12, NXT Taping…
"Hello?" Baron called out, having heard some sniffling in a darkened hallway. The small figure looked up and through the dark, Baron saw Amanda's hazel eyes and walked to her, sitting down. "What happened, Mandy? You and Cody break up?" He asked.
Amanda nodded, brushing her tears away.
"I'm an idiot… I thought he was a good guy but… Layla was right, Cody's a serial cheater. When I called him out on it, he tried to make it my fault and drag my friendship with Seth into it as well." Amanda responded, Baron wrapping his right arm around her in a comforting manner. "Am I too close to him? We've been told that we're more like siblings… I guess I should've learned after what happened with Randy." She said, Baron stopping her there because as far as he knew, Cody wasn't physically abusive.
"Don't compare the two in that aspect… I used to watch Raw in 2006 and 2007, I saw how Randy was." Baron replied, remembering how Amanda would try to pull her arm out of Randy's grip and he would drag her closer to him.
"John gave him hell after he saw bruises on my arms one night." Amanda said.
"I expect so. We're like your brothers but he's the real brother, kiddo." Baron responded.
"Yeah… no matter how old I get, he'll still see that little kid climbing up trees." Amanda said quietly, letting out a slightly crooked smile.
"Aw, see? There's a smile. Come on, kiddo." Baron replied, picking Amanda up into his arms before standing up and taking her down the hallway.
"I lost track of how long I've been in that hallway…" Amanda whispered sleepily as she leaned against him…
Present time, 11/30/15, WWE Raw…
"I doubt they even listened to me… fuck the creative team, we need a new creative team." Cody muttered, feeling embarrassed.
Embarrassed was one of the things he'd felt lately… frustration was another. He had asked if there was any way that the creative team could drop the storyline and even pitched ideas for others. But judging from the lack of response, he had been ignored.
And it wasn't just the writers that had ignored his requests to drop the storyline… Cody hadn't been able to get in touch with Amanda in recent times and at first chalked it up to her being busy as well. And Amanda was one of the ones who had thought of the Stardust gimmick along with Dustin.
"Hey, little bro." Dustin said after Cody found him. He was still in his 'Goldust' paint and outfit, indicating that he hadn't taken the time to unwind mentally from the adrenaline.
"Hey, you've seen Mandy anywhere?" Cody asked.
"Should be in the North hallway, I think." Dustin answered, Cody leaving after a nod.
Sure enough, Cody found Amanda leaned against the wall… but the first sign that something was off to him was the Balor Club leather jacket on her.
But not the ones for sale on the WWE's website or at the concession stand… Amanda was wearing Finn's jacket.
"Hey, Cody, what's-" Amanda started to ask when she saw him.
"What the hell is the matter with you?!" Cody asked, halfway yelling and Amanda turning startled. "Oh, don't give me that Doe In The Headlights look! So much for loyalty, huh?!" He snapped.
"You're flipping out because I'm wearing his jacket? I used to wear Dean's Shield vest at times and no one flipped out over that!" Amanda responded.
"Except Dean had been a true friend to you! Can you say the same about Balor?!" Cody yelled.
"Finn hasn't done anything to wrong me, unlike you! You cheated on me, you selfish ass!" Amanda shouted.
"How do I know you weren't screwing around first?! And as for Finn, it'll only be so long! You're a tool, a tool to get him off when he's hard and a showpiece in the ring-" Cody responded… but turned angrier as Amanda turned to leave. "Hey, where do you think you're going?!" He yelled, grabbing her by her hair.
It had been a diversion and Cody hadn't realised it until Amanda slammed her right foot into his head in an overhead kick, Amanda pulling herself up as Cody was down.
Amanda was sure she had twisted her right ankle or had possibly broken her foot during that but she didn't really care in the moment… she looked down, a wide eyed Cody staring back at her.
"You had been my friend since I was 11… we grew up together, we always had each other's backs. And when we aged… we acted like all adults do. I loved you with all my damn heart… but you didn't love me, Cody." Amanda said before she left him there on the floor.
She found a production crate to sit down on and close her eyes to try to calm down… but a hand rested on her left shoulder a few seconds later and she opened her eyes, seeing Finn.
He said no words and took her into his arms, the two embracing each other before Finn slipped his right arm under her knees and took her to the locker room.
Out of habit, Amanda nuzzled her head into the crook of Finn's neck and Finn lightly squeezed her as he held onto her.
"You're coming back to the hotel with me… I'll explain it to Hunter later." Finn said after Amanda explained what had happened.
Amanda was never one to leave an event early… but what had happened with Cody had really pissed her off.
And all she had done was thrown Finn's jacket onto her body because she forgot her own.
