Chapter 2

Satana jolted awake at the sound of her alarm. She rolled over and hit the snooze button. She always hated those hotel clocks. As she sat up and rubbed her eyes, she crawled out of bed and made some coffee. She didn't want to go to work but she needed the money to live.

"Why do I feel so guilty? I shouldn't feel this way because I like someone." Satana said with a sigh.

She continued about her business to start her day and got in her car. The fear began to make her feel weak all over; she drew in ragged breaths trying to calm herself down.

I'm going to tell him today, I can't back out now. She thought sitting in her car.

She was meeting Matt, Jeff and Shannon for breakfast this morning. She would tell him then. The drive seemed to take forever, the minutes slowly passing until Satana arrived. The parking lot wasn't too packed at the Waffle House, so she parked. The boys arrived soon after. Satana stepped from her car and checked her hair and make-up in the mirror. It didn't look too bad; only one long blonde curl was out of place, so she tucked it behind her ear and headed for the door. Shannon got to the door before she did and opened it.

"You may enter, My Lady."

"Thank you, Sir Knight. That is most kind of you." Satana said, curtsying

Everyone burst into laughter and Satana realized she hadn't laughed with them in what felt like a good while. They got a table and sat down, Matt and Jeff on one side, and she and Shannon took the other. She stared at Matt's face for a good few minutes and felt another pair of eyes on her. It was Jeff. Satana looked at him with the most pleading look, silently begging him not to tell and he gave her a nod like he understood. Jeff realized that she would tell him in her own good time.

Over good food and a good conversation, everyone had a good time. As Satana made her way to her car, she caught Matt's eye.

This is it...I'm gonna do it. She thought as the breath caught in her throat.

"Matt." She called out in a raspy tone, hoping he wouldn't hear her, but unfortunately he did.

He came strutting over to her with that usual grace he had. The familiar, child-like spark shone in his eyes as the sun danced across his face. Everything seemed as perfect as the breeze began to blow through his brown locks. Satana could feel herself losing her nerve. Her breath catching in her throat and the all too familiar empty sickness in the pit of her stomach.

No, not this again. I can't lose it now. My face will surely give way to the emotions that threaten to burst out of me at any moment. Stay calm and just breathe. After all, he's still human, same as you. Satana thought, trying to quell the storm of emotions insider her.

"Yes, Satana. Something on your mind?" Matt asked as he walked up to her

She looked up at him and then looked away. She started trembling.

"Are you ok? You don't look well, all of a sudden." He stated, cocking his head to the side.

"Um..Y-yes. I'm fine. Uh. I…I just wanted to tell you that, I uh." She said stammering.

Ugh, the stuttering, I can't be this nervous. What is he thinking; it's probably the most unflattering thing he's ever seen. He must be so disgusted. Satana thought as she looked his way again.

She began to feel the words caught up in her throat, they wouldn't come out. She couldn't just stand there like a bumbling idiot. She had to say something.

"I like your outfit. It's n-nice." She said.

"Well. Thank you." He said as he flashed one of his perfect smiles.

Satana nodded and turned away and got in her car. She was free for the next couple of hours so she went to the nearest coffee shop and got some coffee and curled up to a good book. Her mind wouldn't let her concentrate and her heart couldn't stop racing. What was she going to do? Why had she stammered so bad in front of him like a child who stutters in front of a large crowd during a play?

He must think I'm a fool... I must find some way to tell him, but how? Is there even a way to properly tell him? Does he even like me like that? I don't want to ruin our friendship.

In Matts Camaro, on the way to the hotel

Jeff and Shannon joked in the front seat as they always do. After a good meal, Matt didn't feel like driving. His wasn't paying the other two much mind because his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Satana acted. She seemed to act so strange, it wasn't like her to be nervous around him.

What was with her today? She knows she can always talk to me. Why was she as nervous as a feral cat? He thought.

A flick on the cheek brought him out of his frame of mind. Shannon was trying to bring him into the antics of the car. Matt started at him with a distant look in his eye. The laughter had died down and the silence that hung in the air was suffocating. Shannon turned in the passenger seat just enough to get a look at Matt.

"What's with you man? You haven't said a word since we left Waffle house." Shannon said with a boyish smile.

"Yeah, you're awfully quiet back there. What did Satana want to talk to you about?" Jeff chimed in with a giggle.

"She was acting really weird and skittish. I don't really know why she was acting like that. But she said she liked my outfit today." Matt stated.

"Hey Hey, maybe she likes what she sees. Maybe she's got a crush on the elder Hardy brother." Shannon said, breaking out into riotous laughter.

Matt just shrugged it off and let it go. He had that effect sometimes on women. He had never considered Satana to be anything more than friends. She wasn't really his type. Now Lita, on the other hand, that was one feisty and damn fine woman. That's what he wanted and that's what he got. Of course, that was a secret yet to be revealed later.

Back at the coffee shop

Satana sat mulling over what she could do to tell him her true feelings. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her mentor, the one woman she had learned all her herbalist skills from. The phone rang and 3 rings had passed and an ancient voice answered the phone.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

"Mama Rayne?" Satana asked.

"Satana? How are you, child?" She asked with delight in her voice.

"I'm good Mama, how are you?"

"Fine child, fine. You are troubled, child. Tell me what's wrong."

Satana didn't know how to tell her or really what to tell her. She knew she was a gifted Empathic, so you really couldn't hide anything from her.

"It's about this guy I like. I want to find a way to tell him I like him."

"I see you've already tried talking to him. That didn't turn out so well." Mama Rayne said as she cleared her throat.

"What should I do, Mama?" Satana asked desperately.

"You are in the wrestling profession. Do what they do. They put on disguises to hide who they truly are. It is nothing more than a big masquerade ball, only with some serious injuries sometimes."

"Thank you, Mama Rayne. I always knew I could count on you."

Satana drove to the nearest herbalist shop to pick up some things for the salve for the swelling in Punk's foot. All the while, she mulled over what she would transform herself into and finally tells Matt how she really felt about him. She remembered back to drama class and how she felt free when she was on stage and in the guise of another character. It would be up to her to bring her character secretly to life.