Chapter Six: Allons-y!

(A/N: I changed my mind. Chapter 5 will not have 2 parts, as originally planned. Instead, this will be chapter 6, obviously, and the part where I mentioned CM Punk leaving- sadface :'( will be Chapter 7. So enjoy! Thanks for making it this far- I love all of y'all! Mwah! 3

Also, I got bored with trying to come up with original chapter titles, so from now on, the titles will be from movies, music & TV- I do want to play a game, though- comment what you think the title comes from, and I'll give you what the original Marvel bullpen used to call a "no-prize" to the correct answer)

Saturday, day before the Royal Rumble:

January 25, 2014:

I woke up at 5am, full of excitement. Today was, as the cliché goes, the first day of the rest of my life. Today was the first day that I was going to the Performance Center to begin training to become a WWE Diva. I had spent the last two days doing research on all of the trainers that were there. I knew the Divas would have their own trainer, and I was really looking forward to meeting Sara Del Rey. I was also hoping to meet Mickie James, but she was on tour for her music (Author's note: I haven't really heard Mickie James sing - is she any good?).

I got up, careful not to make any noise, and packed up my clothes that I would need for the day. I packed my yoga mat for my warm-ups, my ring gear, and my shower stuff for after training, and some healthy snacks and plenty of water for breaks. It was kinda warm out, so I dressed in my cutoff shorts, my black Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. t-shirt I had bought at Hot Topic yesterday - okay, maybe I only bought it so the Shield could see it, sue me - a black PINK by Victoria's Secret hoodie, my black Vans, and to top it all off, my Florida Georgia Line trucker hat. I ate a quick, but healthy and full of protein breakfast, brushed my teeth, and was almost out the door when I remembered the satellite guy was supposed to come today. I wrote a quick note telling my friends that I was leaving and to let the satellite guy in and that I would be back later.

I walked out to my big, black, jacked up Chevy tuck (oh yea, I so went Luke Bryan on that) and started to drive to the Performance Center. As I was driving, I plugged in my iPod to listen to some music that would get me pumped for today. I needed a song that would help me get excited for this. I found the perfect one: "Defying Gravity" (Author's note: I'm using the Glee version for this soundtrack).

"Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes . . . and leap!

It's to try

Defying gravity

I think I'll try

Defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye

I'm defying gravity

And you won't bring me down!"

I sang along with Rachel and Kurt at the top of my voice, and then I sang "Champion" by Clement Marfo and the Frontline (A/N: you get a cookie if you tell me what PPV or match promo this song was used for and who was in the promo!).

"You can feel my passion, you can hear hunger

A lightning bolt of thunder, and

Sometimes I just wonder

No one can hold me back, ready for my victory lap

Fully ready to rumble, so prepare to be taken back

I talk the talk, plus I walk the walk

Ready with my eyes on the ball, eyes of hawk

I raise my index finger in the air, giving my all

A hard hitter like the four to to the floor (make you fall to the floor)

I'm feeling 10 feet tall, unstoppable

I'm the champion, champion, champion, champion

Why you coming back for more?

I'm undefeatable

I'm the champion, champion, champion, champion!"

I kept singing and jamming in my truck until I pulled up to the Performance Center. I had to cut my music off in order to fully take it all in. I gripped the steering wheel and had to take deep breaths - it was overwhelming. I knew it was big from my research that I had done, but sweet niblets, it was fricking huge! I saw other vehicles in the parking lot, but I wasn't ready to get out just yet. I was intimidated by it all. In that gigantic building was where I, a small town girl that had always loved watching wrestling, was going to learn how to be larger than life, just like the Divas that I had grown up admiring.

I got my stuff out slowly and then got out of my truck. I put my stuff on the runner of the truck and took my phone out. I snapped a picture of the monolithic building and tweeted this: "This is it. I am finally here at wweprfmnccntr! #letsgetit" (Author's note: I think this is the actual Twitter account for the Performance Center, but the spelling could be off - sorry!) I then called Colby, who was preparing for the Rumble tomorrow. The phone rang once, twice, three times until he picked up.

"Hello?" I got a little giddy at hearing his sexy voice. I controlled myself, though.

"It's Scarlett."

"Oh! Hey, honey! What's up? It's a little early, isn't it?"

"Oh, did I wake you up? I'm sorry, babe! I didn't mean to!" I exclaimed.

I had completely forgotten the time; I was still busy trying to wrap my brain around this.

"No, it's alright. I was already up. Why are you up so early?"

"I'm here. At the Performance Center. I just got here, and I'm freaking out right now! I'm . . . I'm here to become a Diva! It's – I . . ." I heard him laughing on the other end, and I couldn't help but smile.

"What's so funny, Colby?" I wanted to know.

"You, honey. You sound like a little kid at Christmastime who just got everything that was on her list and then some. It's kinda cute. I wish I could see your pretty face, though," Colby told me. I had to grin at that. I felt bubbly inside when he said that. Butterflies. That's what it is. I hadn't felt like that in forever, and my smile got bigger.

"I'll send you a picture. Hang on," I replied. I unzipped my hoodie so my Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. t-shirt was visible and turned around so my back was to the building. I snapped a selfie of myself wearing the biggest grin on my face and then sent the picture to Colby.

"Alright, I sent you a picture. Did you get it?"

"Hang on, lemme check. Yep, got it. Your smile is so beautiful, honey. Oh, and I love the shirt you're wearing, too. You could definitely be an Agent of Shield," Colby said with a laugh. I rolled my eyes at his bad pun.

"I knew that's where y'all got the name from! And don't tell me it isn't because come on! Y'all debuted after The Avengers came out and your name is The Shield. At least, that's my theory, anyways," I said, giggling. He laughed and then I heard Jon's voice calling out to him.

"Sorry, honey, gotta go. I gotta go get ready for the Royal Rumble tomorrow. Are you coming to watch it?"

"Nah. I will be there for Raw, though. Don't worry, I'll be watching, though."

"Good. I can't wait to see you Monday, then. See you later, honey!" Colby said.

"See you Monday, babe," I replied.

I heard the "call ended" tone and I put my phone back in my pocket. I grabbed my stuff off of the runner and walked into The Performance Center.

I walked in, taking deep breaths to steady myself. I walked to the front desk (Author's note: I guess there's a front desk - I don't know too much about the Performance Center other than the fact that it's huge and The Authority can see everything everyone is doing), where there was a lady who very obviously looked busy.

"May I help you, sweetie?" she asked. She looked about my age. I wondered if she was a Diva in training, too, or if she was just working here.

"Hi. Yes, I'm Scarlett Reed. I'm supposed to start training today, and obviously I'm a little lost. Where am I supposed to go?" I asked. She typed some stuff into her computer, and then printed it out.

"This is a map of the Center. I've highlighted the places you're supposed to go. Is there anything else I can help you with?" the receptionist asked. I took the map from her and replied,

"No, thank you. I think this will help out a lot. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Good luck!"

"Thank you. Have a good day!" I called out, walking to the big double doors that would lead into the Performance Center itself. I took yet another calming breath and pushed the doors open. I walked in, and I was not prepared for this at all. It was . . . It was . . . I couldn't even find the words for it. I was walking around, trying to figure out where everything was. I kept my head stuck in my map until I bumped into someone.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" I immediately apologized. "I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, it's alright. You looked like you were studying that map pretty intensely," a male voice said. I didn't see who it was because I was looking at my iPod that had fallen out of my bag. It was being held by a guy who had a lot of tattoos, and it wasn't Phil. Instead of "Drug Free" on his hands, it said "Stay Down." Well, someone has issues, I thought. I looked up and saw a pair of bright green eyes staring at me. He may have issues, but he certainly has pretty eyes.

"Hey. You alright? Did I bump into you too hard or something?" he asked. I jumped a bit and took a better look at the tattooed, green eyed guy. It was Corey Graves. On NXT, he was the guy that went around disrespecting people everyone and beating the crap out of anyone he felt like beating. I remember watching old episodes of NXT where he had this feud with Colby right after Colby became the first ever NXT Champion.

Corey was certainly a badass, but not as badass as the Shield – sue me, I'm a little biased. I did admire Corey's . . . what's the word? Oh, yea. His pugnaciousness.

Oh, no. Why did it have to be him, of all people? He had these bright green eyes and they looked like . . . like I was home, almost. I want to know him better, I thought. Why do I feel like I've missed him, when I don't even know him?

"Oh! No, you didn't. I'm fine, thank you," I managed to get out of my mouth.

"Well, good. I was hoping I hadn't. You're so tiny! Are you old enough to be here?" Corey asked. I punched him in the shoulder in response.

"Ow! What the hell was that for? All I did was ask you a question!" Corey exclaimed as he rubbed his shoulder.

"I'm 22. That answer your question?" I retorted. I stood up with my stuff and held my hand out for my iPod that he was still holding. He grinned, and his smile was a little devilish, almost as if he knew things that I didn't and he couldn't wait to teach me. I shivered a bit on the inside because he was certainly having an effect on me that Phil and Colby didn't. Sweet niblets, I was gonna be in trouble if I didn't hurry up and leave.

"Oh. Yea. Here you go, baby girl. Oh, what's your name?" he asked, giving me my iPod. He made sure to brush his fingers over mine and I had to stop myself from shivering. It felt like an electric shock through my hand when he touched it and I couldn't help but wonder what it would it feel like to have those hands . . .

Nope. Nopenopenopenopenope! Reed, get ahold of yourself! Don't even think about it! You've got a great guy waiting for you; don't fuck this up, I mentally chastised myself.

"It's not 'baby girl,' that's for damn sure. I'm Scarlett. Scarlett Reed. I'm new here. What's your name?"

"Sorry. Won't call you that anymore. Not unless . . . you want me to, that is." He said this last part with a smirk and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at his lame attempt to hit on me. Although, for some reason, I really wanted him to hit on me. Why? I don't know. "Corey Graves. Outside the ring, I'm Matt Polinsky. Everyone's new here. So, where do you need to go?"

"Uh . . ." I started. I looked down at the map. "Here," I said, pointing to an area labeled "Training Rooms." Matt looked at the map, and then replied,

"I'm headed that way myself. So you'll be training under Sara?"

"Yea. I've heard that she was pretty badass on the indie circuit, so I'm pretty excited by that. Who's your trainer?" I asked. I put my iPod in my bag and walked with Matt to the Training Rooms.

"The big guy himself, Bill DeMott."

"Ooh. I've heard he was bat-shit crazy. Glad I'm not a guy," I replied. Matt laughed at my sparkling wit and I liked it. What the hell is wrong with me today?! I'm supposed to be focusing on my career! Relationships will come sooner or later, and right now, I wasn't looking for sooner with this tattooed, green eyed, messy haired smartass.

"He's a little . . . unorthodox, but he gets the job done. We're learning a lot from him. So how long have you been wrestling?" Matt asked.

"About four years. I moved to Atlanta from Leesburg when I turned 17, and I've been training ever since."

"So small-town Southern girl, huh? Not too many of those, unless you count Emma."

"Emma's from Australia. I'm from Georgia."

"Ah, I see you've done research on everyone. Tell me, where am I from?" Matt asked. He was being a sarcastic dick. I rolled my eyes.

"Pittsburgh. By the way, you ever met Mac Miller? Or Wiz Khalifa?" I asked.

"I don't think so. I've heard of them, but no, I haven't met them. I did meet Ben Rothlisberger and the Steelers, though."

"Cool! I remember when they were on Raw - that was pretty awesome."

"Oh, we're here." Matt held open the door for me and he gestured to the wonder that is the Performance Center. There were seven rings, and all of them were full of people. There was even a ring where I saw the high-flyers practicing their risky maneuvers, and they weren't even getting hurt like they would if they were in one of the other rings. (Author's note: there's some top-secret stuff under the high-flyers' ring that's supposed to make it safer for them- the material is like a foot thick).

"Sara's over there." Matt pointed to a woman who was talking to a group of Divas. I could easily pick out Eva Marie in the crowd and there were a few other Divas that looked familiar, as well.

"See you later," I said, walking over to the group. As I walked away from Matt, I couldn't help but feel like I needed him. What the hell is going on with me? Focus, Reed. Today's the first day. Worry about the opposite sex later, I thought.

I got to them and I put my stuff down next to me. I walked over to Sara, taking my hat off.

"Yes?" Sara asked.

"I'm Scarlett. I'm one of the new Divas, or rather, a rookie. Am I late?" I asked. I didn't want to be late - that showed them that I was undisciplined and I definitely didn't want that.

"No, you're not late. Just sit down somewhere, and then I'll talk to you one on one afterwards, alright?" I nodded and went to sit down beside Eva.

"Hey," she said, giving me a big smile.

"Hey," I said back.

"Glad you're finally here. The other girls didn't believe me when I said there was a girl who kicked my ass and she wasn't even signed yet," Eva said with a laugh. I smiled at her and said,

"Nice. Well, maybe I'll get a chance to do it again with them watching." She gave me a look that said "suuuurrree you will," and I laughed.

I settled in to listen to Sara talk about what we would be going over, safety precautions, what we should and should not do inside the ring, and finally, she shared some stories about her time in the indie circuit, including Ring of Honor, where so many of the guys in the roster had come from, including Colby, Phil, Bryan, and Claudio (Cesaro).

"Alright, guys. Go to the workout room and start stretching. Stretch first! Then you may work out, and afterwards, I will start asking you to come in the ring. Miss Reed, we need to talk," Sara said. I nodded and got up. Eva squeezed my hand and smiled at me before leaving to go to the workout room with the other Divas. I walked over to Sara. "So the first thing I'm going to ask you is if you have any experience with this, and don't say that you're a life-long fan. Everyone says that." Well, she certainly gets right to the point, doesn't she?

"Well, I am a fan, but I've been training in Atlanta for four years. I moved there when I was 17 from Leesburg, and I've done nothing but train since then. Actually, I'm also going to school to get my bachelor's in Registered Nursing, so if this doesn't work out, I'll have something to fall back on," I explained.

Sara nodded, listening, and then she replied,

"Well, good. I can't exactly say much, because I didn't finish college, but it's good that you have a backup plan. Now what is your specialty? Are you a high-flyer, a ground person, what?"

"A mix, really. I was learning to perfect my aerial maneuvers when I got signed to WWE. I also am supposed to be training in Muay Thai under CM Punk. He said that he would start training me next week, but I was hoping to look into some martial arts schools around here, just to expand my repertoire," I told her.

"That's a pretty good idea. Phil is definitely one of the better Muay Thai guys, and I can give you some recommendations on some good martial arts schools around here. Is there anything that you would like me to help you with?" Sara asked. I had to think about it. If I said "nothing," she would probably put me through the wringer because she felt I was conceited. If I said "everything," she would think that I wasn't really that good and that I wasn't cut out to be a Diva. Instead, I replied with:

"There are some things. Mostly submission moves and the aerial attacks. The martial arts I could learn from Phil or someone else, unless you could teach me?"

"I can help you out with the submission and the aerial work, but I think it'd be better for you to learn martial arts from Phil or go to a dojo. Is there anything else that you need help with, Miss Reed?"

"Not really. I mean, I'll ask you, but I think I got it - at least, I hope I do, anyways. I'm kinda nervous, though."

"Everyone's nervous on their first day. I know I was, and I'm not even a Diva. I'm just the trainer. I'm positive that you will do well, because I'm gonna make sure you do well."

"Thank you, Ms. Amato," I said.

"Call me Sara. Now get to the locker room, put your stuff up, and get to the workout room so you can start. We have a lot to do today, Miss Reed, and not enough time. Get going." She jerked her thumb to the workout room, and I quickly grabbed my stuff and walked speedily to the Divas' locker room.

I found an empty cubbyhole and hung my stuff up on the hooks. I got my workout clothes, my iPod, and my bottle of water out of my bag. I quickly changed clothes, and then I walked out to the workout room.

I walked over to the other Diva rookies, who were busy stretching.

"Hey!" Eva said, walking over to me and giving me a hug. Why is everyone so tall?! Now I know how AJ and JoJo must feel with all of the Divas towering over them. I hugged her back, and then she walked me over to her little group which included Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Summer Rae.

"Hey! Are you the new girl?" Summer Rae asked.

"I am. My name's Scarlett," I said, smiling at her.

"I'm Danielle! You can just call me Dani, though, honey," she said.

"Oh, you're from the South, too? Cool! What part?" I asked.

"Raleigh, North Carolina. Where are you from?"

"I'm from Leesburg, Georgia. I moved to Atlanta a few years ago to start my wrestling career, and then obviously, I'm here now," I finished lamely. I shuffled my weight from one foot to the other and I was saved from my awkwardness by Sara coming towards us.

"Here. This is yours." she said as she handed me an iPad. An iPad? Really? Apple products are not that great, guys! I mentally complained. "You will use this the entire time you're here. You see those cameras up there?" I looked up to see a bunch of cameras. Some were even moving around like the ones I saw on NFL games.

"Those cameras are watching you all the time. The board can even pull up the feed and watch you guys at any time. The cameras can also be used to record you wrestling and you have the opportunity to pull up your videos to watch yourself and make any correction that you feel you need to make. There are also rooms that we have where you can go in and rant, basically. You can just talk to the mirror, which will record it onto your iPad and it will help you develop your in-ring personality.

"The workout room is available to you at any time, and so are the rings. Like you said, Phil is supposed to be training you, so let us know when you guys get ready to train and we will open up the Performance Center for you so you can train as much as you need to. Are there any questions, Miss Reed?" Sara asked.

I shook my head.

"Good. Oh, one more thing. You can take that iPad home, but it's to be used for work only. No Candy Crush, no Facebook, nothing else. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Get going," she said, jerking her thumb towards the exercise equipment. I promptly turned on the iPad and was setting up my profile on it when I bumped into someone.

"We really have to stop meeting like this," the voice said. I looked up and it was Matt. He was smirking at me. I rolled my eyes at him.

"That's the best you can come up with, Graves?" I asked.

"Yup. So, what are you studying this time, Reed?" he asked.

"Setting up my iPad. Too bad I can only use it for work- I was really hoping I could get past level 201 on Candy Crush," I said. (A/N: I am stuck on level 201 and I've been stuck on it for months and it's driving me bonkers! But, I digress.)

Matt laughed at me and I smiled at him. Wow, this is weird. I know I like Colby, and I think he likes me, but something about Matt is getting under my skin and I kinda like it. I felt butterflies in my stomach and I had to stop. I really did. This shouldn't be happening . . . should it?

"Really? You play Candy Crush?"

"Who doesn't?"

"True. So, you ready yet?"

"Uh, it depends on what you mean by "ready." I'm still trying to process all of . . . this," I said as I waved my hands around, indicating everything.

"Yea, I know how you feel. It's certainly intimidating, especially when you've got people from the main roster and hall of famers coming through here. They're either working out themselves, or they're teaching us. Then there's the fact that the Authority can see what we're doing. They're probably thinking that you really need to get started doing something," Matt said. I stopped fiddling with my iPad and went to put it up.

I ran back out and immediately started stretching. I heard Matt laughing at me and I stretched my arms behind my head, flipping him off in the process. That got another round of laughter from him and I rolled my eyes. After I got all stretched out, I walked over to JoJo and Emma.

"Hi! Oh, finally, someone shorter than me!" JoJo said happily, hugging me. I hugged her back and then I said,

"Thanks for reminding me, JoJo. I'm Scarlett. Hi!"

"It's nice to meet you." JoJo said. "So, how old are you? You look younger than me, and I'm still a teenager!"

"I get that a lot. Like, a lot a lot. But I'm 22." I responded. "Hey, Emma!"

"That's just my ring name, doll." Emma said in her pretty accent, and I have to say, I really liked her accent. I know people mistake a British accent for an Australian accent a lot, but Australian people have weirder ways of talking than the Brits do. "My real name is Tenille. Ya know, like that old musical group The Captain and Tenille?"

"I've heard the name, but I've never listened to them before, so yea," I said with a little laugh.

"Hey, you wanna come on the ellipticals with us?" JoJo asked, pointing towards the ellipticals and treadmills.

"Sure!" I said. We walked over to the ellipticals and I got on one while JoJo and Tenille got on the other ones.

"So, how are you liking NXT so far?" JoJo asked. She seemed so enthusiastic about everything, even though she got bumped back down to developmental. Hmm, hope I don't screw this up if I ever get on the main roster, I thought.

"It's alright. Can't wait 'til I actually start wrestling, though. That's what I'm really looking forward to," I told her.

"Same here. I don't mind training, but it's the wrestling part I love," Tenille said.

"Of course you love it! You're already in a feud with Dani and you're getting called up to the main roster in a few weeks," JoJo replied with a twinge of jealousy.

That petty teenaged jealousy she had on Total Divas was beginning to creep into her voice again. That's what caused her and Eva Marie to stop being friends, simply because JoJo got jealous and began resenting Eva Marie for her success with Maxim and being the Bellas' valet. Oh, jeez, is she like this with everyone? I mean, damn. I was never that petty and jealous of others when I was 19. I could see Tenille ignoring JoJo and continuing to work out. I could tell that I was probably gonna be better friends with Tenille than with JoJo. I could be friends with JoJo, but if something happened to me that she would resent, it would cause problems, and I was so not ready for catty girlfights. I had my own problems to deal with, and they just so happened to be of the male persuasion.

After about 20 minutes on the elliptical, I got off and stretched out some more. I then walked over to a punching bag and started hitting it.

"You're hitting it wrong." I turned around to see the NXT Champion, Bo Dallas. I liked him on TV. I mean, sure, he comes off as annoying, but that's just his in-ring persona. You just have to Bo-lieve in him!

"What do you mean, I'm hitting it wrong? It's a punching bag. There's not a wrong way to hit it," I retorted.

"Yes, there is." Bo told me. "Here, let me show you how to do it." I stepped back and motioned for him to come forward. He started hitting it, and after a while, I could see that I was hitting it wrong. "See? Come here."

I walked over to him and faced the bag. He stood behind me and raised my arms. Well, at least I don't feel any attraction to this guy, I thought. He moved my arms, showing me the correct technique for hitting the bag.

"Thanks. I'm Scarlett, by the way," I said, beginning to punch the bag the way Bo showed me.

"I'm Taylor Rotunda," Bo introduced himself. I stopped hitting the bag and turned to look at him.

"Really? You're I.R.S.'s son? The other one?" I asked.

"Yep. The other one," Taylor replied, putting his long hair into a ponytail.

"Wow. Well, at least you're not as creepy as your brother," I said, laughing. That got a laugh out of him.

"Win's really not that creepy in reality. He's actually quite the teddy bear. Although. . ." Taylor trailed off.

"Although . . . what?" I asked. He leaned in and whispered in my ear,

"If you tell anyone I said that, he'll kill both of us." I started laughing and then turned around to keep punching.

"Miss Reed!" Sara called.

"Ma'am?" I walked over to her.

"Get your ring gear on. Let's go. We got a ring open. Time to start the real training," she said. I ran to the locker room to change into my ring gear, and I could see I wasn't the only one rapidly changing. I dressed in my sparkly yellow short shorts, a matching midriff-baring top, and my favorite boots. I laced them up and then slapped both of them to make sure they fit.

I followed her out to the rings, where I saw Bill DeMott and Billy Gunn working with the male roster, along with Ricky Steamboat and Robby Brookside. It was daunting to be in the presence of greatness. I had to take deep breaths to steady myself.

"It's scary, isn't it?" I looked up to hear Dani talking in a low voice.

"Yea. A little bit. It's definitely not Georgia anymore, that's for sure," I whispered back to her.

"I know. It's certainly not Raleigh, either." We continued to walk behind Sara until we reached a ring. Sara got into it and began talking.

"This," she said as she motioned to the ring, "is where you all will develop yourselves as wrestlers. Do a good job, and you end up on the main roster, like Dani, Tenille, and Eva. You don't do a good job, well . . . you can either give up, or make yourselves better. This is where you have to put in the most work. This is where I will train you, not only in your moves, but in safety. Above all else, we will teach you how to execute flawless moves, but you will do it safely. We know that injuries are a part of this business, and it has cut many great careers short, like Edge's. We will do everything we can to make sure that your careers are not cut short by injuries. This is why we have the Prevention Room, which is self-explanatory. That room will cater to any needs you may have. We have an expert medical staff and doctors that will help you get well and they will help you get over your injuries in an efficient but quick manner.

"So, to recap: you will learn how to be a wrestler, but you will also learn to be a safe wrestler. I do not want you injuring yourself or your opponent because of stupidity. So, let's begin. Eva, Dani, come into the ring, please."

We watched as Eva and Dani stepped into the ring, with Sara acting as ref.

"These two will give a match, just so you can see what you will be learning here. I know some of you guys have been wrestling for quite a while, but use this as a learning experience to make yourselves better. Alright? Now, begin," Sara said, motioning towards Dani and Eva. (A/N: For this part and all of the other wrestling scenes, I will be using the technical names for the moves. I will either make up names for Scarlett's moves, or I will find the names for the other wrestlers' moves, but for now, the technical names will be used. I got all of these off of Wikipedia, so bear with me. Enjoy!)

They circled around each other, and then locked up. After a few minutes of this, Dani Irish-whipped Eva to the other side of the ring. Eva ran towards Dani, in which she was rewarded with a knife edge chop to the chest. Dani continued to do this until Eva was backed into a corner of the ring. Dani then got up on the second turnbuckle and started hitting Eva in the face, although not really, because that's illegal. Dani pulled Eva out of the corner and then did a running bulldog on her.

The entire time they were wrestling, Sara was explaining the different moves to us and coaching them on their techniques.

"Alright, guys, time to wrap it up!" Sara called. Eva charged towards Dani and Dani spun around and did a clothesline on her, knocking her flat on her back. Dani used a schoolgirl pin for the win, Sara counted to three, and then they all stood up.

"This is just an example of what you will be learning while you are here at NXT. Not only will you be wrestling against each other, but you will also be wrestling against me so I can show you different techniques and to help correct anything you may be doing wrong." Sara said after the match. "Saraya, will you come up here, please?"

Sara motioned towards a pale, raven-haired girl and she confidently climbed into the ring and stood next to Sara. She was almost as pale as Sheamus, but for some reason, it looked pretty on her; almost like the women of the 18th century society ladies who believed having a cream-colored complexion was a sign of class.

"This woman right here is who you will be chasing for the NXT Women's Championship while she has it. This is Saraya, who you all know as Paige," Sara said, motioning towards Paige. Paige gave a small wave and then turned her attention back to Sara.

"I brought Saraya up here to show you an example of what I mean. Saraya, go stand over there." Paige walked to her side of the ring and stretched out a bit while Sara brought one of the male trainers to us.

"This is Kip Sopp. Of course, you may know him as Billy Gunn, part of the New Age Outlaws." Sara indicated the aging blonde man in the ring.

"Hi, girls. My name is Kip, and I will be helping Sara train you guys, as well as be the referee while she is wrestling you. Let me just tell you, you guys made the right choice by coming here. I know some of y'all have wrestled on the indie circuit, and that's very admirable, but this is the big leagues, where you either make it . . . or you don't. So, watch and learn, and you just might get on the main roster," Billy said. He turned around to start refereeing the match and I couldn't help but feel a little odd by the way he talked to us. It's almost as if he didn't want any of us here.

Then again, he was part of the Attitude Era where the Divas were treated like sex toys. The Attitude Era also produced great Divas such as Lita and Trish Stratus, though. I watched as Sara wrestled Paige and I wondered why Sara never tried to get on at WWE as a wrestler rather than a trainer; she was amazing as a wrestler. I thought she could really revitalize the Divas' division without fitting the mold of the usual Diva.

"Oh, she's going for it!" I heard Dani say.

"Who's going for what?" I asked her.

"Saraya. She's about to use the 'Paige-Turner' on Sara. It hurts like hell when she uses it. Think Wade Barrett's 'Wasteland,' but harder," Dani described.

"Ouch. I would hate to be on the receiving end of one of those," I replied.

"If you have to wrestle her, you just might get one."

"Yikes."

We turned our attention back to the match, where Paige had indeed put the Paige-Turner on Sara. She went for the pin, but Sara kicked out.

"Holy shit. Has that ever been done before?" I asked Dani.

"Only by Sara. None of us have ever kicked out, even in practice," Dani responded.

"Wow."

"Yea." Paige pulled Sara up and then put what I thought was the most excruciating submission maneuver I have ever seen on her. Holy shit, I thought. What the hell is that? I really wanna learn how to do that.

"Ow! Jeez, that looks like hell!" I said to myself.

"It is," Tenille said.

"What is it?" I inquired.

"It's her Scorpion Cross-Lock. It's a new move she's been working on. Believe me, it feels worse than it looks," Tenille answered.

"Hmm . . . I wonder if she and Sara can teach me how to use that, or a modified version of it. I mean, my submission moves are alright, but I wanna do something different than a modified Mexican Surfboard," I told her.

"You wanna learn how to use that?" Tenille asked, pointing to Paige and Sara, who was tapping out furiously. I nodded and looked back over at them.

Billy held up Paige's hand up and then she shook Sara's hand. They got out of the ring to get water. A few minutes later, they came back. Paige took her place near the back of the Divas and Sara got back into the ring.

"So, does anyone have any questions?" Sara wanted to know. I raised my hand.

"Yes, Miss Reed?"

"I have one. Can I learn how to do that move?" I asked. "Obviously, I don't want it to be exactly the same as Paige's, but I believe it would be a great addition to my arsenal."

"I can help teach you, if you want." I turned around to see Paige walking up to the front.

"Really?"

"Yea. I learned that move when I was 16 years old. Believe me, I'm more than qualified to teach you. Sara can help you modify it," Paige told me.

"Thank you. That would be amazing," I replied.

"Alright. I want you guys to split up and find a ring to get into. Let's get to work. I'll be coming into the rings to check on you and show you different things," Sara called out.

"Would you mind working with me, Paige?" I asked her. I had watched a few episodes of NXT before coming here, and I was very, very impressed with Paige's in-ring skills. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one who thought she needed to be on the main roster. I know this sounds narcissistic, but Paige is probably my biggest competition for not only the NXT Women's Championship, but the Divas' Championship title, as well. If I wanted a title in this business, I had to go through her and AJ.

"Sure. I wouldn't mind teaching a rookie a few things." Paige said. "What's your name, anyways?"

"Scarlett. I'm Scarlett Reed," I told her.

"Nice name. I'm Saraya-Jade. Just call me Saraya, though. So, you wanna learn how to do the Scorpion Cross-Lock?" she asked.

"Yea. I think it's a pretty badass submission move. That's insane how you did that. Dani was telling me that none of the Divas kick out of your 'Paige-Turner,' either. Did Wade teach you that?" Saraya laughed at that one.

"Not really. I mean, I have seen him do it, but no, he didn't teach me how to do it. My mum and dad taught me that one, as well as pretty much everything I know about wrestling. I've been wrestling since I was 14."

"Wow. That's amazing. It really is. I've always been awestruck by wrestlers who have had wrestling in their families for years and the talent that they have, and I'm not saying that just to be sucking up," I told her. She smiled at me and then replied,

"Thank you for that. Alright, now let's get started. Bill, do you mind?"

A man had stepped into the ring just then.

"I'm Bill DeMott. You must be the new Diva?" he asked. My eyes widened at him. Jeez, he was even more overwhelming in person. I just hoped he wasn't as bat-shit crazy as everyone said he was.

"I am, sir. I'm Scarlett Reed," I replied as I held out my hand. He shook it firmly and when I retracted my hand, I had to suppress a groan. Damn, that hurt!

"Alright. Do you need any help?"

"I do. I was just about to start working with Saraya here. I wanted to learn some submission maneuvers."

"Actually, you need to learn basic moves first, Scarlett," he said. I do know how to do basic moves! I wanted to scream at him. I've been doing them for four years, asshole! But there was no sense in yelling at the head trainer - that would just get me fired.

"Alright, sir. I can do that. Is there anything that you wanted to see, in particular?" I asked, straining to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

"I just want to see exactly where you are at before we do any specialty maneuvers, like submission and aerial. So, let's begin."

I nodded and went to stand in front of Saraya. I held out my hand for her to shake, and she did.

"Begin!"

I gripped Saraya's hand and then clotheslined her. She got up and charged towards me, which I narrowly avoided. I pushed her into the corner of the ring and started giving her knife-edge chops to the chest. I stopped after a little while and attempted to Irish whip her across the ring, but she had the same idea. It sent me crashing into the ropes and she ran towards me, knocking me over the top rope and onto the floor.

Damn! I thought. She's fucking good! I just need to be better. I heard her do a primal scream, and it reminded me of Melina.

"1! 2! 3! 4! 5!" I heard Bill counting, and I slowly made my way back into the ring. I caught my breath and stood up. I saw Saraya coming at me again, but this time I was ready! I quickly pulled the top rope down, sending her falling towards the floor. I backed up behind Bill, and waited for her. She got back into the ring and I ran towards her, attempting to clothesline her, and I did, except . . . she had the same idea, again. That resulted in both of us lying on our backs in the middle of the ring while Bill counted. I rolled over onto my stomach and crawled on top of Saraya.

"1, 2 . . ." Damn! She kicked out! Okay, no matter, still have a bit of gas left in the tank. Keep pushing. I pulled her up and started kicking her like Daniel Bryan did, making my way around her. I then got on my knees and did a chinlock on her. She struggled out of it, and I pushed her down and started slamming her face down onto the mat. I rolled her over and tried to pin her again, but she kicked out again. I stared at her and started hitting the mat in frustration, but then I calmed down.

Instead, I slowly backed up, watching, waiting for her to get up. Once she stood up, I charged at her, picking her up and doing an Alley-Oop on her, sending both of us down onto the mat. I rolled her onto her back and went to pin her, but she kicked me in the gut. I tried to stand up, but I was doubled over in pain. I was clutching my stomach, and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back being pinned.

"1, 2, 3!" Damn, I thought. She must've put the Paige-Turner on me.

"Come on, get up," I heard Saraya say. She was holding out her hand and I accepted it. She pulled me up and then she shook my hand.

"Not bad, rookie," she told me. I was holding my neck and I looked at her.

"Thanks, Saraya. But I still lost."

"Relax. It wasn't a real match, Scarlett. Now, if you were wrestling me for the title, then you have a right to be mad, because it's not going anywhere right now," Saraya replied with a smirk. Well, at least she's confident. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Bill. I straightened up and looked at him.

"Well, you certainly show promise, Miss Reed. How long have you been wrestling?" Bill asked.

"Four years, sir," I replied.

"Wow. Are you sure you haven't been wrestling as long as she has?" he asked, pointing to Saraya.

"No, sir. I haven't. I started when I was 17. Why do you ask?"

"I think you're pretty good for someone who hasn't had that much experience wrestling. You're good, but you could be better."

"I know I could be better. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think so," I said.

He chuckled at that.

"You are certainly a little spitfire, Miss Reed. Where are you from?"

"Oh, a little ways up north. A small town called Leesburg, Georgia."

"Oh. Nice. It's a good city. Produced some great people."

"I plan on being next on that list," I said confidently. Bill looked at me and replied,

"From your lips to God's ears."

"Do you have anything else that I should know, sir?" I asked.

"You seem to know what you're doing with the basics, so you can start working with Saraya on submission moves. Hang on, I'll send someone over to help y'all with the submission moves." Bill stepped out of the ring and walked over to one of the other rings.

"How are you girls doing?" I looked over to see Matt lounging against the ring post, one arm draped over it ever so casually, like he was practicing his ring entrance. I rolled my eyes and was about to reply when Saraya said,

"What do you want, Matt?"

"Hey, I can't come check out the action?" Matt said with a smirk.

"Not much action to speak of. Saraya just kicked my ass and now Bill's going to get someone to help me with my submission moves," I told him. Matt nodded and then got into the ring.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be wrestling with Adrian?" Saraya asked.

"He's fine. He's working out with Mojo right now." Matt replied. "Hey, Scarlett Johansson. What's next for the Black Widow?" I stared at him for a few minutes and then busted out laughing. I had to end up sitting down on the ring from laughing so hard. Dammit. He even has a sense of humor. I'm gonna be in so much trouble with this guy if I didn't stop myself. Saraya stared at me wide-eyed, wondering what was going on, and then she started laughing too.

"What? Did I say something funny?" Matt asked with a dumbfounded look on his face.

After a few minutes, I calmed down long enough to reply to him,

"Oh, Matt. You're hilarious!"

"Why? All I did was ask a question," Matt said, throwing up his hands like "seriously?!"

"I know, but it was a funny question!" I exclaimed, another fit of giggles overcoming me.

"I don't really see what's so funny here."

"I've actually never heard anyone call me Scarlett Johansson before." I told him after I calmed down. "Scarlett O'Hara, sure. Never Johansson. How long were you sitting on that little gem, Matt?"

"You don't have to be a smartass about it," Matt snapped.

"Aww, poor baby. Wittle Matty got his wittle feewings hurt by a wittle girl?" Saraya said in a baby voice. That caused a new wave of giggles and Matt to roll his eyes and sigh.

"Never mind. I'm going to go work out," Matt said sullenly, and climbed out of the ring. I walked over to Saraya and slung my arm over her shoulder. I said,

"Ya know, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." She looked at me and smiled. She did the same to me and replied,

"Ya know, I think so, too, Scarlett. Alright, Bill's coming back. Oh, boy. He brought Ricky with him."

I looked over and my eyes widened. I dropped my arm and stood completely still.

"Holy shit." I said softly. "It's the fucking Dragon!" I was awestruck. I mean, I was pretty starstruck by Bill, but this was Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat! This man put on a show at Wrestlemania XXV against Chris Jericho.

The two men stepped into the ring and Ricky looked at me. I really had to get a grip on myself. I made a mental note to get his autograph later.

"Hello, Saraya." Ricky said, smiling. "Hello. You're Scarlett?"

"Ye-yes, sir, I am. It's such an honor to meet you," I gushed. I extended my hand and he shook it warmly. My inner fangirl was freaking out!

"Thank you for that. My name is Richard, but you can call me Ricky if you like. Now I understand that you are wanting to learn submission maneuvers? Or add some more to your repertoire?" he asked.

"A mix of both, sir. I wanted to learn some new ones, as well as variations on some of my older ones. I also kinda want to learn Saraya's Scorpion Deathlock, too. It looks pretty cool," I said with a small laugh.

"It is certainly a devastating move, that's for sure." Ricky said, which got a big smile from Saraya. "Okay, so show me what you have in terms of submission moves, Scarlett." I nodded and then turned to Saraya.

"Do you mind lying face down, please?" I asked her. She nodded and she laid down in the center of the ring, face down. I then applied my Southern Cross to her, making sure to twist her arms and legs up. I heard her screaming, but it wasn't her primal scream.

"Alright, let her go!" Ricky yelled. I untangled myself from Saraya and she fell on the ring mat, breathing hard. She rolled over onto her back and sat up.

"What in the bloody hell was that?!" Saraya asked.

"That's what I want to know," Ricky and Bill said together.

I sat up and explained,

"That was a variation on the Mexican Surfboard. I call it the Southern Cross." They all looked at me with wide eyes.

"Who taught you that?" Bill asked.

"Mr. Hughes at WWA4 School in Atlanta, sir. He originally taught me the Mexican Surfboard, but then I started playing around with variations of it, and that's where the Southern Cross comes from. Is there anything wrong with it, sir?" I replied.

"Actually, no. There isn't a single thing wrong with it, Scarlett," Ricky told me.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Bill said. "That is one of the most innovative moves I have ever seen, and I've seen quite a few of them. Keep working on that one, Scarlett. Ricky, you can work with these two girls." With that, Bill stepped out of the ring and left us to go work with the other Superstars.

Later that night: (A/N: Sorry, I kinda ran out of ideas on what to do at the Performance Center, so again, sorry!)

I had just finished changing into my regular clothes when I saw Saraya walking towards me to her locker.

"Hey," I said, giving her a wave.

"Hey, Scarlett. Did you enjoy your first day?" she asked, putting some stuff in her bag.

"I did. Even though you guys put me through the wringer!" I exclaimed, laughing.

"That's what will happen here, dear. It's only gonna get harder from here At least you weren't wrestling under my parents or at the Hart Dungeon. You'd be begging to come here."

"I know that. I can't wait to see what's next. So what's up for you tonight?" I asked, putting my hat on and zipping up my hoodie.

"I'm gonna go home, chill out, and watch some TV. Then, in the morning, I'll be right back here. What about you?"

"About the same, actually. Are you watching the Royal Rumble tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. What about you?"

"I'm watching it, too. My friends and I are gonna have a little party for it tomorrow. Just some pizza, burgers, fries, and stuff. We're all gonna wear our wrestling shirts and just chill out," I told her.

"That actually sounds like fun! Mind if I come?" Saraya asked.

"Are you sure you want to? My friends are kinda weird. Like in a good way, of course," I told her. She laughed and replied,

"Don't worry about it. You're gonna get weirder friends if you stay here," Saraya said with a smile. I smiled back at her.

"So, you're counting yourself in that category?"

"I guess I am. Here, gimme your phone number. I'll even bring some of the other girls over. Including Matt."

I started laughing at that one.

"You should definitely bring Matt," I told her as I gave Saraya my phone so she could punch in her number. She gave it back after a few seconds and then she said,

"It was great meeting you. It really was. I can't wait to wrestle against you."

"Thank you for that. I can't wait to wrestle against you, either," I told her, giving her a hug. She hugged me back.

I walked out of the locker room, and was just about to leave the Performance Center when someone called out to me. I turned around to see Matt coming towards me. And the butterflies are back, I thought.

"Hey! Scarlett!" he called out.

"Hey, Matt. What's up?"

"Just wanted to talk. How'd you enjoy today?"

"I honestly loved it. It was amazing. I got to work with some great people, and I can't wait for whatever comes my way," I told him with a big smile on my face.

Even though I was sore as hell, I was happy. I had just completed my first day of training and was eager to continue. I honestly wanted to get a TARDIS and go into the future, just to see if I ever did become NXT Women's Champion or Divas' Champion. Also, I wanted to see if I ended up with Colby. Hey, what can I say? I like him, and he likes me - at least, I hope so, anyways.

"I'm glad. It's hard, but it's fun, too." Matt replied. "So, what's this I hear about you throwing a Rumble party tomorrow? You're not gonna invite me?"

"I think Saraya was supposed to talk to you about that. She wanted to come after I told her about it, and she said she was bringing a few people over. You can come if you want to, though."

"I think I might show up - fashionably late, that is." I rolled my eyes.

"Dick." He laughed at me.

"Hey, can I give you a hug? Just to say that it was nice meeting you?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied, walking over to him. He opened his arms and I stepped into them. He wrapped his tattooed arms around me, and all of a sudden, I felt warm. It was a warmth that made me feel like he could protect me. Don't get me wrong, I do feel attracted to Matt, but not the way I do towards Colby or Phil. I felt like Matt could probably end up being my best friend, if he didn't end up in bed with me first. I inhaled his scent and it was . . . heavenly. No, stop it, Scarlett! I mentally yelled at myself. Don't do this!

He squeezed me tight one last time and then let me go.

"I can't wait to get to know you better, Scarlett. I think you're pretty awesome. See you tomorrow?"

"I wanna get to know you better, too Matt. Hey, gimme your number?" I asked. I handed Matt my phone, where he quickly put in his number and took a silly picture of himself for the contact ID. I giggled at him and I put my phone back in my pocket, feeling odd. He opened the door to the exit and we walked out together. Matt waved at me and I waved back, before we made our way to our vehicles. As I walked to my truck, I couldn't help but think about Matt. It was weird the immediate and quite frankly, powerful attraction that I felt towards him. I mean, I didn't even feel that powerful of an attraction to Phil or Colby, and I had to keep my distance from Matt before something got screwed. It was probably going to be me. I don't go jumping into bed with guys that I didn't know that well but ugh! Matt was making me want to, and I knew I couldn't, shouldn't . . . could I? Should I just forget about Colby and try to go after Matt? Wait, no. Don't do that. That wouldn't be fair to Colby or you, I tried to reason with myself. Just try to see where this thing with Colby goes, if anywhere, and if it doesn't, then you can go after Matt.

I got in my truck and leaned my head against the steering wheel. I exhaled deeply.

"Oh, man. What a day, what a day," I muttered.

I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket and I pulled it out. It was Colby.

"Hey, babe," I said brightly. I couldn't stop myself from smiling whenever he called or texted me. I couldn't wait to see him Monday. Maybe seeing him Monday would reaffirm things for me; that I should be focused on Colby and not Matt, no matter how much I wanted to focus on his multiple tattoos and his bright green eyes and his messy hair and . . . Okay, stop it. Stop it now.

"Hey, you. So, how'd it go?" Colby asked.

"I'm so damn tired! But it was amazing, Colby. I got to work with the Dragon! It was fucking awesome, seriously. I can't wait 'til tomorrow, and every day after that. I had the best day ever," I told him. He laughed and it sounded so damn sexy in that deep voice of his.

I couldn't stop myself from shivering a little, but at least Colby couldn't hear me.

"I'm glad you had fun, baby. So, you still coming up here on Monday?"

"Yea, I am. I can't wait to see you."

"I can't wait to see you either, Scarlett. Are you going home now?"

"Yea, I am. I'm gonna go to bed, and then come back tomorrow. I'm also having a Royal Rumble party tomorrow. Saraya's gonna come and bring some of the Divas, and Matt's even coming, too."

"Oh, jeez. You're gonna let Matt around all those girls and your friends? Have fun with that," Colby said with a laugh.

"I'm sure Matt's not that bad. He seems nice," I told him. Matt is pretty nice. I smiled to myself as I thought of him.

"He's pretty cool. He's one of my best friends, so if this doesn't work out, you'll have to take it up with him."

Aw, hell. I would want to fall for the potential boyfriend's best friend. Fuck me, I thought as I groaned inwardly.

"Well, I hope it works out. First, it has to start," I told him. He was silent for a little while, and I had started to wonder if I had said something wrong, but I brushed it off. I had to be honest from the start, even if that meant saying something that might be the wrong thing to say.

"You're right, Scarlett. It has to start first. What are you doing next Wednesday?"

"Probably training at the Performance Center. Why?"

"I'm off that day. I'll come train with you, and then I'll take you out to dinner, for real this time. What do you say?"

"It's a date. See you then, Colby," I said, grinning like an idiot. Yes! I just made a date with Colby! I did a little victory dance in my seat. This is good. This is progress. Maybe if I go on this date, I won't have time to think about Matt.

"See you then, Scarlett. Buenas noches dulces sueños." I knew just enough Spanish to know that Colby was telling me "goodnight and sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, babe. Sweet dreams." I hung up the phone and drove home.

Overall, today was a great day. I got to wrestle with some great people, and even made some new friends. And yes, I even got autographs from Ricky and Bill. What can I say? I'm still a fangirl when it comes to wrestling. I even got some of the people I wrestled with to give me an autograph, even though they looked at me weird. I learned some new things, and of course, I got to talk to Colby. That made my long day so much better. I smiled as I drove home, thinking about what was next. I couldn't wait! As I was driving, I remembered the 10th Doctor's catchphrase and deemed it fitting for this situation:

"Allons-y!"

Allons-y, indeed.

Author's note: So, what do you think about Scarlett and Corey Graves? I know, I know – I love Seth Rollins just as much as the next girl, but damn, Corey Graves knows he's fine! Lol, anyways, do you guys think this will go anywhere, or does Scarlett need to focus on trying to be in a relationship with Colby? Also, this was very subtle, but I used lyrics from Taylor Swift's song "Everything has Changed" to set the scene somewhat. I was going to put in a scene set 18 hours later, but I couldn't think of anything, so use your imaginations! Thanks for reading this chapter!