[[A/N: Oh my god. Can't believe it took me this long to update, but I hope the added length of this chapter at least kinda makes up for it. Thanks to VegasxHoneyDust, luneara eclipse, Miss-RKO, KissWithAFistx and KatieKazaMizAwesome for reviewing the last chapter. Your kind words are greatly appreciated, this one's for you (L)]]
| Belle's POV |
The phone call didn't last for much longer. I was provided with one instruction; to locate my caller immediately so we could talk. They hadn't said much, and I couldn't even tell whether they were upset with me or not. I wanted desperately to know, but they had refused to give anything away. It was moments like these that made me despise secrets. Sure, they had their place, but this was freaking me out a little too much for me to find it amusing or exciting.
As I finally wiped away my tears and stood up, I clutched my purse and walked out of the room. My phone rang immediately; this time, I wasn't blinded by tears, so I could immediately see my mother was calling me. I didn't even want to begin guessing why, though I prayed that was just paranoia. It would certainly be a comforting thought.
"Mom?" I coughed, trying to clear my throat and not sound like I'd just been crying. Her voice was already raised, certainly not a good sign. I wanted to hang up, but I couldn't, and I didn't. I merely replied "So, have you been watching RAW tonight?". Which, of course, was a stupid question. Her son was Mr Money In The Bank, and her daughter was WWE's newest Diva. How could she possibly miss it?
"Belinda Hope Mizanin! What was that?" she exclaimed. I was stunned by that alone. I didn't expect her to realise it hadn't been scripted, which was certainly what she seemed to think. I wasn't too sure of how much Mike told her about his storylines, which made it harder for me to know what to say.
"What?" I replied dumbly, embarrassed that it was the best I could come up with. She clucked her tongue disapprovingly and cried "You know exactly what you did! What were you thinking, cheering for Daniel Bryan? He's only your brother's mortal enemy! How could you be so stupid?"
I groaned, holding my hand to my forehead as I forced myself to keep walking along. My mother wasn't a liar, so now I had to face the truth. I really was falling for the "enemy", just as Eve had hinted. "Mom, it isn't what you think!" I pleaded, trying to sound serious as I fought back the urge to sniffle miserably. I had to think of something, and fast!
"What was it then?" she hissed impatiently. What the hell was her problem? I couldn't understand. She was never mean, vindictive, selfish or cruel; so why was she doing this now? Whatever she had heard about Daniel obviously hadn't been good, and I was sure I could guess who she'd heard it from.
"It wasn't scripted... because it was a complete spur-of-the-moment thing. Creative told me that they came up with the idea of putting us in a storyline together, and told me to do that to start the ball rolling. I'm not sure if they told Mike, but that was what we discussed" I lied smoothly, wishing it was true. At least then I'd have a legitimate, permissible reason to cheer for Daniel instead of Mike. My mother sighed and said "Sorry for not trusting you... But you know that Mike can't stand Daniel, I would hate to see you get involved with someone like that".
Someone like that? I had to wonder what she meant. In my heart I felt sure that someone like Daniel might just be the best for me. He was sweet, gentle, unassuming, humble, talented, funny... What more could a mother want for her daughter?
After I said goodbye and hung up, I turned my phone off as I reached my destination. I knocked on the door and took a deep breath once I heard footsteps approaching, and saw the door open. I was greeted with a polite "Good evening", which I returned quietly as I stumbled my way to the closest chair. I looked up, meeting my caller's eyes. I had to be in real trouble now. Vince MacMahon had called me into his office for a reason, and I was sure he wasn't going to let this slide.
"I assume you know why you are here?" he asked suddenly, startling me. I straightened up in my chair and nodded as I replied "Y-yes, Vince", cowering slightly. I was terrified of what could happen. I didn't want to lose my job, to be fired, which had to be why he'd called me. Why else would he want to see me so urgently?
"Do you remember the Montreal Screwjob? Or the Curtain Call Incident?" he asked. Oh God... I thought to myself, closing my eyes as I nodded, too scared to confirm this verbally. He accepted this as an answer and moved on. "As I'm sure Steve, Shawn or Paul could easily tell you, those moments had their consequences. In life, I've found that every moment, no matter how unimportant it might seem at first, will have its consequences and catalysts" he said thoughtfully, obviously pausing as he figured out how to deal with what I'd done. "You're absolutely right boss, and I just want to say that I am incredibly sorry for what i did... I'll understand if you wish to release me from the company" I wailed, burying my head into my hands. I could see what was happening. The moment he was referring to was my cheering for Daniel. The consequence was that I would be punished. In turn, the need for punishment would be the catalyst for the cessation of my employment. It was all becoming clear to me, and I couldn't take it anymore.
"What?" Vince exclaimed, looking terribly shocked. I raised my eyebrow, shaking my head. "I know why you called me into your office, Vince... You want to punish me for what I did, like Paul was punished for the Curtain Call Incident, only worse... You're going to fire me for breaking script!" I rambled, biting my lip to stop myself from talking. He looked at me with confusion in his eyes for a moment, eventually shaking his head. "Belinda, I apologize for making you think that way, but I'm not about to fire you. On the contrary, what you did has inspired me to add something to Mike and Daniel's storyline... You're now going to serve as an on-screen love interest for Daniel, as well as being a competitor in your own right" he explained, smiling kindly. What perfect luck! It would not only allow me to spend more time with Daniel, but I would be able to show the world both my acting skills and athletic ability.
The conversation continued in this same vein for a while, with Vince promising to speak to Mike and Daniel about it, and tell them that my extra involvement tonight was a spur-of-the-moment idea he'd forgotten to share with them. I thanked him profusely as I left his office, pulling out my iPod once I closed the door behind myself. Stuffing my headphones into my ears hurriedly, I couldn't help but to crack a wide smile. I hadn't been fired, punished, had my employment contract torn up before my eyes... I was still a WWE Diva, and I was about to enter a huge world of opportunity. I felt almost invincible, untouchable even. As I hit the "Play" button on my iPod, I laughed at the song that came up first. Considering how I felt, it was awfully fitting.
"Can't touch this... Can't touch this... Can't touch this... Can't touch this!" I rapped eagerly, enjoying the beat of the only MC Hammer song I knew. I bounced down the hallway, narrowly avoiding techies and cameramen as I journeyed back to the Divas' locker-room. As soon as I knocked on the door, it fell open and Eve ushered me in, accompanied by Gail, Melina, and Nattie. Luckily, Maryse was nowhere to be seen. I hated thinking like this, but I knew she'd just get all suspicious like my mom had, so seeking her out really wasn't worth risking. "You seem to be in a much better mood" Eve commented. I nodded eagerly and replied "Well I talked to Vince, everything's fine... He said I inspired him to change the storyline, I'm going to 'serve as an on-screen love interest'... I thought he was going to fire me but..." I started, losing my breath in my excitement.
Eve giggled and finished my sentence for me, saying "He knows that would be a horrible idea, and that this one is much better!". I hugged her tightly then let go, feeling a bit hyperactive and unable to stand still. "Gail, Melina, Nattie, come over here!" I called out. They soon joined Eve and I as we formed a huddle, each wrapping our arms around the shoulders of those we were next to. As they picked up on our excitement, the five of us began jumping up and down happily. I could tell that they were curious as to what exactly was going on, but still eager to celebrate my good mood, which was nice
.As expected, I didn't sleep too much that night. But since it was out of excitement instead of fear, I ignored it, still feeling as excited as anything. When I woke up, Mike looked at me with a thoughtful smile, shaking his head and laughing. "It's really not like Vince to be so forgetful, is it?" he asked. I could tell by that question that Vince had spoken to Mike last night, just as promised, and it made me wonder if Daniel was clued in yet. I knew the truth of the situation but could I admit that? No, I couldn't. So I just nodded along and said "No, it really isn't...", not sure of what else was appropriate.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you so bad last night, it just really... it put me on the spot, and it just... came to me, I had to say something" he added, smiling apologetically. After I gulped involuntarily, I forced myself to smile eagerly and shrug my shoulders, acting like it was nothing. "I understand..." I said quietly, trying not to remember how scared I'd been when he yelled at me.
He stood up from the kitchen table and stepped over to my bed, pulling me up into a massive bear hug. "I kinda freaked out because I had no idea why you did that, whether it was scripted or not, though now I know it was... You're my sister and I love you, and I'd hate to see you getting caught up with someone like Daniel, he's just... he's no good for you" he said, his eyes pleading and wide. I looked at him and sighed deeply, at a loss for words. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was trying to look out for me, but I didn't understand why he hated Daniel. I really wanted to punch him in the face, but I opted to nod and sit back down, seething silently. Luckily I was saved from my sudden anger when my phone began ringing. I immediately snatched it up from the bedside, immediately confused when an unknown number was flashing up on the screen.
"Uhh... Hello?" I asked slowly. My heart immediately leapt up into my throat when i heard the voice on the other end. Daniel! Daniel was calling me! It was no wonder I hadn't known, because I didn't know his number, which made me wonder who he'd had to ask for mine.
"Sorry, I realise you probably don't know my number, I asked Santino for yours because I wanted to call you" Daniel explained. I realised it probably didn't mean anything, but the fact that he'd bothered to ask someone was really quite heart-warming.
"That's fine, so what's up?" I asked cheerily, after a slight pause in speech - I was trying not to mention his name while Mike was within earshot. "I talked to Vince last night and then I went looking for you, but I couldn't find you" he replied softly, kindness evident in his voice. I was amazed. He'd gone looking for me yet again? Amazing, just... amazing. He really was.
"Oh, sorry about that, I was on the phone a fair bit, but I left soon after talking to him..." I half-lied, wincing slightly at the recent memory. My mother's voice was still ringing in my ears every now and then, and while I had calmed down pretty well, I was still worried a little. "You want me to come find you?"
"Yeah, that'd be great... I'm in the hotel restaurant waiting for my breakfast" he replied. Perfect, I thought to myself. Now I'd get a chance to eat and talk with Daniel - it would probably be the first proper conversation we'd ever had! I was thrilled at the thought, but tried not to let it show too much on my face for fear Mike might notice. After I promised I'd be there soon and said goodbye, I went and changed into matching white bra and panties, pulling on a knee-length purple dress with thick straps. Mike asked me where I was going and I just said I was going downstairs for breakfast, which was a half-truth so at least I wasn't lying. I raced out of the room, running down to the restaurant with all the calm of a raging bull - I had hardly ever been so eager to see someone. I looked around the room, seeing nobody I knew at first - which was slightly daunting, I had to admit - until I saw Daniel waving to me.
Immediately, I rushed over and sat across the table from him, smiling as he took one of my hands and kissed it softly. I wish he would kiss me for real... No! Stop it Belle, you're being stupid! I thought to myself, biting down on my lip as he let go of my hand. He looked at me with an expectant smile and asked "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?", as a waitress hovered near our table. I looked up at him, then turned my attention to the waitress and said "One large stack of pancakes please, with extra maple syrup". She scribbled down my order and walked away, leaving me with Daniel - what joy!
"So... Are you okay with it? Vince putting us in a storyline, I mean?" Daniel asked quietly. I looked at him with a cautious expression, trying not to seem too excited - that could reveal everything I felt far too soon. "Yeah, it's fine... I think the fans could really get into it, it will build on what you and Mike already have going on" I replied, after a brief moment of thought. Daniel smiled, seeming pleased with this answer and nodded accordingly, which was a relief, since I could tell from his smile that he didn't have a problem with it either.
"I thought Mike overreacted a bit last night though, he didn't need to be so loud... He looked like he really scared you" Daniel whispered softly, leaning across the table slightly as he did so. I assumed he was doing this out of the need to maintain privacy while discussing storylines in public, and sighed softly. Of course I agreed with him. I had been scared - no, terrified - and his loudness was what had scared me most. He didn't even try to control how he really felt, which would be problematic. "Yeah, I guess he did, but he apologized this morning so we're cool now" I replied, cringing at the thought.
He raised his eyebrow slightly and shook his head. "Are you sure? If you want, I'll talk to him for you, he's got no right to be so harsh" he stated. "I mean, Vince told me he hadn't known until after, and it's no secret we don't get along, but still... I just don't like the way he spoke to you, you deserve better..."
I blushed deeply as he spoke, hardly able to believe the way he said what he did. Why did he seem to care about me so much? I knew Eve suspected he had feelings for me, which I still refused to believe. He was obviously the utmost example of a gentleman, with politeness an manners to boot. If you added to that his kind eyes, winning smile, athletic body, amazing talent, unparalleled humility, he was pretty much perfect - everything I could hope for, but would obviously have to struggle in order to call my own.
"Really, Daniel, it's okay... But thankyou, you're very kind" I mumbled shyly, fiddling anxiously with my hand. He looked at me and just as my pancakes and his toasted sandwiches arrived, he leaned across the table and kissed my cheek. Shit, I thought to myself. Why did he have to do that? It made me like him all the more. Yet again, I felt myself blushing deeply and I reached for my cutlery, immediately shoveling pancakes into my mouth because no suitable words were springing to mind. We ate our breakfasts together in a comfortable silence, the only noise produced being either chewing noises, happy sighs, or the metallic clang of my cutlery hitting my plate.
"Anyway, I was thinking, since we're going to be working together a lot more, maybe we should travel together one week and use the time to get to know each other a little better?" Daniel said, completely out of the blue. If I'd still had food in my mouth, I would've no doubt started coughing and spluttering in shock, but luckily that wasn't the case. "That would be really fun, I'd like that" I replied immediately, trying not to imagine it prematurely. I knew I'd love nothing more than to spend time alone with Daniel - in the most innocent sense of the phrase, of course. We hadn't really been able to speak for any length of time until now and it was nice to think we'd have a definite chance. "I generally try and go home in between shows, but I was hoping maybe we could go on a road trip and get to wherever the following show is a day early" he explained, leaving me smiling with delight. I was looking forward to it more with every second.
"Yeah! It'll be so much fun!" I enthused, and I really meant it. I didn't know exactly how those days might pan out, but I imagined us watching movies until late, eating junk food until our stomachs imploded, building a fort, and seeing what music our iPods had in common... It was going to be an awesome time and I honestly couldn't wait. We talked about it for quite a while after that, discussing which hotel chains we liked best, which fast food chains had the best chips, which salads and ice-creams we liked best, what our favourite crappy movies were, just to name a few topics. I felt like I could talk to Daniel forever and given the opportunity, I probably would. I only looked at my watch once, letting out a short burst of laughter. I'd been sitting with Daniel for two hours, and it felt like much less time has passed. Well, they do say that time flies when you're having fun... I thought to myself.
"Daniel, I'm so sorry to do this, but I should be going now, I need to fit in a workout before my flight" I admitted sadly, frowning a little. I couldn't remember whether my airline for the day charged cancellation fees or not, and didn't relish the thought of getting told off by some snooty airline staff either. He replied "Hey that's totally fine, I'm probably supposed to leave soon anyway", smiling sincerely. He stood up after signaling a waiter, slipping him the money before I could make it otherwise. "Hey now, I dragged you down here, it's my treat" he insisted, practically sending me weak at the knees. Not because of the money or freedom from having to pay, but because he was just so generous. I threw my arms around him, quietly thanking him because I didn't want to make a scene.
After I kissed his cheek and he responded in kind, I walked out of the restaurant feeling as light as a cloud. I had never met anyone so kind and sweet and caring before, and despite Mike's warnings, I knew I was falling for him even harder. I was looking forward to life in general now, just that little bit more, because of him. I also couldn't wait to travel with him in a few weeks' time.
After all, it was just a road trip.
With Daniel.
What could possibly go wrong?
[[A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have definite plans in mind for their road trip but if you can recommend crappy movies, vegan-friendly fast food chains, cheesy karaoke songs or anything else I can use in their road trip's chapter, please lemmeh know :D Reviews are much appreciated, I have goals yo, and I wanna know what y'all think! So yeah... PEACE! xoxo]]
