Hey everyone, here's chapter eight of the story. I hope you all like it.
Thank you to Gin, your help is always appreciated and I love the random conversations out e-mails lead to.
Also, thanks for the reviews from foolishangel87, Cena07, Disco Inferno1 and the one other person whose review is showing up in the stats, but not on my review page.
Edited 14/09/06: My beta, Gin, kindly pointed out in her review that swear words I'd edited with an asterisk weren't coming out properly, so I've gone through and changed them.
This means that there's a few mild swear words in this chapter- you have been warned
Chapter Eight: Opening "Raw".
Sam headed back to the locker-room alone, hoping Rebecca wouldn't be in there.
The diva's luck was in; the women's only area was all but deserted with the exception of Melina.
"Hi Sam," said the woman, as the blonde entered.
"Hey Mel. Did you have a good flight?"
"Yeah, it wasn't bad. How was your journey?" asked the Latino woman.
"Alright, apart from the hour of the flight. Dusty wanted me and Cena in early to go over tonight," replied Sam.
"Ohhh. Anything good?"
"Meh, not especially. I haven't got a match."
"Should be a pretty easy night for you then."
"If you call kissing the Champ easy. What about you, you got a match?"
"No, I'm just accompanying Nitro to the ring. He's got a match with Shelton Benjamin"
A few minutes later, Cheryl walked into the locker-room.
"Who you got tonight Cher?"
The red head grinned. "You're gonna love this Sam, I get to knock that smirk off Rebecca's face," she said.
"Excellent! At last, Dusty is doing something I like."
"It get's better, I'm going to be feuding with her for a while. The new angle is that I don't like the fact that she was in the diva search."
"Awesome! Well, if it couldn't be me that did it, I'm so glad it's you. Make sure you stiff her for me," pleaded Sam.
"Oh, I will, believe me," chuckled the Woman's Champion.
Feeling excited that her best friend would be kicking her rival's ass for weeks, Sam happily waited with the other two divas for 'Raw' to start. Slowly the locker-room filled up, and when Rebecca entered, she didn't look pleased.
With half an hour until the start of the show, Sam headed out to find Mike and wish him luck with his match.
"Still getting the win over Carlito?" she asked her other best friend.
"Yup, and after the match I get to rant about the bitch who double crossed me," replied Mike.
"Charming! Oh well, at least Cheryl gets to kick Rebecca's butt."
"Yeah, I heard about that. I knew you'd be pleased."
"Pleased? I'm ecstatic!"
They both laughed aloud.
"Well, good luck. I hope you have fun slagging me off," she teased.
The two friends both laughed again.
"Good luck to you too, Sunshine. I hope the crowd don't give you too hard a time, even though you deserve it," Mike joked.
Sam said goodbye to her best friend, hugging him tightly, before heading back to prepare for her segment.
She was so nervous about opening the show and paced the locker-room frantically.
"Calm down Sam, it'll be fine. I've opened 'Raw' millions of times, it's a piece of cake," reassured Cheryl.
"It won't, it won't. I just know something will go wrong. I probably end up falling flat on my face," the blonde wailed.
Sam continued to pace the room, muttering to herself, "I'm gonna screw up, I'm gonna screw up."
When she had almost worn a hole in the floor, the dreaded moment came.
"Good luck, you'll be great, I'm sure," said Cheryl as Sam left.
Decked out in her new trainers, cargo pants and tiny Cena T-shirt, the diva walked to the area just behind the curtain, where the WWE Champion was already waiting for her.
"You ok Sam? You look like you're going to throw up. Surely the thought of kissing me can't be that bad?" he asked.
Sam shrugged and started to pace again.
Oh god, oh god. What am I doing? I'm gonna screw this up so bad.
The opening announcements started, and the Texas crowd was raucous. The diva sat down on a chair, shaking from heat to foot, as Lillian Garcia announced the WWE Champion and his music started.
The audience in the arena went wild, booing their champion. Cena seemed to take it all in his stride though.
"Texas! The Champ is here!" he announced once in the ring.
Again, the onlookers made their feelings known, with an uproar of jeers.
"Last night I beat off my toughest competitor yet, but here I am, still wearing the gold."
More booing followed.
"But, 'Vengeance' was different, and I couldn't have done it without the help of one woman. A sexy woman who's secretly been by my side for months."
Chants of "Slut, Slut" rang out, although Sam heard nothing due to nerves.
"Whilst Mike was beating everyone else, to win the honour of challenging me, I've been getting down with it, with his manager."
Another outburst of crude comments followed.
"So, tonight, right here in Texas, I want to personally thank the woman responsible."
Sam's infrequently used entrance music, by 'Pink', played, and the diva walked to the curtain.
"Everyone on their feet, for the hottest 'Raw' diva, Sam Edwards," continued Cena.
Sam was shocked at the use of her preferred nickname.
Strutting down to the ring, the diva felt the full force of the crowd's new found dislike for her.
The WWE Champion lifted the ropes, as his new manager stepped in.
The two wrestlers tightly embraced, and the audience was on their feet, crying out in hatred.
The Champion and diva broke apart, and Cena handed a grinning Sam the mic.
"Well, that's no way to treat a lady, is it?" she said.
"Slut, slut," echoed around the arena.
"All I did was find a better man, if that makes me a slut, so be it."
The boos almost raised the roof.
"What was a gal meant to do? Sit twiddling her thumbs in boredom, as Mike blundered on?"
At this comment, the audience really ripped into the diva.
"Obviously they don't appreciate a hot woman when they see one," added Cena.
"Well, we are in an arena full of red necks."
The Texans didn't like the knock to their state, and it showed
"Come on baby, let's blow this joint."
"Yeah, they don't even deserve our presence here," finished the diva.
Before exiting the ring, the WWE Champion took his manager in his arms. Sam wrapped her own arms around his waist. Their eyes locked before Cena pulled her into a kiss.
Oh my freaking god!
Sam swooned as electricity ran down her spine. The kiss deepened and the woman felt hands gently pulling at her blonde locks.
The crowd were going wild by now.
As the kiss ended and they broke apart, Sam felt weak at the knees.
Together they walked back up the ramp, Cena's hand entwined in Sam's, squeezing it tightly.
At the stage, just in front of the curtain, the two wrestlers stopped one last time.
Looking down to the crowd, Cena held the WWE title aloft, before taking Sam into his arms again.
The diva melted at his touch, and soon they were locked at the lips.
Fire filled every inch of Sam's body, as she felt soft lips brushing her own. Feeling Cena's hands in her hair again, the kiss got more passionate.
The diva's body was tingling, as the champion's hands ran down her back. She felt a gentle ripping on her T-shirt and then fingers lightly digging into the skin on her shoulders.
Oh my god.
The gathered audience were on their feet again, booing and jeering with all their might. Another round of crude shouts filled the air.
Breaking the kiss, but still holding each other tightly, Cena and Sam walked through the curtain, her shredded T-shirt hanging off her back.
"You ok?" he asked, as they let go of each other and sat down.
"Yeah," she replied, still feeling weak.
"Rough crowd, wasn't it?"
"Just a little. They really hate me don't they?" questioned the blonde woman.
"Nah, they're just jealous."
Within seconds, Dusty had come racing over. He looked bewildered but extremely pleased.
"Great performance, guys," the booker congratulated.
"Thank," replied Cena.
Sam merely smiled.
"Tomorrow, you're both in a mixed tag against Nitro and Melina," Dusty informed the Champion and his manager.
"Right," nodded the diva, regaining her composure.
"As for tonight, you're done here. So enjoy the show and take it easy."
The two wrestlers nodded as the booker walked off.
Sam stood up and began to walk off. "See ya later," she called to Cena.
"Have a drink with me after the show?" he asked.
"Yeah, ok. I'll see you in the bar."
The diva headed to the woman's locker-room, and Cheryl was immediately there to greet her.
"Great performance, Sam. I knew you'd do well," the red head said.
"Thanks," replied her friend, sitting down and pulling a bottle of water out of her gym bag. "Have you seen Mel?" she went on.
"Yeah, I think she's over by the buffet table with Nitro," answered the Women's Champion.
"Cheers. I'll see you in a bit, I'm just going to go and find her," said Sam, walking back out of the locker-room.
Just as Cheryl had said, Melina and Nitro were at the buffet table, chatting to Carlito.
"Hey Sam," the other diva smiled, as she saw the blonde woman approach her. "Great segment."
"Thanks. I've got some news for you two. You're in a match against me and Cena tomorrow night," Sam informed them.
"Oh right, cool. It'll be nice to work together again," replied Melina, referring to when the two women had feuded earlier on in Sam's career.
The two women carried on chatting, as Carlito and Nitro discussed some new X-box game.
Then Sam felt a tap on her shoulder and turned round to find Mike.
"I don't even need to ask what happened to your top," he said.
"Oh god, yeah, I haven't even changed yet," replied his friend.
"Looked like you were having fun," the black haired man continued.
"It's just a job Mike."
"You say that, but for some reason I don't believe you."
"Let it go, we've been through this a million times."
"Sorry. So what are we doing after the match?"
"Going to the bar as always. I told Cena I'd have a drink with him."
"Did you now?"
"Drop it Mike, we just work together."
"Ok, sorry. Anyway, you did really great tonight. I'm so proud of you, Sunshine, being able to go out there with that crowd and hold your head up high," Mike said, planting a kiss on Sam's forehead.
"Thanks, that means a lot. I'm glad things are still good between us. Anyway, I need to be getting changed. Good luck," she replied.
Sam walked back to the locker-room, feeling happy that Mike was proud of her and that things were good between them. As she arrived in the changing room, Cheryl was warming up for her match. Sam grinned, knowing who her other friend was facing.
"Get everything sorted?" asked the dressing woman.
"Yeah. So, you all set for kicking Rebecca's ass?"
"Hell yeah," grinned the Champion.
"Make sure you give her hell," said Sam, as Cheryl made her way out of the locker-room.
After showering, and changing into some white cargo pants and a light blue vest, Sam had nothing to do.
She had the rest of the night off, but she couldn't leave and one of her friends was in a match, the other preparing for his.
The diva felt utterly lost, usually during 'Raw' she had either a match to prepare for or at least one of Mike or Cheryl were about. She didn't feel hungry and had left her book at the hotel. Part of her wanted to sneak outside and steal another cigarette from that crewmember, Brett, but she knew she shouldn't.
With nothing better to do, Sam walked absent-mindedly around the back stage area, hoping to find someone she knew. Stopping to watch Cheryl's match, and being pleased to see her friend wiping the floor with her rival, a personal assistant approached her.
"Hi, I'm Alison Crest. Sam, isn't it?" asked the small mousey haired woman, extending her hand.
"Yeah," replied the diva shaking it.
"I was... er... I wanted to ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"You're Mike Summers' best friend, aren't you? Well... I was just... I was wondering if he's seeing anyone?" the other woman asked.
Sam smiled, "No, he isn't. Why, are you interested?"
The P.A blushed and nodded.
"Well, we're having a drink in the bar after the show. I'm sure he'd like it if you joined us."
"Really? Thanks, I'll see you later then," said Alison.
"Yeah, I'll see you later, Alison," the diva smiled, as the mousey haired woman hurried off.
Sam felt pleased that she'd managed to set Mike up, maybe that would stop him going on about her personal life at last.
She headed back to the locker-room, intent on congratulating the Women's Champion.
Cheryl smiled broadly as her friend entered the room.
"Did you see my match? I think I almost broke the poor woman's arm," asked the red head.
"Yeah, it was awesome. I was so pleased when she ran off in pain."
Both women chuckled as Cheryl started to change.
Mike's match followed shortly, with the crowd showing their sympathy for the 'scorned lover.' The Intercontinental Champion relished in the fan's support of him. Ending the match, and retaining his title, the black haired man then went on to comment on how he was better off without that bitch in his life and that she and Cena deserved each other.
Sam laughed, she knew by her best friend's eyes that it was all an act, and was pleased that they'd reached the stage where they could joke about it.
Half an hour later, giving Mike plenty of time to shower and change, Sam went to find him.
He was sitting chatting to Charlie Haas, watching the main event of Triple H verses Ric Flair.
"Hey Sunshine," he said spotting her.
"Hey."
Haas looked up and smiled.
"Oh, Hi Charlie, are you alright?" Sam asked the other wrestler.
"Yeah thanks, you?"
"Not too bad. How are Jackie and the baby?"
They're good thanks, I'll tell her you asked," he replied.
"Great match," the diva said, turning back to her friend.
"Thanks. Sorry if I was too harsh on you."
"Nah, it's alright. I know you didn't mean it. I've got a surprise for you."
"Ohh, what?" Mike asked.
"You know that pretty P.A, Alison?"
The Intercontinental Champion nodded, so the diva went on.
"Well she's joining us for a drink later. I think she really likes you."
Mike merely blushed.
Sam took a seat with the two male superstars, and the three of them watched as Triple H got the victory over Flair.
"I wonder if he'll be number one contender?" mused Sam.
"Maybe, how would you feel stepping into a ring with Triple H?" asked Haas.
"Scared," she replied honestly.
Mike and Sam said goodbye to Haas, then went to find Cheryl.
"Great match, Mike," she said, greeting her friends.
"Thanks. Yours went really well too," the man replied.
Cheryl smiled appreciatively.
Getting into a cab, the three wrestlers made their way back to the hotel.
