Chapter Eleven:
"Derrick, I want Derrick in a final match for my WWE title." Miz sternly request the GM for tonight, John Laurinaitis to make.
"You have a contract saying you can't challenge for the title if Derrick is champion." John reminds him.
"I don't care." He was kind of hoping he didn't know that.
"Deal with it. You screwed up your chance, so you must deal with the consequences." Laurinaitis stands firmly on his denial for his match.
"You are not even the real General Manager, why I am even talking to you?" The Miz dismisses wasting his time here.
"I am not, although, I am the one tonight. Tonight, you will be in a few matches." He orders not having anyone bully him into anything.
"What?"
"Yup, throughout the night, you will have three matches." He explains further.
"Like a gauntlet." Miz clarifies knowing he handle that.
"Nope, I will announce them when I deem them necessary." John mentions.
"You can't do this." Miz throws a fit.
"I can and I will. The Anonymous General Manager grant me full authority to create any matches I desire. How is that for talking down to your superior? Advice, never speak to me like that ever again." He grins.
Miz just storms off. "Hey you." He yells at an unexpected stage hand. "Yes you, bring me a cup of coffee." He demands as the stage hand leaves to fetch the coffee.
"Woah, diva coming through." Morrison jokes.
"Don't mess with me, Morrison, I am not in the mood." He warns.
"Okay." He casually walks away.
"This match is set for one fall." Lilian Garcia announces.
'Invincible' plays. Derrick walks down the ring to join the announce table.
"Hey Champ, how is it going?" Cole greets.
"Good, I am here to scout out my opponent." He explains his presence.
"Alberto Del Rio has nothing on you." Cole appraises as King rolls his eyes.
"Thanks Cole." Derrick appreciates.
Next, 'Realeza by Mariachi Real De Mexico' plays. "Introducing first, Alberto Del Rio's personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez." The crowd boos to have him step into the center of the ring.
Alberto enters the arena with him driving a yellow Camaro. During this, Ricardo starts introducing him in Spanish.
"What do you think of the ride, Derrick?" King wonders.
"I think it is a sweet ride, however I think he is compensating for something else." Derrick mentions with a chuckle.
"I don't know, maybe." Cole chuckles.
Alberto steps out of the car to walk down the ramp.
'Booyak' echoes next. Rey Mysterio jumps off the stage as the crowd cheers.
"Now that is an entrance." Derrick compliments as he claps.
"It is pretty cool, so any doubts of losing your title." King questions.
"No, I know Alberto has been on a winning streak, but it will end at Backlash." He speaks confident.
"Or Rey Mysterio will end it tonight." Cole acknowledge.
"His opponent from San Diego, California; Rey Mysterio." Lilian announces the opponent.
Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio lock up in the middle of the ring. Alberto gets the advantage early with a headlock. He yells at his opponent for Backlash as he just swings Mysterio around the ring.
"The reason he is on a winning streak is because of his announcer, Ricardo." Derrick states with Ricardo at ringside complimenting his boss who is still in control.
"It could be a factor in your match. He might be like a 2-on-1 handicap match. Do you concern about that possibility?" Derrick answers focus on the match.
"Yes, but I have dealt with these matches before so it shouldn't be a problem." Alberto continues to overpower Rey Mysterio until Mysterio does a hurricane on him to send him to the middle rope. Rey Mysterio notices this which signals the crow to cheer '619'. He bounces off the ropes to stop when Ricardo protects his boss by covering him with his body. This pisses Mysterio off as he argues with the referee about the interference. The referee ejects Ricard out from ringside with the crowds' approval. As everyone is occupied with that Alberto recovers to spin Rey Mysterio around. He kicks him to spin his leg over his opponent's head for his signature Arm Breaker. His opponent tries to reach the ropes, but eventually taps out.
"The winner of this match, by submission, Alberto Del Rio." Lilian announces. Del Rio doesn't let go applying more pressure to send a message to his opponent, Derrick. He finally let's go as he smirks at his handy work.
"Say what you say about Del Rio, his arm breaker is effective along with Ricardo being a distraction." King recognizes.
"He is good, but how will he favour without Ricardo by his side." The Champ mentions witnessing Del Rio's arm raised.
John Laurinaitis' theme song plays which attracts attention towards to the Titantron. "Alberto, I would like you to send another message by facing this superstar." He requests.
'I Came to Play' echoes throughout the arena for his first of three matches tonight. Miz races down to take advantage of an already weaken Del Rio. He sidesteps him as he locks in tight another Arm Breaker on him. The bell rings as Miz struggles to reach the ropes. He almost makes to have Derrick pushes it towards him slowly with a smirk. The referee is about to ring the bell for interference, however our general manager for tonight, declines that with an announcement of a lumberjack match.
Superstars walk down the ring to surround the ring with Rey Mysterio and Derrick being among the lumberjacks. Miz does reach the rope as the Superstars are in place. Favouring his arm, Alberto throws Miz out of the ring. Being on the side without Derrick, he is brought back into the ring. Alberto tries again on Derrick's side, however Miz catches on to the rope with his strong arm. To stay on the offensive, Del Rio continues his attack with an Arm Breaker to the strong arm. The hold is upheld until the full count of five. Miz falls to the floor in front of Derrick. All the lumberjacks wait for him to make a move. He lifts him up to twist his left arm, which is the most vulnerable, to have Miz scream in pain before he puts him back in the ring. Del Rio picks up a near fall as he figures out how to defeat his opponent.
Later in the match, there has been close calls for them both to be tossed out of the ring. Both competitors are cautious with both knowing the consequence of landing outside the ring. Del Rio swings Miz to the turnbuckle to hit Miz in the head with his foot. Del Rio brings him to the ring to set up for another Arm Breaker. He smirks to Derrick as he applies more pressure to send another message. Derrick doesn't let this faze him even after Del Rio picks up the victory.
As Ricardo announces him the winner to have, Derrick casually walks back to the back not reacting to his opponent victory.
"Dude, did you hear Layla is off the schedule for months or a year?" Morrison informs Derrick, who is back at his dressing room.
"Yup, she told me before she left." He reacts calmly. I guess she didn't tell anyone beside him.
"Why would she have time off when she is finally expose to the crowd?" Trish asks knowing how hard to be the best here for women.
"She made up her mind before she came to meet me." He half lied not wanting to converse about their last kiss for now, he hoped.
"What did you do?" Trish accuses.
"Nothing." He grins signaling he is lying.
"Derrick." Trish crosses her arms.
"I might have waited for her, last week, to talk to her." He acts innocent.
"You…"
"No, we didn't. Trust me I wouldn't at work, I still have my pride." Derrick denies that thought immediately.
"Right, what did happen?" Morrison curious.
"She slapped me. I told her I accept to leave her alone. She mentioned leaving and we kissed, that's all." He states the bullet points in a casually tone like it happens all the time.
"That's all?" His best friends are both surprise.
"Yup, after we kiss she left."
"You didn't go after her." Trish asks.
"Her request was to leave her alone because she didn't want to hurt me anymore, I accepted and respect her request. She wanted us to hate her, Trish, that is why she said those comments to you. She thought it would be easier for everyone.
"What I overheard was wrong?"
"No, she admitted that she fell for me and that is why she requested to be taken off the storyline." With Layla leaving they scratch The Miz storyline except for the actual contract Miz signed.
"Man, you are not chasing after her."
"No, if it is meant to be we will meet back again. We left on good terms and that is what I want." He smiles. "Anyways, what are we doing later tonight?" He changes the subject not wanting to dwell on this. The more he does, the more he will convince himself it was a mistake not fighting for her to stay.
Both Morrison and Trish are shock by this. They both thought on why they would split if they have strong feeling for one another.
"How about burgers on me?" Derrick suggest to have his best friends agree with head nods.
During the rest of the night, Miz has been put in two more matches. The second one, after the Alberto Del Rio match, he went against a three-on-one handicap match. Miz thought it wasn't that bad with just facing the tag team champions, Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston, although their partner changed his perspective. Mark Henry joins the tag team champions has they defeat The Miz, with a valid effort on the Miz part. With the World's Strongest Slam, the Trouble in Paradise, and the Air Bourne, it was too much for him to conjure. The third match was not better with him in a no disqualification match a half an hour after his handicap match. He wanted to decline this match, but the authority of the Anonymous General Manager, it was either compete or quit the company. Of course, he chose to compete. In his favour, it is just a one-one competition. Moreover, the competition wasn't in his favour. He is facing the Celtic Warrior, Sheamus. The match is an even match with each of them take turns on the offensive. He even won the match, to the dismay of Sheamus. It didn't set well with him as he attacks Miz from behind to take his disappointment out on him. After the attack, referees help Miz to the back.
"Hope you enjoyed your matches, Miz." John Laurinaitis wonders meeting him backstage.
"This is abuse of power." Miz holds his ribs.
"Again, never piss off the person in charge. Maybe you will be wiser in the future." He advises before heading back to his office.
Miz just shakes his head as the referees, once again, assist him to the trainers.
Derrick is at his hotel room. He, Morrison, and Trish did go to the local burger joint to grab some burgers and fries. He tried to have his best friend pay for themselves, but even though there were in shock before, they didn't forget that he is treating them. Derrick tries to act oblivious to stating that statement, but they weren't having any of it. Eventually, he did pay for their meals with his best friends appreciating.
He is about to head to sleep until he checks his bag for the letter Layla gave him. He re-reads it as he hopes this is the right decision. During that, Layla, back at her home in Phoenix, Arizona, stares at Derrick's phone number, debating as well on if this is the correct decision.