A/N: I don't own the Wrestlers.

Something To Believe In

CH 25: Thinking

There's a chill in the air. Not surprising, as it's barely spring. I pull my hoodie closer around me and try to be quiet as I follow Michelle through the streets. She finds a park about six blocks from the hotel. It's not a big park- I can easily see the pond in the middle from the road. Michelle makes a beeline for the pond and settles on the grass, her gaze on the water. Despite how cold and uncomfortable it is out here, I'm glad I came, as Michelle seems lost in thought. You could probably land a jet next to her and she wouldn't notice. Luckily for me, I've got a good vantage point near a huge tree. From here, she's a dark colored lump against the water. Then again, I probably look the same way from anyone who might be looking in my direction. It's surprisingly peaceful.

Or it was, anyway, until my cell phone starts to ring. I hit the silence button and check the screen. It's Serena, probably wanting to know where we are. "You may as well answer it, Punk," Michelle calls to me. I look up to see that she's staring in my direction.

I sigh and push the answer button. "Hello?"

"Are you and Michelle coming up?"

"We'll be up eventually," I say. "We went for a walk."

"Oh." Her voice sounds weird over the phone. "Okay." She hangs up without another word.

I stretch and walk over to Michelle. "You suck at tailing people," she informs me. "I knew you were there the whole time."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"Because I appreciated the illusion of privacy?" she says with a shrug. "Was it Luke or Serena?"

"Serena."

"Oh. Sorry." She stands up. "We'd best get back before she starts to think there's something going on."

I frown. "Like what?"

Michelle smirks. "Why are guys so clueless?"

"I have no idea how to answer that."

"I know," she says. "Come on. Though trust me, buy her flowers tomorrow."

"O-kay."

"And take her out to that dinner you two were talking about. Someplace nice, Punk. Not Denny's."

"I don't even like Denny's. They don't have Pepsi."

She rolls her eyes. "Just let her pick, and don't whine if they don't have Pepsi. You can choke down Sprite or something for one night. It won't kill you, I promise."

"You sound as though you think she's going to be upset with me."

"I would be," she says, shrugging. "You said you'd be right up, and she calls and you tell her we're out somewhere else entirely together, and you didn't call and let her know? Yeah, I'd definitely be upset in her place."

"It isn't like that," I say, "and she knows it isn't."

"Maybe in her head, but in her heart, she probably needs reassurance. You should have just gone up to the room without me."

"No," I say. "There's no way I'm going to let you be alone in a strange city while you're wandering in a park in the middle of the night."

"Yeah," Michelle mutters, "that would make you a terrible friend. But you still should have called and let her know what was going on so she wouldn't worry."

"Do you think she's worried?"

"Did she sound worried on the phone?"

I consider. "Possibly? She did seem a little weird."

"You know what I think is funny?" she asks.

"Hmm?"

"You've always seemed to know the answers, and I always thought you were wise." She chuckles. "But you're kind of clueless."

"Thanks," I say sourly.

Michelle grins. "You always seem to know the answers when it comes to Matt, anyway."

"Guys are easier to figure out than girls. Guys are pretty straightforward. They want attention, they want food, or they want sleep. Girls are complex, and I'm never sure what they want."

"Mostly the same things," she says, "though sometimes, they don't even know what they want. But I'd put my money on your girlfriend wanting you to spend more time with her than you do with me."

"I do," I protest. "I spend plenty of time with Serena."

"As a part of the group, sure," Michelle says. "But alone? You guys are always around me and Luke. I think she'd like to have your full attention now and then. And not just when we're driving to a new venue or I'm picking on Luke at restaurants."

I frown, considering her words. "Do you think I'm ignoring her?"

"It doesn't matter what I think; it matters what Serena thinks. And yes, I do think you're ignoring her. Maybe next time you should take her for a walk instead of trailing me. Or what the hell, bring her along on your spy missions." She makes a face. "At least then, she won't think we're out here making out or something."

"She doesn't think that!" I protest. "At least, I hope she doesn't."

We reach the hotel and Michelle breaks the silence. "Dinner, tomorrow night, just you and Serena. Someplace nice. And try not to spend the whole night talking about work, Punk."

"What should we talk about, then?"

"What do you ever talk about?" she asks with a grin.

"Work," I mutter.

She smirks at me and steps into the elevator. "Coming?"

"I think I'll take the stairs."

"See you up there."

The doors close and I head for the stairs. It's not that I need the exercise, it's that I need the time to think.