Sorry this chapter took so long for me to post. College kept interfering with me typing anything for either one of my stories in progress. With luck, I'll have another chapter up later today (for this story & Rise and Shine). =)
It was finally time for SmackDown to begin for the night. Alex, AJ, and Kaitlyn made it to the arena earlier in the day, so they spent time warming up until their respective matches were going to begin. Alex had to fight against Wade Barrett and AJ and Kaitlyn had their match against the Divas of Destruction.
"Ohh. Guys, I'm feeling super nervous right now! What if we go out there and lose horribly?" AJ asked, looking worried.
"AJ, if we lose, then we'll just pick ourselves up and go on to the next fight." Kaitlyn said.
"She's got a point there AJ. Not everyone wins every match their in all the time. I mean, if you look at my win-loss record, you'll see that I've had my fair share of losses. But, I don't let it affect me. I just get up, shake it off, and move on to the next fight." Alex said, smiling comfortingly at AJ.
"Do you really think we have a chance at all tonight? I mean, have you seen what Beth and Natalya can do to Divas like us?" AJ asked.
"Yes. But, you shouldn't let that get to you. Just go out there and do your best." Alex said, giving them both a thumbs-up.
"Just to be on the safe side, could you come down and sit ringside and watch us? It'd make me feel better." AJ said.
"I don't know. I've got my own match against Barrett and from what I've seen he's pretty bru-" Alex was cut off by looking over at AJ, who was giving her puppy dog eyes and pouting. "OK fine. But if I lose, I'm gonna make you pay Lee." Alex said grinning.
"Yay! Thanks Alex!" AJ said, hugging Alex.
The hug was something that Alex was not expecting. Sure she hugged her dad and her brothers and her sisters and her other friends, but to actually get a hug from someone she's barely known for two weeks and who had accepted her, mental illnesses and all, had Alex tearing up slightly. She soon found herself returning the hug and being the one to break it.
"Alex? Are you OK?" Kaitlyn asked. "Looks like you were starting to tear up a bit there."
"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine. I just got something in my eye. That's all." Alex said, laughing nervously.
"Oh. OK. Well, we'd better be headed down to the gorilla to get ready and head down to the ring." Kaitlyn said.
Leaving with her new friends, Alex thought 'This only helps further cement the fact that I need to tell everyone about me cutting myself soon. The more I hold it in, the more it's gonna be hard to tell.'
The trio soon made their way to the gorilla position and headed out together to 'Let's Light It Up'. As soon as they got in the ring, the Divas of Destruction made their way down and did their own entrance, Alex hopped out of the ring as the timekeeper rang the bell to start the match. It started with AJ and Natalya locking up in the middle of the ring and AJ reversing her way out of it into an armbreaker and eventually breaking it to start raining punches before Natalya got her with a discus clothesline. AJ managed to make the tag to Kaitlyn before things got too sticky and Natalya tagged out with Beth. Kaitlyn had Beth beat for most of the match until Natalya jumped in the ring and punched Kaitlyn from behind. AJ then leaped in the ring and fought Natalya onto the outside of the ring, distracting Beth long enough to let Kaitlyn hit her with her finisher. Kaitlyn then pinned Beth '1, 2, 3' and the Chickbusters were declared the winners. AJ, Kaitlyn, and Alex then began to celebrate in the ring over the fact that AJ and Kaitlyn won their first official match on SmackDown.
As they made their way backstage after the match, AJ and Kaitlyn were chatting excitedly with Alex, saying everything from 'Thank You's' to talking about her training them paying off.
"Guys, it wasn't just me. You two were the ones actually out there in the ring fighting against Beth and Nattie." Alex said.
"Yeah, but without you training us so hard, we probably wouldn't even have stood a chance against them." AJ said, smiling.
"She's right, you know. I mean, me and AJ never had a trainer as tough and hardcore as you, Alex. And we just want to say thanks." Kaitlyn said smiling.
"No problem, you two. Any time. I mean, after all, that's what friends are for." Alex said, smiling at her friends. She was then ripped out of her chat by Wade Barrett making his way down to the ring. "Oh fuck! I'm late for my match! You two'll be fine in here long enough for me to go out there and fight Wade, right?"
"Sure. We're just gonna hit the showers anyway. Good luck with your match." AJ said, smiling.
"Yeah. What AJ said. Go kick Wade's ass Alex." Kaitlyn said grinning, giving Alex two thumbs up.
"OK. Here I go!" Alex said, dashing out of her locker room.
As soon as Alex got to the gorilla position, the tech crew was already playing 'Holy Diver'. After Alex did her entrance, her match began. Ten minutes later, she was pinning Wade and won her match. When she was about to make her way back to her locker room, she was stopped in the ring by David Otunga's music playing.
"Well isn't this just too precious? The WWE's resident basket case won another match. And she made some friends too." Otunga said into his microphone.
"Why thank you sir. I'm sure everyone remembers the ass-kicking I gave you Monday." Alex said smirking.
"You think you're just such a clever person, don't you Hardy? Well, I've got news for you: You aren't." Otunga said, staring down at Alex.
"Oh really? Says you and what army?" Alex asked mockingly.
"Well, now that you mention, it's the army of myself, the Miz, and Eve Torres. And seeing as how you have a match Monday against the Miz, he has a proposition for you." Otunga said.
"Ooohh. I'm shaking now. What kind of proposition were you three asses able to come up with the brain you share?" Alex asked, mock fear in her voice.
"If you win, then you and your new little friends can do to us whatever you guys want. If the Miz wins, then you have to take of those arm warmers of yours on national TV." Otunga said, with an evil smile on his face.
Hearing the second part of the proposition made Alex go pale. 'Take off my arm warmers? On national TV? That'll mean that everyone'll know before I can break it down myself.' Alex thought to herself. With a shaky voice, she looked Otunga in the eye and said "Fine. I accept Mikey's proposition. But of course, there's no way in hell that he's gonna beat me. Because Hardys don't lose to losers." With that she dropped her microphone and left the ring, Otunga smirking behind her, thinking 'You say you have him beat, but just wait until Monday you little freak. Then we'll be one step closer to getting rid of you.'
Meanwhile, Alex was completely unaware of the fact that Eve had found her locker room and was in there with AJ and Kaitlyn, who had grown curious.
"I don't get it. Why's it such a big deal that Alex take off her arm warmers? If anything, I think her arms will be cooler without them on. Even if they are pretty cute." AJ asked.
"Who knows? I mean this is the Miz and David Otunga we're talking about. They could just be coming up with some kind of scare tactic to steal fans from Alex." Kaitlyn said, a bit angrily.
"Yes indeed. I mean, what is the big deal with Alex's arm warmers anyways? I mean, it's not like she's been wearing them her whole career, now has she?" Eve asked deviously, making AJ and Kaitlyn jump in surprise.
"What the hell do you want Torres?" Kaitlyn asked, leaping up from her seat defensively.
"Nothing much. Just wanted to take a walk around. Until that interesting little bit came up." Eve said.
"Well, I suggest you leave now. Unless you want us to land some perfect combos on that non-existent ass of yours." Kaitlyn said, popping her knuckles.
"Fine. I'm leaving. But if I was either one of you two, I'd be a little wary of your 'mentor'." Eve said, as she spat the last word and left.
"That hag has no clue what she's talking about. Alex is awesome. I'm sure whatever's nagging at her, she'll tell us soon Kait." AJ said smiling up at her friend.
"Yeah. Let's just wait for Alex to get back so we can go to the hotel and eat." Kaitlyn said, sitting back down in her seat.
As Alex made her way back to her locker room, she couldn't help but feel everyone staring at her. 'Great. I thought the staring from the people that knew was bad enough. Just wait till Monday if I lose. NO! I won't lose! I've been trained by two extremists who keep the audience guessing. I will win Monday. I will beat Mikey. And finally, I will tell my family and friends about me cutting myself. This I swear!' Alex thought to herself.
Read and review. Alex is more and more determined to let her friends and family members know about her self-harm issues, but Otunga's unforeseen bump in the road may cause that to happen sooner than she wants. Will Alex be able to beat the Miz? Stay tuned for Chapter 8. =)
Many thanks and much love to the people that review, follow, and favorite this story as well as my other ones. Special shout-out to Foldintothenight, fuckyeahvodkaandchocolates, and AgentNeonVenom13. These are three of the coolest writers I've had the privilege of talking to and bouncing ideas off of for my own stories. And to those of you still reading this note, stop right now and go read their stories, especially AgentNeonVenom13's saga, Harley Adams, Vampire Slayer. This is probably one of the best sagas I've ever read. Especially since the main character goes with Jeff Hardy so perfectly. ^^