"Hey Taylor, you fancy that meal tonight after the show?" Joe asked catching up to me before I walked into mine and Saraya's shared locker room.
"I'd love to, but I promised Saraya I'd go out with a few of the guys here to a club. We can always go tomorrow, if you don't have anything planned." I smiled, hoping he knew that I wasn't trying to ditch him.
"Sure that sounds good,"
"Why don't you come out with us tonight? It'll be fun, Taylor needs to get to know some of the others." Saraya walked over to us with her bags for the night.
"Yeah, why not. I don't have anything planned for tonight. You don't have a problem with that do you?" He asked his hazel eyes locking with mine, I hadn't noticed before what amazing eyes he had.
"Uh-no of course not. You're more than welcome. We're getting changed here so you can always come get us later." I offered as I opened the locker room door.
"Sure, see you later girls." He winked moving off down the hall.
"You so have the hots for him," She sucked in her cheeks and moved her lips like a fish trying to suck in air. "That was you just now." I shoved her shaking my head.
"Don't be stupid Saraya." Getting changed I pulled out a sleek black baseball bat from my bag and smiled at Saraya, before pulling on my Justice gear, head to toe in black, I couldn't wait till I didn't have to dress like this anymore, it was hot and not entirely comfortable.
Out in the ring things went as predicted, Joseph Rudd and Ryan Reeves – Erik Rowan and Ryback against Paul and Glen's, Big Show and Kane. They looked strong to begin with, but a big boot from Glen to Ryan and that was all it took for them to capitalise, Paul got the win with the K.O Punch as Glen took care of Joseph on the outside.
After the bell they continued to lay into the two men, beating hard on Ryan in the ring. When the lights went out I was at the curtain my bat in hand, sliding into the ring just as the lights went on I was behind Paul, taking him down with a few swift hits to the back of his legs taking him down. As he rolled to his back I hit him once more across the abdomen. As Glen made for made for me I was ready my bat in his face. As he moved backwards his hands up defensively, I shook my head and came at him swinging a blow to the midsection and as he bent double a blow to his back taking him down.
Ryan got up then and lifted a beaten down Glen to hit Shell Shocked, leaving him sprawled out in the ring. He offered me his hand in thanks which I took before sliding back out of the ring twirling the bat in my hands. I had half expected Colby to come down, but they didn't leaving me to head backstage unhindered. It was no coincidence that I had that bat, my dad had the same one and as we were both Vigilantes it was a similarity that they wanted to run with, people would soon know I was Sting's daughter.
Saraya and I didn't have a match tonight instead, we were up to something a little more fun. A camera man was there to see us heading into the Bellas locker room, with a package a few moments later we were coming out laughing holding their ring attire to find Renee waiting for us.
"Paige, Skye can I ask what you were doing in the Bellas locker room?"
"We are trying our hand at becoming stylists." I smiled.
"We figured a change in wardrobe was needed for the Twins, I'm sure all of you will appreciate tonight's choice." Saraya added as we started to move off, hitting a high five as we disappeared round the corner.
"Come on Taylor, lets get to the green room to watch this." The first anyone saw of the Bellas was as they came down to the ring. The crowd began to laugh as all could see the horrid lime green lycra shorts and sports bra we had left for them to wear. They quickly lost their match to Danielle Moinet and Ariane Andrews, Summer Rae and Cameron adding more shame to themselves.
As we got changed in the locker room Saraya became really quiet, I didn't think to much of it at first, this was the first time I had stayed to go out with some of the roster.
"Hey Taylor, you know how we invited Joe, would you be terribly bothered if Colby came too?" I turned to look at her.
"Why?"
"Well, you know you and Colby use to be together and now you're working together again, then you and Joe keep making gooey eyes at each other." I stared at her. "Okay Colby found out from Brie that we were all going out and he came and asked if it was okay if he came and I couldn't think of a reason why not, so yeah Colby and Joe." Rolling my eyes I finished the braid in my red and black hair so I could scoop it all up into a loose pony tail.
"I told you, me and Colby are just friends now, I barely know Joe, so nothing is going on, we're all just friends going out for a drink."
"Yeah, right up till one of them gets jealous." She pointed out.
"Colby has nothing to be jealous of and neither does Joe as we are just friends. Now stop it you and help me zip this dress up." It was a sexy black body con dress, that sat above my knees with mesh panelling above my bust, as Saraya zipped it up at the back and as I slipped on my black Iron Fist skull print heels, I couldn't help but wonder if she might be right, Colby knew I hadn't seen anyone serious since him and I knew he was single now, but we were just friends we couldn't just slide back into how we had been together. A knock on the door broke me from my thoughts as Saraya went to answer finding Colby there, baseball cap on as always, in a pair of black jeans and a white top that fitted tightly to his body, making every muscle stand out and be seen and it did wonders for his tanned skin, making him seem darker and more exotic looking, I shook myself realising I had been staring.
"Oh wow, looking good Tay. I forgot what you look like in a dress." He smirked as he moved in wrapping an arm round me before pressing a kiss to my cheek.
"Not to shabby yourself, Mr Money in the Bank." I smiled, again that flutter in my stomach. "I thought we would be meeting you there?" I shot a look to Saraya, she knew full well Joe was coming to meet us.
"I was, but I figured you girls would take ages and came to meet you and escort you there myself. So you look ready are we going?" He asked.
"Well you and Saraya can go on ahead if you want, I told Joe I'd meet him here." I smiled, it faltered slightly as his arm dropped from my waist.
"I didn't realise Joe was coming."
"We invited him earlier when he asked what we had planned tonight. So it would be rude of us not to wait for him." Saraya told him, realising she had made this mess in the first place. We didn't have to wait long as Joe walked through then, black slacks, black shirt the buttons at the top open, my stomach didn't flutter this time it pretty much did a back flip at the sight of him.
"Hey Taylor, Saraya – I didn't know you were coming Colby." He offered a smile and his hand out to Colby who took it a little reluctantly, further cementing that thought that Saraya could be right about the jealousy tonight.
"I invited him. Come on Colby you can walk me to the cab." She took his arm leaving him no choice but to follow.
"Well that was a little awkward." He chuckled lightly and I felt myself relax especially as he offered me his arm.
"Yeah, just a little." I placed my arm in his and Joe bent pressing a kiss to my cheek exactly how Colby had.
"You look amazing tonight." He breathed before pulling away a little. I felt my face heat up and had to lick my lips twice before I could speak.
"Thank you, you look good too." Oh didn't I sound the intellectual.
At the club things were okay, Saraya made sure she was by my side most of the time so things didn't get awkward. Joe didn't seem too bothered by it all, but Colby seemed annoyed every time Joe brought me a drink or asked if I wanted to dance.
Joe had gone to the bathroom and Colby had gone to get a round of drinks when Brianna and Nicole came over.
"So what is going on with you and those two?" I rolled my eyes, the girls were lovely but they loved a good gossip.
"Nothing really. I use to date Colby, Joe and I are friends."
"He still seems a little hung up on you." Brianna smiled, just as Nicole said.
"Seems a little more than friendship."
"Well right now, Joe and I are just friends, he asked me to dinner tomorrow and I said yes. Colby and I were over when he came to NXT, we've been just friends since." I stated, hoping they would drop it.
"Well be careful, creative get a whiff of this they may turn it into a storyline." My face turned serious, I didn't want that, my private life was just that private and not to be used for entertainment purposes. Just then Cena and Bryan came and whisked their other halves onto the dance floor as Colby returned placing the drinks down on the table. Taking my hand he tugged me towards the dance floor.
"Come on, have a dance with me Tay." He smiled and Saraya nodded, to say no might have caused a scene so I went with him.
"Okay just the one yeah." As the song changed the beat playing out I began to sway my hips as Colby danced up a little to close perhaps behind me. It was just like old times, it didn't feel like anything had changed, but it had it had been five years since we had been together.
"Just like old times right." He said quietly a small pause before he spoke again. "So are you and Joe a serious thing?" He asked like it was nothing, but I knew him well enough, it wasn't just curiosity.
"I've known him a few weeks, I only started talking to him last week. We're friends, just like you and I are friends. Might it be more? I don't know, he's taking me to dinner tomorrow." I couldn't not tell him, I had nothing to hide from him.
"Oh, right, well do you want to do something with me in the day?" I didn't like this, I didn't want it to complicate things. "We're still friends, you just said so. So can't we two friends just go and hang out in the day, then you and Joe can do this date or whatever it is later." I chewed my lip all but having stopped dancing except for the odd sway.
"Yeah-okay, that sounds fun." I smiled as the song stopped, meaning to head back to the table, I found Joe instead.
"Can I have this dance?" He smiled down at me, Colby looked on a small smile on his face before heading to the table.
"Sure."