A/N - Sorry, it's quite an average chapter... in my opinion, that is. Thanks for all the feedback :D and apologies again for lacking a direction

Chapter 3 – Misleading

Nikki was having a good time with Punk; she never considered once that she would enjoy spending time with him. However, she couldn't fully accept it. There would always be something waiting around the corner. If she could only freeze time right now, it would make her feelings secure this moment of happiness without any consequence.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No"

"Okay, well I was hoping-"

"Actually, there is one thing and it's been bugging me since this morning"

"and what might that be?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've been working here for about…what? 2 years and a half? You seem to know all these things about me but only until today you acknowledge my existence so excuse me for…"

"Speculating?"

"Yeah, that."

" Well, you weren't going to talk to me and I wasn't going to wait another 2 years and a half for that to happen"

"Wait… What?! You were waiting for me to approach you this whole time?" Nikki asked puzzled

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm a shy person?"

"Hardly. You had no problem telling WWE management that they sucked and lets not forget quit on live television."

CM Punk's grin grew which caused Nikki to get mad and not think rationally.

"I knew it!"

"What?" he laughed

"You are just like the rest of the guys in this business."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you get tired of pretending?!" she spoke in a vicious tone.

"You're over reacting"

She grabbed her heels and headed for the door

"Tell that to the next Diva whose pants you're trying to get into"

"Nikki wait!" he yelled after her

Nikki was no longer prepared to give him the slightest thought and nor was she ever going to listen to him now. She slammed the door behind her only to be greeted by the sight of Daniel Bryan in the hallway and not long after joined by CM Punk again. She shot a look of disgust at the straightedge superstar before assuring her lover-not-boyfriend that it wasn't what it seems.

Nikki was fuming all the way back to her hotel room; she had no thoughts in her head apart from the pure anger that consumed her brain. She was mad at him, and then at the fact that the superstar she has casual sex with, no strings attached saw her with him. Although as of lately their arrangements have become complicated and now rendered herself into a position she never in a million years would see herself in.

She let herself in fully aware that her sister would still be preparing for her date.

"I'm back!" she yelled slamming the door.

Brie came rushing out of the bathroom, earring in hand and trying to place it in.

"WHY?!"

"All he wants is to get in my pants Brie! That's why I'm back!?"

"AND?"

"What do you mean AND!?"

"Couldn't you have at least, amused him?"

Nikki shook her head at her twin in disbelief. Sometimes she wondered how these ridiculous questions got into her sister's head. Alicia Fox is the only answer she could come up with.

"Okay well, Did he actually say that?"

Technically no, Nikki thought.

"No" she simply answered.

"Then what did he say?"

"He just said a whole bunch of nice things and then he told me that he wasn't going to wait for me to talk to him so he talked to me and-"

"AND you sound like an idiot right now as well as just looking like one" Brie retorted.

"That means you look like one too!" Nikki remarked back at her sister.

"As much as I would love to chat, I have to be somewhere and one way or another you're going to have to apologize to CM Punk and you know it"

"Ugh… just hurry up and go on your stupid date"

Brie laughed and grabbed her black clutch on the table before stepping out.

Nikki was left alone. She sighed looking around the suite realizing that her sister was right. After the pride comes the fall and at some point tomorrow she is going to have to face him and set things right and at the same time go to Daniel Bryan to straighten things out.

[At the Arena]

Nikki sat outside CM Punk's changing room. She didn't know what time he was coming in but she was willing to wait outside for however long. She aimlessly stared at her phone, scrolling through the messages sent back and forth between Brie and her last night about Brie's date with Orton. Surprisingly it went well and it looks like there may be another date on the way.

"You got my text, great!"

Nikki looked up and saw that CM Punk looked slightly panicked stricken

"No, wha-"

"That's alright, Listen, I need to talk to you about your sister"

"What exactly about my sister?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm under the impression that she hates every guy that walks into her life?"

"What are you talking about? She loves most guys?"

"Yeah well, don't bother guessing which guy she hates the most at the moment and when was the last time she got laid?"

"EXCUSE- ME?" Nikki shocked in disbelief.

"I didn't expect you to answer that but surely a girl would know when a guy would really try to put on the moves?"

"I'm pretty sure that she of all people would know?"

"One things for sure, despite what you said she is capable of having fun that Nikki Bella of yours"

Nikki stood with a solemn expression on her face, just realizing that CM Punk had confused her for Brie but most importantly that her sister believed she was a wet blanket so to speak.

"Exactly what did I say?"

"That your sister was incapable of having fun or ever having a good time?"

Nikki sucked in her lips and dropped her head to the ground, running her hand back through her hair.

"Hey Punk! I got your text, my sister was- Oh Nikki.. What's up"

Nikki flashed a rage-look in her eyes as she heard the upbeat voice fade as it came near; she turned around to face her twin sister.

"Incapable of having FUN or EVER having a Good Time?! And YET he's the one who makes up games and collects cards for FUN" she spat

CM Punk remained quiet whilst Brie looked incredibly guilty as she went to comfort her sister

"Don't! I don't want to speak to you OR look at you let alone myself because it reminds me of you!"

The stern expression on her face refused to leave. She shook her head in disgust before walking away.

"Nikki Wait!" Brie shouted helplessly as she continued to walk away.

[ Hotel Gym]

Nikki laid into the punching bag like it was a soft pillow. The fury of kicks and punches thrown were intimidating to watch even by her respected colleagues as well as the other onlookers watching from a distance. The gym was an oasis in this chaotic desert mess. Pushing herself to the absolute brink of exhaustion was one of the coping strategies she had taken on. It was therapeutic to her.

The brunette diva dropped on the bench, heavily breathing as every part of her body ached. She shifted closer to her bag, as she began taking off the tape on her hands. She certainly felt better but a number of reasons factored her into this point. The main part being her sister and the other being her run in with Daniel Bryan. The subtle rough touch of his hands on her lower back and the soothing touch of his lips on her neck that lingered, she couldn't shake the sensation away.

She grabbed her water bottle out of her bag. She opened the lid looking at the transparent liquid that would easily satisfy her thirst but refused against it and closed the lid.

"You should probably get some water in you"

Nikki recognized the voice and her blood started to simmer ever so slightly. She zipped up her bag and lifted the strap over her shoulder before standing up to the straightedge superstar.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," she stated simply

CM Punk sighed, "No I guess I don't and I suppose I owe you an explanation"

"Awesome, I'll schedule you in for next week and maybe I'll get an apology too" she said retreating back to her sarcasm. A defence mechanism she'd often turn on to refrain herself from caring too much.

She stepped passed him to exit the gym and he followed her out.

"I just wanted us to be friends Nikki, that's all. I think we're a lot more alike than you think."

Nikki swiftly turned around to face him to find they were a couple of steps apart from each other, which slightly unnerved her a little.

"How can you even say that to me?! Need I remind you that most of what you know is what my sister told you!"

"Your sister only told me that you wouldn't be keen in casually hanging out hence why she said what she said. You shouldn't be mad at her. You should be mad at me, I'm sorry."

"Whether or not I'm mad at my sister is none of your business, as for you and I. We are nothing alike"

"I beg to differ"

"You could beg for a dog bone for all I care. I was fine before you and I'll be fine after."

Punk cracked a smile "Don't you get tired of pretending Nikki?" he said before walking away.

Nikki bit her tongue. Surprised at the very words she said the night before to be thrown back in her face. What CM Punk didn't know or perhaps he did was that in Nikki's mind he was right.

Nikki slammed the door as she entered her hotel room. This threw her sister into a frantic panic. Not surprising to the brunette diva but not normal either which made her suspicious.

"I wasn't expecting you to come back so soon… in fact, at all to be honest"

Nikki rolled her eyes, something that has become frequent as of lately. Her sister's comment angered her. Why should she be the one having to find another room to stay in, it was her that did the damage. However, Nikki was too proud to play the role of the victim, instead, twin torturer.

"I don't see why I would have to move?"

"Yeah of course, I didn't mean… you know"

"What? We're not on the same page anymore? A little trouble, double trouble in paradise perhaps? …"

"If that's what you want to call it"

"Well, what are you gonna call it Brie?! Huh? I'm just a little curious as to how you're going to sugar coat this one to my face"

"Can you lower your voice a little, in fact why don't we just discuss later" Brie gritted between her teeth.

Nikki was just about to shout til her heart was content, if it meant annoying Brie; however, she soon discovered why her sister would suggest attempting peace later as it was apparent that Brie was hosting a guest. Randy Orton stepped out of her sister's room; he gave Nikki a look that froze her on the spot before politely exiting the tense atmosphere.

Brie sighed as she threw herself onto the couch.

"Aren't you going to go after him?"

"And do what? Thanks to you, I'm a freak now"

"JUST DO IT"

"Hey Nike Representative, you're not the boss of me"

"You know? I can really hurt you sometimes"

"Never before had the feeling been mutual sis but there's always a first time and congratulations today is the day!" Brie smiled sarcastically at Nikki.

Nikki left the room before she found herself pounding her sister into the ground. Although having feelings of anger and resentment towards Brie were strong, she couldn't escape the fact that no matter what, Brie would always be her sister, heck her younger sister by 11 minutes and that meant sooner or later they were going to have to make up.

She definitely felt guilty about what happened earlier and how she lost control. She knew it would have embarrassed Brie in front of the very superstar she was so sure that he was the one for her. Nikki had to clear it up.

When she spotted him alone at the hotel café, she quickly approached him and sat in the opposite seat.

"Normally, someone would ask if the seat was taken"

Nikki knew the quicker she started, the sooner it'll end but it was damn near hard when you have to face an Orton gaze and she will forever wonder if Brie would ever be immune. She shook the thought out of her mind.

"I'm not normal as you witnessed earlier."

"A Sibling fight isn't normal?"

"Point taken."

"Why are you here?"

"Look, I don't usually try to make an effort with any of the guys my sister dates because a lot of them don't last"

"It still doesn't answer my previous question"

"I've contributed to a few of her failed relationships in the past and I don't want to add this one to the list too. It's true, we're going through a low moment but she really likes you and if she wasn't as stubborn as I was then she would be down here right now explaining this herself."

Feeling satisfied that she had said all she had needed to say. She stood up to leave as quickly as she had arrived to avoid any more questions from The Appex Predator.

She had her fingers crossed hoping things would all work out.

"That was a very nice thing you did"

"Careful Punk, this might be considered stalking"

"So why the change of heart?"

"Listen, I'm too tired to be playing these games with you. It's draining"

Nikki noticed the change in his olive eyes. It was a concerned look.

"What? Did I say something?" she asked confused

"Maybe you were right, it was probably better for the both of us to go back to how things were before we even knew each other"

He turned away and Nikki couldn't put her finger on it but the way he looked at her. It was if he knew her or at least understood. She couldn't let him go that easily now and before she realized what she was doing, she ran in front of him.

"It's a bit too late to be doing the honourable thing now, considering I was just about to take you up on that friendship offer"

"I don't think it's a good idea"

"Well, I'm going to fall on my sword here and say it. You were right; I am tired of pretending I don't care."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're only person to call me out on it and I could really use another honest friend?" she smiled

"I'll think about it, maybe I'll schedule an answer for next week" he mocked

"Careful, I might just have another change in heart"