CHAPTER 8:

That night, everyone prepared for the matches in front of their fans. AJ was finished getting herself dressed in the locker room when Tamina approached her. "So girl, are you ready to tell me what's been bothering you?" she asked. AJ stopped as she looked up at her tag team partner. "No, not really" she said as she shoved her bag into her locker. Tamina put her hand on AJ's arm. "You have to tell me" she said. "It's important". "Why is it important?" asked AJ. "Because we're not just coworkers, we're friends" said Tamina.

AJ paused before continuing and giving a breathy sigh. "How am I supposed to be Seth's girlfriend if I'm interested in someone else?" "I dunno" said Tamina. "I mean, we're actors". "Yeah but the injuries are extremely real" said AJ as she locked her locker. "All I can say is just follow your heart" said Tamina. AJ nodded in agreement. "Look, I think we should be getting ready to go out there" said AJ. "Why, are match isn't for another half hour" said Tamina. "I know" said AJ. "But this time, I wanna go straight home". Tamina nodded as the two left when they ran into Dean and Seth. "Hey April, can I um talk to you for a moment?" he asked. "Sure" said AJ as the two walked on over to the side.

"What's going on?" she asked. "You know what's going on" said Seth. "I just found out today that we're gonna be having a love storyline together next month and I just wanted to know if you're gonna be ok with that". "You know what you're really funny" said AJ. "April, I'm serious" said Seth. "I wanna know what you think". "Well obvious I'm ok with it" said AJ. "Ok then great" said Seth. "Hey yo can you get your ass over here!?" shouted Roman. "We're going on in like 5 minutes". "Gotta go" said Seth as he walked away just as Tamina approached AJ. She had a huge smile on her face.

"What, why are you smiling for?" asked AJ. "Ah now I see what's really going on here" said Tamina with a smile. "Come again?" asked AJ. "You like him" Tamina teased. "Like who?" asked AJ. "You have a huge crush on Joe" said Tamina with another smile. "Tamina, now that's preposterous" said AJ. "Girl, I saw the way that you looked at him" said Tamina. "I still dunno what you're talking about" said AJ. "You're blushing" said Tamina firmly. "It's ok. I can keep a secret".

AJ sighed as she looked up at her partner. "Ok so what if it's true?" asked AJ. "The guy probably has a girlfriend or a wife and a family or something. I mean look at him he's hot". "Of course he's hot" said Tamina. "But that man is single". "Huh?" asked AJ. "Come on April when we had family day last year, did you ever see him bring a girl around?" said Tamina. "No but, what if…?" said AJ. "Goodness No April, he's straight" said Tamina. "Trust me have you seen the inside of his locker?" asked Tamina. "No, but how'd you get in the men's changing room anyways?" asked AJ.

Tamina gave AJ an "you know how" type of look causing AJ to cease in her questioning. "Come on" said Tamina. "It's time for our camera op". The two women walked down the hallway in order to get ready for their matches.

Meanwhile, Nikki was arriving at John's house for their Valentine's Day date. She was wearing a bright red dress with red 6 inch heels to match. John quickly answered the door. He was wearing a black suit and a pink tie. "Hey there baby" she said as she kissed her man. "Are you ready for tonight?" "Sure thing" said John. "But first, let's catch up on the last hour of 'Smack down'". Nikki sighed as she walked inside John's huge mansion.

"Nicole you are looking ever so delicious tonight" said John. "Why thank you baby" said Nikki as she sat down at the kitchen island barstool. John clicked back on the television as they listened into that night's episode. "Must you always be about work all the time?" asked Nikki. "Of course" said John. "This job is my life". "Aren't I your life?" asked Nikki. "Yes Nicole" said John. "You are my life too, but you know how I've always watched every episode". Nikki sighed as she began to watch the TV.

Suddenly then, AJ's theme music began playing as she and Tamina made their entrances. They had a match up against Trinity and Ariane that night. "Ugh look at her just skipping along the way" said Nikki as she picked up a pen and stabbed it into the beautifully cream colored countertop. "Nicole that's pure granite!" said John. "It cost me $18,000". "Sorry John" said Nikki as she removed the pen from the countertop. John sighed. "Nicole, you have got to be a little more careful" he said. "Now I've gotta go call someone to fix it. You've but a whole in my countertop". "Relax John, it's not that big of deal" said Nikki. "It's totally fixable-it's a small hole

"You call that small?" asked John. Nikki grew quiet before resuming her conversation. "I'm really sorry baby" she said sincerely. "I know" said John as he reached over to give his girlfriend a huge kiss. "Why you hate AJ so much?" "Because she thinks she's so perfect" said Nikki. "Honey, nobody's perfect" said John. "I'm not and you're not". With that John got up to get his car keys, leaving Nikki alone to continue watching the match. By then, AJ had picked up the win from off of Trinity, causing Nikki's heart to fill with rage. AJ danced around the ring and continued while laughing alongside Tamina, flaunting their ring.

"Ready to go?" asked John. "Um…yeah" said Nikki. The couple headed out the door as Nikki never took her eyes from off the screen.