*Happy dances for Chapter 8*

Miz's POV

Not even 5 minutes away from the arena, I spark the first conversations.

I can sense her timidness.

"Paige, or Saraya... Wait, which one are you more comfortable with?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Paige, because that's literally my name now."

"Okay I'll call you Saraya, because that is your name."

"That's fine, MIKE."

"Oh jeez, that's kind of weird, nevermind Paige."

She lets out a small sound of a laugh, "Yeah, exactly."

"Speaking of names, I've been thinking up of puns for yours."

"Yeah? Lay them on me."

I stop at a stoplight and list them on my fingers, "Paige Rage, —The Last Paige—Paige is of legal age—standing on the Paige stage—ready to Paige engage."

She explodes, laughing the hardest I've heard her to the point where she's not even making a sound.

I laugh with her, "Good, right?"

It takes a moment but she responds, "I love them!"

I grab her hand and give a squeeze. She rests her free palm on ours without hesitation. I lay my eyes on her smiling face as the light turns green on her skin. The sight of Paige in her beanie is too cute to look away but I continue to drive.

All of a sudden, my phone rings in the cup holder under the radio. I already know who it is.

So does Paige. She lets go of my hand.

Ouch, that stung.

I grab the iPhone and slide to answer, "Hello?"

"Hey babe! Are you still at the arena?"

Paige is looking away out the window as Maryse makes her presence known.

"No, I'm actually driving right now. Going to Chicago for Payback."

"Oh okay. Call or text me when you get there."

"Will do."

"You're driving, that's all I wanted to say. So bye babe, I love you!"

"Bye Maryse, I love you too."

End call. I return the cell to its previous position, then sigh. That was uncomfortable; the energy suddenly becomes uneasy.

"Hey Paige?"

She turns to me with glossy eyes, "...Yes?"

You really did it now, Miz

"I'm sorry...you had to, uh, go through that." How am I supposed to save this situation?

"Don't be...it's my fault."

"No it's not—"

"How can you bear it Miz?" I get interrupted, "I've always wondered why you had no problem in coming onto me like this. You're married. What made you introduce yourself to me back at Raw anyway?" She asserts this in a rushed yet cracked voice.

Before I answer, I decide to turn into a plaza where the parking lot was closed. I park the car under a light and turn on the dashboard light as well. It's quiet in here. I gulp hard and clench my jaw. To look Paige in the eyes scares me.

So I don't.

"You wanna know the truth Paige? I honestly have no idea what possessed me to go up to you. Maybe it's just the way you look but no, it isn't just that..."

My throat is closing in. I've never been the best at expressing my emotions.

"When I met you, I wasn't expecting to be so interested in who you were, okay? It just...became more because...I don't know. It's hard to explain. I'm drawn to you, that's all I can say."

I slowly make eye contact. She looks away and blinks, that's where the tears drop. "...Why? Why me out of every other girl you know?" She wipes her cheeks dry.

"Paige, I'm not taking advantage of you. Every part of me genuinely wants to be close with you."

"I still don't get why, Miz. I never thought in my life that I'd be the other woman. I hate this fucking feeling."

"If you wanna go back to treating me like a total stranger, if that's what you want, then I'll pretend none of this ever happened..."

"Is it love? Do you love me? Maybe that'll make it easier for you. Just answer that question for me, Miz."

That actually makes it so much harder. My mind is fighting with my soul. I don't want the words to demean what I truly feel.

I'm in love with her.

...But can I say that with a 100 percent of my heart?

Her eyes are locked and desperate for the answer. To let the tension linger and put the weight of the world on her shoulders because of my own confusion causes her so much pain. I don't want to hold it in anymore.

"Yes..." I whisper, "Saraya, I'm in love with you."

She's lost for words.

There I said it, and I mean it.

"I've never been in love more than once in my life, but you hit me so hard that it I'd be stupid to forget the feeling. At first, I was in denial but what good is doubting the heart?"

I see nothing but tears and I try so hard to suppress them.

"Paige, you're not like the rest of them. I came up to you because I was hoping for a chance to make friends with a girl who could make me smile at the sight of her. And then, knowing everything about her too? That's what I wanted, because the girl I met was going to give me more than just her time...She was going to give me the love I've been searching for."

As I spill myself to her, I know I'm also telling the truth to Michael Gregory Mizanin.

All my life I've always wanted to love and be loved equally, it was nature.

When you meet the one, somebody else can never compare. I didn't realize that when somebody can be better than the one, their love is actually stronger.

Maryse is the one. Paige is that somebody better for me.

It all makes sense now.

I look closely at Paige. She's sitting forward and crying in her hands, sniffling while trying to control a sense of breath.

Inconsolable, I thought.

I put a hand on her back to try to comfort her. Are these tears supposed to be good or bad?

"Paige, if you never wanna see me again, I understand. I—"

"Miz..." she snaps from her crying. Her hands leave her face. I see black eyeliner and mascara ruined. Eyes as red as her cheeks.

"I love you too..."

The phrase I was uncertain of, that I wasn't sure if I was ready for, felt like a dream to hear.

I'm overflowing with relief. I reach for her face and pull her to mine.

My lips are firm and steady compared to her soft and weak mouth. She surrenders herself to me. She lets go of every insecurity within. Her mouth stays still as I maneuver my jaw forward. My palm gets more of a hold of her head as fingers intertwine with locks of hair, and thumb rubbing the area behind her ear.

I'm here, Paige. Don't be afraid.

Then I feel her respond with a solid surge. Her mouth begins to regain energy to let me know she's there too. We carefully part with an audible smack, foreheads touching. I hold close this girl that just became mine.

That kiss was for us. For what we're going to have to face. For the future ridicule by everyone who can't look at us the same. For her—to let her know I'll never leave her side.

"I promise...I'll love you with everything I am," I whisper.

My arms lift to take both sides of her face, "Paige, I love you with everything I am."

This promise, all sealed with what might be the most important kiss in my life.

Aww Miz, you're such a softie. Hope you liked this chapter! Extreme Rules was pretty awesome right? ;) Don't forget to review!