Monday, June 16: Monday Night RAW – Cleveland, OH; Quicken Loans Arena

(Show in progress)

Paige's POV

Bad News Barrett has already made his entrance, along with his opponent for tonight, Kofi Kingston. I'm supposed to go afterward and sit ringside to watch them. Currently waiting behind the curtain, my music hits. My legs push forward and I'm on stage in a matter of seconds. The crowd fills my ears with loud noise from every angle. As I walk down the ramp, I'm focused on the two in the ring. Barrett has a smile on his face and Kofi's more suspicious. I'm sure Michael Cole, JBL, and King are going on about why I've decided to come out here, from the encounter last week. I make my way next to the commentary table where there's a leather chair already in place. I prop Divas Championship across my lap and sit back to relax.

Ding, ding, ding then the match begins. The kissing part happens at the end where Barrett gets a win and I enter the ring to "congratulate" him. Having me enforce the kiss has its pros and cons—mostly cons because my performance of me looking as if I actually like him is going to be hard to believe.

My eyes search the front row. Miz's family is somewhere around here and I can feel their stares towards me. I spot his parents, watching the in-ring action. His mum glances and we make contact. I quickly smile, then she returns it. Her hand raises for a wave, and I coyly do the same. Knowing that I have to make her watch me go and touch another man is unsettling.

Kofi and Barrett spill out to my side of the floor. Then there's a cue for a commercial break by one of the camera men. My thoughts are completely somewhere far away, I just want to get it over with. They return inside the ring and the match continues. I wonder if Miz is watching, I honestly hope he isn't. I don't want him to see any of this.

A good 10 minutes later, Barrett hits the Bull Hammer Elbow and gets the pin. I hear the bell again as I stand up, with title over my shoulder, from the chair. My heart is beating at a rapid pace. I slowly walk over to the metal ring steps and hesitantly enter the ring. I'm clapping and smiling in approval as he's raising his arms in victory. It's time. He drops his arms and we exchange a few looks that seems like an eternity. I reach up to his bearded, scruffy face and stiffen my mouth. He lowers himself as we meet faces, I place an empty kiss on his lips. The Universe goes crazy with woah's and woo's. Parting ways, that smug look of his is plastered. Still in character, I try to match it. God, this is terrible.

My part is finished and I leave the ring. Adding effect, he opens the ropes for me. Walking up the ramp with him, I don't want to make it seem like that was the most horrifying experience on television (even though it was for me). So I slow down, letting him soak it in with his entrance theme booming throughout the arena.

The safe haven that is the curtain is in my reach. Finally getting a chance to breathe, the backstage area opens up. Monday Night RAW continues without altercation. Bad News comes from behind me, ready with a heavy arm on my shoulder that has the title on it. "Good job out there, champ!" He says all excited.

"Thanks. You too, I guess." His odorous body makes me hold in my breathe again. He takes his Intercontinental Championship with him and leaves in the other direction, thank goodness.

I try to avoid going where he is and find another way towards the Divas locker room. Clicking the door open, I see the Bella twins preparing for their tag match. They're against the Funkadactyls tonight.

"Wow, so I was right after all, Brie. Paige is going for two men? Watch out, she might hit Bryan next." Nikki's voice is so disgustingly fake that I nearly gag from the nausea in my stomach. I return to my locker block and take a seat on the wood. They're not going to get to me, I won't let that happen.

"Yeah I know, Nikki. I've heard she likes the married men..."

Control. They're nothing to you, just ignore them.

They finally proceed in exiting the room. Then, Emma enters right after them. I sigh out in relief. I wonder what she thought of the segment. She steps in front of me, "Hey champ! So that kiss out there... I noticed how much you hated it." She laughs out loud.

That forces a small smile out of me. "Yeah, well, I did. But was it convincing for the fans at least?"

"For them? It was good enough, I guess. It did its job."

"Good. That's all I wanted. I hope Miz wasn't watching."

"Oh no, he was. I was watching it with him."

"What? Damn... well how'd he react?"

"He didn't say much, but he had this serious look on his face. He turned away right when you went in for the kill, I know for sure he didn't like it."

"I expected that," I stand from the bench, setting my title on my bag, "I'm gonna go find him. I'll talk to you later, Emma."

"Alrighty, Paige. He's near the t-shirt trunk, by the way."

"Okay, thanks." I pull the door open and quickly head out. All I want to see at the moment is him.

Miz's POV

By now, I've calmed myself enough to stop pacing back and forth. When I saw Barrett's expression right after their kiss, I was so close in running out to the ring and beating him down. I hated not being able to do anything about it, like a caged animal. Knowing Paige though, she tried to act it out as best as she could. But I saw right through her forced happiness, which makes me a little glad.

Speaking of, I see her coming my way. "Hey ba—" Before I can get these two words out, she crashes into my lips. Out of surprise I latch onto her hips and support her body so we don't end up falling to the ground. She's hungry, I can tell.

Paige lets go for a moment, hands still on my face, "Now that felt better."

"You're stressed again, aren't you?"

"A little. That was just for me though, I had to get rid of the dirt feeling from my mouth."

"Yeah, that tasted like crap."

She taps me on the cheek, "Hey!" We part a few feet, but our fingers intertwine, similar to a test of strength hold. "It's done and over with for this week, thank god." Paige says, swinging our arms to the side.

"Good. Just hope you won't have to do the same on SmackDown."

"...Damnit Miz! You had to remind me."

"I'm just saying, maybe you don't have to. But as long as we're together, it won't matter." I pull her body closer by the hands, now chest against chest.

I see that shy smile of hers sneak up, "You're cute." She puckers her lips to me and I gladly dip down for another lip lock. Our hands release and I move mine to her lower back. Her arms rest on my shoulders as the kiss deepens.

"Woah there!"

We break and catch who caught us. It's Ziggler.

"PDA already? You kids are crazy, get a room!" He grabs one of his pink shirts from the table behind our bodies, winks, then leaves.

I can't help but chuckle at that.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July everyone :)