Enjoy the next chapter!
Anna xx
The next week was slow and I struggled. I struggled to sleep, I didn't want to eat, I just didn't want to do anything, but unfortunately it was worse at night, so I got a prescription for my anxiety and some sleeping pills to help me sleep. It's helped mostly but I feel flat.
I arrive in Philly late Saturday night and get to the hotel. I walk into my room and find Celeste and April talking. "Rena, how are you?" Celeste asks hugging me gently.
"I'm okay." I whisper.
"Are you refreshed?" April asks.
"Yeah."
"Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"I'm always ready, but I'm ready to take out some frustration."
"Good to hear." April smiles.
"We're just going to have a night in tonight, so shower and we can just talk." Celeste suggests.
"Sounds like a great idea."
The next morning I wake up early and hit the gym. After a shower April and I head to the arena. I walk into the locker room and put my stuff down. Brie and Nicole approach me. "Hey." I whisper.
"How are you feeling?" Nicole asks.
"I'm okay, I needed the week off."
"Is your mind set okay, are you ready for this match?" Brie asks.
"I'm fine. I've been with Anna all week and we've been taking my mind off things."
"Good."
"Now I believe it's time for you to start getting ready." Nicole reminds me.
"I'll see you around then."
I arrive at hair and makeup and Amy starts to put my hair in curlers, whilst she's waiting for them to set, she works on my make-up. Once she's done, she shows me the finished look: a glossy pink smokey eye and my hair in curls.
I look at myself in the mirror and smile. "Thanks Amy." I thank.
"No problem Serena you look great." she compliments.
I make my way to Sandra who greets me with a loving hug. "How are you doing baby girl?" She asks.
"I'm okay."
"I've been working on your gear for tonight, do you want to see it?"
I smile. "Of course."
She gets my gear out from its bag and I love it. My gear is a matching dark pink shimmery pants and crop top a thin black outline and the pants have a sewn in black belt to finish off the look.
I walk back to the locker room. "Holy shit, you look amazing." April expresses as I walk inside.
I laugh. "Thanks April. Are you ready?"
"I should be asking you that."
"I'm fine, but I'm not holding back tonight."
"Good, me either."
"We have a lot to prove tonight."
"That we do."
We all head to catering to get some food. I make up a plate and take a seat at an empty table. "Are you getting nervous?" Nattie asks.
"I am, but I'm excited, April and I are going to put our hearts out there." I respond.
"Serena." Someone calls out.
I turn to face the voice and see Joe, Jon and Colby walk up to me. I smile. "How are you doing baby girl?" Joe asks.
"I'm okay, I needed the time off." I admit.
"Your mindset okay?" Colby asks.
"Yeah."
"You look great."
"Thanks."
"Nervous?" He asks.
I chuckle. "Always."
"You'll do great."
I'm called to the gorilla and I meet up with April. "Good luck." I wish.
"You too girl, let's have one hell of a match." she says and I nod. April's music starts and the crowd boo loudly. "See you out there." She grins and walks out.
I walk out to the Philadelphia crowd and they are on their feet. I grin as I take my belt off my waist and raise it above my head. "And her opponent, from Seattle Washington, the Divas Champion, Sarah." Lillian announces as I make my way down the ramp.
I get to the bottom of the ramp and send AJ one of my signature smirks. "There's the signature smirk from the Divas Champion, that means game on." Cole warms as I jump up on the apron.
I get into the ring and my music dies and I raise my title above my head. "Take a good look, because it's coming right back." I say loudly as I hand it over to the referee, who raises it above his head.
The ref asks us if we're ready and we both nod. The referee rings the bell and AJ and I circle one another. "Ladies and gentleman, The Divas Championship match is underway." Jerry announces excitedly.
We lock up and I push her into the corner. I start kicking her as the crowd cheers me on. "Sarah with some hard kicks to the stomach of AJ Lee." JBL announces.
The referee pushes me back but I move to the side and attack AJ again. "Just like that Sarah gets straight back to business." Cole says watching along.
"She wants to win."
AJ stands and I walk towards the opposite corner. I measure myself up and I run and do a round off back handspring and deliver an elbow to her face. "What a move." Jerry expresses.
AJ crumbles to the ground and I cover "1, 2." but she kicks out. I pull her up by her hair and deliver a DDT and cover her again. "1, 2." but she kicks out.
I sit up and look to the corner and I make my way to the corner. I start to climb as AJ starts to stand. She sees me climbing and jumps up on the middle turnbuckle and throws a right arm and I throw one right back. She does it again, and I copy. We make it to the top rope and throw more punches at each other. "Both divas are on the top rope, I don't know what they are trying to do." Cole says worriedly.
AJ gets the upper hand and that makes me lose my grip. She picks me up and suplexes me off the top corner turnbuckle and we both land hard on our backs in the ring. "Wow." the Philly crowd echo. "Did you hear that impact?" JBL asks loudly.
"Sarah and AJ are both down, someone has to cover someone." Jerry advises loudly. AJ begins to stir and I haven't moved. She slowly crawls and lays an arm over me "1, 2," but I kick out. "Sarak kicked out! How did she? She took most of the impact."
AJ gains the upper hand and places me in a sleeper hold. I start to lose my vision but the crowd starts to chant. "Let's go Sarah, let's go Sarah." and that gives me motivation I need. "The Philly crowd is on the champs side tonight." Cole hears as I start to make it to my feet.
I elbow her in the stomach and she releases. I run the ropes and she ducks my closeline and we run the ropes again. I pick up speed and deliver a massive close line. "What a close line by the champ!" Jerry shouts.
"That nearly took AJ's head off." JBL adds. I quickly cover AJ "1, 2." but she kicks out again.
I pull her up by her hair and deliver a neck breaker and place her in a leg log. AJ punches me as she sits up and I release my hold. As I release, she starts unloading on me. "AJ is unloading on Sarah, and she's not letting up."
I crawl to the corner and use the ropes to stand up. AJ charges at me but I'm able to lift my foot just in time and she runs into my boot. "Oh" the crowd cheer. I cover her and put a little more effort into it. "1, 2 and" she kicks out at the last second. "What?" I shriek and face the referee in shock.
"It was two." He shows.
I turn around and run into AJ and she wraps herself around me and locks in The Black Widow. "Oh no, AJ has the black widow locked in." Jerry alerts.
"Sarah is in the middle of the ring." Cole adds.
I begin to fade and sink to my feet. "Tap, that title is mine." AJ shouts.
The crowd start to clap and I get another boost of adrenaline and get to my feet. "The champ is fighting back." Jerry says as I start to pump my fist.
I peel AJ's arm off of me and I lift her up over my shoulder and deliver a back breaker. "Sarah with a hard back breaker." JBL announces.
I cover "1, 2." but she kicks out. "Omg." I shout frustrated. I quickly climb to the corner to the turnbuckle and wait for AJ to get up. As she turns around, I jump but she quickly moves and delivers a huge uppercut and I collapse to the mat. "OMG!" the crowd shouts.
"AJ caught Sarah with an uppercut, did you see that impact?" Cole shouts in shock. AJ covers me "1, 2 and" at the last second I kick out. "OMG!" the announcers shout.
"How is she still moving?" Jerry wonders as the crowd starts to chant. "This is awesome, this is awesome, this is awesome."
I start to get my feet and AJ punches me but I punch her back. I run the ropes and deliver a swinging back breaker. I cover "1." but she kicks out. I pull her up and whip her into the corner. I charge and squish her into the corner. I grab her head and deliver a running bulldog. I cover "1, 2." but she kicks out. "Agh." I shout frustratedly.
"Sarah is getting frustrated." JBL notices.
I pull her up and run the ropes but she follows me and flips me out of the ring. "AJ just flipped Sarah out of the ring." Cole exclaims.
AJ rolls out of the ring and pulls me up. She looks to the steel steps and winds me up, but I reverse it and toss her shoulder first into the steel steps. "Ooh." the crowd yells. "Did you hear that impact?" JBL asks loudly.
I roll her back in the ring and I quickly cover "1, 2." but she kicks out. I bang my hands on the mat angrily and pull her up by her hair. I put her head under my shoulder and flip her up over my shoulders. "Sarah is ready to finish this." Cole says looking on.
I flip her up and deliver a powerful KOD. "This is over." JBL assumes. I cover her. "1, 2 and." at the last second she kicks out.
"Omg." the announcers shout. "How on earth did AJ kick out?" Jerry asks bewildered.
I pull my hair angrily and I drag her to the corner. I look up at the crowd. "Let's finish this." I growl and start to climb the corner.
I'm on the top corner and look behind me and see AJ has not moved. I jump and deliver The Sarah Splash but at the last second AJ rolls out of the way and I land hard on my stomach. "OMG!" JBL, Jerry and Cole shout.
I clutch my stomach in pain and roll out of the ring. AJ follows me out and throws me into the barricade. "Why don't you just give up, you aren't going to beat me." she shouts and throws me into the steel steps and the crowd boo loudly.
As the ref is at a count of 8 she rolls me back into the ring. As I'm getting up AJ runs and hits a Shining Wizard. "AJ has hit The Shining Wizard, this match is over." JBL shouts.
AJ covers me. "1, 2 and." and at the last second I kick out. "Omg." the commentators shout and the crowd cheer thunderously.
AJ screeches in frustration and bangs her hands on the mat. "Sarah just kicked out." Jerry shouts.
The whole arena are on their feet and they begin to chant. "This is awesome, this is awesome, this is awesome." as I crawl to the corner and get my energy back.
AJ charges at me but I duck her closeline and do a quick pivot with my feet and as she bounds back I deliver a superkick. "Omg." the arena shouts. "Sarah just super kicked AJ." JBL shouts. "She nearly took her head off."
I quickly cover and pull her leg up further. "1, 2 and." AJ kicks out. "Agh! That's it, this ends." I declare.
I pull AJ up harshly and kick her in the stomach and put her in the position for The Kiss of Death. The Philly crowd cheer loudly as I lift her up over my shoulder and flip her down face first onto the mat. "Ooh." the crowd echoes. "Did you hear that impact?" Jerry asks loudly. "This has to be over."
I look to the top rope and point. "It looks like Sarah is not done." Cole replies.
I drag AJ to the corner and start climb. I reach the top turnbuckle and I jump high and hit The Sarah Splash on AJ and the crowd erupt as I cover. "1, 2 and 3."
I sit up in excitement as the bell rings and my music plays. "Sarah did it she won, she won her first title defence." Cole says elatedly.
"Here is your winner and still WWE Divas Champion, Sarah." Lillian announces.
The Philly crowd goes berserk as I'm given my title and I raise it above my head. "What a match." JBLn expresses.
"I have to say that this has been one of the best Divas Championship matches yet." Jerry adds.
"I agree with you too." Cole agrees.
I get back through the curtain and I am greeted by a mob of ladies bombarding me with hugs and kisses. I wipe the tears from my face. "That match was incredible." Nattie congratulates.
"Thank you." I thank.
"You did amazing." Brie praises.
"You killed it, well done baby girl." Trinity adds.
April comes up behind me and I hug her crying. "We killed it." she whispers.
"I don't think I have ever been so privileged." I whisper in her ear.
"Me either, we killed it and I'm going to remember this forever."
I'm on my way to my post match interview with Brie and Nicole. "You really did great tonight." Brie congratulates again.
"Thanks Brie, I let out some frustration." I admit.
"Which is something you needed to do." Nikki replies.
"How are you really?" Brie asks.
"I'll let you know."
"Did you sleep okay this past week?" Nikki asks.
"I'm fine." I lie.
"Did you talk to anyone?" Brie asks.
"I spoke to Anna, and we just stayed at my place." I respond. "I would love to continue this but I have an interview to do."
"Go, we'll wait for you." Nikki replies and I walk off.
I walk up to Renee. "Well done Serena." She congratulates.
"Thank you." I thank.
"Are you doing okay?"
I try my best to bring a smile on my face. "Yeah."
"We won't be long."
"Ladies and gentleman with me at this time, the Divas Champion, Sarah." Renee welcomes and the camera pans to me and the crowd cheers. "Congratulations on a successful title defence."
"Thanks Renee."
"How are you feeling right now, you just had another incredible match?"
"I'm over the moon. A little sore, but I'm privileged to be here in Philly and the crowd tonight has been electric and I couldn't have asked for a better opponent."
"What's next for you?"
"Defending this title to the best of my ability." I declare. "I plan to be the best Divas Champion in history, so I want every diva in that locker room to step up." I enforce holding my title and looking at it.