Wonderland [WWE] [Shawn Michaels] {Book 1}

Chapter 5: What's Your Story?

[Mark]

I watched from my isolated seat in catering as Kat fluttered into the room. I mean, the girl practically bounced. She was usually pretty happy-go-lucky, but this was another level. She had a glow about her. She smiled even wider when she saw me. Her smile was the best I'd ever seen. She could light up a room with it.

Her hair flopped in front of her face as she hopped into the chair across from me. She brushed it back with her hand, gently tucking it behind her ear. She grinned expectantly at me.

"Hey there, Princess," I joked, cracking a smile. I had a soft spot for the young McMahon. "You're bubbly today."

Her smile didn't fade one bit. "I just had the best time!" she gushed. I'm not sure why, but Kat considered me her best friend. I don't know what drew her to me; I'd always been a bit of a lone wolf. She'd tell me everything... even if I didn't want to know.

"Well?" I prodded. If I was going to hear about this fantastical time, I wanted to get on with it.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a man I knew as Kevin Nash. He towered over her tiny figure, a hand on the back of her chair, almost protectively.

"Hey, Kat." He looked at her questioningly. As in, "What are you doing talking to this guy?"

It was understandable. Kat and I didn't look like we belonged next to each other. It wasn't uncommon for people to give her strange looks for sitting with me.

But Kevin Nash, of all people? I didn't think Kat even knew him.

"I'm fine, Kev. I'm just talking to my friend Mark. I'll be over in a minute," she told him. He nodded and walked over to the rest of his rowdy group.

She went to speak again, but this time I was the one to interrupt. "Kev? Since when are you close with Kevin Nash?"

She blushed a little, her smile receding. I guess I came across harsher than I thought.

"I'm riding with him. Well, with the Kliq--"

"You're what?!" I shouted. People turned to look at us, including the people in question, who were already watching us from across the room. I took a deep breath and quieted my tone. "I told you to stay away from them."

Kat got defensive quickly. "They're not what you said. They've been super nice to me--"

"Those hooligans are partyers and  womanizers. They're using you," I explained, as calmly as I could manage. As much as Kat considered me her friend, I considered her mine. I didn't want anything to happen to her. She was just a girl, after all. She didn't need to get mixed up with a crowd like that.

"Says who? You don't even know them!" Her smile was all the way gone now, replaced with an angry expression, as if I had insulted her family.

"I've heard--"

"You of all people should know not to listen to rumors!" she exclaimed. I had hurt her. I had always been the one to explain to her that rumors couldn't hurt her, and now here I was defending them.

I didn't care. I knew in my bones those guys were trouble. "Katherine, listen to me. Those guys--"

Kat stood, no longer interested in what I had to say. "I don't care. They're my friends. I thought you were too."

I knew then I had really pissed her off. I knew from experience that McMahons were not the quickest to forgive. I had a feeling it would be a while before I got back into Kat's good graces.