~𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕖~

watching from afar

DEC 18TH 2019

Rhea had a championship match today. It was for a championship that she had had her eye on for a while now, and it was a championship that I had won, twice. The NXT women's championship. I was proud of her, making it all the way up the hierachy and se finally had her shot at the title. I also didn't know how to feel, of course I was excited, but watching Rhea possibly take the championship home would leave a constant reminder that I wasn't there any longer. I had asked about being cleared multiple times and it came to a point where I had given up trying. I hated not being able to wrestle, but by contract, and for my safety I had to be medically cleared, and I would get that information as soon as it came through to me, which it hadn't, as of right now.

I had been given permission to sit backstage and Watch the match per rhea's request. It was weird being back. I had been sat in this area time after time, everyone knew me and yet it felt like I was unknown to everyone, like outsider. In a way I guess I was, an outsider, I wasn't a wrestler anymore so I didn't exactly belong anymore. I could tell that Demi was nervous, this was her best shot to becoming a champion again.

"Hey, you're okay. You'll win, I know you will" I smiled, holding her hand, noticing that she eased up a little as I did so. "What if I don't?" She asked, looking in my eyes a trace of fear in her voice. "Then you'll do what you do best. You'll keep going, until you get what you want. I know you'll win anyway, she's nothing compared to you" I replied, reassuring her. We talked about it for a little while until "Rhea, we're ready for you" she looked back at me for a second before rising to her feet and heading towards the stage. I watched her wait in the wings, and shake herself down right before entering the ring.

throughout the match there were ups and downs, I watched Rhea get injured over and over again, and every cry of pain made me want to risk everything to go out and help her, but that wouldn't be fair, it would force a disqualification, and I couldn't do that to her. She was trapped in a Kirifuda clutch and I was moments away from breaking every rule in the WWE just to jump in and help her. I was forcing myself back and watching as she faded, but a check of the wrist brought my smile back. She woke up, and powered out of the submission, continuing the fight for that championship.  

Pin fall after Pin fall, and submission after submission, these women refused to give up, Rhea had held Baszler in the prism both women were fading slowly, exhaustion getting the better of them. both perched on the rope, Baszler with the upper hand for the time being. It was difficult to watch, Rhea had faded so much, she was just barely hanging on, but the roar of the crowd was enough to keep her going. She swung the only thing she could, a headbutt to Shayna's chest stunned her enough to allow Rhea to set up for an "AVALANCHE RIPTIDE!"  was shouted out of the commentary table as both women crashed into the canvas of the squared-circle. Rhea pinned Baszler and everyone stood in shock as the three count was called. The bell rang and the announcement "HERE IS YOUR WINNER! AND THE NEW NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPION! RHEA RIPLEYYY!" roared through the speakers. 

My excitement and happiness for her overtook my body, my smile stretched from ear to ear and I allowed my heart to take over, I ran through backstage, past all of the crew and security and dove into the ring after Rhea. I practically jumped on her, holding onto her in a warm embrace as she secured her arms around me. she was breathing deeply and I could feel her tears drip onto me as we rolled around in the ring. she had made history for herself, and she had proved that she was worthy of herself. I unbuckled the choker that sat around her neck and pulled it off, allowing her airways to open up a little more, the crowd was extreme, everyone was on their feet, cheering, screaming, applauding and chanting. I took the title from the referee and placed it in her hands, allowing it to sink in that she had won that title, and it belonged to her now. After she examined the title, she dropped one hand, to which I took and raised into the air, I was careful, she was still favouring her left arm and I had no intention of causing her anymore harm. 

The barricades swarmed with the crowd members, eventually Rhea asked for them to join her in the ring, which basically turned into a mosh pit for her own entertainment. She was lifted into the air and everyone was amazed to see a brand new champion on the roster. It was a new era, one of brutality, one of extreme power, one of many fans, it was the era of Ripley, and we all lived for it. After a while, she climbed out of the ring and began to walk around the arena, taking photos and videos with fans, taking people's phones for pictures. Talking to people and answering their questions, even taking someone's sunglasses for a brief moment. She continued to celebrate and flaunt her victory as the night came to a close. She was extremely exhausted though, and she needed to make sure that her arm wasn't too damaged, luckily for her, it wasn't. I had come to terms with the fact that I wasn't there anymore,  but seeing her so happy tonight made me realise that I wasn't missing out on anything, she was doing this for the both of us and I had so much respect for her. 

I loved her. She loved me. That was all we needed.