𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 | 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐎𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧

2

"Yeah, she would also kick me." Sylwia agreed. There was a different look in her blue eyes; they were no longer those eyes full of joy, dreams and ambition like three years earlier, or the lively and euphoric ones of when she first entered the federation. Now there was not a thin veil of melancholy. "But I cannot afford anymore of risking being injured."

Paul nodded. Himself too understood the frustration the Polish woman was feeling, both obliged to not doing the one thing they loved the most. It was a real torture. "I understand." He spoke. "Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know. But, until then, I am so happy to have you back with us!" The man stood up and opened his arms, as a sign of an embrace.

Sylwia weakly smiled at him, and hugged the man who for years had been one of her mentors, her wrestling father, as she called him back in the days.

"We all missed you." Paul murmured. The champion had always had a soft spot for the pierogi girl, as she had been nicknamed since the early days, considering her almost like a daughter. It was no secret that he wanted to see her happy, and seeing her so sad broke his heart. "You know we are all here, for anything."

"I know. Thank you." Sylwia smiled again, placing some hair behind her ear. "I've missed you all too, and I'm so thankful for this second opportunity you're giving me."

"Don't even mention it!" The man gave her a reassuring smile. "You're part of our family, there will always be a place for you here. For you and your family."

The Polish nodded. She needed a new beginning, to start again, after the most difficult year of her life; and a new beginning in the place where it all began seemed now more than ever the right choice to make. Too many things had been left unfinished, a cycle had not been closed. Even though she wouldn't fight, which was a terribly painful choice, but one made with the understanding that if she got injured, who would look after her son? Widowed, far from her family -with her closest member, her sister, was living in California with her new husband-, Sylwia could no longer afford to take risks every week; but that didn't mean she couldn't play different roles.

Paul laid a hand on her shoulder, knowing her so well by now to know what she was thinking. He gave her a reassuring smile. "We are all here for you, and we will find a solution for everything. Trust me, Sylwia, you'll soon return being the astonishing athlete you have always been." He said. "No one can put out the fire of the Feisty Polish, of our Femme Fatale. But, until then, go and kick ass as the greatest on-screen General Manager!"

—

November, 2011

A week had passed since Sylwia had first set foot in the WWE Performer Center, and already the initial group had halved. If on the first day the Polish girl would have been surprised that she hadn't been sent back to California, now she was increasingly aware that perhaps this was really the place she was supposed to be. An intense week, full of training and teaching, but Sylwia had never felt more euphoric than this. In the morning she got up really happy knowing what was waiting for her, and in the evening she stayed much longer than the others to continue training.

An attitude of a true professional, of a true athlete; behavior that did not go unnoticed by any of the superstars and not even in the eyes of the McMahon family.

"Wodiczko!" Stephanie McMahon called, stepping into the training room, and causing everyone to stare at her.

Sylwia got up from the power crack where she was doing some weight exercises. "That's me!"

The younger McMahon motioned for Sylwia to follow her; which the blonde girl from the East did immediately. A kind of anxiety began to rise inside her: did they want to send her home? Just now that she was getting used to all this? Was it because they hadn't liked the pierogies she brought that morning or because she was poor, and therefore had overestimated herself all the time?