facade | ambraige

1. E X H A U S T I O N

P A I G E
"Tap out!"

I violently shook my head no. I wasn't a quitter. No way in hell was I losing my chance at the title.

Nikki growled behind me, tightening her grip and my back arch further.

I screamed in agony. The tingles running up and down my spine were excruciating.

"Paige, you can tap out!"

I ignored the referee's pleas and I felt tears form in my eyes. Come on Paige, you don't cry. My vision became increasingly blurry by the second.

Just as I was about to blackout, the referee put up the sign, signaling the match was going to end in a draw.

Nikki dropped me and I fell to the mat, grasping my back. I groaned between clenched teeth and kicked my boots against the mat. This pain was like no other.

"Fuck!"

I was picked up and put onto a stretcher. I gained the strength to stand up, almost tumbling to the floor.

"Paige! You need to be taken to the medic, please lay back down!"

I refused, limping backstage and going to the medical myself.

"Well look who it is. Little miss Paigey.."

I knew that voice by heart. The piece of shit called Dean Ambrose.

"Fuck off Ambrose."

I stumbled to the medical until I was once again stopped by Dean.

"Maybe you should stop wrestling. You know, with your scoliosis and all.."

My entire body locked up and I froze. My eyes narrowed into slits and my breathing became heavier as I slowly turned around to face the devil himself.

"What did you say?"

I only became angrier when he laughed.

"How do you know about that you bloody asshole!"

I slapped him, his neck whipping to the right and a bright mark appeared on his cheek. I grinned when his body shook with anger.

"I know everything about you sweetheart. You're almost as much as a deadbeat as your father.."

My stomach dropped. My anger quickly turned into hurt. I'm presuming he expected me to lash out.

"That was low. Even for you.."

He frowned.

"You know, sometimes you need to know the limit. I don't know why you're such an asshole but don't ever compare me to my father."

I continued to go into the medical's office, leaving him standing there.

"Saraya hun, I really wish you wouldn't do this to your back.."

I sighed in annoyance.

"I know Doc, but I'm going to anyways.."

I walked away with some pills for stress. Dean Ambrose wasn't helping either. 

The physician put needles in my spine and in that moment, I wish somebody was there to hold my hand.

I hated those needles. I went back to the hotel and met up with my best friend, Renee Young.

I let my guard down, letting the tears fall as I rested my head in Renee's lap.

"I shouldn't dread going to work everyday. I love my job, but Dean Ambrose is like a pest that will never go away.."

I whimpered as Renee played with my hair.

"I know Raya.."

"What did I ever do to him to make him treat me so badly?"

Paige Knight was not a cryer. Paige Knight was a fighter. Saraya Bevis was vulnerable.

I wore a mask at work. I let everybody believe I was a badass. I let everybody think I was fearless, that I wasn't scared of anything.

But when I took my mask off, I was afraid of everything. It was easy to make me cry. My layers came off. I wore a F A C A D E.