Best Is Yet To Come

Chapter 3 - Awkward Encounters

"I'm just trying..." 

"Trying to what? You got what you wanted. So much for I don't love him like that." Nikki interrupted taking a step forward to stand in front of me like a bodyguard would a client.  I loved the protective side of Nikki but sometimes she was so protective, it became terrifying. I placed a hand on her upper arm softly pushing her back so she was standing behind me. I gave her a look silently telling her to calm down, the last thing she needs is to get in trouble with the boss, it could mean her title. 

"Look Renee, I appreciate whatever it is your trying to do here but I don't want to do this." I smile softly, it wasn't to be nasty but I just couldn't deal with this not now and definitely not anytime in the future. I no longer had an interest in being her friend and she wasn't a person I needed to have in my life so I was cutting the ties. "I just think we can remain civil towards one another for professional reasons but that's it. Okay?" 

"Okay." Renee nodded, I returned the nod before linking arms with Nikki and pulling her down the hallway with me until we were away from Renee and also any crew members. I could see Nikki tense up almost as if she was going to chew me out for being so nice but I held up my finger to her, telling her to wait before inhaling deeply and started doing some box breathing to calm myself down while I closed my eyes. 

"Well that was fun." I chuckle once I was finished opening my eyes. Nikki was standing in front of me watching me like I was crazy. "What? It actually helps, you should try it." 

"Jesus you've changed. If I was you and she came up to me like that I would have laid her out on the floor. I don't even care." 

"You would not, you have a title to think about." I tilt my head to the side giving her a be serious look before rubbing my hands on my stomach and pushing myself off the wall. 

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I decided to hang around RAW tonight as I didn't have to be in  ROH until tomorrow night and Nikki wanted me to hang around and watch her segment on MizTV and then her match against Team PCB which happened to be Saraya's team. Nikki decided to go and get ready for tonight after our little encounter with Renee, she offered for me to tag along but I shook my head wanting to walk around and see who I could catch up with backstage. I smiled as I spotted Joe standing next to Cody Rhodes, he had his back to me. So I decided to sneak up behind him and hit my hands off his sides making him jump into the air. 

"Jesus babygirl you scared me." He gasped once he saw it was me. I held my hands up, fist pumping the air. For the first time in two years I was able to sneak up behind Joe and scare him, like actually scare him. Before he always sensed me coming like some kind of sixth sense but nope not tonight. His guard was down. "What are you doing here?" He asks pulling me into him for a quick bear hug before letting me go.

"I had a meeting with Steph and well I decided to hang around for a bit. Hi Cody." I grin looking over at him after doing a little celebratory dance making Cody laugh. "How are you Cody?" I asked while Joe gave me a playful glare and wrapping his arm around my shoulder and shaking me.

"I'm good Stacey, how are you?" Cody returns with a smile. I stayed chatting to the pair about how I was getting on with ROH and of course Cody's new gimmick 'Stardust' which turns out he hated with a passion but he had no choice but to go along with it. There was differently something different about Cody, I sensed he wasn't happy but he wouldn't say it out loud so I placed a supportive hand on his arm thinking nothing of it. 

"Hey Joe, we're up next." I heard Jon's voice trail off once he notices me. I glance over my shoulder he was right behind me but the reason he trailed off was because he had his eyes locked on my hand on Cody. I quickly removed it feeling slightly awkward as I glanced between the three men around me.