— April 12, 2016 —
As soon as I woke up this morning, I ate me some good breakfast, gulped down some orange juice, brushed my teeth, changed, and headed down to the hotel's provided gym. Tonight is when we film the taping of SmackDown, which is located in San Diego, California.
Last night, AJ and I had some new passengers with us and that would be Luke and Karl. AJ and I didn't really speak after our first on-screen kissing scene, but Luke and Karl sure made us talk to them, of course.
In all honesty, and as hard as it is to admit, I kind of regret kissing AJ the night in that hotel. I regret ever asking Shane for us to partner-up again, only for it to lead to what it has now. In life, every girl and guy dream dreams of kissing their crush just at least once. For me, however, it's ruining a long ass friendship that we've created with each other.
So, while at the gym, I had my earphones in and my music from my phone blaring. Nobody else couldn't hear it, except for me. I just kept to myself, seeing other wrestlers here with me, of course, but they kept to theirselves as well.
It was about eleven o'clock already and I had been here for about an hour and a half so far. I'm so exhausted, but it's better than having a dead silent conversation with AJ. I felt so frustrated over all of this and I don't know if he even realizes that, either. I would cry, but I'm always around him, so I can't. It's gotten to a point to where all I want to do these days is scream from the top of lungs.
I kept lifting weights and counting each that I did. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven... That until I felt a tap on my shoulder and glanced up at who did it. Sure enough, it was Emma and her real-life boyfriend, Zack Ryder, standing together smiling down at me.
I put the weights down on the ground gently and paused my music, so I could take our my earphones. "What?" I used this as my greeting, even though I knew it came off as rude. So, I tried to recover and say, "I mean, hey. What's up?"
"Hey, Britt," Zack first greeted me with a smile and wave. I did the same back.
Emma posed herself up, which was place her hands on her hips, really. "So, hey, Britt," her Australian accent squeaked out. "I was wondering if after SmackDown tonight that you and AJ would like to go out to eat with Zack and I?"
Wait... What? "Um...," I stammered out, glancing around and feeling the pressure. "Like a double-date or something?" Zack and Emma both nodded. "Well, you do know that AJ and I aren't together like that in real life, right?"
Her and Zack exchanged a look of concern, but she turned to me with a smile and nod. "Of course we know that!" Emma stated, clearly knowing her details. "You guys are still my OTP."
"Emma, don't—"
"One True Pairing," she went on to explain, even though she completely cut me off. "I really wish you guys were together. I mean, y'all have been best friends for such a long time. It would only make sense if y'all end up together in the end."
"That's the problem," I injected, which left her confused. "We're simply best friends."
"With benefits, obviously," she accused, making up assumptions now. Zack looked to be uncomfortable and she noticed this. "Sorry, sweetie, it quickly just turned into girl-talk. You can leave now." He began to walk away and she called after him: "Love you!" She turned back to me and begin to say, "Anyways—"
"Anyways, nothing, Emma," I cut her off now and stood up, wrapping my earphones around my phone. I was sweating beyond compare right now. Ew and ugh! "We're just friends with no benefits whatsoever."
I picked up the weights I was using and began walking back towards where they're supposed to go, and she followed. "What?" she squeaked out, clearly not understanding now. "You two totally have benefits with each other. You kissed last night on Raw."
I put the weights back where they belong and gave her a dirty glare and sighed, "Yeah, but only on TV. Not in real life. It's totally different."
"It's really not," she countered with a strong pose in front of me. It was like she had me cornered against the weight rack. "He'll catch feelings for you before you know it – if hasn't already."
I rolled my eyes and lightly pushed her out of my way. I don't feel like discussing any of this with her. Especially her.
"You need to stop bottling this up, Britt," she called after me and that made me freeze in motion. "If you keep on, then you're going to explode. You're gonna go crazy after the possibilities." I heard her come up behind me before she spun me back around, facing her. "I know you and the Bella Twins were really close when they were here, but you can still talk to me, y'know? I've been your friend way longer than they have."
She wasn't wrong, which made me feel different about this whole situation, but she was still wrong about me and AJ. "Fine, Emma, you win," I huffed out and threw my hands in the air. "You think you know what's really going on, but you don't."
"Then, tell me what I'm missing out on," she tried convincing me. When I didn't speak, she pulled out her pouty face – which only made me smile and roll my eyes. She wrapped her arms around my whole upper body and badgered, "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"
"Okay, okay," I giggled like a playful child. Emma was cracked me and I couldn't believe it, even when I pulled her completely out of the gym, by taking her by the hand, and to somewhere a little more private. The women's restaurant, of course. Once there, I made sure we were alone and we seemed to be. Then, I confessed to her like a sinner would to a priest.
By the end of it, she couldn't quite believe it. I had spilled the beans out completely and she was shocked for the most part. Then again, she was smiling from ear to ear with hearts practically in her eyes. "Awe, how romantic!"
"Emma! No!" I reversed the tables here, trying to snap her out of it. "Not romantic. There's nothing there for it to be romantic."
She extended her hand and touched my shoulder. "Awe, Britt, you've got to talk to him before it's too late," she advised me.
"Too late for what?" I questioned her, igniting a fire between us.
"Before he thinks you don't like him like that," she explained, now touching both of my shoulders and shaking my whole body. "You love him, Britt. You have for the past fourteen years. You're way stronger than me because I would've already had said something... Fourteen fucking years ago!"
I growled and rolled my eyes. I feel so many regrets already because I told her everything. I should've just kept my trap shut and this wouldn't be happening right now. She guilt me into it and it's been bloody hell since. Lovely. Again, great idea, Britt!
"Yeah, well, I—"
I suddenly cut myself off when I saw a figure walk into the bathroom with us. It was actually Lana, who's real name is C.J. Perry. I love her real first name, to be honest.
"Hey, ladies," she greeted us in her normal American accent and smiled. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"
Emma and I both shook our heads and muttered out an no. Lana walked over and stood in front of a stall. "So, Emma, thanks for inviting Rusev and I to your dinner party tonight. It was very nice of you to do so."
"You invited them, too?" I questioned of Emma and she shrugged. Lana made a face, so I knew I had to recover. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You said it was just going to be her and Ryder and AJ and I, that's all. She didn't mention anyone else being there."
"Oh, so you and AJ are together now? That's fantastic!" Lana cheered, which only made me want to slap her right across the face when her eyes lit up.
"No, AJ and I are NOT together!" I tried clearing up with her and rolled my eyes. "Emma exaggerates a lot. Don't trust her because she's nothing but trouble."
"Hey, wait. No!" Emma giggled, giving me a little shove backwards. "I'm not trouble, Lana, and you can definitely trust me. Britt here doesn't exaggerates enough because of my OTP."
"Wait, OTP? What does that have to do with Britt?" Lana questioned, now officially in our conversation.
"Because of her and AJ are my new favorite OTP," she explained to Lana with a shrug. "They're my One True Pairing and I ship them together."
"Good Lord," I mumbled and rested my head in the palm of my hand. She has really outdone herself this time. "What part of 'Don't tell anyone this, Emma' don't you understand, woman?!"
"Sorry," she apologized and bit down on her bottom lip to avoid suspicion. "I didn't mean to."
"Hey, I won't tell anyone," Lana reassured both myself and Emma, placing a hand to her heart. "I think it's really cute that you and AJ are almost together."
"Not even," I huffed and rolled my eyes. "Anyways, not another word to ANYONE about this, guys. Especially you, Emma. Not another damn word or your ass is grass."
I began to exit the bathroom when Emma called after me: "Wait, are you going to join us tonight, though?"
"Don't know. I'll ask AJ," I assured her.
What Emma called after me next hit me right in the pit of my heart: "Talk to him, Britt, or it'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"
• This chapter sucks, Ik, trust me. But I needed a fill-in while I prepare for the next chapter. So, Britt has seemed to align herself with both Emma and Lana officially. No Nattie? Hm... Anyways, I hope this was okay until I can get the next chap up! May be tonight when I do cuz I have to work from 4pm-8pm! All the love .xx •