AJ Lee's POV
Two Weeks Later
One week from the Elimination Chamber
For the past few weeks, I'd tried to withhold without CM Punk at the events. I had to assume he wasn't coming back, so I had to adapt to what life would be like for me now.
Against Punk's wishes, I started taking my pills again. He didn't, couldn't, understand how difficult life was for me without them. Besides, Punk wasn't my boyfriend. He couldn't ever know what's best for me.
I still thought about him, though, when I walked into the arena for Raw. I was scheduled for a match against Nikki Bella. One on one, me and her, in the ring. Should be fun.
I skipped through the hallways with my duffel bag (my new duffel bag) and to the divas locker room. I was hoping to find Tamina so I could just wait for my match in piece, maybe reading X Men in a comfortable corner of the locker room, while she guarded me and my title.
When I opened the door to the locker room, I saw only Eva Marie and Cameron present, talking while sitting on one of the benches. When they saw me enter the room, they both glared.
Now, I didn't know why Cameron had any reason to be mad at me. I mean, sure, Naomi was going to have a title shot against me until she got injured and the match was erased, but that wasn't my fault! But I guess she was mad anyway since she believed somehow that I sabotaged her injury. I mean I'm good, but not that good.
Eva I assume though had a reason to me mad. She still wasn't very happy after that nasty bruise I gave her in November. But, I mean, it was three months ago. I've slapped a lot of people since then, so she shouldn't feel offended.
I walked over to one of the empty benches and laid my bag down. Their eyes shot knifes into me, but I didn't feel any pain. Not anymore.
"So," I said, facing them. "Your girl, Nikki, ready to get put into a Black Widow?"
Eva rolled her eyes. "She's not gonna loose to you of all people."
"Then why do I still have the title?" I said with a smirk plastered on my face. That shut her up.
After a while more of the divas began to pile into the locker room. Thank god Tamina showed up sooner rather than later, for now I had someone to guard me from the little bedazzled barbie dolls that were the Total Divas.
While Tamina stood next to me in the corner of the locker room with her arms crossed, I attempted to try to get ready for the match. I did a few stretching exercises and made sure all of my gear was appropriately displayed and secure. I pulled my divas title out of my bag and prepared for war.
And then the Bella's walked in.
Neither of them looked very happy. Especially Nikki. I didn't really care, but I couldn't help but wonder what would put them both in such a pitiful looking state.
Eventually, Nikki spoke. "The match is canceled."
Every diva in that locker room either gasped or dropped their jaw to the floor. I, however, felt rage bottle up inside me, adding a rather crazy feel to my eyes. I walked closer to the Bella's.
"Canceled?" I asked. "What do you mean? Who's taking my place in that match?" I didn't mean to sound selfish, but I wanted a match.
"No one," Brie said. "There's no diva's match tonight."
I felt like I was about to loose it. Just like I thought, the company was putting all the Divas, true and total, down at the bottom of the list. We deserved to be here as much as Cena. Or Orton. Or Bryan. Or Sheamus. Or any of the guys!
But I didn't snap. I didn't yell. I didn't punch anyone. While chatter broke out in the locker room, I walked over to my duffel bag and took out a spare pair of scissors. And, without being noticed, snuck out of the room.
I slowly made my way down the halls of the backstage area. I was beyond mad. My blood was boiling. Divas were being treated like time fillers instead of real competitors. And I was about to crack my already crumbling shield of patience.
If I was to show these people that diva's were more than pretty little reality show stars, then I'd have to take a play from Punk's book. He wanted more risks. Oh, I'd show him a risk.
I secretly made my way to one of the T Shirt stands that was in the arena. And, without anyone noticing, I grabbed one of the shirts from the display and ran until I found one of the backstage bathrooms. When inside, I closed the door and grabbed the pair of scissors from my back pocket.
I laid the shirt out on the counter and started to snip away at the fabric. Like I did with most my shirts. But this time, this time I would stand out even more than usual. And that's what I wanted right now.
When I finally finished the shirt's new cut up design, I took off my current Love Bites shirt and slipped on my new top. I looked at myself in the mirror.
If I went out in this, I'd get more glares and snarls and remarks than ever. But frankly, I didn't care at this point.
I returned the scissors to my back pocket and walked out of the bathroom. My hair was pulled behind my head so everyone could see who's logo lied on the shirt I was wearing.
The first person to notice me as I walked back to the locker room was Daniel Bryan. His eyes shot out at me as I skipped past him with a smile on my face. My black knee high converse clinked the floor in a happy pace as more people laid eyes on me and my fashion choice for the evening. Lot's of confused faces stood behind me as I continued on towards the locker room.
When I finally reached the locker room door, I slammed the door open. I wanted all eyes to be on me. And sure enough, when I walked in, they were.
Nikki was the first to walk up to me as I stood in front of the door with my hands resting on my hips. I devious grin was on my face. "What are you wearing?"
I just laughed to myself, knowing that she was referring to the logo that rested on my chest. A fist that gripped a clump of arrows with an X lying on the top of the hand. "A shirt. And not just a shirt, a shirt that the rest of you are far too scared to even touch."
Eva Marie walked up to me and stood behind Nikki. "Because we're not idiots. We don't wanna get fired. We're not gonna walk around wearing the shirt of some wrestle that quit the company."
I pushed Nikki aside and looked at Eva directly in the face. "A guy that's made more money than you'll ever even dream of cause he actually did do something good and watchable."
"At least I'm not stalking a man I still am hopelessly in love with."
"At least I don't walk around wearing probably the most revealing outfits known to the human race."
"At least I can pull off wearing those-"
Natalya wedged herself in between us and pushed us apart. "Listen, we're all mad about what happened." She looked over at me and then to Eva. "But fighting a civil war's gonna get us nowhere."
As much as I hated to admit it, Natalya was right. The whole diva's division was falling apart at the seams and with us bickering nonstop, the threads just loosened even faster. I shot Eva Marie one last glare before returning to my corner of the locker room, crossing my arms and letting Tamina continue to guard me.
No much else was said.
____
The rest of the night wasn't very pleasant. Stephanie came into the locker room later on to apologize about the match being canceled and the droned on and on about how it was just because there were too many matches already booked that were too important to cancel. She also tried to point out how the divas did get air time through Summer Rae and Emma, but that didn't put all of us in any better state.
Stephanie then came to personally apologize to Nikki and myself. She said sorry to Nikki first, who simply smiled and said it was fine (liar). She then walked over to me, and I could tell she was a little set off by my CM Punk shirt.
But, she said sorry to me as well. Although it didn't stop there. "AJ? Mind me asking why you're wearing that?"
I looked down at the logo. "Cause I like the shirt." Stephanie didn't look amused.
"Look, I don't know if you and CM Punk had anything going on-"
"Let me stop you right there," I said. "Punk and I had absolutely nothing going on. This shirt is to show that I'm not happy with the way things are running."
"Excuse me?" Stephanie said. I looked back at some of the other divas who had nervous, scared expressions.
"I don't like how diva matches are being used to full space. We worked just as hard as every superstar that gets a match. What does that tell us? What does that tell all the little girls that want to grow up and be diva's? That it's not as great as being a boy wrestler? I mean, it's just not-" I stopped myself when I saw Stephanie's face. It was completely serious and not an ounce of sympathy was in her expression. I backed up into my corner, suddenly feeling small and helpless.
"Except you're not the one in charge," Stephanie said. She turned around and left the locker room. I had just annoyed and offended one of the biggest names in this company.
Punk was rubbing off on me. And that could just about cost me everything.
A/N: I know this chapter isn't really good, but that's because the next chapter is gonna be big. Well, in my opinion at least. :)
Plus, I've been obsessing over the Shield as of lately and the three of them are very time consuming.
Anyway, that's about it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
- El ♥