The loud thud of the locker room door slamming shut echoed through my mind as I watched YN retreat down the corridors of the backstage area. Before she hurried away, I could see the shock and pain etched into her face as she stood in the doorway in disbelief. The sight of her walking away, without saying a single word, broke my heart into a million pieces. I knew I had to find her and explain everything. Even if YNN wouldn't believe a single word I said, it would be the truth and nothing less.
I made my way through the back area, trying to spot the YHC haired girl through the crowd. Panic welled up within me as I got closer and closer to the back door, realizing she had intended on leaving the arena all together after what she saw. My mind raced as I tried to catch up to her before doing so with all the different scenarios that could come from what transpired. The devastation of knowing how she must have been feeling was crushing me.
When I finally caught up to her near the back exit, her eyes in a downcast and head hung low, I knew I could let her leave like that. Not before I got her to hear me out and know what actually happened. I lightly grabbed her arm, stopping her mid-step, keeping my hand loose on her arm in case she had the instinct to jerk it away. YN turned to me with a guarded gaze in her YEC eyes, but I could still see the tiniest glimmer of curiosity show through.
"YNN, wait. Please." I pleaded; my voice full of worry but completely sincere. "Just... Just hear me out. What you saw... Mandy and I... it wasn't what it looked like; I swear."
My little YHC haired girl raised an eyebrow; the look on her face now showed skepticism of my words. "Oh, really? Because it looked like you were jumping down Mandy's throat. Excuse me for imagining that in full view. How could you?"
I took a deep breath as I gathered my thoughts. "It's really not. Look, Mandy came into our locker room shortly before you came back from the ring. I didn't know why she was there. She kind of barged her way in without warning. When is tried to ask her to leave nicely, she kissed me." I began to explain, trying to keep my voice steady. I gently cupped YNN's face with the hand that didn't have a hold of her arm. "I would never do anything like that to you. She did it to provoke you. To try and get between us so that in y'alls match at Survivor Series all you would see was that in the back of your mind."
YN's eyes widened as she absorbed the information I had fed her. "Why? Why would she do that?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of anger and confusion.
"I don't know, Baby girl," I admitted, still trying to figure it out myself. "But I do know is I would never, and I do mean never, betray you or our relationship in that way. You mean too much to me to even have any kind of thought of doing that."
A painful silence hung in the air as YNN played back everything that had been said in the back of her mind. Finally, she spoke, her voice coming out in a softer tone than the one she used before. "You should have hunted me down and told me sooner."
"I know and I'm sorry I didn't. I panicked when I saw your reaction. I stayed until I got the explanation that I just gave you. I needed something to tell you other than just 'It wasn't my fault' because I knew you wouldn't fall for it," I expressed, my eyes never leaving hers.
Her hesitation slowly faded, being replaced by a flicker of understanding. Placing her hand on top of mine that rested on her cheek, she gave it a slight squeeze. "I've known you for ten years, have dated you for half of them, and that's long enough to know that I can believe you just by the look in your eyes. And I do. But if it happens against, I hope you know I will not be as easy to be convinced."
Relief washed over me as I pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thank you," I murmured against her hair. "I promise it will never happen again."
"I'm going to hold you to that," she stated as she returned my embrace by wrapping her arms around me. "Mandy is so getting her ass handed to her next time I see her."
I chuckled and squeezed her tighter. "It's warranted."
