Champion

1

I licked my teeth as I crouched down, hands ready to defend myself. Demi stood across the ring, rolling her shoulders and watching me as if trying to interpret my moves. I swayed from foot to foot, waiting. She lunged at me with a yell, hands grabbing at my forearms and dragging me upright. I swung out, my feet searching for purchase as she spun me away from the ropes. I found my footing and jerked away from her hold before throwing an elbow, connecting with her jaw, causing her to stumble back. She rubbed her jaw as I wiggled my fingers at her, taunting. She glared as she ran at me again, managing to grab me in a hold that allowed her to maneuver my body onto her shoulders. I kicked desperately before a lucky one caught her ribs. I dropped to the floor and scrambled to my feet, getting her in a chokehold from behind. She clawed at my arm before she managed to break my hold. She spun at me and we continued our fight. She threw me into a turnbuckle and walked away before running at me, driving her shoulder into my stomach. I groaned loudly and moved to cover the tender spot but she rammed into me again before I could. She laughed as she threw me up on her shoulders again before dropping backward, and slamming me into the mat. I yelled at the pain in my spine as she grabbed my leg and threw her torso on my chest, pinning me. I fought to shove her off but wasn't able to, going limp as the ref's hand hit the mat for the 3 count. The crowd cheered loudly, and Rhea rolled off me.

She sneered down at me for a moment before she spat at me, collected her title belt, and left the ring. I groaned lowly as I clawed my way to my feet. The ref helped me out of the ring, ensuring I was all right before I headed back into the locker room. As soon as she walked through the doorway, Demi wrapped the girl in a tight hug, laughing excitedly. She pulled back and I smiled at her, mirroring her shit-earing grin.

"You gave me one hell of a final match." I nodded, agreeing. "I can't believe that was our final match." I smiled sadly.

"Our last one together. You have a career out of this. I do this as a hobby." Demi smiled sadly and hugged me again softly.

"You're one of the best here. I'm sure you could do great in the industry if you chose to." I nodded.

"Possibly. But for now, I have to stay for my sisters." Demi nodded.

"Want to grab dinner tonight as a final hurrah?" I laughed and accepted, never knew to turn down food. We made a few jokes as we got dressed in street clothes and left through a side door, Demi carrying my backpack while I carried 2 helmets, leading her toward my motorcycle. I set my helmet on the seat and turned to Rhea, handing her the other. She took it and carefully slipped it on then tipped her head back, allowing me to tighten the strap under her chin. She smiled at me as I closed her visor and then slipped on my helmet. She waited as I started my engine and climbed on before swinging her leg over the back, settling behind me. I revved the engine a few times as she wrapped her arms around my waist. I walked the bike backward and kicked into gear as we took off out of the parking lot towards our favorite diner.

Demi and I had grown close over the years we had wrestled together, and because she lived between me and the performance center, I would give her rides to and from practice and meets.

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

I growled lowly in the face of the woman beneath me, the only thing standing between me and the royal rumble. The ref hit the mat, starting the count. As he said 2, the small blonde girl kicked out, and I backed off, allowing her to catch her breath before I moved back in, dragging her to her feet by her hair. She stood unsteady on her feet as I chuckled and bent down, gripping her ankle in a tight grasp and pulling, knocking her onto her back yet again. I heard the yells of fans, screaming for a tornado. I chuckled as I dragged her to the center of the ring and grasped her other ankle, before starting to spin, causing her body to lift off the mat. She flailed, panicking, as I picked up speed, her body coming higher and higher from the ground. I focused on my aim and released her, letting her body sail in the air for a moment before she hit the turnbuckle with a thud and crumbled to the floor. I grabbed her ankles again and dragged her to the center of the ring, leaving her on her stomach as I straddled one of her legs, wrapping my arm around her throat in a tight hold and using my other arm to push her wrist between her shoulder blades. She screamed as she attempted to kick out but I shoved her hands deeper in the hold. The ref hit the mat beside us, counting the 3 and I let the girl go. I heard the screaming cheers of the fans and the announcers talking into their headsets.

"And your winner, Ellie the Executioner! We'll see you at the Rumble, Ellie!" I laughed as I stood up, and hopped over the ropes, landing gracefully on the floor. I reached under the bottom rope, grabbed Liv by the arm, and pulled her to the apron where I slung her over my shoulder. I carried her back to the gorilla and left her with medics as I headed back towards the locker room. I had just won the last open spot for the Royal Rumble, and I was excited. I sat on the bench, waiting for Liv to make her way back to the room.

I had grown tired of waiting and slipped into a pair of jeans and a shirt that displayed Liv's face and her classic saying 'Watch Me!' She walked in the door as I leaned down, slipping on my boots. She smiled as she walked up to me, fingers under my chin, lifting my head. I smiled as I made eye contact with her, grabbing her hand and kissing it softly. She looked at me hesitantly before pulling her hand away.

"We gotta talk. What was that out there? You said you'd never do that move on me unless it was during practice." She moved to her locker and grabbed her normal clothes, a pair of skinny jeans and one of my merch shirts. I hung my head as she changed.

"I can't lose the opportunity to go to the Rumble. You've been to them before, Hermosa. I need to go to advance in the company and I knew you wouldn't have just given up the opportunity." Liv sighed as she buttoned her jeans, shaking her head.

"You're right. I wouldn't have given up the opportunity, but I have a reason for constantly going, working to be there." I chuckle and shake my head.

"Yeah, a girl. I know all about it Liv. You're obsessed with a girl on Raw."

"Don't do that, babe. It's not like that. You know it's not. It's something completely different. I need to prove I'm worthy." I snap my head to her, eyes lighting up with hurt.

"It's not like that? Liv, we've been dating for 3 years, and every year around this time, you seem to forget about everything that's not about the Rumble. I want to be able to look to you to relax now, but all you ever do is push me to keep working and I'm tired." She looked down as she slipped her shirt on, reaching for her vest and throwing it on.

"I'm sorry, I just stress out about this." I stand up and grab the helmets that sat on top of the lockers and pass her hers. I grab my keys and slip my wallet into my pocket as I move towards the door.

"You're stressed? You keep coming home injured from this damn event and I take care of you every time. It's my turn to be in the spotlight. Step back for a while and let me have this." She huffs as we make our way to my bike. She slipped my wallet out of my pocket and shoved it in the saddlebag with hers and her phone and slipped on her helmet. She quickly tightened the strap under her helmet and slipped on her gloves that she pulled from another pocket of the saddlebag and passed me mine. I slipped them on and slung my leg over the seat, putting the key into the ignition and listening as it roared to life. Liv carefully climbed on and immediately grasped my waist tightly. She knew I rode faster when pissed off. I didn't take long to take off at a quick speed, tires squealing as I tore from the parking lot. I took the familiar path to the freeway entrance and weaved my way through traffic, making an hour-long ride a 30 minute one.