Tame

Chapter Five

To look somewhat formal for the occasion I put a hump on the top of my head and curl my hair again. I lock eyes with AJ in the locker room mirror as I finish up.
"I'm telling you this stuff because I care," she says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I've known Punk longer than you. I have a better sense of what goes on in his head."
"Thanks for caring," I tell her truthfully. "But I really think you're wrong."
I politely shrug off her hand and head out of the room. I spot Dean at the very end of a dark, abandoned hall, staring straight at me as I pass. His white teeth shine as he winks. I shake off the chills and continue toward the guerrilla where Punk is.
I wrap my arms around his waist from behind. He grins and hands over the championship.
"Why are you giving me this?" I ask, lifting it up to feel it's weight.
"I want you to carry it out for me," he says, situating the belt onto my shoulder. "It looks nice on you."
I do a pose. "It does, doesn't it?" I tease, giggling. "Watch out, I might be coming for this."
He laughs. "And I'll willingly give you a match," he says.
"Really?" I ask, wiping fake tears from the corners of my eyes. "I feel all special. You love me."
"I do," he agrees making me blush.
"When are you gonna get a boyfriend?" he asks suddenly making me jump a little.
"What?" I question. "Where is this coming from?"
He shrugs. "Just wondering. You know, Dean's interested."
I roll my eyes. "Did he bribe you to come and talk to me about this?"
"Maybe," Punk answers. "What, you're not interested?"
"No, I'm not," I reply. "He was going into middle school before I was out of diapers. I think he's too old for me."
"He is not," Punk protests. "He's only in his-"
"Not old in general," I correct. "Old for me." Punk gives me a look that I disregard. "Besides, he has this psycho vibe about him that sends chills down my spine."
"Maybe you can give him a chance sometime in the future."
"Doubt it, but let's not dwell on that right now. You have your celebration to focus on."
"Alright," he sighs, grabbing my hand as his theme sounds.
Once he and I step out through the curtains, I raise the championship up over my head as Punk paces the stage, raising his arms in the air. I do a twirl before Punk wraps an arm around my shoulders and we confidently stride toward the ring, Mr. Heyman clapping for his client until his hands are red. Punk parts the middle and bottom ropes wider for me before getting in himself, giving Mr. Heyman a hug, and grabbing a microphone from a ringside crew director. I lock the belt around his waist and rub his back before he signals for the fans' boos to get louder.
"Shawn Michaels," Punk begins, "he couldn't do it. Triple H couldn't do it. Bret 'the Hitman' Hart-best there is, best there was, best there ever will be-could not do it. I guess that makes me the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. The Undertaker could not do it. And Dewey-I'm sorry, Dwayne, the Rock couldn't do it. 365 days as WWE Champion, one calendar year."
I clap as Punk points to the titantron and music plays. Punk's silhouette shows with light shining in the background.
"This is the new face of the WWE," Punk's voice in the video says. "I am the WWE Champion and I've been the WWE Champion and I will cement my legacy with the focus and the spotlight on me. I'm the best. I've been the best ever since day one." A clip shows of Punk defeating and retaining his championship. "I've beaten everybody that stepped in front of me. I'm the guy that shifts things up around here. I've defeated every single one of your heroes."
They show Chris Jericho tapping out to Punk at WrestleMania, then of the Rock getting hit with the Go to Sleep.
"211, 219, 238 days, the fourth longest reign in the past 15 years," video Cole states. "Punk in rarified air as champion."
"I am the best wrestler," Punk declares.
"The championship reign continues," Cole says.
"I am the best technician. I am the best brawler and I don't say these things from a place of insecurity," Punk explains.
"316 consecutive days," Cole counts as Punk hit the GTS on Cena.
"But I say it-"
"343 days."
"-because I am it," Punk finishes. "This title is where it belongs."
The video pauses with the number 365 and counting flashing across the screen. There's a mixed reaction of boos and cheers from the crowd.
"You are the best in the world," Heyman tells Punk. "You are the best in the world."
The crowd starts to chant, "CM Punk!"
"Today is a very special day, tonight a celebration," Punk informs the fans. "But it's not just about honoring the past, it's about looking forward to the future. It's about recognizing my spot, my place in history and I know my place in history, it's at the top. Can't stop. Won't stop until I'm on the top of everybody's list, this list." Punk gestures to one of the stands in the rig with a poster that has Top Ten Longest WWE Title Reigns in History plastered at the top. "That's why I'm already looking to the future."
The board has Bruno Sammartino at number one with 2,803 days, the Bob Backlund with 2,135 and Hulk Hogan with 1,474 and so on. My eyes scan down the list until they stop at Punk's enlarged name at number eight with 365 days.
"I have a goal," Punk says. "I have my sights set on July 25, 2018 on what will be the 355th episode of WWE Main Event on Ion television when I surpass Bruno Sammartino and become the longest reigning WWE Champion in history."
"You know, when I was just a little kid running around as a photographer in Madison Square Garden, I knew Bruno Sammartino," Mr. Heyman states. "I liked Bruno-I was a fan of Bruno Sammartino's. Bruno Sammartino belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame just as you will be a first ballot inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame, but truth be told, Bruno Sammrtino could never beat CM Punk. As a matter of fact, truth be told, Hulk Hogan could never beat CM Punk."
Mr. Heyman points to Mr. Hogan's second name right below Punk at number nine. Punk starts imitating Hulk.
"As a matter of fact, another Paul Heyman guys," he points to Punk's I'm a Paul Heyman Guy T-shirt, "Stone Cold Steve Austin could never on his best day beat CM Punk."
Punk starts pretending to open cans of beer and chug them.
"And as a matter of fact, at the Royal Rumble, it's going to be proven that not even the Rock can beat CM Punk."
Punk raises one of his eyebrows like the Rock does. "Thank you," Punk says, getting serious. "Thank you very much for setting this all up, Paul."
"It's my honor and privilege," Mr. Heyman replies.
"And thank you, Ada, for always being there for me and supporting me." I blush at Punk's gratitude, but my face gets even redder when he attacks my right cheek in kisses making the crowd ooh. "A lot of people ask me very important questions specifically about my title reign and epic as it is, one of the more frequent ones they ask me is what my most important victory has been. Before last night, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a single one because let's be honest, it's been a lot of victories, but last night at Survivor Series beating Ryback and John Cena single handedly in the same match, number one with a bullet. And I'll tell you why, it's because nobody thought I could win. All of you, maybe it's because you're losers yourself thought I was going to lose, I don't know. Only three people thought I could pull off the impossible and all of them are standing in this ring. With the odds stacked up against me like they've never been stacked up against me before, CM Punk, your WWE Champion survived Survivor Series and cemented-" Punk was interrupted by Ryback's theme music. "Oh, come on. It's a celebration!"
Ryback, with a mad and determined look on his face, marches down to the ring. Punk chucks the mic aside and shields me with his body, but before Ryback can even think of hopping onto the apron, Dean, Seth, and Roman are on him like a pack of wild dogs.
"It's those guys again!" Cole exclaims. "Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose, the three men that cost Ryback the title at Survivor Series!"
Ryback throws Roman into the barricade on one side before doing the same to Seth on the other. Ryback tries to slip into the ring but Dean gets ahold of one of his legs.
"Ada, get out!" Punk screams at me. I stumble out of the ring with the help of Mr. Heyman, surprisingly, while Seth runs in and knocks over all the stands in the ring.
Ryback is able to fight off all three men, but not for long; the numbers game is too much for him. Roman grabs Ryback by the ankles and yanks him out of the ring. I hide behind Mr. Heyman who is no where near trembling as badly as I am. The three men beat Ryback all the way to the commentary table where Roman removes the lid and TVs like last night.
"Pick him up!" Dean demands.
"Get him up!" Roman shouts. "Let's go!"
Dean and Seth position themselves and Ryback on one side of the announce table, picking him up and placing his legs on Roman's shoulders once again. They slam Ryback, back first, through the table, breaking it.
Punk and Mr. Heyman exchange confused glances before Punk finally leaves the ring while all three men slip into it. Punk's expression is unreadable as he stares at them while slowly making his way over to Ryback. He takes his belt off and squats down beside Ryback's motionless body. After staying in that position for a few moments just staring, he stands up, raises the title into the air and rests one of his feet on Ryback's chest.
Loud and proud, Punk yells, "Best in the world!"