Welcome...to WWE High School!

Chapter Eighteen: AJ

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Monday. Monday. Monday.

I skipped to the beat of the word 'Monday' in my head, thinking about the practice. I didn't really know what was going on with Paige, but I do know that she's mad at me. 

How did I know? Well, for starters, she pushed me off the bleachers at our last Friday event. Uncool, Paige. Uncool.

I also know she's going to have a match next Sunday against me, at our event. And I know she thinks she's going to win. But she won't win, not if I have anything to say about it.

Hopefully, there won't be too much confrontation about it tonight, but knowing Paige, and knowing the way things usually go at WWE High, tonight won't go well.

I pushed open the door to the wrestling gym and saw all the girls crowded around one area.

"What's going on?" I asked the girls near the outside of the circle. One girl, Natalya Neidhart, turned to me, an excited look on her face. "Brie Bella? She's back!"

I tried to squeeze in closer, and eventually I saw two people huddled around a table--Stephanie and Brie. 

But what was Brie doing here in the first place?

As I came here late to this, I wasn't exactly sure what was going on--at least until Brie looked over the crowd around her. "You guys think Steph's a jail bird?" she yelled. Most of the girls yelled back a 'yes', some mumbled, some didn't respond at all. But it was enough to make Stephanie's face go red.

"You all better realize who you're talking about," Mrs. Helmsley reminded everyone.

Brie turned back to Steph, a smile on her face. "Everyone knows about your jail time, and as I just proved, laughs at you for it. And I mean, really? You really slapped me at the open house because I was interested in the program?"

"Brie Bella, you were there just to spite me, and you know it."

"Steph, the point is, everyone is making fun of you. And I don't know how long it'll last. But it'll be a lot shorter if you consider my offer."

Stephanie leaned back from the table. "I am not fighting with a little girl," she replied coolly.

"Let me remind you again, Mrs. Helmsley. I can drop everything against you, I won't bring up the jail thing anymore, I promise. But I want a match against you. And I want to finish the summer being in the Summerslam program."

I saw Stephanie stiffen. Brie continued to speak. "Or...I can bring this up any chance I get. And, if they don't already, the whole town will know that you're a...jail bird. And also, apparently too cowardly to fight even a 'little girl' like me, you say. Do you really want a thing like that spoiling your oh-so-perfect reputation as vice principal for WWE High School?"

Stephanie looked down at the table, where I saw a piece of paper. A document for the match. Brie inched a pen towards the vice principal, and reminded her: "Just sign it, and it'll all be over."

Steph's mouth pressed into a thin line, and finally she picked up the pen. "Yes, yes, fine. You have your match, Bella. But just keep in mind that this Sunday, you'll be going against me."

"Oh, I know. I'll see you then."

Mrs. Helmsley signed the dotted line, dropped the pen and walked out the door without another word. 

With a triumphant smile, Brie rolled the piece of paper up and stuck it in her bag. "See you guys after I beat Stephanie!" And with that, she followed Steph out of the gym.

Everyone was speechless for a moment, and I'm sure everyone else was thinking the same thing I was: Brie Bella really had stood up to Stephanie McMahon Helmsley. And she got Steph to do what she wanted.

Coach Stratus broke up the silence, announcing that the practice would begin. 

I took a seat on the bleachers, pulling out my championship from my bag. I was sure not going to let Paige take this. 

I ran my fingers over the smooth butterfly engraving of the trophy. If worst came to worst and Paige did get this award, no matter. I would have a rematch. And I would get it back.

"Hello, AJ," said a voice from my left. 

"Hello, Paige," I answered. Because, of course, that's who it was. What other girl in here has a distinct English accent like Paige does? 

"I made a poem for you," she said. "And it's about pushing you off your seat at the Friday practice. Sorry 'bout that!" 

I knew something was up. Paige pushes me off the bleachers out of pure dislike, and now all of a sudden she's feeling sorry about it? There was something wrong.

"All right, I'll go ahead and start then," Paige said, clearing her throat. 

"Roses are red, wood chips are beige. 

I'm sorry I pushed you in a fit of my rage.

It's not like I hate you,

I like you a bunch.

But you just have that face

That I wanna punch.

I'll see you this Sunday

But--this part is vital,

I'll be skipping my way out of Summerslam

With my championship title."

Paige ended her poem, grinning. "Love ya!" 

Yup. I knew there was no way Paige Bevis would have written an apology poem to me. Sure, she says she 'likes me a bunch', but we are not friends anymore. We are definitely frenemies, and every action Paige takes against me leaves me wondering what the heck she's doing. One minute, she's calling me her friend, and another she's pushing me off my bleacher seat, simply because I was better than her in July.

First Brie Bella coming back, and now Paige confronting me. This has been one whirlwind practice.

"Hey, AJ Lee?" Coach Stratus called out to me, sending my train of thought off the tracks. "You have a match tonight, against Eva Marie!"

Eva Marie? Oh, great.

I went over to the mat, watching as Eva Marie flipped her red hair reminiscent of The Little Mermaid.

She mockingly blew me a kiss as she came up against me. "All red everything, April."

This would be nothing. I could make even the best girls tap out to my signature move, which I named the Black Widow. Eva wouldn't know what hit her.

And, I thought, neither will Paige, once I make her submit to me this Sunday.

The summer was almost over. And I would start school again with the championship exactly where it belongs: with me.