Welcome...to WWE High School!

Chapter Twenty-Three: Dean

Ah, WWE High. How I didn't miss you.

And the fact that I needed to return to that brick house--I'm not calling it home--to make sure I had everything I needed for school makes this day worse. The short story is there's a reason I prefer to spend time at the Reigns' house; at least Roman's parents care for you and act like you're wanted. My trip for my school things did not go well.

Never mind that, though. That was in the past. Right now, the present posed more of a problem to me.

As I stepped into the school hallway, Roman caught up with me. "Can't believe we're Seniors now."

I followed him towards the lockers. "Oh, right. It's a--"

"NEW DAY!" I was cut off by three guys, all wearing bright blue track jackets. One of them I recognized--Kofi Kingston was in Senior year as well. Another one I sort of remembered, but he was younger--his name might've been Langston. I didn't know who the third guy was. 

"I was going to say new year. What the heck are you doing, anyway?" I asked.

Kofi Kingston started."Well, Dean, even though Big E here is a Junior, and Xavier here is a Sophomore, we've decided that WWE High School wasn't positive enough--so even though we're in different grades, we came up with a plan to invigorate everyone together!"

"So, what? You're going to 'invigorate' the school wearing those jackets? You know they look ridiculous, right?"

Big E snorted. "Shush, Dean. That is NEGATIVE. These are the kind of thoughts we have come to banish with our power of positivity!"

"And these jackets look awesome. Don't say such things, Ambrose," Xavier added.

I decided not to answer, and when I walked to my locker I was glad to see they didn't follow. They were done giving me their message of stupidity--for now, at least. 

As I was shoving books in, I saw AJ Lee come up to me.

"Uh, Dean?" she asked. "I was out with Phil yesterday, and I saw Seth..."

"Oh, great. Did you whop him over the head?"

"No! We were at a restaurant. But I heard him talking about you with Randy Orton and Kane Jacobs. I just figured I should let you know, since he probably wasn't planning anything good."

"Thanks, but he's been acting like an obnoxious imbecile for a while now. I've been watching out."

"All right. See you in English class."

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Paul Heyman stood in front of his desk. "Roll call is now. Ambrose, Dean!"

"Right here," I answered.

"Bevis, Paige!"

"Your women's champion is present," she said. To my right, I heard AJ make a muffled noise.

"Cena, John!"

Silence.

Heyman's eye passed over me as he scanned the room. "Cena, Jo--" he started again, but was interrupted by John Cena himself bursting through the door. "Here!" he blurted.

Paul Heyman smirked. "Well, well. John Cena, the straight-A student and former champion of the school is tardy on his first day. Not a good way to start the year, Mr. Cena."

John looked like he was about to say something, but in the end, he simply said "Sorry."

I heard laughing, and as I turned around I saw Brock Lesnar was sitting at the back of the room. 

"Finally decided to show up, eh Lesnar? You don't even bother to come to practice the night after you win the championship, but I guess you want to have a good school record!" Roman said.

Everyone became quiet. Brock and the rest of the class were all staring at Roman. What even prompted him to say that? Pretty bold. And awesome.

Paul Heyman didn't think, so, though. "Mr. Reigns, were you given permission to speak? No, I didn't think so. Let us continue our roll call that Mr. Cena here has interrupted."

Roll call was the most interesting part of the class, honestly. After we finally made it down to list to 'Ziggler, Dolph', Heyman went on to talk about analyzing literature, and about some Edgar Allen Poe poem. I wasn't really listening.

Actually, nothing was very interesting for most of the day. Algebra was sort of fun. I don't actually like the subject, but when your teacher is the Rock, you can't really go wrong. And I didn't hear anything from the New Day or whatever they're calling themselves all day. Win.

At least, I didn't hear from them until wrestling started after school.

I was on my way to practice when they walked in front of me. "Jericho's not here," Kofi said.

"What?" I had no idea why he would miss. No one said anything about him being sick. He loved wrestling, that's why they let him stay to teach in the first place. So where was he?

A call from one of the students revealed him to be back in the locker room. And he looked hurt.

"This isn't over, Bray," Chris mumbled as he got up. 

So, I guess this was Wyatt's doing. Great. I guess we don't have practice today, then. 

I'm not exactly sure why Bray chose to creep out Chris, but then again, he never does anything that makes sense.

As I left the building, I realized I hadn't seen Roman all afternoon. Usually we met up at practice, but we didn't wrestle today.

I thought maybe he'd be behind the gym, where we used to hang out a lot. So I checked it out, and there were people there--just not people I wanted to see.

"Ambrose," Seth smirked. "I knew you'd come around sooner or later." Randy and Kane were there, just like always.

"Did you really just sit behind here hoping I'd show up? Or did you just come to our old hangout to feel nostalgic?" I asked.

"I didn't come to feel nostalgic. Do you think I spend my time thinking about the past?"

"That or kissing Trips' butt," I said. "So why are you brooding back here?"

Seth scowled. "Because you've been a pain, Dean. Both to me, and to the Principal. I've asked him about it, and...well, let's say he's going to pretend like he doesn't see it."

Randy and Kane stepped aside, revealing a pile of cinderblocks. 

Well, if they want a fight, they can have one. I dropped my backpack, and prepared myself.

Kane and Randy grabbed me, and trust me--I fought back. I didn't go gently. But I guess when you're going against one of the tallest guys in 12th grade and a guy who's been exposed to wrestling his whole life, the odds are stacked against you. Even though I'm good with beating the odds, maybe they just weren't in my favor today.

Orton and Kane shoved me down onto the cinderblocks. Seth set down his backpack and prepared himself.

Even if they did put me out, they couldn't keep me there. I would keep fighting, keep coming back. The Authority is going to great lengths to get rid of me, but I won't be gone for long. I'll be back.

"Love you, brother," I said.

Maybe he hesitated, or maybe it was my imagination. Either way, I felt his foot shove the back of my head eventually.

And he didn't hold back.

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Heyo. I always get interrupted when I try to write, so that's why this came out so late. I won't bother giving you more excuses because that's basically it. Life got in the way of writing.

Any-who, I know that in real life, the New Day TECHNICALLY didn't debut until October at some point, but I feel like in this AU, they totally would have spent the summer thinking up ways to bring positivity to everyone at school XD