It All Started With A Kiss

Power Of The Punch Rookie Challenge

After a few hours of sleep, it was Tuesday morning. Tonight is NXT night, with a whole new rookie challenge and one less NXT rookie member as of the end of tonight's show. I really hope that Alex isn't voted off. To be honest I actually went online during the weekend and voted for him. The whole day was a blur, because I mostly stayed in the hotel room, because Mike and Alex were out at the gym working out. Don't get me wrong, I would give anything to see Alex work out but only getting a few hours of sleep. That just didn't cut it for me. As soon as they got back from the gym, they took showers and we all got ready for NXT. I stayed outside the lockeroom with Mike, while Alex got ready for the show.

"So do you know the rookie challenge for tonight? Am I going to be part of it?"

"Not this time. Don't worry your pretty little head Carls." He said joking.

It's almost showtime, and we're still waiting for Alex to come out.

"What is taking him so long?"

"What, can't wait to see him in his wrestling attire?"

"What? No, it's not that. I just want to see the rookie challenge."

"Uh huh, sure." He said smiling.

"Oh shut up."

Alex comes out of the room while we were talking about that.

"Talking about me now?" he asks from behind me.

"Jeez! Don't scare me like that!" I say with my hand over my heart.

"Sorry. You still didn't answer my question."

"And what was that?"

"Talking about me now?"

"Oh, no. Not at all."

"Uh huh." He says smiling.

Crap, he heard us. Damn you Mike, you just had to say that as he was coming out. I bet he knew that he was starting to come out.

"Well shall we?" Alex asks holding out his arm.

I gladly take it and we walk to the curtain and wait for him and Mike to be called out.

"Okay let's get started. First, Michael Migilicutty, and his pro Kofi Kingston!"

Kofi comes out, and then goes to his seat on stage and McGillicutty waits onstage off to the side.

"Next, Kaval and LayCool!"

Matt Striker keeps introducing the rookies and pros. We were finally up.

"Alright last but not least. Rookie Alex Riley and his pro the Miz, also followed by Carly!"

Mike's theme sounds and we walk out. I walk over to the chairs with Mike and Alex go and stands next to the other rookies.

"Alright tonight's rookie challenge, will be a punching contest. You see to my left the machine we will be using. Michael McGillicutty please step forward. Now let's not forget, six of you had to share the spotlight last night on Monday Night Raw. But the winner of this challenge, will have the spotlight directly on them. Whoever wins gets an individual appearance next week, live on Monday Night Raw!" explained Matt.

All the pros and rookies clap in approval.

"Okay the rules are simple. Hit hardest, get the highest score. You ready? Set. Go!"

McGillicutty warms up then punches as hard as he can. The numbers on the machine go up and up and up, until finally stopping on 863.

"Alright 863, Michael McGillicutty's score. We'll press reset."

He goes up to the screen and checks the score.

"It's correct. Kaval?"

LayCool gets up and cheers for Kaval.

"Let's see your punching power. Ready? Go!"

It looks like he's going to punch it, but instead he does a high kick to it. The numbers start

counting up, until it stops on 297. Awe, Kaval's out.

Mike stands up, laughing at Kaval while LayCool hug each other.

"Kaval, I'm sorry it's called power of the punch, not power of the kick. You are disqualified, I admire the effort. Percy Watson, let's go! The score to beat 863, belonging to Michael McGillicutty Percy, go!"

He puts his fist in front of it, then punches. The numbers go up for Percy Watson, and land on 716. Mike laughs at Percy too.

"Okay, Lucky Cannon. Ready? Go!"

He warms up, focuses on the punching back hanging by the machine, then he lets the fist fly. the numbers go up and up until it reads 744.

"Okay, Michael McGillicutty still has the time to beat. But Husky Harris, come on."

Alex is warming up his arm for his turn coming up next.

"On your mark, get set, go."

He focuses on the punching bag, his pro Cody Rhodes closely watching. He then punches the bag and we watch the number go up, until it lands on 380. Mike again is laughing at this. He's getting such a riot out of all these rookies getting below 863. I can't lie, I'm laughing too, because it's ridiculous.

"Whoa, whoa. I get a re-do." Husky demands.

"You don't get a re-do I'm sorry. Alex Riley! Let's see if you can beat Michael McGillicutty!"

He punches the bag and then just screams out loud, and then the number goes up.

"See if you saved the best for last, what do you got?"

We look and it stops on a number way higher than 863. YES! He won!

"Yeah!" I scream.

Alex goes over to Mike and they're both really happy that he won.

"Congratulations Alex Riley, you win the Power of the Punch challenge! Alex, come here. Was there a strategy?"

"There is absolutely no strategy when you're Alex Riley. I am simply the best all in all athlete out here. My pro the Miz may be a reality TV star, but I am a star in reality!" Mike smirks at that comment and Alex laughs.

"Alright, that's the end of the challenge. Later we reveal who goes home tonight on NXT."

We all walk backstage as they go to a commercial break.

"Alex, oh my god you won!" I exclaim.

"Well I think it was half because of you being up there onstage with me." He says smiling.

"No, you did it all on your own. It wasn't because of me."

"Oh I believe it was, and I know you love what I'm wearing."

"What? Where'd you get that idea from?"

"I heard Mike talking to you before we came out here."

"Hey I didn't say it, he did."

"Oh I know that look you get when you see me in my wrestling attire, you can't deny it."

He smiled at me and went walking with Mike. I thought for a while, why does he keep doing this to me? It's harder to resist him already. My thoughts were interrupted when Mike called out my name signaling me to catch up with them.