Phenomenal ▹ STYLES [COMPLETED]

• Chapter 9 •

Later That Same Night...

As planned, just as Jimmy and Jey Uso were celebrating their win over Heath Slater and Curtis Axel of The Social Outcasts in the Number One Contenders' Tag Team Tournament - and being one match closer to challenging The New Day for the titles - Luke and Karl stormed the ring in street clothes.

With not even a word of introduction, they laid waste to the Uso brothers with their self-dubbed "Magic Killer" tag-team maneuver. After they were done, of course, they exited back through the crowd just like how they came in.

I was beyond happy about this and when I began walking towards catering, I was suddenly ambushed by Renee Young and a cameraman. "Hey, Eliza," she greeted me with a flat-line grin. "I was trying to find AJ, but he's nowhere to be found, but there's you now."

"Oh, well, hello, Renee," I hissed out with venom. I placed my hands on my hips and propped myself up. "Have you ever heard of personal space, honey?"

She frowned and made a face, but stepped back a bit. "I'm sorry, Eliza, but I just wanted to get your comment on Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson just now. They came out of nowhere and attacked the Usos. Your comments, Eliza?"

She stuck the mic up to my lips and I questioned her with: "Are you inquiring that I had something to do with that, Renee?"

She shook her head and claimed, "No, I didn't, Eliza. I'm just trying to get your take on what just happened, that's all."

Again, with the mic up to my lips, I snatched it out of her hands and faced the camera head on. "Listen up, WWE Universe, and listen good, got it? Life, as you know it, is over. My only warning for the Usos for now is that you just don't wanna mess with Gallows and Anderson. They're very dangerous men, guys. I would stay cautious and not try to get on their bad side, fellows. Good luck in the future, boys. The Bullet Babe is back in business!"

I handed back the mic to Renee and stormed off out of the rolling camera's sight. Once the cameraman gave us the clear, I turned back to Renee and smiled, which she returned. Then, I kept going until I was in catering officially.

I was starving, so I grabbed a plate and started to put some food on there. I placed a small piece of steak on there with a side salad and fruit. I also grabbed a bottle of water and something to eat my food with. Once I had my food, I spun around to find the place not so crowded, but I still had to find a place to sit and eat.

I felt like the new kid in school while I went around many round tables to go to the back one. Nobody else was there, but I didn't care. I took a seat and began to eat almost immediately. I was nervous and usually when I am, I eat a lot. Sometimes, however, I don't. It's vise-versa for my body.

Suddenly, I heard a squeak of a chair and seen AJ taking a seat next to me. He, too, had a plate of food just like mine. He smirked at me, but didn't say a word.

I wouldn't say that things have been awkward between us. I mean, we're still friends - and I don't think anything could change that, either - but they haven't been like they used to. Tonight, however, is when we're supposed to be starting off as an on-screen relationship or whatever. He had been weighing heavily down on both AJ and myself. I would always be his biggest fan, though.

For the first few minutes, we sat in silence and that's when it began to feel very awkward between us. That's until two new people appeared and sat with us.

"Hey, guys!" Karl greeted AJ and I with a smile before he took a seat next to AJ with a plate of food. Luke, on the other hand, took a seat next to me with a plate of food, too. "So, how were we?"

I smiled at the both of them with a nod and said, "Yeah, you guys were great. You know that."

"I agree. You guys were, no pun attended, phenomenal," AJ truthfully told them, which made them laugh and I grinned while eating some lettuce.

"And, Britt, we just seen your interview from a minute ago," Luke spoke up now, directing this towards me. "What did we say about you being an even better heel than face?" All I did was nod in return to show that I agreed with him.

"Anyways," Karl chimed in, hitting AJ's arm playfully, "what's been up with you two since the last time we saw you?"

With that out in the air, AJ and I exchanged a quick emotionless glance and fell silent. Luke and Karl exchanged a look of concern, where they seemed scared.

"Hello? I asked you guys a question," Karl said again, hitting AJ's arm again, but with more force this time. "What's going on with you two?"

I opened my mouth to finally say something when AJ cut me off and bluntly told them: "Nothing. We're fine." Well, then!

"Whatever, man," Karl huffed and turned his attention towards Luke to talk to him.

While they spoke, AJ and I exchanged another quick glance, but no words were said again.

• • •

AJ and I stood behind the curtain to go out the ring for his match against Sami Zayn when he turned to me and asked quickly, "You remember what to do, right?" And I just nod in return as my answer. He took that and faced the curtain again.

His music began playing, so we went out there and posed together, of course. All the way down the ramp, I hooked my arm with his until we were in the ring where we separated.

His and Sami's match soon started with the stipulation that if Sami wins this, he gets his chance to face both AJ and Roman at Payback in a triple-treat match.

What AJ and Sami initially implied would be a respectful match-up between old friends turned gritty in a hurry. AJ brought the fire against Sami and he responded in with trying to do the Styles Clash, but it was reversed to where Sami began to line him up for the Helluva Kick. AJ seemed ready for that, though, because he dodge the incoming boot and clobbered Sami with the Phenomenal Forearm for a well-earned win.

When the match was all over, I hopped into the ring and walked up slowly towards AJ just as Lilian Garcia began to announce him as the ultimate winner. The ref held his arm up in victory before I took a stance in front of him.

I breathed out hot air, but it still didn't relax me like I needed it to. However, I had to suck it up for what was next. While still standing in front of him, I reached up to his face and brushed his hair back of his face. I heard the crowd already going crazy and really insane out there.

I put my hands back down by my side until I wrapped them around his underarms and he wrapped his arms around my small body compared to his. We leaned in together and our lips met like they hadn't met before.

After five seconds, I expected him to pull away, but he didn't. A matter of fact, he just kept going, as if, to make a statement. He did, trust me. Finally, after twelve seconds this time, he released his lips from mine and we stood there in a staring contest.

We ended up finding the strength to pull away from each other and make our way out of here and backstage. He laced his fingers with mine as we went up and away. Something's up with him these days and it's now my new mission to figure it out once and for all.