Dirty Deeds

CH 9: House Show

      I'm booked to win my fight against Mickie James tonight, with Layla ringside. Matt's up before I am, though, so I'm backstage, watching the action in my dressing room. I grin when the camera pans the crowd and I see a shot of Tara and her family. I'm glad to see they made it. Matt's team is victorious, meaning that Maria bounds into the ring and gives him a kiss. Ugh. Matt smiles at her, and then they're rolling out of the ring. Instead of heading for the back, Matt walks over to where Tara is and starts talking to her family. Maria's holding his hand. The camera stays with the family as Matt smiles and walks away. Tara's got an odd look on her face, but everyone else is smiling.

Layla, oblivious to my mood, keeps on chattering. "I mean, what is he thinking?"

"Who?" I finally turn to look at Layla.

"Matt Hardy, of course," she says, rolling her eyes.

"I wish I knew," I mutter.

"Who are those people?" she says. "I mean, who goes to have a chat with someone ringside like that?"

"I'm going to."

"What?" Layla sounds scandalized. "Why?"

"That's the family I was telling you about."

"Oh." She blinks. "Um, okay. But Michelle, you can't just walk up to them during the show and start talking to them like that."

"Why not?"

"Because, what will people think?"

"Layla," I say, calmly, "it's a house show. The only people who are going to see this are the audience and the Superstars, so why does it matter if I talk to some fans?"

She makes a face. "Whatever."

Why is she being so annoying today? "I'm going to go for a walk."

"Okay, but we're on in about thirty minutes. Don't forget."

"I'm not going to forget my own match!" I snap. She looks surprised as I storm out of the locker room.

I'm not planning to go anywhere in particular. Maybe to catering, to get something to drink. I'm wandering down that way when I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and there are Maria and Matt, holding hands. "Hey, Michelle," he says, smiling as I stop to wait for them.

"Hi," I say back, smiling weakly at them.

"I saw the kids out there," Matt says. "Tara's pretty excited about your match tonight."

"Great. I saw you talking to them on the monitor."

Maria is watching me, eyes narrowed. "So where are you headed?" she asks.

"Oh, uh, catering. I thought I'd grab myself a bottle of water."

"Don't you have water in your room?" she asks.

I shrug. "We must have run out." I don't want to say that Layla is bugging me. Not to these two.

"Well, we're headed that way, too," Matt says, oblivious to the death stare that his girlfriend is aiming at me. "Why don't you walk with us?"

"Sure," I say, the word out of my mouth before I can draw it back. I fall into step with them, and Maria keeps shooting me dirty looks. Matt's clueless. He keeps talking about whatever. I have no idea what he's saying because honestly, I'm too busy looking for an escape route.

It presents itself when we get to catering. I grab my bottle of water and see Punk and the straightedge society at a table in the back. "Oh, hey," I say to Matt and Maria. "Look, um, thanks for walking over with me, but I've got to go talk to Punk."

Matt shoots me an incredulous look. "Punk? Why are you going to talk to him?"

Too late, I realize who I'm talking to. "Layla asked me to. She thinks he's cute."

Matt shakes his head. "His beard looks like some kind of animal, attacking his face."

I grin. "Yeah. But there's no accounting for taste, right?"

"Apparently not," Maria mutters.

I smirk and ignore the comment. "I'll catch up with you guys later." With a wave, I'm walking away from Matt and Maria and headed toward the straightedge society.

"McCool," says Punk, raising his eyebrows at me. "Interesting company you're keeping these days."

"Punk," I say, the smirk still firmly in place. He looks relieved that I'm not calling him Cuddle Monkey... yet.

"I'd have waved hello, but I doubt they'd have approved," he says. "But since you've come over on your own, have a seat. I've got something to tell you."

"I can't stay long," I say. "I've got a match in about twenty minutes. I'm just here saying hello to you for Layla."

Now he's confused. "What?"

"That's what I told them."

"Oh." He glances behind me, to where Matt and Maria are seated, then looks back at me with a smirk. "So how's that working out for you?"

"Maria hates me. The feeling's mutual."

"And Matt?"

I shrug. "I think we're friends now."

"I'm sorry." He glances back at his friends, then leans forward to meet my eyes. In a very soft voice, he says, "Things are going to look up in the morning."

"Oh?"

Punk shrugs. "They always do, when you know the right people." For some reason, the words send a chill through me.

"Yeah. Uh, I'd better get going." I wave and start to walk away.

"Oh, McCool," Punk says, rather loudly, when I'm halfway across the room. I turn and look at him, puzzled. "Tell Layla I'll see her tomorrow."

Inod and head out of catering. Now what did he mean by that?