Something to Believe In

CH 19: Promo

    Before I knew it, it was time for the next Smackdown taping. We'd rehearsed Michelle's induction as a group a half dozen times, even dragging Layla into it when Michelle needed to rehearse their falling out. Finally, when time was winding down, we called it good. Michelle cornered Matt and told him about the promo we needed and he agreed to it, although he didn't look happy about it. The promo is to air on Superstars, the night before her conversion.

I'm backstage with Layla, Matt and Michelle when they shoot the promo, shortly before the start of the show. It's weird listening to her talk about a match that hasn't been lost yet. The two divas are walking in from the front when the camera catches them. "What's the matter with you?" Layla snaps. "We haven't won a match since Wrestlemania!"

Michelle turns to her tag team partner. "It isn't my fault. Maybe if you held your own out there, we could win."

"Are you blaming me?" Layla demands.

"I wasn't even in that match!" Michelle says, "So yes, I am blaming you. You were running around like a chicken during your whole Manazon match!"

Layla's eyes narrow. "You know what, Michelle? Whatever. If you think you can do a better job on your own, then go ahead and do it." She storms off, leaving Michelle glaring after her.

"Hey," Matt says, and the camera swings his way. Michelle tries to pull up a smile, but she doesn't look happy.

"Hi, Matt," she says.

He clears his throat and looks the way Layla went before his gaze falls on Michelle again. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing." She looks up at him. "Just cutting the dead weight out of my life."

Matt frowns. "Layla's been your best friend a long time."

"So?" Michelle asks. "She's a loser." Matt's face is grim.

"Weren't you calling me a loser a couple of months ago?"

"So what? You're a winner now. That's all that matters."

"You're shallow, you know that?" He shakes his head. "What did I ever see in you?" He turns and walks away.

"Matt!" she calls after him, frowning. The promo ends.

"I hated that," he confesses to me.

"Yeah, but it'll go over huge on Superstars."

Matt sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "She's sure this is what she wants?"

I shrug, and it's Michelle who answers. "I'm sure. I've got to let people think you broke up with me, but for a good reason. It's the only way to make the straightedge thing believable."

Matt nods. "All right then." He nods to the pair of us, then mutters, "Good luck."

I turn to Michelle. "You guys are up first."

"Yeah," Michelle sighs, watching Matt leave. Then she turns to me. "At least that solves the Matt problem, right?"

I nod and give her a half hug. "Be brave, sunshine."

She smiles. "I'll certainly do my best. Are you ready, Layla?"

The other diva nods. "Ready to lose!"

I chuckle and follow the pair of them toward the entrance to the arena. I'm not surprised to find Matt waiting there. "Knock 'em dead, ladies," I say, as Layla and Michelle head out for the match that will splinter their tag team.

"It is wrong to admit that I'm worried about her?" Matt asks, turning to me once the two of them are gone.

"No," I sigh, "it's not wrong, but she's fine, Hardy."

Matt shrugs. "She's still angry about what happened, isn't she?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Probably," he admits. We're quiet while the match goes on. They make a good show of it, storming up the ramp when they lose, allowing time for the two to get backstage before the promo we'd shot airs. We normally wouldn't shoot it so close to the match, but the changes were kind of last minute in creative, and getting Matt involved took some doing. Still... "It looks good," he agrees grudgingly. "It looks really real. And final." We can hear the crowd reacting to the break up of both Team LayCool and Team Adorkable.

I sigh. "Thankfully." Matt shoots me a glare. "What?"

"Didn't know you were so glad to be rid of me, Punk."

"Oh yes," I say sarcastically, "you're just a thorn in my side. I meant thankfully it's believable."

Michelle glances at me, then sighs and gives Matt a quick hug before following Layla off to the locker room. Matt shoots me a wide eyed look. "I wonder what that was all about?"

"I think she feels bad that we had to use you in the promo," I admit.

Matt stares off the direction she'd gone before turning back to me. "We've got some time before either of us is needed again. Do you want to head to catering?"

I shrug. Despite everything, I like Hardy. We may not get along onscreen, but he's a decent guy. "Sure," I say. "Although once the straightedge society and Michelle get back there, it may get a bit weird for you."

"I'll manage," he mutters.

We head for catering, and pick out the empty table that the straightedge society usually ends up at. Since it's early in the show, very few people are back here. Most of them are preparing for matches or working out the last of the kinks in their scripts. Matt grabs a couple of water bottles, tosses me one, and sits down. "You're losing to McIntyre tonight?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says with a shrug. "The whole feud is idiotic."

"That's creative for you."

"At least I've got something to do, right?" he asks with a chuckle.

"Any screen time is good screen time," I confirm.

"Amen." He holds out his water bottle and I tap it with mine, smirking at the gesture.