AN: This will probably be my last update for a long time. School starts on Thursday, and senior year has so many responsibilities that go along with it. It kinda scares me. But yeah. Hope you guys like—Kiora Storm.

Chapter 9

Shit, John thought to himself. He knew he had to tell Maria, but he didn't want to risk his friendship with her by telling her. If he did anything out of the ordinary, he may never get a chance wit her. The boys got ready to go to the next show. John and Adam were instructed to drive and keep each other awake.

"Adam," John started when everyone else had fallen asleep. "CM Punk has a girlfriend."

"Yeah, I know," Adam said. "He was practically fucking her up against the wall."

John paused. "That's not who I was talking about," he said slowly, cryptically.

Edge furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

"He's dating Maria," he started. "And I'm not sure if I want to tell her."

Adam looked over in confusion. "Is she your friend?" A sincere question from a sincere friend.

"Yeah—"

"Then what are friends for?"

"What if she doesn't believe me?" John asked. "What if she never speaks to me again?"

"Would that be so bad?" Adam joked, a jab to Maria's ditzy on-screen personality. He gasped, "Why do you care so much?"

"Why do you respond to my questions with more questions?"

"Haha, I don't know," Edge laughed. "The lack of sleep, it's getting to me."

"She's my friend," John stated after a few moments. "I want her to be happy."

"You want her to be happy with you," Edge teased.

He shook his head. "How do you know me so well?"

"It's a gift," Adam stated. "It comes with being an amazingly handsome Champion."

That remark earned him a slap from the driver. "Cocky bastard," he joked.

"So…"

"So…?"

"You really like her?" Edge whined.

"Yeah, I do," John enthusiastically nodded.

"Then your heart will tell you. Follow your heart. Cheesy, I know, but true."

"OK, a lot of help you are. I'm coming to you because I don't know what my heart is telling me."

"Mmkay. Let's see. Bring it up subtly. Like, see if she knows the girl in the storyline with CM. If she does, ask her to tell you about the girl. Keep trying to get info, y'know? See how much Maria knows about this girl. Ask her if she's been having problems with CM."

"She called me the other day about that," John informed him. "Before we left for this show. She said she heard a giggle in the background when she called CM."

"Well, there you go. She suspects something," he tapped John on the arm. "You're getting closer. I know my girl always gets to know the girls in storylines they throw at me. Not like I'd ever cheat on her. But still, it's the same girlfriend mentality. If she thinks someone's a threat, she'll do all she can to get to know the other woman. If she doesn't care anymore or she doesn't think the girl's a threat, she won't know much."

"Okay," John nodded, recently informed of what to do. "I'll ask her when she and I get together for storyline."

"Atta boy," Edge cheered. "Now tell me, what's so special about Maria?"

"What?" John took his hand of the steering wheel to punch his friend. "She's amazing and beautiful and sweet and caring and funny, and oh, her laugh…"

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The boys arrived at the arena. They checked their schedules for the night before heading in separate directions, promising to meet up in an hour to head to the gym. Adam found Lita and promised to meet up with John later, before the night's end.

John looked at the schedule for the first time. Before he could find his name on the paper, he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned to confirm his suspicions; it was Maria. He didn't know how to act, even more so now that he knew for a fact that CM Punk was cheating on her.

"Hey, Ria," John smiled awkwardly.

"We have another thing tonight," Maria eliminated the need for him to read the rest of the schedule. "Some taping backstage, and I'm going to the ring with you tonight. And Steph got a genius idea from Adam and Amy," Maria said sarcastically. "She wants us to dress all gangsta…to match and all. Well, that won't be a problem for you, but…" she trailed off. "I just need to hit the mall and get something. You want to come along?"

Shopping would be intimidating for most men. Unfortunately, John had never gone shopping with a girl before. "Uh…sure?"

"Great!" Maria said, pulling him in the direction of her car. "Let's go now."

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Maria must've tried on the whole store, John thought to himself as he sat outside the dressing rooms in d.e.m.o. Discarded among the floor lay Baby Phat tube tops, Ecko Red halters, Apple Bottom jeans, G-Unit skirts. Sure, each outfit she tried on left him breathless, but he was tired. And extremely bored. He lost count of how many outfits she tried on after they hit twenty: a red crop top with jean capris accented with the same red fabric, courtesy of Roca Wear.

She came out in another outfit with a frown. "What do you think?"

"You look gorgeous," John answered truthfully.

"I look hideous!" Maria wailed.

"Hey, now," John started. "Oh! Idea! What if you just cut up one of my shirts like Lita does with Edge's?"

Maria stopped and pondered the notion. "Great idea, John! OK, so I'll get the Apple Bottoms jeans. Shoes?" she wondered. "Heels or hi-tops?"

"Which one will require more shopping?"

"Hi-tops."

"Then heels," John decided. "Now, let's go to lunch. I'm hungry."

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They sat in a small Italian restaurant, secluded from society. John was waiting for Maria to finish her story about the new love of her life—her puppy, Mason—before following Adam's advice.

"So how's Phil? When do you think Vince will let him debut?" John casually asked.

"Oh, I don't know," she admitted. "You know, he just started a new storyline in ECW with Tiffany, so it might be a while."

"Oh, really? I didn't know that. Do you know anything about the angle?" Smooth, John, he thought to himself

"Um, I think it's a rivalry between him and this other guy over Tiffany."

"What's Tiffany like? Do you know her?" he wondered.

"Jeez, John, do you like her or something?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "I mean, I haven't even met her before. I'm just curious."

"Well," she started. "I don't know her that well. I only met her briefly one night when I was there with Amy. But she seems nice enough."

John silently thanked any gods that were smiling down on him at that moment. He was surprised that Maria didn't get to know Tiffany further; if Adam was right and if she loved Phil as much as she said she did, she would've known the girl inside out. But if Adam was right—God, he hoped Adam was right—then that meant Maria didn't care about Phil anymore.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Phil and Tiffany were hooking up—again—in Louisville.

AN: The shit hits the fan next chapter, though I don't know when that will be up. Personal statements, college applications, AP classes, do I have to take the SAT's again? All these things are running through my head, and I don't know when I'll get a chance to myself. I'll try my best, though. Read, review, love—Kiora Storm.