______________________________________________________

"Have you heard the news yet?"

Melina was bubbling as she stepped into the women's locker room. Always one who enjoyed gossip, her expression was lively, brown eyes sparkling.

"What news?" Candice Michelle was the first to ask. She looked up from the makeup bag through which she'd been rummaging.

"This is big," Melina practically sang. "Huge, even!"

A few of the other divas neared her, gathering in a half-circle to hear whatever the 'news' was that she had to share.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Perez," Beth insisted, nudging the other woman. "Spill it already!"

"Okay, okay," the Latina relented. She gestured with both hands, her cell phone in her right. "Well, to start, I just got off the phone with Phil."

"We know, we know," Maria Kanellis said wearily, shaking her head. She wondered if this had anything to do with him. "So, it's just something about your boyfriend?" she asked tiredly.

"Nope," the brunette replied. "Now, shut up and listen!"

From halfway across the room, Amy barely looked up as she finished tying her wrestling boots. She liked the other divas, but she honestly had no interest in gossip like they did. As far as she was concerned, she had better things to do. Surprised, she realized Trish had gone over to join the group, but she looked back down, continuing to get ready for the match she had later that night - until she heard Melina's news.

"Adam is officially back on the market... He broke up with his girlfriend!"

Amy's head shot up as she stared over at Melina. For some reason she couldn't explain, her heart was suddenly hammering.

"Is that true?" Ashley Massaro asked, pretending to swoon. "Ooh, I'd love to get with him!"

"Yeah, it's too bad you're engaged to John, huh?" Mickie cracked, sending an elbow into the blonde's ribs.

Trish, although shocked, was the only one of the group who'd remained silent thus far. She absorbed the news and shifted her gaze to her close redheaded friend, who was still on the other side of the locker room.

"Lilian, you're not taken... Why don't you ask Adam out?"

Trish noticed immediately that Amy seemed to tense up a little at the moment those words left Beth's lips. Offering the others a smile, she moved away from them as Melina told them what else her boyfriend had revealed.

Amy was so consumed by her surprise that she hadn't even seen her friend. She gave a slight start when she felt her hand touch her shoulder and looked up to meet the blonde's brown eyes. "Hey."

"You okay? You seem a little... out of it." 'Distracted' was probably a better word, but the Canadian knew exactly what was going through her friend's mind right now. "You wanna talk?" She hooked a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing toward the locker room door.

The redhead glanced past her at the group of WWE divas who were still abuzz with chatter. There was no way she could sit there and listen to them going on like that, anyway, so she met Trish's eyes again and nodded.

"It would be my pleasure."

The two slipped out of the room, deciding to head over to catering.

"So," Trish said, finally breaking the silence between them, "what do you think about the news?"

Amy shrugged, avoiding the other woman's eyes as she grabbed an apple. What exactly could she say?

"I don't know," she replied. "I guess things didn't work out between them."

"Obviously." The blonde bit her lip as she considered voicing what was really on her mind. Then, "Amy, I know you must be feeling pretty good about it."

The redhead whipped her head around to stare into her friend's chocolate-brown eyes.

"Why would I? Trish, you still don't seem to grasp the fact that I'm with someone else. I don't want Adam back. What's more, the thought never even crossed my mind," she snapped.

Trish stared at her, knowing the last part of what she said had to be a lie. Why else would she have called her that night when she'd been out with him, upset when his now ex-girlfriend called? Either the redhead was completely oblivious or just didn't want to acknowledge that the feelings were still there.

"Then why did you call me, freaked out when his girlfriend called when you were together the other night?"

Amy eyed her friend suspiciously, her stomach clenching up. It really didn't surprise her that Trish would throw that in her face.

"I didn't 'freak out,'" she protested.

The blonde stared at her with amazement.

"Amy, you hid out in the ladies room to call me! You said it bothered you that she called while you were together." She shook her head. "Come on, you're not going to stand there and keep denying the truth!" she cried.

"That's where you're wrong," the redhead challenged. "Except that there's no 'truth' to deny." At the corner of her eye, she barely noticed as Jeff entered the room. With nothing more to say, Amy simply spun on her heel and left.

Trish stared after her, upset about what had just transpired. She felt hurt and never expected her friend to act the way she had. She shook her head, sorry she'd even opened her mouth.

"Wow," Jeff said as he came over to put an arm around her waist. "What was that all about?"

The little blonde shook her head again.

"I guess she's not ready to admit she's still in love with Adam." Sighing sadly, she shrugged, putting it out of her mind as she wrapped her own arm around the younger Hardy.
 
 
 
 

Part 12

Back