Tumors And Hearts

Xx-nikki-xX

“What you get is what you see
It won’t take much to get hooked on me
So shoot me right into your skin
And I will be your heroine…”

Manda and I sang along as I’m Your Favorite Drug by Porcelain and the Tramps blasted through the Knockouts’ locker room. It was Tuesday night and Angelina, Winter, Manda, and I were getting ready for our tag team match on Xplosion. Winter was sitting in one of the chairs, already done getting ready. Manda was standing in front of the mirror working on her make up. Lauren and I were standing next to one of the outlets near the mirror with a curling iron stuck in my hair.

“Almost done.” Lauren said wrapping a section of my hair around the curling iron. “Maybe two more sections after this one.”

“Good, cause I’m starving!” Winter/Katarina said.

“I still have to do my make up,” I said. “I’ll probably skip the meal.”

“Me too.” Manda said. “I still gotta do my hair after this.”

I watched her grab a stick of eyeliner off the crowded table of makeup. She uncapped it before sighing in frustration and turning to me.

“Can I use your eyeliner?” she asked. “I’m all out.”

“Yeah, just grab it out of my bag.” I said pointing to it next to the chair Katarina was sitting in.

I’m Your Favorite Drug ended and Beautiful Bride by Flyleaf started playing in its place. Manda had thought to plug in her iPod so we could listen to music while we got ready. I inwardly wondered why no one had ever thought of that before.

Lauren unraveled the last section of my hair from the curling iron. She grabbed a comb off the makeup table and ran it through my hair, straightening out my curls a bit so they weren’t so noticeable. When they finally turned into fluffy waves, she set down the comb and turned off the curling iron.

“Done.” she said proudly.

“Thanks Lauren.” I said looking in the mirror. “I love it!”

“I thought you might.” she said with a laugh.

She waited until the curling iron cooled down before putting it back in her back. Katarina stood up, again saying that she was starving in her awesome British accent, and she and Lauren headed out of the locker room.

I took a few more minutes to admire my wavy hair in the mirror. I normally left my hair down straight, but since I’ve been losing more and more of my hair I figured I would try something new to hide it. I checked the places that were most noticeable and smiled. My hair had so much volume that it hid those places really well.

Manda finished her makeup and tossed my eyeliner back to me. We talked as we continued to get ready, more freely now that it was just the two of us.

There was a knock on the door as Manda put the finishing touches on her own hair. She sprayed her hair one last time with a can of hairspray before going to answer the door.

“Is Nikki in there?” I heard Shannon ask.

“You’re out of luck.” Manda said stepping aside to let him in. “She’s already dressed.”

“Damn.” he said smiling.

I rolled my eyes as he made his way over to me. From behind he wrapped his arms around my middle and kissed the back of my head.

“I think I’m gonna go get some food with Lauren and Katarina.” Manda said smiling. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Okay.” I said at the same time Shannon said “Thanks.”

It was Manda’s turn to roll her eyes. “Our match is coming up soon. Make sure you’re ready on time.” she said on her way out.

“So…” Shannon said. “Can I borrow some eyeliner?”

I laughed and handed him the stick I had lent Manda earlier. I watched him draw the lines on his face he always did when he wrestled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my tag team title belt sitting by my open locker. I sighed and tried not to let my depression show.

Everyone had been congratulating Manda and me on winning the titles since our match ended yesterday. I know I should have been happy – I had won my first championship in TNA! But I knew it would be the only title I would win during my very short career as a wrestler.

Shannon could tell I was depressed. He could always tell when I was depressed. It was one of the things I loved most about him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked handing me my eyeliner.

“Nothing.” I said not meeting his eyes.

“Don’t lie to me.”

I sighed and looked in the mirror. I made it seem like I was concentrating very hard on my make up so I wouldn’t have to speak. Tonight I was using Andy Six from the Black Veil Brides as inspiration for my makeup.

My hopes of Shannon dropping the subject were squished when I finished with my eyeliner and put it back in my bag.

“Nicolette…”

My nose automatically wrinkled at the sound of my real name. I glanced at my new belt again and this time Shannon saw me.

“Is it because you won your first championship?” he asked.

“It’s because I won my only championship.” I said. “I’ll be dead in less than two months.”

“Yeah, but look on the bright side… at least you won a title, Nikki.”

“I guess…” I tried to be happy that I would at least get to hold the tag team titles with one of my best friends in the business.

Shannon went over to my locker and grabbed the belt out of it. He shut the door before coming back over to me. He wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. We broke apart and he let go of me except for my hand. I let him lead me out of the locker room and to the Go Position for my match.

We were the first two there. Shannon waited with me until the others showed up.

“Good luck.” he said finally handing me my belt.

I tried to take it from him but he wouldn’t let go. I looked up into his green eyes and tried to smile. He kissed me one more time before letting go of my belt.

“Come to the cafeteria when you’re match is over.” he said.

I nodded and watched him walk away.

All three girls were watching me when I turned around to face them. Katarina had a confused look on her face, but Lauren and Manda looked like they understood. Katarina didn’t know about my tumor yet; I still didn’t feel all that close to her.

“This match is set for one fall.” SoCal Val’s voice floated back to us as Winter’s music started playing in the Impact Zone. “Introducing first the team of Winter and Angelina Love!”