CHASING CHAOS. EIGHT.

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PERHAPS SHE WAS GLASS

BUT GLASS IS ONLY BRITTLE UNTIL IT BREAKS. THEN IT'S SHARP.

— V.E. Schwab

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CHAPTER EIGHT - BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

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         WHEN JOSEPHINE  walked into the arena that SmackDown had been performing in with Sonya by her side. Everyone bean to look at her differently after last Tuesday when she told everyone that she didn't fight for Becky, but fought for herself. She could see the slight approval in the way that their eyes glanced at her. Before, she had just been the new girl that Paige brought in but now Josephine felt like she had proved herself to be more than just what she appeared like on the outside. She was more than just her pretty face.

 It was no secret that everyone thought that the blonde could not beat Ronda, but she had. And to see the surprise expressions on their faces when she came in last Tuesday without a limp in her step, made her feel alive. 

 Sonya noticed all the glances when the two walked by, and she wasn't sure if it was the fact of how close they were walking alongside each other, or just because Josephine was the new topic backstage. "Everyone is looking at you." Sonya pointed out the obvious as she leaned into Jo's side and whispered.

 Josephine looked at her and smiled. "I know, it feels kind of weird but a good weird." she told her and both of them turned a corner while their suitcases trailed behind them. 

 "I'm not sure if I should feel jealous or not with all the men starring at you." Sonya's words made Josephine let out a chuckle, and the girl put her arm around the brunette's shoulders. 

 "They'll never have a chance." Josephine informed her which confirmed Sonya's suspicions that she was indeed totally into females and not into males at all. Sonya didn't response back with anything, which made Josephine turn her head. "What? You thought I was into guys as well?"

 Sonya shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, you and Drew get along very well when he's here." That made Josephine let a roar of laughter escape from her. 

 "You have to be kidding, Sonya." Josephine let out a few giggles as she calmed down, and the brunette hit her stomach with the side of her fist in a playful manner. The two women giggled as they made their way into the Women's locker room. 

  Since Josephine and Becky were going to open the show with their promo, which Paige reminded her of, she knew she had to hurry up and get dressed and then head down to hair and makeup. 

  Josephine set her things into the locker beside Sonya's, grabbing her clothes that she was planning on wearing tonight. "Do you have a cute belt that would go with this?" Josephine asked Sonya while going through her suitcase. 

  She had thought that she had packed her favorite belt that she liked to pair with her jeans, but perhaps she forgot it. Josephine looked over at Sonya when she passed her a black belt from her suitcase while getting out her ring gear for later in the night to set on top of her case.

  "Did you hear anything about TLC?" Sonya suddenly asked the blonde, which made Josephine look at her with question. 

Her lips pursed as she thought of the pay-per-view, not knowing what Sonya was hinting at. "Should I have heard something about it?" Josephine asked. 

Sonya shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just asking because Becky hasn't been publicly scheduled yet and all of us know that the two of you have unsettled drama." Sonya pointed out.

 Josephine's eyebrows furrowed. "What? You think they will have Becky and I compete in TLC? I've only been here for two months." she shook her head. 

 "It's possible." Sonya's eyebrow raised while she looked up at Josephine, seeing the look of disbelief on her face. "Everyone loves what is going on between the two of you, your acting is actually making everyone believe you guys hate each other." 

 Josephine's lips parted as her heart sank a bit in her chest. Acting? That's what everyone thought it was because they didn't know that the acting between them has been so much more than what they were both letting on. 

Sonya saw the way her face fell once again, which made the brunette question herself. At first, when Becky literally threw Josephine down the week before Survivor Series, she thought that it was something that they done to sell the rivalry. Even with the emotion clouding their eyes in the moment, Sonya told herself : it was just acting.

 But perhaps there was something really going on between the lines that she didn't know. 

 "It's not acting is it?" Sonya questioned her while standing up straight to look Josephine in the eyes. 

 Josephine wanted to push her away, but she couldn't avoid this question forever. At some point, people were going to uncover the truth that they hated each other and would want answers to their questions.

  "I already told everyone," Josephine whispered while her gaze lowered to the ground. "she's just angry that I used an illegal move, and she came to me yelling for embarrassing her." It wasn't the whole truth, but it would have to suffice for the time being.

 That didn't even sound like Becky to Sonya. Becky was always about giving people chances, since she knew what it was like to be in someone's shadow. But she did know that Becky had been different ever since her switch. 

 Sonya placed a palm on the side of Josephine's face, which made the blonde meet her hazel eyes. "I wouldn't take it to heart, Jo. Becky is just having a difficult time." Sonya smiled at her when her lips lifted slightly. "Your an amazing woman, and anyone would be glad to be in your life."

 Her lips parted as they looked into each other's eyes while time seemed to slow around the two. Josephine didn't waste any time leaning into Sonya, grabbing onto her blue flannel to pull the woman into her. Their lips met for the first time since the moment back in the hotel a week ago, all Josephine had gotten from Sonya was little pecks on the cheek since her lip had been healing. 

Sonya's hand had left Josephine's cheek and slowly slid down the blonde's body to wrap around her waist to pull her further into her, if that was possible with how close they were already standing. Josephine let out a chuckle with the force that Sonya used, which made the brunette smile while she kissed her. 

 But their moment was short lived when the door opened up, and Josephine quickly turned her head only to look at a pair of familiar hazel eyes staring back at them both. 

 Becky's mouth opened slightly as she walked into an obvious heated moment, and she felt her heart squeeze when they pulled away.  Josephine's eyes widened when her eyes settled on the Champ, while Becky kept switching her gaze between the two women.

 Her mouth closed while her eye started to twitch out of disbelief? Maybe even a bit of heartbreak or was it anger? Becky couldn't tell. 

 The red-head cleared her throat as Sonya's hand came around from Josephine's waist. "Well, I should get going to hair and makeup." Josephine coughed awkwardly over towards Sonya, when Becky moved her suitcase into the locker room.

  Josephine grabbed her jacket from the bench, "I'll see you later tonight, Jo." Sonya smiled back at her. 

 As Josephine began to walk out of the locker room, her blue eyes met Becky's. She could see the hurt behind them before the emotion faded into anger, and Becky's eyes left hers instantly. 

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Josephine played with the zipper of her red leather jacket while looking up at the monitor as Becky officially returned to Smackdown prior to her injury which happened about two weeks ago.

  Josephine hadn't even seen the red-head in that two week time span, and that locker room incident had made things a bit awkward since she arrived here. It wasn't that she was embarrassed to be caught kissing another woman, she crossed that bridge years ago but it was the fact that the woman she had this unresolved tension with walked in on it. And to make matters even more confusing for the blonde, Becky looked on with a mixture of hurt and anger. 

  She honestly couldn't read what was going through Becky's mind anymore, she had completely changed into something she didn't recognize since she found her in that bar a few months back. When she met her, she seen the red-head in a broken place where her engagement was in it's final stages and her most treasured friendship was long gone. But now, Becky was the embodiment of what pain and heartbreak turned you into, a stone cold bitch.

  "You good?" Sonya had been standing beside her for a good minute. The brunette had been just looking at her with a concerned face when she waved her hand in front of her face, but Josephine had disappeared within her own mind.

 "Y-yeah," Josephine shook her head as soon as she could hear the distant voice of Sonya, and her mind pulled her back to reality. "Just lost in thought." she shot a smile her way, one that was worth a million dollars. 

  She has one of the prettiest smiles, Sonya thought while staring back at her with complete admiration. For someone who had gone through so much, she manages to still have that brightness to her smile.

 "I could tell. I've been standing here for a minute and you haven't noticed." Sonya chuckled at her while her eyes stared at the monitor in front of them, Becky was reaching the ring with her championship on her shoulder and the signature cocky smile.

 Josephine shook her head, turning to face the brunette. "I'm sorry, I'm just nervous about going out there." she told her which she was not telling a total lie. Josephine always had anxiety before going on stage, it was just in her nature to be but she wasn't about to tell Sonya that her thoughts were consumed by Becky Lynch.

  Sonya shook her head while her hazel eyes rolled. "I don't know why your nervous, you're a talent on that microphone." she spoke while she grabbed both sides of Jo's jacket, pulling her towards her with a playful grin on her face. "And you look totally hot."

 Josephine looked back at her with a smile on her face, her bottom lip coming in between her teeth when Sonya's brown eyes racked down her outfit she had chosen tonight. 

 Her white colored Asymmetrical bra top was hidden beneath her leather jacket, which had been paired with some black jeans and a belt. Usually Josephine was an inch smaller than Sonya but with her heeled boots, they both came to 5'7. 

 Josephine shook her head, "Alright ponytail." she giggled while reaching behind Sonya to tug on it slightly, making the other woman let out a chuckle of amusement and swat her hand away. 

   Josephine winked at her before walking towards the stairs to look at herself in front of the full body mirror before walking out to meet Becky and Paige in the ring. She let out an exhale while she pulled all of her curled blonde hair over onto her shoulders, the orange ombré reaching just below her breasts.

"Now, at Survivor Series I had to watch someone else step into my shadow and fight Ronda Rousey. So let's get this out of the way, shall we? Josie, get out here!" Becky's voice could be heard over the monitor which made the blonde look back at Sonya, whom was already looking back at her with a smile.

 Josephine walked through the curtain as her music was already started. Jo pulled her jacket forwards as she posed on the stage, her eyes scanning the lively crowd who had started cheering for her. When she arrived back to Smackdown after Survivor Series, she had been blue and purple all over but those bruises had healed, and now she was a phoenix rising from the ashes with this new iron armor. 

  When Josephine fought Ronda Rousey, she was afraid. But after she went out there and gave the best performance she could, Ronda came walking into work the next morning with a limp in her step, and several bruises covering her body. That made Josephine feel a certain type of way.

There was now this confident sway in the way she walked down the ramp while her eyes kept their focus on Becky Lynch behind the ropes, looking at her with distaste. Getting in the ring now with Becky, she wasn't frightened like she used to be since she faced Ronda. 

 Josephine locked eyes with the red-head when she walked in front of her, holding her microphone in her manicured hand. The crowd could be heard through the walls, vibrating throughout the whole building while they cheered for Becky.

  Becky turned to face Josephine when the crowd started to get silent, only to be interrupted when people started cheering for the blonde standing in front of her with a grin of satisfaction on her face. "Now, I told you to give Ronda the beating that I would have and ya came pretty close."

 Josephine pursed her lips while she looked at her, her eyes narrowing down at the red-head. "Of course, if it was the Champ in there Ronnie wouldn't of been standing the next night."

 Josephine looked out into the crowd who was already on their feet to cheer and applaud Becky's words, which made Jo's lips twist up in amusement. "Now, I asked you to step up but I'm not sure you know who you is because it took you channeling me, to take it to the Raw Women's Champion."

 Josephine looked down at her feet for a second while she laughed, "That's cute Becky. But I don't know if you noticed, or maybe you forgot because of your head thing, but uh, I'm pretty sure Ronda was limping last night?"

    Josephine looked out in the crowd for a second while they cheered. "And in regards of me channeling you.. I have always been this way. I don't need to be channeling you to make a name for myself, because you and I both know that you had chosen me instead of Charlotte Flair, is because you know that I could only get the job done."

 Becky was just about to raise her microphone to speak, but Josephine beat her to it. "Shut your mouth. I said this last week, and I'll say it again: You chose me for the fact that you are still annoyed that I beat you. You wanted to embarrass me but I proved you wrong."

  "You proved me wrong? The only thing you proved was that you can't win without cheating, and that is the perfect example of why some mad woman cannot be trusted to fight for me."

 Josephine let out a high pitched laugh through the microphone. "Oh, honey. You got it all wrong. I did not fight for you, I fought for myself because you couldn't." Josephine spat at the red-head and started walking towards her with an angry look in her eye.

     "And I have no problems with rearranging your face tonight and showing you exactly how I can win without getting disqualified." Becky's jaw tensed up and the two women were head to head, foreheads touching as Josephine burned a hole through the Irish woman, her fists were balled by her side.

  "Oh, you think your some tough competition, huh?" Becky curled her lip while shouting at Josephine, "I'll have you flat out on your arse in a matter of seconds. You don't mean shit here, and you have never meant anything." Becky saw the quick flicker of hurt in Josephine's blue eyes as she looked back at her.

 Paige was quick to intervene as she watched the two women stare each other down, she put her arm between the two to create distance between their touching bodies. The two bickered back and forth between the microphones, and Paige had trouble picking out what was being said between them. 

  "LADIES, SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" Paige screamed out and continued to separate the two, which made Josephine back away from her best-friend but still keeping her glare locked on Becky.

 "I love this." Paige gestured towards her best friend. "I don't think I have ever seen so much confidence and fire from you since straight fire Becky Lynch over here." Paige gestured over towards the red-head which had been looking back at her with a grin on her face, puffing out her chest in victory. 

       "And I know there's some unresolved tension involving the two of you, therefore Josephine, you will get your Women's Smackdown Championship match against Becky Lynch at TLC in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match."

   Paige stopped for a second while the crowd cried out in cheers, and she gestured down towards the blue covered table in the middle of the ring, which Josephine hadn't paid too much attention too when she came into the ring. The only thing that her mind was on was the red-head. 

   "And right here, we have the table with the contract inside. So let's make this official, shall we?"

  Josephine couldn't think of anything else expect of what Becky had said. That she meant nothing. That was obvious about more than just the match, she knew that. She bit down onto her bottom lip while Paige flipped the folder to reveal the contract. Josephine stood there with her head held high, her eyes were watery because she felt so heartbroken with how Becky was treating her, or because she was beyond pissed off. 

  Her blue eyes left hers for a mere second to look down at the paper contract, held within a blue file. She grabbed the pen that was beside the contract and scribbled her name under the dotted line, and then grabbed the microphone that she had been using before. 

  "You keep Survivor Series fresh in your mind Becky, because I was never scared of you, and I'll be walking into TLC with a kendo stick to kick your ass." She spat out with so much venom, which made the usual cocky red-head actually flinch. 

 Josephine stared back at her with flared nostrils and clenched teeth and then, threw the microphone towards Becky with so much force that it actually stung where it hit her. Josephine stepped through the ropes while keeping her eyes on the titantron while she walked up the ramp, leaving behind a pissed off red-head and her best friend blinking back in surprise.

a/n: me after their promo. WE'RE FINALLY GONNA GET INTO JEALOUS BECKY. hun, I put slow into slowburn. BTW, i recommend listening to I mean it by g-eazy because that was what I was listening to while writing their promo because josephine gives me such badass vibes. like she's ready to completely destroy her girl and my heart in the process. but hey, that person who keeps asking me to update, hi. here's an update lmfao.