CHAPTER ONE

Stephanie sighed as the phone beside her began to ring again. It was the fourteenth phone call in the last two hours.

Everyone from her mother and father to some of her very close--and not so close--acquaintances had been trying to reach her and to say that she was becoming a bit stressed out at this point, would be an understatement.

She loved that everyone around her was willing to give her their shoulder to cry on, but at this moment in time, she really didn't want to talk about it and wished that people would just respect her decision.

Unfortunately, that'll never happen.

Hearing a beep coming from the dresser beside her, Stephanie could tell the answering machine was kicking on again; causing her to inwardly groan, but nevertheless, she silently waited to see who was calling her this time.

"Hi. You've reached Stephanie and Paul's habitation cell. As you can tell, we're not in right now, so either call us on our cells or don't bother getting in touch with us again, got it? Good!"

Beep

"Stephanie?...Stephanie, I know you're there, pick up the phone...all right, fine then, don't pick up the phone. Just give me a call back at 555-0199, room 12, when you get a chance--and while you're at it..change your answering machine, Paul doesn't live there anymore sweetie, get over hi-"

Click

Stephanie half smirked as she fingered the cord to the answering machine which she had just pulled out. "Sorry Ames, but you made me do it."

As the peace and quietness of her two story home began to finally kick in again, Stephanie couldn't help but sigh with relief. She was sorry that she would probably be blocking out some very important phone calls from some of her more business-like employees, but if it left her with a little bit more of her sanity by the end of the night, then it really didn't matter.

While lying in her bed for another few minutes, Stephanie couldn't help but think about Paul and about how much she missed him.

Turning over to her side, she stared at the picture of him and her that was taken a few months ago after a taping of Monday Night Raw. She remembered that night in question so vividly because it was the night that he had proposed to her--little did they both know that less than two months later they would be saying good-bye to one another for unfortunately the very last time.

At that thought a tear made it's way down Stephanie's face, causing her to sniffle a little. She knew she couldn't keep doing this to herself, she had to get up out of bed and do something, anything really, as long as it got Paul out of her head for a while.

After sitting up a little, Stephanie made a quick round in her bedroom before her eyes locked on the computer that her parents had bought her for her 28th birthday last year. While inwardly shrugging to herself, she quickly crossed the room and made her way towards the laptop that laid across, what used to be, Paul's side of the dressing room table.

Taking a seat in the leather computer chair, she flipped on her computer, and waited for it to log up.

She couldn't believe she was doing this, but she was actually going to go onto the computer, and look up random people's AIM names so she could talk to them.

Sighing at the mere thought of how bored and how desperate she was at the moment, she logged onto the Internet, and waited for the connection to make.

As the AOL screen popped up, Stephanie leaned forward in her chair and began clicking on icons with her mouse until she found herself in a chat room.

At first she didn't bother to write in anything, but as miscellaneous people began writing little messages in the chat room, she couldn't help but type up a little message in the 'Single Again' chat room.

Brwnhairgrl: Anyone want to chat?

A few people answered back with the same message: A/S/L, causing her to be confused.

Brwnhairgrl: I'm sort of new to this whole computer technology thing..what's A/S/L?

Just as soon as she hit 'Send', a PM message showed up on her screen, giving her an answer to her question.

Blondboybrwn: It means: Age/Sex/Location.

"Oh." She said, before saying 'Thanks' to the stranger, and closing his PM box.

Brwnhairgrl: 29/Female/Connecticut

Again, not even a second after she had hit the 'Send' key the same guy wrote back to her.

Blondboybrwn: Hey..Glad I'm not the only old person in here.

Stephanie bit her lip, not sure if she should talk to this guy or not, but figuring what the hell, she proceeded.

Brwnhairgrl: Old? Who you callin old?

This time it took him a little longer to IM her back.

Blondboybrwn: You know what I mean! Half of these people in here are between the ages of 15 and 20. It's kind've nice to talk to someone over the legal drinking age.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow in interest before writing back.

Brwnhairgrl: Well, not to sound nosey, but..how old are you..or better yet, what's your A/S/L?

After a second his response showed up on the screen causing her to be shocked.

Blondboybrwn: 34/Male/Connecticut

Stephanie's hands froze as she read that last response, at the thought of this stranger being so close to Paul's age and living in the same state as she and he did, it made her wonder if this could be Paul she was talking to.

Thinking quickly, she began to type out a short message, trying to test out if he was Paul or not.

Brwnhairgrl: So, out of curiosity...which part of Connecticut are you from?

She found herself chewing on her bottom lip as she waited in anticipation for his reply to show up on her screen, luckily for her she didn't have to wait long.

Blondboybrwn: I'm not really from Connecticut persay, I'm just here on a small trip.

Stephanie breathed out a sigh of relief, but still felt sort of down-fallen that it wasn't who she thought it was.

Brwnhairgrl: So, what are you here for...business or pleasure?

Blondboybrwn: Uh...business kind've, which right now I have to tend to. So, I'll add you to my buddy list..k?

After reading his response, Stephanie quickly began to type in her answer to his question but another message popped up before she could do so.

Blondboybrwn: All right, bye.

She blinked as she read that Blondboybrwn had signed off, deleting the comment and question she had asked.

Okay, but by the way...what's your name?