Chapter 17

Destiny went to the store to pick up groceries after feeding Oreo and Moe and locking up the house for Shane. She was putting the groceries in the car when she heard a voice behind her. "Well, what have we here?" Destiny rolled her eyes before turning around.

"What do you want Mandy?"

"Like you don't know!" Mandy hissed.

"I don't Mandy."

"Why are you driving Shane's car? I know he left this morning..."

"How would you know that?"

"I saw them leaving town."

"Look Mandy, Shane is mine now. You had your chance and you didn't want it, why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Because... I was here first!"

"Go to hell Mandy! Shane loves me and I love him."

"We'll see about that!" Mandy sneered. Destiny got in the car and slammed the door, leaving Mandy standing on the curb.

Destiny fumed the whole way back to her apartment. She was storming up the steps when she ran into someone.

"God, I am so sorry!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

Destiny's green eyes met the other girls brown ones.

"I am really sorry I wasn't watching where I was going..." Destiny said.

"It's ok, didn't you just move in next door?"

"Yeah B3. I'm Destiny Taylor."

"Hi! I live in B5. My name is Cheyenne Richards."

"Here let me help you." Cheyenne took one of the bags from Destiny and the girls walked up the stairs.

"You aren't from Cameron are you?" Destiny asked.

"No, I'm not how could you tell?" Cheyenne asked her

"No accent!" Cheyenne laughed.

"I've lived here about 3 months. I work for Southwest Telecommunications."

"Really? What a small world! I start work there tomorrow!"

"That's great!"

"Well I'll be seeing you." Cheyenne handed Destiny back the bag.

"I hope so!"

Destiny was putting the finishing touches on dinner when the doorbell rang. "Hey Shannon!" Destiny greeted him.

"Where do you want this stuff?" He asked carrying most of the computer equipment.

"Over there on the desk!" She gestured. Shannon set the system up while Destiny finished dinner. They sat down over dinner and chatted.

"So tell me about you, Shannon." She said.

"There's not much to know..." He sighed.

"Well what do ya like to do?"

"I don't know, wrestle, I like cartoons and I write sometimes, Jeff and I play music together...when he's around that is..."

Destiny thought he sounded lonely.

"You miss them too, don't you?" She smiled

"Yeah, we've been friends for so long, I just wish the WWF would use me. I've put on quite a bit of weight, which is why I need new pictures. Jeff promised to take them to the boss man for me. I need a new profile done, which is where the computer thing comes in and Shane has been way to busy to help me update my website so I need help with that." Destiny was amazed. It was the most she had ever heard Shannon say at one time!

"Well I'll be happy to help you. First let's do the pictures, then we can work on the computer OK?"

Shannon flashed her a brilliant smile "Ok, thanks Destiny. Sugar is lucky to have you." They cleared the table and Shannon did the dishes for her while she set up in the living room. Shannon walked in and whistled. "That is a very professional setup Destiny!" He said taking in the lights, the backdrop and camera.

"Ok, let's start with some basic shots. Take your shirt off and stand over there." she pointed. Destiny turned the lights on and started snapping pictures. Directing Shannon in different poses. There was a knock on the door. Destiny went to answer it.

"Hi Cheyenne! Come on in." Cheyenne walked in taking in the lighting set-up and Shannon.

"Cheyenne, this is my friend Shannon Moore, Shannon, this is Cheyenne Richards, she lives next door and works at the same place I am going to be working at." They exchanged shy hellos and Destiny couldn't help but notice Cheyenne checking out Shannon.

"Shan, you wanna go change into your gear and let me get some shots of that?"

"Ok Destiny." The girls watched him walk to the bedroom.

"Your boyfriend is adorable!" Cheyenne said.

"He isn't my boyfriend, he's my boyfriend's close friend, but he is a cutie huh?"

"Really?" Cheyenne said. "How interesting..."

"Was there something in particular you needed or did you just stop by to chat?" Destiny laughed.

"I was wondering if you wanted to carpool to work?" Cheyenne said.

"Sure sounds great!"

After Cheyenne left and Destiny and Shannon had finished the photo shoot, Destiny helped Shannon with a resume and then worked on his web site. "You know we ought to put some of the pics from the photo shoot on here when I get them developed!"

"Sounds good to me!"

"You know, you can use this whenever you want to. Make up your own screen name and use my AOL account."

"Thanks Shan, you're a doll." He blushed.

"Thanks Destiny. I better get going. Hey you should check out Shane's site!" He reached around her and typed the url into the address bar.

He ruffled her hair and said goodbye. He knew she was lost in "The Asylum." And she was. She missed Shane so much already! How was she going to take a whole month without him? Destiny logged off and went to get in the shower. Her phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi baby..." She heard Shane's voice on the other end.

"Sugar!" She exclaimed

"I miss you already babe..." He whispered.

"I miss you too..."

"So what have you been up to today?"

"Not much. Shannon and I had dinner, I took those pictures for him. I also helped him with his web site and his resume."

"Shan keeping you company huh?" He said quietly.

"Yeah, Shane he is so sweet."

"Not as sweet as Sugar though?"

"No baby, definitely not."

"I love you Destiny." He said.

"I love you too Shane."

"I gotta go babe. I miss you."

"Bye Shane."

Over the next couple of weeks, Destiny spent a lot of time with Shannon. Destiny missed Shane more than she had ever thought possible. Shane called Destiny every night. A couple of times Shannon answered the phone.

One night they decided to go out to a club, have a few drinks and relax.

Destiny and Shannon danced together, having a great time until they closed down the club. On their way out Destiny slipped on some ice and twisted her ankle really bad. By the time they got back to Destiny's apartment, it was so swollen she couldn't walk on it. Shannon scooped her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. They got inside and Shannon put Destiny on the bed. As he went to get ice for her, the phone rang. He answered, only to hear someone hang up. He didn't think much of it. Until much later. It was late and the roads were bad so Shannon slept on Destiny's couch that night.