Title: How Love Works

Chapter 16: Making a Decision

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my made up characters

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Paul froze. He stood in the same place for a couple of minutes. Just staring off into space. Chris tried talking to him but it was no use. Maybe this was why Steph didn't tell him that she was going to break up with Randy for him. Chris felt responsible for the way Paul was now acting.

"Hey, man are you alright?" Chris asked standing up and walking in front of him.

"…" Paul stared at Chris as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Paul, snap out of it." Chris said, regretting what he was about to do.

There was still no answer from Paul. Chris closed his eyes, and hoped he wouldn't get his ass whopped. He kept his eyes close as he pulled back his hand and slapped Paul right across the face. Chris quickly put his hand back to his side. He then opened his eyes slowly to see if Paul reacted at all.

"What the hell do you mean she broke up with Randy for me?" Paul asked really quiet.

"She left Randy because she still thinks you two have another chance." Chris stated glad he was talking.

"Where is she?" Paul asked still the same tone of voice.

"Last I talked to Trish, they were on their way back to the hotel." Chris said looking at Paul.

Paul sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. He couldn't do this not again. Even though he was bored with Amy, he still didn't want to hurt her again, the same way. But did he deserve to be happy in life. Didn't he deserve to be in love? Paul was knocked out of his thoughts when Chris spoke up.

"Paul you love her. You know what you have to do. Don't let her get away again." Chris said patting Paul on the back then leaving the room.

Chris left and Paul just sat there. Thinking if Chris was right or wrong. Paul was thinking about the consequences of what Chris said. If he stayed with Amy he would not only be ruining his life at being happy or in love, he would be breaking Steph's heart. If he broke up with Amy, Steph would lose Amy as a friend again, Amy would have a broken heart. He felt just as confused as Stephanie. He felt so stupid at the moment, this was how Steph felt. She didn't want to hurt anyone. Now Paul was the only one left that had to decide which girls' heart he had to break.

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Trish and Stephanie had just pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Steph was still comparing Randy to Paul. In Stephanie's mind Randy had nothing compared to Paul. Trish was getting kind of tired from it, but she couldn't just ditch her friend or tell her to shut up. She was happy at the moment. Trish didn't want to ruin that.

"Come on Trish, let's go give out our pictures!" Stephanie said excited and pulling on Trish's arm.

"O.k. I'm coming." Trish said thinking that it was funny to see Steph change from being an adult to being a little kid. Change as in attitude.

Trish and Stephanie walked into the hotel and saw a couple of there friends. They would run up to them, talk with them for a little bit, and then give them a picture and move on to the next person. They got all their friends that were in the hotel lobby, so they decided to head up stairs. They walked to the elevator and got on.

"Um, Trish do you think we could see if Paul is at his hotel." Stephanie said kind of shyly.

"Yeah, why not. I haven't seen Paul in a while." Trish answered as the elevator reached their stop.

The two of them walked down the hallway. They walked to room 546. They stood outside the door for a second. Steph cautiously raised her hand and knocked on the door. They waited for a bit and there was no answer. Steph knocked again. Still no answer.

"I guess he isn't here." Steph said sounding a bit upset.

"Hey, don't be upset Steph. You'll talk to him soon." Trish said as she gave Steph a hug.

"Thanks Trish come, lets get out of here." Stephanie said walking towards the elevator.

Steph and Trish went back to their rooms and grabbed their gym bags. They then left to the arena. When getting to the arena they ran into Adam and Jay.

"Hey ladies. How are you two today?" Jay said with a smile.

"We're alright." Trish answered.

"Have you guys seen Paul?" Stephanie asked looking at the two Canadian men in front of her.

"Actually we just finished talking to him a couple minutes ago." Adam put in.

"Where did he go?" Steph asked.

"He went to find Amy. She had just gotten back from her photo shoot." Jay said as he looked at an upset Steph.

"Oh, well thanks. Um, I'm going to go to the locker room." Steph told the three Canadians. "I'll see you all later."

Stephanie walked away and headed to the women's locker room. She left Jay, Trish, and Adam there watching her leave. Why was she so sad? She knew that it would be a long shot to get Paul back in her life. Maybe, they just weren't meant to be.

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Paul walked around the arena looking for Amy. He couldn't find her at all. He really needed to talk to her. What he had to tell her was going to hurt her more than it hurt him, but he had to do it. Now was his only chance. He walked for a while looking for Amy, he ended up outside the women's locker room. He stopped outside the door and knocked. He waited a second until the door opened.

"Hi Paul." Stacy Keibler said answering the door.

"Hey Stace, is Amy in there?" Paul asked pointing inside the room.

"Oh, yeah she is. Let me get her for you." Stacy said leaving the door.

Paul stood there for a minute, until the door opened again. He thought it was Amy, so he spoke up.

"We need to talk." Paul said, and then realized it wasn't Amy he was talking to.

"Hi" Stephanie answered with a half smile. "Did you need to talk to me or did you think I was someone else?"

"Sorry, I thought you were Amy." Paul started but was cut off.

"Figures." Steph mumbled.

"Can I finish?" Paul asked and Steph shook her head. "I'd like to talk to you after I talk to Amy."

"Whatever, I'll be with Chris and Trish." Stephanie said leaving right as Amy walked out.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Paul said plainly.

Amy and Paul walked around the arena talking. He then led her into an empty locker room. Paul sat Amy down on the long black leather sofa. He sat next to her. Thinking first about what he wanted to say, he spoke.

"Amy, I know we have only been going out for a couple of months now." Paul started.

"Hey, Paul, I need to tell you something before you finish o.k." Amy spoke.

"Alright." Paul said a bit confused.

"Look don't take this the wrong way, but I think we would be better off as friends." Amy stated.

"I was going to say the same thing." Paul smiled a small smile.

"Yeah, it's just that, I can't see me living the rest of my life with you, and I want to settle down soon. I think it would be better if we went our separate ways." Amy sniffled a little.

"I agree, are you going to be ok?" Paul asked.

"Yeah, I'll be o.k. I just don't handle any break ups that well." Amy smiled weakly.

"I'd still like to be your friend." Paul said as he rubbed Amy's back.

"I'd like that, but enough about me and you. You need to go find Steph before it's too late." Amy smiled.

"How did you know?" Paul asked standing up.

"It was a lucky guess. I've seen how you two look at each other when one of you doesn't know the other is looking." Amy smiled.

"You talked to Chris didn't you?" Paul smirked.

"Yeah, I did." Amy laughed a small laugh. "I told him I was going to break up with you. I wanted to see if he knew how you would react. Looks like he was right."

"Thanks a lot Ames." Paul said giving her a hug.

"I think someone is waiting for you." Amy smiled.

"Oh, yeah that's right. I got to go." Paul said running off.

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~Citcat~