Stephanie kicked the vending machine in frustration cursing under breath. The bag of chips had got stuck on the prong inside, it was the second time that week. If she had to be honest with herself though she was taking out her anger on the machine for a completely different reason. Today after months of avoiding him since she had been back her father decided to put them in a storyline. She fought, pleaded, and cried for her father to change his mind but no such luck. He didn't understand why she had such an issue with it and she couldn't tell him the truth. That truth was the summer before college she had been coming to the company helping her dad mostly with office work and hanging around backstage getting to know the wrestlers. One in particular was Paul Levesque. He was young, handsome and charming and she couldn't help but be drawn to him especially when he would joke or wink at her. He had broken up with Joanie a couple of weeks ago so she didn't see any reason not to flirt with him. She found herself spending quite a bit of time with him before things progressed romantically between them. Stephanie found herself that summer sneaking off with him so her family and the other wrestlers wouldn't find out. By the end of the summer before going to college she lost her virginity to him. She really thought things could last between them as they talked about how he would come visit her and talk as much as they could. He did come and visit her for almost two and half months. Stephanie still remembered the exact day that he left and never heard from him again.
Stephanie had been sitting around her apartment doing school work when Paul called her and said he was coming to see her. She put her work aside and dressed herself up to look nice and he took her out to dinner. Then later that night they cuddled and watched a movie and slept together. Nothing seemed different as he had to leave telling her he would call her later but then that call never came. Stephanie waited and waited weeks for him to call and at one point even gave up on waiting and called him, he never picked up. It wasn't until she went to visit her family one weekend when she heard Shane talking about the gossip going on with the wrestlers that she found out Paul had went back to Joanie.
"What is up with the abuse? What did it ever do to you?" She heard the familiar deep voice behind her. Even though she had been back for awhile this was the first time he even had tried talking to her.
"It took my fucking food again" Stephanie replied blowing the strand of hair that had fell in her face. She didn't dare turn around to look at him. She tried to hate him, sometimes she succeeded and other times she failed miserably. But in all honesty she knew she was still bitter about it all.
"When did you start using language like that?" Stephanie heard him chuckle clearly amused at the sight in front of him.
"Since everything started to piss me off" She replied irritated. Stephanie heard him start coming closer to her and she froze. She got a brief scent of his all too familiar cologne, he hadn't changed it seemed. It made her a little weak in the knees remembering being tangled up with his body close to her.
"I think you're going to hurt yourself more than you are going to hurt the machine" She spun around to face him seeing the smirk on his face. God he looked good with his hair tied back wearing his leather jacket and jeans but she couldn't stop the anger she felt at his words. She knew they meant nothing at all, he was only joking about a vending machine but she couldn't stop the words that came out her mouth next.
"Since when do you care about me?" Stephanie spat watching the smirk leave his face and a flash of something in his eyes before looking down and slipping his hands in his pockets.
"Listen I just came to talk about our storyline" Paul said ignoring her comment.
"If you want out of it then you're out of luck. I already begged my dad not to go with it but he's dead set on it" Stephanie replied crossing her arms still staring at him.
"Actually it wasn't about getting out of it" He said looking back up at her taking a breath. "Joanie isn't happy with it"
"You can let her know that I'm not either" She couldn't believe he wanted to talk to her about Joanie. Stephanie shook her head and started to walk off but she felt his hand grab her arm. Her heart started beating frantically at the feel of his touch, she really hated her body for reacting to him.
"This is really hard for me to ask" he paused and sighed "but can you keep what happened between us"
"You don't want Joanie to find out" Stephanie stated but she watched the expression on his face knowing it was more than that.
"Or Vince"
"You don't want to lose your shot at the title"
"Can we just put it behind us?" Paul asked almost begging.
"Don't worry, I don't plan to ever tell anyone ever" Stephanie replied jerking her arm from his grasp and walking away from him.
Paul stood there watching her walk down the hallway trying calm his nerves. He had been nervous this whole time talking to her but it had to be done. Joanie was already bitching to him about the storyline and he really didn't want Vince to find out because he honestly wanted his shot at the title. He really felt shitty about himself now though. Paul sighed before taking off to his dressing room. He thought talking to Stephanie about this wouldn't be that big of a deal since it had been a couple of years. It had just been a fling between them and he just didn't need it coming out but after practically feeling the hatred come from her, he wasn't so sure that was what it had been for her.
Paul made his way to the dressing room, nodding to some of the wrestlers that were making their way down the hall. He finally made it to his dressing room opening the door and letting it shut behind him. Joanie was sitting on the couch just staring at the tv. He could tell she still hadn't calmed down, he sighed knowing they were probably going to fight the rest of the night.
"Where were you?" Joanie asked crossing her arms.
"I was talking to Stephanie about the storyline" Paul replied knowing it was a bad idea to tell her that but it was the truth. Well mostly anyway.
"It's already begun"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked calmly as he could but she was already getting on his last nerve.
"You running off to be with her" Joanie sneered.
"I'm not running off to be with her. I have a fucking job I have to do that involves her and I have no control over it. God Joanie this our career, you know how it is" Paul shouted as she flinched.
"I can't help it" Joanie sighed in defeat. Paul took a deep breath calming himself back down. He looked over at her apologetic.
"What is the big deal with her anyway?" Paul asked going over to Joanie and sitting down beside of her, taking her hands in his.
"I remember the way she used to look at you. She practically drooled over you whenever she would see you and try to hang all over you"
"That was a long time ago Joan. She was just a kid trying to learn more about the business. I don't think she was drooling all over me and she would hang out with me because I was just trying to help her out" Paul felt bad for lying to Joanie but this would be ten times worse if she knew the truth. They weren't together at that time anyway and he didn't feel like he needed to tell her about what he had done. She hadn't told him anything she had done in those months of them not being together.
"It doesn't change the way I feel about her Paul. I just don't like her"
"Hate her all you want just try not to take it out on me. I'm just doing my job, you have nothing to be jealous about" Paul shrugged dropping her hands and leaning over to her grasping her chin gently with his fingers. He leaned over giving her a kiss on the lips.
"I can't promise that I won't be jealous but I'll try to reign in my anger and not take it out on you" Joanie replied staring into his eyes.
"That's all I ask" Paul smiled "now let me take you out to a nice dinner"
"Okay. Lets go home first so I can change" Joanie said standing up from the couch grabbing her purse. Paul stood up and followed her out the door into the hallway. As they made their way down the hallway Paul noticed Stephanie exit her dressing room and head their way. He watched her as their eyes connected and her expression turned sour. This was going to be hard. Not only was he going to have to deal with Joanie being pissed about the storyline, he was going to have to deal with Stephanie being pissed off at him and the storyline too. No matter which way he went he was dealing with two pissed off women.
Stephanie couldn't help but roll her eyes after they passed her. It was bad enough he left her to go back to Joanie and now she was going have to deal with seeing them all over each other since she would have to spend more time with Paul. The thought made her sick to her stomach. Sure she had to see them now but honestly she stayed away from them as much as possible and now that was all going to change. Stephanie made her way to her father's office wanting to talk to him before she left for home. She stopped when she made it to his door and knocked.
"Come in" Stephanie heard and opened the door. She was surprised when she seen Shane and not her father.
"Where is dad?" Stephanie asked as Shane looked up at her.
"He already left. I was just going over some stuff"
"Oh well I guess I'll head on home then" Stephanie replied turning to leave.
"Hold on" Shane said as she turned back around.
"Yeah?"
"What's going on with you and Paul?" Shane asked eyeing her curiously. She felt her heart to race, scared that maybe he knew.
"Nothing" Stephanie answered with a shrug.
"Why are you so hell bent on not doing this storyline with him?"
"I just...I heard that he was a little bit of a dick and could be immature. I just don't want to work with someone who doesn't take this serious" Stephanie lied hoping Shane couldn't see through it.
"I guess he used to be but that was a long time ago Steph. He's grown up and he take this business quite seriously so I don't think you have anything to worry about" Shane said as Stephanie nodded not knowing what else to say.
"I'm going to head on home"
"I'll see you tomorrow"
"Bye Shane" Stephanie said turning back around and heading down the hallway to the parking lot.
Once she reached her car she pulled out her keys unlocking the car door and getting in. Stephanie laid her head up against the back of the seat and sighed. Today had been a long day, memories of her and Paul coming to her. Feelings that accompanied the memories were the worst to experience again. She put the keys in the ignition and started the car and headed to her parent's house. Even though there was the bad memories Stephanie tried to focus on the one really great memory she had left involving Paul.
Flashback:
"Do you need my help?" Kelsie Stephanie's best friend asked her before getting out of the car.
"No I think I can walk" Stephanie answered with a weak smile as she opened the passenger side door and stepped out onto the pavement. Her legs did feel weak but she wasn't helpless. Stephanie had spent the week throwing up, tired and she was weak from not being able to keep anything down. She was positive she had the flu but Kelsie had insisted she go to the doctor. So here she was.
"Hopefully we can get you well because I'm starting to worry" Kelsie said as they made their way into the building.
"I'm sure it's just the flu and I should be getting over it" Stephanie replied going to the receptionist and giving them her name.
"I just want to be sure. I mean what if its something that could be life threatening?" Kelsie asked and Stephanie couldn't help but roll her eyes as they sat down in the waiting area. Kelsie always jumped to conclusions and to the very worst scenario.
"I'm sure it's nothing like that Kels"
"I swear I worry more about your health than you do" Kelsie replied shaking her head and picking up a magazine on the table beside of them. Stephanie put her hand on her forehead feeling lightheaded and nauseous to her stomach. She really hoped they could get her back there fast so she could just go home and sleep it off.
They sat waiting for what seemed like forever to Stephanie before they called her back.
"I'll be right here waiting" Kelsie said as Stephanie got up and made her way to the back with the nurse.
The nurse took her to one of the rooms where the nurse took her blood pressure and temperature. Stephanie explained her symptoms to the nurse before she left telling Stephanie the doctor would be in soon to see her. It didn't seem to take long as Stephanie seen the door open and a blonde woman walk into the room.
"Ms. McMahon?" She asked looking at a chart in her hands.
"Yes" Stephanie replied.
"I'm Dr. Reese how are you feeling today?" Dr. Reese asked closing the door and came over to her.
"Terrible"
"I'm sorry. What symptoms have you been having?" Dr. Reese asked and Stephanie explained her symptoms to her and Dr. Reese checked her chest and all of that.
"I don't hear any kind of congestion. I don't think it's the flu especially since you are not running a fever either. When was your last period Ms. McMahon?" Dr. Reese asked as Stephanie tried to remember when it was. She had been so stressed lately about school work and Paul that she hadn't been keeping up like she should.
"I think it might have been almost the end of September" Stephanie replied feeling nervous.
"Is there a chance you could be pregnant?"
"I-I was sexually active then but we used protection"
"Are you on birth control or did you use condoms or both?"
"We used a condom" Stephanie replied feeling herself blush. She hated talking to a complete stranger about this, it was uncomfortable.
"The condom could have broke. I suggest we do a pregnancy test just to rule it out" Dr. Reese said as Stephanie nodded her head.
After Stephanie gave her urine sample she sat and waited for the Doctor to come back in. Stephanie could feel her pulse racing afraid that maybe the condom had broke and she could be pregnant. She didn't know what to do if she was. Paul had moved on and wouldn't pick up his phone and she was in her first year of college. How could she possibly take care of a baby and do all of this? Her thoughts were interrupted when the Doctor came back in. Dr. Reese shut the door and sat down in her chair. Stephanie could feel her impatience grow.
"Congratulations you're pregnant" Dr. Reese said looking up at her. Stephanie felt the blood drain from her face, she felt lightheaded and like she was going to throw up.
"I'm pregnant" Stephanie whispered in a scared voice.
Stephanie pulled into her parent's driveway smiling at the memory. Yeah it had been terrifying at the time but now it was the only thing that made her smile. She got of the car and walked up to the door and was about to knock when she seen it start to open.
"Hey" Linda said smiling as Stephanie smiled back at her.
"Where is he?" Stephanie asked while Linda stepped back to let her inside.
"He's asleep on the couch" Linda said in almost a whisper.
Stephanie headed to living room going over to the couch. There her little blonde haired boy laid fast asleep bundled up in a blanket holding it tight along with his brown teddy bear. The sight warmed her heart and in that moment her anger for Paul melted away at least in that moment, for he gave her the best thing that could of have happened to her.