“Don’t worry, not many people cheer me on when I walk in here either,” joked Vince, looking up as if seeing a 20,000 strong crowd around us.
 
 “Dad, they’ll be arriving soon,” Stephanie said, placing a hand on Vince’s arm to get his attention.

 “Oh, yes. Well, we’d better get you out of here, before the wrestlers see you,” Vince said to me. “They don’t know about you being here, I told them I had a surprise for them. How about you sit up there?”
 
 He pointed up into the arena. “Sure,” I smiled. I didn’t really mind being banished to the outer reaches, as long as I wasn’t left there for too long. “Exactly how long do you want me to stay up there?”
 
 “Not too long. About half an hour, maximum. Just long enough for me to talk them all through tonight’s show. But feel free to walk around if you want, if you get too bored. There’s a little café just outside the arena,” he said warmly.
 
I took the stairs two by two, silently thankful once more for my abnormally long legs that had practically made my career. Just as I settled for a row near the back and close to an exit, there was movement at the wrestler’s entrance. I sat down to watch the talent gather in the ring. I could tell I certainly wouldn’t be bored, as I saw that even from way up where I was sitting, some of those guys were absolutely gorgeous. Two in particular caught my eye. They looked very similar, both with long blond hair and fairly lean, muscular bodies, and they seemed like a lot of fun, from what I could see as they joked around together and with the other wrestlers who were appearing rapidly.
 
Suddenly the taller one looked up, straight at me. It was as if I had suddenly called out to him, and he alone had heard. I hadn’t verbally, but maybe mentally I had, as I was watching him. I felt an instant connection, like electricity running through me. I was close enough to see that he had seen me, but I wasn’t sure if he recognised me. I smiled at him and placed my index finger to my lips in a sshh-ing gesture. He grinned and nodded, laughing to himself, as if humouring me. He probably thought I was a die-hard wrestling fan who had snuck in here, unknown to Vince. However, he kept it to himself, sneaking furtive glances up at me every now and then throughout the run-through.
 
When he was just about certain everyone who needed to be was present, Vince started the rehearsal. His voice was loud and strong, and it carried up easily to where I was sitting. I was disappointed when Vince did start however, as my favourite wrestler, (ok, so he was one of the few wrestlers I knew by name) The Rock wasn’t present. Nevertheless, I listened closely to what Vince had to say, hoping that I would at least learn the name of the object of my affection, the tall blond wrestler.
“We all know the direction in which we at the Federation are heading moving into the new millennium,” Vince began, “but for those of you who continually fail to pay attention, I will reiterate quickly. This is for your, Adam, Jason, Sean and Brian, so would you kindly pay attention.”
 
The four men looked up innocently from their drinking game. Vince held his head in his hands as he said, “And don’t you think it’s a little early for that, fellas? Not to mention A LITTLE BEFORE MY SHOW BEGINS SO QUIT IT!”
 
“Calm yourself Mr Mac,” Sean, the only one I could properly identify, laughed, “it’s only soda. We’re saving the hard stuff for after RAW, don’t stress.”
 
“Just as well. Even so, pay attention would you!” I laughed quietly at their cheeky reaction to Vince’s exasperation. They crawled up close to Vince, with their heads resting on their hands attentively. “You especially, Adam. This is your big push coming up tonight.” He was talking to the one I had been watching. Adam. His name was Adam.
 
 Vince spoke for a few more minutes and then sent the wrestlers backstage for the run-through. First up was Stone Cold Steve Austin. He ran through his speech, and then his opponent, Triple H came out. I was engrossed in his performance, when I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around.
 
 “Hello.” I was amazed to find Adam sitting a row behind me, leaning over my shoulder. His golden hair fell in waves from behind his ear as he lowered his head so that it was close to mine.
 
 “Hello,” I whispered.
 
 “Camille?” he asked. He had recognised me then?
 
 “Yes. And you’re Adam,” I stated, my voice clearing beyond a whisper.
 
 “What are you doing all the way up here?” he asked.
 
 “Vince asked me to sit up here to watch the rehearsal,” I replied.
 
 “Lucky I found you then, otherwise you might have been up here all day. Vince had a family emergency, Linda’s mother has died. He and Linda have gone to Richmond, Virginia for the funeral,” he told me.
 
 “Poor Linda. What about Shane and Stephanie? Didn’t they go too?” I asked.
 
 “No, they’re both in tonight’s show. And as Vince would say, it’s not about love, it’s business. The show must go on, no matter what,” he shrugged. It was clear he wasn’t fond of Vince McMahon.
 
 “I’m glad you were up here,” I smiled. “Why are you up here, anyway?”
 
“This is where I enter from. My character, Edge, usually gets to the ring through the crowd.”
 
“So when do you go on?” I asked.
 
“Not for a while actually. But as you might have seen before, I don’t usually pay much attention to what Vince says, so I thought I’d come up here and watch, just to see what all the other angles are this week. Do you watch?”
 
“When I can. But work keeps me so busy, I hardly get the chance to,” I said.
 
“Work? Oh that’s right, Shane said you’re a model…. Right?”
 
 “Shane said?” I frowned.
 
“Oh. You caught me out. I don’t really care about the angles. Shane was bragging backstage about you. He said that you’re going out together tonight. I put two and two together and realised that it was you up here that he was talking about, so I came to suss out the situation. I’m not doing a very good job, am I?” he laughed.
 
“No, not really. And why do you care, anyway?”
 
“This might sound stupid…but,” he began slowly, “when I first saw you up here I felt this connection. I’m not sure…it was like electricity or something.”
 
 “I felt it too,” I breathed, leaning closer to him.
 
“You were so far away, I thought I was imagining you at first. But here you are,” he whispered, taking my hand. He touched my cheek gently with the fingertips of his free hand, as if to check that I was really there. He leant closer to me, and brushed his lips softly on mine. My whole body tingled, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. His arms held my waist, my neck. His lips were strong, insistent, yet gentle and smooth. I opened his mouth gently with my own, and his tongue entered my mouth, slowly, softly. His hair formed a curtain, a barrier around us that closed off the outside world. I pulled back from his tender lips, my hands still on his shoulders. I moved them, ran them through his long hair lightly as he kissed my neck with wild abandon. Suddenly I looked up, the hairs on the back of my neck on end. He sensed it too, as he stopped and looked around.
 
 “Someone’s here. Someone’s watching us,” he said.
 
 “Go away, quick,” I told him, knowing it had to be Shane. Adam looked at me bewildered and hurt, then abruptly walked away and disappeared into a hidden exit. There would be time to explain to him later. I didn’t want Shane to catch us together, that was my first thought. If he did, I knew it would mean trouble for Adam within the Federation, as Shane did have power over him. Although Shane held no ownership over me, I knew what he was capable of, even back in high school. And under his new, improved exterior I was sure the old Shane still lurked, waiting.
 
 Strangely enough, about ten minutes later Stephanie, not Shane, appeared. I was relieved, yet still held my suspicions that Shane had in fact seen Adam and I together.
 
 “Sorry to leave you up here so long. Family problems,” she shrugged. I had completely forgotten, through the turn of events.
 
 “Oh Steph! Your Grandmother,” I said, standing up and hugging her.
 
 “I didn’t really know her at all, that’s what I regret. I wish I had known her better. But perhaps it’s better this way. I haven’t lost quite so much,” she tried to smile through the tears welling, but failed.
 
 “It’s ok. I’m sure she had a great life. And she’ll die knowing that her daughter and granddaughter are secure and happy,” I soothed, stroking her hair as she sobbed against me.
 
“I’m glad Dad didn’t let us go. I know I sound horrible saying that, but I’d feel like such an intruder, not having known her so well,” Stephanie calmed down. “It’s better if we just get on with work, don’t you think?”
 
 “Yeah, you’re right. Are you ok now?”
 
 “I’m fine, really. But hang on. How did you know about this? I didn’t have a chance to tell you,” she frowned, looking questioningly at me.
 
 “Um…I guessed. Well, I know she’s been sick for a while,” I lied, thinking quickly.
 
 “Oh. Yes, she has. I guess it’s better for her that she doesn’t suffer any more,” Steph accepted.
 
 “Come on,” I said brightly, taking her arm. “Come down and introduce me to all these big strong men I’ve been checking out. And I want to meet Andrew too!”