| CHAPTER 1 |
| Dillan's alarm clock was set for 9:00am. She wakes up startled from the sound, hits the snooze and goes back to bed. Ten minutes later it goes off again and she finally gets up. She picks up her towel amongst all her other clothes scattered on top of her blue bubble chair. She walks to the shower and turns on the water. As she gets undressed she looks at her face in the mirror. She smiled and straightened her hair, "I love myself." After she got out of the shower, she turned on her CD player and turned up the volume. Backstreet Boys come blaring out of the speakers as she sings, using more expression on AJ's parts as gets dressed. "Backstreets back alright! Do do do do." A half hour later, she picks up her keys and jumps in her car, also known as the "Death Trap" by her friends. With the radio blasting, her car's brakes screech to a halt. She arrives at her destination 15 minutes early, as usual. As she walks in the main doors, she passes many familiar places, looking in each available window for a welcoming face to greet. She comes to her destination, and just before she steps foot onto the premises, she takes one look at the sign, Hallmark Gold Crown. This is her job, her life, her second home. As she makes her way to the back of the store, she greets all her fellow employees with a smile that is tattooed to her face. The heavy back door with the word Private written on it opens, and she smiles as she sees management. 'Another day same as the last,' she thought to herself as she put her purse away and took hold of her smock. "How's it going," Carrie, the manager, asked as she took a binder down from one of the shelves above her desk. "Just great," Dillan said still with a smile on her face. "Guess what this is." Carrie held up a package of paper that was folded with a rubber band around it. "Its the plans to change your invitation section." "Yes! Finally," Dillan said with excitement. The day goes by so quickly after her break is taken. By the end of the day, everyone, even Dillan is tired. The Sales Associates are sick of cleaning the shelves, the managers are tired of telling people what to do, and everyone is about to bite off the head of the next customer who doesn't have a Gold Crown Card. But the night is still young. The friendship between this particular Hallmark expands ouside of work. With a crew this size, and friends on the side, there's an endless amount of fun they can have. 'Another day same as the last,' Dillan mumbles to her self as she journeys up the grass to her house at a quarter to eight that night. She shuts the door, puts her purse on the counter, sets her keys on the water cooler, and turns around to find her dogs at her feet. "Go away," she yells as she steps past them to get comfortable on the couch. But the dogs don't give up and come to her as soon as she sits down. "Yea, yea. Okay, hi." "I'm gonna go online, okay," she says to her mom who is hypnotized by the words of the news on the TV. "Welcome! You've got mail," Dillan says cheerily along with her log on to AOL. 'Did he email me back,' she thought in her head. 'Damn it Johnny. Its been over a week. Email me back!' She roams around her desktop and does the usual things: checks in on who's online, chats with her buddies, skips through her boring emails, and keeps up with whatever site has a new quiz. A door opens. No its not a real door. Its the door-opening sound that AOL has when a buddy logs on. Anticipation for one, and one screen name only: Jon E BonoName. She gives a grumble as the newest arrival on her buddy list is that of her best friend, Grace. They chat for a while, mostly about nothing, just what's been happening that day, what their work schedules are, Grace's lastest crush, and if they should do something this weekend. Suddenly, she hears the all familiar tone of an IM (Instant Message). The name is hated by her. The man behind the name is despised. Psycho is a more recognized name she gave him. He is the one that caused her great fear for the internet. He is the one that every girl has to look out for. He is the one that fits the profile of an internet stalker. How did Dillan get mixed up with him? Four words: she is too trusting. She talks to anyone that IMs her, but never initiates the first "hello." Routine words are typed by him. Mean words. Words that Dillan doesn't even listen to anymore. She had almost got him on block when his last message read, "I found where you work." Chapter 2 Featured Stories Main Page |