News & Contests

Official Contest Rules:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

This on-line Contest commences on March 10, 2007 and ends on April 30, 2007. Entries received before March 10, 2007 are
ineligible to win.

Entries must contain the correct answers to all of the questions or parts of questions, as well as your full name, address
and e-mail address (if you have one), and be submitted online via the online Contest form on or before the entry deadline:
11:59 P.M., Pacific Time, on April 30, 2007. Entries received after April 30, 2007 are ineligible to win.

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name as our winner as well as your city and state, and to post your story on the website. The winner will be notified by
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upon the number of eligible entries received.

LIMIT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON OR EMAIL ADDRESS PLEASE. Multiple entries from the same person or email address are
void. Not responsible for entries that are late, misdirected, lost, garbled, or unintelligible, including those due to computer or
network malfunction or congestion and any such entries are ineligible.

Winners will be chosen from all eligible entries. Prizes will be awarded based on the determination of and at the discretion
of the contest judge or judges for stories that place first, second and third in the contest. All prize winning stories (edited at
the website owner's discretion) will be posted on this website. Other entries may be posted at the discretion of the website
owner.

There will only be one (1) 1st prize winner, one (1) 2nd prize winner, and one (1) 3rd prize winner. No transfer or substitution
of prizes will be permitted.

This online contest is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. Contest is void where
otherwise restricted or prohibited. All federal and local taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the prize winners.

Rachel – Raleigh NC

Paul and I were just two kids who grew up in the same neighborhood in Raleigh, NC. We both liked to
fish, hike through the woods, and play baseball. He would pull my hair and trip me in the dirt. But he
always picked me first when we were choosing up sides for baseball and he protected me from bullies
and teasing from our other friends. The summer we turned fifteen, Paul changed from an awkward
gangly boy into a popular muscle building, handsome young man while I remained a too tall ugly
duckling tomboy. I had no boobs, pimples, and no curves to entice boys, but when he didn’t have a
date Paul continued to hang out with me. I think it was because we felt comfortable around each
other and we could always talk and confide in each other about things that had happened to us and
our feelings. Our relationship changed the night before my 17th birthday. We were sitting on my
porch rocking in the swing and discussing our plans for college when Paul suddenly took me in his arms
and kissed me. I was so shocked; I didn’t know what to do. Then he asked me if I would be his girl. I
asked him why, and he said he was in love with me and that he had been for a long time but that he
was scared to tell me because he didn’t want to lose his best friend. From that night on, I was Paul’s
girl which is how everyone in our neighborhood referred to me. It was almost as if I ceased to exist.
But I didn’t mind because in truth, I was Paul’s girl. We made so many memories together—picnics,
the movies and afternoon bike rides through the woods and yes, Paul was my first lover. On the day
we graduated from college, Paul took me to our favorite spot at the river and proposed. I happily
accepted his ring knowing I’d be wearing it for the rest of my life. Three weeks before our wedding,
Paul was killed in a car accident. I was devastated and I wanted was to die so that we could be together
again. For a whole year, I cried every night and prayed for death to take me to him. On the
anniversary of his death, I had just cried myself to sleep when Paul came to me in a dream. He told me
to stop crying. That what we had was special but that it was time for me to find someone else to love
because it was what I deserved. He told me he would always love me and then he disappeared. I never
saw Paul again. Three years later I met another man. We’ve been married for twelve years and I have
two beautiful children. I love my husband…but Paul, my first love, has and will always remain in my
heart.