Chapter 2

Three years later we find a young, free spirited woman who seemed in a rush to be somewhere. She passed and pushed by many different people mumbling "Excuse me!" or "Move!" she was dressed in grey sweat pants and an off the shoulder black tee-shirt.

She sprinted across the crowded street of Manhattan, glancing at her watch her eyes popped open 8:55 it read in blue digital numbers. She was going to be late! She sped up her pace, feeling the humid wind press against her face.

She came to halt as she saw a big 10 story building, she quickly pushed through the doors of the building as she swiftly made her way to the elevator, and every now and then she would glance at her watch and mumble incoherent things to herself.

She pressed the 'up' button on the elevator repeatedly when I wouldn't open. She tapped her foot impatiently and what seemed like forever the elevator finally felt like opening up. Yes! Out stepped about twenty people pushing her down to the ground she made an "Oomph!" sound as she landed on her butt.

How the hell do twenty people fit in one damn elevator! Was what she wanted to know. She was about to push herself up when she heard a voice "Oh are you okay?" it asked dripping with concernment.

She looked up and felt herself get suddenly get lost in this man's emerald green eyes. He was about 6'2 with a slightly built body and dirty blonde hair that almost passed his eyes.

She felt her cheeks burn and she was sure she looked like a tomato. She shook her head and replied with "Y-yeah, fine." He stuck out his hand out and she looked up at him shocked. Since when in New York were people nice? She not wanting to be rude took his hand and he pulled her up.

"Thanks." She mumbled still feeling slightly embarrassed. He just sent her a charming smile "No problem. By the way my name is Isaac." He said taking his hand out. She shook it and grinned up at him "Stella Yamada." She looked down at his silver watch and gasped.

"O my gosh I going to be late! I have to go, bye!" she waved quickly stepping into the elevator. Before the elevator could close he asked "See you around?" She smiled once more and nodded her head just in time before the elevator shut closed.

She closed her eyes as she thought back to the guy she just met, she's been living in New York for three years and never had one boyfriend or even a date. She for some reason couldn't, everytime a guy would ask her out she would reject him and she didn't know why.

She heard the elevator 'ding' open and she quickly stepped out and rushed to the dance studio where she had a class to attend.

She stepped into the dance studio when she heard her dance instructor say to her "Miss Yamada what a pleasure it is to have you finally join us." She winced she knew he was pissed at her as his voice dripped with heavy sarcasm.

Stella smiled sheepishly "I know, and I'm so sorry! I-" The dance instructor lifted his hand up interrupting her, annoyance clearly shown on his face as he said "I don't need any of your excuses just go over there and start stretching."

She mentally rolls her eyes at his attitude but nonetheless nods solemnly and starts making her way to the back of the studio. She hears some of the dancers snicker and she sends them a glare quickly shutting them up.

She smirks triumphantly and starts her stretches. "Why the heck are you late this time?" asked her best guy friend Erik. He stood about 6 feet tall with hazel nut eyes and dark brown short hair, he was well built and an amazing dancer. She met him the first day she came to this dance studio and they immediately clicked.

She shrugged as if it was nothing "Woke up late." He rolled his eyes and sighed "Only you Stella, only you." She giggled as he shook his head in mock disappointment. "What I've only been late like twice…" he gave her a look "Okay maybe three." He was about to respond to that when he was interrupted by her phone going off.

I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation
you're living in the past it's a new generation

A girl can do what she wants to do and that's

What I'm gonna do
An' I don't give a da-

Her eyes widen as she rapidly shut off her ringer. Erik chuckled as the dance instructor turned and glared at her "Stella Yamada!" Stella sent a nasty glare at Erik when he laughed and she felt herself blush the second time that day "Sorry Mr. Williams. I'll turn it off!"

She looked down at her phone in annoyance wondering who the heck would be calling her so early in the morning, well early for her anyways.

One missed call her phone read, she opened it to see who called, she rolled her eyes. Thanks a lot Mo! Even if she lived here in New York and has never been back to Arizona not even for the holidays fearing that she would get herself caught up in the past again and she was not looking forward to that, she still managed to keep in contact with Mo.

She growled softly, Mo knew she was in dance class right about now. What the heck was so important that it couldn't wait? She heard someone clear their throat behind her and her heart dropped.

Her eyes widen and she realized she has been caught sneaking through her phone when she knew she wasn't suppose to. She looked up to her scowling instructor's face and felt herself let out a sheepish smile "Sorry?"

"Phone." He demanded with his hand out, she sighed deeply and gave up her phone. This wasn't going to be an easy day.

"I'm pretty surprised you didn't get in trouble." Erik said as he took a monstrous bite out of his burger, Stella who was sitting across from him with a disgusted look on shrugged.

"Erik, it's not like he can give me detention or something!" she said as she took a bite out of her tofu burger. He rolled his eyes "You know what I mean." He mumbled. She just smiled. They had just gotten out of dance class and decided to grab a bite since they were both starving after the long practice.

It wasn't a big fancy restaurant it actually had a weird country-ish look which was strangely appealing to her. In the back ground they were playing the song 'Speak now' by Taylor Swift, normally she really disliked country music but this song wasn't really bothering her.

She watches as Erik took a sip of his lemonade and memories started flowing back to her. She really missed them, but she couldn't risk visiting them just yet. She sighed. Erik noticed this and gave her a weird look.

"What's up?" He asked. She shook her head "Huh? Oh nothing just thinking." "What about?" She rolled her eyes. "You are so nosy!" he rolled his eyes playfully but gave her a serious look "I'm serious Stella."

She hated how Erik knew her so well. "Nothing really," she didn't want to tell him what she was really thinking about because she never told him about Lemonade Mouth and that she was lead guitarist and if she was going to tell him she didn't want to now. Because then he would ask why she left and blah blah blah.

"I met this guy when I was running late." She said, he suddenly looked very interested he put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands and said in a high pitched voice "Oh do tell! Was he cute? Tell me all the deeds!"

She laughed "Are you sure you're not gay?" he dropped his hand to the table and glared at her "Don't even joke like that. You know I don't swing that way." He deadpanned.

She shrugged "You never know you did help me pick out my outfit for that banquet thing in college last month… and my makeup." She said in a sing-song voice. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I had to; you were planning on wearing skinny jeans and a leather jacket when it was a FORMAL event!" she just laughed even more at his expression. "Whatever you say!" she teased.

He looked annoyed "I can never joke around you can I Stellbell." He says emphasizing the nickname knowing very well at how much she hated that nickname. Now it was her turn to glare at him, he just smirked and said "But anyways, what's this I hear about this guy now?" he raises an eyebrow.

She stopped burning holes into his face as she replied "Just this really cute guy, he had green eyes and his name was Isaac." She shrugged. "So did he ask you out? Did you say yes?" asked a slight eager Erik. He always sees his best friend turning down every guy that asked her out and he didn't know why, he asked once if she had a long distance boyfriend or something but she just replied with a simple 'no' and left it at that.

"No he did not ask me out." he gave her a 'are you serious' look. He couldn't believe it, why wouldn't this guy ask her out? Erik knew that his best friend was beautiful and every guy that she has met always asked her out except for him.

She nodded but she didn't seem bothered by it, she didn't care about dating. Normally when she told people that they would stare at her ridiculously and say 'What? But you're twenty-one!' she would just shrug and not respond.

"But I really don't care." He shook his head "No you need a boyfriend. From the time I've known you I've never seen you with a boyfriend!" she rolled her eyes. Erik was a guy version of Mo in so many ways that it was scary! They could have been fraternal twins for all she knew.

"Do you have a sister?" she asked randomly. He raised an eyebrow "And no I do not swing that way don't even think about it!" he chuckled "No I don't have a sister and why?" she shook her head "Oh nothing it's just that you remind me of one of my friends."

"I remind you of as girl? Oh well that's nice?" he says sarcastically. This boy is so defensive! Reminds her of another someone. "Well no… I mean yes? It's just that you could be like her fraternal twin or something!" he just shook his head in fake disappointment.

I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation
you're living in the past it's a new-

Her phone started again. She gave a quick looked at Erik and stood up "I gotta take this. Be right back." He nodded.

She walked out of the restaurant and stood right outside in front of the window where Erik had the perfect view of her.

"Hello?"

"STELLA!" Stella winced and pulled the phone away from her ear as the girl on the other line continued screaming.

"Mo, Mo! Relax! What's wrong?" she asked rubbing her now sore ear. "Wrong? More like RIGHT!" Stella made a confused looked. Then Mo started screaming again, Stella rolled her eyes and waited until the girl relaxed again.

"Stella!" she heard her name be called out from behind her. She turned around and saw Isaac walking up to her "Oh hey!" she said waving. "Hey!" he replied smiling back at her.

Erik from the window was witnessing this and was pressed his face against the window wanting to hear what was going on knowing that this was the guy she was talking about by the way she looked at him. People around him gave him weird glances most people thinking he looked retarded.

"Ahh!" Mo screamed from the phone. Isaac stared at the phone weirdly; Stella rolled her eyes and sighed "Don't ask me, she hasn't said anything but 'Ahh! Stella!'" Stella said trying to immediate her friend.

Isaac laughed at her imitation. "I'm so glad I got to see you again. I forgot to ask you if you would like to hang out sometime?" he seemed nervous as he scratched the back of his head. She was about to say something when she heard a loud muffled voice come from inside the restaurant.

"Say YES!" Erik yelled from the inside, girls were already surrounding him and looking at the scene before them all sighing dreamily as they thought how romantic it was.

Stella gave him an 'are you for real' look, Erik nodded rapidly and she turned back to look at the still nervous look on Isaac's face. She sighed. Should she say yes? She hasn't had a date in like more than three years. Maybe she should, she did have to move on!

She smiled "I'd love to." He grinned "Awesome! Well this is my number, call me?" she nodded, he gave her one more smile before walking away, and she noticed that when he was walking he had a certain jump to it.

She shook her head and chuckled. "O my gosh Stella!" Mo says on the other line. Stella realized that Mo was still on the line and said "Are you ready to talk then scream?"

Mo nodded from the other line "Okay! I'm getting married!" Stella's eyes flew open. What! Mo was getting married? To who? She didn't even know Mo was dating anyone! Normally Mo would tell her everything especially when it came to dating! Stella felt her heart race just a tad bit.

"T-to who?" she stuttered kind of scared to know who it was.

"CHARLIE! Ahh!"

Stella felt her heart drop. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling this way, she had moved away for this reason and now all her feelings for him were some how returning. So he did move on, well then she should be happy! But why was she sad?

"That's great!" she said in a fake happy voice as she tried her best to hide her disappointment and sadness.

Erik saw her facial expression change and immediately walked outside out of the restaurant forgetting about the hot girls that were still surrounding him.

He didn't know what had happened but he knew he had to comfort his best friend so he walked up to her and threw an arm around her shoulder pulling her in a one arm hug.

"I know! I can't believe this! You have to fly over here to help me plan!" Mo said excitedly, jumping on her king sized bed.

"Of course, when?" Stella said trying to prevent a crack from forming in her voice. "Like um, Monday? Please!" Stella nodded "Sure." Mo beamed and plopped down on her bed hugging her stuffed panda bear Charlie gave her.

"Yay! See you then! Ahh I'm so excited!" "Mo can you please keep it down!" Stella heard a masculine husky voice say in the background. "Sorry Charlie!" Mo replied.

Stella eyes went wide again. That was Charlie? His voice has changed so much! He sounds so more mature now, so different. She wondered if he looked any different.

She felt her heart speed up when she heard his voice, her heart felt like it would explode! Erik saw her mood change and stared confusedly at her but didn't let her go. He was going to be asking her many questions later, you can bet on that!

"Um Mo? I'll call you later, okay?" "Okay Stella!" Mo said before hanging up.

Stella stared at her phone dumbstruck as she felt her eyes start to sting. She didn't know why she was about to cry. This is what she wanted, she should be happy that Charlie is marrying Mo, she should be ecstatic! But she wasn't, all she did was look up at Erik and Erik pulled her in for a big comforting hug as she lets her tears slowly fall down.

Chapter two! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I know it was rushed and maybe confusing but I'll definitely be explaining more about her life in the next few chapters. But I hope you guys liked it anyways… PLEASE review! And tell me what you guys think about it! I love you guys :)