Chapter 4: Bitter Memory

With Stella...

Stella slowly opened her eyes. She shook her head and whispered, "Was this all a dream?"

She looked around to find herself in a pitch black room. She thought she was on some sort of bed, for she was on something soft. Stella shivered and looked down at herself.

Stella gasped when she saw that she was in a hot pink dress that was very heavy. She felt the top of her head to find a hat that was a lighter shade of hot pink with a long, delicate veil. Stella stood up and walked around blindly.

After a minute of being aware of her surroundings, Stella grew used to the darkness. She felt her way around a pentagon-shaped room and around again. Stella found the door and tried to open it, but, of course, it was locked.

Stella went back to the small bed in the room and sat down on it. She barely got on top of it, for the dress she was wearing was very heavy. Stella whispered to herself, "I remember now why this freak has brought me here..."

She spent a moment in a flashback a while back. Stella suddenly heard footsteps, and her flashback disappeared. She lied down and pretended to be asleep as the door opened, and a crack of light entered the room. Stella heard the footsteps come closer to her, and she held her breath when a paw touched her. Stella then heard these words: "I'm finally back, Stella..."

Stella shot up from her fake sleep to find Jake staring at her. She backed away from him and whispered, "Where is this place?"

Jake said nothing as he reached toward her. "I'm back, Stella...," he whispered as he pulled Stella toward him.

Stella jerked away from Jake. She backed farther away from him and backed against the wall. Jake continued staring at her, and he came once again closer to Stella. Stella tried to push him away, but Jake lifted her and took her out of the room.

Outside the room was a short hallway that Jake took Stella down. He walked into a room a few paces down the hall from the other room and closed the door behind him. Stella wanted to scream, but she somehow could not. She could only continue to look at Jake.

Jake laid Stella down on another bed, and he started talking.

"Stella," he began, "you know why you're here. Remember a while back before you were what you are now? Remember when you lived with your father, a single parent? Remember how I asked for your paw in marriage? Remember how your father said it was alright? Remember how you ran off with that Mike? Remember how you fell in love with him? Remember how you deleted all memory of me? Remember, Stella?"

Stella nodded slowly. She was almost too scared to reply. She only wished she could run away. Stella then heard Jake whisper, "I remember." She screamed loudly and pushed him away from her. Stella could not say anything in particular, she just screamed. Jake frowned and whispered, "Stella, I deserve you. Not that Mike. I asked for you first."

Stella continued to scream as she turned away from him. She sobbed for her and Mike. Stella screamed Mike's name over and over, and she faintly heard Jake leave the room. She kept on screaming until she once again fell into a deep slumber.

At the Bad Hams Place...

Caitlin continuously watched as Mike paced around the living room. Roger was curled up in a ball rocking back and forth on the couch, and Becky was flipping through a magazine furiously. The Numbers continued conversing amongst themselves about the situation.

Mike glanced upward toward the rest of the Bad Hams and remarked, "I remember what that Jake guy looks like. He was light brown and also had sort of a beige color. Didn't we see him in Hamster City? He has to be around here somewhere..."

Becky looked up and retorted, "Why does everyone love Stella? She's just a dumb brat that has her head in the clouds. I'm not like that! I'm actually lovable."

Caitlin nodded and remarked, "Akay, maybe sometimes she can be a brat, but c'mon. She's Stella! No one can live without her, not even you, Becky. We just got to pull together as a team and work together!"

Becky rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Actually, I could live without her..."

Mike frowned and just shook his head. What now? He had no idea what was going to happen next, but he just hoped Stella was alright...

"Whaat eez goeeng to happeen to Miss Stella?" Roger inquired as he turned pale.

Mike paused and turned a pale color of all pale colors. Caitlin glanced around uneasily. Becky snickered, and the rest of the Bad Hams looked confused. Roger closed his eyes and whispered, "Oh, moi..."

"Roger, do not, I repeat, do NOT ever say that again." Mike shook his head and closed his eyes also. "Oh, God, I'm not gonna be able to rest now..."

Caitlin nodded and whispered, "This is why I'm glad I'm not her."

With Stella...

Stella opened her eyes slowly. She felt more light in the room that was so dark before. Stella inched upward and sat up. She could see a bit better, but it was like being in a tent with thick material on a slightly bright day.

Stella shook her head and got off the bed she was on. She walked around looking around the rectangular shaped room. It was merely a room with one window that was covered with an extremely thick canvas stuck over it. She sighed as she paced around.

Stella walked to the door and wondered about it. She shrugged and slightly put her paw on the knob. She turned it slightly, but it was locked. She sighed and leaned back against a wall.

I'm too pretty to be locked up forever..., Stella thought to herself as she looked around. Great, just. This guy prolly has things in mind...God, did I just think what I thought I thought? Oh God...oh, please...no...

Stella turned pale and whispered, "Like, oh, my God..."

She shook her head again. Was she actually thinking what she was actually thinking...?