DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.
Hi, everybody :) Whazzup!
This is yet another haven't-updated-in-a-year fic of mine -_- By complete coincidence, I opened this story a few days ago, right on the anniversary of my last update. That made me feel like such a slob, so I thought I'd sit my butt down this morning and spin this chapter up as fast as I can. Hope there are still readers left for this fic...I'll wait and see after I publish this. :p
P.S. The locations in this story are fictional and they may not exist in real life (kinda the point of it being fictitious). They're inserted just to fit the plot. Thank you :D!
*****WARNING*****
***** THIS CHAPTER *MAY* CONTAIN TRIGGERS FOR SOME PEOPLE. DO NOT READ IF YOU'RE EASILY INFLUENCED. PLEASE BE CAREFUL. *****
~ The Same Day - 12:00 PM ~
On the same day, Stella and Musa met in one of the Starbucks shops available on campus.
"Stell, maybe you should just take a breather every once in a while?" Musa suggested.
Stella tossed a dry look at her. "Easy for you to say," she sighed. "You're not the one having to bear all this, Musa."
"Hey, you're the one who involved yourself in this," Musa said while patting the blonde's back. "Or...just get yourself a boyfriend maybe?" she suggested slyly with a playful smirk.
Stella let out a humorous laugh. "Boyfriend? You're kidding, right? Who'll ever want to be my boyfriend?" she asked out loud with a giggle, but she felt her heart wince at her own words. Who was she kidding? Men would rather take her straight to bed than on a date. Not that she was complaining because she's been making really good — and conveniently easy — money while exploiting that exact weakness.
Musa snorted. "I've observed at least three jocks drooling at you since we got here."
"Drooling at my pants, maybe," the blonde rolled her eyes under her breath. That's the only kind of reputation she had amongst known circles.
"I'm serious though! Think about it!" Musa exclaimed in excitement, not giving up on the issue. The blonde hasn't ever really had a boyfriend. She grew up facing difficulties throughout her life. And because of that, she became a fearless, headstrong, and no-bullshit-allowed woman. It was admirable, but with her insistence to stay away from relationships, she hasn't had her fill of romance yet. Which, of course, is depressing.
"Okay, that's enough," Stella shifted uncomfortably. "Can we just change the topic, please?" It's tiring to hear the same thing repeatedly.
"Nope! Not until we find you a nice boy to kiss," Musa snickered. "Wait. What about your own roommate? Any chance of introducing him to me?" she gave a wolfish simper to her best friend, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Stella rolled her eyes. A pity she can't share the same enthusiasm.
Introduce Musa to that jerk? Stella sighed. He already hates her and if he saw Musa, he'll probably hate on her too. Stella checked the time to distract herself. "Gotta go. Thanks for the chat, Muse," she smiled chastely before seizing her things.
Musa lamented with disappointment. "Fine. I'll catch you later," she shrugged as she watched the blonde flee from the coffee shop. "I'm not giving up!" she hollered after Stella, making the blonde toss an annoyed glower over her shoulder on the way out.
Why does she always avoid the subject? Musa thought in vain before finally paying heed to the coffee she ordered ages ago. No matter how many times she shrewdly brought the topic up, there was literally no end to Stella's expertise of maneuvering her way out of it.
Meanwhile...
Stella simply walked towards the building of her next class and decided to just wait it out till it's time. She breathed to herself before wandering around casually. Taking out her earphones, she plugged some music in before tuning out the world.
Musa's not-so-subtle encouragements of pursuing love are growing even more prevalent. Not to mention vexatious. Stella's eyes dimmed wistfully as she looked around the campus. So many couples strolled around her while she stood out like the black ewe with nowhere to go. In her world, there's no place for love. There hasn't been one for years. Why start now? She's been trapped in her own madness for years and it was nowhere near finished.
While (because of some magical reason) she has become a sort of a teachers' pet academic-wise, she became a total social outcast in life. Way back in high school, she used to be popular, not-so-much socially awkward, and easy-going. Things changed after graduation. And of course, that was her own doing. She stayed away from the popular and mean clubs and didn't interact closely with anyone. Not anymore anyway...
And besides...
Who will even take the time to love a whore like me? She thought sadly. Who will look at her as her? Her own roommate can't stand the sight of her. He never restrains to express his disgust and contempt at her. But...deep down, she sort of respected him in a strange, weird way. He's not like other men. He seemed to have a respect for himself and even for women instead of throwing himself at any slut that struts his way.
I suppose he's a good kid. She smiled faintly to herself before shaking her head and continuing to walk.
~ That Same Night - 12:50 AM ~
"'Night, 'night," Stella whispered before getting off the faceless stranger's body. She honestly couldn't give a flying flip about the name or face. She did the usual by throwing the male's clothes around in a messy pile before adjusting herself and grabbing her things. With a smirk, she grabbed the money on the table before surreptitiously slipping out of the apartment.
She took the long way to the dorm. She wanted to enjoy the night to herself and take the time in to breathe the freedom she always felt on a night like this. It was just...
One night after the other...
And then it was just...one more...one more...and one more...
...A never-ending cycle of deceit and humiliation...
She sighed to herself. "Sorry, mom," she whispered to herself with ashamed eyes. "...But this is the only way I know how."
After a long while...
~ 1:30 AM ~
Stella entered her room, exhausted out of her mind. She just wanted to head to sleep and dream about nothing. She breathed in the enriching freedom and relished the relief her room gave her. She immediately kicked off her shoes and threw her bag aside. Looking around, she saw that her jerk of a roommate is nowhere to be seen. "Guess it's my lucky day," she beamed with enthusiasm.
No more I'm-so-much-better-than-you glare, no more lectures—
"You wish," a deep chuckle greeted her, scaring the living daylights out of her.
Stella jumped in fright when the bathroom door opened suddenly. Her fright soon turned to boredom as the surprise wore off almost instantly when her wicked roommate walked out with a delirious smirk on his face, gracing the room with his unneeded presence.
Ugh. Spoke too soon.
He eyed her from top to bottom while she narrowed her eyes at him. Excuse you, she glared at his pensive staring. Didn't anyone teach him that staring was RUDE?
"I thought we had an agreement," he started, his tone already including an accusing edge to it.
"What agreement?" she asked in confusion, putting her hands on her hips. She didn't remember agreeing to dictatorship.
"Get your ass inside by eleven o'clock or the doors slam on your face," he said crossly with presumed authority.
"Well, nothing slammed in my face yet, so I'm good," she smirked, giving him a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes a second later before completely ignoring him. Same old routine, she shook her head. He really needs another nose to poke his own business, given he can't stay out of mine.
Brandon narrowed his eyes with depreciation. "You should learn to follow the rule."
"Ahhh. The one you made up and enforced without my consent? Then how about this one? I can come in and go whenever I want and you'll mind your own business. How's that for a rule?" she sarcastically smiled sweetly before shooting him a small glare. "Now if you're done fussing, I need to cash in a few hours of sleep," she held her head up high before jostling past him and taking a set of pajamas for changing.
Chafing at her response, he folded his arms in ire. Fussing?! Brandon scoffed. He glared at her. He was being reasonable! Just how DARE she? I'm not fussing!
Yes, you are, his subconscious rolled its eyes at him. He huffed. Okay.
Okay, fine!
He was probably making a huge fuss out of little things. He had a good defense though. When you see a person you're clearly frustrated by and they're walking in front of you all the time, you'll find just about any excuse to belittle them. It was maybe childish but at this point, his massive ego was just too wounded.
He sighed before deciding to just retire for the night. It was pointless arguing with her. She always had biting comebacks that were sharp enough to cut through tree trunks. She barely looked fazed by anything that he wondered if she was even a female. Girls usually show signs of vulnerability, don't they? This girl apparently didn't.
He'll show her. He'll show her just how annoying her habits really are. It's her room, right? Good. In that case, it's his room too. So far, she was the only one who carried out her revenge by drenching him in his own bed and now this? He didn't show her his power yet. And he had way welled things to do than childish pranks. He'll find a way to annoy her without as much laying a finger on her.
Well, you bimbo, just wait and watch what happens tomorrow, he smirked at his impending victory. I'll show you exactly how fussy I am.
~ The Following Morning - 7:00 AM ~
Stella suddenly stirred in her sleep and to her surprise, it wasn't her alarm that woke her up. She sat up with a shriek when she heard raucous music suddenly exploded in the room. "What the hell?!" she screamed and clutched her heart frantically when she heard speakers abruptly go off on top of her bed, scaring the living bejeezus out of her.
She glared in annoyance when she heard a deep roar of laughter from the jackass, who was peeping down on her from her bed with amusement. "Good morning, sunshineeee!" he laughed hysterically before falling back on the bed like the pig he is.
Stella breathed in and out and pushed her locks back before getting up from the floor. The music was playing with trumpeting crescendos, showing no signs of slowing down. She instantly sped to the bathroom before slamming the door behind her, ignoring his amused laughter. "Grr...that...that jerk!" she blasphemed, kicking the door angrily. She tried to calm herself. He was getting her back for last night, no doubt. Well, she's not one to back down easily.
Childish rascal, she cursed. She freshened up, hoping he'll stop that horrendous, heavy metal music in the meantime. She wondered why the hell no one barged through their doors open and demanded him to shut up. It was barely seven in the morning. While some people may be up, she didn't think anyone appreciated too much sound pollution in the mornings. Splashing her face with cool water, she breathed in and out.
She stepped out a quick ten minutes later, obviously in better shape than she was when she woke up. She wasn't going to show him that he got the upper hand. But, to her irritation, it's kind of hard to do that when there's punk music destroying the peace in the room.
She turned to him and instantly scoffed when she saw him on his headphones. Why use both speakers and headphones?! "Are you flippin' serious right now?!" she grimaced, marching up to him. "Brandon, stop!" Stella howled in exasperation before covering her ears. "It's annoying!" And painful!
Ha! Gotcha! He raised his head with a delighted smirk before giving her a winning smile. "It's my room too, and I can do whatever I want," he huffed with pride before turning back to play his music out loud.
"Please. Stop," she sighed restlessly. She already had a headache, to begin with, and his pettiness is not helping! Why is he always insistent on picking a fight with her?! Is this really about last night? As far as she knew, she didn't make a racket when she entered yesterday. Whether he believed it or not, she tried to be as quiet as possible for the sake of *gag* him. She had common sense. She knew people might be asleep past midnight, and she was quiet!
"Are you that petty that you have to fight with me every single day?" she asked incredulously with an unbelievable sigh.
He looked up at her with a sneer, obviously enjoying her irritation. "You know me so well already."
She narrowed her eyes at him into a glare. Her patience is pathetically hanging on a thread. She needed some peace and quiet right now or she'll lose her sanity.
He promptly turned over on his stomach, expertly ignoring her and silently ordering her to get lost.
"Okay, that's it. I've had enough of you!" she fumed, but to her heightened frustration, he ignored her again before covering his ears with his headphones. Why does he need headphones AND speakers?!
She looked around the room for some way to shut his tantrum up when a light bulb went off in her idea. Grinning evilly to herself, she skipped to the bathroom. She looked over her shoulder to make sure he's not in view before taking out two random, empty mugs from the cupboards and filling them both with cold water. How very unoriginal, she giggled to herself. She did the same thing on their first night here, but it was so effective! She had to sleep on the floor, of course, but it was totally worth it! With the racket he's making, she'd be damned if she didn't use this idea again. In the early mornings, cold water is not a friend to anyone. "He's lucky I'm not in a mean mood this morning," she snickered to herself. Otherwise, she would've filled another bucket to drench him in.
Without blowing another second, she rushed back to the room. It gave her such an advantage that he was turned over on his stomach. "Heh," she giggled. "So...you won't be turning down the music? This is your last chance, buddy," she smirked, holding the mugs right over his body, upturned.
"Piss off, you dumb blonde," he snubbed her before closing his eyes and moving his head around in sync with the beat.
The answer didn't make her mad. Not at all. In fact, she actually hoped he would say no because she didn't want her mugs to be wasted. Without another second, she flipped them over, toppling the cold water right on top of him.
She started to laugh when his body jerked violently as he instantly sat up with a surprised grunt. "WHAT THE HELL?!" he howled as the cold water seeped through his clothes and drenched his skin. The water trickled down his hair and escaped through his back and chest, making him feel absolutely disgusted and uncomfortable.
Stella continued giggling at his incredible expressions of shock and disbelief. "Oops! My bad," she smiled sweetly at him before letting the mugs linger for a few more seconds to get the last drops out. His incredulous expressions of trauma and surprise made her stifle a few laughs before she finally erupted into a fit of giggles.
"I should've done this sooner. If I can't sleep in my own bed, neither can you," she giggled, slinging the empty mugs around her fingers.
He didn't appreciate her humor. In fact, her happiness right now only pissed him off. His eyes turned feral dark immediately when she started laughing like the bitch she is. He sat up straight instantly as she laughed at the expense of his dignity. "How dare you?!" he hissed as the cold water unceremoniously traveled down his back, wetting his shirt and making him even more uncomfortable.
Her evil laughter turned into an amused smirk as she stood proudly in front of him. "Awwwww, is the big, bad wolf butt-hurt?" she smirked with a mockingly baby voice. She mentally patted her back for the spontaneous alliteration comeback. He started first!
He raised an eyebrow before standing up sharply at her smart-ass reply. "You need to grow the hell up," he growled while walking like a predator towards her.
Her face turned serious as well but she didn't lower down her stance nor back away from him. "And you need to pull your head right out of your ass," she hissed back, not in the least bit intimidated. "Only half of this room belongs to you, you prick!"
"Who the hell do you think you are?" he snapped. "This isn't your fucking home to do whatever you want."
She snorted. What a hypocrite. "Sorry to burst your bubble, hon, but it is. I paid for this room and until the term is up, it IS my home," she rolled her eyes.
He raked an irritated hand through his hair. A few strands fell over his eyes as she absentmindedly watched a few droplets travel down them and linger at the tips. "Stupid little bitch," he grumbled under his breath but loud enough for her to hear.
She scoffed in disbelief. "Bitch? Are you serious? You don't know anything about me," she fired back defensively.
He jeered. "Really? I don't? You're nothing but a whore," he spat angrily with blazing eyes. "That's what you are. A whore. W-H-O-R-E. A complete BITCH that no one gives a crap about. What more do I need to know?"
A low gasp escaped her throat while her eyes remained wide at his harsh, cruel words. Tears swirled in her eyes and she instantly looked down at her feet, not wanting him to see her cry. His words hit a nerve. A very PAINFUL nerve. His words cut through her soul and she felt like her heart's been ripped out of her chest.
"Wonder how your folks would feel seeing their daughter become a celebrity escort around campus," he scoffed, his eyes blazing golden with disgust. "Look in the mirror before you decide to point fingers."
In that entire gaze, he and his violent words reminded her of all of her obscured injuries and masked weaknesses, but most of all...he slaughtered whatever self-esteem she had up till now. With shattered confidence, she staggered a step backward. She turned away from him as tears welled in her eyes.
Without another word, she walked towards her closet to get ready for class. As if she cared about it right now. Without even bothering to see what she's picking out, she grabbed the first things she saw and went to the bathroom to change or shower. She didn't care. She wanted to leave right now.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he snapped just as she reached to touch the knob. "Thanks to you, I'm drenched. So, if you can move, I can go," he growled, refusing to be anywhere near her.
Stella instantly let go of the knob and turned away silently. She made sure to cover her face. She didn't want him to know that she was crying, hiding behind the curtains of her hair. She winced when she heard him march inside and slam the door shut on the way. The second he closed the door behind him, the lump she had been trying so hard to swallow burst forth before she fell to the floor in tears. She drew her knees to her chest and silently cried between them. She never felt this trashy before. She never felt so worthless before. She never had anyone talk to her this way. It's as if...she's beneath worthless that using the word would actually be a compliment to her.
And worst of all...she felt as if she deserved it.
A few hours later...
~ 11:00 AM ~
Musa sat at one of the tables at the coffee shop she and Stella always met in. It was their meeting place every day, considering they didn't get to be roomies anymore. She eyed the door expectantly for her best friend, but the blonde was nowhere in sight. That's odd, Musa shrugged while checking the time. The blonde is actually late. Maybe she just got caught up in something? Musa thought. A small part of her worried slightly, mostly because Stella always was punctual in everything (except anything academic-related, of course) and she would've informed if something did come up. Not just that, but Musa had a tendency to worry about Stella because of the things she gets herself mixed up into.
"Speak of the devil!" Musa grinned when her phone conveniently buzzed. A picture of both of them popped up on the caller ID. "Hey, Stel. What's up?" Musa spoke into the phone. "Aren't you gonna come?"
On the other end of the line, Stella stayed silent for a few moments. "Hi," she said wistfully.
Musa blinked at the dull tone. "Are you okay? Are you sick?" she asked in slight concern.
"Yeah, um..." Stella pulled the phone away from her ear, trying to swallow a sob. "I don't feel too well, so I'll see you tomorrow," she managed to say with a heavy voice.
Assuming Stella was just under the weather, Musa didn't think anything else of it. "Do you want me to bring you some soup? Maybe some chicken noodles?"
Stella's eyes burned with tears. She didn't deserve such a good friend. She was worth nothing, yet she had a friend who worried about her well-being. "Thank you, Musa," Stella whispered into the phone. Overcome with too much emotion, tears cascaded down her cheeks.
"For what?" Musa's eyes narrowed into concern. "Stell? Are you okay?"
At that tone, Stella's dam broke as she let out a choked sob. "No," she cried before placing her head into her knees.
"Stell, what's wrong?" Musa asked in shock, standing up immediately. "Where are you?"
The blonde couldn't reply. "I'm sorry," she simply said. "I just...I have to go," she sniffled before the phone loosely slid down her throat before finally falling into her lap. She cut the phone off before sobbing in anguish at what happened this morning.
Musa gasped at the freaky response. "Hello?!" she nearly shouted before standing up in a haste, grabbing the unwanted attention from nearby customers in the shop. They looked at her with irritation and bemusement. She bit her tongue before mouthing a quick apology to them before making a beeline for the exit, leaving her iced white chocolate latte forgotten behind. Concerned, she raced out the doors before galloping towards Stella's dorm room, which was a few blocks away. Musa's heart brayed with perturbation. Stella is her closest friend. The blonde was also the most troubled individual Musa had ever come across in her life and that's why the latter worried so much. With a worried sigh, Musa moved her feet as fast as she could. Meanwhile, her fingers tapped furiously on her phone to dial Stella back. The blonde's clear lack of respect to answer the damn phone only incensed Muse's already increasing ire.
A few minutes later, she sighed in relief when the residential buildings came into view. She barged straight into Stella's, startling a few residents who were already occupied with their own things. She dashed left and right and flew down the end of the halls before the room number caught her eye.
"Stell!" Musa panted as she barged straight through the door, not really caring that the room wasn't empty at the moment.
Brandon's nose was buried in a book as he sat on the floor with his back attached to his bed. His hair, freshly washed just this morning, shaggily fell over his eyes. He was changed into something a lot more comfortable than the drenched clothes. His peace was rudely interrupted as he looked up in surprise when a loud commotion exploded out of nowhere. Brandon blinked, startled when he saw the door being barged open. His eyes widened when he saw Musa enter the room, looking completely disheveled. "Musa?" he blinked at her dramatic entrance before slowly standing up. She was panting and signaled a finger to him to let her catch her breath. He shrugged and slowly walked towards her. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern. "Are you okay?"
Musa fanned her face before nodded. "I'm fine." She gasped suddenly when she saw whom she was actually talking to. "Wait," Musa gaped right back at him. "Brandon?! What are you doing here?" she squeaked with wide-eyed surprise. "...You're Stella's roommate?!" she yawped at the revelation.
He recalled seeing Stella and Musa hug the life out of each other just the other day. Musa must be here for that girl. Seeing that it was somehow related to his insignificant roommate, he relaxed before shrugging uncaringly. "Unfortunately, yes," he rolled his eyes with a rude snort before moving back to mind his own business again.
Musa stared at him. Wait...so...this was the jerk Stella's been having issues with this whole time? All this time and she never knew that her best friend's roommate is none other than one of her own closest friends!
Wow. The world really is a small place.
Musa shook her head vigorously. She didn't have time for that right now. "Wait," Musa stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Have you seen Stella?!" she asked in concern. "Do you know where she went?"
"Why would I?" Brandon rolled his eyes before going back to mind his own business. Seeing the 'cut-the-attitude-and-answer-me-or-else' glare Musa tossed his way, he coughed. "Um. No. I don't," he shook his head. And why is that a problem anyway? She's probably whoring around as usual. "Why?" he asked with lethargic ennui.
"Look, she's not answering my calls. And...she sounds like she's really upset," Musa said, turning to him for help. "Did something happen between the two of you by any chance?"
Brandon turned to her. No...he blinked. Not anything out of the ordinary...right...? "Um..." he trailed off, wondering how to answer the question.
"Brandon!" Musa gasped before hitting his arm.
"Okay, okay!" he frowned, rubbing his arm. "We had a fight this morning. Happy now? But we always fight," he protested, defending himself. He sure as hell didn't say anything she didn't deserve. Uh...maybe not...? But he didn't really think it would upset the blonde! That girl doesn't have any emotions. He coughed before looking around everywhere but at Musa, who was busy glaring daggers at him. Lord, girls can be scary when they're angry.
"You bastard," she cursed. But she didn't have time to deal with this right now. "Well, she ran away somewhere and she sounded upset!" Musa said, repeating herself very much like a broken record.
"She ran away? What is she? Ten?" Brandon laughed, thinking Musa was just exaggerating. Seeing another serious death glare from Musa, Brandon blinked. "Wait, seriously?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes, you ass!" Musa replied with a snarky tone before hitting his arm again.
"Ow, stop doing that!" Brandon flinched as her palm harshly slapped against his skin. "Fine, whatever. I'll help. Where do you think she went?" he asked somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't used to worrying about this girl.
"I don't know," Musa replied dumbly.
"Well, you are her best friend," Brandon said with a roll of his eyes, stating the obvious. "Call her," he shrugged.
"I did. She's not answering my calls," Musa said with a tired sigh.
"...Okay, let me try. What's her number?" Brandon asked with an unhappy sigh, whipping out his phone from his pockets.
After Musa gave him the number, Brandon hit 'dial' and put it on speaker. The phone rang a few times before Stella apparently answered it.
"Hello?" her confused voice patched through.
"Stell!" Musa exclaimed in relief and took the phone from him. "Oh thank god you're okay! Why the hell weren't you answering your damn phone?!" she demanded with an angry pout.
"Erm..." Stella coughed. "I told you I'm fine. I wanted to be alone," she said with a dull tone. "And whose phone is this anyway?" she asked, bamboozled with bemusement.
Crossing his arms, Brandon tapped his foot impatiently. He glared at the phone. This was taking way too long. With a restless sigh, he snatched the phone from Musa. "Stella, get your ass back here right now," he demanded into the phone.
A long-drawn pause ensued. "Go to hell," she snapped into the phone, her tongue instantly turning acrid. Stella gave her phone a noxious glare. If looks could kill, this thing would've been vaporized by now.
"I will, right after you come here," Brandon rolled his eyes. "Better yet, we'll go together. Where are you?"
Musa threw up her hands in an incredulous scoff. Who taught him how to talk!?
Brandon dismissed her astonishment. He simply rolled his eyes before grabbing Musa's arm and his keys. "Keep her talking," he mouthed as she nodded. They went out of the room before heading towards the parking lot. Brandon got in the driver's seat of his car while Musa hopped in beside him.
"Look, Stell, just come back to the campus. Where are you?" Musa asked pleadingly.
"Please. Just leave me alone," the blonde asked softly. "I'll be back later tonight."
With that, Stella cut the call immediately and the car was filled with silence at once.
"What now?" Musa shook her head as his phone fell into her lap.
"Well, she did say she'll be back tonight. So, maybe we should just go back," Brandon suggested.
Musa tossed him a small glare before punching his shoulder. "What kind of a friend are you?!" she asked.
"You're my friend," Brandon pointed. "She's...well, she's something else," he shrugged with an immature snort.
Musa shook her head, deciding to have a chat with this guy the second she finds her friend.
"Look, where the hell am I going again?" Brandon groaned as he drove aimlessly around the campus. "Is there any place that she goes to when she throws temper tantrums like this?" he asked.
"Okay, first, she's not throwing a tantrum," Musa immediately defended with a disapproving scowl. "And second, she..." she trailed off in thought. If Stella's not in the university, then... "Oh, wait! Try the woods!" she instantly suggested, wondering why she hasn't thought of this before.
"Why there?" he raised an eyebrow but obeyed her anyway.
Knowing Stella's tendency to take a walk in the woods whenever she's upset or just lonely or bored, Musa guessed that it was a highly likely possibility that that's where she's at right now. Brandon shook his head at the explanation before shrugging and driving. A few miles later, after spotting a familiar dirt road, Musa told him to pull the car off the road and park it to the side.
The two got out of the car before Brandon started complaining again. "Are we seriously doing this, Musa?" he sighed in exasperation, staring at the dense forest. "She did say she'll be back in the evening," he stressed.
Musa punched his shoulder. "She's most likely here because of you, so you're helping me whether you like it not," she huffed. "You go that way and I'll go this way," she instructed, taking off in the opposite direction.
Brandon instantly grabbed her arm. "Are you kidding?! What if we both get lost?! And what if she's not even here in the first place?" he asked incredulously, firing her with questions. "Why not just call the police and call it a day?" Brandon suggested helpfully. AND get her ass to an asylum while we're at it, he snorted internally.
Musa's eyes widened. "NO!" she screamed automatically, silencing him at once. "We can't call the police," she breathed, making Brandon look at her with a curious suspicion.
"Um...why?" he inquired.
"This isn't really a police matter now, is it?" Musa asked, giving him a nervous laugh. "We're not calling the police," she repeated again. "Let's just go."
Brandon stared at her suspiciously before shrugging. "Fine then," he rolled his shoulders before they both separated, taking off in the opposite directions. "Stay in touch," he hollered over his shoulder and he heard a hum in response. He sighed. He still thought splitting up was a bad idea. Riven would kill him if he finds out. As big of a jerk and asshole Riven is, one can't deny the soft spot he has for his girlfriend.
"Where the hell am I even supposed to go?" the brunet grumbled, looking around him. Everything looked the same! The forest wasn't that big or that deep but it was pretty dense. With careful treads, he climbed in and out of ditches and ventured further into the woodlands.
He wondered if she really "ran away" because of him. Was he really that harsh? Granted, it's not something he'd ever say to anyone but he didn't think she'd really be affected. It's just that she didn't care shit about anyone, so he didn't think much of it. But if she really did take it to heart...then may he be damned to hell.
It's been a whole fifteen minutes since he entered the woods and he was beginning to feel restless. He sighed, wondering how far he should be going before he can spot a dash of blonde. "C'mon, blondie, show yourself," he murmured. He didn't want to be here any longer than he had to. He wondered if Musa had any better luck than him—
He stood still when he heard a familiar ringtone, but one that was extremely faint. He held his breath and strained to hear the song. He knew that ringtone. Stella's, his eyes widened as he recognized it clearly. He instantly stopped thinking and moved towards the sound, hoping her phone will continue ringing. However, it disappeared after he jogged a few feet. A minute later, he listened as the phone rang once more. Musa must've been trying to call her. He hurriedly moved towards the sound as it grew louder.
Two minutes later, Brandon found himself walking in the direction of the ringtone he heard earlier. He didn't hear it anymore. He guessed the blonde either switched her phone off or Musa just gave up calling. Probably the former. He didn't even bother calling, guessing she probably blocked his number by now.
After walking and nearly getting beat up in the face by rude branches, Brandon found himself glaring at the clearing in front of him. He tapped his foot impatiently, wondering just how long it would take her to notice his presence. She sat under a tree's canopy which was overlooking a stream that was meters away. "I wonder if you think about anyone but yourself," he suddenly said, making his presence known.
Clearly startled, Stella yelped as she sharply turned around before standing up abruptly. She gaped at his presence before her face was composed with indifference. Her eyes were so distant and aloof that the coldness sent a faint chilling shiver down his spine. Not that he'd admit it. "What part of 'leave me alone' didn't you understand?" she asked slowly, her molten gold eyes icing over with rancor.
"Clearly all of it," he shrugged, trying not to let her glacial eyes affect him. "Now that you had your moments, it's time to go," he snapped his fingers, pointing back in the general direction of the car.
Stella stared at him with frosty eyes, her face giving nothing away. Yet. Does he not remember what happened earlier this morning? Does he still not realize the weights of his words? Does he really not realize what an impact hurtful words can have on others? Whatever...profession she's in, she's still a human. "Escort" or whatever demeaning term he used against her...didn't he think she knew that? The world isn't full of sunshine and rainbows. He hasn't seen anything yet. Not as much as she has. The world isn't a beautiful meadow with crystal skies and plenty of sunshine. It was a battlefield, where only the strongest will live and the weakest will fade away. Survival of the fittest. A pity he didn't know that and thought differently.
He remained quiet for a moment as the gaze of her sharp features pierced his confidence. A little. Just a little. "...Are you really here because of what I said this morning?" he asked, flipping the tables on her.
Her eyes widened at his question as she momentarily appeared startled. "...No," she lied, denying his claim firmly. She wasn't going to let him think that his talk had some kind of hold on her. Despite him throwing his words around like a tyrant, she wasn't going to be broken by them. Not in front of him, at least.
"Then there's no reason for you to be here," he retorted right on cue, stepping closer to her. "So, let's go," he said firmly.
She instinctively took a step back in response to his advancing strides. "You stay away from me," she seethed, putting her hand up.
Brandon stared at her with frustration. Did she have any idea what he had to go through to get here? First, he was mobbed by her best friend, forcibly (he'd say illegal) roped into this lost-and-find shenanigan, and finally cursed to be in front of the same girl who isn't willing to budge an inch! "Your friend is out there, worried sick about you, so, you're going with me whether you like it or not," he declared, advancing towards her.
"The hell?!" Stella gasped as he walked towards her like a predator creeping up onto its prey. "Leave me alone!" she shrieked as he neared her before grasping her wrist.
"Stella, stop being immature!" he shouted, raising his tone to match hers. "Do you have any idea how worried Musa is about you?!" he said incredulously.
"Well, I don't care!" she snapped with sheer anger in her eyes before freeing her wrist and making a 180-degree turn and bolting in the opposite direction.
Brandon blinked as he stood stunned for a second. "...So...that's what Musa meant by running away," he scratched his head in confusion. Or was it shock?
He sent Musa a quick text, keeping his eyes fixated on the rapidly retreating blonde.
Found her; meet me at the car.
Brandon placed his phone back in his pockets before his feet moved in hot pursuit. This was just as ridiculous as it sounded. Whenever he heard of guys chasing girls, he never once thought he'd be doing the literal version of it. "Stella, wait!" he called after her as he tailed the flash of blonde. At this rate, she'll hurt herself somewhere serious. And even though he didn't particularly like her, he didn't want to be responsible for something like that.
Stella looked over her shoulder and saw the jerk gaining on her. Angry tears swirled in her eyes as she kept running. Her blood pumped her with newfound adrenaline, enabling her run fiercely and as fast as she could in the dense thickets. She never ventured this far into the woods before, so, even she didn't know where she was going. Seconds later, Stella gasped as her strides slowed when she saw a ravine up ahead.
"What a timing!" Brandon's eyes lit up as he sighed in relief.
She stopped short when she saw that she neared the edge of the small cliff. She looked down at the swirling black waters before contemplating on what to do. The current wasn't too strong, and it wasn't that big of a height. She'll live. If not...well...erm...bummer? "Then I guess I'll see you sooner than I thought, Mom..." she whispered with a sigh before dashing forward in an attempt to escape.
Oh, she better not...Brandon's face instantly paled. What the absolute f—?! "Stella, stop!" he found himself screaming as his heart seized in panic. Oh my god, she's nuts! With raw adrenaline pumping into him, he covered distance between them almost instantly before his hand coiled firmly around her wrist before another arm flew around her waist.
Stella shrieked when the arm around her waist lifted her up a good foot above the padded soil. "Eeep!"
"What the hell are you doing?!" Brandon growled angrily before tossing her backwards, hard against a tree. His heart raced in total panic. His eyes turned jet black in pure anger as he gave her a death glare for her not-so-funny and ridiculously dangerous stunt.
She let out a surprised and pained cry as her body hit the trunk of a tree before falling to the floor with imbalance. She shook her head, reorienting her dizzied senses. She looked up, glaring at him wildly before standing up. "No, what are you doing?!" she shouted back. "Can't a girl go for a swim in peace?!" she bickered with immaturity. At this point, she just wanted a reason to be as far away from him as she can.
Is this girl kidding me? He blinked, his anger fading slowly at her remark. He raised an eyebrow at her before peering into the river below them. It was a couple of feet below and it didn't really look jumping-friendly. Plus, the current was a little too strong. "Kinda too high up to be going on a swim, don't you think?" he snorted with a smirk before looming over her.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," she muttered under her breath. Scowling at his logic, she scoffed. "I said...Leave. Me. Alone!" she growled before raising her foot to kick him hard on his shin.
"Shit!" He let out a startled grunt before raising his knee up to clutch it tightly. "Why you little...!" he glared at her before advancing forward precariously.
Stella breathed hard, not at all regretting her move. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she glared just as viciously at him. She honestly never hated anyone this much before. And that's really saying something. "I'd rather die than go anywhere with you," she stubbornly refused to leave.
Brandon raised an eyebrow before staring at her for a hard moment. "Now what kind of man would I be if I can't fulfill a girl's wish? That can certainly be arranged," he snorted before dragging her towards the edge forcibly. "There you go. Go on and jump," he mocked, tightening his grip on her arm to make sure she didn't really fall.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" she squealed. "What are you doing?! Let me go!" Stella yelped in panic, holding on to his sleeve tightly.
"Should I?" he teased while wiggling her arm a little.
Her eyes widened. "No, no, no! Pull me back!" she cried, her heart flying out of her chest in fear.
Brandon chuckled before immediately pulling her back to safety. She crashed into his arms. Almost instantly, she repulsively pushed him away before glaring at him in disgust.
"You fucking psycho!" she yelled, clutching her racing heart.
"Then don't threaten to die," he smirked. "It's not as easy as you think, you sweet little bimbo," he said, patting her head as if she's some five-year-old.
But she didn't find it funny. If anything, it only made her angrier. "You're a disgusting FREAK," she slandered him. She pushed his arms away as if they burned her. "Why do you care?! Why can't you just leave me alone?!" she screamed with angry tears glistening in her eyes.
He fell still, resorting to silently glare at her. Doesn't she understand what could've happened at her rash decision to jump off? At best, she would've broken her legs. At worst, she'd already be on her way to hell by now. This girl was insane. She clearly had some kind of mental issues that disabled her from seeing reason and having a little thing called common sense. And he knew that if this conversation continues any further in the ridiculous direction that it's already going in, he'll lose it completely. "You. Back to the car. And I don't want to hear another peep out of you," he hissed lowly with dire warning to his tone. He grabbed her arm again to emphasize his point. "Let's go," he growled.
Stella scoffed. Just who did he think he is? "No," she stubbornly said before trying to wiggle her arm free. "And dude, don't freaking touch me!" she hissed, rubbing her arm as if he's some plague.
Brandon glared at her, too pissed to say anything that's not out of line. "...Fine then. You leave me no other choice," he growled before turning on his heel, giving her the impression that he might just be leaving, but he proved her wrong when he abruptly turned again and threw her over his shoulder, resulting in a surprised yelp from her.
Stella shrieked as her world flipped upside down in the moment's time. Quite literally. Her vision blurred for moments before she started to get her senses back. "How dare you!?" the blonde immediately lashed out, screaming over her shoulder. She started to wiggle her legs around in an attempt to resist this barbaric assault. As a response, he held her legs tightly together, disabling her from moving the bottom portion of her body. With a satisfied smirk, he continued to march down the path towards the car. "Put me down!" she squealed, hitting his back with her fists.
"Stay still and I just might," he frowned, trying to get her to stop beating the crap out of him. As much as he hated to admit it, this girl can really pack a feisty punch.
She growled at him but obeyed him anyway. "There," she grumbled with a pout. "Now put me the hell down!" she demanded.
"Say please," he mocked.
She glared at him. Clearly, he was having way too much fun with her. "Please, asshole!" she screamed, losing her patience.
He chuckled in humor. "Nice try, but you're gonna have to be nicer," he smirked. "Let's work on that, shall we?"
"This is assault and invasion of privacy. You could go to jail for this," the blonde threatened.
"I think me saving you from a case of drowning to death nullifies all charges against me," he retorted with a winning smirk.
Stella's glare turned brutal. Oh, if only looks could kill...
Seeing Brandon's text, Musa sighed in immaculate relief as she turned to go back to the car. She frowned to herself, wondering what caused Stella to be so upset. The blonde secluded herself often and went on long walks in the woods. When asked why, she'd just reply that sometimes, life catches up with you. So, Musa never asked anymore. Until today. Whatever had happened, it had gone too far. If Musa hadn't known Stella's circumstances, she definitely would've went along with Brandon's suggestion to call the police. But...she knew.
Reaching the car minutes later, Musa made up her mind to find her best friend a nice boyfriend or something. Honestly, she can't even remember what Stella used to be like. It was so long ago. Years ago. The blonde used to live her life. Really live her life. Since a young age, Stella had always known how to have fun and how valuable each moment was. She turned each moment into a precious memory. If anyone sees her today, who would even believe that the Stella they're seeing used to be a completely different person? She lost one of her best qualities: her optimism. She turned into a cold, ruthless, and fearless woman. Her hazel eyes, which once shone with love and joy now burned with determination and willpower. While those are all admirable qualities to have in this harsh world, Musa missed her best friend.
Musa sighed to herself and leaned against the car when she heard screaming in the distance. Something that sounded eerily familiar as the sounds grew closer. Her jaw dropped open at the sight that befell on her.
"Put me down, you ugly oaf!" Stella shrieked while tirelessly hitting his back repeatedly. Even though it kinda hurt and wasn't totally invisible, he continued to chuckle and and let her pretty little head exhaust herself.
"What the hell?!" Musa choked in shock when she saw Brandon and Stella in the distance. Stella was tossed over his shoulder like a potato sack while he simply rolled his eyes and continued to approach the car.
"Oh, hey, Musa," Brandon smiled casually at her, acting like he doesn't have a one-twenty-pound female dangling from his shoulder. "Look what I found," he smirked.
Stella gasped as she heard that name. She jerked her body and twisted to face the front as best as she could before catching a glimpse of that dark hair with navy-blue streaks. "Musa! How dare you!?" the blonde screeched with betrayal all over her features.
"Um..." Musa's eyes darted back and forth between them.
"Can you pleaseeeeeee let me goooooo?!" Stella yelled, finally reaching the brink of her patience before resuming beating the asshole's back with her fists. He winced but didn't say anything. Oh god, her punches were really hard. He was sure he'd end up with a bruised back by tomorrow, but right now, he didn't care.
Stella gasped when she felt herself being lowered before yelping in surprise when she felt herself thrown in the back of a car. Brandon tossed her in the back seat like some kind of a ragged doll. The brunet narrowed his eyes testily before wiggling his index in her face as a warning. "Now, if you don't want me to throw you down the cliff myself, I suggest you zip it," he growled before slamming the doors shut and turning the child lock on.
"The cliff? What cliff?" Musa blinked as she wordlessly got in the passenger's seat.
"The one she preferred to jump off from rather than come home," Brandon monotonously answered before climbing into the driver's seat.
Home? PLEASE. Stella scoffed and crossed her arms grumpily. "Musa, how do you know this good-for-nothing, arrogant prick-head?!" the blonde growled under the breath from the backseat before kicking under the driver's seat.
Having felt that, Brandon narrowed his eyes into a scowl. "Musa. If your dimwit friend doesn't shut up and stop abusing my seat, I swear I'll throw her out on the highway," he snapped, giving the immature blonde a glare that clearly said 'try me'.
Musa stared at the both of them in bewilderment. Okay...she knew that they had problems but this was just a full-fledged war. The two continued to bicker and argue before the argument fell silent when Brandon turned the car around to head back to the campus. This was definitely not what he had signed up for. Babysitting a toddler might be cute, but when it came to a twenty-one-year-old, it was a hassle.
Stella huffed and sulked in the back seat all throughout the ride. How dare he? Maybe if he hadn't thrown his mouth around like it's a privilege, then she wouldn't be in the forest pitying herself in the first place. Asshole.
The entire car ride had been mostly silent, save for the occasional, concerned glances Musa sent the blonde's way. The blonde stubbornly looked out the window, refusing to talk whatsoever. She hated being here and she hated being treated like she's a two-year-old who needs constant supervision.
They reached the campus in no time. The second he shifted the gear into parking mode, Stella unlocked the doors before attempting to make her getaway only to scowl when her door wouldn't open. Noticing her struggle, Brandon smirked as he coolly took his seat belt off and turned off the ignition, all the while taking his sweet time to do them.
"I demand to be let out!" Stella huffed, crossing her arms stubbornly.
"By all means, go right ahead," Brandon smirked before opening his door and stepping out of the car.
Stella narrowed her eyes at him, knowing that he was provoking her on purpose.
Musa watched them both, wondering if she should interfere or if there's anything worth interfering for.
"Hmm. I wonder why you aren't able to get out," Brandon teased through the window.
"Because this jackass turned the child lock on," the blonde grumbled to Musa, pointing at an accusing hand at the smirking brunet.
Brandon's eyes flashed with mock recognition. "Ahhh. I'm sorry. I usually do this when I have children in the backseat," he chuckled before opening the door with amusement in his eyes. "Off you go, little one," he mocked in a mollycoddled voice, smirking at her.
Stella glared at him as she got out of the car. Is he making fun of her? Duh. Unable to resist, she packed a fist before lodging it straight into his arm. "Jackass," she hissed before huffing and pushing past him.
"Suicide?! Are you kidding me?!" Musa yelled in astonishment, throwing up her arms in disbelief. She paced around the room while Stella sat on Musa's bed.
The blonde winced. "Um...I wasn't really going to! It was impulsive and I wanted to get away from that guy!" she said in her defense. "Get away from everything, actually," she added with a mutter.
"Hon, that is the classiest definition of a suicide!" Musa accused, waving her hands around the blonde's face in incredulity. "What the hell, Stel?! I knew you two had problems, but what the heck is this?!" she exclaimed, clearly startled.
"What're you talking about? We're a match made in heaven," Stella grimaced, throwing her wavy blonde locks over her shoulder. "He treats me like trash and I treat him like shit," she dryly snorted.
"I don't care! How could you do something like that?!" Musa shouted in incredulity. "I legit thought you were gonna die!"
Stella guiltily looked away. Okay, that was a valid point. But that wasn't her goal. It's not what she had wanted to do. Despite that...the thought of jumping hadn't scared her more than he did at that time. She looked up to see Musa really upset. The blonde's eyes softened. "...I'm sorry, Musa. I wasn't trying to kill myself, I swear. I just...I wasn't thinking straight," she said honestly.
Musa stared at her before tackling her into a hug. She hugged the blonde tightly, keeping those ugly tears that threatened to fall down her eyes at bay. "You bitch," she whispered.
At that, Stella let out a giggle as she hugged her back. "Well, I did learn from the best," she snickered before the two friends started to laugh.
"Don't do that again," Musa mumbled. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Stella let out a small sigh of relief before she patted Musa's back in comfort. "...Same here, Muse. Same here."
~ 3:20 PM ~
After reassuring Musa, Stella took her out to get their daily dose of Starbucks. Eventually, Musa seemed fine and less wary than she had been earlier this afternoon. But after that...
Stella sighed to herself as she walked down the hallway to her own room. Honestly, she was dreading this so much. She could only imagine the judgmental looks she'll be facing from the second she enters that cursed room. She sent out a small prayer for herself as she stopped before the door that separated her and the geek behind it. She sighed before pushing the door open and going inside like nothing happened at all.
And sure enough, she found the big, judgmental, dumb hunk of shit on his side of the room for a change, considering the drenching fiasco in the morning. That's a relief. He pretended to mind his own business by staring at his phone but Stella could occasionally feel the none-of-his-business stares pointing to her skull. As long as he kept that mouth shut, she would consider that a—
"...You know..." Brandon started, unable to help himself.
—blessing.
And here it is. Honestly...why? Why did she even try anymore? She can barely get to her class without having her daily dose of morning hassles with him, much less receive "blessings" from him.
She turned to him with a scowl and started tapping her foot impatiently. Given the really crappy morning she's been having, if he's going to give yet another one of his long-winded lectures, she's going to lose it. But instead, his stare was neutral and almost impassive. Her scowl didn't falter him. Either he was too dense and kind of idiotic to not notice or he chose to ignore it. She'll bet a limb on the first one.
"...You never really answered my question. What were you doing there in the first place?" he asked her quietly.
She stared at him almost incredulously. Did he really not know? Can't he at least guess? The nicest thing he said to her today was calling her a whore and he's still asking her why she ran off? This. THIS is why she had no respect for men. Not only are they hormonal little bastards, but they're the biggest, dumbest jerks she's ever seen in her entire life. Ugh. "Thinking," she replied coldly, giving nothing else away.
He stared at her as if he awaited for something other than a one-word answer. But seeing the stubborn huff that escaped her lips, he had a feeling that's all he's getting from this insane girl. "...That's it? Thinking?" he questioned again. His jaw tensed slightly at her answer.
Stella folded her arms and stared at him keenly.
Brandon raised an eyebrow at her intense stare. He couldn't help but feel a little violated. It almost felt as if she's able to read his soul.
Honestly, Stella wondered if this guy had any female figures in his life. Mother, sister, friend, girlfriend, daughter, whatever. How can he be so dense? What a blockhead. "Yes. Thinking," she repeated with mockery.
He opened his mouth to retaliate when she interrupted him again.
"Look...even if you are the reason I'm back here, it still doesn't give you the right to ask questions," she said with a deep scowl. Especially when you're the reason for it, she finished crudely in her mind.
Is she serious...? His jaw dropped at her words. He just saved her ass from nearly jumping and this is what he gets? He didn't expect any gratitude from a girl like her, but he sure as hell wasn't expecting hostility. Well, if she wants to be that way, fine. "Fine, then. You don't have to answer mine, but you need to answer your friend's," he snapped.
Well, what did you think I was doing till now, you imbecile? Stella's scowl deepened into a glare.
"She's been worried sick all day because of you," Brandon continued, unaware of her bubbling anger.
Stella sew her eyes shut at the imminent belittlement in his tone. She can't take this anymore. She can't take this patronization...this condescension...this f-ing abuse anymore. She clenched her fists tightly and struggled not to lose it.
"But how would you understand?! You've been nothing but a—"
Stella's golden-brown eyes turned a bright red as she glared daggers at him. "SHUT UP!" she suddenly yelled, turning to him sharply and instantly silencing his taunts.
His eyes widened at her tone but more so at the fury swirling in her eyes.
With a growl, she stormed towards him with her hair flying wildly behind her. Stella's eyes flared as she grabbed him by the collar. "YES, I AM A WHORE. YES, I AM A BITCH. YES, YES, AND YES," she exploded angrily. She held his gaze for a few moments and drank his stunned surprise before realizing what she was doing. She started to simmer down but not enough for his surprise to wear off. She took a deep breath before loosening her grip on his collar before letting it go altogether with a light shove. Turning away from him, she swallowed the angry lump in her throat. "Not everyone is a prodigy like you," she seethed. "Not everyone has a fantastic life like you," she snapped before giving him a furious glance.
His eyes blanked out as the angry emotions that filled his handsome features just moments ago now scurried away as fast as they could. He stared at her wide-eyed, involuntarily swallowing.
"If you feel like a king, then good for you. I wish you well," she growled. "I know I'm a bitch, but I don't need you to tell me that." She scoffed as she pulled out her phone from her pocket. She shoved it in his face without a care before addressing him again. "I get that on a daily basis. I don't need an opinion from my roommate as well," she seethed. "So, why don't you do both you and me a favor and pretend that I don't exist for nine more months?!" she snapped. "Or, rather, if Your Highness would like, just pretend that I'm dead. Maybe I would've been if your nosy ass hadn't come anyway," she said, giving him one last glare, before she headed towards the door again.
Brandon winced as she disappeared behind it and slammed it behind her with a sickening thud.
Many hours later...
Stella yawned and shut the book before placing it back on the shelf where it belonged. She looked around at the emptying library. Not exactly her favorite place in the world, but it became an integral part of her life for years now. Any time she wanted to be alone, she'd either escape to the library or the woods. Definitely not the kind of places one would think to look for her, which made them the perfect covers for her.
She eyed her phone and her eyes slightly widened to see that it was way past eleven. She's been so occupied in this coop that she never noticed the clock rapidly ticking. Deciding this was enough for it today, she stretched and grabbed her phone before leaving.
She walked towards the residential dorms, taking her sweet time. Watching the flamed foliage dancing around the trees, she couldn't but smile slightly. Autumn was one of her favorite seasons. She loved the warm colors and earthy tones. The browns, golds, and scarlets gave her a cozy feeling and reminded her of...home. Her eyes dimmed. Home...? What a joke. Autumn came every year, even if it's just once. But home...it never came because it never existed in the first place. Stella sighed and quickened her pace. She hated going down memory lane. All she saw was debris and rubble. Everyone wondered why she was angry all the time but no one saw the pain beneath the anger. Who cares anyway? Pain has been in her for so long that she accepted it will continue to be a lifelong companion.
Reaching her dorm not too late, Stella sighed as she stood outside of the door. She facepalmed, remembering the fight with her douchebag of a roommate. She didn't mean to have an outburst like that. She didn't regret it either but maybe she should. She's going to spend the rest of this academic year with him and all they've been doing is starting off every day on a wrong foot.
With another shake of her head, she composed her face back to indifference. No way was she going to let him think she regretted her actions or anything. There wasn't anything in life that she regretted, and she sure as hell isn't going to make him a first.
Unlocking the door, she gently turned the handle and opened the door. She went inside before closing it behind her. The first thing she noticed was the brunet, who was sitting on the floor. Turning towards her closet, she couldn't help but smirk in victory. Serves him right. She didn't mind sleeping on the floor, but watching him shift around in discomfort is something she planned on taking great pleasure to. Their eyes locked for a moment but neither said anything. Soon, their contact broke away.
She swiftly grabbed a set of pajamas before disappearing behind the bathroom door. Oh, correction. She did not regret her actions anymore. She was glad she shouted at him earlier if it earned her some peace and quiet. Honestly, he really needed a reality check.
Meanwhile, in the dorm room, the second that she entered, Brandon couldn't help but falter in her hard stare. He almost felt like he was invading into a place that's not his own. The atmosphere felt thick with tension. He stared at the bathroom door for a few seconds like an idiot, not knowing what to do. God, this is so awkward.
Minutes later, Stella exited out of the bathroom, showered for the night and ready to hit the hay. With indifference, she sat on the floor beside the bed. Oh, god. Now they'll have to be sleeping this close to each other?! Ugh, now this is a real nightmare.
Brandon fixated on his laptop, staring at nothing but the screen. He wanted this night to end already. He snuck a glance at her out of the periphery of his eyes.
She had opened her laptop and lay back on the pillow on the floor before putting her headphones on. She seemed to be watching a video, not that he cared which one. She was gone for hours and she returns like nothing has happened. She didn't even flinch or glance up at him casually while he was here feeling at least ten shades of discomfort.
He suddenly realized that he was wounding his own pride by sitting there so stiffly. He was feeling awkward, whereas she seemed fine on her own. Why should I be uncomfortable? He asked himself. This was his room too. And he'd be damned to let himself feel otherwise.
One month later…
~ 7:15 AM ~
It's been a little over a month since the semester started and since their big fight. The only interesting 'interaction' between them was that their respective beds dried up and they both threw their comforters in the laundry before using them afresh again.
They both avoided all kinds of contact. It was awkward (for him mostly) when they accidentally made eye contact. He always wondered how she's so...normal. He didn't know, however, that she felt the same kind of awkwardness; it's just that she's better at hiding her true emotions. A trait that she has mastered to perfection over the years. Still, she'd rather feel awkward than degraded and demeaned on a daily basis.
It was early in the morning and for some reason, they were both wide awake, doing their homework.
Feeling the need to use the bathroom, Stella got up from the bed only to see that Brandon got up as well. They stared at each other for a moment before Stella averted her eyes, sitting back on the bed once more. "You can go first," she stoically said before concentrating on her laptop.
He sighed before getting up and disappearing into the bathroom. Honestly, he was just glad to get away from her as far as possible. He returned minutes later and was about to sit on the bed before taking a deep breath, having had enough of this embarrassing nightmare. With another deep sigh, he swiftly turned towards the blonde. "Stella, can we not make things awkward between us? It's really annoying and immature," he blurted suddenly.
Ahh. Finally. The dreaded topic comes back. She was wondering how long it'd take. And honestly, she expected this conversation to arrive way sooner. Impressed at his ability to stay shut for a whole month, she glanced up at him briefly before turning her eyes towards the screen. "I don't feel awkward around you, so I'm not sure what you're talking about," she said calmly.
"Really, Stella? It's been weeks," he said, sighing.
"Since what?" she asked with clueless eyes, feigning confusion.
He raked a hand through his hair and clumped a fist in his mane, unable to limit his frustration with this infuriating blonde. "You're really going to sit there and tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about?"
"Yes, I really don't know what you're talking about," she said neutrally while trying to suppress her amusement with him.
"Stella!" he snapped angrily, but she continued on with her things unfazed.
She gazed at him unflinchingly before calmly writing something down in her notebook. "Yes? You know, we're literally four feet apart, Your Highness. There's no need to shout," she mocked.
"You're so immature," he muttered.
"Yeah, well, I had a good teacher," she retorted right on cue, glancing up at him for a succinct moment.
He glared at her witty comebacks. It seemed that she always had something to say, a personality trait of hers that he's beginning to detest.
Without a word, Stella stood up before going to the restroom. He sighed and shook his head. He'll never win a war of words with her now, would he? He waited until she was done. He wasn't about to let go of this topic any time soon. One more day of this tense charade and he'll lose it.
After what felt a little like eternity, he heard the flush going off and sighed in relief. Finally. Seconds later, she emerged out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow when she caught sight of him, still standing like a dog waiting for a biscuit. What did he want now?
Rolling her eyes, she decided to just carry on with the day and head out early. She went to her closet and took a set of clothes. Before she could escape again, he stood in front of her, blocking her way. "We're not done talking," he declared, folding his arms.
"What do you think you're doing?" she raised an eyebrow before trying to push past him. "Get out of my way, pal."
"Not until you finish listening to what I have to say, pal," he said.
She gave him a look of what-the-heck and stared. Just who did he think he was? The president? Even the president can't make her do something she doesn't want to.
Their staring session was severely interrupted when a bold, cheerful voice shouted from outside the door. "Stell, guess what?!" Musa laughed from the other side of the door. "I got in, I got in!" the music-loving girl gushed with delight.
The door to the room was suddenly barged open and Stella directly felt the hit behind her.
"What the hell—!?" Stella screeched before the door suddenly slammed harshly against her back, making her topple and lose her balance. "Eeeep!" she squealed when she saw her face was to about to say hi to the floor.
Brandon's eyes widened when the blonde tumbled into him and made him lose his balance as well.
She squealed in surprise before falling on top of Brandon. He grunted before he slipped from underneath and fell backwards, taking her down with him. His back collided harshly with the floor and she fell directly on top of him. She gasped when the harsh crash made her lips collide with his, like two powerful magnets fighting to stay glued together.
The door opened fully and an excited Musa came in, carrying an official looking piece of paper. However, her jaw dropped to the floor when she saw her best friend lying on top of a very touseled-haired Brandon. "Oh...My...God," Musa blinked rapidly as she stared at the both of them, who seemed to be a little busy on the floor. Pretty soon, she let out a giggle before fangirling openly and gushing dreamily. "Oh my god, I KNEW it! Oh, you liars!" she screeched in excitement for both her friends. "You guys carry on and I'll see you later, Stel," Musa sang. "Way later," she snickered while exiting out of the room in a flash with an amused smirk on her lips.
Meanwhile, Stella's and Brandon's eyes were wide as they stared at each other. The blonde suddenly pulled back in shock and disbelief. "Oh my god," she whispered in horror before gasping again and hurriedly picking herself up from him. She stood up in a jolt and stared at the brunet, who was lying on the floor, still blown out of his mind. Shit. Stella turned towards the door, horrified. "Musa, waiiittttt!" she shrieked in total panic. "You totally misunderstooooood!" he heard her continue to yell down the hallway of the residential dormitories. She bolted out of the room, leaving him entranced, wide-eyed, and just straight up whammied.
He raised his head to see the direction she left in before slowly sitting up. He lifted up his hands to touch his chest where her body had been just a few moments ago. His lips felt hot and burned from the brief, yet sizzling kiss. He let out the breath he didn't realize he's been holding. He suddenly heard his heartbeat thundering violently in his ears.
Did we just kiss...? he stared at nothing in particular.
Stella barged into Musa's room angrily. She ignored the shirtless Riven who was still snoring his ass off. "Musa, it's not what you thought—" she tried to protest against her giggling best friend.
"Hey, Stell, maybe next time, you should try locking the door? You know?" Musa chuckled, glancing at her deviously.
Stella sighed and rolled her eyes. "Maybe next time, you should learn to knock," the blonde barked, sourly rubbing her bruised back.
"I can't believe you never told me—"
"Muse," Stella sighed.
"—I mean, I thought you guys weren't getting along, but that's clearly not the case—" Musa continued to ramble with a wolfish snicker.
"Musa," Stella warned, her eyes narrowing. Okay, this wasn't funny anymore.
"—I gotta say though you two look amaz—"
"MUSA!" Stella suddenly shouted, finally getting her friend's attention.
"Okay, okay, okay, I'm up!" a disgruntled voice spoke from behind them as they both watched Riven fall to the floor in a scrambled set of blankets. "Dammit!" he cursed. His hair was nothing short of a bird's nest. He looked bewildered as he opened his eyes only to catch sight of his girlfriend and Stella. Oh, no, were they gossiping again? They did tend to get a little hyper and excited during their never-ending chat sessions. His eyes narrowed into a dark glare as he hissed at the both of them. "The fuck is wrong with you two?!" he accused angrily.
"Good morning to you too, you ass," Stella sarcastically muttered before turning to Musa.
Ignoring him, Musa folded her arms. "So...what I saw wasn't real?"
"Gross! No way!" Stella made a look of disgust. She didn't really have a type when it came to boys, but she knew a jerk with no manners will definitely not be on that list. No way.
"Then what the hell was that?" Musa asked, throwing her hands up in incredulity.
"That was us about get into another argument when you came out of the blue and stopped us," Stella said dryly.
A grunt escaped from Riven, who's been busy untangling himself out of the messily sprawled blankets. He stood up and stretched. "What a timing, Muse. You just saved every dorm from getting burned down," he yawned as he gave a sleepy thumbs-up to his girlfriend.
Stella glared at him while Musa facepalmed at his impromptu, unneeded intervention. He didn't care for either of their reactions. It was well-known in their circles that the only person Riven had any kind of soft spot was Musa and the rest of them be damned to hell. He dragged himself to the bathroom, disappearing behind the door. The blonde checked the time. She has to get going too.
"I gotta go. I'll see you later," the blonde said with a sigh.
Musa nodded. "You're not off the hook. Just saying."
Stella dryly chuckled. "Oh and Musa...please don't tell anyone about that," the blonde asked wistfully.
Musa sighed grimly and nodded. "Of course not, Stell," the noirette smiled.
Stella smiled gratefully before showing herself out. She really didn't want the reputation that she's screwing her roommate too. Knowing him, she knew that he'll keep his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted was to be seen with her, let alone be involved in a viral rumor.
For someone who wanted to remove the awkwardness in the room, he amazingly failed. So much for direct confrontation. The plan practically backfired in his face. Brandon paced around the room. He touched his lips. He could still feel the lingering heat her lips had left behind. Her body had felt warm and supple against his rigid and stronger one. Shaking his head, he mentally slapped himself before raking a frustrated hand through his mane and clumping tufts of it between his fingers. Oh, who was he kidding? If not for her not-that-stellar reputation, he'd definitely consider making a pass at her. And who could blame him? She's a fucking model on the outside.
He raised his head when the door opened, revealing her again. Stella's eyes widened as her gaze locked with his in a staring contest. Oh, god. This is a travesty. If this isn't awkward, then she didn't know what is. She was able to compose herself throughout the last few weeks but this...even she couldn't last a second in this tense air. Her cheeks burned a beet red before she suddenly fake-coughed, hoping that'll be a distraction.
The two immediately broke away the contact before moving to mind their own business.
Brandon felt flustered. Great. Ugh. He wondered just how long he was supposed to go on feeling like this. Their fight last month resulted in weeks of fiddly and maladroit situations. At this rate of improvement, they won't even be good to go at the time of graduation. And that was almost eight months away! Eight months of awkwardness? He shuddered.
Or...maybe he could just...ask her to pretend like it never happened? And then they can both go back to their merry ole' lives. Right. That seems like a viable solution. One that even a stubborn hot-head like her can't oppose.
He turned towards her and cleared his throat slightly to get her attention. He didn't know why he felt so nervous. It was just a half-second kiss, if that could even be called a kiss, that is. More like...a peck. Yeah. Not a big deal.
The back of her neck burned as she felt his gaze on her. Lord have mercy. She slowly turned to face him.
"About what happened um...earlier—" he started awkwardly.
Oh, great. Here it goes, she sighed tiredly. He'll probably go into lecture mode again. Did he really think that she'd make a pass at him? Really? Ugh, he is so full of himself. "I don't have STDs or any other shit, so you don't need to worry about anything," she interrupted, cutting him off.
"What?" he said, clearly caught off-guard at her response.
"I don't have any diseases, and I'm perfectly healthy. So, don't worry yourself to death," she smiled sweetly before grabbing her clothes. "See ya," she said before making a beeline for the bathroom.
He stared after her, perplexed. What the hell was that?
~ 11:00 AM ~
Walking silently through the campus quad, Stella couldn't help but feel a little gloomy. She honestly didn't even know why. It was just an off-day for her but then again, when is any day a good day for her? There was always something wrong, always something that is looking to prevent her from smiling.
Deep down, she knew what she really wanted. But she feared admitting it. She wanted someone to love her. She didn't know whom to go to when she's upset. She didn't have anyone to go to. She didn't have anyone to call home. Friends were great but they're just temporary, aren't they? Soon, they'll all split up as the antagonist called life catches up to them. They'll settle down with their families but she…she'll be stuck in the same position she's been in for the last few years. Mindlessly living for a purpose that she has yet to determine.
There was no room for the cursed 'L' word in her life. There was never any. She didn't look for it, and she certainly didn't expect it to come looking for her. It destroyed her once as a person. It chipped away pieces of her soul. She didn't even know who she was. And perhaps that was a mercy. She would've never been able to do the things she's doing today if she wistfully remained hopeful about the better parts of her life. She used the most painful memories she had to continue living, tucking and locking the beautiful ones and yet, ironically hoping that each day would get better. Each memory was a chaptered book that left dark, invisible scars through her heart.
And that was how she thought she'd continue living. Counting each day until she's free. One more...one more...and one more...
Until…
Her fingers reached up to touch her lips, the frown imminent on her confused features.
Invisible tears filled her eyes as she stoically continued walking. Her stance, formal and mechanical, showed no forbearance for anything even remotely related to the wretched 'L' word. What was she thinking? She didn't deserve that. The only people she ever loved left her with an insurmountable amount of grief. Anger. Rage that she didn't know where to direct. People say that the world is cruel but only she knew how cold and brutal it really is.
For the first time in a long time, she felt alone. She felt the burden of carrying that disparity all alone all these years. The looming cloud of darkness that had followed her around like a loyal puppy all these years grew even darker.
Glancing up at the sky, she saw that it was a bright sunny day, but she didn't feel the sun's warmth when the rays touched her skin. All she felt was a gross feeling, as if her body was repulsed by the very idea of warmth and...comfort. As if it grew accustomed to the dark feeling of despair and the grief of her unshed tears.
~ 5:30 PM ~
Like a robot, she mechanically sat through her classes, barely paying attention to her classes. She ignored Jason's daily taunts and dirty, inviting wolf-whistles. She barely saw the way he swung his arms around her shoulders like she's his property. Dead silent and with zero retorts directed at the bastards that made openly shameless passes at her, she returned to her room.
Unlike every day, the brunet was nowhere to be found. He was usually here at this time, but nonetheless, she was grateful for his absence. All she needed was one nap of sleep to forget today. She sat on the bed slowly like a corpse, thinking quietly to herself.
You're going to be alone...her conscious taunted.
You don't deserve to be loved.
You don't deserve any affection.
Your life is meaningless.
Stella closed her eyes as the little red devil on her shoulder continued to fire away taunts. She didn't bother flicking him away. He was speaking the truth.
She vowed. She vowed to herself that she'd never let anyone make her feel so vulnerable again. And today, because of an accidental, fucking kiss, the walls she had worked so DAMN hard to build around herself were shattered. Threatened.
Without a word, she pulled out a framed picture from the obscured depths of her closet. With glistening eyes, she gingerly ran her fingers down the faces of the two smiling females, one of whom she didn't even recognize. Stella's eyes misted at her mother's face. So full of life and so young too. She was gorgeous with natural, light blonde hair and teal-blue eyes that echoed warmth and fuzziness. And beside was a girl...a young one of only fifteen years. With a joyful smile and sparkling amber-brown eyes, the young girl stood in her mother's arms as the latter laughed. Stella barely recognized herself. "...I miss you, Mom," the blonde sniffled. "I miss you so much," she let out another soft sniffle, crying silently. Honestly...what the hell was she doing with her life?
Stella was able to figure out at what time Brandon would pop back in this room, but seeing his absence, it never once struck that he might just be on his way.
The brunet was on his phone in the hallway, chuckling to himself at a meme that was sent to him through a text. Unlike her, he wasn't bothered all day by a fleeting peck that happened almost ten hours ago. Nope, not in his definition. It left him perplexed for maybe an hour or two, at the max. Slinging his bag over one of his shoulders, the brunet approached his dorm and took out the room keys, knowing that he'd usually be the one to reach here first.
He was a little surprised to see the door partially open. Well, that was new. Through the small opening, he saw the blonde standing by her closet, staring at something that was hidden from his sight. With a shrug, he was about to push the door all the way open when he heard a sniffle escape from her lips. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what happened now. He didn't say anything uncalled for, so he knew it wasn't because of him this time. Or maybe...that boy toy of hers back again or something? What was his name again? Jake? Josh? Jason? He didn't remember nor did he care to—
"I miss you, Mom," he heard her sniffle.
Brandon froze when he heard that. Stopping mid-stride, he heard soft whimpers escape from her lips as she continued to sniffle, muffling the sounds with her hands. His body fell slack.
Her eyelids shut tightly, the blonde never noticed her one-man audience as she continued mourning.
Meanwhile, Brandon stared at her blankly. His lips were set in a grim line before parting into a small 'oh' as he recalled a certain sentence he uttered one month ago, one that he'd very much like to take back. "Wonder how your folks would feel seeing their daughter become a celebrity escort."
Oh my god, he swallowed in horror. What the hell did I say to her?
Please tell me her mother isn't dead, Brandon slapped his forehead at his own stupidity. He sighed as he shut his eyes tightly for a moment before reopening them, feeling like an utter monster.
He noticed that she isn't crying anymore. Instead, she just stood silently, staring at something, which he could only assume to be a photograph, with her back turned to him.
Taking a deep breath, he withdrew his hand from the door handle and stepped back into the hallway, deciding to come back later.
One hour later...
~ 7:00 PM ~
It was almost awkward to enter the room again. Brandon subtly glanced at her and pretended that he hadn't seen what he had. She seemed stoic again with an emotionless face. Yup. She was...just like herself. She was on her laptop, working on something that he could really care less about. Whatever he has not been able to unsee since the evening, that had been the first time he ever heard or found any form of grief on her.
It's not like him to say things out of line even when he's angry but...he didn't know. Something about this girl just drove him mad. She's so effortlessly infuriating that he didn't mind being the worst version of himself. She's not the type of girl to flinch at most things, and she'll even say them right back without any traces of remorse on her. That's why he didn't feel like he had to apologize. They were both equally at fault — erm...maybe his more than hers — but he didn't think once of apologizing because, well, her attitude didn't allow for him to feel as guilty as he probably should've. Not that it's a fantastic excuse...
Brandon stared at Stella, wondering if he should apologize and get this over with or pretend that he never saw that earlier.
Stella looked up in half confusion and half frustration, having caught the multiple times he snuck glances at her as if she's some kind of alien. "What?" she asked pointedly.
The back of his neck slightly reddened at being caught red-handed. "Nothing," he shook his head.
She narrowed her eyes for a moment before returning back to her work. But the little looks that Brandon cast her way continued until she finally looked up from her work with a glare on her mind. If he's going to judge her again for something he had no fucking clue about, she'll straight up just go and slap him across the face as hard as she can. "Do you mind?!" she growled in exasperation. "Can't you just take your never-ending judgments somewhere else?!" she snapped, glaring at him.
He blinked before raising his hands in surrender. Jeez, what did he do now?! "But I didn't even say anything," he replied, bewildered at her outburst.
"You didn't have to," she hissed.
She tossed him one last, lingering glare before huffing and scribbling furiously into her notebook.
Sighing, he returned back to his own thing, imperceptibly shaking his head. See, this is the reason it's so hard for him to apologize or even attempt a civil conversation with her.
~ The Next Morning - 7:45 AM ~
Cuddled up in his own bed, Brandon silently ran his eyes over the oblivious blonde, who got ready for her classes. He watched her brush her long hair absentmindedly. He had stayed up a little longer than he had intended to last night. And it was her damn fault. He couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard he tried because of the uneasy feeling at the pits of his stomach.
But look at her. Unbothered by the world, as usual. What else is new? Heh.
Still. He had something to say, and he needed her to listen to it. It gnawed his being away and made it difficult for him to look at her without feeling like a complete, insensitive jerk. He sighed before getting up from the bed slowly. He half-hoped that she'd just bolt the heck out of here already. He almost dreaded facing her because knowing her, she'd have some smart-ass comment ready on her. Seeing her getting ready to leave, he took a deep breath. He had to do this and get this over with.
"Wait," he stopped her as she reached for her bag on the bed.
She raised an eyebrow and spared him a glance, wondering what on earth he wanted now.
"Can we talk for a second?" he tried pathetically.
An exasperated sigh left her lips. Of course. Without another word, she turned and grabbed her bag. A word with him never ended well. She ignored the walking personification of judgmental looks.
Okay, he deserved that. "Stella—" he tried reaching out to her again, sighing.
Continuing to ignore him, she went towards her closet and pulled out her sneakers before putting them on. She slung the bag over her shoulders before slipping her arms through the flaps on the back. Reaching for the door, she was about to make her much-needed escape when she felt a force stopping her. Her eyes widening, she looked down at her other wrist to see Brandon's larger hand coiled around her. Her face took on the face of surprise and shock. Her features turned into those of disbelief as he held her hand. This was probably the first time where he actually touched her willingly.
She stared at him in silence and blinked a few times.
Great. Now that he had her attention, he really didn't know what to say. I'm sorry for commenting insensitively about your mom. I'm sorry for being a jerk? No, no, no. All of those are potentially good apologies except they aren't really fashioned for a girl like this one. She'd probably just say something back and make him feel even worse. "...I'm...I'm..." he stuttered, feeling like an idiot at a loss of words.
Snapping out of her own trance, the blonde took a deep breath. "Oh, get on with it already," she huffed before trying to wriggle her wrist free. "I have a class to attend to, you know. What did I annoy you with this time?" she asked, folding her arms in irritation.
He chose to ignore her tone. Every time she spoke, she reminded him of the vulnerable girl from yesterday, crying for her mother. Wherever her mother maybe. He hoped she wasn't dead. Maybe she was separated from her daughter because of a complex divorce story or something. Nonetheless, he owed her an apology. And not just because of what happened to the mother. But also because she really deserved one. What he said was uncalled for. "...I'm sorry," he finally said with a sigh.
Stella's eyes jolted open.
"I'm so sorry about what I said," he repeated again, hoping that she'll pick up on what he was trying to say without him having to explicitly say it out loud. He might not particularly like her, but commenting about someone that passed away was an all-time low. That was cruel of him, and he felt downright ashamed to having said something like that. Granted he should've apologized a month ago, but...the apology would've come out way easier and faster if she acted a little more like a normal girl than a tyrant.
Stella's eyes remained peeled open. She stared at him with wide eyes, wondering if she's hearing this right. He was...apologizing...? No, no, no...that can't be it.
He stood there awkwardly, wondering why she wasn't saying anything. C'mon, just say something and leave already! He stared back at her, feeling her intense gaze crumble his own.
She didn't need a brainer to realize just what exactly he was talking about. He was apologizing. Which is nice and dandy except...why? He had a whole month to apologize to her. And the longer you go on without apologizing, the less and less guiltier you tend to feel. It's in human nature. Besides...she refused to believe that a guy like him could even know what the word 'sorry' means. Either she was hallucinating or something was very wrong with him. And thus, one thing ran through her mind.
"Are you high?" she blurted.
Preview for the next few chapters...
"Can you two stop fighting for three measly seconds?!" Bloom shouted at the top of her throat as the two received disapproving looks from the rest of the troop.
"He started it," Stella snapped, pointing to her right.
"She started it," Brandon scowled, pointing to his left.
...
He watched her from afar. "You like her, don't you?" a voice quipped from beside him.
"...No," he whispered. "I don't," he stuttered.
...
"Are those...scars?" he asked himself in shock.
AN: An update after months, I know! It's already been a year (what else is new? -_-) since I posted, but I'm surprised to see people reviewing every now and then and I was like, oh what the heck? Why not post a little chapter? The chapter's not really that long, but it'll have to do ^.^
I know the chapter was a little rushed and probably somewhat redundant to the previous chapters, but I wanted to explore Stella's characterization a little bit more before continuing on with the story. She is supposed to be a really strong character. Her lack in physical strength compared to Brandon's should be complimented by her headstrong personality, so I hope I achieved that? Though I want her to be strong, I don't necessarily want her to be a flipping robot, hence, the little emotional scenes every now and then.
Thank you to everyone who still has the patience to read/review! :) I really, really hope you do. And I think I can speak for every author that it really helps us to update way faster. And since many of us do put efforts into our own work, it would really help to see someone take the time to critique it.