Chapter 5: Surprise

Stella was a wall. And not just a brick wall. A strong, shiny, titanium wall.

Ray knew it would take a lot of pushing, and a lot of pushing, to get through to Stella. But he would try. Stubborn as she was, he was just as stubborn. She was like...him,in a way. But the female version. So if that was the case, then Ray knew her strengths and weaknesses. He really hoped this would be as easy as it seemed. He wanted to make things okay again soon, and he didn't need yelling. His head hurt, bad. He brought this on himself.

So, here he was, right outside Stella's apartment door (Ray had no idea which apartment was hers, so it took a bit of searching), ready to take full blame and make an attempt to get her to crack. Here goes nothing.

Ray knocked on Stella's door. "Stella, open up! It's Ray."

When the door opened...the wall fell down. This was probably the most vulnerable Stella ever was. You could tell she had been crying, big time. Her eyes were puffy and her face was red. It almost made Ray cry himself. He caused this, he knew it.

"I'm sorry," he blurted. Ray came up with an entire speech on the way here, but now those two words seemed to be the only thing he could say.

"What?" Stella whispered.

"Can I come in?"

Stella stepped aside to let him through. Ray walked in and sat down on her couch. She came to sit next to him.

"Ray, you don't have to-"

"No. I do. I forced you to spike the punch. I made you feel like you ruined everything. But you didn't. I'm the idiot who caused all this, and I wanna fix it."

"Stop."

Ray froze at her command. "What, Stella?"

She turned to look at him, and then did the most surprising thing. She dropped her head onto his lap, and sighed. Ray once again froze. "I don't know if Charlie will forgive me for what I said, and I don't know if I'll forgive Mo."

Ray stopped being tensed up, and started stroking her hair as a sign of comfort. This was so...weird. He couldn't remember a time when they hated each other anymore. "Come on. You and Charlie are close, right?" He felt her nod in his lap. "And you and Mo do have differences, but you're still friends. Let me help you make amends with them."

"Ray, I've always loved Mo. When I first met her, she was great. Talented, smart, and a good girl. But truth be told, for a while now, she's been a bossy, controlling bitch."

"Stella!"

"It's true," she shrugged.

"I get why you're mad now, but why were you so mad before? Mo didn't do anything to you in the past."

It was Stella's turn to tense up. She didn't answer Ray's question, but instead danced around it. "I don't know how all this is gonna end," she muttered.

"Answer me, Yamada," Ray commanded.

"Uh, no. I think I'm good. It's nothing, really."

"Bullshit."

Stella glared up at him. "What did you say?"

Ray forced her head off his lap, and stood up quickly, ignoring the shoot of pain it sent through his head. "I said bullshit. There is something you're keeping from me. Possibly from everyone. You're being really stubborn, you won't accept my apology, and I knew that'd probably happen, but for you to avoid my question and not accept any help I wanna offer you is absolute bullshit!" he hissed.

She stood up as well. "It's none of your business, Ray."

"I think it is. I just want to make things right again, ok? Everything's falling apart, and don't say this was you. It was all me. And I'm sorry. But please, just don't hate Mo forever. You don't have to tell me why you despise her so much, I guess. But I'd like you to."

Stella thought over this. It was true that she wanted someone to help her be okay again, but could it be Ray? He just waltzed into her life and became her friend like, literally yesterday. But he's not so bad, and he could understand her, just not as good as Charlie. She needed to tell someone that she loved Charlie. She wanted so bad for someone to know. A diary (Private journal, she corrected herself) would not suffice. So she told Ray.

"It's not that I hate her," Stella managed to say, "I just don't like...who she's with."

Ray stared at her. "Let me get this straight. Do you hate...Charlie?"

Stella almost laughed at how slow Ray was. "Quite the contrary," she smiled a little, "I'm in love with Charlie."

Ray's eyes widened a little. "How long?"

"Since like, hmm...January, February...forever."

"Long time," Ray commented.

"I know." Stella sighed, sitting herself back down on the couch. "I just don't know how to act around them, when they kiss, and hug..."

"I never would've thought you would fall for him. You just seemed like good friends."

"Well, aren't I just full of surprises?" Stella joked. Ray sat back down in his seat and looked at Stella, who was avoiding his gaze. To fall in love and not have them love you back was not a feeling Ray was familiar with, but he's knows the feeling of loneliness.

"It's ok, Stells. Whenever you need to talk, I'm here."

So that's when she told him everything. She let out all the frustration, she described her feelings for Charlie with words that seemed almost poetic, she just let it out.

When she finally stopped talking, Ray told her, "You and Mo need to go back to the way you once were. And don't let your feelings for Charlie get in the way of your friendship with either of them."

"You're right."

"Huh? I am?"

"Yes, doofus," Stella punched his shoulder playfully. "Let me fix myself up, ok? Then, let's go to Charlie's."

"Charlie!"

"Charlie, we need to talk to you."

"Come on man. It's Scott and Sabrina. Open the door!"

Charlie flung open his door the second he heard it was Scott and Sabrina. He didn't really feel the need to speak to anyone else.

Scott made himself at home, while Sabrina wrapped her arms around Charlie in a comforting hug. "You alright, Charlie?"

"Sabrina, what kind of question is that?"

"Right, sorry." Sabrina let go of him to sit next to Scott.

"Wanna know something? My girlfriend is mad at me for something that I didn't even know I was doing at the time, and I had sex with my best friend, who was a virgin. A fucking virgin!"

Scott and Sabrina were shocked. Stella lost her virginity just a day ago, and they had never seen Charlie so mad.

"Charlie, don't beat yourself up for this. None of this was meant to happen," Scott tried to reassure him.

Charlie just shook his head. That didn't stop him from feeling guilty about what happened with Stella. "Stella was supposed to have her first time with someone she loved, someone that mattered. Not..." He once again shook his head before he could reveal how he really felt about that night.

Sabrina, however, saw through him, a skill that was a blessing and a curse to the band. "Is there...something we should know?"

Charlie knew she would push, and hell, she could push, so he saved himself a big argument. "I liked it."

"What?"

"I liked it, ok? It was one the best nights of my life, and I'm not even dating her. I don't even like her that way. Does that count as cheating?"

Scott was taken aback, but he answered before Sabrina could. "No, man. I'll say it again, you didn't know. But if you were sober enough to remember it..."

Charlie scoffed. "Remember it. I remember everything. Every noise, every touch, every single second that we spent.I can't…" Charlie kicked the wall in frustration.

"Calm down, Charlie. You should talk with Stella about this," Sabrina tried to suggest.

"And say what, Sabrina? 'Hey Stella, I love Mo, but I really enjoyed the sex. We should do it again sometime, yeah?'"

"Delgado," Sabrina warned. Another thing about Sabrina: She was beautiful and sweet as can be, but when she used your last name, she meant business.

Charlie pulled himself together to listen to her. "Yes?"

"Talk to her, ok? I know she needs to see you. Trust me, I know girls."

"Ok, fine. I trust you. I'll talk to her."

Charlie didn't know that right when he said those words, Stella was already arriving at his house with Ray.

"How do I look?" Stella asked Ray the minute he parked on the driveway.

"Like you haven't been crying a river, so I think we can go inside now," Ray answered.

Stella nodded at him, and together they walked up to Charlie's front porch. "You ring it," Stella told Ray.

Ray rolled his eyes at how childish she was being, and raised his hand to ring the doorbell. Charlie opened the door, and when he saw the pair, he didn't say a word, and just stepped aside.

Ray reluctantly passed through, but Stella didn't know how she felt when she brushed past Charlie.

"Well, look who's here!" exclaimed Scott.

"Yeah, yay," Stella muttered.

"Stella? Can you come upstairs?" Charlie asked. Stella gave him a look of approval, knowing that she couldn't say no, but at the same time, she couldn't say anything either.

Charlie walked up the stairs, Stella right at his heels. Once they reached the bedroom, Charlie gestured for her to walk past him and he shut the door behind them.

"I...I don't know what to say, Stella," Charlie blurted.

"Me either," She responded.

"Can I just start by saying I'm confused?"

Stella looked up. "About?"

"Who's fault this really is, why things happened the way they did..."

"We were drunk. Besides, you can't be mad for taking my virginity. For all we know, I could've started it-"

"I did."

"Huh?"

Charlie stepped closer to her, and grabbed her hand to pull her to sit down with him. "I was sober enough to remember everything. I was the one to initiate the first kiss. And I could've let you stop me, I could've stopped myself, but I didn't. Because, this is hard to explain, but...it felt like in that moment, I wanted you. I don't know how, I don't know why." Charlie stared into Stella's eyes. She could've melted at that moment.

He continued to stare, and she wondered if maybe this was finally the day when Charlie Delgado would be hers. They could finally be together. He started to lean, like he was gonna kiss her.

That's when she knew it couldn't happen. Not like this.

"Well," She started, "It's all over. Maybe it was an illiusion. You had alcohol-"

"But you don't understand. Last night was amazing," He revealed.

Stella's heart raced. "To be honest, I liked it too."

"You did?"

"Yeah," Stella said, a little bit more at ease now.

"Well, we could get over this? We're best friends, we don't need to get hung up on it, right?"

"Right," She agreed.

"Now, we've both got a little making up to do with Mo." Stella nodded, and they both stood up. But before they got to the door, Charlie spoke again.

"Stells?"

She turned around. "Yes, Charlie?"

Charlie walked forward again. "I still feel guilty for being your first time, but I'm just glad it meant something to you. I'm glad you didn't throw yourself at whoever would take you. You don't have to do that. You're my best friend, you're special."

Stella almost cried, and then Charlie pressed his soft lips to her forehead before opening the door for her to walk through. She would savour the feeling of his lips against her skin.

By now, Mo was done crying her heart out. The Indian girl was randomly writing comforting nothings to herself, some things along the lines of, "Charlie loves you and you love Charlie. Charlie loves you and you love Charlie."

The knock at her door broke her out of her creative trance. She rushed downstairs, hoping that Charlie would be there. Her prayers were answered. Charlie was at the door - with Stella.

"Come on in," Mo said, staring at Stella, who didn't stare back. Mo sighed mentally, before moving aside for the pair on her porch. They stepped in hesistantly, but nonetheless were inside in a snap, like they had to get out of the sun.

Stella sat awkwardly on the very edge of Mo's couch, while Charlie was standing next to Mo, grasping her hand.

"Mo, I'm-"

"No. I am. I was careless, I just let you do whatever. I'm sorry."

Charlie simply shook his head and smiled. He drew Mo into his arms, and Mo smiled just as warmly into his shoulder. "I won't let last night happen again."

Stella gulped audibly, trying not to take those words too seriously. After their everlasting hug was over, Mo sat next to Stella, who shifted the last few inches away. She still wasn't sure if she was forgiving Mo.

"Are you ok?" Mo asked.

"I'm still really mad right now," She replied.

"You have every right to be. My mind was in the gutter. I let my anger take over. I just hope we're still friends. You can sure hold a grudge though, so..."

Stella giggled. "Hey, I'm still mad at you for the last time you made jokes on me."

Mo smiled. "So, you forgive me?"

Stella sighed, knowing that she couldn't just throw away their friendship. "Come here, my little Indian princess!" The two girls embraced, both thinking the same thing - I'm happy that things are back to the way they were.

Well...not quite.

It seems the band left out one tiny little detail.

Stella invited Ray to the next rehearsal, much to the suspicion of the rest of the girls of Lemonade Mouth.

Wen, Scott, and Sabrina weren't there, so Mo cornered Olivia as they were waiting.

"Ok, I'm just gonna say what we're both thinking. Those two are dating."

"So dating. They're really cute together, but it's all just so sudden, you know?" Olivia whispered.

"Yeah. I'm just glad that almost all of us found someone," Mo said suggestively.

As if on cue, the rest of the band arrived. Olivia smiled mischeviously, which Mo raised her eyebrow at, because Olivia never did that. Ever.

To confirm the weird look, the blonde girl walked right up to Wen, who gave her a smile, and was taken aback when she grabbed him by the neck and crashed their lips together.

As they kissed, there was slience, until Stella and Ray whistled and cat-called, Scott and Sabrina applauded, and Mo was saying, "Finally! Yes!" Charlie was just smiling at the happy couple.

Wen and Olivia pulled apart, with huge smiles on their faces.

"I thought we were just gonna tell them," Wen said breathlessly, obviously still shocked.

"Changed my mind?" Olivia blushed, going back to her shy demeanor.

"Yes!" Stella ran up to them, throwing an arm around both of them. "It's finally happened! What took you two so long?"

The band laughed. "Can we get to rehearsal now?" Olivia suggested.

"Sure, but we're not letting you go afterwards!"

The band started to play their music, and Ray smiled at the performance, and didn't miss the longing look Stella gave Charlie. Nor did he miss her wincing in between songs.

Finally, it came to Stella. She had been feeling dizzy all day, and it all hit her. She dropped her guitar and ran out of the garage. Ray followed, feeling very concerned. Mo tried to leave them be, but she was too suspicious of the two, and followed as well.

Ray finally stood in front of the bathroom, where the door was shut, and there were faint sounds of puking. Stella walked out, feeling horrible. Mo hid quickly so she couldn't see her.

"Ray," She whispered. Ray put a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"I...think I'm pregnant."

Mo snuck out, feeling her heart start to beat fast, and her head start to spin.

She was not expecting that.

Thoughts? REVIEW PLEASE! They make more Wenlivia, and a better chance of Starlie fluff!

And since I'm such a jerk for making you guys wait so long, you get a sneak peek of the next chapter right now.

"Kiss me."

"What? No."

"Ugh, don't worry, I had a lot of mouthwash before I walked out of the bathroom."

"I don't care. I'm not kissing you."

"Dude-"

"No."

Once Stella heard footsteps, she let out an overdramatic, "Oh, Ray!" and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his in the world's most awkward kiss.

Hope you enjoyed!

LoveIsInBloom xoxo