CHAPTER SIX – DECISIONS

Stella never had trouble sleeping before. She would toss and turn just once and then she'll be fast asleep. What was happening right now is once in a lifetime thing for her. Because she loves sleeping. Closing her eyes, not knowing what the next dream is tonight. She was generally a funny girl, but when she was alone with herself, 'funny' wasn't enough to describe her. Her parents always worried for Stella when she was a kid. They thought their daughter would never have friends because of her introvert nature. But Stella showed them wrong. 'A girl can do both' she said, 'I can be introverted, reading my books all day and not talk to anyone. Meanwhile make plans for tomorrow night.' Her parents stopped worrying for her about these stuff though, they saw it wasn't necessary.

Stella kicked her blanket and got out of the bed. She was thinking of him. How could she think of him when two of her friends were literally in pain because of the racers. This is beyond wrong. Stella was mad all day with Musa because she fell for a biker. Aisha was stalking a guy that she couldn't even talk about. She never told the girls who he is or what he looks like. Not that it matters, the girls don't know anyone from there. Bloom once saw a picture of the guy when Aisha left her phone on the table and she went to the bathroom. She didn't want to disrespect Aisha's privacy so she just looked at the picture to analyze the guy and remember his face. She said that his name may pop up on social media if Aisha keeps looking at it so much. Social media likes to suggest everyone the people they don't want to connect with.

This was killing Stella. He was eating her insides and Stella wished that was true in action.

"Oh my God what's wrong with me?"

Maybe some fresh air would clear her mind and add some sense to her. She never kissed anyone before let alone to sleep with anyone. But right now she was, no, not her, her body was asking her things that she blushes just thinking about them. 'How am I supposed to see him again? I am not supposed to see him again! I need to talk to someone!'

It was cold outside, Stella thought that the weather was helping her. She was so cold that she almost forgot what she was thinking.

"Psst! Stella!" Stella flinched and looked down from her balcony. Aisha?

"Aisha! What are you doing here? Wait I'll open the door for you." She started to run downstairs so fast, she almost fell down because she didn't saw the new big vase placed on the beginning of the stairs. "What in the hell is this here for?"

She didn't stop though, her friend was waiting and it was cold!

"Come in, why and what and why?"

Aisha smiled at her friend's worry, "I couldn't sleep. So I took a walk."

"You took a walk? Girl you live 8 kilometers far from me! You walked 8 kilometers?"

Stella was worried for her, she was going to gym eating healthy and everything but she knew Aisha wasn't doing okay. "No I," she looked up at Stella who was trying to cover her with a blanket. She was cold and she doesn't even realize it.

"I'm good Stella relax okay? I didn't go home, I was around." Stella, after making sure no body part of Aisha was left out from blanket, sat in front of Aisha looking at her confused.

"Around?"

Aisha sighed, "At the races."

God fucking damn it. Is it national day of races or something?

"Yeah that place is closer than 8 kilometers." Her sarcasm made Aisha to lower her head and murmur something that Stella couldn't quite understand.

"I would've said we promised to not go there but I sort of broke my promise today too so," Stella shrugged while Aisha was looking at her in shock. "I think we both have something to tell to each other."

The night went by, Stella told everything what happened today. She left out the things Musa was going to tell all the girls tomorrow, that's her part. Aisha was listening Stella with anger and curiosity in her eyes.

"Is she okay now?"

"Better," said Stella. Musa was relieved in so many ways. She finally told the truth to one of her friends and she knows that the biker jerk is doing fine himself. So she probably is better. After a while Stella brought them coffee, Aisha started to warm up a bit but she still had cold hands and her face was a bright pink.

"How do you feel?"

Aisha shrugged but didn't say anything. Stella held her hand and forced her to look at her, "I know, I mean, I understand how you feel. You know he's not a right choice but the feelings you have are telling you otherwise." Aisha's tears started to break free from her eyes, one by one they fell to her cheeks which later were dried by Stella. She took the handkerchief box on her lap and was just drying Aisha's cheeks.

"The last time I saw him, there was this girl. Pretty and everything. He probably found his 'the one' Stella. I don't know what I should do to get over him. I really need to get out of this situation."

The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across Stella's living room. The only source of light was a small, flickering candle on the coffee table. Stella, perched on the edge of the armrest, placed a comforting hand on Aisha's trembling shoulder. "I hate to see you like this. You deserve so much better than someone who can't get his head out of his a…" Stella stopped herself for a second, her friend was in love and even though Stella doesn't understand the feeling Aisha has, it can hurt her to hear someone talk shit about the guy she loves. "Of his bike," she corrected herself.

Aisha sniffled, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I hate myself too sometimes. I just... I don't know how… " She gulped and said, "He's always on my mind."

Stella leaned in closer, her voice a gentle murmur. "Sometimes, the best way to get over someone is to confront the reality of who they are. Can you show him to me?"

Aisha hesitated for a moment, then reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and scrolled through her pictures until she found one of Nabu's. She handed the phone to Stella, who took it with a reassuring smile. Only to be erased later. 'Oh you got to be kidding me!' she thought to herself. She recognized the face immediately. She had met him earlier that day, while she was busy screaming, he himself was busy judging her! So all her friends like to be dating assholes? 'Why God why? Why are you doing this to us?'

Aisha watched Stella's expression closely. "What do you think?"

Stella hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "He's an asshole."

Okay maybe not too carefully. Aisha's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry I said the first thing that came to my mind. I met him today, to be honest he thinks he is funny but he really is not!"

Now it was Aisha's turn to be shocked, "You met him? Talked to him? In person?"

"No Aisha I send my bodyguard there so we can talk. Of course I talked to him in person!" Stella took a big sip of her coffee. 'I need more energy' she thought.

"I don't understand." Stella watched her friend's confused face, maybe she was skipping something. "Okay, so, I told you about today. We went there and we met this girl who stole Musa's Vespa."

"Yeah, okay." Aisha was listening Stella like she was telling her the cure of cancer.

"Fiona told us to go where the bikers are. Since Riven is a biker himself. And…" Aisha had to cut Stella's words, "Fiona?"

"Yeah, the girl that stole Musa's Vespa. She told us…" Aisha had to stop Stella one more time. "She is the girl Nabu is dating."

Stella looked at Aisha for a second, if she gets more into this conversation, she believes she can see Santa this year as well. How can everything connect so easily and quickly? Where is Santa?

Stella took a deep breath before she started to talk, "Honey, no she's not. He's not dating that girl because she is pretty gay. Before you ask, she came onto me today. So I'm sure she is gay."

"Are we even talking about the same Fiona?"

"I don't know, can you show me her face or something?" 'Or something?' thought Stella, 'her face would be enough, I don't need to see her something.'

"Yeah, hold on." She started to scroll on her phone so quickly, Stella was impressed!

"Here."

"Yeah, that's the girl." Stella grimaced at the girl in the picture. She really looks 30 while she was pretty sure her age wasn't any different than theirs. Those girls trying to act more immature than they are, is confusing Stella.

"He's not dating her and she's gay but they kiss?" Aisha was confused in other way herself but Stella thought she had every right to be confused. Why would they kiss?

"Maybe she didn't know. Maybe she just came out as a lesbian. I don't know you can ask Musa tomorrow, I'm sure that little squirrel knows more than I do." Even though what's done is done and past stays in past, Stella still was a little disappointed on Musa. Or was she disappointed in herself? She wasn't a good friend after all.

Aisha realizing the mood of Stella goıng down freed herself from blanket so she can hug her friend. "It's not your or anyone's fault Stell. There will be always something we have to face alone."

Stella just nodded but she still had the same accusatory feeling inside her.

"I won't be going to school tomorrow Stell. My parents already know I'm here with you for a sleepover. Tomorrow morning I'll be going back to races, I need to see him and this time I'm having a proper conversation. It was dumb of me to feel pain over someone I didn't even talk before. So instead of being a stalker and having a crush, I'm going to step forward and talk to him."

Stella was listening to Aisha's speech while trying to free herself from her hug. She wasn't letting her go though! "Aisha!"

As Aisha freed her friend and lowered her head back again, Stella was just watching her like a mom saw her daughter paint the walls with crayons. "Bad Aisha!" she said while pointing her finger to her friend. "I'm going with you."

"You don't have to Stell. Really, I'll be fine."

"I need to see someone myself."

Aisha was looking at Stella in question, "Who?"

"Brandon."