CHAPTER ELEVEN – UNEXPECTED

Stopping the water from running, Stella stepped out of the bath. Every time she indulged in her 'self-care' bath, she ended up feeling dizzy and famished. Luckily, there were some good snacks downstairs. Her father had practically bought out the entire store, just in case. Stella shivered at the memory of those early days in the pandemic, a time that felt like a horror movie with the whole world cast in it. She had tried to stop her father, but he was too focused on ensuring his daughter was well-fed. It was a known fact that Stella often forgot to eat. Her eating disorder wasn't as severe as it once was, thanks to the support of her good friends.

Stella sighed while combing her wet hair, she really was so lucky to have those things. The best parents in the world, even though they weren't around so much. And the best friends. She looked at herself in the mirror, analyzing her body and face. She knew she was pretty and had a nice body. But she remembers how hard she had worked to achieve this. Nearly dying twice wasn't a joke after all. "The past stays in the past Stella. Don't make me overthink those again please." she pleaded herself.

Mimi, was an excellent cook. Stella had a fondness for Asian cuisine, and Mimi loved preparing her mother's special dishes. Musa, was absolutely obsessed with Mimi's cooking. She practically refused to leave Stella's house when Mimi was in the kitchen. Stella smiled to herself, realizing she hadn't seen Mimi in far too long. She wondered if Mimi was upset with her for not making time to see her. After changing into her comfy sweat shorts and 'Alfea High' hoodie, Stella started to clean up the mess she had left behind from her self-care routine. Just as she finished, her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" she answered, not bothering to check the caller ID. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"Oh, Muse..." Stella sighed. It was Musa, her tone a mix of concern and frustration. "Home, Muse. Where else could I be?"

"Don't you use that tone with me! I've been calling you and texting you, no replies whatsoever! Are you... mad at me or something?" Musa's voice, once confident, wavered in her last few words.

"Of course not! Stupid head. Why would I be mad at you? And even if I was, since when do I act like this when I'm mad?" Stella spoke quickly, aware that worrying her friends like this was entirely her fault. But with her parents back home and the weight of the past two chaotic days, she felt drained. She wanted to rest, not just sleep.

"Yeah, I know, but I don't know," Musa replied, still a little confused and concerned for her friend's behavior.

"My parents are home, and Aisha must've told you about what happened. I just felt tired, Muse. I wanted to rest and spend more time with my parents. You know I miss them so much." Stella had spoken so many times about her parents to her friends, but this time she felt the weight of her words. Was she missing them more than she used to? They weren't completely gone; they would come to see her often with plenty of gifts. Stella sometimes visited them in the city, where she had a beautiful Scandinavian-designed room. She loved that room so much that she had redecorated her room in Gardenia after seeing it. But it didn't have the same vibe. Maybe it was because her city room had a panoramic view of the entire city.

"Oh, that's perfect, tell them hi from me. We were so worried Stell. And yes, Aisha told us everything. How is your breath? You didn't have another..." Musa's voice trailed off, her concern evident.

"I didn't, no," Stella assured her. She had forgotten to warn Aisha about the panic attack. The girls didn't need to know that information. Stella knew that Flora would probably just start crying and worrying for her. Now she realized she hadn't responded to Flora's calls and texts either. Her friends are good friends but Stella guessed that she, not very much. Even though that wasn't true.

"I'm fine, Muse, please tell the girls I am. I just didn't want to use my phone with my parents around because they're really worried about my safety. And the last events weren't any sweet either." Stella decided she didn't need to tell the girls about the vase and decor. They didn't need to worry about her more than they already were.

"I get it, Stell. We'll see you at school then?" Musa asked, her tone softening.

"I'll see you girls at school, Muse. Thanks for calling." Stella smiled at her friend's attention. She did have good friends.

Before ending the call, Stella spoke up again. "Hey, Muse?"

"Yeah?" replied Musa.

"Are you mad at me? You know... I went there, even though I told you it's wrong to do so. And about Brandon..." Stella didn't need to finish her sentence.

"I won't be mad at you, just like you weren't mad at me for following our hearts. You were worried for me, and I am worried for you, Stella. There's nothing more and nothing less. I'd love to see you happy and in love. I mean... it's time for you to find someone, or you're going to dry up, girl." Stella burst into laughter at her friend's words.

"Love you, Muse," she said.

"Of course you do, Bella," replied Musa, using the nickname that Stella detested.

It wasn't fair. Just two precious days with her parents, and they had to be invaded by guests. Stella shot a grumpy look at the room. It was her parent's friends, of course. Oh, and their golden boy, Taylor. She couldn't resist patting herself on the back for maintaining her sarcasm, even in this situation. 'Well done, me', she thought with a wry smile. Stella had never been fond of her parent's friends, particularly the ones who had a son her age. They always seemed intent on trying to play matchmaker. Taylor, though not unpleasant on the eyes, was a far cry from someone like Brandon. 'Why am I torturing myself like this?' she wondered.

"So, Stella honey, how's school?" Maria, Taylor's mother, inquired. Stella turned her attention towards her, noting the perpetual bird's nest of a hairstyle that hadn't changed in years. Luna shot Stella a look that clearly meant, 'Be nice'. Sighing, Stella put on a smile that was more involuntary than genuine.

"Good. How's work?" Stella asked Maria, without really listening for an answer, too busy studying the woman's unchanged appearance. Luna cleared her throat, a gentle reminder for Stella to pay attention. "Honey, Maria asked you a question."

"Right, sorry. What was the question?" Stella murmured, straightening up.

Maria, undeterred, continued with a smile, "I said, did you know Taylor is transferred to Alfea this semester?"

"Really? Why? Isn't Gardenia good enough?" Stella asked, her curiosity genuine.

Maria, still wearing that enigmatic smile, let out a dry laugh. "Of course it is. But he thought the sports program would be a better choice for college applications. Alfea is one of the best high schools in the country, after all. Isn't that right, honey?" she directed towards Taylor, who was lounging comfortably in Stella's favorite chair scanning her with a punk grin.

"Yeah," Taylor affirmed with a nod, his tone a blend of nonchalance and confidence.

'Ugh', Stella thought, growing weary of boys like Taylor who seemed to believe they were something special. In her eyes, they were nothing more than overinflated egos.

"Well, I hope you like it," Stella responded, her enthusiasm decidedly subdued.

"With you being there, I don't see why I won't," Taylor replied, the arrogance in his voice unmistakable. 'Shut up', Stella silently urged.

Just as Stella was struggling to restrain her sarcastic retort, her phone chimed to life. Radius, engrossed in conversation with Taylor's father, glanced up at Stella, his protective instincts on high alert. He had wasted no time in adopting three Rottweilers from the shelter, and the house now bristled with cameras and alarms, a fortress of protection.

"Who is it, dear?" he asked, his concern palpable even from a distance.

"It's Aisha, Dad. I'll be right back," Stella assured, sensing her father's relief.

"Hey Ash," Stella greeted her friend when she stepped outside. She really needed a fresh air, Taylor had sucked all the clean air in the room. That jerk.

"Hey Bell, how are you, my favorite star?" Aisha's cheerful tone didn't quite align with the dark cloud that had been hanging over Stella.

"What's with those empty words? Why did you wake up today and choose death? Why?" Stella retorted, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "I missed you," Aisha confessed.

"Me you too," Stella conceded, the levity in the air slowly settling into a more serious tone.

"So," Aisha began, "I'm a jerk for leaving you alone even after you told me to. I'm sorry, Stell. You have no idea how worried I was. Not hearing anything from you for two days... I felt like I'd died, and now that I'm back from death which was awesome by the way, I just had to give you a call." Stella smiled at her friend's words.

"You're a jerk, but not because of what you said. You respected my space, Ash. That's what I expect from my friends. I really needed some time to myself, and thank you for giving it to me. You did the best thing for me. You explained everything to the girls. That was something I was trying to avoid. Don't blame yourself," Stella reassured her.

"Why am I a jerk, then?" Aisha was now thoroughly confused.

"Because, you jerk, you didn't tell me Taylor got transferred to Alfea!" Stella exclaimed.

"Ohhhh..." Aisha's realization was accompanied by a laugh. "I'm a jerk, yeah," she agreed, her amusement contagious.

"They came to see my parents, and they're still here! He's looking at me like I'm some kind of sandwich." Stella rolled her eyes, thoroughly unimpressed by Taylor's bravado.

"He's the real jerk," Aisha concurred, her tone carrying a note of caution.

"Careful, I heard the real reason he moved from Gardenia to Alfea is that his parents paid a lot. And when I say a lot, you know it's A LOT! So he could transfer." Aisha provided context.

Stella didn't say anything, wondering what Taylor might have done to warrant such an extravagant payment. Alfea was indeed an excellent school, but the cost wasn't exorbitant. It was well-known for offering scholarships to students with special skills and creditable grades. Stella had earned her place thanks to both, even if her parents hadn't particularly cared about the cost.

"You there?" asked Aisha, pulling Stella from her thoughts.

"Yeah, just thinking about what he might have done, that's all," Stella replied.

"He's not a good person, Stell. But I think..." Aisha hesitated briefly. Stella could sense a shift in the conversation.

"I think he tried something on a girl," Aisha revealed, her voice dropping to a somber tone. She didn't want her parents to hear it, she knew her father would do whatever it takes to get that boy out of Alfea.

"Tried something?" Stella's heart raced with concern. "What do you mean?"

"Yeah, I think he tried to..." Aisha trailed off, the gravity of her words sinking in. "I think he tried to rape a girl."

"WHAT?" Stella's scream was so loud that the dogs, concerned for her well-being, erupted into a chorus of barking. She quickly reassured them, her hands soothing their anxious fur. "It's okay, babies, nothing's wrong." She was petting each dog a little so they can calm down before her father came to look for her, or worst, before he sent Tyler to look how she was doing.

"What babies?" asked Aisha also as confused as dogs, "We adopted three dogs," murmured Stella, still deep in thoughts.

"Oh my God! Send me pictures of their adorable faces! And what breed are they?" Aisha's excitement shifted gears, her newfound role as an aunt taking center stage.