Stella and Michael decided to leave the noise behind, heading out to the garden where they could finally be alone. It had been Stella's idea; she wanted Michael's undivided attention, away from the prying eyes of the party. As the cool night air hit them, the haze of alcohol gradually lifted from Michael, and his senses began to clear.
"You promised me you wouldn't get drunk, yet you left me just to go talk with Tia. That isn't fair," Stella said, her voice low and laced with hurt.
"I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry," Michael replied, his voice thick with genuine regret.
"You're always telling me you're sorry, but you never actually care about my feelings." Stella turned her back to him, staring into the shadows of the garden.
Michael realized then that she was telling the truth. He looked at her silhouette, remembering how she had been by his side constantly lately, and how little he had valued her presence.
"Thank you for everything, Stella. I really should have said that a long time ago."
Stella whirled back around. "You don't get it, Michael! It's not about saying thank you." She paused, her breath hitching as she reached out to take his hand. "I love you, and I don't know why you never noticed." Tears welled in her eyes. "I've been trying to get close to you for so long, and when I finally did, you acted like I didn't even matter."
Michael's eyes widened in shock. "You love... me?" He pointed a trembling finger at his own chest.
"Yes." She wiped her eyes and stood abruptly from the bench. "You know what? Forget it. Don't worry about it."
Before she could retreat, Michael pulled her back. He gently brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and before Stella could find her voice, he leaned in and kissed her passionately. Stella was stunned, her heart racing. She didn't know if the kiss was coming from his heart or if the lingering alcohol was still pulling the strings, but in that moment, none of it mattered. All that mattered was the warmth of his lips against hers.
Nearby, Tia stumbled into the garden. She had rushed out to find a quiet place to answer a call from an unknown number, only to realize it was a wrong number. She was still grumbling to herself as she paced.
"Made me come all the way out here for nothing," she muttered.
She was about to head back inside when a soft sound caught her ear. Normally, she wasn't one to intrude on private moments, but curiosity got the better of her. She peered through the leaves, eager to see who the mystery couple was.
Her jaw dropped. "Eww, they're actually kissing," she whispered in a mix of disgust and excitement. Smirking, she pulled out her phone, snapped a quick photo, and slipped away before they could notice her. She couldn't wait to show Clara; this was the ultimate gossip fuel.
Michael finally pulled away, his breath shallow. "I think... I like you too," he whispered, squeezing Stella's hand. "Do you want to get out of here?"
Stella nodded eagerly. They made their way to the parking lot and climbed into Michael's car.
"So, where to?" he asked, sparking the engine to life.
"Let's go to your house."
"My house? Why?"
"I want to know where you live," she teased. "That way, I can pay you a surprise visit whenever I want."
Michael hesitated. His family was away, though the servants might be around—but he could handle them. He put the car in gear and drove toward his estate. When they arrived, Michael was relieved to find the servants had already retired for the night. He was free to bring her inside without an audience.
Stella knew Michael came from money, but the sheer scale of the mansion left her breathless.
"Here we are," Michael said, swinging the heavy front door open.
"Your house is beautiful." Stella stepped inside, running a hand along the polished interior walls. "Is this your family home? I'd love to meet them."
"No, they aren't here. And that's a good thing."
Stella looked confused. "How is that... a good thing?"
"Because if they saw me with a girl, they'd write a song about it and sing it to me every single morning." Michael exhaled, watching Stella break into a giggle.
Back at the school, Tia was hunting for Clara like a woman on a mission. She briefly excused herself from Xavier so it wouldn't look like she was ditching him.
"Can I borrow her for a second?" Tia asked Tyler when she finally spotted them together.
"Sure, go ahead," Tyler said with a friendly smile.
Tia practically dragged Clara away by the arm.
"I'm going to punch you, Tia, if you're interrupting my talk with Tyler for something stupid," Clara warned, crossing her arms.
"The reason isn't stupid, girl. Look at this." Tia thrust her phone toward Clara and watched as the girl's mouth fell open.
Tia gently tapped Clara's chin upward. "Careful, don't drool on your dress."
"Are those... who I think they are?"
"Mhmm."
"What are they doing?"
"Clara, you aren't blind. They're kissing!"
Clara let out a stunned laugh. "This is unbelievable. Are you sure this is real? You didn't edit this?"
Tia rolled her eyes. "Do you know how many hours that would take? I saw them in the garden and grabbed the evidence."
"Are you going to post it?"
Tia gasped, offended. "Clara! I'm not that mean. Of course I'm not posting it."
"Then what's the plan?"
"I'm going to send it to Stella. I want her to know I saw them."
"Is that really necessary?" Clara asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Nope. But it'll be fun."
Tia hit send, attaching a short text: He's all yours now. Make sure you don't lose him.
*****
Back at the mansion, after talking for what felt like hours, Stella checked the time. "I have to go now," she said, reaching for her purse.
"Already? Can't you stay a little longer?"
He sounded almost clingy, which made Stella's heart swell. She wasn't used to staying over at a guy's house—even if she loved him—and felt a pang of hesitation.
"Michael, you're already home. I need to get back to the dorms."
Michael grabbed his car keys. "Let me drop you off, then."
"Oh, no, don't worry. I'll just catch a cab. You just got back from campus; you should rest." Stella tried to sound nice.
Michael placed his hands on her shoulders. "In case you didn't know, the walk to the main gate is about forty minutes. Are you sure you don't want a ride?"
"Maybe you can just walk me to the gate?"
As they stepped onto the porch, a sudden, heavy wind whipped through the trees, followed immediately by a crack of lightning and a roar of thunder. They both scrambled back inside.
"Do you have an umbrella?" Stella asked, startled.
"We do, but it's not safe to go out in a storm like this."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" Stella sighed, collapsing into a chair.
"Maybe you can stay for the night," Michael insisted.
"No, I couldn't possibly..." Stella trailed off, trying to hide how much she actually liked the idea.
"If you step out there, you'll probably blow away in the wind. You're too thin," Michael teased, coaxing a loud giggle from her. "You can sleep in my sister's room since she's away."
Stella pouted slightly. "Why can't I just stay with you instead?"
"Are you... okay with that?" Michael asked, surprised.
"Of course. It's not like we're strangers."
When they finally climbed into bed, Michael kept a respectful distance, terrified of looking like a pervert. But as soon as his breathing evened out into sleep, Stella drifted across the mattress. She pulled him close, holding him tightly against her.
"I can't believe I finally got you" she whispered into the dark, reaching over to click off the bedside lamp.