I slowly opened my eyes hearing Harry’s voice. I sat straight still recalling the things that happened last night.
“Come out. We are leaving.” He said.
We both strolled out and saw everyone there.
“Morning Stella!” Jessie greeted.
I forced a smile and greeted back.
“Enjoyed the night, huh?” Jennie laughed.
Harry and I, both kept quiet. We didn’t reply anything to her. We then started to leave the place. Harry and I drove off in a car whereas they all started in another car. All were going to Harry’s house except Harry and I. We were heading to mine.
The entire drive was silent. Neither I spoke, nor he. I could see guilt crept over his face. He was not even driving properly. We reached my home and when I was about to got out of the car, he called my name.
“Stella!”
I turned my face to his side and started hearing him.
“I…” he let out a sigh and said “I’m sorry.”
I didn’t reply anything as I don’t understand how to react. I was so angry at him but he saved me. I was messed up. My head was mixed up with many thoughts. I got out of the car and ran inside.
I noticed my dad already left for his business work. My mom was watching TV. She smiled looking at me and I smiled back.
“How was the party?” she asked.
“Yeah… cool.” Without talking anything more, I ran to my bedroom. I sat on the bed quietly while my head was processing the things that happened yesterday.
It all happened because of Harry. If he didn’t force and blackmail me to go with him, nothing had happened. And he was drunk, misbehaved with me. I saw most of the similarities between Harry and Ben but the only difference is even when Harry was drunk he listened to me when I cried and shouted at him whereas Ben didn’t.
I took my head in my palms and my eyes got wet. I stood from the bed, strolled to bathroom. I spent nearly an hour in hot shower. Then I got dressed and again lay on my bed looking at the ceiling.
My mom came inside saying “Have breakfast.”
She looked at me with her narrowed eyebrows. She then asked “Is everything okay?”
I sat straight not understanding how she figured it. I was not showing any worry in my face yet my mom found out. Moms always find things though we hide them perfectly.
“Yeah mom. Everything is fine.” I replied.
“Really? You seem slightly off.”
“No. I… I’m tired.” I smiled.
My mom nodded to my sentence but her expression was telling that she was not satisfied with my answer.
“What about breakfast? Should I bring it here? Or will you come out of the room?”
“I’m coming.” Saying that I strolled with my mom. We had our breakfast and I again strolled to my room. I called Anna and talked for a while. I told her everything that happened and she became furious. After few minutes Anna entered in with worried face.
“Nothing happened, Anna. Calm down.” I said.
“I didn’t expect something like that would happen. I never thought Harry would behave that way.” She gritted her teeth.
“I don’t know whether to thank him for saving me or should get angry with him for behaving like that. There’s something more I should tell. I felt something strange when he fought with Ben.”
“What?”
“I saw his protective side yesterday. He once said he would be always there to protect me from others but no one could take me away from him. I felt it yesterday. Though I was angry, I loved the way he did things for me. He might have done anything to me if he wished yet he didn’t.”
“I’m not getting it. So what is it? You are angry at him? Or you like him?”
“Though I’m angry at him, I like him.”
She made a weird expression hearing me. Of course anyone would feel the same way. That much stupid my explanation was.
We both talked for few minutes then she left. I involved myself busy listening to songs, drawing and other activities but the fight kept revolving in my head. His anger towards Ben, his shouts, his protective nature and most importantly the words ‘My Stella’. It’s nearly evening still I didn’t leave my room.
I heard knock on my door and I shouted “Come in.”
Harry entered in forcing a smile. I stood from the bed seeing him.
“Hey!” He said.
“Hey!” I replied.
The situation was awkward between us. He was not saying anything and I too kept silent.
He leaned to the wall, crossed his arms and kept looking at me.
“I’m sorry.” He said looking at me.
“You apologised already.”
“But I didn’t get any reply for it.”
I sat on the bed not saying anything. He looked apologetic.
“Stella! I was drunk and I… I behaved that way. I never thought to do that. I’m sorry. Really sorry.”
I simply nodded my head hearing him.
“I won’t force you to be my girlfriend anymore.”
“Feeling regret, huh?” I asked. It’s my first time seeing him with much regret.
“Oh Stella! Regret is the small word. I’m feeling more than that. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m an idiot.” He said and bent his head down. “Wait! Did I tell I’m stupid?”
I grinned and said “No. You said you are an idiot which is obviously true.”
“What? No. Scratch that word. I’m not an idiot to tell that I’m an idiot.”
I laughed hearing his stupid sentence. He smiled looking at me and stepped forward. He cupped my face making me look into his eyes. They were gleaming many emotions and I kept looking at them without shifting my gaze.
“I wish yesterday’s incident won’t break our friendly relationship.”
“I would love to break it but you are my dance partner and I couldn’t dance with you with a serious expression on my face.” I smiled.
He smiled back nodding his head. I touched his arm trying to remove his hands from my face. As soon as I touched his hand, he hissed in pain.
“What happened?” I looked at his hand.
“It’s nothing.” He said hiding his hand.
“Show me.” Saying that I rolled up his shirt sleeve. I saw bandage wrapped around his arm.
“You always wanted me to get wounded. Look at it.” He rolled his eyes.
“This is why you couldn’t drive properly.” I said looking at him.
“It’s not a big thing. I can manage.” He said smiling.
I felt bad seeing his wound. I couldn’t take the thought he got wounded for me, to my head. But… he deserved it. Wow! I’m really evil.
We then strolled out of my room and sat on sofa in the living room. We kept talking few things.
“Does your friends left?” I asked.
“Yeah! Afternoon.”
My mom joined with us. Harry and my mom began talking. After few minutes, Harry stood from the couch and started to leave. I strolled out along with him. I saw no car parked outside.
“Where’s your car?” I asked.
“I can’t drive with this bloody damaged hand so I came by walk.” He replied making an irritated face.
Suddenly Anna came towards us shouting Harry “I never thought you would behave that way.” She raised her eyebrow.
“Ann! Your friend forgave me. Don’t raise the topic again.” He rolled his eyes.
She looked at me with shocked expression. I nodded my head as Yes for which she shocked more.
“What are you doing here?” I asked Anna.
“Came to ask you for evening walk.”
“Okay. As I’m also here, we three can go. Stella will walk along with me. After all I’m her boyfriend.” Harry smirked.
Anna and I have him a serious look for which he said “What? Are you both gonna eat me alive? If you don’t want, won’t go for walk.”
We didn’t change our expressions. We kept looking at him with our raised eyebrows.
“I think I should run.” Saying that Harry ran away. Anna and I laughed at his action. Harry reached the end of the street and turned back. He then waved his hand shouting “Bye Stella. Ann! Don’t raise the topic again. Bye.” He then walked away. Then Anna and I went for our casual walk and spending few minutes with her, I reached home.
The next day I saw Ben didn’t attend the class. Harry too didn’t attend. Ignoring it, I concentrated on my classes. The evening I didn’t go for dance practice as his hand was hurting still. The next two days were same. Neither Harry nor Ben attended the classes. Harry was not in the mood so he was not attending. About Ben and his friends? They might be in hospital or whatever.
After three days, I saw Ben’s friends in the classroom. Their faces were bruised and they were frightened when they saw me. I gave them an angry look and continued listening to my classes.
When Anna and I were talking casually in canteen, Vickie strolled to us.
“Enjoying because Ben left?” she asked standing beside me.
We didn’t understand what she was talking so we looked at her with a blank expression.
“Just because Ben left the town, don’t think you can live happily with Harry. I won’t let it happen.” She gritted her teeth and strolled away.
Ben left the town? What did I hear? Anna and I looked at eachother surprised. My face lit up when I heard that.
“Ben left the town? Oh my god!” Anna said.
I saw Ben’s friends in canteen and I strolled to them. I asked them about Ben. One of his friends said “Harry went to Ben’s house, warned Ben and his father saying he would make Ben’s father’s contracts cancel as Harry’s family knew a lot of big shots. He also warned he would file a complaint against Ben for harassing you. Ben’s father was so furious at Ben and he didn’t want anything happen to his business. So he sent Ben to London. Ben won’t come back. His parents also decided to settle in London soon.”
Hearing them I was overjoyed. I stood still smiling. They continued “Stella! We are sorry. Please forgive us.”
I strolled away from there smiling. It’s because of Harry. Because of him, Ben left the town. The problem which I had been carrying since three years was solved.