Alex’s P. O. V.
I return home in the evening after the match practice, worried for Stella. She went out with Zoe a few hours ago to purchase the gift for her mother’s birthday. Now she hasn’t been answering my calls, and when I called Zoe, she told me she had dropped Stella off a little while ago and mentioned she didn’t look well.
I head straight to her room and knock firmly on the door. “Stella? Are you in there?”
Silence.
My heartbeat is accelerating. I just hope she is fine.
I knock again, harder this time, but still no answer. Then I press my ear to the door, hoping to hear even the faintest sound, but there’s nothing.
Anxiety begins to rise within me. I can’t stop feeling like something is wrong.
Without thinking twice, I rush to my balcony, which connects to hers. I carefully cross over to hers, praying constantly to keep her fine. I hope she is just sleeping.
I peer through the sliding glass door and my heart almost stops beating when I see her lying on the floor, unmoving.
“Stella…” I shout, getting panic. I force the door open and rush to her side. After dropping to my knees, I shake her shoulders gently. “Flower, wake up. Come on, look at me!”
Her face is pale, her body limp.
My heart races as I grab the glass of water from her nightstand and splash a bit on her face, desperately hoping it will bring her back to consciousness.
After a few agonising seconds, her eyelids flutter, and she slowly opens her eyes.
Closing my eyes, I sigh with relief, feeling like I get my breath back. “Thank God.” A small smile spreads across my face as I pull her into a gentle hug, letting her rest against my chest.
“Alex?” As she whispers in her weak voice, I pull away to look at her face. She looks so pale and it breaks my heart.
What happened to her all of a sudden that she got unconscious? I wonder, getting worried about her again.
“I’m right here.” I brush a strand of hair from her face. “Are you okay? You scared the hell out of me.”
Her eyes become moist as she tells me in her broken voice, “I thought I was getting better, Alex. But…” she bites her lower lip as tears trickle down her cheeks. “I feel like I’m still broken like that day when they both betrayed me.” She pauses, her voice trembling as she fights back the sobs. “I thought I was moving on, but the memories… they keep coming back. And no matter how well you’re treating me, I feel like you’ll also leave me like him.”
Hearing her words breaks something in me. I cup her face and wipe away her tears with my thumb. “Healing takes time, Stella. It’s not an overnight process. And you’re not alone on this journey. I’m with you. You can take how much time you need, but trust me, I’m not fucking leaving your side. I’ll do everything to make you believe that I’m not like him. I’m never going to hurt you.”
“Why? Why are you bearing me?” She asks, staring at me in utter disbelief.
“Because I fucking love you, Flower.” The words slip out of my mouth automatically, and she gasps in shock, and her eyes widen.
At this moment only, I’ve realised that I’m in love with Stella and how important she is to me. When she cries, my heart cries more than her, as if I can feel her pain. I never thought one day someone’s pain would affect me like this. Especially of Stella, whom I thought I would hate the most. I thought I was heartless with no emotions, but she made me feel all the things I never thought I could feel.
She’s broken down every wall I built around myself without even trying. She’s brought out a part of me I didn’t know existed-a part that cares, that loves, that’s willing to fight for someone else’s happiness. It’s terrifying… but it’s also the most real thing I’ve ever felt.
Falling in love with Stella, I never saw it coming, but it happened so naturally, so deeply, that I can’t imagine my life without her now. She’s become a part of me in ways I never thought possible. I want to take care of her and shower her with all the love I have. Keeping her happy and safe is now the only motive of my life. I don’t care about that she is my stepsister. I’ve been in love is a miracle and I want to accept it wholeheartedly.
I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “I know you’re an off-limit for me. Falling in love with you is a sin, but I don’t care if you’re my stepsister. Nothing can stop my heart from beating for you.” I place her hand on my chest, my eyes fixed on her.
“I’m a mess, Alex.” Tears continue to trickle down her cheeks as she asks in disbelief tone, “Why do you even love me?”
“You’re a beautiful mess, Stella, who is just trying to mend her broken heart.” I hold her hand tighter, hoping she feels the truth in my words. “And I’m not bearing you. Okay? I’m fucking relishing every single moment I’m spending with you. And do you have any idea what you’ve done to me?”
“What?”
“I never told you, but all my life I ran away from love because I grew up, seeing my parents fighting, the two people who were deeply in love in their teenage. Seeing them, I swear to never fall in love. But then you entered my life. I completely forgot that I was running away from love. You’re so easy to love, Flower. You’re so beautiful. I’m not just talking about your body, I’m talking about your kind soul. You always keep asking why I suddenly changed and stopped being rude to you. That what happened to me overnight. Because I saw the real you, how pure and kind you’re and I can’t stop my heart beating for you ever since then. You unknowingly fixed me, Stella. The man who ran away from love, now he is head over heels for you, and there’s no turning back.”
I confess my feelings to her from the core of my heart. I never knew that I would be expressive, but today, I want to tell her what she means to me.
A fresh tear slips down her cheek, but this time, it’s different-less broken, softer somehow. She looks at me, her lips parting as she tries to find the words. “Alex… I can’t,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I can’t give you anything in return. It’s… it’s not easy for me to trust, not after everything that happened to me. No matter how hard I try, these fears and doubts… they just won’t go away.”
She lowers her gaze, looking almost ashamed. “I know you’re doing everything you can to make me feel safe, to show me I can trust you. And I want to. I want to believe you’re different. But there’s this part of me that’s still scared you’ll leave… that I’ll end up broken again.” She pauses, her voice trembling. “And I’m so sorry, Alex. You deserve someone who can trust you as much as you deserve, but I just don’t know if I can be that person right now.”
My chest tightens as I watch her struggle, hating the fact that she thinks she doesn’t deserve me.
I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it. “Stella, you don’t have to apologise. I know you’re afraid, and I understand. Trust doesn’t come overnight, especially after what you’ve been through. But I’m here, and I’ll keep being here, no matter how long it takes for you to feel safe with me.”
“I don’t want to hold you back, Alex. You’ve given me so much, and I feel like I’m just… I’m just this broken person who can’t give anything in return.”
“You don’t have to give anything in return, Stella. Just let me be here with you,” I murmur, squeezing her hand. “Let me show you I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay by your side until you’re ready to let your heart trust again. No matter how long it takes, I promise I’ll wait. Just give me a chance, please.” I look at her with pleading eyes.
“I’ll try to move on, I promise. Just please don’t leave me.” As she pleads to me, I pull her into my arms.
“I promise, Flower, I’ll stay with you until my heart is beating.” I lean in and press my lips on her forehead, sealing my promise with this kiss.