Alex’s P. O. V.
We arrive back home after dinner. My burned arm aches like hell, but I try not to let it show because Stella is already worried enough.
As we step inside, I see Dad sitting with Stella’s mother on the couch. They both notice me wincing slightly as I move my arm, and their expressions shift immediately to concern.
“Alex, what happened to you?” Dad approaches as he notices the bandage.
Before I can answer, Stella steps forward. “There… there was a fire in our classroom, and Alex protected me.”
Stella’s mother places her hand on my uninjured shoulder. “Thank you, Alex. I can’t even imagine…” Her voice fades off, gratitude clear in her eyes.
Dad nods, giving me a proud smile. “That’s brave of you, son. But you need to rest now. Go on, get some sleep.”
I turn to head to my room, and Stella follows me. As we reach outside my room, she leans close and whispers, “I’ll come to your room from the balcony after taking a shower.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.” I lean in and kiss her cheek, causing her eyes to widen in shock.
“Alex, what if anybody sees us?” She chides after looking around, making sure nobody has seen us.
I chuckle. “I don’t care.”
She glares at me, and after winking at her, I enter my room.
I lock the door. The ache in my arm feels more intense now, but it’s a relief to know Stella is safe. Thinking back to the fire, I feel so grateful that I could reach her in time. I don’t want to imagine what would’ve happened if I hadn’t made it.
I can’t afford to lose her. She is the only reason I’m happy in my life after such a long time. She has given a purpose in my life. My life is completely dark without her. The thought of anything happening to Stella is unbearable.
I’m still in my sweaty clothes from basketball practice, and I try to pull off my vest, but the pain is too much. With a frustrated sigh, I give up and sit on the bed, resting my head in my hands.
Just then, I hear a soft click as the balcony door opens. I look up to see Stella stepping into my room. She’s freshly showered, her shoulder-length blonde hair still damp and framing her face. She’s wearing a satin night suit, and as always, she looks effortlessly beautiful.
For a moment, I forget the pain as I just take her in, lost in the sight of her.
“Hey,” she says softly, crossing the room to me. “Let me help you.” She sits beside me and holds the hem of my vest.
She must’ve noticed my struggle.
As I nod, she carefully eases the fabric over my shoulders, mindful of my injury. Her hands are warm and steady as she helps me out of the clothes.
She heads to the bathroom and returns with a damp towel.
She again sits down beside me. “Stay still,” she instructs, running the cool towel across my chest, wiping away the sweat and ash from the fire. Her touch is soothing, and my eyes are fixed on her. My skin tingles wherever the towel touches, but mostly it’s her closeness that makes my heart race.
God! She drives me insane.
When she finishes, she grabs a clean pair of joggers from my dresser and helps me to wear them. I never thought that one day someone would take care of me like this and I would feel so good.
Then, suddenly, a knock echoes from the other side of the door. Both of us freeze and our eyes widen. Stella glances at me with a hint of panic before quickly darting toward the bathroom. She closes the door and I try to regain my composure.
I take a steadying breath and open the door to find Olivia, Stella’s mom, standing outside with a warm, concerned look on her face.
“Alex, I just wanted to check in,” she says softly. “I know you’ve had quite a night. If you need anything, or if the pain gets worse, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Thank you, Olivia. I really appreciate it,” I reply, offering a reassuring smile.
She nods and looks as if she wants to say something more, but then just pats my good shoulder gently before heading back down the hallway. I watch her disappear.
Once I’m sure she’s gone, I close the door and lean against it, letting out a sigh.
I walk over to the bathroom, knocking. “Stella, it’s safe. You can come out.”
She steps back into the room. I chuckle, and she swats my arm, careful to avoid my injury.
“Don’t laugh,” she mutters, her cheeks flushing. “That was way too close.” Her expression turns serious as she asks me, “What if they get to know about us?”
I take her hand in mine. “Stella, I don’t care who knows. I’m not ashamed of how I feel about you.” My gaze holds hers, hoping she understands that no secret, no fear, is going to stop me from loving her.
“But… what about our your father and my mother?”
I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “If the day comes when they find out… then we’ll face it together,” I reassure her. “But I don’t want to live in fear of what people think, not when it comes to you. You’re too important.”
She looks up at me, her eyes filled with affection. “You’re right. I just… I just want us to be happy without any complications.”
I pull her close, wrapping my good arm around her, feeling her melt into my embrace. “We’ll face everything together. Don’t worry. Right now, I just have you with me. It’s enough.” I press my lips on her forehead.
She lets out a small sigh and rests her head against my chest, her fingers tracing patterns on my side. We stand there in silence for a few moments, just holding each other, savouring our togetherness. I feel so peaceful, feeling her so close to me.
Suddenly, she tilts her head up, giving me a mischievous smile. “Besides, I think we’re getting good at sneaking around.”
I laugh. “I suppose we are.”
“And let’s just hope we don’t have to sneak around for too long.”
“Someday, Stella, we won’t have to. Someday, it’ll be just you and me, without secrets.”
She smiles up at me, and I can see the hope in her eyes. I know we still have a lot to deal with it, but for tonight, with her by my side, I feel like we can take on the world.