A heads up....Stellan and his sister will converse in Russian for a moment and Ophelia won't understand so I haven't put up the translation because the character, whose POV I wrote in, doesn't get the conversation. So you guys don't fret over it and I suggest you don't look up for translation. Keeps the mystery and all😂 But we all are a little nasty and probably I would also jump to Google Translate so I can't really say much! And I don't know Russian. It's all Google 😏 So sorry for mistakes if any.
Enjoy!

The next few days were pretty normal. Allison's grandma was happy and healthy and so my bestie was back and let's not talk about the amount of lecture my ears had to go through about how careless I am and how I should take care of myself and blah blah blah......

After she returned, Ian was happy. Of course he was. I bet my twenty dollars in my pocket that he was so ready to hug her and maybe kiss the life out of her because she was back. And so began the exchange of all the incidents that occurred in her absence because obviously they were necessary for her survival. Why is she so excited to know about all this?

Oh yeah, because she thinks I am hiding something which I am not.

Psstt....I don't have anything to hide here!

"So Stel, was she being a cry baby as you took care of her?" That bitch smirked at me and asked Stellan sweetly, very sweetly actually!

"Oh, you mean the time when Stel was her nurse and babying her? You don't know how many girls would have wished to be at her place!" Idiot Ian. I officially am killing them in my mind.

"Being sick, throwing up, sneezing half the afternoon and not being able to walk is not something anyone would want, stupid!" I am literally trying to kill him with my eyes. Its not working!

"But they would if Stel here is your personal care taker! But then again, I don't blame you....you are oblivious...to SO MANY things!" That sly bastard.

"I really envy all the people who have never met you Ian. They are living such peaceful lives, I swear!"

"Ooooohhh! Is Lia a little mad? What crawled up your ass and died? And what's with the grumpy face?"

"Ian....shut it right now! And no one plans a murder out loud. And it's really not easy....considering how I am going to kill you, plan your funeral and then handle two emotionally unstable Stel and Alice!" And he had the audacity to laugh. He laughed. Allison, being the World Peace Ambassador that she is, broke our fight. Maybe we should leave her after Donald Trump....that could work actually!

"Okay guys, cool it now! So now that I am and everything is alright....let's get together." Now she is talking but then started the debate of where we should be going.

Club wasn't an option because at a club, my highest record of staying inside the club was 25 minutes I am thrown out because my feet kissed a boy. As if he wasn't hitting on me!

My place could have been but it was really a mess after Allison not being there to scold my lazy ass for not cleaning it.

"Well, we could always party at my place." Said a very eager Ian.

"Or my place!" said a very eager Alice too.

And they started fighting like kids over the party place. They two look like an old couple who are lovey-dovey one second and want to bit each other's head off the next.

"Guys...can you not fight for a few hours. We will go to my house. We have a theatre there, we can watch a movie. And no IAN, ITS NOT UP FOR DICUSSION! NOW, any queries?" Seeing Stel's outburst, even I shrank back a bit. Angry Stel is not a good sight.

But a cooking Stel is a yummy sight.

Oh.....that he is. No, No, NO! I shouldn't have said that....I shouldn't have said that. We all silently nodded and then continued with our lunch and later office work until it was time to leave for his house.

"What should I wear Lia......this one or this one!" A confused Alice asked me.

"The second one, babes." I said without looking at her since she would look good in any dress and Ian would drool over her in any dress so it didn't matter anyway. I continued to play on my phone until a high pitched voice caught me off guard.

"Ophelia......we have to be there in a few minutes. Get ready while I make a few calls!" And the savage cat was gone. I dragged my ass to the wardrobe, selecting a comfortable outfit since I predicted we would be staying there, like last time at my house because, Ian and Alice, these too are hard to handle. We were finally ready and so we left.

I was now almost near The Walker Mansion. The area looked massive, with massive and expensive houses parked with Porsche and Ferrari......Rich people. Our car finally stopped in front of a massive house. It was too huge for one person.

Uh oh! Stel lived with his family which meant we will be meeting them today. Suddenly, I was nervous. Why the fuck was I nervous? It's not like I am meeting my in laws, its just Stel's family, right?

Hmmm.....good comparison Hale.

Your consciousness does not have an on and off button, does it?

The gates opened for us to move in and I went to park my car. We finally walked out of the car and to main entrance where we were greeted by a butler. Rich people.

He led us to the main area where I saw a laughing Stel and Ian.

"So my girls are finally here! Now lets get are butt moving to the theatre...." Ian said, looking at his love interest from head to toe.

"I am no one's girl, asshole and say the words...don't be shy! We all know how 'awesome' Alice is looking!" And the two people just blushed.

"You are looking pretty as well, Ophelia." Stel complimented me.

I looked down at my attire. I was wearing simple jeans and a party top....nothing less and nothing more!

"Really, ummm....well thanks! You guys are looking handsome too! Now, to the movie!" And we scrambled to the big screen with comfy seats. This guy had a freaking god damn theatre...I am impressed.

Weren't you already?

Urrrgghhh.......just calm down and go with the flow!

So we all sat to watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith! Oh Thank the lords...I wasn't up for another romance based film.

Stellan quickly went away to get the food supply.

We sat and the movie rolled away.

'Fucking shoot her...oh my god! Don't' be all the couple shit now! Shoot her you women....Come on Angie...Brad please......" It was the scene where the couple hesitate to shoot each other! I always , always hate this scene. Had he shot her, then she would also shoot him, kill him and live a free and awesome life as a free women!

"Is she always shouting like this?" Ian asked Allison.

"Well, she isn't cursing atleast, or Col-" I cut Stel off.

"You fucking idiots. Kill each other. Please, KILLLLLLL! Now what, you are gonna make out! Just skip it, play the fucking fighting scene.......I don't like this scene. Who played the movie....lets watch Avengers." I was going out of my mind. Deep breathes, sweety. Deep breathes.

I turned to look at an amused Allison, a confused Stel and a bit scared Ian.

We finally somehow finished the movie...over Alice whining how Pride and Prejudice was a better choice and Ryan Gosling is better. I might have felt Ian burning due to jealousy. Poor guy!

"So now the game is finished, lets play a game........maybe truth and dare!" The award for the Crappiest Idea goes to Ian Henderson everyone.

"Sit down Ian....we are not playing truth and dare! We can play.....hey how about bowling!" That idea by Stel would have been awesome, if I only knew bowling. Before I could say no, Allison did.

"I really don't know how to bowl, neither does Lia...so that's a bad idea"

"Oh come on....I know bowling! You be in my team.....I will teach you!" The moment Ian said that, her face lit up.....TRAITOR!

"Awesome.....now what about this nut job here?" I asked pointing towards my own self.

"You will be in my team and I will teach you!" I turned to look at Stel.

"But then doesn't it turn into a competition between you guys.....we will just be sitting and-"

"Cheering for these two hot male specimens. You guys can have a pom-pom and cheer for me and Stel, I mean-"

I simply smacked Ian on the back of his head, earning an "OOUUUU!" from him and chuckles from the other two.

He even had a freaking bowling set up......Rich people! Stel read my impressed look.

"I really like bowling....so does Ian! So my father got this all made since we liked it soo much." Well, that explained a lot.

First went Ian and then Stel and both of them had a strike. I am gonna embarrass myself. Alice is gonna embarrass herself.

Next went Alice and she was struggling until Ian came and helped, maybe too much. I wasn't blind. I knew what was going there and then the ball went and Alice had a strike. What the hell just happened? My jaw literally touched the floor. Okay....only I am gonna embarrass myself.

I stood up, rather annoyed....because I knew the outcome so I walked, took the ball and was ready to let it roll and hit no ball and embarrass me.....but Mr. Walker had other plans. He came up to me as I felt his presence on my back. He covered my hand with his, trying to teach me how to hold the ball.

"Not like this.....you hold it like this" He said, adjusting my fingers. I then continued to act all smart and throw the ball but he caught my waist and told me I was doing it wrong again.

Buy my mind was elsewhere. I could feel his breathe fan the back of my ears, sending shivers down my body. No boy has been this close to me, no one. It was just my personal bubble. Even then, I couldn't shrug Stel off. His one hand on my waist and the other on my hand, he continued to tell me the things while all I concentrated at was his voice and his breath on my ears. It forced my stomach to do somersaults and what not.

Finally, he stopped, slightly smiled and nodded for me to go. I hesitantly threw the ball. Off and off it went and hit a few pins. It sure wasn't a strike but I sucked at this game. I jumped in happiness, yelling and hugging Stel in surprise. He was shocked at first but relaxed and chuckled at my behavior.

The game continued and after some time....it was time for dinner and we won. I don't know how but we won. I was so ready to tease Ian off but he wasn't even sad that he lost mostly because he got his prize anyways...time with Allison. He didn't wish for anything else. We then were taken to the dining table where I spotted Mr. Walker with his daughters, Natalie and Lillian along with a 9 year old Cole.

The whole family was gorgeous. Each one of them could pose and we can get the perfect model family. Its not just Stel, but everyone has the beauty gene. Me and Alice were kind of reluctant but we were welcomed never the less.

Natalie came and hugged us both, something I thought she would not do because she was so famous and all but she was down to earth, very. As far as Stel has told me, Natalie is a fashion designer and a kickass one at that.

Lillian was easy going too. Cole was shy but squeaked a "Hi!" never the less. Mr Walker simply gave a nod and smile. He knew us both so he need not be introduced to us.

But Nat was practically jumping to know us, and so did I. We ate and talked. It did not even seem like we were having dinner with high class people. All of them were so sweet, something we all lack these days. We talked and ate and talked and laughed. Lillian is more into sports and studies and is kind of a tom boy. I even talked to Lila about her studies and boy was she smart! She even liked Tennis. She was a national player so it was given.

Cole didn't speak much but whatever he said was something related to piano. That boy was so freaking cute. Even at the age of nine, I could tell he was going to break a lot of hearts once fully grown. Stel told me he liked to play piano and was great at it. I might listen to it, sometime! Yeah....as if I would be invited here again. Maybe, maybe not.

We ate and then Mr. Walker left, because he needed sleep. Cole and Lila too went away because Lila had morning practice and Cole, well he was a kid.....poor kid!

Nat, though, sat with us. She was a talkative person. We definitely talked a lot...me, Allison and Nat though the two guys stayed quiet. Why wouldn't they....as Nat continued to reveal all their childhood stories. They had been best friends for soo long and Nat remembers all their struggles and wins and losses. I have never laughed so much while talking to a person who was a stranger a few hours back. And then it was time for bed. Of course I said we need to leave. Of course Allison agreed but obviously she made that sad face, so did Ian. Stel then suggested we stay here....he had many guest rooms and obviously I implied. Three against one....yeah! As if I had a chance.

Ian had his own room here because he had always spent a lot of time here. Stel obviously had his own room. Me and Allison had one guest room. Stel told us to have separate but it wasn't much problem, so why not just share? And we all retired to bed. But I had some other plans in mind.

I woke up at around 4 AM because I had set the alarm for it. I slowly opened the door to our room and crept outside. Rooms were on either side of us. But at the end, there was a balcony.

My destination.

I had seen it while going to sleep and so I formulated my plan. I walked to the balcony, pushing open its glass doors and I was mesmerized.

I have always loved the night sky. The sky just before dawn where I can see the stars twinkle so bright, even after the fact that they would disappear the next second. I continued to look at them until I heard footsteps and I stiffened. Once I realized who it was, I relaxed.

"What is it with you and me finding each other at absurd hours?" A highly amused Stel walked beside me and took a support of the railing.

"Well I can call it destiny! But what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"My glass of water, remember and I was going back but then I saw your open door and the balcony so I pretty much connected the dots and here you are."

"Here I am." I replied with a smile.

"So what is your reason of being awake at 4 AM?" He asked looking at me as the moonshine fell over his perfectly chiseled face. Gosh, how could someone be this pretty?

" 4 AM knows all my secrets." I replied.

"What secrets, may I ask?" Oh, he was interested, wasn't he? I looked up at the star lit sky.

"My secrets of why I laugh myself to sleep or sometimes maybe cry myself to sleep. Or why I have sudden inspirations to draw. My secrets of how much the stars before dawn encourage me. Knowing that they will disappear but still burn bright and smile down at us. Telling me to rise everyday and never fall apart. My secrets of failed attempts of making out constellations and my attempts to count the stars..... My wishes to go up there and feel weightless, and hug them....feel their warmth close to my heart as it burns, not that I want to be an astronaut because even they can't touch them but I want to. My secrets of how many stars I have nick named or how many wishes I have made to a shooting star. My secrets of being wake to just watch them as they lull me to sleep on my roof top or search for my grandma up there. To ask the questions of my existence and the possibilities of my future. My secret of how much the dark sky engulfs my senses that I am nonexistent to the world on earth. Trying to find out the brightest and the dullest but failing as they all are beautiful in the same way. The secret of how much I want a relationship like that of moon and stars as they never appear apart. Looking at them and then searching for something deeper.....something I can paint over my sheets or something I can write over my heart. 4 AM knows all of me Stellan, and now so do you." I said and turned towards him with a serene smile on my face. I looked deep in his eyes and for a moment, I found another night sky in his deep blue eyes with twinkle of his own and moonshine of his happiness. I never even noticed how pretty eyes could be. His eyes could drown and you wouldn't even want to struggle for air because it would feel all serene....finally, all serene.

"You sure have a lot of secrets, Ms. Hale." His voice broke me out of my trance and I looked up.

"Not secrets anymore because you know them. But yes, there are more. Some sad, some happy. And maybe I will tell you some more, if I find you again at 4 AM." And he gave me a smile flashing those dimples.

"You know....I sometimes look up at stars and make out constellations. Other than that, I really never considered it anymore."

"Well.....our loved ones are up there. It's a belief and I do believe in it, like you do in fate! When I was a kid, mom said the ones we lost, the precious ones went up to shine upon the world so that not only us but the world treasures them."

I looked at the moon, a little faded at the edges but still as mesmerizing as ever.

"Then again, whenever I am feeling lonely, I just look at the moon. Someone, somewhere is looking at it too and I guess....it takes the loneliness away." I realized that I just revealed something only a few knew and I wished that he did not ask anything further again and ignored my slip. Then there was a pregnant pause.

"You think my mom is one of them too?" He asked with sadness in his eyes. He missed his mom. Who wouldn't? But I was thankful that he missed my slip.

"What was she like, come on tell....then we will find her up there!" That brought amusement to him as he stared at me as he spoke.

"She was like....Natalie. Dad tells she was a little crazy but caring at the same time. Too kind for her own good. The well wishers of others. Dad would often stop some of her weird stunts just like I stop Nat. I don't even know how many people have called Nat by her name.....Theresa, Theresa Mary Walker. She had those hazel eyes and reddish brunette hair. And sang to us whenever Nat or Lila couldn't sleep. She was naturally talented. I still remember her voice and when I can't sleep, I just sing to those lyrics and feel her close to me. Everyone loved her. It was hard not to love her. But then she left....but she was a fighter, fought till her last breath. Though cancer broke her body, it could never kill her spirit and her warm soul....." I could see tears pool up in his eyes. Even I might have been on the verge of crying because that sadness in his eyes....it was so intense, so ungodly that had I been him, I would have fallen apart . Gathering myself.....I searched for the brightest star and there it was, Sirius. I turned towards Stel and pointed at the star. He followed my line of vision when he caught the sight of the star named from Greek word Seirios.

"There......that is your mom. For whatever you told me Stel, she is precious...not to her family but to many others so she definitely has a special place up there. She is a great lady and the world deserves to know her....so maybe we don't know her as Theresa Walker but as Sirius, the brightest star of night sky. I never met your mother Stel, but I wish I did. She is a person I wish I met. Always will because if she was anything like you and Nat, I would have liked her."

"And she would have loved you, Ophelia. For everything you are. She would have talked to you all day long and would chatter and come up with plans. You are just like her. She was fun loving." I frowned at his words and shook my head.

"She is fun loving. Her body might have died but her spirit didn't. She is still alive in you, your sibling and your father. She is there and she is in your heart. Never, ever say she was your mother. She is and will always be here, with you. Maybe she is laughing at us two maniacs who have nothing to do other than gaze at those gaseous balls." And we both laughed.

"I never told you but you have a way with words." I smiled at his words.

"And I guess maybe.....they have a way with me." We stayed there for a little while until the sun was peeking from the horizon and I went back to bed to sleep for the next few hours since it was Saturday and instead of saying a good morning, we two wished each other good night.

I woke up as Allison kept jerking me to get up. We could have gone straight home but Natalie ordered us to have breakfast. Stel told me she was 'the lady' of the house and we better listen to her. So we did! We soon brushed our teeth and took a bath.....and a bathroom it was! It was larger than my dining room.

Rich people....*sighs*

We slept in night suits which Nat thank fully gave us. They fit us alright so we wore back the dress we wore yesterday.

We went to have breakfast, wishing a jolly Mr. Walker, an already up and shining Lila who was ready for practice and two yawning and whining kids, Cole and Ian. I think Cole is even more mature than Ian. Stel was there too but he was all clean and dried.....was everyone a morning person here...except me and well, the two kids? We ate the breakfast and again Nat wanted to talk more but Stel just held her back. I swear I saw her planning something but then we requested and she reluctantly accepted. She was a busy person and had come for some family time. So having girls to talk to and laugh with was something she was looking forward to. Stel promised her that we would meet soon. I could see Ian and Alice walking up front and talking.

"Is something going on there?" Nat asked looking at those two.

"Yeah!" Me and Stel both replied at the same time.

"Hm.....so tell me Lia, you love waking up at night or was it just yesterday?" She saw me, how? That's just....well, embarrassing I guess.

"Oh no! It just that your balcony had a great view and I love the night sky so, I just went there."

"Oh....and Stel was there too, wasn't he? I mean, you don't have a baritone voice, do you?" She laughed looking at Stel who was blushing. Should I blush too?

Maybe not....but maybe I already was.

"Tebe ona ochen' nravitsya, ne tak li?" She asked looking at Stel.

Wait!

What was this language? I knew 5 but this was none of them. Was it Russian because if it was, then the accent gave away. Stellan did say he had a Russian side, maybe his mother's.

"Eto ne slozhno, ponimayete!" I looked at them confused. Someone translate, please!

"Net. Ona prekrasna, Stellan. YA ne udivlyus', yesli vy polyubite yeye." Though I couldn't understand a word, I knew it was making Stel smile more and more. I really want to know now.

"Prosto zatknis' Natalie. Vy otpugnete yeye." Stel said chuckling. What is happening? I am utterly and officially jealous of their fluency and accent. I want that.

"No ty etogo ne otritsal, starshiy brat." Natalie said smugly and finally Stel looked at me and smiled. Maybe, now I need to enter the conversation.

"You guys know....I speak 5 languages and Russian is the one I never had the luck to learn. Now, I am cursing my luck. You guys are so fluent." Natalie just laughed while Stellan continued to look at me. It was a look that could make you blush and I had the urge to look away, but his gaze held mine until Natalie cleared her throat and so we continued to our car.

We finally reached the car. I started the engine, waving of my two friends and their sister.

Someone who unknowingly found a new place in my heart.

Hi guys!
I am back and with an update!
Yayyy😍

So, here is the chapter. Just like a breeze. I am back on track for now....well, my half yearly papers are on the way but hey, I am free right now😂

Hope you like the update.

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Adios!