Zella Rollins was a young adult in her mid twenties who had a Youtube channel called RollinsWithIt. On the channel, Zella made videos of vlogs, challenges, exploring videos, etc. She had gained quite a big following over the years but not nearly as big as her best friends Sam and Colby. She was so proud of how far they come, she was one of their biggest supporters. But Zella had a secret. She was in love with Sam Golbach. She knows it's such a cliché thing, to be in love with her best friend, but she can't help it. He was just so perfect. His bright blue eyes, his warm smile, and just the way his personality shined bright. He was the kindest and the sweetest person she ever knew. He always made her feel happy and loved.

Zella wasn't the only person who was in love with Sam, his girlfriend Katrina Stuart was too. That's why Zella hated the fact she was in love with him. She loves Sam and Kat together, they're so good for each other and she hates that. She can't hate Katrina, Katrina is such a sweetheart and is honestly a close friend of hers, but she can't help being jealous. And not that Zella wanted to do anything about it, she would never break up the couple. They're both so happy together, and she could see the love in Sam's eyes every time he looks at her. She was just jealous because Katrina had the courage to do something about her feelings for Sam. Zella was the foolish one to think Sam would ever return the feelings.

And it sucks. It really does. The thought that Sam will never love her back the same way. That's the worst thing that Zella has to live with. But she's learning to accept it and move on. She has to. She's going to. She won't allow her feelings for him to ruin her friendship with him. It's so hard because her feelings for him still linger in her mind, she knows she won't ever be able to get rid of them and a part of her doesn't want to. Sam will always have a special place in her heart, no one can replace that. But Zella is going to try her hardest to get rid of her feelings. She knows it won't be easy. It will take a long time.

Sometimes when Zella wanted to have some alone time, some peace and quiet, she'll sneak off to the roof of the apartment building and watch the stars. Or sometimes she'll watch the sunset and then watch the stars. She'll often bring her laptop with her to work on editing videos, or she'll just go up there to be alone with her thoughts. She's had some great thinking sessions on the roof. Tonight was one of those nights. 

She was having trouble sleeping and she just needed a break from the world. She grabbed a blanket, her phone, and earbuds, and snuck out onto the roof. It was cold and windy, but Zella was wrapped up warm. She looked out at the LA night, looking at the bright lights from the cars and the buildings. She found a nice place to sit and laid the blanket down. She plugged her earbuds into her phone and turned on the music. She loved nights like these, the silence, the darkness, the fresh air. They're very therapeutic to her. She looked up at the night sky and smiled at the millions of stars.

There are a few things you need to know about Zella before befriending her. She absolutely loves her friends and family and will do anything to protect him, she is a bit obsessed with Sonic (her favorite drink from there being coca cola), and she loves stargazing. She would look up at the sky at night and just admire how beautiful they were. Sometimes she'll try to make pictures of the constellations and find different shapes in the stars. She's been doing this ever since she was little. When her father was still alive, he would often take her outside at night and teach her all about the stars. He even bought her a telescope for her 7th birthday. She loved it so much and used it all the time. Her dad was the one who got her into astronomy so she had been very happy when she got the telescope from him. 

When she was a kid, she'd stay up late waiting for him to come home from work, he would bring her outside and they'd lay down on the grass and watch the stars. Her dad had worked late as long as she could remember. He was a truck driver. She would miss him every time he'd go on his long drives, but he'd come back with gifts for her. Whenever he would come back, they would watch the stars together. He taught her everything she knew about the constellations. He passed away when she was twelve and her mom didn't like the idea of stargazing, so she did it alone.

Stargazing was something that helped her clear her mind. It helped her relax. It was one of her favorite things to do. She couldn't really see the stars as clear as she did when she lived out in the country, but being up on the roof helped. There were no lights to interrupt the view of the night sky. She sighed as she stared up at the stars, feeling the cool breeze. The moon was full and bright, so it was easy to see the sky. The stars were shining brightly, but her thoughts were brighter. She thought about her childhood, how life was different for her now. How life would've been if her dad was still alive.

She had always been more close with her dad than her mom. Her mom was...Distant. She wasn't around a lot. When Zella was younger, she didn't really know why her mom wasn't around much, but as she grew up and learned more about the world, she knew that her mom had been unfaithful. Her mom was often out getting drunk too and she never knew when she would've got back home. Her parents had gotten a divorce her senior year of high school. It wasn't much of a shock though. Her parents had never been as in love as they had once been. They would constantly fight. Her mom would blame her dad for being gone so much, her dad would blame her mom for not being a better wife. She was the only reason her parents even tried. But it was for the best.

She didn't have a problem with her mom now. They would occasionally text and call, but they had never been close. The most close she had ever been with her was when she was a little girl. That's when her mom was the most present in her life. Her mom was just the type of person to grow apart from everyone. Zella's dad had tried his best to keep his daughter from knowing the truth. He didn't want her to know what kind of person her mother really was. It didn't take her long to find out though. She knew the truth.

Zella sighed as she sat up. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked down. She had a lot on her mind, that was for sure. It seemed like there was nothing that could help her forget everything. She couldn't escape her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried. It didn't help that somehow her thoughts would drift to Sam. No matter how much she tried to avoid her thoughts, they would always go back to him. She couldn't control her mind. Why couldn't her brain let her have peace for once? She closed her eyes, leaning her head on her knees.

"Zellie?" A soft, gentle voice said as if the person was afraid they were going to scare her away. Zella didn't have to look up to know it was Sam. She could recognize his voice anywhere. Plus he was the only one who called her Zellie and the only one who could make her heart skip a beat just by his voice. She remembered the first time he ever called her that. It was when they first met in kindergarten. They had met when she dropped her animal cracker and he offered her one of his. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

**flashback**

Zella was nervous. It was her first day of kindergarten. She had no idea what to expect. Her dad had told her that she'd make new friends and have a lot of fun. But she had trouble making friends, she was shy and nervous so she wasn't sure if she could make any friends. She stood at the front door of the classroom, holding her dad's hand tightly. He gently squeezed her hand, reassuring her.

"Hey, kiddo," He said softly as he knelt down to her level. "You'll be okay. I promise. You'll have fun. Just be yourself and you'll make a bunch of new friends." He kisses her forehead, squeezing her hand. "Now, do you want me to go in with you?"

Zella nodded. She didn't want her dad to leave her yet. She was still scared. Her dad nodded, standing up. He walked into the classroom with her, the two of them being greeted by the teacher who greeted them warmly. Zella held her dad's hand tightly, hiding behind him and she stayed quiet the whole time. Once the teacher was finished, her dad crouched down to her level.

"Zella, it's time for me to go," He said gently. Zella shakes her head, frowning and staring at him with sad eyes. His heart aches for her, but he knew he had to leave and he knew she would be okay. "You'll be okay. I'm leaving this with you." He gently places his baseball hat on her head. "It'll be like I'm here with you." The hat was big on her and covered her eyes. She lifts the hat up with a small pout. "Don't give me that look," He chuckles softly, kissing her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it."

"I don't want you to go." Tears brim Zella's eyes and her bottom lip trembles as she fought back tears. "I don't know anyone here. I wanna go home."

"Oh, honey," Her dad coos, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. But you're gonna be okay. You'll make new friends and have a lot of fun here. I promise. Okay? I know for a fact you'll make friends. How could anyone not like a sweet girl like you?" He pulls back, cupping her cheeks. "I'll pick you up later. Okay?" He gently wipes her tears away, smiling reassuringly at her. "You're gonna be fine. I believe in you."

Zella nods and sniffles. She knew her dad was right. He was never wrong. "O-Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, kiddo. More than anything." Her dad stood up and waved goodbye, walking out of the classroom. Zella frowned as she watched him walk out of the classroom, holding onto the straps of her backpack. She didn't move from her spot and looked around, staying quiet. The room was full of kids, talking and laughing. She wished she could have fun and talk to people, but she was too nervous. She was terrified of what would happen if she tried. What if no one liked her?

The teacher notices Zella standing by the door, not talking to anyone. She saw Zella looked scared and nervous. "Hi, sweetheart. You're Zella, right?" She asks softly, kneeling down to her height. She smiles whenever Zella nodded. "That's a very pretty name. Your daddy told me about you. He said that you were a little shy. Is that true?" Zella nods, looking down with a frown. The teacher nods, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay to be shy and nervous. It's your first day. Everyone is like that on some level on their first day." She stands up, offering her hand with a kind smile on her face. "Come with me, I'll show you to your cubbie. You can put your backpack and lunch box in there."

Zella hesitates, looking at the teacher's hand. She looks up at her, frowning. She looked at the teacher for a moment, wondering if she was trustworthy or not. She then took the teacher's hand and followed her to her cubbie. The teacher was nice and seemed really sweet. It eased Zella's nerves a bit. The teacher helped her put her stuff in her cubbie and showed her around the classroom. The classroom was bright and colorful. It had a bunch of decorations that made it look welcoming and fun. Zella started to feel more comfortable, but she still had her guard up.

The rest of the day went good, she stayed quiet for most of the day. She didn't talk much, but it wasn't like the other kids talked to her either. The only time she talked was whenever she was answering a question the teacher asked. Soon it was snack time and it quickly became Zella's favorite time. All the kids were eating their snacks and the teacher was telling stories. Zella was eating her animal crackers, listening intently to the stories. She loved animal crackers. Her dad would get her animal crackers almost every time he came home from a long drive.

While she was eating her animal crackers, she drops one and frowns. She had always been clumsy, so she wasn't surprised that she had dropped one. She reaches down for the one she dropped, but she was surprised and confused when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turns to look and sees a boy standing beside her. The boy had blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a kind smile. She tilts her head to the side, her gaze falling to his hand when she saw he was holding out an animal cracker to her. "You can have one of mine if you want. I have plenty."

"R-Really?" Zella stuttered, looking surprised as she locked eyes with him again. He was the first one who came over to her and talked to her today. And the first time he talked with her he offered her one of his animal crackers. 

"Yeah! Here." The boy smiled and handed her the animal cracker. Zella hesitated, but she took it from him, her lips curling up into a small smile.

"Thank you." Zella murmured.

The boy nods and sits by her which surprised her even more. "I'm Sam. What's your name?"

"I'm Zella." Zella introduces herself, eating the animal cracker the boy gave her. She didn't eat the rest of her animal crackers, she wanted to save them. She liked saving them and having them for a snack later. But now that this boy gave her one of his animal crackers, she wanted to return the favor. "You can have one of my animal crackers." She spoke quietly, opening the bag and offering it to him.

Sam's eyes light up and he grins. "Thanks." He took one and ate it. The two continued talking and they had clicked instantly. It was almost like they were meant to be friends. They had a lot in common and it was easy for them to talk to each other. At the end of the day, Sam had hugged Zella before he left.

"See you tomorrow, Zellie!" Sam waved goodbye. Zella was taken back by the nickname. But she didn't hate it. She had liked it a lot actually. No one had ever given her a nickname before besides her family. 

"Bye, Sammy!" She couldn't help the smile on her face as he looked at her with a grin. His smile was so contagious. She couldn't help but grin back. Once Sam had left, she was still grinning. Sam had made her first day fun. He had made her first day easier. And she was glad that they became friends.

**end of flashback**

"You okay?" Sam questioned, his voice bringing Zella out of her thoughts. She looked over at him, seeing his blue eyes filled with worry and concern. She wasn't surprised to see him here, he somehow had a knack for finding her. They had a weird connection, one deeper than the one she had with Colby. Don't get her wrong, she's still close with Colby but it's not the same with Sam. Sam was...Different. They had a connection, a strong bond that was hard to explain.

Zella wasn't sure how to reply to Sam. She wasn't okay, but she didn't want him to know that. She couldn't let him know she was hurting, she couldn't let him know that she was hiding these feelings she had for him. She knew how much it would hurt him if he knew how she felt. So she put on her mask and plasters a fake smile. "Yeah, just thinking. I'm fine, Sammy, don't worry." She looked away from him, looking up at the stars again.

Sam wasn't convinced. He could see right through her and she hated how he could always read her like an open book. He saw how her smile didn't reach her eyes. How her eyes were filled with pain. He was used to her putting up a mask. She had done it so many times and he didn't like it when she did that. "Zellie..." He sighs and sits beside her, looking at her with a concerned expression. "You don't have to pretend with me. I know something's wrong. You can talk to me."

"Just thinking about my dad." She replies. It wasn't a whole lie, she had been thinking about her dad. "I miss him. I wish he was here." She looks at the stars, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "We'd stargaze every night. It was our thing."

Sam nods in understanding, remembering that was a tradition she and her dad did. "You were close with your dad." He says softly. "He was a great man. He would've done anything for you. And I know he would be so proud of you." He reaches over and squeezes her hand gently. "He's still watching over you."

Zella nods, fighting back tears. She missed her dad. More than anything. "Yeah, he is."

"If it helps, we can stargaze together." Sam offered, looking at her. He saw how much Zella loved stargazing. It was obvious, her eyes would light up when she talked about the stars. She would always ramble about the constellations. She knew a lot about the stars. It was hard not to notice. And he wanted to help her. "You can teach me about the constellations."

A genuine smile spread across Zella's lips. A smile that actually reached her eyes. She looks at him with a grateful expression. "You'd do that for me?"

Sam smiles, nodding. "Of course, Zellie. Anything for you." He gently squeezes her hand and gave her a soft look. Her heart fluttered at his words and the look he gave her and she tries to ignore the butterflies swarming in her stomach. "So, what are the constellations?" He asked, pulling his hand away and glancing up at the stars. Zella had to admit she immediately missed the warmth of his hand, but she didn't say anything and instead she smiled a little, looking up at the stars with him. She was going to make this last, savor every moment of it.

She scoots closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. Sam didn't hesitate to put an arm around her shoulders, letting her snuggle into his side as he smiles a little. "Well, there's the Big Dipper, that's the easiest to find." She explains, pointing up at the sky and tracing the constellation with her finger. "The Small Dipper is pretty easy to find too. If you can find those two, it's kinda easy to find the other constellations." Sam watched Zella with a smile. He loved watching her talk about things she was passionate about. There was a certain sparkle in her eyes and her smile was contagious.

They sat there for a while, Zella teaching him about the constellations. Neither one of them wanted to leave. They both felt safe and content being around each other. And for the rest of the night, Zella was showing him the constellations and telling him all about them. He listened to her, not getting bored once. He listened and watched her as she talked about the stars, seeing the spark in her eyes and the smile on her face. She looked happy and it made him feel better. He loved seeing her happy. Seeing her happy was his favorite thing in the world. If he had to stay up all night to make her happy, he would. 

A/N ugh sam & zella already have my heart, i love them so much ! any ship names ideas??