Chapter 24 - Flashback 2

Alex suddenly parted lips with her and stood up. Stella watch his tall figure and couldn't help but gulped.

She burst into laughter when he reached for a small toy-like stuff on the table, not too far from them, throw it on the floor and crushed it with his shoe.

"No! no! no! no! shit!" The birthday boy exclaimed as the laptop screen went blank. "That was a latest edition." He cried.

They all burst into laughter.

Back inside the room.

"How did you know?" Stella asked.

"Shouldn't we talk about our kiss?" Alex asked sitting beside her.

Stella blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear, "well, I hum…"

"You're hum…." Alex teased.

"No i mean… hum.."

Alex chuckled, "you're not brave anymore?"

"Of course I am." Stella retorted.

"Wanna go out with me?"

"What!"

"You don't want to?" Alex ask looking a bit disappointed.

"No! no! I mean, like seriously?" Stella asked, looking at him in the eyes, with her eyes wide open.

"We could go out on a proper date and get to know each other more. So, what do you say?" Alex asked, grimacing.

Looking at those white set of teeth, and the devilish handsome face, Stella lost it and pounced on him, pulling him into a kiss.

Alex back hit the couch, with Stella on top of him. He was shocked by Stella excitement. he kissed her back; but deep down, he's curious about how she will react if he propose marriage.

What he didn't know was that. Stella was over excited course, even though she pretends as if she's okay with boys staying away from her, deep down she's doubting if she's a normal girl.

Except Tony; as far as she could recall, she hasn't hugged another guy. That is if family members are excluded.

The door opened with a bang. "You broke my…." The birthday boy with everyone behind took a step backward and shut the door again.

Mel looked astonished, while Tony look dumb founded.

"I told you not to barge in," the celebrant girlfriend said.

"It's my birthday, and those two are having all the fun." He replied.

"Oops!" Stella exclaimed and look back at Alex. Her eyes widened after processing their current position in her head.

Alex giggled as she sprung up and adjusted her clothes, while shutting her eyes tightly, feeling embarrassed.

"I haven't gotten an answer." Alex pouted.

"It's a yes." Stella said.

"Thank you." said Alex.

``no, thank you' Stella said in her head.

They both exchange contact info with butterflies in their stomach, and later joined the others.

After the birthday ended.

Both Stella and Mel shrieked and hugged each other, "damn! you nearly got laid babe." Mel said, as they hold hands smiling happily.

"Believe me I was tempted to." Stella replied blushing.

"He's hot!" Mel exclaimed.

"Hell yeah!"

"How did it go? What did he say?" Mel asked.

"What do you think?" Stella asked blushing hard and suddenly hugged Mel, "he asked for a proper date!" She shrieked and Mel joined in as well.

"Guess what i found out?" Mel said raising her brows teasingly.

"Tell me already."

"I heard he's the vice president of Mills Enterprise,"

"Bite me!"

"Graaaah!" Mel bite her shoulder playfully.

They were all from a well off background, but they are levels higher than each other.

Stella parents own a huge shopping mall, while Mel parents own a big hospital.

"I'm so happy for you." Mel said.

"What's wrong?" Stella asked, seeing Mel expression changed.

"The truth is I'm pregnant." Mel said.

"What! Babe you're only 23."

"What's wrong with 23?" Mel asked.

"Your parents will freak out."

"They knew about it."

"Since when?"

"I told them about 2 month ago."

"What the!" Stella exclaimed. "How long have you been pregnant?"

"Almost 4 month i guess" Mel bit her lower lip.

Stella frowned, "why are you telling me this now? have you told Tony?" She asked.

"Actually, he has proposed a few weeks before I informed my parents about it." Mel said pulling out the pendant of the necklace around her neck, showing the ring to Stella.

"What's going on?" Stella asked looking unhappy with the whole keeping things from her stuff.

"We were worried about you, we don't want you to feel alone."

"Are you two crazy? You know i wouldn't feel sad over your happiness, I'm only twenty three, and still have a long way ahead, how could you guys think so low about me?" Stella asked feeling pissed.

Mel hugged her, "I'm sorry, don't be angry at a pregnant lady, you're scaring your god son."  She said.

"Oh f*ck! this is real!" Stella exclaimed. "It's a he?" She asked.

"We didn't check, we want it to be a surprise, I'm just assuming."

"You guys have done a lot behind me, it's unfair, no wonder that dude has been wrapping his body around you all this while."

They gisted each other more about the pregnancy and all before leaving for their respective homes.

...

Alex was in his office when his cell rang. It's the following day after he met Stella.

"Hello?" he asked after picking the call, it's an unknown number.

"Let's meet up!" the caller said.

Alex scoffed, "I refuse." He said flatly.

"Why?" the caller asked.

"A responsible caller should introduce his/her self, before making request." Alex replied.

The caller scoffed, "seems i got a stubborn one this time." He said.

"Pardon!"

"Since you refuse to meet, then take this as a warning, stay away from Stella, she's taken" the caller said.

Alex chuckled slightly, "says who?"

"Shane." The caller said and hung up.

Alex scoffed. He dialled Stella number immediately. "Hi Alex," Stella sweet voice came through.

"Hi! are you free this week?" Alex asked.

"I'm always free." Stella replied, already blushing hard.

"That's cool then, you're free right now?" He asked.

"I'm at the mall right now, I can leave whenever i wish, so it's fine;" Stella replied, already walking toward the wears section in her parent mall.

"Send me the location, I will come pick you." He said.

"Ok." Stella said and end the call. Her hand was shaking as she forward him the address. "Oh God! It's happening, I'm going out with him…" she kept mumbling to herself.

"Stella what's wrong?" her mom appeared in front of her with a worried expression.

"Mom!" Stella cried and hugged her tightly.

"You naughty girl, have you got yourself in trouble?" Her mother asked.

"No mom. Remember the guy i told you about last night?"

"Yes, the hot guy blah blah." Her mother said, taking a deep sigh. She nearly lost her mind at Stella description of Alex.

"Well he's coming to pick me up in a while."

"Are you serious?" Her mother asked, her gossipy mother mode activating.

"Yes mom! I just texted him the address" She said hugging her mom, her entire being still tensed.

Her mother pulled her back and stare at her from head to toe, "come with me, this cloth wouldn't do." Her mom said and pulled her toward shelves after shelves, mumbling "this won't do" as she checked the clothes one after another.

Stella excitement has died down, she sighed, "mom, just pick one." She said.

"What do you mean 'just', he asked to see you this soon, it's obvious he's totally into you. we have to select the cloth carefully." Her mother replied.

Stella nearly bursted into tears as Alex text got delivered to her cell phone 'I'm here."

"Mom!" She exclaimed.

"Give me a moment, pink is too flashy, orange is seasony, blue… blue.."

"Mom he's here!" Stella shouted, already close to tears.

"That's too fast." Her mom said.

"We've been roaming around the shelves for more than 30 minutes." Stella replied frowning.

"What do you think about blue?" Her mom said flashing a blue tube A shape gown in front of her.

"A tube gown? Seriously mom!" Stella exclaimed.

"What's wrong with it?, it's beautiful." Her mom said, placing it to her body.

While they were arguing over the tube gown, another 10 minutes has passed.

Stella phone rang. "My God!" Stella panicked and picked it while her mom also pressed her ear close to the phone speaker.

"I'm out in the parking lot, should I come in?" Alex asked.

"Say yes" her mom whispered.

"No! Don't!" Stella screamed.

Their staff and customers were enjoying the mother daughter show.

"Ok, I will wait for you." Alex said.

Stella snatched the blue gown and hurried into the changing room with her lips pouted. While her mom ran toward the jewelry section.

Stella felt embarrassed as she walked toward the parking lot. She felt like she's about to get engaged with the accessories she got adorned with by her mom.

"Mom?" She called as she suddenly looked back and saw a shadow behind her. "Why are you following me?"

"His voice sounds nice, i just want to take a peep from afar, I promised not to interfere" her mom came out behind the car she's hiding at and cross her heart.

"Oof!" Stella rolled her eyes "no!" she exclaimed and walk forward, increasing her pace.

Stella suddenly halt her step as she saw Alex standing beside a white lamborghini, his arms folded across his chest with a black shade on. His white T-shirt matches with the colour of the car, while his blue jean trousers tally with her tube gown. "Thanks mom" she said in her head and suddenly saw her mom walk past her toward Alex.

She facepalm and hurried after her.

Alex looked up and was shocked by Stella stunning appearance, he almost didn't recognize her, then the woman who was walking toward him in a rush.

"Hi!" Her mom greeted Alex, extending her hand.

Alex panicked and quickly got rid of his shade. He cleared his throat and shook her hand, hunching his back.

"You young man is so handsome, just like your voice is so pleasing to the ears, you are..." Alex kept smiling awkwardly as he kept getting praise from Stella's mom.

His back is hurting from hunching to show sign of respect. Stella was near tears as she watches the scene, she felt embarrassed and regret telling her mom so soon.

After 5 to 6 minutes, "I shouldn't take much of your time young man. Alex sighed inwardly while Stella breathe out a sigh of relief.

She released Alex's hand and move closer to Stella, " you are free to return tomorrow, i will talk to your dad; but remember to have safe sex, I've put some protection case in your hand bag." She whispered into Stella's ear and smile at Alex again, before leaving.

Stella stood frozen on the spot with her mouth agape, "mom!" She suddenly screamed which took Alex by surprise.

Her hand started shaking as she held her hand bag behind her back, it's like Alex could see into it in her head.

"You look beautiful." Alex complimented.

"Thank you," Stella replied trying to get composed

"Shall we?" Alex asked opening the door for her.

Stella smile and head inside the car, "thank you." she said.

"You're welcome."

Immediately Alex walked toward the driver's seat, Stella started rummaging her bag, searching for the condom her mother placed inside. She cleared her throat as Alex opened the door, and put down the bag, hoping for a better chance to search through it and dispose the condom.

"Your mom is fun." Alex complimented.

Stella felt embarrassed. Alex caught her expression and pulled her cheek, "don't feel embarrassed, my mom is worst, you should be prepared." Alex said smiling, and drove out of the premises.

Stella was rejoicing inside, "I will be meeting his mom." She said to herself blushing hard, it's like a dream to her; her mom was still consoling her few days ago about being pretty and all, telling her not to think too much about it. And now Alex just happened all of a sudden.

"Who is Shane?" Alex asked all of a sudden, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"You met my brother?" Stella asked.

'Brother?' Alex asked in his head. "Oh! I thought you were an only child," he replied.

"He's not blood related, but we grew up together, family friend stuff" Stella replied casually.

"Hmm" Alex hummed. 'Interesting' he added in his head.