"Stella"
"Freckles"
"Sweetheart"
"My love, please forgive me"
Liam's hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me back to face him. His voice is calm and low but I can sense the desperation. He has been following me since morning from the dorm to the campus. Carrying my bag, books and coffee, he refused to give them to me until I talk to him!
After I got to know that he somehow managed to talk Jasmine into this 'book stealing' plan. All the books I lent to Jasmine were delivered to Liam instead
The audacity these both have!
I was mad when this thing came to my acknowledgement, I am really possessive about my books. That means no one, I repeat NO ONE touches my Books. And my dear boyfriend needs to understand that. Hence, I have been giving him silent treatment since yesterday, results? Him following me around and refusing to go
"Please forgive me" he says in a sweet and gentle tone, making puppy eyes trying to melt me. I scoff sliding my hand away from him crossing my arms "No touching" I state taking a step back from him
Liam's eyes widened in surprise, he tried to reach out for my hand again but I didn't let him "what is that supposed to mean?" He speaks with a frustrated sigh
"You touched my book without my permission right?" I say stepping closer to him to grab my bag and books, he just stares at my actions with astonishment "now you won't touch me without my permission" my voice dripping with sarcasm
I am not angry with him, not now at least. His apology was enough but I wanna tease him a little, it's too much fun. And the best way to do it is this- he can't keep his hands off me
His expressions changed instantly, his eyes flashed with shock. Oh seems like i totally got him, Liam's arm wraps around my waist and pulls me to his chest. His grip is strong and firm indicating that he won't let me go
"No touching? What do you mean by 'no touching' make me do anything except forbidding me from touching you Stella" he whispered in a rough tone,his eyes gleaming with sincerity
Oh to have his voice for my books
"I won't touch your books again, just don't punish me like this" he leans closer resting his forehead on mine. His voice is back to the soft and gentle one.
I could feel myself losing in his embrace just then I realized a few students were staring at us. My eyes divert towards their direction and they walk away. Shit- I forgot we are on campus!
I step further from him, his lips curve down into a sad state. He looks like a puppy here
"Okay, but you still gotta pay back for what you did"
He nods slowly agreeing "Anything but not the 'no touching' ban"
I think of something else before replying "Are you carrying your airpods right now?" I ask, getting an idea of what to do next. He checks his pockets to make sure "yeah I do, why do you ask?"
"I am gonna send you an audio" I speak with a light playful smile on my face "an audiobook honestly, you will listen to it the whole day and complete it" I add. He raises his eyebrow looking at me suspiciously but nods "even during work?"
That's the main purpose "yes, you wanted to take notes right? Now do them properly" I order with a teasing tone. His amused expression breaks out with a laugh "got it"
I grab my phone and search for an audiobook, I have downloaded many of them just to experience how the character's voice sounds. Scrolling through my phone, my fingers stop finding the perfect one. I quickly forwarded him the audio "Have a good day" I press a small kiss on his cheek
His eyes lit up and his fingers traced the spot where my lips touched "oh, now it's gonna be amazing"
This guy
I bid him goodbye and made my way towards my class, with each step I took I could feel the eyes of many bored into me. Clenching on the books in my hand I increase my pace trying to ignore all the unwanted attention.
What's happening?
I feel a bit relieved when I spot Zuri standing a few steps away from my classroom. I quickly reach her, noticing my presence she turns towards me "Hey Stella" she keeps with a smile
"Hm hey" I mumble, my voice low still aware of students glancing and whispering. My heart beats faster with the fear of being the center of attention right now. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
Zuri snorts and pats my shoulder gently "Girl! You just made the campus god follow you around the campus like a lovesick puppy. Obviously you are the highlight now"
I lift my head up meeting her eyes, realizing the situation. I forgot the popularity Liam had when he was a student here and he still holds his influence over the campus. I groan in frustration, I shouldn't have done that.
Oh God
Almost everyone saw him following me around while carrying my stuff
Oh this is so bad-
"Don't worry about it, once a new topic breaks out everyone will forget about it. Don't stress you have too much on your plate already" Zuri assures me with a side hug squeezing me gently. Her words are comforting but I am still worried about this whole thing.
"Is it that big of a deal?"
Zuri chuckles at my words while nodding her head "oh dear, it's a rare sight because it was really hard to see Liam with a girl during his academic years. of course it's gonna spread like wildfire"
He has never been seen with a girl? But why?
Oh noâ¦. What have I done? This might affect his image
"Girls!" a loud cheerful voice grabs our attention, Zuri and I turn around at the same time recognising the voice. Cami strides towards us with an excited face "Oh my God! You won't believe what I just heard about" she says in a high pitch voice making me glace at Zuri
She also looks as curious as me because of Cami's anticipation, just then Max joins us from behind. He looks unbothered by this, maybe he knows what Cami is gonna talk about. She pulls out her phone and opens the university's webpage. It's where all the gossip of our campus lies
She flips her phone exhibiting the latest news "Liam Carter was seen following his girlfriend around the campus" Cami speaks with a squeak, her body language showcasing her excitement "and he was carrying her stuff!" She adds
My eyes fall on her phone while she zooms at Liam's picture which was taken a few moments ago.
I am so stupid!
This might have happened when he was following me while carrying my bag. I knew people would notice but I didn't even think that it would be on the university's page! This is wild-
"Can't believe it! Hey that bag looks oddly similar to stella-" Cami pauses and zooms the picture even more analyzing it, her eyes widened in shock. She moves her head back and forth comparing my bag with the bag Liam was carrying
A loud gasp leaves her mouth and she points her index finger at me "You are dating him?" She yells, a few students flinch with her tone and walk away. I could notice them giving us side eye
Zuri keeps her under finger on her lips, indicating Cami to quiet down. Cami realizes soon and puts her palm on her mouth, mumbling an apology. Max comes forward and says "you are actually dating him?"
"Yeah I am" I reply, my voice barely audible as I wanna make sure no one hears it "Damn-girl! Congratulations" Cami jumps and gives me a tight hug before pulling back "how long though?" She questions
"It's been a month now" I reply
"Hmm no wonder I saw him around" max says keep his voice casual
I look at Cami and Max, they both are rather relaxed and unfazed by this news. Surely Cami is excited but they don't seem made because I hid it. I sigh, losing my tensed muscles and relaxing myself.
For a split second my eyes darted around trying to find Julian. It's been a while since I saw him last time. He has been really distant lately I looked at Max and ask"where is Julian I haven't seen him in a while"
Max's expression shifts to an annoyed one "don't even talk about that guy. He has been getting on my nerves seriously, not focusing on lessons, staying out till morning and then sleep in classes" he lists out Julian's indescribable behaviour showcasing his irritation
"Even I noticed his weird behavior" Cami agrees
"Fuck- I think he got himself into some illegal activities" max confronts running his hand through his hair in frustration. Zuri pats his arm trying to calm him down "Don't think like that, be patient he will come around " zuri's advice is right but still there's a weird feeling lingering around me.
Illegal activities? What is that supposed to mean?
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Carefully I push the pin, attaching the cloth to the mannequin making sure it's in the correct position before moving on to the next one. After finishing my classes I drove back to Liam's apartment as he couldn't come due to work. The first thing I did is to resume my designing
I have already completed the sketch and other basic things. Now, it's time for me to start switching out the dress, I decided to go with a jeweled theme dress. Liam has been guiding me through this process, correcting my mistakes and reviewing my designs
The highlight is, he wasn't behaving like the sweet boyfriend of mine. He was in his professional form giving out advice and pointing out the flaws, he even rejected a few designs of mine.
But I don't mind, it felt good knowing his honest opinion with any favoritism. After working on them for a week I finally came up with a design, that's when I received my first compliment from Liam.
For a while I felt like a little girl who got an A+ on her math test
Growing up in a family full of lawyers who don't have any interest in fashion. When I used to show my designs to them they never understood and took it lightly
I was finally being appreciated for my hardwork and I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest
Holding a couple of pins in my hand and keeping the clothing in its place while pinning it according to the pattern is surely something. Another pin held between my lips as I focused my eyes on the mannequin clamping down the thin fabric. It's a delicate material and expensive too so I don't wanna mess it up and start over.
The door creek opens, the slow footsteps hit my ears "can you help me pin?" I ask, sensing Liam's presence behind me, my voice is a bit muffled due to the pin held between my lips. I feel him leaning closer until his chest touches my back and he whispers in a seductive tone "Pin you against the wall?"
I shift myself and stand straight, turning my head slightly to his direction with a glare "you can do it afterwards but right now help me pin this!" I speak in a serious tone trying to explain the intensity of the situation. I am holding on this like my dear life while maintaining the sharp pins between my fingers and lips
He chuckles, removing the pin from my lips and stepping forward taking my place and helping me pin the rest. His fingers move effortlessly until the fabric is molded into the right form. He has seen my designs and knows very well what to do.
His eyes wander over the little piece giving me a slight nod of approval, which earns a small smile forms on my face. He steps away from the mannequin but keeps himself nearer to me.
Oh I almost forgot! Liam doesn't know about the pictures of him circulating around the university. It's better if I tell him now I don't know how he would react
I should have stopped him then and there. Now, everyone is talking about him, moreover he was carrying all the stuff so it looked more reactive and received a good amount of responses. If this gets out it may affect his name and image
I should have thought about it before
It's too late nowâ¦.
Taking a deep breath, my eyes meet his relaxed ones. "You know, there have been a few pictures of us circulating around the university's web page this morning. Everyone is talking about it" I spill out the truth my fingers fidgeting with each other
He grows and his eyes narrow at me studying my expressions "Really? I didn't think word would spread that wide" he replies in an unagitated manner. "Won't that impact your reputation? Like you are popular and all, when others know that you are dating someone won't it have consequences?" my voice low as I lower my head in guilt
He gently holds my chin to make me look up, he has a calm smile crept on his face "I am not dating someone, I am dating you" he says empathizing the word 'you'
He tugs a small strand of hair behind my ear "Good thing, now everyone will know I belong to you" and presses a kiss on my forehead
His words echo in my mind 'I belong to you'. The butterflies dancing in my stomach, his small touches makes me feel delighted and light headed. The worry vanishes beneath his kiss
"And sorry about the audiobook thing too, I just wanted to tease you. That's all"
He raises his eyebrow looking at me with a smirk. That's not a good reaction, when he smirks it directly screams 'trouble' mostly for me actually
"I completed the task, I was listening to your audiobook the whole time during work. You know how hard it was trying to focus on my designs while all I hear is those two characters speaking without a filter?" he keeps his voice low almost threatening taking a step closer 4his words
I selected a book which was a bit too spicy then the usual level so it's understandable why he's saying that. Working while listening to stuff like that is not easy and that was my motive in the beginning but not now-
Following his gesture, I also keep moving back not knowing what's about to come next "why are you getting closer?" I ask suspiciously while walking backwards taking note that I don't trip over any random object laying around
"You said, I could pin you after helping you" he says,I could see the mischief in his eyes as he keeps reducing the distance between us "I didn't say-" I stop my words mid-way remembering what I told him a few minutes ago. I close my eyes regretting my action, I told that to him in anger not literally
I open my eyes back again, I find him already closer to me than before. A gasp leaves my mouth when I find myself pinned against the wall, he holds my wrists above my he's only using his left hand while his right hand rests on the curve of my waist
Our bodies entwined closely together, his breath mingling with mine. My heart races feeling his chest against mine, his eyes staring into mine. He isn't gentle nor soft, I try to wiggle my wrist trying to free myself but my efforts go down the drain. His grip is firm and tight but not too bad to hurt me. I could feel his knee spread my legs
My breath gets caught up,he is too close than we used to be. what's happening right now
"What are you doing!"
"You said to take notes right? I did it and now I will make use of my notes" he whispers against my ear in a hoarse tone, hovering his lips above my ear sending shivers down my spine
"You know how alert I had to be because I was surrounded by my co-workers and had to listen to those not-so-innocent scenes? Hm?" His hand moves up and grabs my neck, running his thumb up and down my throat. My head falls back leaning against the wall, his touches feels like electric currents
"You are a bad girl, sweetheart. Reading all those dirty books with this innocent face of yours. You enjoy reading them huh?" he mutters in a low and husky voice. Trailing down a series of kisses from my jaw to my neck "what does Bookstagram say? Oh yes" he meets my eyes, his gaze burning with desire as he speaks "hard core smut? You like them?" he says in a mocking tone
My whole body squirms trapped against the wall. The butterflies have died down long ago now my stomach has been taken over by a whole circus. "Why are you talking so explicitly today?" I managed to speak out. He is straight out attacking me today and I can't handle it anymore.
He stops and looks up to see my reaction, a deep chuckle leaves his mouth finding my state
"This is what happens when you fill my mind with those unholy books" he nibbles on my lower lip. I try to lean forward desperate for him to kiss me but he doesn't allow that and pushes me further
"I think the notes are working right? Aren't I doing a perfect job?" He whispers against my lips and continues to tease me, his hand sliding up and down my waist trailing a random pattern while he keeps me pinned. His lips moved everywhere except my lips.
My whole body is burning up, my breaths are rapid and hot despite the normal room temperature
This has totally backfired me-
Suddenly he releases me and steps backwards, "Finish your design, I won't disturb you anymore" he winks at me and leaves the room closing the door.
I stand there with my mouth open in shock. My body takes the support of the wall as I try to process what just happened. Did he just leave me hanging like this?
A sudden rage builds inside me "Liam Carter Williams! Come here and kiss me right now" I yell in fury. Seconds later, the door opens again and he peeks inside "I thought you would never ask" he says with a grin walking towards me
A few days later
The time has been passing quickly, as the due date for NYX'S submission gets nearer the same fear comes back crawling to me. Once this is done, she will go back and won't come often. As much as I want to enjoy the presence, thinking about the future makes it harder for me
I just wanna keep her close to me and protect her from whatever that's happening
Nothing's gonna happen, everything will be fine
She will be fine
I got off work early today, as there isn't any new design launch and everyone is focusing on the upcoming designs. Even though I was approached to be on board of selecting the winner, rejecting the proposal took some burden off my shoulders
On my way back, I picked up some ice cream for Stella. Everyday filled with hard work, I mostly pick her up and drop her off in case of being caught up in work. She drives herself.
Mid-set of all these days are filled with laughter and happiness enjoying each other's presence. Eating together, watching some movies when free, sometimes she allows me to read her book too and make outs. Honestly? A lot of making out. I realized we are getting comfortable with the environment we build around and I want it to stay like this
I carefully open the front door, making sure I don't alert her with my presence and surprise her. As I make my way towards the living room, small sobs grab my attention, I stop my track and put the ice cream packet aside.
I find Stella sitting on the couch wrapped in my blanket like a burrito, her face hidden due to the thick cloth around her. I get closer to her and stand in front of Stella trying to figure out what's happening
She looks up from her phone, her cheeks wet and eyes moist. She is crying
My heart drops for a second looking at her state, I kneel in front of her, cupping her face "what's wrong?" I try to keep my voice gentle hoping it doesn't hurt her more. What happened? Did I do something wrong? I don't remember doing anything though.
Wiping her tears with my thumb, I try to think about it. Fuck-
The panic and anxiety arises in my mind, I could feel myself sweating. Did she find out about the stalker thing? Or about her father? Either way it's bad. Her small sobs fill my chest with distress and agony, her hands clenching onto her phone while looking at me with those puffy eyes
I am not supposed to make her cry, when I am with her. I am supposed to make her happy and comfortable, not sad and worried.
I keep wiping her tears until she stops, her expressions slowly going back to normal. She takes a few breaths to stabilize "Taylor Swift's new album is gut wrenching" she criesout . My hands fall down from her face
Taylor swift?
Her new album?
She is crying about that!
I sigh and lay my head on her lap. My feelings were a mixture of relief and also astonishment, she seriously gave me a heart attack
It's been two hours since she finished listening to the album. And an hour of her investigating through social media trying to get clues behind the meaning of these songs. On her phone, my phone and also my laptop. She goes through Instagram, X and Spotify all together with different devices decoding Taylor's album
She was cuddling and snuggling into me while listening to the album, and I loved every minute of it. Holding her closely, caressing her hair to comfort her bit it didn't last long. As soon as she finished listening to it, Stella went straight up to research. Leaving me all cranky here.
I scope out the chocolate ice cream and move the spoon in front of her mouth, she takes a bite without looking at me. Her whole attention glued to the screen makes me frustrated. Even buddy is confused about this whole scene happening. He tried to get her attention by Playing with his squeaky toys but she didn't budge at all
I didn't get her attention and he thinks he will? I scoff, not a chance
I keep feeding her the ice cream while she works as a detective. She looks too invested in this that I don't wanna spoil her mood, she already cried once and I don't wanna trigger her anymore.
I don't know about 'torchered poet's department' but this is surely torchering me
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Author's Note
I am sorry for late update ð I am going through a writer's block. Thanks for being patient with me. I am not editing the chapters because I don't have much time, pls ignore the mistakes
I know Taylor's album is released in April 2024 but here sol takes place in November 2023. I included it to show my feelings ð
TTPD is scaring me
I also noticed that few of you, *indirectly* did find out who the 'red suit' biker is but still no one could guess who the stalker is ð¤ keep trying guys I would love to know your theories!
Btw how are you all doing? Are you all healthy and happy? Please take care of yourself and don't neglect you mental and physical health for anything else ð
Follow me on Instagram
-have a nice day ðº