Karera | [ Stacey x OC (F) ]

C19 - Court

Third Person's POV

Louise parked the car outside the restaurant, taking a deep breath. Her heart raced, not from nerves about the date, but because of what she had planned. The small box in her pocket weighed more than it should, and she couldn't stop thinking about Stacey's reaction.

They walked inside, the restaurant's warm lights setting a cozy atmosphere as they were led to their table. Louise tried to act casual, cracking a few jokes to keep the mood light, but she was constantly aware of the necklace in her pocket.

As they sat down and ordered, the conversation flowed easily—teasing about classes, mocking Javi's latest antics, and a bit of harmless gossip about their friends. Stacey seemed more relaxed than she had in days, her laughter bubbling up more often than Louise had heard in a while.

Halfway through their meal, Stacey reached for her drink and raised an eyebrow. "Parang hindi ka mapakali, anong meron?"

Louise glanced up, momentarily caught off guard. "Huh? Wala— may iniisip lang."

Stacey narrowed her eyes playfully. "Sure ka? You're not still upset about Donny, are you?"

Louise shook her head, swallowing hard. "No, hindi yun." She shifted in her seat, feeling the box press against her leg. "Actually… there's something I wanted to give you."

Stacey tilted her head, intrigued. "Oh? Ano yun?"

Louise's heart pounded in her chest as she slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out the small velvet box. She placed it on the table, pushing it toward Stacey. The diamond necklace inside sparkled under the soft light of the restaurant, delicate yet elegant.

Stacey's eyes widened as she stared at the box, her fingers brushing over the edges before she opened it. The necklace shimmered, and her gaze flicked up to Louise, a mixture of surprise and curiosity in her expression.

"Louise…" Stacey started, her voice soft. "Para saan 'to?"

Louise swallowed again, feeling her throat go dry. "It's… well, it's not just a gift. I mean, it is a gift, but it's also kind of a question.”

Stacey blinked, her amusement slowly growing. "A question, huh?"

Louise nodded, her hands a little clammy. "Yeah, um…" She cleared her throat, gathering her courage. "I've been thinking about us. You know, about how we started all this pretending just to keep Donny away. But… somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like pretending. And we both know that."

Stacey's lips curled into a small, knowing smile, but she stayed quiet, letting Louise continue.

"So… I was wondering, uh—if I could… maybe…" Louise trailed off for a moment, then took a deep breath, forcing herself to look Stacey directly in the eyes. "If I could court you. Like, for real this time. No more pretending."

Stacey leaned back in her chair, her fingers still lightly touching the necklace. There was a spark of mischief in her eyes as she responded, "Court me, huh? You really went all out with this, didn't you?"

Louise's heart stammered. "I—well, I wanted it to be special, you know? For you."

Stacey raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "Hmm. I don't know, Lou. Courting's a big deal, you know? You sure you're up for it?"