𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒 | SPINOFF

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

Since it's the last chapter,
I decided to write all the couples.

_

GRAYSON
MEADOWS

The room was drenched in a comfortable darkness, the faint glow of the moon sneaking in through the sheer curtains. The soft hum of the ceiling fan blended with our quiet breaths as Stella rested against me, half-asleep yet unable to let go of the moment. Her fingers lazily played with the strands of my hair that fell over my forehead, her touch gentle and warm, grounding me in a way I didn't know I needed.

"Did I ever tell you I loved you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, like a secret she was afraid to let out. Her tone was soft, hesitant, almost like the weight of those words scared her.

I froze for a moment, staring at her as her half-lidded eyes looked somewhere past me, lost in thought. The vulnerability in her voice sent a jolt through me, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was her way of testing the waters.

"Because I..." she trailed off, a faint flush blooming on her cheeks. "I think I can love you. But I'm scared of ruining us, Grayson."

I propped myself up on my elbow, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. My hand lingered on her cheek for a moment, savoring the way her skin felt against mine. "You don't need to be scared, Stella. Just try. That's all I want." My voice came out steady, but inside, I was a wreck. "Try to love me back. That's it. It's okay if it's not perfect. I'm not your dad," I added softly, watching the flicker of pain in her eyes at the mention of him. "I won't need your love to be perfect. I just need it to be there."

Her lips curved into a soft smile, a tired yet genuine expression that made my chest ache. She shifted under the sheets, sitting up slightly as she clutched the fabric around her body. "You're such a sap," she teased lightly, though her voice carried none of her usual sharpness.

I smirked, tilting my head to look at her. "I just had sex with you, and now you're hiding under the sheets? What's this about?"

She let out a sigh, her fingers tightening around the fabric as she avoided my gaze. "I've been... putting my diet off ever since we got together. I don't think I should show it much anymore," she mumbled, her cheeks darkening with embarrassment. "I haven't been to the gym in ages either."

My smirk vanished instantly, replaced by a frown. "Stella, stop," I said firmly, reaching out to tug the sheets away from her grip. "Your body is still perfect. Don't say things like that. You're gorgeous exactly the way you are."

She hesitated, her hands loosening on the fabric but not completely letting go. "Thank you, Grayson," she whispered after a pause, her voice shy but sincere. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to my cheek, her lips lingering for a moment longer than usual.

The moment she'd brought up her insecurities, it hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I'd noticed the subtle changes—her skipping meals here and there, her quiet excuses about not being hungry, and the way she'd avoid certain foods like they'd betray her somehow. It pissed me off, not at her, but at the world that made her think she wasn't enough just the way she was.

"Yeah, I've been forcing you to eat more," I admitted, running a hand through my hair as I glanced at her still curled up in the sheets. "You tried cutting off most foods, saying you wanted to get skinnier than you already were. It was driving me insane."

Stella stiffened slightly at my words, her eyes flickering to mine, a mixture of guilt and defiance shining in them. "I wasn't trying to starve myself," she muttered, though her voice lacked its usual bite. "I just... I wanted to feel better about myself."