Still Thinking

Chapter 1

Journal entry April 5, 2001

Dear diary,

No, scratch that.

Dear Mr. C,

You need not to be such a D*ck
I actually rolled my eyes on you today
Your countenance can't compensate on how an arrogant arse you are

Not with so much love (none at all),
Annoyed S

•••

Stella Weiss of Evergreen, Denland, is a 19-year-old, female, and youngest of two. Her parents are both successful lawyer and doctor (by that successful as in successful like they are known not just here in their town but in this state as well). Her dad is the authoritarian, disciplinarian lawyer, and her mum the loving and caring doctor. Her 25-year-old sister Tracy is a lawyer and is engaged to her boyfriend of 4 years, Edward, who is actually a doctor too. She doted on her. Well, basically about everything.

Tracy knows lots of things - from music, to art, to martial arts, archery, equestrian, well, actually everything. I think there is a thing that she does not know about. She is top of her class, may I add.

If her parents did not spend money on different summer classes and private tutorials, Stella will not find interest on those things. Well, except on something that she really, really, love - books.

Oh the books. She loves reading. She loves the smell of old books. The story that it tells. The different emotions it brings inside of her. Oh she just love those books. And here she is sitting under the shade of an old oak tree on the garden outside their house, reading one of her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice.

Oh Mr. Darcy.

She look up and saw the rays of the sun that pass through the leaves of this humongous tree. Leaves are starting to fall now. She close her eyes and feel the wind brushing through her cheeks.

Oh how I love this moment, she thought to herself. She smile from the thought.

"That is a lovely book." A voice brought her out of trance.

She opens her eyes, still looking up but the sun is shining too bright that she wasn't able to see the source of that beautiful, manly voice. She shut her eyes from the glare. She tries closing it a few times until the face of a beautiful man comes into the scene.

"What was that?" She asks him quizzically.

"I said, that is a lovely book," he repeats, looking down at her.

"Oh," she looks surprised. She then looks at the book like it is her first time seeing it. "Yeah, it is," she whispers more to herself.

"So you love classics?"

Whoa. Wait. Who is this man? She thought to herself.

"I'm sorry, but wh-," she stutters. "Who are you?"

The man chuckles. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier." He held out his hand. "I'm Albert. Albert Charleston."

A Charleston?

"Charleston?" She asks him curiously.

"Eddie's cousin?" He says it more of a question than a statement, hoping it would help her remember.

"Sorry, but- oh, Edward!" she says after realizing who's the Eddie he meant. Of course it just makes sense. As in THE Edward, the fiancé of her sister. Edward, the doctor.

He remains silent, his hand still lingering on air.

"Oh I'm sorry." She accepts his hand. "Stella. My name is Stella Weiss."

"Soooo," he says stretching the 'o' on it. "You are THE sister," he smiles, emphasizing the word 'the' which confuses her.

"What does that mean?" She asks bemused.

"What does what mean?"

"The 'the'," She tries to make an air quote when she realized he is still holding her hand. She retracted it from him, now more of annoyingly since he seems to have a very good grip on it, with no plan of releasing it. "The 'the' sister, I meant," she finishes.

"Oh, that one," he purse, amused.

So I amuse you now?

"I heard a lot about you from your sister."

"Like what?" She asks curiously.

Now, what is it that she's been telling other people about me?

She hated it when people talk about her. It's not like they can get anything from it. Like, c'mon, it won't even affect their lives if they'll know anything about her. Especially these strangers! Especially not these strangers. They may not be strangers to Tracy but they are to her.

Okay, calm down Stella!

He did not say a word. He just stand there like he is since the start of their conversation.

"Like what?" She repeats. She is now starting to get annoyed.

"Some stuff."

Stuff?

"What some stuff?" She can be a little inquisitive at times.

"You know-," he starts.

"No, i don't know," she snaps.

He laughs with his hand on his waist.

"Let me finish my statement darling," he smiles, showing his dimples.

"Don't call me that," she mumbles.

"Don't worry, she just told us how wonderful such a person you are," there goes that smile, again.

She stood up and fixed her dress. With a book in one hand, she starts walking towards the house.

"Excuse me, I just remembered there are some errands that needs to be done," she says while walking, glancing at him once in a while.

"Wait!" He shouts.

She halts and turns to face him.

"What is it?"

He run towards her. He offers his hand and says, "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Weiss."

Ms. Weiss? Such a formal person. But he's A Charlseton. Makes sense.

She stares at his outstretched hand. She moves her hand rather very slowly to accept his hand. "Mr. Charleston," she nod.

"Albert. Just Albert," he corrects, still holding her hand. His hand is warm and soft.

"Okay, Just Albert. Now if you excuse me," she says without looking at him. She turns and tries to remove her hand from his grip but was stop when her hand is lifted and something tickles it. She turns and see what brushed against it - his lips.

He smirks from her hand. Then, he left her standing in the middle of the garden on a Summer day. Confusion, amusement, anger, a mixture of this and that, evident on her face.

Now what was that? What was that spark?