neighbors | lrh

1.7

"stella, we need to talk." those five simple words somehow managed to make stella cough out the light air from her lungs. stella twisted her head around, allowing her platinum grey hair to twist in one swift move. Due to lack of words coming out from her mouth, stella just stood there with her pink lips parted slightly open.

she had never been in this situation before. she knew exactly the conversation he was offering, and she wasn't pleased at all. everyday she just wanted to get away from him, to avoid this dreaded situation.

The boy who had a pair of beautiful brown eyes took a few steps until he reached stella. although, stella noticed a prominent change on calum once he was stood right in front of her. stella's chocolate eyes trailed its way down towards calum's broad chest. stella started to think that she was hallucinating when her eyes landed on the black ink peeking out of calum's white shirt. it was a date in romanian numerical, MMXII. stella stared in shock as she brought her hand towards the year tattooed on calum's chest, caressing the length of the ink with her thumb.

"this has to be a dream, an insanely good dream," stella muttered, her eyes were still fixed on calum's chest. the black color stood out from his tan olive skin. and for once, stella thought it was attractive.

"apparently it is not a dream. my mum is definitely going to kill me when i get home, and the boys— oh god. they would go ballistic. i mean michael had a lot of tattoos, but i don't think they'll like the idea," calum ranted on, his eyes were studying stella's face carefully as he said this.

"it's beautiful, i think. it's 2013. which is three years ago. why did you get it tattooed on you?" stella asked reluctantly. she knew it must've held a lot of personal reason to him, and she wouldn't be offended if calum chose to not answer her question.

"i got it for a very special girl, stells," calum let out a sigh, running a hand through his thick hair.

stella widened her eyes right after calum told her the vague information. he couldn't have gotten it for a girl. stella stifled a scoff, before darting her eyes to meet calum's. she began to think this boy was poorly educated, but her assumption was quickly vanished as soon as he started speaking again.

"she has taken a lot of part in my life, and i'm very grateful to have such an amazing girl by my side after all these years. i've went though all terrifying stages in my life, and i honestly wouldn't be here if it weren't because of her. and you know what? i would never regret having this five letters tattooed on my chest, it means a lot to me." he explained, as they both didn't break the eye contact. there was something in his eyes, and stella was frightened of what he was going to say next.

"oh god, what are you trying to reach here?" stella let out a nervous laugh, her eyes fluttered the slightest when calum brought his hands to touch stella's arm. she had the strangest feeling that calum was talking about someone in particular, and she wasn't prepared for calum to confirm her lunatic conjecture.

"i got this for you, stella marie adams. you are the reason for the smile on my face, the reason for me to wake up and start off the day. you are everything and more. i wouldn't say that i got this word tattooed for my feelings that are growing stronger towards you. i honestly had a lot of consideration before i actually stepped inside the tattoo parlor. this inexpressible bond we had through out this whole friendship we had, and also for the endless nights of laying on my bed; laughing and day dreaming about stupid things. we always have each others back, and the thing we have was bound to this incredible friendship we had. it might sound crazy, but i do love you so much, and i understand that you couldn't return my feelings. that's completely okay, and that wouldn't change a thing about us."