Stella Starlet

Carlisle & Stella

Carlisle had gotten a psychiatrist and therapist to come to the house to see me. 

I was getting better. It had been around a month or so since the whole shower incident and I hadn't gotten any hallucinations since. 

Carlisle was around more. He made it a point to spend more time with me. 

I loved him so much. 

I shut the glass door of the shower and walked over to the mirror. I wiped away the condensation on the mirror and looked at my reflection. 

I ran two fingers over my neck. 

My stitches were recently taken out and I was left with a series of red circles and a line across my ivory skin. 

The skin was not smooth anymore, I could feel the line that was carved horizontally across my neck. I ran my skin over every crimson bump where each stitch had been inside my flesh. 

My skin felt foreign. 

I didn't want to look at this huge scar for the rest of my life and be reminded of such a traumatic thing. 

I still had a hard time believing that it was all in my head. 

There was a knock at the bathroom door. 

"Stella, how about you and I go to dinner tonight?" Carlisle asked from outside the door. 

A smile appeared on my face. "Yes! Sounds good."

He chuckled and I heard his footsteps retreating from the door. 

-

The restaurant Carlisle pulled up to screamed "posh."

In front of the building were parked an array of sports cars; Lamborghini's, Aston Martin's, Rolls Royce's, Ferrari's and more. 

The place was definitely intimidating and I suddenly felt like I didn't belong. 

Carlisle fit the scene perfectly. He looked like he belonged there in his expensive suit and slicked-back platinum hair. 

After he handed the valet his Bentley keys, he took my hand and we walked in. 

The place was not how I imagined it. It was much more beautiful. 

Every wall was floor-to-ceiling glass that showed the view of the waterfront. The high ceiling was adorned with modern light fixtures and candles decorated every table. 

Waiters wearing tuxedos zoomed past as they served their tables. 

It was a breathtaking restaurant. 

The hostess led Carlisle and I to our table, one in the corner with enough discreetness. I sometimes forgot that Carlisle always had a target placed on his back. 

I could see the hungry gazes Carlisle got from many women sitting at their tables with their distant lovers. 

"You mind if I sit next to you?" He asked with a grin.

I laughed and gestured for him to sit on the navy-blue velvet couch. I leaned my head on his shoulder and felt incredibly happy. 

After eating and being in complete bliss with each other, we left the restaurant. 

He did not go to the valet stand for his car keys. 

I was confused. "Carlisle, what are you doing?" I asked.

"It's a surprise." He winked at me as he took my hand and walked me to the building next door. 

It was a grand, colossal building with ornate details with each podium. He walked me up the stairs towards the large, wooden doors. 

"What are we doing?" I laughed as he pulled out a key from his pocket. 

"Shh, close your eyes."

I sighed and listened to him and walked inside blindly. He guided me for what felt like an hour but was really under ten minutes.

After walking, going up an elevator and more walking he finally let my shoulders go. 

I could feel the gentle wind kissing my exposed shoulders and hear the sound of the faint ebb and flow of the water against the shoreline. 

"Open your eyes."

I did so and gasped. The balcony was covered with probably almost a thousand candles except for a circle in which I was standing in. 

It was beautiful. The night sky contrasted the candle-light and made everything glow. 

"Stella." I turned around to find Carlisle standing there. 

He got down on one knee and I could feel my heart stop. 

Carlisle reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box.

He opened it and inside was a ring. A beautiful diamond ring. 

"It was on this balcony that we met. It was during one of those auctions and you were up here. You had taken my breath away. I knew you were either going to break my heart or heal it. Well, you've done both-" We both laughed and he continued. "And that year when you were gone, I felt like I had lost something like a limb or an organ because I couldn't function right. I knew then that I want you to be by my side for the rest of the time that I'm alive. Stella, the light and love of my life, will you marry me?"

I felt like my lungs had no more air in them. 

"Carlisle, yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

He took my hand and slipped the ring on. The large diamond glinted in the candlelight and I pulled Carlisle in and kissed him. 

"I love you so much," I declared as I hugged him tightly. 

"I love you so very much too," he responded. 

He held me in his arms as we swayed to the sound of the water and each other's heartbeats. 

I was actually engaged to the man I loved so much. 

We swayed on that balcony with the moon light cascading upon us.

It was in that moment when Carlisle dipped me and smiled down at me that I felt something very special, something that dazzled me entirely. 

I felt infinite.