Falling For Thy Enemy

28 : Uh oh

CLARA

(Ps : sorry, but I had to make this joke you're about to read. don't kill me.)

How the events of the day had turned out to be today had me paralyzed for a moment but what my eyes saw just now was much harder to believe than the possibility of a new world pandemic arising and having the world in a lockdown. From the moment Stefan punched Carl and the latter didn't retaliate to when Tanya confronted my brother, I realized that the brother I loved and adored so much did one think I hate the most in the world.

"..... Can we talk inside?" Stella's voice brought me out from my thoughts that were circling around the shocking revelations of the day.

I heard Stefan grunt beside me, clearly angry and annoyed at everything, mostly my brother. I felt his hand grab mine, our fingers entwining together as he dragged me towards the restaurant without verbally agreeing to his sister. I threw a sharp glare at Carl over my shoulder as I let Stefan drag me. Brother or not, I was furious at him for cheating on Tanya - that girl my family practically considered as one of our own. His own eyes were on my hand that was enclasped in Stefan's and his jaw clenched, as he and Stella made a move to follow us inside.

Bringing back my attention to the mad man beside me, I squeezed his hands to calm him a little down and he paused for a second to pass me a fleeting glance before taking a deep, calming breath and walking to the last corner table where we'd get at least some privacy, if not complete.

"I'm not sorry for punching him." Stefan spoke as he slid in after me in the booth, our hands still joined under the table.

"I don't want you to be. He may be my brother but I hate cheaters." I responded coldly and even though my heart hurt for speaking like this about my brother, I knew it was truth and I couldn't be biased in this  moment.

Stella and Carl slid in the seat across from Stefan and I the very next moment and their arrival was followed by excruciating silence that made it harder for me to breathe. It was only broken when a waiter approached us with four glasses of water.

"Would you like to order now or would you like to wait?" He asked politely yet warily, obviously sensing the tension on our table.

I looked up him and forced a smile on my face. "We'd like to wait."

The waiter nodded, unsure. "I'll come by in a few minutes?" He asked for confirmation and with another nod from me, he walked away.

"So...." I started after another around of silence, looking at Stella rather than my brother. ".... is anyone going to speak or are we going to sit and spend the whole night here?"

Stella visibly squirmed under my gaze, though I didn't mean for her too, but at this moment, I was mad at her too, for being a part of Tanya's heartbreak. She was just as much at fault as Carl. And to think I never expected this from the naive, quiet Stella King.

Carl, seeing Stella's discomfort immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulder, making me narrow my eyes and Stefan's grip tightening on my hand was an indication that he didn't like it either. Ignoring us, he whispered something in Stella's ear but the girl shook her head.

"I have to do this, Carl. One day of hiding and lying has caused too much ruckus, specially in your life and I wouldn't want you to be hated or misunderstood anymore because of me." Stella said softly making me frown and then she turned to us, to  Stefan, specially.

"Stefan, I know you're mad at me and after hearing me out, you'll probably be even more furious but please hear me out first, okay?" Stella's soft melodic voice - one of her best feature that'd lure anyone into captivation was enough for Stefan to look up her with softened eyes. It might also have something to do with them being siblings but for me, it was the voice.