WICKED ✓

9

Stella

"How long do I have to wait to ask you to be my girlfriend?"

"Five seconds seems like plenty of time to me..." I answer as I pick up the knife I'd dropped on the floor, cleaning it and selecting a new one. If I'm being honest, I didn't feel as hurt by Payton's betrayal as I thought I would. I was sad and surprised that my life was suddenly different, but I quickly realized that it was for the better. How can you miss someone so toxic? Someone you never loved?

"I'm still not having sex with you yet," He smirks and I pout. I feel like a child on a time out. I try to give him my best puppy dog eyes to match my pout. My lips feel swollen and my face is probably red from the combination of his sexy stubble rubbing against my smooth skin, or the blood that has risen to my cheeks.

"That's not fair. Then you can't kiss me until you decide to give in." I decide, immediately wanting to regret my words. He stalks towards me. "No touching either!" I squeal and Dominic puts his hands on either side of me, leaning in so close, but not close enough.

"Fine." He growls and then, unsurprisingly, my insecurities flood in and I look away from him. He wants me to be his girlfriend, and he obviously likes kissing me, but he doesn't want to touch me. He doesn't want to be intimate. I realize. My face falls and my heart beats fast for an entirely different reason.

Dominic watches me as all of this happens within my head and his expression becomes concerned. "Stella?" He reaches out and I move out of his reach. "Stella." He calls after me but I walk into his guest room and close the door, sitting on the bed. My vision goes blurry and I realize that I'm crying. He knocks on my door and I slide off the bed and onto the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. As soon as I let out a sob, Dominic comes in. He practically jumps to the floor to pull me into his arms and I cry. He's so warm and he talks to me so calmly. He feels like a blanket of security despite being the cause of my distress.

"Stella. Please tell me how I can prevent this from happening. I don't know what I did," He says calmly, but is visibly upset. I tilt my head away from him but he pulls my chin up, gripping it firmly to force me to look at him.

"Payton and I—For the last six months he didn't...he didn't want to...I guess he was sleeping with that girl which makes more sense now." I try to look down, feeling embarrassed for admitting this to Dominic but his expression turns bewildered.

"How the fuck...?" He wonders aloud and my lip trembles. "Wait, did you say months?" He exclaims. Dominic regards my state, pulling me back into his chest. "I'm so sorry Stella. I just wanted to do this right. I want you to be so ready for this that no part of it could possibly feel wrong. I will say it over and over again if it helps you to remember, but I want you so badly that it hurts me. When you walk in the room and smile, that's all it takes for me to start shaking like my body is in withdrawal from yours. It's like I'm craving something I've never even tasted. I miss you when we stop touching, even if you're in my reach." He breathes and I look up at him with my lips parted in awe.

My hand reaches up to touch his face and he closes his eyes blissfully. I climb into his lap and hug him. "I don't care how long it's been. I really want to be your girlfriend," I admit with my head buried in his neck and my soft hands running over his buzzed scalp. His hair feels like pins and needles over my hand and I love the feeling. He hums contentedly, almost like he's purring beneath me.

After my little episode, Dominic carried me back into the main room and sat me on the couch in front of the tv, deciding to finish up our dinner. I almost got up multiple times but he would just smile amusedly at me and pick me up, carrying me out of the kitchen. 

I couldn't help but turn around in my seat to watch him as I absentmindedly clicked through channels. He was so focused on finishing the preparation that he didn't notice me watching him. Or he did. I wasn't subtle by any means.

"—man finds the unrecognizable skeleton of a man in his thirties inside of an industrial kiln. If anyone has any information on missing persons, please come forward."  My head snaps around, no longer able to focus on Dominic when I accidentally pause on what looks like the local news channel. The more I listen, the worse it gets.

"Do you hear this Dom?" I yell, turning up the sound. A shiver runs down my spine. I look around the couch and stand up, running into the guest bedroom to get my phone. My fingers are shaking slightly as I look through my contacts list. Dominic follows me into the room and I smile at him to let him know that I'm okay. 

"Hello," My dad says and I sigh in relief. 

"Dad. Hi. Is the door locked?"

"Stella? Yeah, of course. You okay honey?"

"Yeah. No, I'm fine. No big deal, I'm just watching the news and it just gave me a bad feeling. I just wanted to check on you."

"Well, I always love hearing from you, and feel free to call me any time. But you know that."

"I know I haven't been home much, but—"

"No honey. You are not a mother, and I know I've relied on you too much but it's time I take care of my kids. You have a life Stella, and nothing makes me happier than to see you living it. If that means I see you a little less, I am A-okay with that."

"I love you, dad. I'll see you soon." I say softly and end the call. Dominic is still leaning against the doorway and I smile sheepishly up at him, walking towards him with my arms extended and sliding them over his narrow hips and around his back, hugging him tight to my body. His long arms wrap around me and my shoulders relax. His heart is beating wildly against my cheek and I smile with my eyes closed. My worries escaping me, replaced by the security I feel in this moment.