Looks Can Be Deceiving

Chapter Eighteen

"I know you're still mad. You're pretending that you're not but I know you are." Chris decided to take Stella out for some sibling bonding time.

Stella looked down as they walked along the pier. Chris took her to a beach. There weren't many people around but Stella still looked around nervously hoping no one would hear her.

"I'm not mad-"

Chris cuts her off, "please don't say you're disappointed."

"I just don't understand why you lied to me!"

"Would you have been ok with me telling the guy you had feelings for to stay away?"

Stella stopped in her tracks; turning to Chris she pushed his chest annoyed, "No! Of course not!"

"So do you understand why I didn't tell you!"

"No! You should have stayed out of it." She growls. "I stopped being mad but if you keep bringing it up then I'm going to stay angry."

"Can't you just forgive me?" he pleads as he continues walking.

"Chris," she sighs, "you're my brother and best friend." She's still annoyed but she knows that when her and Chris fight, it's never for long. "I'll be over it in an hour."

Chris smiles and throws an arm around her pulling her closer to him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Stella and Chris spend the day at the beach. The rest of the boys spend the day in rehearsals. It was always so much harder to rehearse when one of them wasn't there but they managed to pull through it. While Stella bathed in the sun, she received a text from Erick.

'Movie night? I miss my best friend.'

Stella smiles sadly at her phone responding instantly.

'I'm sorry. We can spend the whole night together. Sleepover and all.'

A few minutes after she sends the message, Richard texts Stella.

'You're staying in Erick's room tonight?'

Stella bites her lip concerned. She never considered that now that her and Richard were together he might not be happy with her staying in a bed with Erick.

"You okay?" Chris asks looking over to her.

"Yeah. I'm good." She smiles and texts Richard.

'That's the plan. Is that cool with you?'

'Yeah. I just won't be able to sleep tonight without.'

Stella's heart swells and sends back a few love hearts.

"I'm going to stay with Erick tonight. We haven't hung out properly in a while."

"That's a good idea. Lately, all you've been doing is fake dating Richard, rehearsals and stage time."

Stella nods. "I have been enjoying this tour. Even though I haven't had enough time with you and Erick."

"We've spent heaps of time together."

"We could always spend more time together." She smiles.

Chris and Stella spend so much time in the sun that by the time they arrive at the hotel, both of them are so tired they take a nap at 2 in the afternoon.

"Nap time yeah?" Chris asks.

"Yes please!" She nods walking towards her room. "Where are the boys?"

"Right here." Joel responds from the couch. He is crouched so low that they can't see them. "Zabdiel is asleep, Richard's in his room and Erick went out to pick a movie to watch with you tonight."

"Well we're going to sleep." Chris opens his bedroom door and slams it shut instantly.

"I'll see you later." Stella walks into her room, puts on an oversized t-shirt and crawls into bed. Just as she is close to sleeping, she hears the connecting door to her room open.

"You awake?" Richard asks.

"I am now." She laughs rolling over to see Richard.

"Did you have a nice time out with Chris?" Richard climbs into bed next to her. They're facing each other and he kisses her softly.

"Yeah but I'm just really tired."

"Let's take a nap together?"

Stella's eyes are already closed and she rolls over pushing her back into his body. "Hold me." She smiles and Richard takes his arm pulling her even closer to his body.