Listen to Enchanted by Taylor Swift
(Guyssssssssss.  I used to be a swiftie :(  As much as I love new Tay, I kinda miss the old songs.  *sulks alone*)

Stella Davis

My eyelids felt heavy as I laid my head on my work desk. I hadn't slept in several days. I couldn't stop thinking about Meera.  And I couldn't stop thinking about the risk I'd taken with David.  

But I was finally accepting things.  I was determined to resign to sleep.

But just as I closed my lids, an annoyingly familiar voice interrupted me. "Boss!"

Chad peeped into my office cabin, dressed in a dark green suit. I raised my eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't you ready for the party?"

"What party?" I asked, confused.  "Oh my God!  The charity party?" I yelled, already shooting off my seat. "That...is today? I totally forgot about it."

"Of course you forgot!" Chad argued. "Because I do everything in this office."

"No time to joke," I murmured, hurrying out of the cabin in panic. "I'll be there in thirty minutes. Go take care of it, Chad!"

"This is what I'm talking about!" he hollered back. "I do everything in this office. I need a pay raise."

I turned around and stuck my tongue out. "Keep wishing."

_

My green satin dress glimmered off the black glass as I approached my car.  I smiled proudly at the dress I had designed.

But I was interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind me.

When I turned around, I screamed, jumping a foot back.

"Meera!"

A sad smile touched her face. "Hey..," she murmured.

My voice was still high when I asked, "What are you doing here?"

She took a slow step forward, her shy eyes momentarily travelling down my body. "I...just thought I would come by and...talk to you." Her voice was expectant, but her foot hesitantly shifted from one to other, almost as if she wanted to run away from this embarrassment.

"Meera, I'm going to a party now."

Her face immediately fell. "Oh!" she innocently replied.

I stared at the tiny O her mouth was curled into. My breath hitched. I wished I could kiss her again, just like old times. But something told me that she wouldn't like it.

"It's okay," she said, trying to brighten. "We can...talk some other time."

But I caught her wrist when she turned to leave. "Do you want to come with me?"

Her intake of breath was sharp when I touched her skin. Meera's eyes lingered on my hand before she looked hesitant. "Ugh...I don't think that's a great idea. I don't want to interfe-"

"Please?" I interrupted. "I know why you're here, Meera. I want to show you a day in my life before...before you decide anything." I gulped, searching her face helplessly. Her dark eyes were large and pained as they stared back at me. A strand of hair that had escaped her bun fluttered with the wind. She was so beautiful, so much that my heart ached. "Please?" I begged again. "Spend tonight with me."

She sighed and pursed her lips. "Okay, but I'm not really wearing partyware." She looked down at her sweatpants.

I smirked at her challengingly. "Excuse me? You're standing in front of Stellar Fashion. Get inside." Grabbing her arm again, we ran into back my office.

_

Meera shot me a puzzled look when we arrived in front of a hotel. "What sort of party is this?"

I made her wear the best women's tuxedo I'd designed myself.  She told me she'd never worn one before, but from the way she carefully smoothed the creases, I could tell that she loved it.  With pride, I answered, "A charity party."

I traced my hand on the small of her back and ushered her inside, revealing her to the fancy ballroom. It wasn't the best, richest hotel in town, but after spending a large chunk of money on Danica's sports store, Chad and I decided it was best to keep the party light. 

"For what?" she asked.

"Well, I...donate a part of Stellar Fashion's revenue to buy tampons for girls who can't afford it.  For now, we are helping around six hundred girls and women.  But money has been tight lately, so...charity party."

The spherical room in front of us presented a couple dozen men and women in suits and formals. The mostly forty-ish adults chatted away about business, family and kids as they clinked their wine glasses.

When she didn't reply, I looked down at her.  She simply gazed at me with an awestruck expression.  "That's incredible, Stella," she mumbled.  

I blushed.   My heart welled to think that she adored me.  I just couldn't get enough of her.  

But when she smiled, it didn't quite reach her eyes.  Sadness lingered on every inch of her features.  I hated it when Meera wasn't happy.  I loathed it.

What was wrong with her?

I put a hand of her shoulder and squeezed. "Breathe, Meera. There's something bothering you," I stated. "Tell me what's wrong."

Her head turned away from me, but I saw the red creep on her face in shame. "It's...nothing."

I shook my head disapproving. I wanted to stress, but she looked at me like she needed time.  "Fine, if there's nothing, let's get you on party mode. We're already late."

Just then, a familiar blond approached us with a huge smile on his face.

"Stella!" he squealed.

I grinned and hugged him. "How are you, Sabastian? I missed seeing your gorgeous face."

"I'm great.  Social work has been very therapeutic," he mumbled into my shoulder before letting go. "Thank you so much for not letting me down though.  Those girls really need your help." 

I felt Meera's fingers suddenly graze mine and intertwine with them. When I looked down at her face, I watched her stare at Sabastian. Almost glare.  I knew she was biting her tongue.

"Meera, this is Sab.  He's a surgeon, but is an awesome person.  He helps the tampons reach the girls.  And a lot of other help to the people who are in need."

"Mmm," she grumbled.

Was she jealous?

"Who's this?" Sebastian asked, eyeing Meera with a friendly smile.

"Umm...This is Meera!" I glanced at her conflicting face before answering.  "My...girlfriend."

Both of their heads snapped.

Sebastian's eyes floated on Meera's face in shock.  And I could read his mind.  Why do you have an older woman as my girlfriend?  But he was the first to compose his face. "Girlfriend? Wow! Well, nice to meet ya, Meera! I'd love to know you more, but I gotta run and hunt down donors for my clinic.  These people in this party are worth a shot."

"Did you say girlfriend?" Meera whispered angrily as he retreated.

I wanted to smile at her flustered face, but I stifled it. "Well, he's my ex-boyfriend. I wanted to make him jealous. Also, I thought that's what you wanted me to say."

"No!" she childishly chortled.  "I'm not your girlfriend."

"Okay, fine! Be my girlfriend for an hour. Just one hour."

"Don't be absurd, Stella."

I looked around the room, searching for someone I could point at. "See! That girl in the red dress, she's my ex too. Want to meet her?"

She huffed, scowling at me. "Okay, fine! Just one hour."

Yes! Yes!

"That was quick, babe!" I exclaimed with a smile, wrapping my arms around her waist.  

Her eyes roamed around the room to check is someone was watching us, but I couldn't care less.  My head was already spinning.  Meera for myself?  All by myself?  I had to spend all my strength to stop myself from squealing.  

Meera had this effect on me.  

"I know that girl's not your ex though," she said.  "I'm not dumb."

"Meera..." I whispered, my heart flooding with love at her grumpy face.  I leaned closer and pulled her into a hug.  "You're the best."

She resisted my embrace for several seconds before surrendering.  "You're really awesome," she solemnly mumbled into my chest.  "You own your own fashion brand, and above that you do all these nice things to help the underprivileged."

 My hand naturally reached to soothe her hair.  "Thanks..." I mumbled.  "You should thank Sabastian.  When we were dating, he would get emergency calls from the hospital.  I felt so small, so inferior, like I was just designing clothes when he was out there saving lives.  Kind of a selfish decision on my part..." I chuckled.  "But I liked making those girls have a better life."

 Wordlessly, she nestled her head in my chest and closed her eyes.

Did she miss me just as much as I missed her?  It felt indescribable to hold her again in my arms, to listen to her small figure breathing against me.  It was impossible to believe that Ranjit gave up on her just because she couldn't give him what he wanted.  

My lips curved into a smile.  "Meera?" 

"Hmm?"

I love you.

But I didn't know how she'd react to me if confessed to her here.  "You're so tiny," I mumbled instead. 

She slowly raised her head to me, smirking.  "Just because you have long, model legs, it doesn't mean I'm ti-"  Before she finished her sentence, her eyes widened at something behind me.  Gasping, she clutched my shoulder, peeping around me as if she's hiding.  "Oh God!" she hissed.  "Why is Ranjit here?"

"What?" I snapped, looking around.  Ranjit stood a few paces away, laughing with an old woman as he grabbed a donut from a serving tray.

A sharp pinch from Meera almost made me jump.  "Ouch!" I glared at her, rubbing at the stinging skin. 

"Don't look around," she mumbled nervously, her nails unconsciously digging into my shoulder.  

I searched around the large, furnished room for Chad.  I found him at the farthest end, guiding Sabastian about something.  I decided that he would do fine without me.  "Do you want to get out of here?"

She nodded, glancing one last time behind me.

_

When Meera and I had climbed a flight of stairs, we were in the hotel's terrace.  "Oh, great!  There's nobody here," I said, panting.  "Do you think Ranjit saw you?"

"No!" she grimaced.  "I wish he hadn't.  Why did you call him?" Meera asked as she caught up with me.  

"I don't know!" I protested, resting my hands on my knees.  "Chad must have called him.  I mean, I can't blame Chad.  Ranjit has money.  This is crazy!  Hiding from your husband with your new girlfriend."  When the breeze tickled my face, I looked up. 

"This is so beautiful," I heard Meera's astonished words as she stared at the night sky.  I had never seen the sky starrier before.  But my mouth fell as I watched the starlight kiss her tender face.  The breeze fluttered the hair that framed the most beautiful face I knew.  For the first time in several days, she turned to me and smiled.    

"Yeah..." I replied in a trance.  

My fingers worked on their own as they fished for my phone and searched for a song.  

"Meera," I breathed, my heart stuttering.  "Dance with me."

I placed the phone of the floor.  Taylor Swift's Enchanted played from the speakers as I caught her hands.  Lifting our hands up together, we slowly swayed in the long night.  

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go,
 I'm wonderstruck, blushing on the way home...

Meera's breathtaking eyes stared back at me with even vigour.  I drank in the flutter in her eyelids, the soft curve of her naked lips.  There was a dull scar on her chin that I hadn't noticed when I first met her.  She looked mesmerising in my arms, almost unreal.  

We just danced like that for a long, long time.  I sighed.  "I've never asked you this before.  But I want to know.  Why didn't you have a baby?"

Her head bent low and I heard a sad chuckle.  "I was scared.  I was scared to let a life grow inside me.  I took care of Kanaka throughout her pregnancy, and I watched her suffer.  I just couldn't make myself do it.  And I did not have a traumatic incident in the past that stopped me from giving birth.  That's what assumed.  That I had a bad abortion or saw someone die during pregnancy.  No!  I had a good life growing up.  Should I really have a reason to not become a mother?"

"Oh, baby..." I apologetically mused, wrapped my hands around her.  

But turns out," she said, looking up with a smirk, "that my womanhood depended heavily on me becoming a mother or not.  My respect depended on it.  The love I received depended on it.  I sometimes wish I'd just given birth.  Would have saved a lot of pain." 

"No," I said, my voice breaking.  "It would have been worse.  You love Nikhil.  If you'd had your own baby..."

She nodded understandingly, placing her hands on my shoulders.  

"Smile, Meera.  It hurts to see you like this."

At my words, her lips slowly curled up.  I felt the small light in her eyes again.

I smiled with her, twirling her around.  This felt real.  Meera dancing along with me felt so right. 

I sang the lyrics to her.  "This night is sparking, don't you let it go, I'm wonderstruck, blushing on the way home.  I'll spend forever wondering if you know, I was enchanted to meet you."

She was so magical, so innocent and endearing.  I couldn't help myself from pulling her closer.

My head dipped down to kiss her lips.  She kissed me back without hesitation, taking control.  Her lips thrashed on me angrily as she caught my face and pulled me down to her convenience.  It almost felt like an emotional dumping as she deepened the kiss, waving her fingers through my hair.  With the desire and love, I tasted the pain on the lips that moved on mine. 

When she pulled back, I rested my head on hers.  Breathing, I spoke in most sure voice. "I missed you.  I missed this.  I...I...I love you."

She froze at my words.  I looked up.  Her face contorted in agony, eyes creasing.  Once again today, the sadness pulled down at her swollen lips.  She wasn't expecting this to happen.  She wasn't expecting me to go this far.

My heart sunk, twisting in my chest.  

Why did this hurt so much?  Why did it feel like I was awaiting this moment all along?

"Hey, baby..." I whispered.  "Please don't look at me like this.  What is troubling you?  Tell me," I begged. 

She looked away.  When she faced me again, my heart thundered in my chest.  Her eyes were once of a reaper's, right before he kills his beloved with his own sword. 

"I can't do this anymore, Stella!  This is over."

My world collapsed for an excruciating moment. 

I pushed her away forcibly.  "No, it's not.  Are you really doing this to me?" I shouted, glaring fire at her.  

She hung her head down. 

"Even after today?"

She said nothing. 

I sighed in vexation.  "You know what?  Our one hour isn't over.  You're not going anywhere before explaining to me why we don't deserve each other."

Please vote and make me smile. 

Well, thoughts?  

Do you think Meera's gonna get braver by the end of the story at least?

Question:  Would you rather have all clothes fit perfectly or have the most comfortable bed, pillows, blankets and sheets?

Me?  Gimme the pillows, boss!  I haven't slept well in days.