Chapter Three (UNEDITED)

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"Anyone can make you happy by doing something special. But only someone special can make you happy without doing anything." - Pinterest

Tristan's POV

Alone and left out.

Oftentimes, I felt that way since I was a kid.

Mom got married and had a baby girl. Dad got married too and had a baby boy. They were even now. The battle ended. Both won and ended happy.

"He's so adorable and looks like you, Richard." Marilyn, my dad's new wife said, craddling her new baby boy, while half lying on bed.

I don't like Marilyn. I hate her. She scolded me all the time - even hurt me when nobody's looking. And when dad was around, she was as sweet as a candy. She reminded me of the wicked stepmothers in Disney movies.

Dad insisted that I should call her mom, but I refused. I had only one mom. Although she left me, at least she was kind and caring.

"I think he looks like Tristan." Dad said looking at me. I was sitting at the foot of their huge bed in the master's bedroom - feeling so uneasy. I felt like I didn't belong there, like I was not part of their family.

"Of course not, darling. Kobe's eyes are hazel green like yours... and his hair are golden brown." She rolled her eyes and her lips twisted. I knew she hated the sight of me. She said I looked like my mom,  especially my blue eyes.

Dad laughed and summoned me closer. "Come Tristan. Look at Kobe. You were once like him, so tiny and cute." He patted my dark brown hair and pulled me on his lap.

I stared at the baby. Dad was right. He was so tiny. His hands were so small and wrinkled and his skin was so red. I looked at his tummy. He was breathing so fast and he was always sleeping. I wondered if he was okay.

I wanted to touch him, to feel his small hands and feet. But I was afraid that Marilyn would be angry. On second thought, maybe she wouldn't because dad was here.

I reached out and touched the baby's hand. Marilyn abruptly jerked the baby away and that made him cry.

"Oh, look what you've done. You startled him. Shhh.... Baby Kobe, it's okay, mommy's here. I wont let Tristan hurt you. He's a bad boy." Marilyn said sweetly and melodically, like she was just teasing me. She was so good on it . If dad wasn't here, I would be scolded and slapped.

"Hahaha. Kobe easily cries. You know Tristan, when you were a baby, you seldom cries. Your nannies never had a hard time taking care of you." Dad said.

I just stared at my dad. He stared back at me and winked. I realized that what he said was a compliment.

One month later. I woke up in the middle of the night. I heard the baby crying. I sat down on bed and rubbed my eyes. Where's his nanny? Dad and Marilyn haven't arrived yet from the party?

I stood up and ran to the nursery room. Then I saw the baby's nanny - sleeping on the couch.

I walked towards the blue wooden padded crib and stared at the baby. He was crying so hard. Big pools of tears ran out of his eyes. What is wrong with him?

I woke his nanny up, but she just shove me away. Then I went back to the crib and looked at Kobe again. "Shh... stop crying."

But he wouldn't stop crying. I remembered him laughing playing with his rattle. So I looked for it and found it inside a nearby cabinet.

I shook the rattle. But he still continued crying.

"Are you hungry?" I looked at his nanny again and yelled at her to wake up, but she just ignored me.

"Why are you crying? Are you scared?" I shook the rattle again. He was crying so hard now and was holding his breathe.

I wanted to hug him, to tell him its okay, just like mom always did whenever I got scared- so he would stop crying.

I climbed up the wooden crib with ease. Then, knelt beside him and gently patted his head.

He suddenly stopped crying and looked at me. We stared at each other for seconds. Then he smiled. And I smiled. I touched his fingers and his feet â so small. I was afraid I would break it.

I shook the rattle and he laughed. I liked him. He was not like his mom.

I felt happy. I have my dad and my brother now.

Another month later. Marilyn insisted that I should go with them at the park. I refused to go. I just wanted to stay home and watch my favorite show on TV â and eat pizza. Besides, I didn't want to be with Marilyn or anywhere near her. We disliked each other â immensely.

"Marilyn, let him stay." Dad said. He was holding the knob of my opened bedroom door.

"Darling, Liza and her family will be there. She has a son the same age as Tristan. I promised to bring Tristan so her son have someone to play with."

"But Marilyn..."

"Darling please. Besides, watching TV all day is not good for him. Look at him, he's getting fat."

Dad looked at me disappointedly, then shook his head. "Yeah, you're right. He needs the exercise."

I looked at my tummy. It blown bigger... and my arms... my legs and my face. I'm starting to get fat.

I had no choice that day, my dad dragged me to the park.

The son of Marilyn's friend turned out to be an autistic. He just kept on staring at me. And wherever I went, he was following me. He was even mimicking my actions. I tried to play with him but... it was so hard.

I was on the bench eating corndog when I noticed a stray dog walking behind baby Kobe's stroller.

I looked at Marilyn and dad. They were busy talking and laughing with the other couple â sharing jokes. Baby Kobe's nanny â the same nanny... was on her phone, texting.

"Watch out! Watch out! There's a dog." I yelled at the nanny, but she didn't hear me. Dad and Marilyn even ignored me. They were laughing so loudly now.

The dog was moving faster towards baby Kobe.

I was sweating now with fear and yelled louder at his nanny. This time she heard me and asked me what was it.

There was no time. There was no time!

I ran towards baby Kobe as fast as I could. Then I sighed with relief when I reached his stroller and covered him with my body. I saved him.

Then I felt the sudden pang of sharp pain on my shoulder.

Aaargggghhhhhh!!!!! I groaned out loud.

Stella's POV

"Ooopss, careful." I bumped at Xander when I opened the main door of our house and hurriedly went out without looking. He was my oldest brother â actually, five years older than me. I was fifteen, so that made him twenty years old.

"Sorry." I headed to the car, where my driver was waiting.

"Where are you going?"

"To a friend's house. We're having a slumber party."

"Hey, did you ask permission from dad?" Xander grabbed my arm when I was about to open the car door.

"Oh! Let me go." I pulled my arm away from him. "Of course. Dad knows and mom, okay?"

"How many days will you be gone?" He asked, looking at my two-big Louis Vuitton luggages loaded at the car's back compartment.

"I told you a slumber party, so I'll be gone overnight."

"Overnight? What the... why are you bringing big luggages?" His eyes widened. "Are you sure you'll be gone overnight? It seems like you'll be gone for a year."

"OH! Men! I don't have to explain to you. You won't understand anyway. I have to go now." I rushed inside the car and blew Xander a kiss. "Bye. See you tomorrow morning."

He was frowning at me and scratching his head.

YES! No nannies and no bodyguards for the first time. And the most exciting part... I'm going to meet Tristan. I bought many beautiful dresses so when Tristan sees me, he'll be shocked seeing how pretty I am.. and then.. he'll instantly fall in love with me.

I told mom that my classmate Mia Stewart's family was very rich. They lived in a palace. Their house was surrounded with high powered electronic gates and there were cameras everywhere. It would be a shame and an insult to them if I would be bringing a nanny and a bodyguard.

"Turn left." I ordered my driver when we exited our mansion gates.

The driver coughed. "Um maam. I thought we're going to Beverly Hills."

"No, we're not. Just do what I say."

"But maam..."

"No buts, Johnson." I said firmly.

After twenty minutes, we entered a lower-class subdivision in California.

"Oh! I can't believe Mia lives here. The houses are so small... I thought she lives in a big house, like ours."

"Are you sure you got the right address maam?" Johnson asked.

"Of course." I lifted my chin, looking at the houses that became smaller and smaller... until we parked outside the smallest among the houses.

"Oh my goodness, that's the house?"

"I don't know. But we can leave now if you want maam."

"NO!" I cleared my throat. "I mean... whatever." I'm coming Tristan.

I got out of the car and headed to the main door of the house. Checking the house number at the same time, making sure that I got it right.

I got it right. Mia opened the door.

"Stella!" I was caught off guard when she hugged me. "You came!"

Ew!!! She smelled like onion and GARLIC... with her sweat sticking on my cheek. Nausea suddenly hit me. Oh.. I really hate garlics.

"Yeah. I told you I will." I inhaled deeply then smiled at her.

I was studying the interior of their house. It was so simple â a not so fancy sofa set with a big TV screen in the living room and a wooden dining table. Although it was neat and clean, but the house was so small. My room was even bigger than the whole house.

"Maam... where will I put these?" Johnson asked - dragging my luggages with him to the front door.

"Oh! Where will I put my bags?" I asked Mia who was scratching her head, looking at my two luggages.

"Ah... I think we should put it here in the living room. It won't fit in my room." She said with an apologic expression.

Johnson put my luggages in the living room, then immediately left. But I made him promised first not to tell mom and dad my exact location. He hesitated but eventually he agreed.

"Are you hungry? I made mac and cheese, onion rings and garlic bread."

Ew! GARLIC.

"I'm not hungry." I said looking at the doors. I wonder where is Tristan's room.

"What do you like?" Mia asked.

What I like? Tristan. That's the reason why I'm here. Where is he?

"Nothing... I'm full." I answered. Trying so hard to suppress my curiousity where her brother was. My eye caught a blue shirt that lay on top of one of the armchairs. Oh my goodness. That's Tristan's shirt!

"Are you sure?" Mia asked again.

"Yeah." I answered still eyeing the blue shirt.

"We will have a lot of fun tonight, Stella. I'm so excited!"

I smiled at her sarcastically. "Me too. Umm... Mia... Where will I sleep?"

"In my room. We'll share my bed. It's not big, but we'll fit on it. We're both small." She smiled at me. "Come I'll show you, then you can start helping me with Geometry."

"Yes, sure."

Mia left, but I stayed for a while in the living room. I immediately picked the blue shirt and inhaled it so deeply.

Ew!! Super duper ew!! The shirt smelled so bad â like a combination of sweat, garlic and wet socks that were left unwashed for a year.

I felt like vomitting because of the very bad smell... I gagged preventing myself not to spit on the floor.

But still... I smelled it again, adjusting my senses to tolerate the bad smell.

Hmm... It doesn't matter. This shirt belongs to Tristan â my Tristan. The love of my life. I smelled the shirt again and again, hugging it.

"Stella!" Mia shouted. "Where are you?"

"I'm coming!"

Three hours later, I was done teaching Mia. I was sooo tired. I had a hard time teaching her... She was right, she was so slow.

Whew! But I'm glad that she understood Geometry now and I was able to help her. I had a nice feeling within me, being able to help her.

We had our dinner also â the mac and cheese, onion rings and garlic bread she made. Ew! But I was really hungry, I didn't have a choice but to eat what was on the table... there were no options.

I was lying on her single bed â so full. I wondered how we would fit sleeping on this small bed. We wouldn't be able to move without bumping our bodies. Oh God... I won't be able to sleep tonight. I was used sleeping alone on my big princess bed. I was just thankful that her room was fully airconditioned.

I looked at the watch. It was almost nine in the evening. Where's Tristan?

I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer. I asked her. "Where's your br... um... parents? Why are you alone here?"

Mia suddenly looked so sad. "Mom died two years ago."

"Oh! I'm sorry Mia." I sat up and leaned my back at the headboard.

"It's okay. I... I'm fine now." She was trying to hold back her tears.

I touched her hand and patted it. "Don't cry. So... um... you live with your brother here?"

"My brother? Of course not. I live with my father. He works at nights."

Whoah! Wait... wait... wait...

"Your father? I thought you have a brother... Troy... Christian... Ethan... um... what's his name?" I pretended to forget Tristan's name, so I wouldn't be too obvious that my brain was fully loaded with him.

"His name is Tristan." Mia smiled. "He doesn't live here."

"What?!" I was so shocked that my jaw dropped open. I thought... I thought... Oh my God.... you... you.. um... grrrr....

"He visits me every Saturday night when he's here in California. But tonight, he's going out with his friends."

"So, whose shirt was that on the armchair?" My heart was beating so fast. My whole body was freaking out...

"The blue one? Oh I forgot. That's dad's shirt and I have to wash it tonight!" She immediately stood up and ran outside the bedroom.

I felt like I was about to throw up. Ew!!! I also ran -- towards the bathroom and forced myself to throw up.

Disappointed.

So disappointed.

Overly Disappointed.

Ew!

"Are you okay?" Mia asked me when she went back in her bedroom. I guessed she already finished washing her dad's blue shirt.

"Yeah... yeah... I'm fine."

"You look so pale."

"Really?" I stood up and went to the mirror. I took my bag and dug for my lipgloss and my blusher. Then I fixed my hair and my face.

Mia was staring at me, so fascinated from what I was doing. "You look so pretty Stella. I wish I'm also pretty."

"You're very pretty Mia. You just don't know how to... um.. fix yourself."

"OH!" She smiled. "Can you teach me Stella? To do my hair and apply a little makeup?"

"Of course. Come here, I'll make you so beautiful tonight, Cinderella."

We laughed and the fun started.

I taught Mia how to apply makeup, to fix her hair, to pose and walk. Then, we danced to the latest dance craze and made a video of ourselves â uploaded it in Youtube. We stalked our classmates in Facebook and Instagram. We watched very funny videos and sang our favorite songs. We had so much fun.

Before we went to sleep, I showed her my secret in having a beautiful clear and flawless skin - my facial mud mask.

"This will remove all the blackheads, the dirt that clogged in our pores..." I explained to her while applying the facial mud mask on my face.

Mia was laughing at me. "It's hard to recognize that it's you, Stella. Are you going to leave it on the whole night?"

"Of course, to make it more effective. Do you want to try it?"

"No thanks. It will just crack up on my face. Besides, I easily get allergies in any products. I don't want to take the risk."

"Ok fine. Whatever." I shrugged my shoulders. Then I combed my hair and put some curlers on my hair, so I would have beautiful curls in the morning.

Where am I?

I looked at my surroundings â the floral wallpaper, floral curtain... everything floral.

Oh silly me. I forgot I was in Mia's room.

I got up and checked the time in the alarm clock. It's 12:30 a.m.

I was so thirsty. So I went out of Mia's room and headed to the kitchen. Sleepwalking.

I stood frozen when I saw someone in the kitchen, a guy.

He was bending over inside the fridge. The fridge light showed that he was naked from the waist up. I stared at his back. He had a pretty lean muscular body... so attractive.

I was drawn to him. Without being aware, I was moving towards him. Slowly.

Then he straightened up his tall frame, towering me.

He turned and faced me.

Oh my goodness. It's Tristan!

Tristan's eyes widened.

He looked so shocked seeing me. Good. The reaction I expected.

Then he shouted. Aaaaahhh!!!

Oh-oh... I forgot. I had my facial mud mask on my face!

Fail.

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Love and kisses,

Neilani Alejandrino a.k.a. sweetdreamer33