A Profound Understanding Shared By The Two
1056 Words
Stellan distanced himself when he heard me mention going back to school, his ocean blue eyes fixed on me. "But you said you didn't want to see me."
"What?" I responded, taken aback, watching him walk back to the bed and collapse onto the soft mattress. I joined him, sitting down beside him.
"I didn’t intend you to quit school. What I meant to say is that I simply... don’t want to see you..." I rubbed the back of my neck, attempting to articulate my feelings without pushing him away. "You see, I value my peace, Stellan." I let out a deep sigh.
"So, I'm annoying?" His voice sounded muffled, and I raised a hand in a gesture of denial.
"Not at all, it’s just that your influence on others is significant. For instance..." I paused to gather my thoughts.
"Take us, for example. The impact you’ve had on me has made people view me as an idol."
"That's nice," he replied, but I sighed again.
"I'm not finished yet..." I murmured, looking down at him, who seemed to have fallen silent.
"And others end up hating me." I added, prompting him to glance up at me, confusion etched on his face.
"Hate?" he questioned, and I nodded.
"You wouldn’t know, of course. Everyone adores you." I said, and he averted his gaze sadly. "No one loves me in the way I long to be loved." His voice conveyed a sense of loneliness that broke my heart.
"What do you mean?" I found myself asking.
"They only love the version of Stellan they see, but what about the real me?" he murmured. It was evident that despite his wealth and fame, he felt empty without genuine love from others.
Stellan sat up on the bed, looking at me. "That’s why when I first saw you, I felt you could relate to me. Everyone else seems to talk to me just to gain my attention, but you were focused on your own life."
I was surprised to learn that Stellan felt that way about me. However, maintaining a close relationship with someone like him could be risky for both me and my father. He came from a wealthy background while I grew up in a modest one. We were definitely living in different worlds. If I were to reveal the truth, I wasn’t sure how he would react. I didn’t know him well enough.
"Thank you for seeing me that way, Stellan," I said cautiously. "But I’m not sure if you’re genuinely a good person or if you have ulterior motives."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I saw you kissing the principal's assistant. You looked like a playboy," I said bluntly, immediately regretting my honesty as I covered my mouth.
Stellan simply gazed at me, and I braced myself for him to slip further into a depressive state, but unexpectedly, he erupted into laughter.
"You don't trust me just because I kissed someone?" he exclaimed between chuckles, small tears of joy forming in his eyes, which he quickly wiped away.
"What’s so amusing about that? I’m being honest with you," I said, blinking in confusion.
"Yes, I did kiss her. But it wasn’t my idea to initiate anything. I was just relaxing by the tree, my usual spot, and then she approached me, trying to flirt. I tried to push her away, but she was persistent, and eventually I caved in just to get her to leave me alone," he explained with a sigh.
"Thinking about it again makes me feel disgusted by my decision, but thankfully you arrived and saved me. Without you, I fear she might have taken things further," he added, scratching his head in frustration at the memory of her.
"I understand... But couldn't you have just pushed her away?" I suggested, prompting another round of laughter from him.
"Oh, Aisha, I wish I could. But I was raised not to treat women that way," he chuckled.
"Still, we have every right to defend ourselves. That was s****l harassment," I frowned, feeling sympathy for his situation and a bit of anger at myself for accusing him.
My response caught him off guard, but soon a gentle smile appeared on his face. "Aisha, you're truly one of a kind," he said. "Why? I’m confused by you," I replied. "You’re more upset about my situation than I am. Did you know that even with your blunt honesty, you always manage to lift my spirits?"
I shook my head, taken aback. "No, I didn’t realize that."
"Well, now you do," he said with a wink. A smile spread across my face as a thought crossed my mind.
"Oh, can we discuss what happened three days ago?" I proposed, and he nodded.
"I want to apologize for my actions and words. I feel guilty for how I reacted when you bought me that cupcake, slapping it away. I lost my temper out of anger," I said sincerely, looking at him with genuine intent. Stellan met my gaze, recognizing the sincerity in my voice.
"I also apologize for not noticing your discomfort and how others treated you. I didn’t consider your feelings about not wanting too much attention from me," he replied just as sincerely.
"So, we’re alright then?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling. He nodded. "Absolutely okay."
"Does that mean you’ll return to school?" I inquired again, and he chuckled deeply as he responded. "Yes, I’ll be back starting tomorrow."
I couldn't help but clap my hands at his reply. Finally, my mission was accomplished, and we had resolved our issues. "That’s wonderful."
Suddenly, a rumble echoed from Stellan’s stomach. I smirked, "You should eat."
Stellan laughed, slightly embarrassed. "You’re right."
He then picked up the phone beside him and placed an order for food. It's impressive how the affluent live.
A few minutes later, his meal arrived, but he hadn't ordered just one for himself; he had requested two and handed one to me.
"You don’t have to—" I started, but he shook his head.
"I insist. Let’s eat together," he said firmly, adorned with a kind smile.
So, we sat down at his bedroom table, sharing a meal and conversation. It was a lovely moment for both of us as we continued to understand and learn more about each other.
- Writer
