Finally, Stella coughed and said, "Sharp, I need to talk to you about something."
Den replied without even looking up, "If you've caused some new problem, I'll take care of it. And if you're here to talk about moving out, my answer is no."
Stella: "..."
Why did this feel like she was talking to her parent? Maybe Den could be considered her grandad, considering how old he was.
Stella blinked and said, "No it's not about that. And just for the fact, I can do anything I want."
She shook her head, she was getting side-tracked.
Stella spoke just as Den opened his mouth, "I wanted to apologise."
Den frowned but did not take his eyes off the book. "I'm sorry." Stella continued.
Den finally looked up from his book, "What are you sorry for?" He asked.
Stella shrugged, "Firstly, for going into your room without your permission. Secondly, for whatever you are mad at me about. And thirdly, for having this face."
Den raised his eyebrows as he kept the book aside, "You're sorry for having your face?"
Stella frowned a little and nodded. The pain in her head was slowly building up. "Yeah. Seems like you hate me because I have this face. So, I'm sorry."
Den's lips curved into a mocking smile, "You're actually sorry for your face? I thought you were better than that."
Stella's face was expressionless as she said, "I am better than that. It's just that...if you won't let me move out, we're going to be living together. And I don't want to live with someone with whom I have a strained relationship. I don't want to live in the house of another Susan."
Den chuckled and said, "You're actually giving up on the thought of running away too? That was way too easy."
Stella's temple flared and she balled her hands in fists. Her getting angry would not solve anything, and it was clear that was what Sharp was aiming at, though she did not know why. Stella took a deep breath to calm herself, the pain in her head helped a lot.
Stella wondered to herself why she was not allowing herself a peek in Sharp's mind as she took out the locket and said, "Anyway, here's an apology present. I hope we can go back to being McCartney and Sharp."
Den looked at the locket in Stella's hands and suddenly his eyes went dark.
The whole room's temperature seemed to go down a few degrees and Stella shivered.
She saw Den get up from the sofa and her first reaction was to run, but for some reason all she was able to do was back down a few steps and then trip over her own feet and hit the wall.
As Stella bumped into the wall and sat down on the floor, Den was upon her in an instant. A deep growl escaped his lips as he snatched the locket from Stella's hands and broke the chain with ease.
"Where did you get it!?!?!? How dare you touch this!?!?!?!?" Den shrieked and Stella stammered, "I...I...."
But she was not able to say anymore as Den grabbed the front of her t-shirt and lifted her up. Stella's feet were lifted a few inches from the ground and she grasped for breath. But it didn't seem to have any effect on Den as he thundered, "How dare you go back in there!!!??? How dare you touch this!!??!? Taint this!!!!!"