He is eager also nervous to hear the answer from Stella.
Stella isn't saying anything right now.
Brandon is waiting which is feeling like forever and ever. Finally Stella spoke. She said, "You are crazy Mr Brandon. I mean you know I already have a boyfriend right?" She said it so that she doesn't have to be rude with him.
She was actually gonna say 'you are a criminal and I hate your job!' But his face and eyes held some sort of affection and softness while she talked that she couldn't just hurt him that way.
"He's not even here." Brandon said.
"What do you mean?" Stella asked confused. "Zach... he went to California. He ain't coming back I know him." Brandon assured.
"What?....whatever." Stella was already feeling weak so she tried to act like she doesn't give a damn about Zach.
"Why'd you say you had a boyfriend then?" he asked with a cold voice.
"It's none of your business Brandon! Please leave or let me leave!" She was going insane now. Brandon understood so he didn't reacted on Stella's behavior.
She just can't believe Zach left her like that? But why? when? how? She knows nothing. She needs to relax a little but the pain is taking control all over her brain. Her brain... she feels like taking it out of her head and throw it in the bin. How stupid she was! Her heart... which is beating so fast that it feels like it's punching her chest to get out of her body. She's feeling dizzy and Brandon came closer, held her hands and kissed her lips lightly.
First 2 seconds was such a feeling that took all her pain away... she felt like Heaven again but after those 2 seconds when she realized it was Brandon she pushed herself away from him and said, "How dare you Mr Brandon! Just because you scare people doesn't mean you can do whatever you wish with them! I'm never ever gonna love you, Do You Understand!? I HATE YOUR JOB! I... HATE...YOU!!!"
Brandon still can't get over with the heavenly taste he just felt. He felt like he's blessed after so long. As if when their lips met the door of the Heaven got open for him. As if the hell even got soft and cold. And he just can't be happier.
But when she stopped and went away it felt like she just snatched the key to that door. And he can't get in.
"It's you...It is only you Stella Beckham." Brandon is really shocked of knowing how she could make him feel.
"Don't come closer." Stella warned him as he wanted to hold her again. Suddenly a bell rang, they already reached the 2nd floor where Stella's cousins are waiting but Brandon didn't want her to leave until he makes sure that she is his one and only.
"Kiss me one more time and you'll be dying to love me too. I love you a lot already. I.. I don't know when and how but I kept thinking about you only Stella. I...became vulnerable."
Brandon was acting really different Stella thought. I mean this is definitely not the way he talks or stands. And now he's even stuttering? [Does he actually love you Stella?] Stella just drifted this thought away as soon as it came to her mind for hurting her even more. First Zach now it's him.
Everybody's gonna say love you then eventually they'll leave.
"You make me vulnerable Stella." Brandon had such a sad tone that affected Stella and made her vulnerable too but as the elevator door opened and Annie shouted out Stella's name she came to her senses.
"What took you so long?" Annie asked Stella while holding her hand and took Stella away from Brandon. He just couldn't do anything about it rather than standing and hurting while looking at Stella who turned back and looked deep into his cold eyes for one last time. Then the door got closed and it came to the ground floor.
Stella turned back and thought why did he looked as if he was saying "You will love me Stella Beckham." also he was deeply hurt Stella could feel it in her too.
They watched a movie and went to the park, had ice-cream and cut the cake at night when they and Deborah came home.
They all sang that same old happy birthday song. But today it made her feel like she was dying and they were singing a death song for her. Weird but that's how exactly she felt.
She tries her best to keep on the smile and talk to everyone, to behave normal. Yeah, she made it. It was super hard but she deceived all of them with that one smiled face. They all were sitting on the couch while having dinner and watching Tom and Jerry. They are still kids and they love it. Only Stella ain't feeling to watch this today. She just wants to talk to Zach. Suddenly her phone rang and she went to the table to pick it up. It's an unknown number and she didn't answered as she felt sick and tired. But the call came again.
"Hello?" Stella answered this time.
"Happy Birthday Stuu..." the person in the opposite of the call spoke.
"Zach? Is that you?" Stella's eyes are already teared up. "Zach?" she still managed to speak without crying.
"Hmm, hey. Did Niall gave you the message?" Zach almost got sad but he remembered what Ron had said.
"Yeah...tell me he lied, Zach. Please." Stella couldn't hold her tears any longer.
"I can't stay with you. It's either I don't deserve you or it's just our fate. I'm sorry I am unable to keep my promise but believe me Stu...i mean Stella you won't be in any type of peace with me. You deserve even better. You can find any fish in the sea." Stella went upstairs and locked herself inside the room.
"I can't choose someone else over you Zach. I love y-you... I can't. I... I don't even want to. Please tell me you are joking again. Like the times you used to. Please..."
"I am not joking Stella." Zach made sure he showed no feelings for her anymore. So he just changed the topic. "Well, doesn't matter. Tell me what do you want for your birthday?" "Tell me if you can give me what I want?" she asked back.
"I'll try." was Zach's short answer. "Tell me." "It's you. I want nothing but YOU." Stella said with a calm voice.
"I'm sorry I uh I can't do this to you. You really deserve better. So do I."
"Sorry?" Stella wasn't sure of what she just heard. "What did you mean?"
"Exactly what you are thinking. I don't want you anymore because I deserve better than you Stella. I'm sorry for breaking the promises. But I had to." Zach said all these which didn't make any sense to Stella.
What wrong she did this time? Suddenly she anger boiled in her whole body. She was burning. Again.
"Break the lamp you bought for me." Stella said.
"Already did." Zach answered.
"Great! Now fix it." Stella said. "Just like the way it was before."
"I can't. Sorry." Zach said confused.
"Then stop saying sorry again and again!" she shouted. "It's not gonna fix me Zach." Suddenly she became soft as she cried.
"Okay I won't. It's just don't call me or text me okay? I...break up with you." Zach said.
"If that's what you want, so be it!" Stella said it in a calm yet angry voice.