"Darren who?". Rika asked a little confused about whom Stella was talking about.
"Do you remember the other girls talking about Darren Milton. Like how he is a freaking inhuman, mysterious and bla bla bla what so not?". Stella said remembering the bit of memory when their friends were talking about Darren notso lang ago.
"Yea, but more like how he is inhumanly beautiful and being the famous mysterious bachelor?". Rika said wondering why Stella was suddenly asking this.
"Is it true that he is…umm…. 'Gay' "?. Stella asked in a very low voice but the two people in the front heard it crystal clear.
The car swayed a bit and soon got steady. Stella jerked a bit and Odin instantly hold the car handle and dare not turn to look at the driver seat.
'Damn, I don't want to die yet, this freaking human have gone crazy' ,Odin was horrified he shut his eyes for a moment and open it again after 3 seconds. He clenched the handle more tightly. From the mirror he looks at the girls who has created this in her own world scrutinizing her pendent.
The atmosphere in the car started to change to cold. Stella didn't think much of it taking it as cold night breeze.
Odin didn't know whether laugh or to cry. He had a serious look on his face but on the contrary he was laughing evily in his mind. From the corner of his eyes he slightly peeked toward Darren without moving his neck like it was stuck ahead. It was one of a rare moment that something had actually affected him.
On the other hand Darren who was clam so far changed. At this moment, his face had turned dreadful. He had never paid attention to clear the rumor about him. He treated the women who flock toward him out of greed like awful virus resulting in these rumors, and it had gone wild from the day his picture got out.
"Why this question out of nowhere?". Rika asked confused.
"Umm, there is this marriage between Darren and m….". Before Stella could say more the car come to a sudden halt.
Odin became glad that he had chosen to hold onto the handle.
Stella looks outside and saw they have reached in front of the mansion. She didn't remember mentioning the specific mansion name, how could they know where to stop. She was thinking of how to break the things to Rika, not noticing when they entered through the gates.
Stella got out to look at the mansion in front of her eyes and then turned back to look at the car. The driver seat opened.
Odin had already jumped out of the car the moment Stella got out. He flashed an odd smile at Stella.
Darren step out his hair which were nearly pulled back, now few strands of it falls naturally on his forehead intensify his beauty. His eyes sparkled with sharp abnormal gleam. They twinkled
with amusement as he beheld me. His clothes—all black, all finely made.
As soon as Stella saw Darren the night incident flash passed her eyes.
The phone in Stella's hand fell on the ground making a crash sound touching the hard ground breaking the silence.
"You…". In haze Stella was not able to complete her sentence.
Darren took slow step toward Stella. To Stella every step he took forward felt terrible.Every movement exquisite and laced with lethal power.
She had just connected him with gay not to mention the marriage thing she was going to talk about.
Darren came and stoped right in front of Stella who reached up to his chin.
For a moment Stella had wild desire to run away remembering what she had said in the car. She was being intimidated by Darren especially with his pair of cold eyes. But she stood steadily on the ground and resolve to stay and get out of the trouble she was in.
A second look showed her that the living eyes under the eyebrows there was a sly twinkle in them which she didn't know either lessened or greater her anxiousness for a good deal.
"You think I am a freak?". After a dreadful pause Darren said.
"I only said cause I thought so".
"Inhuman?".
"I mean to say your reflex speed, you are so fast". Stella tried flattery with genuine expression, but it was an utter failure cause there was no change in his expression.
"I am gay?".
"Con...Confirming from what I heard".
"You have some doubt about my preference?". Darren's voice fell on Stella's ear making her heart run wild with his seemingly magical voice.
Stella felt it would be good if the ground would swallow her now. She was nervous also trying her best to clam herself down, and stood on her ground firm not showing her inner thought.
"Want to test it personally?". Saying this Darren bend down a bit coming closer now making a straight eye contact with Stella with just a small gap between them.
This was enough to make Stella's feet wobble, and she took good two steep behind bringing more distance between them, to this Darren's lips pulled up into a smirk, and he straightens up.
____
Inside the mansion.
After Ayla asked Stephen for help, then the last time they spoke Stephen said he had already sorted the matter. She had tried to reach him again when Stella had still not returned home, but the call didn't get through. Stella's phone is also engaged. The last message from Stella says that she will be back soon.
'Dame, he could at least have told me what he did '. Ayla thought. She was feeling like she was an ant on a frying pan.
At first, she was rather happy that Stephen would handle things and uncle and aunt were also not home to ask about Stella's whereabouts and would be also getting home late, till than Stella would be back and no one will know. However, time was running, yet Stella was still on the way and not home. She tried calling Stephen but that person's phone still didn't get through, so she was sitting in the hall waiting when uncle and aunt came back.
'Welcome back uncle and aunt". Ayla greeted them getting up the sofa a little agitated.
"Hmm, how was your day? Enjoyed shopping?". Ayla heard her aunt ask while sitting on the sofa.
"Yea, we had fun". Ayla exclaimed.
"Where's Stella? Is Stephen back?". Ayla heard more question on her way. She open her mouth to speak when she heard a car pulling.
"Ahh, there she is." Saying this Ayla frantically move to the entrance and the couple followed her behind confused.
Ayla was praying it to be Stella with every step she took forward. She saw a car pulled in the front and relief flooded in her seeing Stella. Darren was facing his back at the mansion, so Ayla didn't see his face, but as she got closer she noticed the two guys, her footsteps starts to slow down.
'What's going on here, freak I just hope that the trouble in not on its way' Ayla started getting anxious as she was walking slowly.
"Stella you are back". Came a voice from the front and Stella peeks from behind Darren to see Ayla coming outside from the mansion, behind her were her parents.