Linda's eyes darted between Justin and Stella, her shock quickly turning to anger. "What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
Justin pushed Stella away, guilt written all over his face. "Linda, this isn't what it looks like."
Stella, unfazed, folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Actually, it is exactly what it looks like."
Linda's eyes narrowed. "Stella, why are you here? Haven't you done enough damage?"
Stella shrugged. "I came to talk to Justin, but I guess I got a bit carried away."
Linda stepped closer, her fists clenched. "You need to leave. Now," she said.
Stella smirked but made no move to leave. "And if I don't?" She asked with a daring tone.
Justin, sensing the situation escalating, stepped between them. "Stella, you need to go. This isn't helping anyone," he said.
Stella's expression hardened, but she finally relented. "Fine, I'll go. But remember, Justin, what we had was real," she said, then she walkes toward the door.
As Stella walked out, she brushed past Linda, who stood firm. Justin closed the door behind her and turned to face Linda, his heart pounding.
"Linda, I'm so sorry," Justin began, his voice shaky. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
Linda crossed her arms, and her expression was a mix of hurt and anger. "You let her get that close to you, Justin. How can I trust you?" She asked, and it was clear that she was hurt.
Justin took a deep breath, then he began explaining. "Linda, I was caught off guard. She came in, started talking about our past, and before I knew it, she was... well, you saw."
Linda shook her head and said, "It's not just about what I saw. It's about how easily you let her get to you. We've only just started dating, and this is already happening?"
Justin stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "Linda, please. I promise you, I have no feelings for Stella anymore. She's just trying to mess things up because she's jealous," he said, hoping she would believe him.
Linda's eyes softened slightly, but she remained cautious. "You need to prove that to me, Justin. I can't be with someone who isn't sure about their feelings," she said.
"I understand. I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I'm committed to us," Justin replied.
Linda sighed, her anger subsiding but not completely gone. "Alright, Justin. But this is your one and only chance. Don't mess it up," she said, and Justin pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you for trusting me, Linda. I love you so much," Justin said as he hugged Linda.
"I love you too," Linda replied, then they broke the hug.
"Why did you come back?" Justin asked.
"My parents returned from their business trip this morning, and Michael's parents also came to see my parents about my breakup with Michael," Linda replied.
Justin frowned, then he asked, "And how did that go?"
"Not well," Linda replied with a sigh. "Michael's mother kept insisting that Michael is a great guy and would do anything for me. My mother yelled about me breaking up with him and called you a poor brat."
Justin's jaw tightened, then he said, "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Linda shook her head. "It's not your fault, Justin," she said. "And besides, I stood my ground and told them that you're the right choice for me."
Justin smiled, relief washing over him. "Thank you, Linda."
Linda nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "We just have to stay strong and not let them get to us."
Justin agreed, pulling her into another hug. "We'll get through this together," he said as they hugged.
Linda cleared her throat, breaking the hug. She took a step back and looked Justin in the eyes. "Why did Stella come to see you?" she asked, her voice steady but filled with curiosity.
Justin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She said she wanted to talk to me about something important," he replied.
Linda raised an eyebrow. "Discuss something important? Like what?" she asked.
Justin shrugged, then replied, "She mentioned the bag I bought you for your birthday. She said she loved it and wanted to know how I could afford it."
Linda crossed her arms. "And what did you tell her?" she asked.
"I told her you deserved it," Justin replied, a small smile playing on his lips. "Then she started asking how long I've known you. I told her we've known each other since freshman year but only started talking yesterday morning after Kendrick bullied me."
Linda's eyes softened. "I'm sorry about that, Justin. Kendrick can be a jerk sometimes."
"It's not your fault," Justin said, shaking his head. "Stella apologized for Kendrick's behavior and said I don't know what kind of person you are."
Linda scoffed. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," she said.
"I told her that too," Justin said, chuckling. "I told her you're far better than she is."
Linda's expression softened further, and she reached out to hold Justin's hand. "Thank you, Justin. That means a lot," she said with a smile.
"So, what else happened?" She asked.
"Stella also tried to seduce me. She pinned me to the wall, pressed her body against mine, and apologized for everything she'd done. She said she still had feelings for me," Justin explained.
Linda's jaw tightened, and she asked, "And did you believe her?"
Justin shook his head, then he replied. "No. I think Stella just wants to mess things up between us."
Linda sighed, relief washing over her. "I'm glad you told me the truth, Justin. I trust you, but Stella is clearly trying to cause trouble," she said.
"I won't let her," Justin said firmly. "You're the one I want to be with, Linda. Not her."
Linda nodded, her expression determined. "Good. Because I won't let her come between us."
Justin pulled her into another hug, feeling a sense of peace. "We'll face this together, Linda. No matter what."
"Together," Linda echoed, resting her head on his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Stella arrived at her apartment, feeling angry that Linda had interrupted her moment with Justin. As she entered, she found Carla and Megan in the living room, dancing energetically to loud music.
Carla noticed Stella first and turned down the volume. "Hey girl, what's up?" she greeted, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Megan joined in, looking curious. "How did it go with Justin? Did you talk to him?" she asked.
Stella sighed, sinking onto the couch. "It was... complicated," she replied.
Carla and Megan exchanged glances, sensing the tension in Stella's voice. "Complicated how?" Carla asked cautiously.
Stella ran a hand through her hair, then she replied, "Well, I went there to talk, but then Linda showed up unexpectedly."
Megan's eyes widened. "Wait, Linda was there too? That must have been awkward," she said.
Carla nodded in agreement. "So, what happened? Did Justin say anything about us being at the mall?"
"Yeah, he confirmed it but he didn't really go into detail though," Stella replied.
Megan leaned forward, her expression eager. "Did he seem upset?" She asked.
"He seemed... conflicted. But then Linda walked in, and things got heated," Stella replied.
"Heated how?" Carla asked with a raised eyebrow.
Stella sighed again, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment. "Let's just say Linda wasn't too happy to see me there," she replied.
Carla and Megan exchanged concerned looks, sensing the gravity of the situation. "Oh, wow," Carla murmured, breaking the silence that followed Stella's confession.
Megan frowned. "I can imagine. But why did Linda show up there?"
Stella shook her head, feeling a pang of guilt. "I'm not entirely sure. Justin said she spent the night, and when she saw me... let's just say she wasn't pleased."
Stella sighed and a smile appeared on her face. She felt a spark of hope that her unexpected encounter with Justin might cause some rift between him and Linda.
Carla and Megan exchanged a look, sensing Stella's conflicted emotions. Carla spoke up cautiously, "Stella, do you think this will cause problems between Justin and Linda?"
Stella shrugged with a smile. "I don't know. Linda looked pretty upset when she saw us together. Maybe it will make her doubt Justin. I just hope it will make her doubt Justin and make them break up."
Megan frowned slightly and she asked Stella, "But do you think Justin still has feelings for you?"
Stella hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "I'm not sure. He seemed surprised to see me, but then he pushed me away when Linda walked in," Stella replied.
Carla nodded thoughtfully. "Well, whatever happens between them, we can't deny that Justin has changed a lot since he started dating Linda. He's been more confident, more... assertive," Carla said.
Stella nodded slowly, her mind racing with thoughts of Justin and Linda. "Yeah, he has changed. But I can't help wondering if he really cares about Linda or if he's just trying to prove something."
Megan sighed, leaning back on the couch. "I guess we'll have to wait and see how things unfold," she said.
Stella smiled and rose to her feet. "I just hope Justin and Linda break up soon so I can get back with Justin and find out how he got the gold card," Stella said, then she went to her room while her two friends, Megan and Carla, resumed the music and continued dancing.
As Carla and Megan danced away in the living room, the pulsating beat of the music suddenly paused again with a sharp knock on the door. Megan, who was closest, jumped up with a playful groan, her long ponytail swishing behind her as she headed towards the door.
With a dramatic flourish, Megan swung open the door to reveal Kendrick standing there, looking slightly out of breath as if he'd hurried over. His face lit up with a warm smile when he saw Megan.
"Hey," Kendrick greeted warmly, his eyes scanning the room briefly before settling on Megan. "Is Stella home?"
Megan returned his smile, nodding cheerfully. "Yeah, she's here. Come on in."
Kendrick stepped inside, his presence commanding yet friendly. "Thanks," he said as he stepped fully inside the room.
Megan closed the door behind him and turned towards the living room where Carla was still moving to the beat. "Hey, guys, Kendrick's here!"
Carla glanced over her shoulder, her dancing not missing a beat. "Oh, hey, Kendrick!" She greeted with a smile.
Kendrick waved in acknowledgment, then focused back on Megan. "Is Stella around?" He asked.
Megan nodded again, gesturing towards the hallway. "Yeah, she's just in her room. I'll go get her for you."
Kendrick flashed another grateful smile before nodding. "Thanks, Megan."
Megan headed down the hallway towards Stella's room, knocking lightly on the door before pushing it open. "Stella, Kendrick's here to see you!" She announced.
Stella, who had been sitting on her bed scrolling through her phone, looked up with surprise. "Kendrick? Really?" She asked with a surprised voice.
Megan chuckled softly, stepping into the room. "Yep, he's out there waiting," she replied.
Stella set her phone down, her expression a mix of curiosity and anticipation. "Alright, thanks, Meg."
Megan smiled warmly. "Anytime, Stella. Take your time."
Stella took a moment to compose herself before stepping out of her room and into the living room where Kendrick was waiting. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw him standing there, looking as handsome as ever in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans, his hair neatly styled.
Kendrick turned towards her as she entered, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "Hey, Stella," he greeted, his voice soft yet commanding.
Stella couldn't help but return his smile as she walked over to him. She reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Hey, Kendrick. What brings you here?" She asked.
Kendrick's expression turned serious as he looked into her eyes. "I came to talk to you about something important," he replied.
Stella nodded, her curiosity piqued. "Okay, let's go to my room then."
They walked down the hallway together, Stella leading the way to her room at the end. Her room was cozy and neatly organized, with soft lighting and a comfortable bed adorned with colorful pillows. Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with a mix of novels and personal mementos.
As they entered, Kendrick glanced around appreciatively. "Nice room," he commented, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
Stella smiled, sitting beside him. "Thanks. So, what did you want to talk about?"
Kendrick took a deep breath, and his expression was serious. "Stella, I need to discuss something that's been bothering me. I'm not happy about Linda dating that poor guy, Justin."
Stella raised an eyebrow, surprised by Kendrick's bluntness. "Justin? What's wrong with him?" She asked, even though she already knew what he was meant.
Kendrick's jaw tightened slightly, then he replied, "Justin is just not the right fit for Linda. He's not from our social circle, and I don't trust him. I need them to break up."
Stella studied Kendrick's face, sensing the seriousness of his request. She sighed inwardly, knowing how protective he could be of his twin sister. "Kendrick, Linda's an adult. She can make her own decisions," she said.
Kendrick looked frustrated as he replied, "I know, but I can't stand seeing her with someone like Justin. He's not good enough for her. He is just too poor and annoying."
Stella placed a comforting hand on Kendrick's arm. "I understand your concern, but Linda cares about Justin. Breaking them up won't be easy," she said, but deep down, she didn't mean any of the words she said. In fact, she wanted to badmouth Justin and Linda, but she knew she couldn't do so in front of Kendrick.
Kendrick sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I know it won't be easy, but I have to try," he said. "I need your help with this, Stella. You and Justin were once in a relationship, and I'm sure you know Justin better than anyone. I'm also certain you know some of Justin's secrets that you can use to blackmail him and make him break up with my twin sister."
Stella felt a mix of excitement as Kendrick spoke. She had been looking for a way to ruin Justin and Linda's relationship, and this seemed like an opportunity. Finally, she nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I'll help you in any way I can. I'll make sure their relationship doesn't last," she said, and Kendrick's mood lightened up immediately.
"I knew I could trust you with this, Stella," Kendrick said with a wide smile, relief washing over his face.
Stella gave him a smile as she stood up and sat on his lap. Deep down, she was happy that Kendrick was also not in support of Justin and Linda's relationship. The idea of working with Kendrick to break them up was thrilling, and she couldn't wait to ruin Justin and Linda's relationship.
Kendrick wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Together, we'll make sure they don't stay together for long," he murmured, his voice filled with determination.
Stella nodded with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Finally, with Kendrick's help, Linda and Justin would separate and I'll have the chance to get back with Justin," Stella thought to herself with a mischievous smile on her face.