𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐭 • 𝐄. 𝐎𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐧

30 • Sun & Moon

"Yeah, I just didn't realize how much I'd miss you," Lizzie smiled affectionately, tucking a loose strand of Stella's hair behind her ear. "I love you so much." Lizzie leaned in for a kiss, which Stella hesitated to accept. She gently placed her hand on Lizzie's chest, requesting a pause.

"Actually, there's something we need to talk about first," Stella admitted with shyness, watching as Lizzie raised an eyebrow curiously. Lizzie shifted her weight slightly, leaning against a surface.

"What's the matter? Did you accidentally burn down the kitchen? Did the dog make a mess?" Lizzie quipped, attempting to lighten the mood as she surveyed the surroundings. Stella hurried after her, grasping Lizzie's arm to draw her back.

"Don't worry, the house is fine. The dog's outside," Stella assured, meeting Lizzie's suspicious gaze.

"Alright, spill it, Peryl," Lizzie demanded playfully, and Stella's demeanor deflated. She sighed and took a seat on the kitchen island.

"I did something I'm not proud of," Stella began, her voice carrying a note of remorse. Lizzie's expression shifted to one of concern. "Vicky came by and she confessed that... she had feelings for me." Stella paused, awaiting a reaction. Lizzie looked perplexed.

"Yeah? Vicky's your best friend. It would be strange if she didn't care about you," Lizzie shrugged.

"No, it's more than that. She meant it romantically. She's had feelings for me for years, but she never said anything," Stella's voice trembled as her confidence wavered. Lizzie let out a short ironic laugh, her expression turning serious as a hint of anger surfaced. There had been a sense of unease about Vicky since the beginning, Lizzie thought.

"Why would she say that when she knew that you and I were a thing now?" Lizzie took a step closer, resting her hands on the counter on either side of Stella. Her tone was measured, neither angry nor accepting, just neutral. Stella felt a sense of shrinking, as if she were facing Lizzie's unspoken displeasure. Stella frowned, hating how the way Lizzie was staring at her so intensely, almost if she could read her mind.

"I don't know, Lizzie?" Stella pleaded, unable to tear her gaze away from Lizzie's intense green eyes. Lizzie sighed, dropping her demeanour and nodded.

"I don't need the details. Whatever happened, I trust you enough to believe that nothing will happen between you two," Lizzie straightened up, stepping between Stella's legs. "Just promise me you'll always be mine, baby girl," Lizzie whispered with a small playful smirk on her lips, her hands moving up Stella's thighs to rest on her waist.

"I promise," Stella nodded, and a kiss ensued as Lizzie's lips met hers. Stella felt conflicted, wrestling with a sense of guilt. Was it her fault? She had attempted honesty, but it hadn't gone well. Did she truly deserve Lizzie? Was it self-serving to tell her, or would it be selfish not to? Keeping the truth from Lizzie might spare her pain, but could Stella bear the weight of the unspoken truth?

Stella chose to keep her silence, letting the blonde deepen the kiss. It seemed simpler this way. Stella surrendered to the fervent kiss, her inner turmoil momentarily silenced by the connection with Lizzie. As their lips moulded together, she found a semblance of solace in the embrace, even though the unspoken truth lingered heavily in the air between them. The intensity of the moment masked the internal struggle she was grappling with.

Their kiss deepened, reflecting both love and a subtle undercurrent of uncertainty. Stella's heart raced, torn between the relief of the present moment and the weight of the confession she had yet to share. With each passing second, her internal conflict grew, becoming an inseparable part of the kiss itself.

As they reluctantly pulled away, their breaths mingling in the intimate space between them, Stella felt a mixture of emotions surging within her. Lizzie's gaze held a mixture of affection and questioning, searching for any signs that Stella might be hiding something. Stella met her gaze, her own eyes a mixture of vulnerability and determination.