First and Forever

First and Forever

Stella pov

Just as I was about to panic, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist and pinned me against the door. It was dark that’s why I couldn’t see the person’s face. But by the time I was about to give up on seeing his face, my hand hit a light switch we didn’t know was there. Because of the light, I could finally see his face.

He was a tall 6’2” boy standing in front of me with coal-black hair, dark brown eyes, and a beautiful smile. I was new in the school but knew his name since a classmate was talking about him earlier. His name was Leo Jeon, a famous student because of his marks, beauty, and family background. Somehow, because of his family, we are listening when everything just flies above our brain like some name we never heard.

It wasn’t our first time meeting since our families were business partners. We saw each other at one family dinner monthly. It is elder talk and we act like we are listening, and stock marketing we are not interested in. And in the library this morning, but I didn’t expect to meet so soon. But I think destiny wants us to meet in a situation where we both will be locked in class when the school is empty and our phones had no signal to call anyone.

Pov End

They talked the whole night not about business but family members we hated, the café beside the school, friends, and themselves. Because during family dinners, they knew each other’s names only and parents.

Stella told Leo about her hobbies,future goal and her friend Jenna as she told all that Leo stared tell about his hobbies, goals and friend Caleb as he was about to talk about is his family Stella cut him in the middle and said

I know I know

Leo Jeon, also known as Jeon Min-Ho.Known as the cold, ruthless school heartthrob, and many girls tried getting close to you for the money. Boys tried getting close to you for your influence. But in between all of that was Caleb Yoon, and you met at the basketball court and became friends in the first year of school last year.

Caleb was known because his father is the chairman of Yoon Group, and his father and your father [Andrew Jeon] were old classmates. Your dad was the chairman of Jeon Enterprise, and your mother [Esther Jeon] was a dentist and is an old friend with my mom,right.

Leo replied yeah but don't think I don't know about you

Your mom Mrs. Grace Park, wife of Mr. James Park. Your father was the chairman of Park Global Trading, and your mother was a famous fashion designer. And Jenna Kang, friend of Stella her family owns a company named Kang Industries. Jenna and you met at the library this morning since Jenna saw that you were new and didn’t know many people. She decided to be your friend and you favorite hobby is painting right

Wrong my favorite hobby is cooking!

But I remember someone was about to burn down the whole kitchen last year

Who told you?

Your mother was tell my mom

Your were eavesdropping on your mom

I was just passing by and heard it so don't blame me, Leo replied.

Whatever if I was about to burn the kitchen I was burn my own kitchen not your kitchen right

Right because I wouldn't let you step in my kitchen, Leo replied.

While talking about all these things, he glared at Stella, who was about to sleep. But she realized that Leo stopped talking. Stella looked up at Leo only to find him staring at her. At that time, she realized Leo was not like the people described him not cold or ruthless, but choatic and caring. Maybe that time they didn’t know that their feelings could have changed. Not friendship maybe something more deep than friendship. But at that time, they thought it was just friendship. Or maybe two strangers who are locked in the classroom because they forgot their ID card in the classroom came to get it, and the teacher didn’t know he locked students inside the classroom.

After a while, Leo realized that Stella had fallen asleep and covered her with his jacket. While staring at her sleeping face, he also fell asleep.

Time skips to morning. Sunlight came in through the window, which woke Leo. But Stella was still sleeping. The sunlight fell on Stella’s face, which made Stella move a little, which Leo noticed and tried to cover the sunlight with his hand, which somehow work

Leo checked his phone, which finally had signal. Before Leo could call anyone, Stella woke up and was shocked to see Leo’s jacket was on her.

“You awake?” Leo asked.

“Yes,” Stella replied.

Leo told Stella his phone had signal and said, “I am calling Caleb. I will tell him to bring Jenna with him, okay?”

Stella replied, “But Jenna must be sleeping. I don’t think we should disturb her, but she will kill me if I don’t tell her. Okay, just tell.”

Leo asked, “Do you want breakfast? Should I tell Caleb to bring?”

She replied, “No.”

Leo called Caleb.

Caleb POV: Why is he calling me so early? And how did he wake up so early today? He was a night owl.

Caleb answered, “Leo, all good?”

Leo replied, “Come to the room near the lab where we had our last class.”

Caleb said, “Our last class yesterday was finance class, right?”

Leo said, “Yes, and bring Jenna with you.

Caleb asked, “Why?”

Leo said, “Are you coming or not?”

Caleb answered, “Give me five mins.”

Suddenly Stella coughed, and Leo turned to watch if she was okay or not.

“Bring some water,” Leo said to Caleb.

Caleb asked again, “Bro, who are you with?”

Leo said, “Come in two mins or your gaming account is gone.”

Caleb said, “Chill bro, I almost left the house. Wait for 4 mins please.”

Leo ended the call.

Caleb called Jenna.

She picked up, “What happened, Caleb? All good?”

He said, “Leo told me to come at the finance class where we had class yesterday and told me to bring you.”

She asked, “Why?”

He said, “Don’t know, just come please.”

She said, “Ok, one min. Just wait a min.”

After 7 mins, they reached the classroom, which was locked. Caleb unlocked the classroom and saw Leo and Stella hugging. It was not really a hug, but Stella saw a cockroach which she is scared of and hugged and hugged Leo.

When Stella saw Caleb and Jenna, she broke the hug and tried to explain before she was covered with their questions.

Caleb asked, “Did you just hug him?”

Jenna said, “The cold ruthless hearthrob of our school who didn’t like a girl 30cm close to him.”

Caleb said, “Not just that he was hugging your back.”

Caleb said, “Bro, you are something else.” He hugged her and told me to bring water for her and threatened to hack my gaming account, he said to Leo.

Leo said, “If I asked you to bring water, where is it then?”

Caleb passed the water to Leo, and Leo opened it and gave the bottle to Stella, which left Caleb and Jenna shocked. They just stared at each other, then at Leo and Stella.

Leo said, “Let’s go before someone comes.”

Jenna was about to go to Stella, just then the cockroach returned. Stella screamed after seeing the cockroach. Leo instinctively pulled Stella in a hug again.

Jenna screamed after realizing that the cockroach had returned.

Caleb grabbed his shoes ready to kill the cockroach, but then it ran toward Stella. Stella was about to scream, but Leo picked her up, which left everyone shocked. And then the cockroach ran back at Jenna, which made Jenna grab Caleb’s jacket and told him to kill the cockroach.

Leo said, “Just calm down. It is just a cockroach, so cute. Just look at him.”

Stella replied, “Cute? My foot! It is a monster!”

Leo said, “Should I put you down?”

Stella said, “If you dare put me down, I am telling your mother or maybe your father that you put me down when there is a monster running around.”

Leo replied, “Like I am scared of them. But I was just joking. Sorry.”

Caleb said, “Bro, did you just say sorry? And Stella, how do you know his parents?”

Leo said, “Move out first, then we are telling everything. Move first.”

After everyone was out, Leo finally let Stella down from his arms. While Leo was putting Stella down, Rea saw Stella in Leo’s arms. Rea, a famous girl, knows for her marks and beauty, and everyone knew she liked Leo from the first day of school till now. But Leo didn’t pay much attention to Rea.

“I am hungry. What about you guys?” Jenna said.

“Same, Leo called me so early I forgot to eat anything,” Caleb replied.

“Same,” Leo said.

Caleb replied, “Same. Leo, so should we go out and eat something, right Stella?”

Jenna said, “I think we all should go out and eat something right now, Stella.”

Stella replied, “Why not?”

Caleb said, “But Leo doesn’t like to eat outside in the morning. Simple he doesn’t like to eat in the morning.”

Leo said, “But today I am a bit hungry, so I am in.”

Rea was hearing everything.

After a while, they came to the café near the school, which was quite then, usually since it was still early, and many people would still be sleeping.

They placed their orders and waited for it to come. Stella and Leo were avoiding each other’s eyes and looked outside at a beautiful river view while secretly peeking at each other. Jenna and Caleb were watching the whole thing secretly, and suddenly...

Caleb said, “Leo, how does Stella know your family? You don’t like talking about your personal life with someone you know for one day. So how?”

Leo looked at Stella, wanting to say something, but as he was about to say something, the food arrived.

Leo shifted the topic by saying, “Stop talking and eat now.”

Caleb was about to say something, but Leo gave him the look, which made Caleb shut up instantly, which made Stella and Jenna laugh.

Caleb telling the joke:

Caleb said, “It is stupid, right?”

Jenna asked, “What is stupid?”

Caleb replied, “The river is kind of stupid.”

Leo asked, “Why is that so?”

Caleb said, “Like, they rush all the time, always going somewhere, carrying everything, never stopping.”

He looks out the window at the river flowing.

Caleb continued, “And then they get to the ocean, and the ocean is just… there. Not going anywhere.”

Stella looked at Leo then back at Caleb.

Stella said, “Caleb, what are you talking about?”

Caleb said, “It is a joke my friend sent to me. Why, want to hear it?”

She shrugs, but Jenna said yes, which made him continue.

Caleb continued, “The river met the ocean. The river said, ‘I have travelled so far mountain, village, cities. I have carried everything: boats, fish, and tears of people who thought no one was watching. I’m tired of carrying everything alone. Where do I have to go now?’”

Caleb continued, “The ocean said, ‘Nowhere.’”

Stella tilts her head

Caleb continues, his voice getting quieter:

“The river says, ‘What do you mean nowhere? I have to go somewhere. I’ve always been going somewhere.’”

His voice gets even softer.

Caleb: “The ocean says, ‘You’ve come home. Here, you don’t go anywhere. You just… are.’'

Stella is still now. Listening.

Caleb: “The river pauses. Then it laughs. ‘All that rushing. Just to learn how to stop.’”

After eating and paying the bill, they left as they were getting late for the starting year party, which the school is having for the past two years to connect all new and old students. Leo didn’t want to go since he was busy in his new company, which he just started a while ago. But Caleb begged him for hours, which made him agree. Stella was not interested in the party, but she thought she could get to know more people, so she was not interested because she didn’t want Stella to be alone there.

Caleb asked, “Stella, are you going to the back-to-school bonfire party?”

Stella replied, “Yes, why?”

Caleb said, “Sister-in-law, what you got lost in the forest?”

Jenna cut him off, “Who is your sister-in-law?”

Caleb said, “Oh my bad. Even if you will be lost in forest, Leo will save you, right Leo?”

Leo said, “We should leave. We have to be at school in 2 hours and we have not rested well, right?”

Stella replied, “Yes, we should go.”

After talking for a few minutes, Leo dropped Stella home since they are neighbours. The whole car ride was quiet. Leo was busy driving, and Stella was looking outside the window. Finally, they reached home. Leo asked what time she is leaving.

Stella replied, “Maybe in an hour or two. I don’t think we should go together, and mom will drop me, so you should just go to the school directly.”

Leo replied, “Ok then, see you there. Bye.”

After Stella went inside, Leo left. After reaching home, he realized that Stella left her phone in his car. He decided to go back and give her phone. After reaching her house, he knocked on the door, and Stella thought it was her mother. She went downstairs to open the door only to find Leo standing there. After seeing Leo, she took a step back, and the towel (since she just showered a few minutes ago) got stuck on the handle and fell down, which made Leo and Stella shocked. Stella quickly closed the door and picked the towel back on .

Leo asked, “What I should do with your phone?”

Stella said, “Just take it.”

Leo replied, “Ok, ok.”

Leo left with her phone.

Stella finally breathed and ran upstairs to get dressed and pack her clothes for the party. Leo went back home, put Stella’s phone on charging, and went to bathe. After coming back, he saw her mother was calling and decided to return her phone.

After packing and getting ready, Stella was about to eat something when someone knocked on the door again. She went and opened the door. It was her mother. She hugged her mother, and her mother told her to get her bag down since it was time to leave for the party.

As Stella was about to go get her bag, the bell rang again. This time, Stella opened the door and was surprised to see Leo.

Stella’s mother POV: What is Leo doing here all of a sudden? Why does he have my daughter’s phone with him? They hardly talk in family dinners and business parties, but it’s good. I am not losing oug i will get handsome son-in-law.

Stella’s mother finally spoke, “Oh Leo, what brings you here?”

Leo replied, “Stella left her phone in my car, so I just thought I should return it.”

Stella’s mother: “How come she left her phone in your car?”

Leo said, “We are classmates, and she is new, so the teacher said I should help her with the notes, so…”

Stella’s mother said, “Oh, I see.”

Stella’s mother told her to get the phone and show Leo out as she went to bathe. Stella was surprised to see her phone was fully charged. She thanked Leo, and Leo left since he had to pack his bag for the back-to-school bonfire camp party.

In simple words: New Year for school at the open ground. The dark blue sky with beautiful stars shining, and a bonfire in the mid of the ground and tent for each student and all sections.

After some time, Stella’s mother dropped her to the school since all students were supposed to go in the bus provide by the school. Stella mother dropped Stella and left, Stella got into the bus and sat beside Jenna sitting behind them were Leo and Caleb.