CHAPTER 2.4 Stella’s Super Fun Summer

I was going to wait until the weekend to post my new chapter, but I am so excited. This chapter marks where my new computer takes over (queue the angles singing Hallelujah!). From here on out the pictures will be a million times better.

To commemorate this occasion everyone gets a makeover!! Even the blog gets an update. I hope you like it all. And as always have a great day, or night, depending on when you are reading this.

 

Stella woke up the next morning with a sense of purpose; she was determined to make the most of her summer vacation.

“I know that once I start school I will have to put all of my focus into my honors classes and preparing for med school”, she thought to herself.  “Therefore, this summer is going to be have to be epic!!”

Stella started the first day of her epic summer by following the smell of fresh pancakes.  When she entered the kitchen she found May behind the stove, April setting the table, and June, back from her morning run, busy putting out the juice and maple syrup.

“So, what is the plan for today?” May asked as she set out the plate of strawberry and blueberry pancakes.

“Who wants to take me out for my first driving lesson?” Stella answered May’s question with one of her own.

After a long, silent pause June finally conceded, “I guess I can.”

Stella’s first driving lesson had gone better than expected.  June had patience as Stella triple checked her mirrors and adjusted her seat four times.  She kept calm as Stella slammed her foot on the accelerator too hard sending them down the driveway in warp speed.  And her quick reflexes helped Stella avoid the curb more than once.

 

 

 

But learning to drive was only one part of Stella’s Super Fun Summer.  The next stop was the beach.  April took along a book and enjoyed reading under the umbrella.  June swam to the lighthouse and back, while May and Stella walked the shore looking for interesting sea shells.

“This one looks pretty.” Stella held one up for her aunt to examine.

At the moment that Stella looked up, something else caught her eye.  Actually, it was someone who caught her eye.  He was tall and tan with blonde hair kissed by the sun.  He had blue eyes that matched the color of the sea.  Stella had never seen him before, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of him.  She had to remind herself to breathe.  Her knees grew weak and her heart felt like it was about to beat out if her chest.

“Is this what a crush is suppose to feel like?” she wondered.

She wanted to meet her gorgeous stranger, but before she could take a step she heard May call to her, “Stella look at this one.”

Stella turned around to see her aunt, and after she turned back around again the stranger was gone.

 

 

 

That was the first time Stella saw the Gorgeous Stranger, but it would not be the last.

The second stop on Stella’s Super Fun Summer Tour was the bowling alley.  This time it was just June and Stella enjoying a game.  June was enjoying winning, and Stella was enjoying being able to bowl without the kiddy bumpers.  That is also the second time she saw her Stranger.  She spotted him out of the corner of her eye. But, once again, when she looked up he was gone.

 

 

 

Her Stranger was even at the water park.  Stella was on the surfing machine when she saw him.  She had surfed there 100 times before but this time the Stranger looked over at Stella.  And when he smiled at her, showing off his perfectly white teeth, it was too much.  Stella lost her balance and fell.

 

 

 

Since June was teaching Stella to drive, May wanted to teach her how to cook.  Stella wanted to cook hamburgers and make some oatmeal raisin cookies for desert. They were at the grocery store picking out the ingredients for the night’s feast, when once again, Stella saw her stranger.  Stella followed him down the dairy aisle, but he was gone as soon as she turned the corner.

“Maybe I am over exerted from the heat. It is over 100 degrees outside, and he is just a figment of my imagination. Like a mirage in the desert.”, Stella thought as she was cooking.  “He is a handsome, prefect figment of my heat induced fantasy”.

Stella was so lost in her own thoughts that she wasn’t paying any attention to May’s instructions.  That night the four of them feasted on burnt burgers and oatmeal raisin cookies minus the oatmeal.

 

 

 

Stella’s Super Fun Summer was becoming Stella’s Summer with her Stranger.  He seemed to be everywhere Stella was, but every time he was always out of reach.

“It’s just some silly coincidence” Stella told herself over and over.

It is summer, and Twinbrook is a small town.  Where else would a teenage boy go to if not the beach, or the bowling alley, or the water park?  Yet, she even spotted him at the grocery store.

On the last night of Stella’s Stranger Summer, she was no more closer to meeting him than she had been the first day at the beach.

Tonight’s last stop was the Red Rendezvous, an old warehouse which has been renovated.  It wasn’t anything glamorous, but June promised Stella that they would go.

“Don’t stay out too late.  You have school tomorrow.” April ordered, then quickly added, “And don’t let her get too crazy!”

“I will have her home at a decent hour,” June tried to reassure her sister.  “and I won’t let her get too out of hand.”

“It’s not Stella I’m worried about.” April dryly replied.

Before June could think of a clever comeback, the taxi honked and Stella dragged June out the door.

 

 

 

The Red Rendezvous was dark and stunk of cigarettes and beer.  But to Stella it may as well have been the lounge at the Ritz.  First, June and Stella found a photo booth. They went in and took a few goofy pics to commemorate the night out. After the photo shoot the two came across a ping pong table, but after loosing 3 games in a row Stella was ready for a break.

“Get me a Coke too while you are at it.  All this winning is making me thirsty”. June gloated.

 

 

 

Stella stood at the bar waiting to get the bartenders attention but he was too busy showing off for some red haired bimbo wearing a dress two sizes to small.  Is that what a girl has to do to get two sodas around here?!

Stella turned away in defeat.  And as she spun around she came face to face with her stranger.

 

 

 

“Hi,” he said.  He was inches away from Stella and once he made eye contact he immediately started talking to her feet.

He’s shy, Stella realized.  That is why he never approached her until now.  “My name is Stella.“ she introduced herself.

“Brandon” he replied still looking at the ground.  “I don’t suppose you would like to…maybe…you know,”

“I would love to dance.”

 

 

 

Stella couldn’t believe that after all this time she was finally meeting her stranger.  Not only did she finally learn his name (Brandon has to be the most prefect name in the entire English language) but she was dancing with him.  And she was giddy with excitement to learn that he was just as perfect close up as he was from afar.

 

 

 

Stella would have danced with Brandon all night if June hadn’t dragged her away.

“April will kill me if I get you home after 9!” she exclaimed as she dragged Stella off the dance floor.

Stella didn’t even have time to get Brandon’s phone number.  He was already lost in the crowd by the time Stella had thought to ask him.

That night Stella tried her hardest to sleep, but there were too many questions keeping her awake.  She kept reliving the night over and over in her mind.  Would she ever see Brandon again?  Or was he just a summer crush?  Would he be at her high school?  Or was he only meant to be a stranger?