2 Chapter Two

7:10pm

"You look good" Clara said as we walked towards a crowd of people drinking and chattering.

"This is where we are coming? The hang out" I said out loud as the noise from the loud music increased. "Yeah, isn't it fun?" She replied. "I think" I said. August sited us from afar and yelled "Clara!!! Over here!" "Let's go" Clara said, pulling me with her. We walked towards their direction.

"Hey guys" she uttered. "Stella?" August said. "Hi" I replied. "I knew I'd see you around" he said. I smiled. "Well Stella, this is Diego, Axel, you've met August" Clara introduced before staying by Diego's side. "Hi, I'm Stella, nice to meet you all" I said. "Hi Stella, welcome to UCLA" Diego replied.

Why wasn't Axel saying anything? Does he not talk much or he is doing this deliberately?

"Hi" I said, staring at Axel. He stared back at me for a while without responding, he walked away.

Damn.

"Don't mind him alright" Clara said. "Teach your cousin to be nice to people" she continued talking to Diego. "Trying my best" he replied her.

"Can I get you a drink?" August asked me. "Nah, I don't drink" I replied. "I wasn't planning to give you alcohol" he said laughing. "I kinda thought, well you know" I said.

"Here you go" August handed me a cup of orange juice, "thanks" I said.

I made friends. I'm so excited. Although they aren't my friends, they are Clara's but still, she introduced me to them so we are all literally friends.

"So, Stella, where are you from?" Diego asked. Axel walked back to us and took his seat. "I don't really have where I come from" I replied. "Why would you say that? Everyone has where they come from" August said.

"Seattle, I'm from Seattle" I replied. "Seattle, cool, that's where your dad is from,what about your mom?where is she from?" Clara asked. "I don't have a dad" I replied. "Oh sorry, I'm sorry for asking" Clara responded. "No, no, its not that, I have two moms" I replied. "Two moms? Damn" August uttered. "Two moms are cool" Axel said with a low tuned voice.

"Yeah" I replied awkwardly. "Enough about Stella, let's catch up on each other, how was you guys summer?" Clara asked. "I don't know about you all but I enjoyed my summer without you guys being in it everyday" August responded. "Yeah right, what happened? You finally got a girlfriend or?" Diego asked laughing at August. "Shut up bro, I went to a beach house" August replied.

"You went to a beach house without us? Fuck off bro" Diego replied. "Not without us, I was kinda invited" Axel said. "So did you go?" Clara said. "Yeah sure, why not? Although he forced me to come with him, it was kinda fun" Axel replied. "You guys are both, urrghhh" Clara groaned.

"Maybe one of these weekends, we can go there, what do you think?" August asked. "I'm down if you guys aren't" Clara said. "I'm down too, you down Stella? Diego said. "Yeah sure" I replied. Axel got a call on his phone and left. I watched him pick up his call and answered it, I watched his lips as he talked to the other person on the line."He will surely come" Diego uttered.

Diego and Axel are cousins, why are they so different?

"So you guys have been friends since when?" I curiously asked. "Like forever" Clara replied. "Not exactly forever, I and Axel are best friends, we met back in elementary school, literally when we were tiny little kids, Diego on the other hand is Axel's cousin, while Clara is Diego's high school girlfriend, so that is how we know each other" August explained.

So Axel is basically the center of their circle. Interesting.

"That's pretty cool" I replied. "This is getting really boring, let's dance" Clear suggested. "They are playing reggaeton songs, let's dance" She continued as she stood up giving her hand to Diego as they danced away.

"Can you believe she listens to Spanish songs because of him" August said to me. "Judging from the looks of it, it seems like he really likes her listening to those songs, its cute" I replied.

"Cute? Please Stella, I would never force my girl to listen to songs I like based on where I come from, I'll let her have her own playlist, its better that way" he uttered.

"Well I still think its cute" I laughed.

"Where did they go?" Axel asked. "They went dancing" August replied him. "I'm really tired, I wanna go" Axel said. "Dude, we just got here, chill, have fun" August said. "I don't want to have fun, I'm leaving" Axel replied him. "At least tell Diego you're leaving so that he won't ask too many questions about you" August said. Axel nodded his head and walked into the crowd to meet Diego

"Hola Hermano, me voy" Axel said to Diego.

"¿dejando? acabamos De llegar hermano, relájate" Diego replied.

"Mamá llamó, no quiero pensar en nada de lo que dejo, necesito descansar tenemos clases mañana" Axel replied.

"Alright" Diego said.

"Adiós" Axel replied, walking away from the crowd.

He didn't even make eye contact with I nor August as he walked away. What a strange human being.

"We should enjoy ourselves, its the first day of this year and the first day of college for you, we need to celebrate" August said, raising me up from my seat as we walked to join the rest.

10:56pm

"We should-, we should go Stella", Clara uttered, she ricked of alcohol.

"You need help?" Diego asked. "No, no need, I'll take her myself" I replied. "Oh alright then, goodnight my love" he said while leaning for a kiss on Clara's forehead.

Adorable.

I took Clara to our dorm room, it was a lot of work but I succeeded. "Shit, its almost midnight" I uttered.

After placing Clara on her scattered bed, I sat on mine removing my outfit before wrapping myself up with a towel to shower.

I took a long shower as today was indeed a stressful day. My whole room ricked of alcohol. Damn. I cleaned myself up, wore my best night shorts with a top and laid on my bed.

"A long day deserves a long sleep" I said to myself.

I couldn't sleep. Several things went through my mind. Even him. He went through my mind.

"Stella, Stella, Stella!" A voice called out. There I was, fantazing about him when Clara called my name out severally. "Yes!" I replied. "Need something?" I asked.

"He's not what he looks like, he's just going through stuffs right now, I know he will come around soon" she said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Axel" she replied then started snoring out loud.

How did she know what I was thinking about?

College is really getting more weird than I thought.

I turned my body to the side, closed my eyes as I tried to sleep off before nature took its course.