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[sub][b]An [@Altered Tundra], [@HaleyTheRandom], & [@verzehren] Collaboration featuring [color=pink]Stella Lambert[/color], [color=gray]Oliver Greyson[/color], and [color=D6BEE1]Millie Jean Nicholson[/color][/b][/sub]
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[indent][indent]Stella and Oliver both found themselves in an interesting position. Between how hesitant Stella was to admit her feelings to him and how Oliver was equally as uncertain in coming forward when they finally did it, they didn’t know what that meant. They both agreed they liked each other but there was still something about them -- at least from Stella’s side of things -- that gave her some doubt. This feeling of having someone who cared for who she was and not her body was a foreign feeling that she had a difficult time getting used to.

As they walked around, their hands connected and unintentionally drawing attention towards them, Stella could only do what she knew how to do in situations like these: put on a smile and pretend that the whispers didn’t make her anxiety spike up.

[color=pink][i]Just keep calm and smile forward[/i][/color] She urged herself. 

Stella’s pace slowed a bit. This happened when she felt anxious, but just as her legs were about to completely give up on her, she hadn’t realized that she had tugged Oliver into a collision. [color=pink]“I’m so sorry!”[/color] She immediately apologized. Only a moment later after the person she bumped into had turned around did Stella realize who it was. [color=pink]“Millie Jean!”[/color] Her usual screeching voice met Millie as Stella’s right arm left the comfort of Oliver and wrapped around Millie in a warm, if not tight, embrace.

It was too close for comfort, really, but how could Millie Jean tell her friend (that she had ghosted months prior) that their physical proximity was both unnerving as it was anxiety-inducing. Instead of waxing poetic about how she might spiral into a never-ending swirl of panic, Millie Jean just patted Stella’s back with a forced smile.

[color=D6BEE1]“Hi, Stella.”[/color] Millie Jean glanced awkwardly at the other person, whose name she couldn’t quite recall right now.

The excitement of seeing her again had gotten out of Stella’s control that she had squeezed just a little too tight. It might’ve been a second or two too long, but she eventually let go and saw the hint of a small smile on Millie’s face. At the very least, she was smiling, but damn it! She hadn’t seen her in a while. It didn’t go unnoticed by Stella. There might have been a lot happening in Stella’s life with Oliver, her family coming and going as they pleased, and her extracurriculars, Stella still made an effort to stay in touch with her friends even if a couple of them became too busy for one reason or another.

And this applied to Millie Jean too. Stella understood if there were things that she had to do, but Stella was always there for her if the girl ever needed her. [color=pink]“How have you been? I feel like we haven’t seen much of each other since the senior year began.”[/color] For a moment, Stella nearly forgot her manner. [color=pink]“Oh and this is Oliver. He’s my, well, uh.”[/color] She turned to Oliver. They hadn’t had much time to talk about what name they were going to put on their relationship. And the more she thought about it. [color=pink]“Oliver is my boyfriend!”[/color] She declared proudly, squeezing his hand. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to call him what he was to her: her boyfriend.

Millie Jean’s eyebrow twitched and she suppressed the need to raise it - she wondered if Oliver had known that until just now because the word seemed to have been conjured abruptly. The girl crossed her arms across her chest, before uncrossing them upon realizing her stance was a tad bit defensive. Her therapist says she should avoid making physical gestures that provides a barrier between her and other people; Millie Jean told her therapist she could stuff it (except she didn’t, but she certainly thought it). 

[color=D6BEE1]“Well,”[/color] Millie Jean stuttered, mind racing to think up a decent reply, [color=D6BEE1]“I’ve just been busy, I guess. Taking care of, er, the cats and the butterflies and fish and stuff. Um, and you? I mean, you are obviously doing very well, boyfriend and all. Hi, Oliver.”[/color] She waved slightly at Oliver, the gesture awkward and unnatural.

[color=pink]“Mmm..”[/color] Stella hummed, nodding, [color=pink]“yeah, I guess I am. School has been hectic, especially cheerleading. Chanel’s taken over captain duties and she’s been making sure we got our routines down perfectly. That and my family being their usual selves, I guess things have been all right.”[/color] Even though Stella wished things were less stressful when she glanced briefly to Oliver, she realized that things weren’t as bad as she thought. At least now she could lean on him if things became too difficult. 

Millie Jean witnessed the brief flicker of Stella’s eyes and felt almost like an intruder. Strange, considering she was in the middle of a party surrounded by multiple people in a house that was not her own, and she might [i]actually[/i] be an intruder if Kavi didn’t have permission from his parents. The feelings she had been pushing down hit her all at once, and maybe so did the alcohol.

[color=D6BEE1]“Fuck,”[/color] Millie Jean said, her voice strangled by acidic spit on the back of her tongue, [color=D6BEE1]“I think I have to go. Sorry.”[/color]

Without another word, Millie Jean sped down the hallway, away from Stella and Oliver.

“I hope she’ll be okay,” Stella said, concerned. Her gaze lingered on Millie Jean until she went out of view and she turned to face Oliver. [color=pink]“I think I’m getting a little weary. You wanna get out of here? I did tell dad I wouldn’t be out too late. I know he likes you and all, but I don’t want to take advantage of his kindness, you know?”[/color]

Oliver had stood by Stella's side patiently as he often did, paying little attention to the conversation until Stella mentioned making an exit. [color=gray]”No worries. Parties aren’t really my favorite thing and there’s a lot of drunkness going on. Let’s just make sure we get you home safe.”[/color][/indent][/indent][/color]

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