First a stop for some dinner.

“Well it was good to see you guys again despite everything that happened.” Stella says giving each of her siblings a hug goodbye.

“You too Stella, let’s meet up again soon!” James says, seeming to already be anticipating when they can meet up again.

“Yeah it was great to see you again, take care of yourself okay darling I’m sure your poised to do great things.” Ashlyn says, as she gives her sister a supportive smile.

“Thanks you two, I love you guys.” Stella’s bows her head as she looks on her brother and sister with fondness in her eyes.

“We love you too Stella!!” James says echoing Stella’s own sense of affection.

“Lady Stella we should be off now.” Grace leans over to say to Stella quietly, not wanting to the goodbyes to drag on any longer.

“Right...”

Stella takes one look back her siblings smiling faces, before she then turns to Johnny. She links a strong arm around Johnny’s own, and pulls him close against her. This makes the young man suddenly feel a deep shyness take over him. Stella’s body feeling so warm, and firm as she starts to escort him along.

“Come now let’s take you home.” Stella sasy, speaking in that gently protective voice that only a women taking care of man she cares for can.

“Y-yeah.” Is all Johnny says, his heart pitter pattering, as he lets Stella lead him along.

Johnny, Grace, and Stella then walk back to the elevator, and all climb in. Johnny stares out at the party full of people, till the elevator door slides shut before him. Truly, he’s glad to have gotten of there, even though he meet some nice people like Stella’s siblings, and Haruto. Navigating around in there felt like tip toeing around a den of lions. It isn’t the most relaxing experience he has ever been through to say the least. Though he has been through worse.... Johnny sighs, well at lest he got to-wait... Johnny looks down at his empty hands. He suddenly realizes he didn’t grab his plate of food along with him.

Yet as Johnny is about to ask Stella if they can go back he realizes he really doesn’t want to go back up into that room with all of those mostly awful people again. The aura up in that room just made him feel to on edge, even with Stella around. The only reason he had opted to stay there when he had a chance to leave is that Stella had literally begged him.

So while Johnny could put up with it for Stella if it came down to starving, and hanging around those awful people he would rather starve! Still, he sighs as he can feel his stomach rumble, dejected that he missed an opportunity to get all that yummy looking food.

“Don’t worry you don’t have concern yourself with all the family stuff anymore.” Stella says, gently squeezing an arm around Johnny as she mistakes his despair over his lost food, with him still being tense from the party.

“Huh, oh that’s not it I just didn’t get a chance to eat...” Johnny says wringing his hands together anxiously as he admits he forgot to grab his food.

“Oh, I’m sorry we can go back up if-.”

“NO!” Johnny almost shouts, jolting back both himself, and Stella for a second at his sudden outburst.

“I-I mean no I don’t want to go back there...” Johnny says, this time speaking more composed.

Grace shakes he head, at how much of an emotional reaction Johnny gives at just the mention of staying in a room with all that family strife, and political back stabbing.

“I knew this places wasn’t a place one brings a gentle lad.” Grace says under her breathe.

Stella flinches a bit upon hearing this, knowing that it was entirely her fault that Johnny had came here in the first place. Sure she had given the boy a choice, but she knows as a women should have known what was best for Johnny. Even if Johnny had begged her to come Stella should have told him no, knowing how vicious the people their could be. On top of that, it had been right after a bad car accident.

Looking over to Johnny, Stella kicks her self. What has been going through her mind that made her make such stupid decisions? Her eyes trailing over his face, he looks so innocent, so naive, so in need of protection. Looking over Johnny’s beauty, triggers some hardwired primitive feeling in Stella.

Yet it’s possible this very same feeling is the cause of Stella’s poor decision making so today. Perhaps she did need to become a bit more stolid like her mother wants to be. Clearly her over emotional state has been hindering her ability to keep her family, and new friends from harm.

Unlinking her arm, from Johnny she gives him some spaces resolved to not be so overzealous.

“Here I’ll look for a place to eat.” Stella says, taking out her phone to look at the online map.

She makes a few taps on her phone, then a little ah as she finds a near by restaurant.

“There’s a Bobby’s a few minutes away, you can take us there Grace right?” Stella says her tone of voice somewhere between a question, and a command, as she feels a bit hesitant to start ordering Grace around after what happened.

“Yes lady Stella, but please let’s not make it a habit of giving the boy food of poor quality, he doesn’t need to get pudgy under your care.” Grace sighs her shoulders slumping slightly as she is very opposed to most fast food, find it to be the most undesirable kind of food due to how unhealthy it is.

“Yes, yes just think of this as a little treat then Grace.” Stella says rolling her eyes.

“Indeed Lady Stella just please make sure it’s just that, and not the start of a pattern.” Grace sighs her gaze flicking over to Johnny, her already feeling like she was permitting the poor boy to eat poison by allowing this outing.

Normally Grace would have made more of a fuss about going to such a place for food. Yet today with how everything that has already gone there was a heavy air about that made Grace feel too tiring to be arguing about such a thing right now. She senses that all three of them feel rather drained from today’s events, so going on a outing to a proper restaurant would be to much of hassle.

With the elevator door dinging the trio then step out into the lobby. A few important looking people walk towards the three in the opposite direction seemingly a few late comers of Stella’s family. She acknowledges them with no more then a nod of a head as she passes by, her concern for Johnny right now, rather then with formalities.

Grace takes note of face of those there knowing that she’ll later have to reach out, and apologize later on Lady Stella’s half for not exchanging proper pleasantries less some one take offense.

Grace knows her lady already has enough enemies, she doesn’t need to gain any more. Especially not form something as frivolous as not taking the time to make small talk. Grace feels for Stella, she’s just come into adulthood and already so many conspire against her. Those of even her own family.

Grace shock her head, her gaze tuning to Johnny. The poor boy, he’s just seen a world so removed to what even normal people are used to, that it must seem completely alien a boy like him.

Once out on the side walk, there is a little wait for the chauffeur to return, her just gone off to take care of the car those late arrivals came in. As she walks back Stella quickly waves over the women to hurry over to them.

“We’re to be going now please may you retrieve our car, and be swift about it won’t you.” Stella speaks, her flinching slightly as she realizes the way she is speaking sound a bit rude.

Normally she tries her best to be polite as possible with the employees of the family. Not only because it’s proper, or because she a kind person, but also because she knows that some in her family can be quite awful when it comes to how they treat those working under them. However with how things have gone today Stella forgot herself for a brief moment her just so focused on getting Johnny away from this place.

“Oh yes ma’am I’ll be right back.” The chauffeur replies, the woman taking no notice of Stella’s perceived rudeness as Stella mistake was quite tame compared to how some of the family could purposefully act.

While waiting for the car Johnny shivers, there being a now noticeable chill in the air. This causes him to involuntary squeeze his arm around Stella’s the cold taking him back to the day before. To the time of the accident, it was so cold, he had felt so cold.... The cold touch of ****... That day might of died, with how cold it was may of easily froze to ****.

In fact he it’s what he wanted that day. It’s why he threw himself into the road, everything in his life had just felt so dark, like there was no hope. That he would die in the street left in the cold. God he feels so cold... Johnny squeezes his eyes shut as he can hear the crash again, the chill of ****. Yet then feels something warm warp around his body.

“Johnny, Johnny are you alright?”

Johnny opens his eyes to the sight of Stella looking at him with worried expression. Seeing that Stella is just in her dress shirt he realizes she’s put her suit jacket around his shoulders.

“Johnny you were shivering like crazy, are-are you okay?” Stella asks her gingerly brining her hand to Johnny’s head concerned his fever he had yesterday day might be returning.

“I-uh yeah, yeah I’m fine it’s just, bad thoughts...” Johnny mumbles pulling the jacket up around his shoulders more as he looks at the ground.

Stella feels a wave of guilt. Her assuming that Johnny is speaking of is what just happened with Olivia, and Willow at the party. She again thinking of just how much of idiot she was to bring Johnny here.

“I’m sorry Johnny I shouldn’t have brought you here...” Says Stella quietly as she moves to put her hand on Johnny’s shoulder but then pulls away at the last second.

Her thinking it inappropriate for her to be touching Johnny she is the reason for his grief. If he holds any justified ill will towards her, physical contact might only cause her more distress.

“Oh-no it’s not your fault...” Johnny replies in a quiet voice, him hesitate to expand upon what is really bothering him as he fears Stella finding out about his hallucinations, or his attempt to end himself that day...

What’ll she think of him if she finds out he tried to kill himself that night. Or that his mind is show screwed that he sees things that are their? She might send him away to some sort of mental hospital or something! No, no, no, he can’t go back to a place like that not ever again! Just then chauffeur pulls up to the curb with the car, both Stella, and Johnny snapping out of the moment as the lights shine on them. Stella walks over to the car opening the back door she stretches out her arm to usher you in.

“Come on let’s get you something to eat.” Stella says pushing aside her nagging regret, and self scorn for now to focus on Johnny’s needs.

As Johnny stomach then angrily grows with the demand of a burger, and fries he nods to Stella in agreement. She then helps him into the car, making sure to not hurt his injured arm as he takes a seat in the back. Stella then closes the door for Johnny taking a seat in passenger seat next to Grace. Her continuing the trend of allowing Johnny his space just in case her presence was putting off the boy.

An unnecessary precaution as unbeknownst to Stella Johnny doesn’t blame her one bit for what happened. Even if she was the one that brought him to the party it was clear to Johnny that Stella had no idea he would be harassed by a member of her family. Her thinking that even blackest sheep’s of the family would have enough class to not make a scene at the event, and certainly not anything as **** what Willow did.

Further more as Grace starts to pull the car out onto the road, Johnny thinks back to how Stella almost seemed kind of heroic jumping to his defense when Willow was assaulting him. Terrible as the event is to dwell on it was a quite a sight a thing to be rescuers like that. As they drive down the street Johhny even thinks of how Stella, and Grace almost reminded him of heroic knights from one of those books he’s read. Johnny then quickly shakes his head, not wanting to reconcile with what it means by him thinking about Stella like that he focuses on getting excited to finally eat.

_

After a short ten minute drive the Bobby’s finally comes into view. Johnny can’t help but press his face agains the window as he looks at the glowing neon sign. The light seeming like a beam from heaven’s pearly gates as his stomach rumbled again. Mouth watering he fought to contain himself as they pulled into the parking lot.

His left leg bounces as he waits for Stella to courteously up the door, and help him out of the car. Stella taking Johnny’s hand, and carefully pulling him up to his feet as to make sure he didn’t bump or jostle around his injured arm. A action that probably would’ve had Johnny’s heart fluttering if he hadn’t been so hunger. Him barley looking at, Stella as his attention was transfixed on the restaurant before him.

“Hungry huh?” Stella says with a small smile, her following Johnny’s gaze.

Johnny didn’t say anything, his eyes not even turning to meet Stella as he nodded his head. Stella’s smile grows in size as she suppresses a little chuckle, Johnny nearly looking hypnotized by the glowing logo of the Bobby’s. With him seeming to be in much better spirits, Stella to let go of some of that gloom she had been holding in. A fuzzy warm feeling expanding in her chest as she looked upon Johnny’s expression.

Heh she almost envy’s him in this moment, the boy looking at this burger joint like he had just come across the holy grail. What it must be like to get lost in such simple pleasures, ha boys sure do have it easy. Stella then frowns her knowing that such a thought isn’t true. From what she can tell Johnny hasn’t much come easy in his life. She knew that of course, but the whole get together today really put on the pushed to the forefront of her mind the pressure of taking over the company.

Quickly Stella then shakes her head dispersing those thoughts for another time.

“Shall we?” Stella gestures a arm for Johnny, and Grace to follow.

Johnny takes a fast pace as the three walk towards the Bobby’s, him even over taking Grace in the foot race to get to the door. Him acting as if he’s afraid he’ll get less food if he’s last inside.

“Carefully now...” She says putting her arm in front of Johnny to open the door, her not wanting him to try to open it himself with only one good limb.

As the three walk in to mostly empty fast food joint, Johnny is practically vibrating with glee. His stomach making another grumpy gurgle as he races up to the counter.

“Uh can I help you sir?” Asks the perplexed minimum wage employee behind the register as they stare at Johnny nearly leaning over the counter as he stands on his tippy toes to see the menu.

“You see anything you want?” Asks Stella as she falls in behind Johnny along with Grace.

“Oh can I get a milkshake!” Johhny exclaims, him out stretching his hand to point eager at a picture of some sort of frosty drink advertised on the menu.

“I mean, please can I get a milkshake if it’s not to much...” Him realizing he probably should be more polite when asking others to spend money on him like this, Johnny brings his hand to his chest, and asks in a more tepid tone.

Grace grimaces, disappointed at Johnny’s choice as he appears to have chosen the most unhealthy on the menu based on the calorie count shown.

“Sure anything else you’d like?” Stella asks standing at the ready.

“Ummmn oh a Bicchicken, and some large fries, and-and a some Bichicken nuggets!” Johnny exclaims, him again pointing at the food items like an excited kid.

“Alright would you like anything Grace?” Stella asks, Grace a small sparkle of amusement in her eye as she asks.

“I would rather starve thank you very much!” Grace exclaims her looking down right offended that Stella would even offer.

“Haha, come on now I know you didn’t get much to eat at the party either.” Stella reminds Grace elbowing her playfully in the side.

“Come on you work hard enough as is, there’s no need to starve yourself to.” Says Stella, the kind tone in her voice hinting to her appreciation for all the effort Grace has done from, and the concern that Grace is pushing herself to far.

“Ahhhh you truly vex me some times my lady.” Grace sighs, pushing her glasses back into place to look at the menu.

She still wishes that she didn’t have to get something, but with those puppy dog eyes her lady Stella is giving her now Grace can’t help it. Her lady already has enough on her plate anyways, what with the company and all. So Grace can’t exactly have her lady be worrying about her too on top of everything. Especially not with this new addiction of Johnny seemingly joining the pack.

Reluctantly resigning to her face Grace forces herself to decide on some food.
She makes a bunch of faces as she looks over the meals available. Not a single one seeming like anything she would want to put inside of her stomach. So she opts to go for the one that seems like it would do the least amount of damage to her health.

“I’ll just get a chicken salad, and a water cup.” Says Grace her still not looking happy that she was **** to get something from this kind of establishment.

“Right then, can I get get two Bicchicken sandwiches, a Bicchicken salad, two large fires, a seven piece of Bicchicken nuggets, a large drink, a chocolate milk shake, and a water cup.” Stella says, her quickly reciting every ones order back to the young cashier behind the counter.

“Alright then your total will be 23.50 and would that be for here or to go?” Ask the employee with a slightly played upbeat tone, her hoping for a nice big tip as she takes notice of the expensive looking dress clothes Stella, and Grace are wearing.

“For here.” Replies Stella swiping her high end black label credit card through the reader.

After paying, and leaving a generous ten percent tip when promoted by the pin pad, the trio find a empty booth seat by a near by window. Stella sliding into a seat with Johnny while Grace sits across from them. There’s about a minute of silence, and a sense of awkwardness hangs about as the three sit together.

“So then Johnny is there any sort of books or series you would like to read, but haven’t got the chance yet?” Stella asks, her being the one to break the dead air as them just starting at each other didn’t suit her.

“Oh umm not in particular, do you have any recommendations?” Johnny asks rubbing the back of his neck, his words shaky in their confidence.

His eyes flick off to the side as he asks the question as he actually DOES have a series he is interested in reading. The collection of novels is called Ocean Island kingdoms. It’s a very self indulgent romance series for boys. With the man character pretty much living the fantasy of every young man whose come of age. The protagonist being a pretty prince who is constantly being pursued by handsome woman from all walks of life.

From roguish pirates, to rival princess from other kingdoms, all the way to dark wizards. Almost every girl in the series is pining for the princes’s heart, with there being many steamy scenes that almost has the series bordering on erotica. It’s not high brow stuff by any means, and it’s certainly something Johnny doesn’t want to admit he reads. Especially to some one he just meet like Stella, to a proper woman.

“Oh really then I know something you most definitely you’d be interested, it’s called Fall Of Albidon its super underrated, and more people need to read the series I’ll be sure to get you a copy of the first book, I know it’s more sort of geared towards girls, it all like fantasy fighting, and deep lore, and stuff but the characters and world I think any one can really fall in love with, everything is so fleshed out and pulls you in so it has this great kind of universal appeal.” Stella gets more, and more animated as she heaps praise on the book.

“Oh dear lady Stella you can’t possible be about to send the boy on that under taking.” Grace smirks her seeming to be familiar with this particular suggestion Stella is making.

“Grace just because you didn’t like series book doesn’t mean he won’t.” Stella frowns disliking the shade being thrown at one of her favorite on going stories.

“The problem isn’t that I didn’t find the content of the book entering, it was more so that the way in which it was dictated.” Replies Grace her trying to be tactful in not saying anything outright insulting about the series less, Stella go into diatribe to defend the series as she has done before.

“It’s not that high brow of a read Grace your being dramatic.” Stella insists acting dismissive to Grace’s gripe as if she didn’t know what she is talking about.

“My lady it is written in OLD English it’s style of writing is a difficult read for the average lady, let alone a boy like Johnny.” Grace says, her nearly defeatist tone sounding like she’s had this discussion with Stella many, many times before, and that her lady was always unwilling to concede any ground when it came to the subject.

Grace then stiffness up for a second as she realizes what she said sounded probably less then flattering to Johnny.

“Apologizes Johnny that sounded more insulting then it should have, I’m simple trying to say that this book Lady Stella is offering you isn’t an easy read.” Grace pushes up her glasses as she speaks, her bowing her head slightly in as an apologetic gesture.

“Oh that’s okay I do.” Johnny says waving his good arm at the idea of Grace needing to apologize to him for something so minor.

Just the thought makes his face blush a little bit, handsome woman showing him that sort of dignity not something like that not something he’s used to.

“Hey you don’t have make it sound like I’m sentencing Johnny to some sort of ****.” Stella says, furrowing her brow slightly.

“Heh well that might be a fair description considering in might attempt to read that series I got flash backs to my college days, that novel feeling like I was studying for my English finals again.” Grace chuckles.

“Well if he doesn’t like the book he can just not read it, it’s not as if I’m assigning it as home work.” Stella jokes as she flashes Grace a smile.

“That sound acceptable to you Johnny?” Stella asks turning to Johnny to get his input, he is the matter of discussion after all.

“Huh oh yeah definitely, it’s no problem I-I’m sure I’ll love the book so no worries on that front.” Johnny replies him, sort of snapping back to reality as he had been sort transfixed at the banter between lady, and butler .

The way Stella talks to Grace is almost like how she had talked to her siblings. A bond like that, Johnny wondered what it to be part of something like that. The idea of becoming so close to you they nearly feel like family. It’s a relationship he never experienced. Hell he’s never even experienced family. The foster families her bounced around through when he was young where less then loving to say the least.

“He’s your order ma’am!” A perky voice says turning the threes attention away from conversation.

The employee at the counter seems to have snuck up on them her standing with they were talking, all of the food, and drinks stuffing up a large plastic tray which she holds.

“Oh thank you.” Stella replies taking the tray, and placing it on the table.

“No thank you ma’am have a good day.” The girl walks off with a bit of happy hum her clearly happy with the tip Stella gave her.

Every one grabbing their respective order, Johnny, Stella, and Grace each dig in their food with varying levels of enthusiasm. Johnny of course immediately starts to scrounge down a hand full of fries, while Grace picks at her salad with a plastic fork. Stella doesn’t eat quite yet her being the only one of the three that actually got some food from the party, she keeps herself amused by watch both Johnny, and Stella. Her finding it a little funny how the two have the exact opposite opinion of your meals right now.

As Grace finally takes a bite of her salad Johnny has already gone through his fries. Him quickly moving on to chow down on order of nuggets. With the furious way he eats one would think he had been starved for days.

Just then Stella’s cell phone chimes, and wondering who could be texting her at this hour she takes it out of her pocket. Grace then stops chewing on her salad as she notices a look of shock on Stella’s face as she reads the message on her phone.

“Is something the matter my lady?” Grace asks with concern as she swallows down her mouthful of chicken, and vegetables.

Slowly Stella lowers the phone from her face, an expression of nervousness reflected in her eyes which are wide as dinner plates.