The Beginning of Us

SONG RECOMMENDATION: Cornfield Chase- By Hans Zimmer

Stella's thoughts drifted as her eyelids grew heavy. Memories of her childhood surfaced, tugging her back to a time before Simon, before her life had been complicated by love and darkness. She had been an orphan, a child left alone in the world, and for nine years, the orphanage had been her home. But the loneliness of her early years had never truly hurt her. She had been content, unaware of what it meant to have a family—until she came.

Grandma Elizabeth.

The old woman had appeared one day, her silver hair tied in a loose bun, her eyes kind but sharp, as if she could see through every wall Stella had ever put up. The day she adopted her was the day her world changed. For the first time, Stella had someone to call family.

But the real transformation had come two days later, when Elizabeth brought home another girl. Her best friend.

Mallory Adams.

Mallory had been everything Stella was not—cold where she was warm, cynical where she was hopeful. Yet somehow, they had become inseparable. Mallory, with her sharp features and even sharper tongue, had a presence that drew attention, though she loathed it. She stood taller than Stella, both in height and in her demeanor, with eyes so striking that it was hard to believe she wasn't a siren. But of course, that wasn't Mallory's truth. She was a witch, and she wore her secrecy like a second skin. To the rest of the world, Mallory was distant, her aura mysterious and her emotions kept tightly locked away. She believed in keeping a low profile, blending in, even if her beauty made it impossible.

But Stella knew better. Beneath Mallory's icy exterior, there was a softness no one could see—a gentleness hidden behind layers of sarcasm and indifference. It was this softness that had bonded them together as sisters in all but blood.

Now, years later, Mallory was a psychologist and counselor at the same university where they had both studied. While Stella had gone off to marry Simon and dive headfirst into a life filled with love, loss, and danger, Mallory had built walls higher than ever, surrounding herself with her work, her secrets, and the magic.

Stella had always believed in love, in the beauty of it, in the way it could transform lives. Mallory, on the other hand, had despised the very term of love. To her, it was a weakness, something to be avoided at all costs. But even though they were opposites in almost every way, they had always been there for each other, two halves of a whole. Stella, with her heart full of hope, and Mallory, with her guarded soul.

Closing her eyes, Stella let the memories wash over her. The laughter they'd shared, the countless nights spent confiding in one another, the bond that had only grown stronger with time. But with the memories came the ache of loss, the reminder that she had left that simpler life behind.

Now, as her mind traveled back nine years, back to the moment everything changed, she couldn't help but wonder what life would have been like if Mallory had been right—if love really was something to be feared.

And just like that, her thoughts returned to Simon, to the beginning of a love that had turned her world upside down.

Flashback

"Ms. Adams, I hope you're not dozing off again."

Stella's eyes snapped open, her heart racing as she quickly stood up. Her teacher, Ms. Smith, was glaring at her with that all-too-familiar look of disapproval.

"No, Ms. Smith, I wasn't sleeping," Stella replied, tucking a stray lock of her golden blonde hair behind her ear with a sheepish smile.

Ms. Smith didn't look convinced. "Oh? Well, in that case, how about you solve this problem for me?"

With a swift motion, she turned to the board and wrote out an algebraic equation, challenging Stella to solve it.

Stella smirked. It didn't matter how many times she drifted off during class—being a mermaid had its perks, and her mind was sharper than most humans could ever guess. She walked up to the board confidently, solving the problem with ease. Turning to face Ms. Smith, she smiled triumphantly, waiting for her usual lack of reaction.

But today, something was different. Ms. Smith's expression didn't shift into its usual mask of indifference. Instead, she spoke with that dreaded calm tone that could make even the bravest of students shrink.

"Since you decided to sleep in my class today, how about detention?" Ms. Smith said nonchalantly, her eyes never leaving the board. "That way, you won't be tempted to sleep next time."

Stella's smile faltered instantly. She glanced around at her classmates, who were either hiding smiles or exchanging sympathetic glances. Groaning inwardly, she trudged back to her seat and slumped down, sulking as Ms. Smith continued her lesson.

Detention. Great. Another thrilling afternoon stuck in the empty classroom with nothing but her thoughts—and a scolding teacher for company.

After classes ended, Stella found herself sitting in the detention room, her mood already dampened by the events of the day. Mr. James, the detention teacher, sat at his desk, engrossed in a thick novel, completely indifferent to the silence that filled the room. Stella kept her head down, focused on her work, trying to avoid thinking about how she ended up here.

Just as she began to get into a rhythm, the door creaked open, and her heart sank. A group of boys walked in, the same ones who had been trying to target her ever since she stood up to them a few days ago. The college bullies. Her fingers tightened around her pen as she resisted the urge to groan out loud.

Of course, today would be the day they'd show up. Could it get any worse?

As if on cue, the door opened again, and this time, it wasn't just any ordinary student. A tall figure stepped in, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He was 6'2", and the air around him seemed to shift, intimidating anyone who dared to meet his gaze. His dark hair, slightly tousled, framed his chiseled face, while his deep, dark brown eyes held a kind of menace that made people look away the moment he glanced in their direction.

Simon Winchester. The notorious bad boy of their college.

Every woman on campus whispered about him, every guy either admired or feared him, but no one dared to cross him. He had that perfect balance of handsome yet dangerous, the kind that left people second-guessing every word they said around him. His sharp features only added to his brooding persona, and the tattoos running up his left arm were like warnings etched into his skin. He wasn't just a student—he was a storm that no one wanted to get caught in.

Simon strode into the room, wearing his usual black t-shirt, muscles subtly outlined beneath the fabric. He didn't care for the rules, nor did he care for the whispers that followed him. He had only two friends in the whole college, and together, they ruled the school like their personal kingdom.

Stella's heart raced as he entered the room, not because she feared him like most, but because of the way he commanded the space around him. He didn't look at her, didn't even acknowledge her existence, but his presence alone was enough to send a ripple through the atmosphere.

She kept her head down, praying that she wouldn't draw his attention. But part of her knew that with Simon Winchester, nothing was ever that simple.

He was the top student in the entire college, the one everyone envied and admired. Simon Winchester's intelligence was as well-known as his bad-boy reputation, and the combination made him a figure of intrigue and allure. Personally, Stella and Simon had never spoken a word to each other. They existed in different worlds, hers a quiet, determined pursuit of knowledge, and his a reckless reign of chaos and charm. This was the first time she was seeing him up close, and the proximity sent her heart racing.

As he sauntered over to one of the chairs in the detention room, she could feel the tension in the air shift. The group of boys who had entered with him were snickering among themselves, throwing glances at Simon, their apparent leader. Stella's pulse quickened, and she suddenly found herself captivated by the aura he radiated.

When Simon's dark brown eyes fell upon her, she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her. It was a mere moment—just a fleeting glance—but it felt like an eternity. Embarrassed, she quickly averted her gaze, focusing intensely on her notebook, where her thoughts were now a jumbled mess.