RAY'S POV:

Stella froze, her breath hitching in her throat. "What?" She gasped out. I watched her, confusion welling up inside of me. What were they talking about?

I heard Mo's panicked voice, talking quickly and urgently. Stella's expression changed as her eyes widened in shock and fear.

Suddenly, she completely dropped the phone and it struck the floor with a loud clack as she bolted towards the stairs. "Whoa, Stella!" I exclaimed picking up the cracked phone and rushing after her.

She ignored me, and as I reached the foot of the stairs she was already half-way up. "Stella!" I yelled again taking the stairs two at a time to catch up with her. Something horrible must've happened for Stella to freak like this. I felt an awful sense of unease creeping into the pit of my stomach.

I made it to the top of the stairs as Stella ran into her room, grabbing her new laptop and throwing it open as she jumped onto the bed. "Stella…" I trailed off in the doorway as she typed vigorously on the keypad. The back of the laptop was facing me so I stood clueless wondering what was wrong.

Then Determinate started playing. I could tell it was live because of the roar of the crowd and the sound of their voices echoing in the speakers. Stella, her watery eyes glued to the screen, put her hand to her mouth. I slowly on the bed beside her as I examined the screen.

They were at Dante's. Stella and Olivia were jamming out as Scott and Mo strummed their instruments, perfectly in sync with Wen's keyboarding and Charlie's drumming. I glanced at Stella once more and seeing the horrid look in her tearing eyes made me want to die.

As Wen came into his rap, the crowd started screaming and trying to keep up. The song progressed with the audience going wild as they entered the final chorus. That sick feeling in my stomach grew as Stella made her way towards the front of the stage.

When she jumped onto the table, I finally understood what everyone else saw that day. The two back legs of the table collapsed, throwing Stella backwards. As her back slammed into the edge of the stage I turned away and shut my eyes tightly, wishing somehow that this was a nightmare and not real.

Stella covered her face in her hands as the video came to close, showing the paramedics arrive and carry her writhing body out into the ambulance. But what I heard shocked me the most. Through her sobs I could tell Stella didn't notice the faint laughter from the camera man. The sick thing was that I recognized it instantly…Jules.

Who did she think she was? What gave her the right to do this to Stella? My Stella? I scrolled down to the likes and comments section. 38 million views…2 million likes? Didn't people understand she could've died? That voice in my head returned. Why didn't you when you planed this?

I pushed the laptop away angrily as I wrapped my arms around Stella, pulling her into me. She didn't object as she buried her head into my shoulder, the tears running freely down her cheeks.

All that guilt I've been hiding for so long returned. All the regret and shame burdening me once more as the girl I cared for the most finally cracked. All because of me. If it wasn't for me, she'd be making her dreams come to life, living freely and happily, doing what she loves most.

And for once, I thought about everyone else. What about all the fans? All the people who would've died to meet her? All those kids whose only dream was to see their greatest inspiration? I've crushed all those possibilities.

Because now Stella was stuck with me, the worst person in the whole world. The person who hates everything that's happened, almost as much as Stella herself. And the person who could never change it.

I closed my eyes, feeling them water as Stella's sniffles and sobs slowly ate away at me. "Shh…Stell, everything is going to be fine. Who cares what other people think?" I coaxed as I pulled her into my lap bridal-style except sitting.

I felt her shake her head. "No…this? This is different." She muttered her voice sounding pitchy as she wrapped her arms around my neck for comfort.

"No it's not Stella. All those fans out there understand why you're gone now. People get hurt, they accept the fact that you're just as human as they are." I paused as she pulled her head back to look at me.

I searched her gaze, that spark of intensity gone. The same spark that makes her eyes so special and different. No…I was going to do everything to bring that spark back.

"There's nothing wrong with being human. Sure you maybe a lot more stubborn and hard-headed then they are, but no matter what happens," I lifted my hand to her cheek, wiping away the tears. "no one is going to hold that against you. Especially your fans."

She held my gaze as my words sunk in. Slowly she placed her hand over mine, holding my palm to her cheek. "Thank you." She whispered before leaning into me once more. She placed her hands on my shoulders loosely, her head resting in the crook of my neck.

We sat like that for a while, holding one another, the comfort slowly calming Stella down as I felt her breathing even out. I realized with a smile that she had fallen asleep. I shifted my position to carefully set her head on the pillow and lay her down gently.

I stayed there, watching the peaceful rise and fall of her chest, until I finally stood to leave and let her rest. I grabbed the laptop on my way out, I had some investigating to do…

OLIVIA'S POV:

"Ray!" Mo and I exclaimed as his image appeared in the laptop. We had barrowed Wen's laptop for our trip to Rhode Island and I was extremely thankful he had let me use it because of situations like this one.

"Where's Stell?" I demanded searching the screen for her presence. "Shhhhhhh! Calm down, she's sleeping and I don't want to wake her. We've had a rough day." He explained into the camera.

"How is she?" Mo asked her voice lowering. Ray shook his head. "Earlier today, Brenigan came and said we had to go back to school starting Monday. If we don't go, he said he'll bring the authorities into it…" He trailed off angrily.

I looked up exasperated as I rolled my eyes. "It's like the world hates Stell today." I muttered as Mo smacked the chair in aggravation. Ray shook his head in the screen. "She's hurting. Bad." He stated the resent clear in his voice.

I glanced at Mo. "Ray this isn't your fault." She stated sympathetically. Ray looked up at us as he raised his eyebrows in question. "How is it not my fault?" He asked anger changing his tone. He looked down again.

"God! If I hadn't unscrewed the two back legs none of this would've-" His head snapped up with a look of realization and confusion as he stopped dead in his tracks. "What?" I pushed cautiously.

His eyes narrowed in thought and concentration. "I…I didn't unscrew the back legs…" He announced meeting our gazes once more. "What do you mean you didn't unscrew the back legs?" Mo asked in surprise.

"I mean that…I only unscrewed one leg…and it was the front left one." He declared confidently. "How can you be so sure?" I questioned doubtingly.

"Because…I remember thinking that she was left handed so if she fell forward to the left, she would just walk out with a broken wrist or something. I never planned something that life threatening…I only wanted to ensure that she wouldn't be able to perform." He explained.

"But…if you didn't unscrew the back legs…" Mo trailed off as she slowly turned towards me. "Then who did?" I finished as we both looked at Ray through the screen. He opened his mouth to answer but closed it again as his eyes widened in shock.

"Jules."

STELLA'S POV:

I woke up to see Ray slowly walking towards the door to leave. He had changed into his varsity jacket. I could tell from the sun setting outside the window, I had been asleep the whole day. Sleep still fogging my vision I muttered out. "Don't go." He stopped in the doorway as he turned towards me.

As his eyes met mine, I felt a longing in my stomach. The memories from earlier in the day still made the rollercoaster of emotions in my heart churn. I wanted to forget all the bad things that happened today. My thoughts drifted to the kiss in the kitchen this morning.

"Stay with me." I told him as I sat up. He hesitantly made his way over and sat on the bed beside me. He looked down at me, concern reflecting in his gaze. "How are you feeling?" He asked searching my eyes. "I need a distraction." I admitted as I leaned towards him hoping he knew what I meant.

He did.

My eyes fluttered closed as I felt his lips meet mine, my pulse speeding up as usual. That feeling I felt this morning was slowly returning, wanting more and more as our lips moved together in sync.

My hands subconsciously gripped his collar, pulling him towards me until I found myself laying down once again, his body looming over mine. I could tell he was hesitating because I was the one moving with confidence instead of him.

I pulled away, his eyes looking down at me. "What's wrong?" I breathed catching my breath. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm worried about you." He replied watching me curiously. "Why?" I asked again wondering his motives.

"Well, you haven't done anything all day besides sleep, I mean…are you hungry?" He questioned quietly. After a moment, I nodded. His eyes furrowed. "What do you want?" He asked a triumphant gleam in his eyes. I smiled. "You."

I pulled him to me again, our lips connecting once more, the hunger gripping my stomach. Not the hunger for food, but the hunger for him, the hunger for his touch. This time, his lips moved against mine with a similar want, the same hunger burning in his stomach as in mine.

My fingers found the zipper of his jacket, and I slowly pulled it down until it came undone with a click. As I did so, he managed to tease my lips apart, his tongue sliding smoothly into my mouth. Granting him access, my hands slid underneath his jacket, wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer.

Without breaking our connection, I could feel him slowly slipping the jacket over his shoulders and throwing it onto the floor with a thump. The weight of the clothing gone, his lips moved with mine more passionately and slowly.

The warmth from his body mesmerized me as I felt myself lifting into him, wanting to feel his body against mine. I tried desperately to suppress the moans escaping from my throat as my hands clutched his shirt, balling the fabric in my fists as the hunger in my stomach burned and longed for him.

I felt his body leave mine as he took his shirt and lifted over his head, throwing it onto the floor beside his jacket. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as he lowered himself to me, his lips meeting mine again. The warmth of his bare chest made my body tingle as my hands slid down his shoulders and across his muscles, touching the smooth skin.

"Stell…" He breathed as his lips trailed down to my neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses. "Hmm?" Was all I could say as his movement teased me, making my heart beat faster with every second. "Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked lifting his face to meet my eyes.

I smiled, nodding. "Of course I will." He smiled, beaming at me. And with that he pressed his lips down to mine again, my heart soaring.