The first rays of dawn, like golden threads spun from a celestial loom, found Stella nestled in Michael's arms. His gentle snores were a lullaby, and the warmth of his body, a comforting cocoon.
She stirred, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she pressed a tender kiss to his temple. "Michael," she whispered, her voice still husky with sleep, "I have to go. My morning lecture awaits."
He stirred, his eyelids fluttering open, revealing pools of sleepy affection. "Lecture?" he mumbled, his voice a rumbling melody. "do you have lecture this morning?" Stella chuckled, a melodic sound that filled the quiet room. "Yes, i need to go and prepare."
He tightened his hold, a playful possessiveness in his gaze. "Just one more minute?" he pleaded, but Stella, though tempted, shook her head, her resolve as firm as the dawn itself.
Later that day, the bustling campus buzzed with the vibrant energy of students. Michael, amidst a flurry of laughter and animated conversation, found himself seated with his friends, Childi and Kingsley.
Their banter was light, their jokes infectious. Suddenly, Kingsley's eyes snagged on a figure moving with an ethereal grace towards the faculty building – Stella, her blue short gean a whisper against the pavement, her friend a vibrant splash of color beside her. Kingsley nudged Michael, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"Michael, look," he said, his voice tinged with a longing that transcended mere admiration. "The girl in the blue short. She's… she's my crush."
Michael, momentarily distracted from their jests, raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Kingsley?" he asked, a hint of disbelief in his tone. Kingsley nodded, his gaze fixed on Stella's retreating form. "Dead serious. She's like… starlight made real."
A pang of something akin to envy tightened Kingsley's chest as Michael, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, leaned in conspiratorially. "Well, Kingsley," Michael declared, his voice laced with a triumphant swagger that echoed through the quad, "that 'starlight' just left my house this morning. And let me tell you, I made her shine, brighter than any star."
The ensuing roars of laughter from Childi and Michael were a sharp jab to Kingsley's heart, Kingsley playful accused that Michael always claimed the most luminous girls on campus, a bitter truth that left him adrift in a sea of unspoken longing.
As Stella disappeared around a corner, her presence lingered, a beautiful, unattainable dream, a testament to the unspoken desires that danced in the liminal spaces between reality and imagination.
Meanwhile, Stella sat in the lecture hall, her eyes sparkling with the remnants of last night's memories. Despite the professor's voice echoing throughout the room, her mind was elsewhere, captivated by thoughts of Michael. She couldn't help but smile as she recalled the magical evening they'd spent together. Michael, with his charming smile and gentle touch, had been everything she'd hoped for and more.
As the lecture concluded, Stella lingered in her seat, lost in her own world. She absentmindedly scrolled through her phone, reliving the moments she cherished so dearly. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of Michael's warm embrace and the way he made her feel utterly special.
Soon, her friend Nelly joined her, plopping down into the seat beside her with a curious look. "Hey, Stella! What are you up to?" Nelly asked, peering over at Stella's phone.
"Oh, nothing much," Stella replied with a soft laugh. "Just scrolling through Facebook."
Nelly raised an eyebrow, her expression playful. "Really? Because I noticed you were grinning like a Cheshire cat all through the lecture. There's got to be something more to that smile. Spill the beans!"
Stella blushed, feeling the warmth spread across her cheeks. "Well, if you must know," she began, her voice filled with excitement, "I had the most amazing time with Michael yesterday."
"And who's Michael?" Nelly asked. Stella's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink as she recounted her encounter with Michael to her best friend, Nelly. It had been just last Monday, a day that seemed to sparkle with an extra bit of magic. She had been leaving the bustling canteen when Michael, with his charming smile, had approached her.
"He invited me to his house yesterday," Stella confessed, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "And guess what? I enjoyed every moment I spent with him."
Nelly, curious and slightly skeptical, leaned in closer. "Show me a picture of this guy you're praising so much," she requested, eager to see the face of the person who had captured her friend's heart.
Stella hesitated, her excitement momentarily dampened. "I don't have his picture right now," she admitted, "but I promise I'll take some photos later today."
With a sly smile, Nelly pulled out her phone, her fingers deftly scrolling through her photo gallery. She stopped at a picture and turned the screen towards Stella. "Is it this guy?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of mystery.
Stella's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized Michael's familiar face. "Yes, that's him!" she exclaimed, puzzled. "How do you have his picture?"
Nelly chuckled, a bittersweet laugh that echoed with memories. "Michael is the same guy who broke my heart a few months ago," she revealed, her tone a mix of warning and regret. "He's a playboy, Stella. He goes after all the girls on campus."
Stella's heart sank, but she refused to let doubt seep into her newfound happiness. "I don't believe you," she said, her voice firm. "Michael is different with me. I know it."
Nelly sighed, a mix of concern and affection for her friend. "I just don't want you to get hurt," she said gently. "Please, be careful."
But Stella, her heart set on defending the man she believed in, shook her head. "Stop saying those things about him, Nelly. It's not true."
Nelly stood up, her expression softening as she looked at her friend. "I hope you're right, Stella. Just don't lose yourself in a dream."
As Nelly walked away, Stella felt a storm of emotions swirling inside her. Doubt lingered at the edges of her thoughts, but her heart clung to the warmth and sincerity she had felt with Michael. Determined, she resolved to see for herself if the man she had met was truly the one Nelly had warned her about.