- 7-

"Hurry up" Rafe groans from outside the changing room.

"I've literally been in here for like two minutes, you need to learn some patience." Stella backfires, already fed up with his whining. 

"Oh it's definitely been more than two minutes"

"Okay maybe like five, but still..."

"No its-"

"Shut up Rafe" Stella snaps, hearing him tut. "Wait what color is your suit?"

"Uh light blue, why?"

"Well, if i'm going to be your date." She pulls away the curtain revealing the light blue dress she was wearing, "We should probably coordinate. Yeah?"

Rafe runs his fingers through his hair, looking at her in dress.

"Cat got your tongue?" Stella teases, watching as his hand moves to his neck.

"Uh-oh ye- yeah, good idea" He nods.

"I know." She grins, earning an eye roll. " Um I should probably take this off now, can you... ?" She motions to the zip. Rafe reluctantly comes over, moving her hair the way to get to the zip. His cold ring accidentally touches her skin and she shivers slightly.

"Uh sorry." He mumbles, looking away from her.

"Um thanks." She closes the curtain in front of him to change back. She was definitely less than two minutes, wanting to get out and away from Rafe as soon as possible.

Stella stood awkwardly next to Rafe as they wait for the lady to pack up her dress.  They hadn't said anything to each other and it wasn't until the lady announced the total did she finally look at him , "You don't have to pay for it all" she says, feeling kind of guilty.

"No it's fine." He admits pulling out his card. He then bends down to her ear, "Totally worth it too."

She slaps his arm, no longer feeling guilty about how much he was spending on her, "Shut up."

There was even more silence on the car journey back, yet neither of them planned on starting up a conversation.  Stella taps her fingers against the side of the car, clearly annoying Rafe as he turned up the music.  Without stopping, she glances over a him. His jaw was tense as his eyes focused on the road, Stella had to hold back a smile, she took pleasure in annoying him. 

"I just don't feel like Topper is my splinter bean" Sarah tells her dad as Stella walks into the house with Rafe. The boy immediately heads upstairs without a words so Stella heads to the kitchen.

"I don't know exactly what that means, but it sounds to me like you should probably dump his ass."  Ward tells Sarah.

"I second that." Stella announces, similing at the younger Cameron. "Hey Sarah!"

"Maybe just not tonight, though. " Ward adds.

"Uh don't second that, but - " She stops as Ward gives her a look.

"I just don't want to go with him."

"I know. I know. What if you just paste on a smile and you go, and we have a good time, all right? And you deal with your love life mañana?" Ward suggest before walking off.

Stella goes to wrap her arms around Sarah's shoulders, "Is this about John B?" She whispers, taking Sarah by surprise.

 "How do you know?"

"He is one of my best friends, of course I know, besides he can't lie for shit." She chuckles.

"Oh... Also what are you doing here?"

"Im here to keep you company at Midsummers?"

"Really?" Sarah asks excited.

"Uh kinda. Technically Im Rafe's date." Stella cringes as the words leave her mouth.

"What?! But I thought you two hated each other."

"Don't get me started Sarah." Stella sighs, sitting next to her. " I've had to spend all afternoon with him getting a dress. But, let's just say we have a little deal in place."

"Okay.... at least  lemme see the dress." She holds out her hands.

"I plan on avoiding him most of the night anyway, so we can hang. Sound good?" Stella tells her as she hands the bag over.

"Sound great." She smiles, grabbing Stella's hand, "Now we gotta go get ready." 

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Stella walks into the event alone, not having to join the Cameron's with their entrance she scans the place until she  spotted Kie and Pope. She wastes no time in heading over there,  not wanting to get pulled into a conversation with a random Kook.

"Hey have you heard from JJ or Stella?"  Pope ask Kie, not knowing Stella would be there.

"No. JJ's got the survival instinct of a cockroach and Stella-" Kiarar spots her" Well there she is, looking all Kook-afied."

She pulls a face at Kie's words, " Ew no, don' say that."

"So since when did you become a Kook?" Pope questions.

She holds her hand up "Don't. I don't want to hear it, this is enough torture."

"Um so no explanation?" Kie asks as soon as the crowd starts clapping, they turn to see the Cameron's walks in. "Oh look, here come Lord Capital and the Exploiters."

"She's defiantly gonna poke somebody eye out with that." Pope states.

"and there's your explanation." Stella sighs. 

"Wait what?" The two pogues turn in shock. 

Stella presses her lips together, before admitting  "Uh I may or may not have to be Rafe date tonight."

"The fuck Stella, He beat up Pope and is the reason JJ was arrested"

"You don't think I know that? I didn't volunteer, he said if I come with him he would keep quiet about me and the gun the other day." She whispers quickly. 

"Those Kooks, get away with everything." Pope shakes his head.

"Mmmh tell me about it."

Stella managed to avoid Rafe for most of the night,  watching him from a distance as she hung out with either Kiara or Sarah.  It was dark out,  Stella found her self wandering around alone when she spots JJ. 

"Watcha doing?" She sneaks up to the boy dressed as a waiter.

"Jesus Stella! You can't just sneak up on a man like that." He holds his chest, "Im on a mission, what are you doing?"

"Um technically Im on my only little mission, that mission being keeping a secret safe. Oh and I wouldn't refer to yourself as man." She smirks at him as Pope runs up to JJ. 

"Whoa. Unexpected PDA there, Dr. Spock. But uh... hey, love you too, man" JJ kisses his cheek.

"Dude im sick over all this shit, man."

"You're sick?" JJ touches Pope's forehead "You don't seem sick."

"Im sick on the inside."

"Right. Well, I already knew that."

"Did Shoupe do that?" Pope points to JJ's face.

"Oh, this? No, this is my dad. You know? Its nothing that hasn't happened before" Stella leans her head against his shoulder as he explains to Pope..

"Im sorry. I shouldn't have let you take the fall for all this."

"Shut up Pope. John B and I got it all sorted out. We're back in the G-game baby."

"Oh so you guys finally came to an agreement then?"  

"Yup... be right back" He winks at her before heading over to Sarah. Stella watches as Rafe notices the pogue, shit. 

"... so why don't you guys just go ahead and wait by the bar?" She hears JJ tell them as she made her way over.

"No we're going-"

"Rafe, Hey. Considering Im suppose to be your date I've barley seen you." Stella interrupts,  plastering on a smile.  JJ looks at her confused but she ignores him, trying to get Rafe's attention. 

"Um im a little busy right now-"

"What? Busy being a dick? What's new, you know what, Im thirsty how about we go to the bar? It'll be quicker then him." She nods to JJ, holding her hand out for Rafe. "Come on, date."

Just when Stella  think she's convinced Rafe, JJ goes and ruins it,  "There are some hors d'oeuvres right there too, why don't you help yourself? You're used to that? Okay, I'll be right back." He starts walking away,

"We're actually gonna follow you in here just to make sure..." Rafe says before JJ starts running and they all follow him. 

"Fuck sake JJ." Stella mutters to herself, following as they all head into the men's room. 

"Hey what you doing in the locker room man?" Rafe calls out to JJ, as Stella walks in. "Hold him still. What- what do you think? A four Iron, right?"

"Five v one? How very Rafe of you. " She announces.

"Um this is the Men's locker room, so If you could please leave Estella that would be great?"

He turns his attention back to JJ, whose struggling against Kelce's grip. "Your face looks really bad. Starting to look like your dad a lot more." JJ spits on him. "Oh shit, all right."

"Gentlemen!" The head security walks in . "Is there a problem here guys ... and girl?" He notices Stella.

"Pardon me, officer. No there's not an issue. I just-"

"Uh yes there is an issue." Stella starts, glaring at Rafe

"Yes, the issue is we got a criminal trespass in progress here" JJ interrupts, "Beep! Call it in right? Blatant disrespect for private property. Im in violation of all kinds of shit, sir, but these young gentlemen.." He goes to touch Kelce's bow tie.

"Don't touch my shit."

"Uh caught me ,sir, and they're about to take me away. And that's what you should do, escort me out of here. You got me." The security guy grabs hold of JJ.

"You looking spiffy too. You Powerpuff girls have fun." he waves at them, Stella goes to follow but is pulled back.

"Uh where do you think you're going? Rafe asks. "We had a deal."

"Im g-"

"You know where will be Stells" JJ yells at her while getting pushed out the room. Stella hated him for leaving her there, but she knew if she left Rafe would give her hell.

"Im so glad you had your fun."  Stella turns back to Rafe.

"Yeah. I me too and im glad you can see that"

"Such a fucking pussy Rafe. You need your gang as back up? Can't take him alone?" She steps closer to him.

"Oh I could take him alone, I just like to have an audience."

Stella rolls her eyes, "Yeah alright. Im going to get a drink." She walks out and over to the bar. "Oh hey Diana, Can I get something strong?" Diana hands her a glass of brown stuff and she shots it down , gagging at the taste. "Another."

"Whoa. Whoa. Take it easy there. That's expensive shit." Rafe states.

"Oh good, make sure that goes under Cameron." Stella tell Diana as she gets handed another glass. "What do you want?" She sighs, feeling Rafe's gaze on her.

"Well you were complaining about the lack of attention I was giving my date so, here I am." He gestures, smirking.

"I was only saying it so you'd leave JJ alone."

"Mmh yeah right." He leans on the bar.

"You are so fucking irritating, you know that right?"

"What, I had no idea." He smiles. 

Stella rolls her eyes, turning to face him. With the obnoxious look still on his face, he takes the drink out of her hand. 

She goes to protest, but he's already drinking it. "Dickhead." She mumbles, walking away from him.

 "Ettie! Come on. " She could hear the amusement in his voice. 

"Goodbye Rafe." She yells back, not looking at him.