Adam stared at her quietly for a while. After a minute or so, he finally broke the silence lingering in the hallway. "I like you."
Stella stared back at him without blinking, even after he had given her his answer. "W-What?" She asked him, her voice barely a whisper but Adam caught on it.
"I said, I like you." Adam said once again, this time a bit slowly. "Why are you so quiet? You are the one who wanted to know why. Now, when I have told you, you are standing here so quietly." Adam looked at her amused.
"I-I" Stella tried to reply but nothing came out of her mouth. Adam kept looking at the little lady as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish.
"Don't tell me you are going to run for the hills now." He said grinning from ear to ear. "Stella?" He called her name softly. 'Say something, please.'
"Okay." He finally heard her voice after a few more minutes. He was flabbergasted, getting just an okay from her in response. 'I just told you that I like you. Who replies to that with an okay.'
"What do you mean by okay?" He couldn't help but ask her. "I just told you that I like you, and you are saying okay."
"Umm" Stella wanted to say something but her mind wasn't able to form words. Just as she was about to open her mouth again, she heard him.
"I know you don't like me back, and I don't expect you to. It's just there is something about you that attracts me towards you. No matter how hard I try, I just couldn't stay away from you. My eyes keep shifting to you whenever you are within my sight." His words made her eyes widen, her mind was hazy. No one has ever said such words to her. She didn't know how to reply to him.
"You were right that I treated you good for some reason. The reason is that I like you, I like you a lot. I couldn't help but worry about you. I cannot stand seeing you sad or unhappy. Whenever you tear up, it hurts me here." He said pointing to a finger to his chest.
"I don't expect you to return back my feelings. I don't want anything in return. Just let me continue liking you. Let me show you how I feel for you. I only have one request, don't take my right to like you from me." The mischievous grin was long gone from his face. He looked at her face intently, taking in all the minor changes in her expressions.
"Stella? You will let me do that, won't you?" He asked her, his voice barely audible. He was scared. He was scared not because she didn't like him back, but because she might take his right away to like her. He didn't mind following her for the rest of his life as long as she allowed him. But he was afraid that she might stop him from doing so, and he wouldn't be able to say no to her.
When he didn't hear a reply, he continued, "Stella! You are the only girl I have felt like this for. Please, just let me continue liking you, let me protect you, let me care for you. I am not asking anything in return. I don't even need anything In return. Just let me do these for you. Please?" He was almost begging her now, his eyes looking at the girl, filled with complex emotions.
"Will you allow me to do that?" He asked her once again. This time Stella replied to him with a hesitant nod. She was deep in thoughts. Though she didn't like him, she couldn't just his right to like someone from him, even if that someone is her. 'He has been treating me good so far, I just can't break his heart in return.' She thought inwardly.
"Stella, speak up. I want to hear it from you." Adam asked her, placing a finger under her chin and tilting it up slightly to make her look into his eyes. "Answer me Stella." He said once again.
Stella bit down on her lower lip and nodded. "It's up to you whom you like or not." She gave him a vague answer.
A smile bloomed on Adam's face. As long as she gave him a chance, he might be able to make her fall for him. He has never been this happy in his entire life.
"Thank you so much." He thanked her giving her a hearty smile. Their faces were inches apart, his finger still under her chin, holding it up, his other hand still on the wall, supporting his entire weight now.
His gaze fell on her natural pink lips as she bit down on the lower one again, making him gulp. He slowly leaned his head in, looking into her eyes, making her eyelids flutter like the wings of a butterfly.