why don&#x27;t you figure my heart out?

002

“I like you a lot, Stell, that’s why this is special. I really care about you so I want this night to be special. It’s all about you.” Dakota wasn’t an overtly romantic guy, this actually going out with a girl he cared about was fairly new, and Stella probably was the first girl he cared this much about so to be honest this was kind of scary. What if he messed up? Dakota thought the night was going well so far, but if it took a turn for the worst he’d be crushed. Stella was no longer just his best friend, the last few weeks had spoiled him with that and though Dakota would if he had to, he couldn’t truly imagine going back to being just her friend. Ever since he had told her Dakota had woken up each morning with Stella in his arms and a good morning kiss, and when he fell asleep at night it was with his lips against her shoulder or in her hair. That had spoiled Dakota, that feeling of safety and happiness and the thought that it could go away was pretty scary. He was falling hard for Stella and the thought that it could possibly not work out was very daunting. “You’re a special girl so the least I can do is spoil you a little” giving her a final smile Dakota kept his lips sealed as the waitress came back outside. It wasn’t that he didn’t want people to know he was sweet, it was just that he didn’t want anyone to hear what was just meant for Stella.

After they ordered and the waitress left Dakota leaned over a little bit to grab Stella’s chair and pull her towards him so their chairs were next to one another. Wrapping an arm around the top of her chair Dakota let his hand rest against her bare shoulder, staring out at the city. “I love London, it’s like it’s own little world. Full of personality and so beautiful, I can’t imagine living anywhere else in the whole world, you know?” glancing down at Stella, Dakota felt his heart skip a beat and reaching with his free hand Dakota couldn’t help but tip her chin up to press a tender kiss to her lips. Dakota couldn’t go back to pretending that she was just his best friend. Not when kisses felt so right and he felt himself falling harder for her every single day. This had to work out, he had never been so sure of something in his whole life. Stella wasn’t just a passing girl in his life, another hook up that he would forget about in two months time. Stella was always going to be there, whether or not they ended up together and Dakota knew this was special so he wanted this to go so well. Pulling away from the kiss, Dakota held Stella’s chin there for a moment a silly grin spreading across his face, “This is going to be really gross but I’m saying it anyway, the only thing prettier than London at sunset is you” leaning back in Dakota kissed her again, this time laughing against her lips at how cheesy it sounded. That was the problem, he was cheesy because Stella made him feel that way.

With every sweet word spoke, Stella could feel her heart swell. This was all so incredibly foreign to her, she didn’t even know what to say to Dakota at this point. “You already spoil me, this is like a whole new level,” she pointed out with a soft laugh while she shook her head, biting nervously on the inside of her cheek. Dakota was always exceptionally nice to Stella, always the perfect gentlemen and always doing things in her best interest and after these past few weeks, that had become more and more apparent to her. “You don’t owe me anything, you know,” Stella said with an easy smile, glancing over just as the waitress had come back for their orders. After stating what they wanted and sending the woman off again, Stella barely got a word out before Dakota had pulled her chair to be beside his. Stella shifted in her seat, sitting more comfortably and closer to the boy as his arm moved across the back of her chair. “It is incredibly beautiful here,” she agreed with him while crossing one leg over the other, looking out at the view that they had to admire it once more. “We don’t spend nearly enough time here when we’re here for shows.” Stella had only been here twice before, for two nights each, tops. She would love to actually be able to stick around a while, see some of the sights and some of the things that made Dakota love the city the way that he did.

He caught her attention by tilting her chin upward, her eyes averting to meet Dakota’s right before they closed and their lips touched gently. Bringing her own hand up, she wrapped her fingers around Dakota’s wrist while she kissed him back tenderly before the kiss was broken and he spoke again. These were the moments she’d never get sick of, the tender kisses and the soft spoken words, all of it was enough to send Stella into a tizzy. “You’re right, that was really gross,” she teased, grinning before their lips met again, Stella giggling as she kissed the boy back with all the fondness in her heart. This night was off to a perfect start, and as long as she spent the entirety of it with just her and Dakota, she knew it’d go off without a hitch. Once Stella pulled away, just far enough to where she could get a good look at Dakota face, she smirked. “But I do appreciate it,” she added, reaching over her shoulder as she grabbed Dakota’s hand, interlocking their fingers as she tugged it down to where his arm was now resting over her shoulders, making her feel warmer and more comfortable simply because of their proximity. “Seriously, I’m liking this painfully sweet Dakota, I’d like to keep him,” Stella giggled as she leaned further into the boy’s side, scrunching her nose up as she looked up at him while squeezing his hand that she held securely with her own.

002

Keeping Stella close Dakota ignored people calling at him in the restaurant. All he wanted was an hour. One hour of someone not calling him name, not asking for a picture, not asking for a photograph. One hour of complete devotion to Stella because she deserved that and so much more but at this time it was hard to give her that alone time. In a few weeks when they were off tour Dakota had an idea to take her somewhere they wouldn’t be known but that couldn’t happen until he didn’t have to play every other night at some venue. When they finally made it outside Dakota was able to breathe and giving Stella an easy smile he pulled out her chair before sitting across from her. “Just you and me” he whispered reaching across the table to take her hand a rub a thumb over the top, affectionately. She was so wonderful, so lovely and she had no clue and Dakota wanted to spoil the hell out of her. He was going to do a bit of that tonight, but he also didn’t want to come off too obsessed. He wanted Stella to care about him, not be scared of his feelings. As the waiter brought over a bottle of wine Dakota nodded his thanks, waiting for the girl to disappear back into the restaurant before he spoke. “Everything’s good, I’ve had everything on the menu” he told her, bringing her hand up to his lips to press a gentle kiss to the top before letting their hands fall against the table again as he looked over the menu “I think I’m going to have tortellini, their pasta’s the best” he nodded, before taking a sip of his wine glass. “Order whatever you want, love, this night’s all about you”.

Looking out over the city Dakota found himself falling further in love with London with Stella by his side. It was a beautiful place with lots of character, every place you went there was a story and though he wasn’t born in the city Dakota never thought he could live anywhere else. He had seen the globe but there wasn’t a more beautiful place that he had ever been. “My parents used to come here a lot when I was growing up” Dakota explained, “It was their favorite. They got engaged here and had their first date here. So it’s sentimental, and this is weird to tell you but this place has always meant a lot to me. I don’t normally take people here because I’m so worried that it’ll taint the memories, you know” he was kind of rambling but Dakota was so focused on not making things awkward that he didn’t really noticed. He wanted things to go smoothly and for her to feel comfortable not like this was a huge deal “But you know, you’re my best friend and a dork so like I don’t think you could taint the memory if you tried your damnedest” he teased, “You’re too much of a wuss to have a mean bone in your body, even towards me so I’m sure night will just go sickeningly perfect”.

There was a certain something about the atmosphere between the two that Stella couldn’t quite put her finger on, but she could tell it had to do with the change in the scenery. It had been a few weeks since their night in the park and of course things were different, but Stella and Dakota were still just that, Stella and Dakota. Sure, there was a more flirting and definitely a lot more kissing, but things didn’t feel different, until now. As they sat at this nice restaurant all by themselves with no one but the city beneath them, Stella could finally feel the change. It was almost overwhelming, Stella could feel the nerves in her chest and in her stomach but she didn’t mind it. It was an awakening feeling, the one that every girl hopes to feel when she’s on a date with a boy she may really like. She could admit herself that she had never had that feeling, of course she had been nervous before on a date but this wasn’t like that. Here as she sat across from Dakota, her best friend, while he held her hand and spoke sweet nothings across the small table, she knew this was different. She knew this date and this night mattered, and whether or not she and Dakota were to be anything more than friends after tonight, she knew that he would most likely always be in her life and that she would remember this night to hopefully be a great one, despite whatever outcome.

With her full attention on him, Stella laughed. “Wow, that was almost romantic,” she mused, a smirk stretching the corners of her lips upward as her foot found Dakota’s beneath the table, giving the side of it a light kick. Including the side comments, the gesture itself was incredibly sweet, and Stella appreciated it even without mentioning so because this place meant something to Dakota, so much that he didn’t bring just anyone here, and the fact that Stella wasn’t just anyone to him made her feel special, and she really liked that feeling. Before allowing the moment to soak in any further, Stella finally decided on the Spaghetti Bolognese off of the menu before she closed it and set it back down on the table. “I always forget that it’s legal for me to drink here,” she grinned while she picked up her wine by the stem of the glass, taking a sip of the white wine. “Makes me feel all sophisticated,” Stella joked, her tongue dragging lightly across her bottom lip to be sure she caught all of the liquid as she sat her glass back down on the table. “You know, I’ve never really been on a date like this,” she admitted while turning her head to look out at the city again. While tucking a stray curl whipping around her face from the stray wind, she smiled to herself. “Spoiling me already, aren’t you, Stone?” she teased relentlessly while glancing back to Dakota. It was true though, most of the other dates Stella had been on before felt so juvenile compared to this, she could see the effort that Dakota was putting forth tonight already and it made all the difference in the world.

002

Dakota was a little on edge as he sat in the car with Stella. Fans were pressed against the window and banging on the side of the car and he felt his insides turn as he pulled Stella into him, holding onto her tightly and refusing to speak until they had gotten out of the big part of the crowds. Once outside Dakota relaxed a little, allowing her to sit on her own and not being so pushy. “You wouldn’t survive here, love” Dakota smiled, his hand reaching out to intertwine with hers. “It rains all the time and it gets pretty cold, your little Texas blood couldn’t handle it. You’d go from a ball of literal sunshine to the most depressing person I know if you lived here permanently” he teased. Dakota loved London. It was an amazing place to grow up. Though he wasn’t directly in the city it was close enough that he came quite regularly whether that was by car or when he was old enough train. His weekends were spent here and that was how he met the other guys. It had this amazing punk scene and tons of bands were always playing around so he had met the other guys at a concert, formed friendships, and realized about a year later that they were all massively talented. Talented enough to start their own band and now three years after that they were touring the world and playing for sold out venues. It was the literal dream and Dakota gave all credit to London for that one. In any other city it might not have worked but it did in London.

"Smoking weed in old men’s barns?" Dakota asked a smirk biting his lips as he scooted closer to Stella, "I can arrange for that if you’d like. I’m sure I can find some old farmhouse for you to light up in. You know we can skip dinner and all our other plans and just go get high in some barn and relive your childhood" Dakota told her, nodding, joking obviously. "And maybe then we can go find a waterin’ hole and some horses and some cattle" now he was just mocking her accent and Texas but he couldn’t really help it, making fun of Stella and her home was probably his favorite thing to do. His little redneck, that’s what she was and though Stella was totally not a redneck by any means Dakota still liked to tease her about it. She was sophisticated and played off the worldly, big city girl role quite well and it was funny because the first time he met Stella, Dakota barely believed that she was from Texas let alone a small town in Texas. She just didn’t come off like the type he saw in movies with their short shorts and braids and horribly thick accent. Pulling up to the restaurant Dakota got out of the car, holding the door for Stella. "This is my favorite place in London, my parents used to take me when I was younger on birthdays and such. It has the best food of anywhere" he told her, holding her hand tightly as he led the way into the restaurant. He didn’t even have to tell the hostess his name, she knew because Dakota had made sure to make proper arrangements such as booking out their private balcony so he and Stella could eat in peace. If anyone saw him here it wouldn’t matter because there was no way they were reaching them, Dakota had made sure that they were given the utmost privacy.

Stella was relieved when Dakota had visibly began to lighten up after the small encounter with fans. She didn’t want him to worry about all of that, even though she knew he would anyways, he always did. But she knew as he began to tease her again, all was well. “Shut up,” she groaned, giggling as she nudged her shoulder against Dakota’s arm now that he had scooted close enough that they were touching. Stella knew that as soon as she had mentioned back home and Texas that Dakota would start the jokes, which didn’t bother her at all. If anything she may have enjoyed them, because it usually ended up with him faking a southern accent which was always entertaining. “It’s too late for that, I can’t go in a barn wearing this,” she scoffed while looking down at herself before back at Dakota. “Do you know how uncomfortable it is to sit on a bale of hay in a dress this short?” she questioned him with a crooked grin before her gaze was taken back out the window as the car stopped in front of a restaurant. “Maybe another time, I’ll break out the overalls and flannels for that one. Gotta dress the part.” Stella could laugh with Dakota about his incessant teasing, she could even join in and all was well. She knew that being from Texas gave for ample opportunity for stereotypes, in which she heard about all her life but she only ever really found them humorous when Dakota brought it up, she was sure that he didn’t realize how much she often fell under those stereotypes when she was back at home for longer periods of time.

While leaving her cardigan in the seat, Stella slid out of the seat after Dakota and smooth down the skirt of her dress so it wasn’t sticking out any. “The best food of anywhere, huh?” Stella smiled as she followed Dakota up the few steps to the door and inside the building, close behind him with their hands locked together tightly. She took in her surroundings as they had entered, and the place was moderately busy which made her a little anxious knowing that it was possible that people in this place would recognize Dakota. So, when she realized that the hostess was leading them through the crowd and outside of the massive dining area, Stella let out a breath of relief. The balcony was empty, and only one table was set for two, causing the girl to smile to herself as she looked out over the railing and the few that they had straight into the city. It was a beautiful view, and much more peaceful and calm out here than it had been inside. “This is perfect,” she commented as the two of them were seated and given waters, their menus and silverware before the hostess was off again without another word. Scooting her chair in closer to the table, Stella had her ankles crossed beneath the table and her hands folded in her lap as she looked down at the menu that was opened to the first page. “What do you usually get here?” she asked Dakota as she scanned through the options, not having the slightest idea of what she would pick through all that they had.

002

"I’m pretty sure your Mum would never believe that I threw you in the Thames" Dakota smirked setting their intertwined hands on her hips. "She likes me far too much to believe I’m capable of that, which makes you quite the easy victim" he smirked leaning in to press his lips to her ear, wanting to kiss her but not wanting to mess up her lipstick especially with the fact fans would be outside. "As for what we’re doing this evening. We have a lot to do. I can tell you we’re going to dinner somewhere and then I’m taking you to be a little tourist and then I have another surprise up my sleeve, but that’ll be revealed a bit later" Dakota smiled giving her forehead a kiss before pushing himself away from Stella. He had quite a bit planned, a lot more than Stella was definitely expecting, and a lot more than the effort he’d put into a normal date. It was just that this was Stella and she deserved a good date that would be about them, not him, and with who he was and where they were it would be a little difficult but Dakota was feeling confident he had found the perfect solution with a few strings pulled and a few tricks he had up his sleeve. Dakota wanted this to be memorable and though there was no way seeing into the future even if they were nothing more than friends after this date he wanted her to remember this, remember that she was special enough for someone to put so much effort into a date.

As the elevator stopped Dakota suddenly became tense. He wasn’t ready for this, not to drag her out with a bunch of people waiting to say hello and ask for autographs and photos and normally he didn’t mind but tonight was different. He couldn’t stop tonight because this wasn’t about the band now, it was about his relationship with Stella. Gripping her hand tightly, Dakota led the way out of the elevator one of his band body guards waiting just outside. A word into his headset and Dakota knew the car was being pulled around. Normally he’d just walk but things were unpredictable in their home and he didn’t want to chance anything with Stella. He could handle crowds but he never wanted to put her in a situation where she could possibly get harmed so instead they’d just take a car, it was much safer. “You do look beautiful tonight, I’ll probably tell you ten more times tonight but I just thought you should know” Dakota smiled down at Stella. It was weird how she was almost his height but he wasn’t going to complain her legs looked too fantastic in those for him to complain. When the car was pulled up Dakota held Stella’s hand tightly following the body guard to the entrance of the hotel. Pulling her tightly to him Dakota ducked his head and followed the burly man outside, the screaming deafening as they made their way through the crowd. People were reaching at him and grabbing at him, calling his name but Dakota had no time nor patience as he practically dragged Stella through the mess. It was only like fifteen feet but it felt like thirty years to get to that point as Dakota tried to stay cheery, letting Stella get into the car ahead of him before climbing in the door shutting with a sold thud after them. “Bloody nuts” he mumbled ruffling his hair as he looked over at Stella “Let’s just hope that’s all we see tonight, I think I might go deaf if I have to face any more crowds this evening”.

Although the crowds never really bothered her before, she was a little uneasy this time. As they quickly maneuvered through the girls, Stella was sure to give off small waves and smiles just in hopes that she wouldn't have to read later about how big of a bitch she was because she didn't acknowledge the fans and she was stealing Dakota from the bands and the fans, blah blah blah. Letting out a sigh of relief as she climbed into the back, sliding to the middle seat to allow Dakota in as well but still able to be beside him. As the car took off, Stella leaned her head back against the rest on the seat, turned toward Dakota. "I'm sure it'll be alright," she assured him with a slight one sided shrug as she offered him a small smile. She hoped that there wouldn't be too many more fan encounters either, but that wasn't something that either of them could control. Either way, Stella wasn't about to let fans bring down her mood. As the car made it out of the lot, Stella watched the the busy street as they were driven through the heart of the city, where their hotel was located. Even though she had been here once before last summer with the tour, Stella was still in awe when they did come to London. There was something about the city that sent her in awe. Maybe it being a big city in general, or maybe it being where the band was from anyways was just enough to peak her interest. The fact that someone she was so close to had grown up in an environment so different from what she had.

"London is so beautiful," Stella mused, her gaze still steadily out the window as a thoughtful smile settled over her features. She held her hands in her laps while idly twirling her thumbs as they made it down the busy streets, slowly through the short roads and stop and go traffic. "Your house isn't too far out of the city, right?" Stella asked curiously as she looked back at Dakota. She had only visited once the last time she was here, spending most of the other time in the hotel or in the center of the city doing whatever touristy thing Dakota had wanted her to do. Stella crossed one leg over the other, her knee lightly bumping against Dakota's. "I'd love to live closer to the city, but maybe not Houston," she said with a slight laugh as she let her eyes wander out the window again. "Maybe Dallas. But definitely London," she added in conclusion with a smile as she nodded her head quickly. Stella never had a problem with where she lived, she loved the countryside on most days but at heart she knew she was a city girl, that's how she ended up with the job she had today and loved every second of it, being in a different city nearly every night. "But there's just always something to do in the city, where back home the only thing to do was mess around in the local Walmart or break into those old men's barns in the middle of the night and smoke weed. Not my cup of tea," Stella smirked as she lifted her head to shake it at the thought of how bored she used to get back at home. She never had that problem these days.

002

Dakota was not very happy when at promptly 9 am he was kicked out of her hotel room and sent to his own. It was a date and yet Stella treated it like they were getting married, something about how he couldn’t see her without picking her up first. So Dakota had spent the majority of his day lying in bed and bothering Stella with a million emojis and random videos he found on twitter for her. Dakota already had the evening planned and he was excited. First off, to take Stella out. He had only been thinking about this since the day he met her and so being able to take her out and doing the whole date thing was going to be exciting. It would be their first proper date one that mattered and so he had this planned for weeks. He was also excited to show her London, the London he knew and though he knew they’d be battling fans and cameras all night it was going to be more than worth it. She was more than worth it. After sending the tenth pick up line in the last hour Dakota knew he probably should get ready and checking on is reservations at his favorite restaurant in the center of downtown he rolled away to his closet to find some clothing. What was appropriate for a first date? He didn’t want to go too fancy but obviously jeans and a cut off t-shirt was not going to work. That’s when the nerves started to hit, was this actually going to work out?

It took twenty minutes but finally Dakota decided on a pair of jeans, not ripped thank you very much, a random black band tee, and his leather jacket. Leather was nicer than jean, right? He thought it looked better and once he was dressed Dakota knew that overthinking it would only lead him to be late and Stella didn’t give a flying fuck about him being a rockstar so that excuse wouldn’t work. Making sure his hair looked somewhat decent and a few sprays of cologne later Dakota was on his way down the hall, feeling in his pocket for his wallet and phone before arriving at her door and knocking. It took Stella a minute but as soon as she opened the door Dakota was floored. Stella was beautiful, there was no denying that but looking like this? It left him with a dry mouth and swallowing hard he let out a nervous laugh “You look great” he told her, shaking his head as the nervousness only grew deeper. She had to wear his favorite dress, of fucking course, she couldn’t have chosen any other outfit but the dress he remembered from the first time he met her. The dress that had caused him way too many non-platonic thoughts and now here she was wearing it and looking like a fucking angel. “Christ Stell, I’m starting to think you don’t want to go out with me because you’re making it very difficult for me to leave this hotel. Like I’m not sure if you know this or not but looking this bloody gorgeous only makes me want to put that dress on the floor and order takeout”.

As Stella sat on her bed waiting for Dakota to arrive, she felt her nerves growing by the second. She was always nervous when it came to dates, especially with guys she liked and Dakota -- well, he was one that she really, really liked. At the sound of a rap on the door, Stella nearly jumped out of her skin as she stood up. Sliding her wristlet holding her phone, some money and her key card into the pocket of her cardigan, she draped it over her arm and took quick strides to the door before pulling it open. As soon as her eyes met Dakota, Stella let out the breath she had been holding for no reason, stepping closer into the doorway. Before she could even greet him, Dakota had her blushing at his compliments. As she quickly shook her head she stepped out into the hallway and let the door shut behind her. "Please, no take out tonight -- for once, or putting my dress on the floor, I don't want it to get wrinkled," she giggled as she brushed her dark curls off of her bare shoulder. Joking her way through the sexual innuendo was something Stella was used to doing with Dakota, but now it was different, Stella didn't take those comments as lightly as she used to; now the idea of actually having sex with Dakota was a very real and relevant topic, and she couldn't help but feel her hands clam up when she thought about it, which was more often than she would have liked to admit. "I've got a date with a super hot rockstar," Stella grinned up at Dakota as she walked beside him down the hallway toward the elevators. Despite even being in heels, Dakota still had a few inches on her, which she most certainly didn't mind. She felt as if they fit right together with their differences in heights. Dakota was so tall and Stella was fairly short, so they evened each other out nicely.

As the two of them made it to the elevators, the door opened and a few older guests of the hotel stepped out allowing Dakota and Stella to step into the empty lift. Stella hit the floor level button and leaned against the walls as the doors closed, only speaking as they began down. "So what's on the agenda for this fine evening?" Stella hummed, looking at Dakota as she reached out to catch his hand, lacing her fingers through his as she lightly tugged on it to pull him closer in front of her. "Or are you not going to tell me? You know, momma always told me that was a red flag. So I'm hoping you don't end up killing me and throwing my body into the Thames River, because you'd have a very angry heard of rednecks after you if you did." Stella couldn't even keep a straight face at the threat, though nodding her head quickly. Obviously she wasn't actually concerned with how the night would unfold, she trusted Dakota fully and she knew that he had a plan, this whole week he'd dropped subtle hints about the night because they were both well excited. It had been weeks since they both decided on their feelings, and the date that they had talked about didn't come as soon as either of them wanted it to, so this was kind of a big deal and a long time coming for the both of them at this point.

002

In her own hotel room for what felt like the first time this entire tour, Stella was rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off. The band made it to London late last night and Dakota had of course, crashed in Stella's room almost right after they checked into the hotel. Yet almost as soon as they both woke in the morning, Stella had kicked the boy out. Since tonight was their big first date, Stella wanted to stick to the tradition and having Dakota pick her up was a part of that. Even if her room was right down the hall from his. But of course, even when they weren't together he had kept her plenty distracted majority of the day, between their irrelevant overuse of emojis and exchanging bad knock-knock jokes over text messaging, Stella still found herself in a hurry to get ready when the time came. By now she had successfully showered, dried and curled her hair and only just slowed down to do her makeup and be sure that she was presentable for the date. With perfectly winged eye liner and a bolder pink lipstick, Stella called it a wrap and moved onto picking out her outfit. She had narrowed down her choices to three before today and they all laid across her bed now ready to be reviewed. The first was a cropped tank top matched with a pair of floral shirts but now that felt too casual, so that was ruled out. The second was a high-low sundress, which she now wasn't all too fond of which ruled that one right out, causing her to chose option three.

Option three was a powder blue sundress littered with clusters of flowers. This dress was one of her favorites, mostly because of the built in cups that really pushed up her boobs that she felt were already too small, and also because of the flowy skirt that ended about mid thigh. After the decision was final, Stella shrugged off her robe and slid into the dress, standing in front of the mirror for review. Stella stood there with a slight smile, pleased with the end result. The dress did wonders for her chest, as well as made her legs look significantly longer because of the short length of the skirt. Adding to that effect, she paired the dress with a gold statement necklace and a pair of golden wedges, strapping them on with a happy sigh. She was ready for the night, feeling confident and excited to spend a little more alone time with Dakota. Their first date. She could admit that she was a little nervous, knowing that tonight would be different than any of their previous adventures out together. This was the real thing, the real thing that defined the two as more of a couple than a set of friends who liked each other as more. Stella had virtually no idea what was planned for the night ahead -- and that most definitely added to her nerves, but considering London was Dakota's home city she felt at ease, knowing he was familiar with the place. After glancing at the clock, Stella realized Dakota would be arriving at any moment, so dabbed on her favorite perfume and grabbed a dark blue slouchy cardigan to take along in case she got chilly at any point of the night, sitting on the edge of the bed as she waited to hear from her date.

It still didn’t process in Dakota’s mind as he sat staring at Stella that she was actually attracted to him. In a totally not-platonic, I want to make out with your face kind of way. He had thought about saying this hundreds of times but never actually pictured her returning his feelings. Usually in his mind these things ended up with a very platonic hug as Stella told him he would always just be her best friend, and then he was okay with that. But yet she totally was not doing that. She said he could touch her butt and that in itself was a big deal. And she agreed to go on a date with him? Jesus Christ as appealing as making out with her sounded he now felt nervous knowing he had to plan the perfect date, not that he minded at all it was just that this was Stella and this was a big deal and some half-assed date would not do, he had to plan and there was no time to make out when he had so much to do. But just like any normal boy his age the moment Stella said non-platonic kissing his mind was back in the moment instead of being scared. “Not-so platonic kissing you say” Dakota smirked, licking his lips, “Well there is a teeter totter you were interested in earlier” he winked, teasing her as he hopped off the top of the rock they were sitting on. “Let’s find somewhere safer to not-so platonic make out because that might kind of ruin the mood if I knock you off this thing, might make you rethink your answer there” without waiting for her to climb off Dakota simply plucked her from the structure, carrying her away from the play structures to a nice, safe grassy area where he definitely would not accidentally throw her off of.

"I’m sorry I’m being weird, I just can’t believe you actually return my feelings" Dakota admitted as he sat down in the grass, leaving Stella in his lap as he gently tucked some hair behind her ear. "I always imagined you telling me that we were just friends and that would be it. I mean I’m weird and you’re really weird so I figured you’d always thought that much weirdness should only be restricted to friendship purposes" chewing on his lower lip Dakota adjusted his grip on her so that she was facing him, "I never actually planned for you to like me too. I mean except one time but that involved you hitting your head so that was completely unrealistic" he smirked, "And then you were talking about that boy back home, god he’s one unlucky son-of-a-gun" leaning forward, tentatively, Dakota’s thumb stroked over her cheek as he kissed her once again, this time light-barely allowing their lips to touch as he simply relished in the feeling it was her breath against his skin and her skin beneath his hand, "You’re just so beautiful. So beautiful and so smart" his words were a whisper as he pressed a deeper kiss into her, his hand sliding from her face to rest against the back of her neck. Dakota had kissed plenty of girls, especially since he joined the band, but kissing Stella was like an out of body experience. It made his heart flutter and soften in a way that not many could get out of him, he wasn’t a gentle guy but Stella made him want to be sweeter just for her. Pulling away from the kiss his hands found her face once more, this time his eyes searching over it curiously "I’m such a lucky guy to call you my best friend, I don’t think I’ll ever know what I did to deserve someone like you in my life".

Once the two had made it to the grass, Stella had shifted in Dakota's grip by moving her legs to where there was on on either side of him, the heels of her boots against the grass behind him. While slowly moving her arms over Dakota's neck and loosely around his neck, Stella grinned. "Well, I'd like to think there's not a limit on weirdness," she smirked, lighting running his fingers through the strands of hair nearing the start of Dakota's neck. "You honestly didn't think you had a chance?" she asked, finding that hard to believe. Not that Stella had ever done anything to convince him their friendship was more, she never did the opposite either. "I don't see how I wouldn't feel the same, y'know," she shrugged her shoulder, biting down on her lip. She wasn't used to just talking so openly about her feelings, and even if they had both established it, she still couldn't help but feel nervous. "From day one you've always been this incredibly sweet guy. When we first met I wasn't expecting you to be so.. nice and like, relatable? We were always just so alike. But not, at the same time?" her voice grew smaller as she was unsure what she was even saying and she felt slightly embarrassed sharing this with Dakota, who would most likely gently tease her about it. Stella giggled quietly, as he moved in and she tilted her chin up to bring them closer. "I promise it wouldn't take head trauma for me to decide that I like you," she said quietly, now well aware of their close proximity and the way the boy's warm breath lingered over her lips. The rate of her heartbeat felt as if it sped up significantly after realizing just how close the two were, and how aware she was of Dakota and the entire situation.

At the mention of the boy back home, Stella scrunched up her nose. "He was nothing. It was just a crappy date," she assured him, completely honestly. "I will admit, he never directly offered sex on a teeter totter right after the first kiss, but still, I prefer the oh-so charming boy that did," Stella pointed out, giggling as her nose lightly brushed against Dakota's affectionately before their lips touched gently just barely, enough to leave Stella wanting more. As Dakota pulled away, she kept her eyes shut, letting the touch of his rough and calloused hand against her cheek send butterflies through her stomach all the way to her chest. He was more gentle with her than he'd ever been before as he spoke quietly, the whole rest of the world seeming to fade away as she sat there and relished in his words and the compliments he fed her, giving her more meaning then they'd ever had before when they came from him. Stella felt as he leaned, kissing him back as his lips touched hers. The more they did it, the more Stella found herself wanting to kiss him; to feel how soft his lips were in a way she'd never thought they would be before. When he pulled back, she finally opened her eyes to meet Dakota's. "You didn't have to do anything," she said quietly with a bashful smile as she brought one hand forward to rest on top of Dakota's that was planted on her cheek. "You just being you was enough to keep me here and to make me like-like you." Stella grinned as she ran the side of her thumb against Dakota's fingers. "I ask myself the same thing -- I've never had a guy treat me like you do and make me feel as good as you do -- friend, or even boyfriend.. I've never had that before you." And that was the truth, Stella wasn't used to being treated the way Dakota had always treated her, and that was something she had always and would always treasure about him.

Dakota truly had thought he was ready for this but the moment Stella started answering he began to realize just how truly unready he was for all of this. Staring at her dumbfounded any passerby would think that Stella had just dropped this bomb of new information on Dakota, not the other way around. It was like he was surprised she actually liked him for more than a friend and truthfully he was. Dakota wasn’t trying to be depressing but when it came to most girls he was always just “the friend”. Not that he minded. He believed friendship was good and that being the friend was not a consolation prize for being rejected, it was a prize all in itself equal to someone sharing his feelings but hearing that a girl like Stella could possibly think of him in a romantic way was just shocking. She was so beautiful and so smart and so normal, and he was this guy with colored hair who played a guitar for a living. Sure there were thousands of girls who had crushes on him but at the same time it never ceased to amaze him that someone thought he was worthy enough of their affection. It was always an uncomfortable thing because Dakota had never been an irresistible guy growing up and now girls actually found him attractive and that was bizarre. Obviously he had gotten more attractive thanks to puberty and the fact that since he was in the spotlight he had to actually take care of his hair and you know lose a little weight, but at the same time Stella was a ten and he was a six and only in the movies did tens actually like sixes.

As she wrapped herself up in his lanky frame Dakota was still not entirely sure where this was going. He wasn’t sure if this was friendly cuddling or no you can totally make out with my face cuddling. It wasn’t that Stella was giving him mixed signals it was just that his mind was frozen and not working so therefore everything just seemed like it could go either way. And her kissing him took him by just as much surprise as him kissing her probably had given her, but then again Dakota was really not as smooth as Stella gave him credit for so even though she was kissing him he was still kind of unsure about everything. Pulling away from the kiss Dakota kind of moved away from Stella bringing his hands up as his brows furrowed “Wait so let me get this straight? I’m allowed to kiss you?” he asked, smooth-very smooth on his behalf. “Like you’re not going to push me off this rock and break my arm for it?” probably not the most romantic of statements but Dakota was relatively new at this, he lacked the suave essence that most guys would have in this situation. “And you actually like me? Like like-like me? Like I can kiss you and touch your butt and I’m not going to get smacked? Or Like me like we’re still just bffs, I’m just kissing you because I feel bad” It wasn’t a hard concept but Dakota’s mind just couldn’t wrap around the fact that someone like Stella could ever like someone like him. “I mean I hope it’s the first one because I’d really like the idea that this kissing thing isn’t just a one time deal and that I can take you on a date. But if it’s the latter then I’m still totally taking advantage of this sympathy right now because I have about several million kisses stored up for you and you know I think this playground is a pretty platonic place for us to make out”.

Stella knew that she hadn't given Dakota a direct answer, she really didn't know what to say to give him the green light, so she figured kissing him would be enough of an indication even for Dakota's thick head. Apparently not. The initial shock of Dakota's declaration had worn off, especially now that the boy before her was back to being confused and joking around like she knew her friend to do. It was comforting knowing that she wasn't the only one completely surprised about the entire situation. Whatever cool and composed attitude Dakota had held before was gone now, as he pulled away and questioned Stella, causing her to laugh at the slew of questions. "I'm not going to push you off the rock and break your arm," she started, talking through her laughter as she scooted forward and turned herself around so she could look at the boy in front of her. "I guess I should have been more specific, I give you full permission to kiss me and touch my butt -- because I like-like you." Stella felt ridiculous having to explain herself, especially using the phrase "like-like", as if the two were a couple of middle school kids who didn't have the slightest clue of what a real relationship was. Well, the reality of it was -- Stella knew. Stella had been with boys before, even seriously at a point or two, and never had she wanted it as badly as she did with Dakota and only now she was realizing this.

Dakota had never just been her best friend, he was always something more but Stella just couldn't decide on what..but now it was all clear to her. The giddy feeling in her chest was all because of Dakota. As Stella sat back leaning on her hands, she shook her head. "I also really like the idea of this kissing thing not being a one time thing, and I'd love to go on a date with you," she added. "Now does that answer your question clear enough?" Knowing she had come off more clear this time, she decided that the ball was on Dakota's court and he could either make his move now, or continue to scratch his head in question as to wonder if this was real life or not. Even though the entire topic had only just now been brought to the surface, Stella had never been more sure of her feelings toward the crazy, colored haired boy that sat right there in front of her. Slowly, her eyes wandered over the width of the park once more before landing back on Dakota. "I hope that this playground is just as suitable for some not-so-platonic kissing as well, because I'm more looking for that from you," Stella stated, a smirk curving up the corners of her lips.

Dakotas wasn’t all too sure why he had chosen this exact moment to kiss Stella. It had been something on his mind for a while, since before their month long break. Practically since the moment he had met her. It was just that every moment was filled with fans or the guys or his manager. Someone always got in the way of their moments and sure they had alone time-in his bed at night-but that didn’t seem like the appropriate time either. Dakota wanted to kiss her so Stella knew he wanted to kiss her and not just get in her pants. He wanted to sleep with her, yeah, but it was so much more than lust between them. The kiss was more than lust and he wanted her to see that this wasn’t just his way of getting her to hook up with him. But there had never been the perfect moment, until now. It could have been the silence, or maybe the moonlight, or the glimmer in her eyes. Just all of it combined had resulted in Dakota acting instinctively and kissing her. He didn’t regret it. Not even now as she slid away from him. Stella could tell him not to do that ever again and Dakota would be fine. He was happy with himself that he had just done it because if he hadn’t then he was always going to wonder what would have happened if he wasn’t a chicken. He deserved more than questions and Stella deserved more than silly games of the heart. So he had done what was probably inappropriate due to the fact that he had never spoken about his feelings towards Stella, not even the guys knew how he really felt-he had just kept it to himself. Until now. ”Why?” Dakota repeated the question, nodding, but not making any moves closer to her or away from her. He wasn’t going to hide his face in embarrassment and he wasn’t going to get all gushy with her. He was going to be Dakota and be real and honest, like he always had been with Stella. “It just felt right” Dakota told her simply, a shrug rolling effortlessly off his shoulders.

"I’ve wanted to do that for a while. Probably since the day I met you but it just never seemed the right time to do it, you know? There are always people around and then when we’re alone it would just feel skeevy. I have too much respect for you to kiss you in my hotel room because kissing you there would have given the connotation that I just wanted to have sex with you when truly that’s not my goal" he explained truthfully, reaching a hand up to ruffle his colored hair. "I like you, Stell. The first time I laid eyes on you it was just kind of like ‘wow’ but then I got to know you and you’re not just this pretty girl, you’re incredibly rad, and you’re my best friend which is weird because I’ve never met a girl I could actually stand long enough to befriend. You’re smart and you call me out on my shit and you drive me up the wall, but it makes me like you even more. And I don’t want you thinking I was only being your friend because I like you in a romantic way because that’s a fucking lie. If you’re not about this then cool, you’re still my best friend and tomorrow I’ll probably instagram a pic of you sleeping like usual. If you are then cool, let’s make out and I’ll take you on a proper date in our next city. Either way you’re still coming back to my hotel and cuddling because this doesn’t change anything. You’re still my Stella, and I’m still your Dakota. It’s just I needed to kiss you so that way I didn’t have to think about it anymore. If I didn’t kiss you then I’d always regret it and wonder why I didn’t stop being a twat for five minutes and do it. Now I don’t have to worry about it. I did it. I kissed you and it was pretty fucking fantastic, just as good as I thought it would be, and I don’t regret doing it. As I said if you’re cool with it then I’m going to kiss you again, but if you’re not then you’re still my best friend. This doesn’t change anything besides the fact that I’m done being a coward and you know I feel this way, I deserved to find out and you deserved to be shown because you’re worth a lot more than some stupid games and dancing around the topic".

#p:001 #uh yEAH DONT MIND ME OVER #just dying #nbd #totes casual

She didn't know what to expect Dakota's response to be, but Stella sure as hell wasn't expecting him to be so cool and collected about it while she sat there beside him, the entirety of her insides as if they were up in flames because of the kiss. She had no idea how to react, it was as if any trace of intelligent thought had escaped her when Dakota made his move. When she had asked for an explanation, she certainly wasn't expecting the one she received. Dakota was so calm and collected and new just what to say to send her heart soaring into oblivion. She had never had this sort of stunned reaction to anything before now, she was completely at a loss for how to react. For whatever unknown reason, Stella would have never pictured Dakota to have feelings for her of all people. The guy who could have virtually anyone he ever wanted, and he picked her. Not only was she surprised by the newfound information, but the way he went about it. Stella knew that Dakota had always been the 'no bullshit' type, but this was a whole new level; laying everything out right then and there, and that left the ball in Stella's court. She would be lying if she said she'd never thought of Dakota as more than her friend, they had one of the most complex friendships she'd ever seen. They were much closer than the average pair of 'BFFs', and that was undeniable. She felt safe and sound with Dakota, she knew that he had made it a conscious effort that he was a protector of Stella and while she often found that agitating when he was overly protective, Stella always new that was just a sign that he cared, more so than what she was used to. Lost in her own thoughts, Stella looked away from Dakota while biting down on her lip. Was it really as simple as Dakota made it out to be? Wasn't it a commonly known thing that turning friendships into more was risky business?

With a quiet sigh, Stella slowly shook her head while looking back to Dakota. "I can't believe you," she said quietly, a smile slowly taking over her once confused expression. Scooting closer to the boy, Stella grabbed his hand and lifted his arm to where she could slide beneath it, then hoisting herself up to where she could sit in between Dakota's legs. With her hold still on his hand, she brought it in and let his arm fall over her shoulder as she leaned into him. "I find it incredibly hard to believe that little ol' me could be lucky enough to have a guy like you," Stella finally spoke, shaking her head quickly while tilting her chin up to look at Dakota. "I don't even know what to say, frankly --" she sighed heavily, leaning more of her weight against the boy. " 'm not all that good with words like you are," smiling softly as she played with Dakota's long fingers idly. "All I know is that, I don't think I could possibly deny any of that -- not even if I wanted to," Stella finally said while turning her head more to get a more clear look of Dakota. That was it, that was her answer to what had been said and what had been done. She knew that he felt something stronger than friendship, and she was certain that she did too and that's all that matter. Not the endless amount of questions and thoughts of what could go wrong, that was all irrelevant right now and would stay that way, as long as she had her Dakota and she knew for certain that she always would, that would never change. "Now, about that thing you said -- 'bout you kissing me again?" she questioned him, unable to wipe the smile on her face as she stretched her neck just further enough to where her lips met Dakota's for the second time that night, this time Stella well aware of what was happening.

Dakota made a face as she told him the story of the kid breaking his arm. “Why the fuck would you tell me then?” he asked looking up at her in bewilderment. “I swear if I break my arm” he sighed shaking his head as he climbed up the rock structure, which he was taller than to be honest, and took a seat next to her. “This is like my usual view, so this must be like looking at ants for you” Dakota teased scooting next to Stella until their sides were touching. It was so quiet that Dakota could actually hear his mind moving which was a relief. He barely got to think these days because normally he was with the band or talking to fans or with someone who needed him to talk but right now was different because Stella didn’t make him talk. She didn’t mind the silence and allowed him to sit in it and think. Dakota was a naturally quiet guy. He was definitely and introvert and it was only through the band that he had grown to be more outgoing and extroverted. But that didn’t meant he was an extrovert. He liked the quiet and truth be told it was sort of annoying how loud and outgoing he had to be in order for people to like him. People liked the Dakota they knew from stage and it was his fear that people would never like the Dakota that was quiet and kind of dorky. The Dakota that Stella didn’t seem to mind.

After a moment of silence Dakota looked over at Stella and felt his heart melt. There she was sitting in the moonlight wrapped up in his clothes like the prettiest picture he’d ever seen. She took his breath away without even trying and that was mind boggling to Dakota. Of course he had crushes before, plenty of them. He was a teenage guy and though he mostly kept to himself he always seemed to be attracted to pretty girls. But Stella wasn’t a pretty girl. She was a woman who didn’t deserve to be belittled as a pretty face. She was like the morning bringing light and warmth through the windows of his heart and soul. She brought him so much joy by just existing and even now his heart was beating erratically as he simply stared at her bathed in the moon. Dakota was completely enthralled by everything she did and fighting for her to join the band on tour was the best thing he had ever done. She was his sense of morality and all that kept him grounded. A beautiful mind with a kind heart that showed love that Dakota couldn’t believe at times. Stella was his dream girl and though he didn’t know it at first Dakota was certain there wasn’t another woman in the world that could hold his heart quite like she did. Dakota could be in a crowd of a thousand people and yet she was the first face he would always see, a beacon of light in a sea of grayness. The feelings he felt for her were unmatche. Something came over Dakota and before he knew what he was doing he gently tipping her chin with his thumb as he leaned down, his eyes fluttering closed as a tender kiss was laid upon her lips. This was his destiny.

Giggling as she watched Dakota climb his way to the top, Stella shrugged. "This just reminded me of that day, you're not going to fall," she rolled her eyes as he made it to the top. "See, you did it!" the girl cooed as Dakota made his way closer to sit beside her. Propping her elbow on his shoulder, she playfully pinched his cheek, just slightly red from a mix of the crisp air and the slight strain from climbing up the rock. "You know, the short jokes really are getting lamer and lamer," Stella pointed out with a crooked grin, nudging against Dakota lightly. Then slowly her arm slid off his shoulder, moving it back around her knees to keep them close. The endless jokes didn't actually bother her all too much, mainly because coming from Dakota she knew they meant no harm, and she knew that if Dakota thought the teasing actually upset her, he wouldn't dare to do it. A comfortable silence had fallen over the pair, Stella looking before their place on the rock out at the rest of the playground area which was indeed empty, and from the looks of it so was the entire park. It was peaceful here, and she felt safe and comfortable right there beside her best friend. Rubbing her hands together slowly, Stella had been absently playing with her sleeves, in a slight daze. She was just enjoying the quiet time, knowing that there didn't always have to be constant conversation between her and Dakota to feel as if she was in his presence and they were hanging out. Just as a thought had crossed her mind, she turned her head only to find that Dakota was already staring at her. With a small smile on her lips, she opened her mouth to speak but lost the chance when Dakota reached out, bringing them both in and before she could even process what was happening, the space between the two was closed, their lips pressed to one another's.

Eyes widening in shock, it only took seconds for them to ease into fluttering shut. She could nearly count the second that their lips touched as the second that her heart felt as if it had stopped and as much as she wasn't expecting a kiss from her what she had thought was her completely platonic best friend, Stella made no attempt to pull away. Instead she brought one hand up slowly to rest on the side of Dakota's neck to bring him in closer to her, as if there was anymore room between the two to eliminate anyways. His lips were chapped, cold and tasted sweet from his ice cream as they glided over her own, which gave Stella a sense of comfort and reminded her that this was Dakota. Her Dakota. Alas, that was when the realization struck, and Stella broke the bond by pulling away slowly, almost reluctantly. Detaching her hand from his neck and allowing her eyes to open, she sat in shock, lips still parted as her eyes studied Dakota's face, waiting for a reaction, for him to laugh and say 'gotcha!', for him to do or say anything as an explanation. "Wha -- " Stella started, only to stop when realized she had no words, not a one. With a hesitant swallow, Stella scooted back to where she had originally sat, her eyes never leaving Dakota's face. "Why?" she finally asked him quietly, quickly shaking her head in confusion as her hand instinctively moved toward her mouth, the tips of her fingers touching her lips which were still warm and tingled from the touch of Dakota's, one she never thought she would enjoy as much as she did.

#p:001 #RIP me

"It so was not the teeter totter, thank you so much but I’d be totally up for trying that if you’re offering" Dakota winked cheekily as they made their way through the playground. As she finally sat down on the swing Dakota grinned standing behind her and listening to her story about her uncle and how she learned to swing. "Oh so you were a cool kid?" he asked pulling on the chains easily to bring her up before letting go of her swing watching as she fell downwards before falling into a rhythm. Gently pushing her Dakota made sure not to use enough force to send her off the swing, the last thing they needed tonight was a trip to the hospital. That’d be hard to explain to his manager how he had pushed Stella off the swings and potentially broken her nose or something equally as painful. Stella was easy to push, not that Dakota was surprised, because she was about the size of his little cousins he normally had to push on the swings. He held the snide comment to himself however knowing that he had done more than his fair share of teasing for the evening.

"When I was little I used to have to push everyone because I was the tallest so I kinda got forced into the role because I was the best at it" Dakota told Stella, grabbing the chains of her swing to hold her up for a second before letting go and allowing her to continue her swinging pattern. "I also didn’t like to swing much because when I was six I jumped off the swings and broke my wrist which wasn’t fun so I don’t think I’ve swung since then. It was pretty sick though-supposedly but just bad luck really, I guess". His childhood wasn’t all that interesting, he was boring and almost too normal which was the opposite of now considering his brightly colored hair and numerous tattoos. It wasn’t until his teen years that his talent for music specifically violin and piano translated into joining a band and now becoming relatively famous for the feat. "My mom used to take me to the park a lot, every Wednesday we’d go and she’d let me play for a few hours during her book club and then my dad took me on Saturdays after baseball practice so we could work on my pitching and catching. One time we got this kite and I flew it into a tree and my dad made me climb up and get it which was pretty terrifying considering it was like a 15 foot climb and I was like 8".

Stella couldn't really find a specific reason why, but she enjoyed hearing about Dakota's childhood. Maybe it was because all she had ever known him to be was this big time musician who always had a trail of girls on his tail. Obviously Stella knew better than to think that that was all the depth her friend had to him, so maybe that's why she appreciated hearing about his childhood which was seemingly normal compared to what his life was now. "Why would you jump off, you idiot," the girl giggled, quickly shaking her head as she tilted it back enough to where she could look back at Dakota, him being upside down from this point of view. "Everyone should know that jumping off swings almost always ends badly," she grimaced while lifting her head back up to look forward so she wouldn't get dizzy while Dakota continued to push her. "My mom never really took me to the park like that," Stella said with a slight hum as they compared memories. Stella's mother was a whole different story, but Stella understood why. Having to raise her and her two rowdy older brothers on her own had to have put a strain on her on top of her work. Her mother was a lawyer, which meant most days Stella and her brothers spent in latchkey till six o'clock, then got picked up by her grandma and often wasn't able to go home with her mom till ten or eleven o'clock.

"My dad would take us sometimes though -- when he was around he always made a stupid amount of things to do in the day to keep us entertained," she added at the thought of her childhood, failing to mention that this only lasted up until she was about twelve, that was when her dad had disappeared again after only having been around a few years anyway, most likely forgetting about the three kids he had wondering about him back in Houston. "Your dad made poor little eight-year-old Dakota climb a fifteen foot tree?" Stella was glad to keep the subject on Dakota; the girl couldn't help but snicker at the thought of her friend as a kid, clinging to the side of a tree for dear life as he slowly made his way up to fetch the kite. Finally, Stella decided to put her feet down, letting them gently hit the mulch until she came to a complete stop. "Let's go to the rock thingy," she suggested while nodding over toward the tall climbing rock that was placed beside the monkey bars. Hopping off the swing, she grabbed Dakota's hand before skipping across the playground and to the rock. "We had one of these on my school playground," she said as they approached, Stella dropping Dakota's hand to begin climbing up the side of the large gray rock. "One time this kid fell off it and broke his arm -- the entire class saw his bone pop right out," the girl grimaced at the memory as she pulled herself up to sit on the top, pulling her legs to her chest and hugging them while she waited for Dakota to make his way up as well.

Dakota lived to see Stella blush, it was like the prize for bugging her. She was such a little tough cookie so getting to see red in her cheeks meant he had actually gotten to her. “I was 15 and I couldn’t drive” he smirked, “Her parents woulda kicked my ass if I went over there so we went to the park”. He was merely a kid when this happened and Dakota wasn’t upset about the circumstances, sex had never really meant much to him. It was just sex. Though he wasn’t big about one night stands he also didn’t care when people had them either. Sex was a physical thing to relieve a physical feeling, nothing more than that. “What about you, Stell? Any juicy stories to tell me?” he asked leaning towards her at the table but she was up already and out. It was really cute to watch her get so worked up. Following her out of Dairy Queen, Dakota took her hand quickly after swinging their hands as he led her in the opposite direction of the hotel. Oh it was so on. She wanted a challenge then she was going to get a challenge. He’d find some park and hopefully they would not find people having sex in it, even for him it’d be awkward.

"You’re cute when you get frazzled" Dakota smirked looking at Stella out of the corner of his eye. "Cute when you get frazzled and cute when you try to be a little rebel". Or just generally all around cute, not that Dakota would ever say that. It was a very hard thing for him to grasp that he didn’t know Stella’s feelings. Some days they’d flirt and things would be really cute but then other days it was like she liked some other guy and he was just her friend. Dakota knew where he stood but she was a lot harder to read so instead he kept his boundaries very straight and hoped that he didn’t accidentally pass into hers. His main concern was her comfort and how she felt more than anything and that included keeping his selfish emotions to himself. A little bit further down the street Dakota noticed a fenced in area with a big sign proclaiming a city park "Ready?" he asked giving her hand a squeeze as he led her into the park making sure to stay away from the dark areas and instead to the kids playground and standing behind a swing he grabbed onto the chains "Sit, I’ll swing you".

Half-way hoping the teasing would light up once they made it out of Dairy Queen, Stella groaned as Dakota continued with his jokes. "I really don't know why I put up with you," Stella grumbled, tugging at his hand. Of course it could be worse, he could have continued to pester her about her own sex life. "You know, haven't you heard that thing, the small ones are the ones you should look out for?" she questioned him as she looked up, smiling crookedly. "I think if I really put my mind to it, I could kick your ass. Which is really tempting at this point." Stella knew she was an easy target, so she tried her best to be any form of intimidating, but of course she also knew Dakota wouldn't buy that at all. Her smirk grew at the compliment, leaning into him. "Ah, so you think I'm cute when I'm frazzled?" she asked him, wiggling her eyebrows. "Damn, damn my striking charm and good looks," she said with a dramatic sigh while she leaned into Dakota. "It truly is a curse being this cute," she said lastly, giggling while her arm swung slowly along with Dakota's from the interlinked hands.

Stella walked beside Dakota through the entrance of the park without hesitation, her eyes wandering through the open area so dimly lit, the only reason they could see being the distant street lights and the slight illumination of the waning moon. "I sure hope we don't run into some fifteen year old kid losing his virginity to some girl here on the teeter-totter or something," Stella teased while gripping Dakota's hand just a little tighter. If she couldn't beat him, she may as well join him by going along with it by referencing what he'd told her about his first time. Something she could have gone without knowing, but he just had to share. As they approached the set of swings, she watched the ground just so she wouldn't trip over anything; she wasn't the most graceful person. "Okay but don't push me off," she warned, letting his hand go before pointing a finger at the boy. Pulling her sleeves down her arms, she walked over and sat on the swings, with her hands on the chains. "I used to always be the best swinger in the park, y'know," she brunette girl boasted once Dakota began to push her up, Stella pumping her legs accordingly. "When I was a kid, my uncle taught me how to swing and I was always like the only one who actually knew how to do it without someone pushing me," she remembered it fondly, even trying to teach her friends how to swing properly she was still always the one that swung the highest.

After they ordered and Dakota settled their bill he allowed Stella to go find a table as he collected their ice cream. Sitting down across from her Dakota set her ice cream in front of her as he took a bit of his. “Are you trying to insinuate that I’m boring, Stella?” Dakota asked with a smirk, eating more of his ice cream. “Because this was the whole plan. See you went from not wanting to do this to suddenly wanting to push boundaries, which one is it, Angel” he teased taking a few more bites of his ice cream as he thought about where they could go. “I lost my virginity in a park, fun fact” Dakota piped up with a laugh, “There’s only one reason people go to a park after dark, everyone knows that so are you trying to seduce me, Stell? Should I be worried?” he asked in mock shock, gently kicking her under the table. He knew right well that Stella was only looking for something to do, but it was still funny to watch her squirm as he made the conversation turn sexual. It was a gift he had and he especially enjoyed making Stella uncomfortable with it.

"I mean those over sized sweats are such a turn on. I mean I don’t know how I’ve been able to control myself so far. My sexual orientation is definitely marshmallows" now he was just being silly as he finished up his ice cream and got up to throw it away. Returning to the table he kicked his legs up so they rest on the bench next to Stella, "We can find a park or something when you’re done. Go do some hoodrat things like normal people for a little while before returning back to the hotel to tuck you in and read you a proper bedtime story" he joked his foot nudging her hip gently. Feeling at ease Dakota put down his hood and took his snapback and turned it around so the brim was at the back of his head-much more comfortable. Though he was teasing her Dakota thought that Stella was completely right, he was very happy to go find something else to do rather than return back to the hotel. It was rare to get one on one time with Stella and any opportunity he had to be away from it all was one he would gladly take. "I feel like everyone would be really shocked to hear that it was your idea to go walk around in the dark without security guards. Like this seems normal for me, but you, Little Miss Perfect? It’s practically unheard of for you to break the rules".

Just as quick as she was to think of it, Stella was quick to regret the suggestion of finding a park to go hang out in. Dakota had done exactly what he was good at, turning something around completely to make it sexual and get Stella to squirm. "Alright, alright! That's enough of that," Stella groaned, certain that her cheeks were now at least four new shades of red as Dakota continued on his spiel. "I had no idea you lost your prized V-card in a park, and I also was not aware that parks were such a hot spot to hook up," she said honestly, shaking her head quickly at the thought. "That's so wrong.. where do you even -- you know what, never mind. Shut up," she groaned once more before scooping another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. It was one thing for Dakota to talk about sex, but it was another for him to put sex and Stella even remotely in the same sentence. He knew it embarrassed her to no end, which was exactly why he did it. "You're such an asshole," she giggled while stirring around the vanilla ice cream, looking down into the cup at the chunks of Reese cups she had left. Letting out a huff, Stella looked back at Dakota with a pout. "You know, I'm not as innocent as you say I am," she disagreed with him, her eyes narrowing. Stella knew what little truth that statement held, but she stood her ground. With Dakota's endless teasing, she had to fend for herself somehow.

"I've been in my fair share of trouble," she hummed while bringing her spoon out of the cup, licking the ice cream before it could drip off of it. Once the spoon was cleaned off, she flung it to the boy across from her while, bringing her mostly empty cup closer to her with both hands. "This seems like a challenge, are you trying to challenge me, Stone?" Stella asked him, raising an eyebrow in question. "Because in fact, I quite like myself a challenge and would find great pleasure in proving you wrong," she added, her tone matter of fact while she moved one hand down to push the boy's long legs off her seat to let her out of it. Once it was clear, Stella slid out of the booth and walked to the trash can, throwing the cup in it before making her back to Dakota who was out of the booth now as well. While rolling up the sleeves of her sweatshirt so they weren't in the way, she followed suit as they headed for the door. "So what'll it be, hmm?" Stella asked while she pulled open the door at the entrance, slipping out first while holding it open for the boy to follow. With his incessant teasing, Stella was feeling extra determined to prove him wrong like she knew she could when it came to most other things. This, she wasn't so sure about but there was no harm in trying after all.

"You an angel?" Dakota asked pausing as he stared at Stella wide eyed before bursting into a fit of laughter, he was laughing so hard that he doubled over leaning against Stella’s petite frame as he let out loud, obnoxious laughter. Stella was a good girl, definitely, but an angel was a far stretch from that. Standing up straight again a big, goofy grin laced Dakota’s face "I think that’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said, Stell" he teased allowing her to wrap herself up in his arm. He liked having her close, it was a comfort thing to Dakota whether they were walking together or asleep he liked to have her close to him to remind him she was safe and she was there. He wasn’t an overly affectionate guy but Stella made him one, it was like he needed to have a hand on her at all times to feel comfortable. His favorite thing in the world was to lay down and wrap her up in his arms, press her into his chest, tangle his legs with her-all that cuddly, romantic crap he wouldn’t dare do with anyone else. He just liked to protect Stella and that meant keeping her close. When she brought up just ordering room service Dakota shrugged, "This is a lot more fun. Think about it, we can order room service any day-it’s not normal for us to sneak out like this".

The streets were quiet and though it seemed nothing was open Dakota knew there was a Dairy Queen up ahead. One great thing about Americans: their fast food was open all the time, even at the oddest hours of the night. “If the guys knock on the door and find us gone then so what? We’re gone, they won’t know where we went” Dakota told Stella, not really phased by the thought they could get in trouble. What was management going to do? Tell him not to do it again? He was well behaved and never did anything that wrong so this was a minor thing. He wanted ice cream and he didn’t want a big security guard following him around, Dakota was human believe it or not and the pressure of stuff like that was annoying-it was nice to sneak away and be normal every once in a while. “Don’t tell me, Little Miss Perfect’s getting cold feet?” he teased squeezing her shoulders gently as he saw the Dairy Queen up ahead. Holding the door for Stella he saw a lady standing behind the counter and a few people sitting in booths but the place was primarily empty. Walking up to the counter Dakota released Stella, in order to grab his wallet out of his shorts and to order.

Rolling her eyes at Dakota's reasoning, Stella followed him into Dairy Queen anyways. "My feet were already cold," she mumbled, smirking while she let her hands slip into her pockets of the oversized sweatshirt she wore. Stella followed close behind the taller boy to the counter while her eyes scanned over the menu, trying to decide on what she wanted to snack on. "What are you getting?" Stella wondered while she looked down the list of the different flavors slowly. "I think I want one of those Blizzard things," she decided aloud as as she pursed her lips lightly in thought. She then gave what flavor she wanted to the boy behind her register, thanking him before moving aside to let Dakota complete the order. She hadn't even thought to bring her wallet, so she decided she'd let Dakota get this one without an argument about it. While the boy paid, Stella watched as one of the workers behind the counter made her ice cream first, thanking her once she handed it over. "Seat with a view?" Stella asked Dakota, smirking as she stuck her spoon into the ice cream, walking out toward the dining area to pick a table. There was only one other group of people in the store at this point, a handful of people at a booth, drunk, judging by how loudly they spoke and how much their laughter echoed. Stella found her seat on the other side of the place, sliding into an empty booth before bringing her legs up and crossing them while she set her cup on the table.

Stella lifted her head as Dakota came toward he table, shooting a bright smile at him. "So, I sincerely hope that that whole break-out moment we had back at the hotel wasn't all for sitting in an empty Dairy Queen in the middle of the night," the girl commented while she brought her ice cream toward her and poked at it with her spoon, taking a moment before bringing a spoonful up to her mouth. "There's got to be like a park or something around here we could find a way in to," she decided while looking out the window and at the view before them. There were stories and restaurants scattered here and there on either side of the street, but a little further down she knew the street turned to one with less traffic, and maybe they could find something down that way. Now that they were actually out, Stella wasn't so reluctant to be out and about. She was glad to not be cooped up in the hotel, or even just sleeping when she could be doing something more fun with Dakota. She had missed the crazy antics her and her best friend got up to when they were together. Sure, Stella did things with her friends back at home but it wasn't the same. Dakota brought out someone more adventurous in Stella, something she wasn't really used to till she really started to hang out around him, and she most definitely liked that person more than the regulur, boring, old Stella.

Dakota was fully aware that this was crazy and potentially dangerous but he was willing to take the risk. He was sure if they could just get out of the hotel they would be home free. How many fans would be roaming the streets this late looking for him? None. They all thought he went to bed. Leaving the room Dakota headed down the hallway nodding at the security guard “Getting ice” he explained before he could be asked. There was no way security would just let him go off on his own, that never happened. According to management it was risky behavior and if he wanted to go out he had to have some sort of backup to ward off the swarms of fans that the band sometimes attracted. Security wasn’t going to cramp his date tonight, not on his watch, and even if he was going to get yelled at tomorrow about it-it was totally worth it to be completely normal with Stella for an hour or so. Leading Stella to a staircase at the end of the hall Dakota studied the picture on the wall talking about all the points of exit and then opening a door to the back stairs he led the way down from the third floor down to the first floor. This was when things got tricky.

Giving Stella a sly grin Dakota put on a snapback, tucking his attention grabbing hair under the brim and then putting the hood of his hoodie up, it would take a bit more than a glance to tell who he was now and for the hell of it he reached over to put up Stella’s hood though he was sure she didn’t need it. “Okay Eagle 2, stay close. Avoid all eye contact” he told her his voice hushed as he grabbed her hand walked out of the stairwell. Turning his back towards the front lobby Dakota walked down another hallway and made his way to the side exit of the building pulling Stella along with him. He didn’t say a word until they were outside and a proper distance away from the hotel, he could still see a few fans waiting outside and he thanked the heavens he didn’t decide to go out the front door-his cover would have been blown. Interlocking his fingers with Stella’s, Dakota grinned down at the petite girl next to him “We made it! No one recognized us, marshmallow” heading down the block Dakota was just thrilled they had made it outside without an altercation whether it was fans or security. They were on their own. Moving his hand from hers Dakota wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him, “This feels like the first time I snuck out of my parents’ house. I haven’t snuck out in ages, see this is what you do to me. You make me do naughty things, Stell, you’re a really bad influence on me”

It was a miracle that Stella hadn't tripped, laughed or done anything else to give herself or Dakota away in the process of sneaking out of the hotel. The girl hadn't taken a breath since they hit the stairs, so once they were finally outside and a few paces from the hotel, she let out a deep breath while her fingers slid between Dakota's in a tight interlock. "I'm surprised," she laughed, shaking her head quickly. "And your code names suck, we need to work on that," Stella smirked while she absentmindedly swung the pair's hands between them as they walked along the wide-set sidewalk. It was peacefully quiet outside, no one out and about except for the few cars that drove by, it was actually relaxing. Dakota broke the silence, causing Stella to roll her eyes. "You're the bad influence here," she pointed out, looking up at him. "I am an innocent here. I'm practically an angel," she stated, her tone matter-of-fact while she quickly nodded her head. They both knew damn well that Stella was the furthest thing from a bad influence, she could never even come close to being a bad influence. Stella had always been the type of girl to play by the rules, and Dakota was the type to test that characteristic in her.

"You know we could have just ordered ice cream from room service or something, you know," Stella realized while her eyes wandered around the street. On either sides there were tons of stores, groceries, boutique, tea shops and even stores that sold nothing but soap. Nearly everything was closed by now, so Stella wondered what sort of place would be open at this time that served ice cream. "Always making things more complicated," the girl teased lightly as she released Dakota's hand, only to grab it with her opposite to bring his arm around her shoulder so she could lean into his side, cuddling up to him a bit more as they walked. It was cold out, not too unbearably cold, but Dakota was always warm and Stella knew she could count on him to make sure she didn't freeze before there was even a chance of it happening. "Do you think anyone will notice we're gone? What if one of the boys try and come to the room?" she questioned the taller boy. Stella had always had a seemingly endless list of questions, it was one of her ticks. She was never the best when it came to spontaneity or even more so when she didn't have control over a situation. Slowly she was getting better about it, only because sometimes Dakota gave her no choice to do otherwise on their many adventures.

When Stella began to pry more into who the girl was Dakota felt himself clamming up. He was just trying to make her jealous and not sound like a complete loser. Of course there were other girls but they were never worth mentioning. Stella was it. She was the priority. “It was nothing important” Dakota told her, wiping his hands of pizza before standing up and setting the box on the table in his room noticing they both seemed to be done. “Just some girl I knew back home, casual. It’s not carrying into tour, we both know that” he shrugged, settling back down on the bed next to Stella. “I’m too busy for a girl back home, she was nice. We had fun but I have other priorities” the room fell quiet for a moment before Dakota snuck a peek at Stella sitting next to him on the bed. “Like you. Do you think I could go get a girlfriend when I have to take care of you?” he asked, his elbow gently nudging into her side. “If I went and got a girlfriend then that would mean stopping hanging out with you like this. I don’t think girls are really into other girls sleeping in their boyfriend’s bed. Besides I’d have to get all my clothes back from you which would be too big of a hassle so it’s easier to just stay single”.

Or it was easier because there wasn’t another girl who captured his attention like Stella. She was a firecracker in a field of flowers, a diamond in a pile of rubble, she just stood out from the first moment he had met her. It was like before Stella all girls faded together but he could distinctly remember the first time he saw her face in the crowd, the way his heart skipped when he realized she was there after a show to hang out, and how from that moment on Dakota had never looked back. Stella was just his, she got him and he doubted there was any other girl who would. The room had fallen quiet and Dakota was worried he had made it awkward so jumping up he went over to his bag pulling out a pair of sweatpants “Put these on” he told her suddenly, pushing his wallet into his shorts and finding his sandals. “We’re going to get ice cream, c’mon” he coaxed getting her off the bed and tying the strings on his sweatpants as tight as he could around her thin waist, over the his boxers that she wore, Tossing a sweatshirt over her head Dakota couldn’t help but chuckle “You look like a marshmallow, my clothes are way too big” he grinned before pulling a jacket on himself. “We’re going to go super incognito, okay? No security, no fans. Just you and me, okay? We’re going to bust out of here”

Stella was alarmingly relieved with Dakota's response about his 'girl from back home'. "Good answer," Stella praised the male, grinning at him while she reached over and lightly punched his arm, her fist tiny in comparison to Dakota. "It would be horribly inconvenient if you ever got a girlfriend, so don't do that," she decided with a slight laugh, knowing how ridiculous the sentence was, but all at the same time completely true. Stella and Dakota's friendship was one that was simply something that could not be replaced. Never before had Stella been so comfortable with someone, and she absolutely loved that about him. She never had to pretend with him, it was all just real, and if he were to find a girlfriend, that would all be ripped out from under her and she would have no idea what she would do then. "And besides, it's much too late to get your clothes back now, you may as well not even attempt to bark up that tree," Stella teased the boy, grinning at him innocently. She slowly sat up as the room fell silent, before she watched Dakota hop up with more energy than she thought he'd have at midnight right after he'd just played a show. "You know I can stand up and dress myself, right?" she giggled as he assisted her all the way through standing and tying the pants.

Swatting his hands away, she adjusted the sweatshirt over her body that he'd thrown to her, shuffling over to her shoes and slipping her into into the flats, wiggling her toes to be sure they were on properly. "First off, I'm not a marshamallow," she giggled and quickly shook her head in defense. It was ridiculous though, how his clothes hung off of her small frame no matter what the actual size was; their difference was just that distinct. "This a good way to get us killed, you know," Stella pointed out while pulling her thick mane of hair out from the collar of the sweatshirt. "How long's it been since you've been out without guards?" she questioned him with an eyebrow quirked in question. "I'm not looking to get trampled tonight so if it happens it's all on you, pal," she warned, pointing a skinny finger to the taller boy and wagging it, before the hard gaze she gave him broke with a smile. Really, she couldn't resist a late night ice cream date, so she was all for it. Grabbing her phone off the bed, she slid it into the pockets of her sweatpants, the small block of weight weighing them down in the slightest. After hiking the pants up higher on her hips, Stella turned for the door and headed over, the her sleeves pulled over her hands to block out the cold she knew was to come. "Let's do this thing."