Worried

[Stella]

OOC: Occurs around the time Brandon is taken to Lost Souls

Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Stella stared down at her phone, a small frown marring her normally smooth brow. Brandon still wasn't answering his cell and it was the sixth time she had tried to call him within the last couple of hours. He should have picked up by now because he always had his phone on him and turned on - except during school hours, of course - and he always answered when she called. And since it was the weekend . . . he should have picked up. Rising to her feet, Stella walked over to her window as she desperately tried to ward off the strange sensation that was creeping over her that was telling her something wasn't right.

Jolted out of her thoughts by the loud ringing of her phone, Stella ran back across her room and dove onto her bed, fumbling to answer. "Cupcake?" she asked breathlessly, mentally crossing her fingers that it was Brandon calling to say that he was sorry that he had missed her calls. However, when the voice at the other end of the line asked for someone named Selene, Stella's face fell as she whispered, "Sorry, wrong number," before hanging up.

Rolling over onto her back, Stella stared up at her canopy as she said softly, her voice threatening to break, "Where are you, Brandon?" While she knew that other girls would laugh at her and say that she was overreacting - that Brandon probably just didn't feel like talking to her at the moment - Stella knew that that wasn't so. She had never been so close to a person as she was to him and she just knew - could sense it deep down in the core of her body - that something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

[Stella]

No longer able to just sit around and wait for the off-chance that Brandon might call, Stella picked up her phone and reluctantly dialed Sky's number. Even though she still hadn't forgiven him for the crap he had put Bloom through and even though she really didn't wish to speak to him, she was desperate and if there was just the slightest possibility that he would know where Brandon was, she was going to run with it.

As she listened to the dial tone for a few more moments, Stella was on the verge of hanging up before she heard a familiar, "Hello?" Clearing her throat, she replied, "Sky, it's Stella. I know this might sound strange, but Brandon isn't answering his phone and I'm wondering if maybe you know where he is."

[Sky]

Hearing genuine concern in Stella's voice, Sky frowned as he said, "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him since last night." In an attempt to comfort her, he added, "But I wouldn't worry too much; I'm sure that Brandon must have slipped in late last night and out again early this morning. But if he comes back in, I'll be sure to let him know that he needs to call you, okay?"

As Sky hung up the phone, he wished that he could be as sure of Brandon's whereabouts as he had sounded. But, the truth was, he was worried too. He had been up since five o'clock that morning - and even then there had been no sign of Brandon. Squeezing the bridge of his nose as he felt the beginning of what was sure to be a major headache, Sky decided that if Brandon didn't show back up within the next couple of hours, he'd round up Stella and together, they'd go searching for him.

[Stella]

After ending her conversation with Sky, Stella stood in the center of her room, for a moment allowing herself to admit that she had no idea what she was going to do. However, after that brief moment had passed, Stella squared her chin, her hands planted firmly on her hips. She was Princess Stella of Solaria and when she put her mind to something, she could not fail. Wherever Brandon was and whatever trouble he had fallen into, she would find him and rescue him because he would do the same for her. That was how it was and that was how it was always going to be. They had each other's back because that was what love was all about.

Without another thought, Stella hurried over to her closet and peeled off her dress and heels, choosing to put on her more practical khaki hiking clothes and boots. Somehow she had a feeling that today was not the day to be overly concerned about fashion.

[Stella]

Having changed into her more comfortable attire, Stella started to head out the door before she paused and then turned back and walked over to her desk. Quickly pulling out a piece of her personalized stationary, Stella's hand remained poised over the sheet for a moment as she collected her thoughts before she then scribbled a short note to her friends:

Hey girls,

To make a long story short, I think Brandon has gone missing. I know, I know - you all probably won't believe me, but . . . I can't explain it. I just know that I'm right about this. And to tell the truth, I'm kind of scared because I have no idea where to begin to search for him, but I've got to do something. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm leaving to go find him and I don't know when I'll be back. I just thought I should let you all know so that you don't get worried about me or anything.

Okay, that's it for now. I love you guys.

- Stella

Biting her lip, Stella took the sheet, folded it in half and then wrote neatly on the outside, "To Layla, Musa, and Flo." Holding the paper tightly in her hand, Stella then quietly left her room and crossed the hall to where Flora's room was. Slipping the paper under the door, knowing that Flora would make sure that the other girls saw it, Stella glanced back over her shoulder one last time and then hurried away.