On the way home from the movie, Stella and Eddie did not say one word to each other. It was mostly Warren babbling about the movie while they chimed in here and there, not wanting things to seem tense even though they were.

Stella was hellbent on thinking that what they did was a mistake, and Eddie was starting to realize that maybe it was after her reaction. But how were they supposed to just move on from it without sorting it out?

✯✯✯

EDDIE: Of course I wanted to talk about what happened, but I was just so...conflicted. Was it just a heat of the moment type thing or was there actual meaning behind it? At the time...(shakes head) I didn't know. So I tried to find ways to make me forget about it (stares away from camera).

STELLA: Did I want to talk about it? Yes, but also no. I just didn't want things to be complicated, you know? I mean, I wasn't necessarily looking for a relationship, especially with someone I considered to be my best friend but...(trails off, sighing).

✯✯✯

The three of them walked into the house after the car ride and Warren announced, "Honeys, I'm home." They walked into the living room where Karen and Graham had been sitting on the couch next to one another, the phone ringing. "Hey. You guys heard from Billy yet?"

The phone continued to ring as Graham replied after a second, "Uh, no."

Eddie picked the phone up. "Hello?" He answered. "Okay...Yeah, sure, no problem...Mhm...Be right there," he spoke slowly, listening to what the other person on the line had to say before he placed the phone back. "That was Teddy."

"What'd he say?" Warren asked.

"He said they wrote a song and he wants us in the studio right now."

"Wait, they actually wrote a song together?" Stella cut in in shock, that sentence being the said thing she had said to Eddie after their little make out session in the bathroom.

"Yeah," Eddie confirmed monotonously without even looking at her, making Stella poke the inside of her cheek with her cheek.

"Well, then let's go!" Karen urged, pushing Graham off the couch before pushing all of the boys out of the room so they could get to the studio quickly. She then turned to Stella as the boys kept walking. "Hey, you okay?" She asked, noticing the blonde seemed tense.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just processing the movie, that's all," she lied, not even wanting to tell Karen what happened for the sake of her dignity.

"Was it everything Warren made it out to be?" She inquired, a bit of a teasing tone etched her in voice.

"It was definitely something," she replied since she didn't really know if it was good or bad yet; she was so much more focused about the kiss.

Karen laughed before she grabbed her hand and said, "Alright, let's go. I'm curious to see what they concocted."

✯✯✯

The five of them walked into the studio to see Billy and Daisy sitting next to one another and laughing, something that greatly surprised all of them. Stella seemed to be the most shocked since she thought Daisy had hated Billy as much as she did, even if they were able to write a song together.

"Hi," Daisy greeted them, interrupting the supposedly funny conversation she and Billy were just having.

"Hi," Billy repeated and Eddie sent him a nod, confused as to why they were suddenly getting along just like the rest of them. "Hey, Graham, you know the, uh, riff you're always playing?"

"Yeah, yeah. You guys write something to it?" Graham responded excitedly.

"Sit down. I think you're gonna dig this," he told them.

✯✯✯

KAREN: It was the first song that they ever truly wrote together (grins fondly).

WARREN: Still one of my favorites.

EDDIE: We ran through it a couple times.

STELLA: They even let me sing some backup parts without any kickback from Billy.

KAREN: I remember having this feeling like...nothing would ever be the same again.

GRAHAM: It was just...a really great day.

✯✯✯

"And then it goes to D major?" Eddie queried, wanting to make sure the notes were written correctly since it seemed wrong.

"Yeah, I know, but just trust me, it-it-it works. All right? Uh...And, hey, if you wanna...fuck around with it, do your thing, man," Billy told him and Eddie had to process what he has said before nodding, a small grin making its way up to his face.

Stella would have smiled if she hadn't been so conflicted about the man at the moment, so she instead focused on the notes she'd be playing on her rhythm guitar as well as the accompanying backup vocal lyrics.

"Should we put this one on tape?" Eddie asked through the intercom.

"Yes, we should," Daisy confirmed and the others chirped in agreement.

"Okay."

"What's it called again?" Stella asked, forgetting the name since her mind had been so jumbled.

"It's called 'Let Me Down Easy,'" Daisy told her and she nodded, placing her headphones on along with some of the others.

Warren started off on the drums before the others joined in on their instruments, Daisy singing after a few moments. As the redhead sang, Stella couldn't help but resonate with some of the lyrics after what had happened between her and Eddie.

"Oh, won't you let me down, let me down / Let me down easy if you're gonna let me down?" How could she not relate to those lyrics after she had just let Eddie down? Well, maybe I could have let him down easier, she thought.

She even snuck a few glances at him, but he seemed to be looking everywhere else but at her every time she looked at him. It made her heart hurt, but she knew what she did was the correct move...right?

✯✯✯

EDDIE: The best part, it left room for everyone to contribute. It wasn't just the Billy show anymore. Daisy did that for us (nods).

STELLA: Daisy had made it so everyone could have their time to shine, which is always what I tried to do, but I could never get through to Billy like she did. I guess I just didn't have what Daisy had (purses lips together).

✯✯✯

They all continued playing with Daisy and Billy duetting; Stella had sang some background vocals every now and again as she played her rhythm guitar.

As they played, she noticed the way that Karen kept on smiling at Graham every time he had a guitar solo part and grew a bit curious. She knew that Graham had a crush on Karen, it was so obvious, but she never saw Karen reciprocate any interest beyond just  friendship.

Maybe something had changed. And if it had, Stella had desperately wanted to know the details since it would at least distract her from own complicated love life.

✯✯✯

KAREN: It was obvious that they made each other better.

Until, of course, they didn't.

✯✯✯

After they finished playing, Daisy enveloped Billy in a hug. Stella furrowed her brows a bit at that, growing a bit suspicious. She glanced over at Graham to see him looking at the two as well, knowing that he had probably been thinking the same thing.

"Oh, my God," Billy laughed in shock as Daisy pulled away.

"That was, that was the best one," she pointed out happily. "Right? What'd you think?" She questioned Teddy.

"I'm a motherfucking genius," he answered and the band cheered and laughed, proud of themselves for accomplishing something they didn't know could be possible.

authors note
this chapter is like really
short, so sorry about that.
hopefully the next one's
longer lmaoooo