MARGARET | eddie roundtree

track twenty.

After the Saturday Night Live performance, there was an afterparty for the crew members and the band. Stella invited her parents along, hoping there wouldn't be any cocaine or drugs so they could officially meet the band.

"I can't believe you guys kept it a secret from me the whole time," Stella said to Eddie, Graham, and Warren as her parents mingled so they could meet some of the celebrities (after fully introducing themselves to the group, of course. Her mom really liked Karen and her dad really liked Warren).

"Well, it was kinda a last minute decision made by Billy," Warren told her with a shrug.

"Sorry about that, by the way," Eddie added with a lopsided grin.

"Sorry for what?" Stella asked, furrowing her brows a bit.

"You know, that Billy was the one who came up with the idea," Eddie clarified. "Which kinda surprised all of us, too."

"Oh, yeah, it surprised me but...I'm fine with it," Stella assured him with a smile, but Eddie just looked at her funny since that did not sound anything like her at all. However, Stella didn't seem to notice it since she was so high off of the excitement from before.

Graham glanced in between the two of them, sensing some tension coming from the Roundtree boy. Even though Karen didn't tell him that the two were together, he had an inkling that something was going on between them. The way that Eddie looked at Stella from the across the room was the same way that he looked at Karen; there was no denying the love.

So, to break the tension, Graham cleared his throat. "I think this deserves a toast," he voiced, raising his glass.

"I definitely agree with that," Warren agreed, completely oblivious to any tension since his focus had been on someone else: Lisa Crowne.

Eddie tore his befuddled face away from Stella and raised his can just as she did before the four of them clinked their drinks together. "To the band," Stella said and the boys nodded along before they all took a sip of their drinks.

"Um...listen, I'll be right back," Warren told them with his eyes directly on Lisa, causing Stella to grin.

"All right. You do you," Eddie muttered and Stella gave him a nudge. "What?"

"Be nice," she scolded. "I think he has a chance with her."

"Depends if he chokes or not," Eddie shrugged before taking another swig of his drink. Stella playfully rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, this party is wonderful, Stella," her mom said as she came over to the three of them. "Everyone is so nice."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Mom. Where's Dad?" She asked.

"Busy trying to her backstage tickets for all of the shows from now on," her mom replied, shaking her head at her husband.

"Of course he is," Stella sighed with a joyful grin on her face.

"Oh, Karen, hey!" Graham called out before looking at the three. "I'm gonna talk to Karen. It was really nice meeting you, Mrs. Stone."

"Likewise." Once Graham had walked away, Stella's mom looked directly at Eddie. "Now, I don't want to scare you or anything, but if I find out that you broke my daughter's heart...I will not hesitate to come after you," she whispered threateningly.

"Mom!" Stella whisper-shouted with wide eyes since she hadn't told Eddie that she told her parents about them, nor did she condone that threat.

"I'm just teasing," her mother brushed it off before sending Eddie another look. "But seriously, if you hurt my daughter..." She trailed off, her lips pursing.