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Stella didn't know why she had bothered to pick up the flowered envelope when it had fallen to the floor. She had set it aside before, something to be ignored until much later, or maybe even forever. Reading just wasn't her, and in this day and age, there were far more effective and fashionable ways to communicate. Something where one got to hear the actual person's voice, or see their lovely face. Someone sending something like a letter must either be incredibly poor or have something to hide.
It turned out to be the ladder. Her mother, prose as flowery as the stationary itself, talking about how nice it had been to see Stella. It went on and on, kind of drab and nothing she hadn't said or implied during the actual visit itself. It wasn't until the paragraph before the end that Stella read what her mother really wanted to say. Buried under all the praise and niceties were maybe two sentences about how she hoped that Stella would try hard this year, and not make any more trouble, as it had been so difficult to get her back into Alfea after the last incident.
Maybe if I was kicked out of Alfea for good, you and Daddy would actually have to deal with me, Stella thought to herself. If her mother really had an issue with her "troublemaking," why hadn't she said anything to her the weeks that Stella had been in her castle, quite often by her side? Was she even serious about this issue at all? It was like she didn't really have parents, and instead had adult adolescent friends who were eager to start over their own lives after the divorce but at the same time were afraid of losing their precious little girl. It was true that Stella was a spoiled princess, but how could they be afraid to step up, even when she had blown up a huge area of the school as well as flunked out of first year?
It should be nice, Stella thought, at least she could do whatever she wanted. But the problem lied in the fact that they were even too afraid to ask why she had done such a stupid thing. "Tee hee, that's just Stella!" was only part of the explanation. Stella was being stalked by some dangerous people, delusional ones who saw Stella's power as a way to universal domination or something. Stella had caused the explosion in a moment of panic in order to protect herself from them. It was stupid, but only hindsight told her that there were a million better ways that she could have protected herself.
But what was done was done Stella thought, tossing aside her mother's letter and continuing to pack up her large wardrobe. She hadn't heard from those lunatics all summer, and Faragonda had assured her that she was safe at Alfea, anyway. It was time to forget the past, forget how lonely she felt even among her parents, and worry about how she'd fit in as a repeat Freshman.
Finally being able to fly to Alfea, Stella felt more relaxed than she had all summer. It wouldn't be so bad. No one in the year younger would know her as the dork she used to be, at least. And-
Stella's thoughts were interrupted as she was attacked midair. A ogre, and a rather stupid one at that. It looked like those witches still hadn't quit pursuing her. They likely had traps set all along the way to Alfea. Stella used her magic to teleport herself away from area, to a nonmagical realm, hoping she'd lose him, maybe he wouldn't be smart enough to consider that she'd visit such a place. No such luck. The ogre caught up with her right away. Fully ready for battle, Stella got ready to stand and defend herself.
That was when she stepped forward. A resident of the nonmagical realm, Stella had to panic at first, not wanting to have dragged a defenseless one into this. Another one of Stella's stupid, panicked plans, this could only end badly. But it turned out this girl was anything but, using a power like Stella had never seen to protect her. It looked like Stella's luck was beginning to change, she thought before she blacked out.
Upon awakening, Stella found out more about the powerful girl. It turned out that she, Bloom was her name, wasn't another traveling magical student, but rather a gem living among the nonmagical. Stella was quick to thank her and praise her talents. Although Bloom was excited about what Stella had to say, her parents wanted to send Stella to the mental ward. Stella finally took Bloom aside, hoping she would accomplish something with a one-on-one talk.
It was the first time that Stella had looked closely at the girl, and realized that despite the initial impression of a commoner, Bloom had a sort of royal beauty. Blushing slightly, Stella soon became her talkative self again, explaining all about Alfea, and even some real basics of magic. Bloom knew so little, but had to have felt she was magical all along, seeing the subjects of some of the books that she had lying around. It must have been so lonely, living without her own kind.
But this was a loneliness that Stella could fix. Bloom would come to Alfea with her. And it would be this semester. Forget admissions, Bloom had already passed Stella's own assessment. Although normally that wouldn't be good enough, Stella had a way around it. Bloom would just pretend to be Veranda, who didn't want to go to school, anyway. She'd lead Bloom to where she belonged, to a place where she'd no longer be alone in her talents.
Plus, then she wouldn't have to let the dashing, yet cutely awkward Bloom out of her sight. She and Veranda were to suitemates, after all. Stella became excited. This school year suddenly looked a whole lot more appealing.