𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓 / / 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

CHAPTER 29

Stella wanted to kick herself, she wanted to scream and pull her hair out in frustration of not listening to her own intuition, after all Fiona always used to tell her to trust her own senses. She knew that she should of remained numb, that she should of trusted her gut and not opened herself up to anyone who dared even try. That if she remained void of emotion, she wouldn't be feeling everything so intensely as she did now. Sadness, anger, confusion, all those mixed emotions ran through her so quickly that she didn't know what to do with herself.

However, she knew one thing was for certain though.

She was so over today.

Stella hadn't even been paying attention as to where Rafe was driving. Too busy trying to hold her tears back in front of the Kook that she had sworn to hate, she hadn't even realised that they had returned back to Figure 8 until she saw bright lights from the passing houses.

"Rafe?" She called. "Rafe, where are we going?"

He glanced over his shoulder, before turning his eyes back to the road. "I'm staying at a friends, we're nearly there."

His brief explanation didn't put her at much ease, but she didn't have the energy to argue back with him.  Stella couldn't decided whether she wanted to go to bed and sleep off the pain or drink her feelings away in a massive binge session. The latter sounded more appealing.

Pulling up the drive way, Rafe switched the engine off and rolled the bike to a stop before pushing down the kickstand. He hopped off before holding his hand out for Stella, which she gripped onto and pulled herself up from the bike shakily. He grabbed the side of her hip softly to steady her and she didn't even flinch, too consumed with her own thoughts to even care. "C'mon," he said as she gently tugged at her hand. "You look freezing after that. Let's go inside, I'll get you a jumper."

"Whose house is this?" She asked whilst glancing up at the large home.

"It's The Glissons. They're away in Sun Valley visiting family all summer so they said I could stay here why I wait for things to cool off with my dad." He explained, telling a total lie and opening the front door whilst switching the lights on. "Wait here, I'll go grab that jumper."

She watched him fleet up the staircase before observing her surroundings. It was a lovely home, modern and spacious, all light and bright with an open plan floor layout. A lot different from Tannyhill, and nowhere near as luxurious, but nice none the less. She was busy observing the photographs on the walls before noticing the veranda that faced the marshes, and found herself automatically drawn to the outside air.

The cool breeze was welcomed on her skin despite already being cold. She had always felt at one with water, always liked to be near it. The sound of waves crashing against each other in the distance was calming, it allowed her mind to rest for a moment. Glancing down, she spotted the mess that undoubtedly belonged to Rafe on the white table. A bong and a lighter, accompanied by a small bag of weed and a packet of cigarettes. Eagerly, she helped herself to the Malboro's, sparking one up and taking a deep drag whilst gazing out onto the sea.

Stella knew that there had to be some explanation for what she had seen at the Chateau. There was no way that JJ would do that to her, no way that Kiara would do that to her, but she couldn't help but think the worst. Adding that to the fact that they had spent all of her brothers money on whatever kind of party they where throwing there, why would JJ be that stupid? Why would any of them be that stupid?! How on earth was she going to explain this to Barry, to get them out of the shit? Did she even want to get them out of the shit? Stella's head was baffled, and for once she had no idea where to turn.

"Here."

Rafe's voice brought Stel from her trance, causing the blonde to turn around and look at the Kook. He stood with a navy sweatshirt folded over his arm, holding two glasses between his finger tips and a bottle of whiskey in his other hand. "Thought you might need this."