One Stupid Thing

2:7:65

"Stella Cameron! About damn time, I've been trying to wake you for at least five minutes now."

I open my eyes and Kie is standing over me, but then a splitting sensation wracks my brain and I squint them shut once again. "Why does it feel like my head is going to explode," I groan, rolling over to stuff my face into the pillow.

"You had one hell of a night. Welcome to having your first hangover. There is tylenol and a glass of water on the nightstand," she tells me. I throw up a thumbs up and then I feel my stomach churn. Shit. I hang off the bed and start to wretch when Kie quickly hands me a bucket. I spill the contents of my stomach. My throat burns from the acidity.

"Is this what hell feels like?" I ask her.

"Pretty much, but the more you do it the more you'll get used to it," she shrugs. Then I process my surroundings. How the fuck did I get here?

"Uhm, Kie, what am I doing here?" I ask her, downing the pills instantly as I wait for an answer.

"Uh, I don't know much up until when you appeared from the woods. You must have walked here. We all helped you inside and JJ carried you in here." My face screws up at the mention of his name.

"Is he here?" I ask her, my heart sinking at the thought.

"No. The boys left for school 10 minutes ago," she explains.

"Oh... okay. Good," I sigh in relief.

"Look, for what it's worth, I don't know the details, but I do know that JJ may be an idiot but he does care about you. The way he took care of you last night made that very clear. He thought he was doing what was best for you," she says to me.

I scoff. "He doesn't get to decide that for me, Kie. I needed him more than ever before and he walked away."

"And I understand that, but he has been miserable without you. It's self-sabotaging at it's finest." I sigh and look down. "Stella. Is there something you aren't telling me?"

I sigh again and look up at her. "In the flash drive video Shoupe found... my Dad told me something that completely turned my world upside down."

Kie sits next to me on the bed and nods to me encouragingly. "I'm all ears."

"He told me that... I am the product of an affair," I sniffle. "My biological mother died giving birth to me, so I don't even know who she is and it's not like I can find out."

"Oh, God, Stella. I can't even begin to imagine how hard that has been for you," she sympathizes. "Does JJ know?"

"No. The only people that would are me, Sarah, Rafe, Wheezie, Rose, and now you."

Before Kiara can respond, we hear the screen door slam shut followed by the front door. "Stella Blair, where the hell are you?"

"You called her?" I ask. Kiara shrugs.

"There you are. You had me worried sick!" Sarah appears in the doorway and Kie stands up and leaves the room. My sister rushes over and takes me in her arms.

"I'm sorry," I croak. 

"What for?" she asks, pulling away and wiping the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

"That I'm not the sister you thought I was," I utter.

"Are you kidding me, Stella? I don't care. No matter what, you will always be my sister. Nothing anyone could say or do would change that," she says, taking my hands in hers.

"But... but..."

"No buts!" she scolds me. "You will always be my sister. End of conversation." I nod and then I feel the bile rising in my throat once more, Sarah reaches for the bucket and practically throws it into my face right as I spew again. "Okay, come on. Take the bucket with. Let's go home." I nod once more and follow her out to the main room. Kie is waiting with her keys in hand.

"I'll drop you guys off on the way to school," she says.

"Oh, Kie, you don't have to do that," my sister protests.

"No, no, it's fine. It's practically on the way anyways and Stella shouldn't have to walk all the way there," Kie insists.

"Right. Thanks." Sarah nods and we walk out to Kie's SUV.

As we drive back to Figure Eight, I sit in the back seat, clutching the bucket just in case. I don't vomit anymore, thank God. I think my gut has had enough.

"Are you two going to the Bonfire tonight?" Kie asks us curiously.

"Wait that's tonight? I totally forgot," I reply, smacking my forehead with the palm of my hand.

"Oh, yeah. I was thinking about going," Sarah mentions.

"You should come, Stella. Maybe it would be a good chance to talk things through with—" Kie begins, but I interrupt her before she can say his name.

"Sounds fun! I'm in," I say loudly.

"Oh...kay then," Sarah trails off. Kie drops us off at the end of the driveway and as we walk up to the house Sarah starts up conversation with me. "What was Kie talking about in the car?"

"Uhh... what do you mean?" I ask.

"You know what I mean, Stella. That the Bonfire will be a good chance for you to talk to someone. Who?" she pries.

"I don't know what she was talking about."

"You're lying. What is going on?" she stops me and pauses. Then, her face lights up in realization. "It's JJ, isn't it?" My expression betrays me. "Shit, Stella. Why didn't you tell me? What happened?"

"He... he came to Tannyhill two days ago and he told me that... that... that he can't be with me anymore," I admit.

"Oh my, God. Again, why didn't you tell me?" she takes my shoulders in her hands and shakes me.

"I was embarrassed. Besides, you had other things to worry about." I shrug, looking down to avoid her piercing gaze.

"God, when I see him I'm gonna—"

"Sarah," I interrupt her. "It's okay. You don't have to."

She sighs and nods reluctantly. "You know, maybe Kie was right. You should come with me to the Bonfire. Maybe it will take your mind off of things."

"No, Sarah. JJ will be there," I protest. We continue back up the driveway, side by side.

"Is that such a bad thing? Like Kie said, it could be a good chance to talk to him. Hear him out and go from there."

"I don't know..."

"You aren't giving up on him are you? Because I know how much you care about him."

"I don't want to lose him," I admit.

"Then tell him that. Wear your best outfit tonight and make him regret ever thinking he could live without you," she advises.

"You know what? I'm in."

"Kildare better watch out. Stella Cameron is back and she means business."

——
Go Stella Go! Go get your man back!