Home [n.h.]

IV

"C'mon Stella!" I screeched with excitement, watching the swaying crowd on the dance floor. The loud bass was pumping the blood through me, almost as if my heart was thumping to each beat. Adrenaline was swimming in my veins and I was too ready to get out on the dance floor. My eyes were glued to that dance floor from the beginning of the night. When I did finally look at Stella, she was practically devouring John's face off. John and Stella had been dating for a month now. I only allowed him to come on this girl's night because he could get us, underage girls, inside this well known club. His uncle was the owner. 

"C'mon, Stella, don't kill this ENERGY. Give John a chance to breathe and come dance with me." I signaled towards the dance floor. 

"You kinda just killed this energy." Her stare was blank and she used her finger to motion between her and john.

"Shut up you whore." I exclaimed laughing, and snatched her away from john before she could protest. 

The dance floor seemed to shake with the music as we danced. And danced. And danced. Soon enough, Stella pretty much forgot about John all together. We just danced around in circles, applauded the DJ after each 10 minute song ended, and didn't give a shit about anyone else. She radiated happiness. That night, we didn't have one ounce of alcohol. We had fun to have fun. I hadn't seen her smile that much in a long time. Too long.

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"So, what happened next." 

"Well, um, I walked into the room. It was really really quiet. I felt that something was wrong. I knew, or at least made the assumption, that Stella had stayed back at the dorm and missed those first classes. The night before, she had been at a party really late. When I woke up in my car, she still had her clothes on from that night." 

"Why did you fall asleep in your car?" 

"Oh, yeah." I laughed nervously. "I had gone to get her from the party.... She had drunkenly called me and, I could barely make it out, but I think she asked me to come get her. She was drunk, everyone else was drunk, so I went." 

"What happened when you went to the party?" 

"Well, this guy, I didn't know him I swear, he lifted me up and ran up and down the stairs. I finally, like, got loose and ran to my car. I guess he was drunk." I tried to sound as trustworthy as possible." I drove back to the dorm and.... Fell asleep." 

"Do you know this guy's full name?" I took a nervous glance at Niall's dad, who was watching the interrogation from the corner of the room. 

"Who was he, miss?" 

"Niall...Horan." I looked down. I felt like mentioning his name was so wrong, I didn't want him in trouble. He had done so much. He had got me clean clothes, chocolate, and he gave me so much company. He even held me while I cried a couple times. He talked to me without caution. All these detectives, they talk to me like I'll burst into tears any second. He talks to me like a human. Some normalcy in this very abnormal situation. They never noticed Niall was in here. 4 hours, and he was the only company I had. A moment passes before they begin again. 

"Was there anyone else at that party who you suspect might've... I don't know, seemed bitter towards Stella?" 

"Actually, yes!" I say, a memory hitting me like a brick. "I asked a girl if she had seen Stella. The girl called her a slut for no reason, then Niall came in and, yeah." 

"What did this girl look like?" 

"Um... Uh. She had... um", I closed my eyes, searching my mind for an image of her face, but it was too blurry. Everything was too blurry. I felt tears start to flow down my face. Why couldn't I think of it! I could feel the trails of the tears as they went over the hills of my cheeks.