Unseen Strings

Chapter 8

Angelina

After Marcus's revelation, I couldn't keep my cool. I stood up from the table and walked off. Of course, Stella ran after me,

"Rosie!" She shouted, "Rosie wait!"

I stopped and turned around.

"Rosie," she bent down a bit, catching her breath. "Do you think...that was..." she tried to speak.

"Who the hell else would it be?!" I exploded a bit. "I thought this was over!" I sank to the ground a bit. "I just-!"

"Rosie," Stella stood and came closer to me, rubbing my back. "I'm sure we can figure it out...I mean, this guy can't seem to keep himself away from you..." she began.

"Yeah, so what?? I'm stuck with him forever!" I wailed.

"No!" Stella threw her hands up, "it's just, I have been reading up on this." She began again.

"And?" I stood from my crouched position, wiping my eyes.

"If he's getting more...courageous...like what he did last night...then that means maybe he won't be able to resist himself and he'll just appear in your life somewhere!" She smirked a bit as if she was a private investigator in a TV show who just solved a mystery.

"Stella, that can literally be anyone," I added.

"No, it can't! It'd have to be someone you interact with! I mean this guy seems hellbent on you, so that means he'd put himself where you are!" She clapped her hands together.

"Yeah, I guess..." I catered my gaze from her, just in time to see her brother's car pulling into the parking lot. "Oh fuck!" I cursed louder than I meant to.

"Rosie?" Stella raised an eyebrow at me but then followed my eye-line. "What the hell is he doing here?" She asked, I could sense her arms folding as he pulled in front of us.

The door opened and JJ strutted out.

"Angelina!" He called, "You ready?"

I felt my skin turn white as Stella's lips smacked.

"Rosie? Have anything to say?" I heard the annoyance in her voice as he walked up.

"Uhm...well..." I began just as he came within hearing distance.

"Your bag," he stated, taking my backpack off my shoulder and slinging it on his. "What?" He cocked his head to the side as Stella stared daggers at him. "What're you lookin at with those daggers?"

"You." She spat as her friends then decided to join the fun that was this situation. "What're you doing here?" She asked.

"Picking up Angelina." He stated nonchalantly as if it was a regular thing when we all knew it wasn't.

"Why?" Stella's hand went to her hips. "We could take her home."

"Who's we?" He asked.

"Me and John." She motioned between herself and Johnny.

"Sorry kid but I don't know who the fuck you are," JJ spoke a bit rougher than he should've. "If my sister wants to trust your skinny ass okay, but Angelina should not be forced to go along with you guys."

Johnny didn't say anything, only shook his head.

My eyes cut to Amanda, who seemed shaken at JJ's presence. Marcus just cut his eyes at him.

I will admit to concealing a small smile; I didn't like riding with Stella and her random people all the time, and usually, I had no choice. If JJ was a choice, I'd take JJ.