Stay Courageous

Chapter 15

Sorry this chapter is so long! I just really wanted to fit the concert into chapter sixteen so I have to finish getting everything set up in fifteen. Thanks so much for reading, y'all are the best. Oh, and the character picture is Sam. :P

-SJ

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Stella's POV

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"Stop riding me mom, I'm just not hungry," my mom picked me up from cheer practice the next week on Tuesday afternoon, asking if I wanted to go to McDonald's with her for dinner. First of all, I hate McDonald's, it's the zenith of fattening foods, second, I wasn't hungry. When I told her this, she basically flipped out and told me to quit starving myself.

"Stella, honey, you have to eat. Your eating habits have changed drastically in the last few weeks!" She had to keep her eyes on the road because she was driving so I couldn't see her expression, but she sounded more angry than concerned.

"Mom, I'm just not hungry! It's not my fault if I don't want to pig out with you all the time," I looked out my window and pouted. Why was she all over me all of a sudden?

"It's not healthy to starve yourself. No wonder you're so skinny! I can't believe your father lets you behave like this," she pursed her lips after saying the words 'your father.' James and Thalia weren't exactly on good terms since the divorce.

"Please tell me you're not planning to tell him I'm 'starving myself,'" I said. She didn't answer me. "Mom!"

"Who's driving you to this concert next week?" She inquired, dodging me completely.

"I'm not talking to you until you answer my question," and so we drove the rest of the way back to my dad's apartment in silence.

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Zoe's POV

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"Sweetheart, what are those scratches on your arm? Are you sure you just scraped it on the pool deck?" My mom grilled me Wednesday night when she walked in on me doing my homework in a tank top. Guess my own room couldn't even be a sacred place anymore. My dad, who just so happened to be out in the hallway at that exact moment, tuned in at my mom's questions and bombarded his way into my room as well.

"Let me see," he grabbed my wrist and it took all I had to keep from wincing. "They're so wide they look like burns or something," he gave me a concerned look and stepped back to stand with my mom who wore the same facial expression. They looked expectant so I had to say something.

"I promise guys, I tripped and fell and the concrete mauled my arm. I've got lots of homework to do and it's already eleven o'clock so.." I didn't have to finish because they were already walking out of my room. Even though my mom closed the door on her way out, I could still hear her and my dad whispering out in the hallway. That was a close call.

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Stella's Pov

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