Stay Courageous

Chapter 37

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Stella's POV

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"Wait, what's today's date?" Zoe whispered from behind me in biology on Monday. Our teacher had asked us, as always to put our name and date at the top of the test but, as always, Zoe couldn't remember the date.

"It's February eighth, dingus," I tilted my head back and whispered to her. Almost a week since my father had won custody of me. As I expected, I hadn't heard from my mom at all since the day we had to go back to court to receive the custody papers. I almost wondered, would she want to talk to me after my dad had custody if she actually wanted me to live with her? Would she want to go do fun things with me so we could make more memories before I left? Would she be constantly telling me she loves me until the day I leave Georgia? But, I didn't wonder this, because what was the point if I already had five amazing friends that did all that stuff for her?

By now, I'd kind of accepted the fact that I'll be moving to California. It didn't make me cry every time I heard the state's name anymore, and, being free of the decision between my parents, I wasn't up all night stressing and pulling my hair out and (quite literally) throwing up. I didn't cry myself to sleep anymore.

Of all my friends, it's taken Zoe the longest to support my decision to move. I knew that it wasn't because she didn't love me, but because she loved me so much that she didn't want to accept that I was leaving. The thing about Zoe, is that she may come across as a scary, stand offish, obnoxious, sarcastic bitch, wait, what was I saying? Just kidding.

The thing about Zoe is that she doesn't seem like she cares much. She makes this reputation for herself as an emo with a temper who doesn't really care, but she actually cares more than anyone. Zoe has passion. I see it when I read the poetry she writes, when I watch her swim, when she works so hard to make A's in school. But Zoe also has passion for people; her friends, her family. Zoe has passion for me. She loves me so, she doesn't want me to leave, but she loves me so much that she's going to let me leave just because I want to.

There in biology class, I glanced behind me at that tangled mess of dirty blonde curls. She was wearing a solid green top and some jeans since basketball season wasn't over yet, but I thought of her in one of her crazy outfits, in a plaid skirt with fishnets and her crazy blue lipstick and I thought to myself: this is the stuff best friends are made of.

"What?" She looked up, obviously sensing that I was staring at her.

"Nothing," I smiled and turned back around to finish my test.

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Zoe's POV

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"Y'all! The last basketball game is tonight! Do you know what this means?" I approached our little lunch table with great enthusiasm.

"You don't have to follow Madison's dress code any-" Sam started.

"YES!" I finished before grinning and sitting in my respective spot between Kat and Taylor.

"Maybe Sanders will even let you play tonight," Kat bit into an apple.

"I highly doubt it. We're playing that team from South Carolina, the Saints or whatever. We got demolished last time we played them," I imagined coach putting me in and me falling on my face right in front of that huge post, number twenty-two. I'd probably make it out with three or four broken ribs. Her face may look sweet, but she's a beast when she plays basketball. I shuddered at the memory of watching our last game against the Saints from the bench.