Stella, Won't You Take Me Home?

Stay Awake

I walked towards Alex's house. As much as I had been trying to avoid him, Dr. Thompson had assigned is to work on a project together. Fun. I sighed as I was about to bring my fist to knock on the front door it swung open to reveal a very excited looking Alex. Was he waiting for me? I awkwardly dropped my hand by my side.

"Sorry, I was walking by and saw you out the front window." He told me and I nodded. Of course he wasn't waiting for me. "Well c'mon." He opened the door wider letting me in.

We made our way up to his room which looked tidier than usual. "So where should we start?" I asked setting my bag beside his bed on the floor.

"Lisa and I broke up." Alex said quickly,

"Who dumped who?" I pretended to care but I honestly didn't want to hear about his relationship status.

"Mutual break up." He shrugged.

"That's what David said when he got dumped."

"Technically I dumped her but she was cool with it." He told me and I nodded.

"Where should we start?" I asked again.

"Female sex organs?" He suggested. I couldn't help but laugh.

"You only want to talk about vaginas." I said.

"At least I don't want to talk about penises." He stated, I cringed at the word 'penis' and he laughed knowing how much I hate the word.

"Who even had the idea to assign a project on sex?" I asked no one in particular.

"Doctor Thompson." He sighed.

"Don't pretend to be bored you love talking about sex, especially with me." I winked and he just chuckled, murmuring something inaudible.

~~~~~~~~~~~

🐶Alex🐶

Dammit, I choked. Why didn't just ask her then?! You fucking dumbass. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I sat in Maths wracking my brain trying to figure out why I didn't ask her.

"Alexander Gaskarth!" Ms. Smith snapped.

"Huh?" I hummed.

"Are you listening?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"No." I snapped back.

"What was the quote I just read?" She pressed.

"I just told you I wasn't fucking listening so how the fuck should I know?!" I yelled using the anger at myself and taking it out on her.

"Mr. Gaskarth! Get the hell out of my classroom."

"Gladly." I grabbed my book bag and stomped out of the classroom. I wandered down the halls for a while before bumping into Stella.

"Hey." She breathed giving me a fake smile but I didn't mention it.

"Stella I've been needing to ask you something." I finally got the balls to ask her.

"What-"

"At this time we will be having a

lockdown, this is not a drill." A voice over the intercom said cutting Stella off.

"C'mon, we have to hide." I pulled Stella to the janitors closet and locked it from the inside.

"What's going on?" She whispered.

"Hell if I know." I replied sitting on the floor and resting my head on a shelf. Stella sat beside me. "Stella?" I had to say it. Now or never. "I think I'm in love with you."

She gasped quietly. "R-really?" She was on the verge of tears. I nodded slowly. There was suddenly a loud bang and she stiffened. I grabbed her hand and pulled her down, cradling her in my lap. Another bang followed by screams. Stella whimpered, and I pulled her closer where she sobbed into my chest. I was scared shitless myself but I had to be strong for Stella. The shots were getting louder so I knew they were getting closer.

"Alex. I think I'm in love with you too." Stella whisper-sobbed. Suddenly the door burst open. I held Stella tighter and flipped her over so I was shielding her. I heard a bang followed by immense pain in my right thigh. "Alex!" Stella screamed as the gunman just walked on.

"Shh.. Shh.. It'll be okay princess, just a flesh wound." I tried to smile but through the pain it came out as a grimace. "I love you." My eyes got heavy. Stella pulled my head into her lap.

"Alex stay awake. Your safe come on stay awake. You'll be fine. Alex you'll be perfectly fine. Everything'll be just fine." She reassured herself more than me. I couldn't die now. Not when I almost have her. I can't just...

~~~~~~~~

🕗2 weeks later🕗

~~~~~~~~

I pryed my eyes open staring at a white ceiling. Breathing in a smell of strong disinfectant, I took in my surroundings. The walls were an off-white color. Slowly I became aware of a beeping noise, along with a pressure on my hand.

"Stella?" I croaked out. "Where am I?"

"The hospital, dear." I looked up to see my mother smiling at me though her eyes looked worried and were full of tears.

"What? Where's Stells?" I tried to move but pain shot through my leg causing me to hiss in agony. Then I remembered. The shooting. The bullet stabbing into my leg. "Is she okay?!" I worried for her. What if the gunman came back for her once I passed out.

My mom chuckled. "Darling calm down. She's fine, she visits everyday."

"Everyday? How long was I out?" I prayed it wasn't too long.

She pressed her lips into a thin line and hesitated before saying: "two weeks."

I choked on my spit. "Two weeks?! What have I missed?!"

"Ms. Smith came in feeling horrible about kicking you out of the class and blames herself for you getting shot."

"Did any kids...?"

"Oh thank heavens no. A lot were injured, but it seems you took the worst." My mom let out a humorless laugh.

"Lucky me." I grumbled sarcastically.

"Alex your awake." A woman you looked to be in her early forties strolled in, her eyes glued to a clipboard.

"No I sleep with my eyes open." I snapped and my mom slapped me upside the head.

"Alex." She scolded.

"It's fine. But it would be nice if he could come up with a better come back." The doctor smirked. "Anyway I am Doctor Parks nice to finally meet the boy I have been watching sleep for the past two weeks." She joked. I liked her already.

"Well here I am in the flesh." I smiled.

"As I hoped. Anyway, I would hate to bore you with the medical bull so I'll cut to the chase. We need to do bloodwork, an EKG and some brain scans. If everything comes back fine we can get you out of here in two days tops, tomorrow morning if your lucky." She winked.

"Sounds great doc now where's-"

"Alex?!" I looked over to see Stella wide-eyed in the doorway, a paper bag sat on the floor in front of her so I assumed she dropped it. Awkwardly she bent to pick it up.

"Stella." I breathed as she skipped towards me and placing a hand on my cheek. She was here. She was alive. She was safe.

"We'll leave you two." My mother and doctor excused themselves. As soon as they were through the door I forced my lips onto hers the pain in my leg quickly diminishing.

"I've been wanting to do that since... Well since the first time we kissed." I told her when we pulled away. I scooted over and patted the small area on the bed, knowing she would fit. Stella cautiously squeezed into the tight area, her body conforming to mine.

"I love you." She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I love you too, princess."

She rested her head on my shoulder as I sang True Colors to her softly. The song I had decided was a song of our friendship.