❝ in the seventeen years i've been on this earth, i've never met anyone as f#@!%^g stupid as you. ❞
in which two kids on the opposite sides of the social spectrum find solace in one another during a strange period of time.
ESTELLA COLLINS STAND ALON...
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CHAPTER SEVEN ; COPING also known as; ( the body)
★☆
IT WAS TEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT WHEN STELLA COLLINS ARRIVED HOME. She stood at the edge of her driveway with barely any voice left in her and an utterly broken heart. After parting with Dustin and Lucas at their homes, she and Eleven walked the rest of the way in pure silence, holding each others hands. The little girl didn't seem to want to let go, and Stella needed the comfort, so there was no disagreement between the two.
A shaky sigh left Stella's lips as she glanced down at Eleven, whose face was softly illuminated in the street light. The child was clearly upset, something the teen didn't blame her for. Eleven had been so sure she had found Will, but instead he was dead and she had been screamed at by Mike. Not even Lucas or Dustin had the heart to do that. But that was how Mike coped; he shut everyone out and bottled up all the anger inside him until he burst.
"Do you think you'll be okay sleeping at Mike's tonight?" Stella asked Eleven softly, her voice croaky and in need of rest. Her shoulders were hunched and aching, and her eyes were droopy despite the fact that she felt she couldn't sleep anymore. She couldn't shut down now that Will's death was plaguing her mind. But despite this, she wanted Eleven to be safe. Dustin and Lucas had their parents to go back home to, but she had no one. Mike was livid and there was no saying how hospitable he would be, which was why Stella offered her own home. "You can always stay in my room tonight. I've got a couple of sleeping bags from when I used to go camping, and extra pillows in the hall cupboard."
Eleven glanced between the two houses, the first that was large and suitable for a large family with a middle class lifestyle, and the other that was significantly smaller and well-fitted for the group of three that lived there. The girl's eyes were glossy and fatigued, the eventful day clearly taking a toll on her. She was compelled to stay with Stella, the person who had treated her with kindness despite her mistakes, but at the same time she desired familiarity, which was why she shook her head. "No."
Pursing her lips, Stella nodded once, squeezing Eleven's hand. "That's fine. I'll walk you to Mike's backdoor, okay?"
The pair began walking through the grass and around Mike's home, managing to stay out of sight and away from the windows so that they would be unseen. Stella's socks dampened as they were buried in the wet lawn, but it was the last thing on her mind at that moment. She could hear Eleven's quickened breathing as she anticipated the heated anger of Mike. Stella clenched her fist and gently knocked on the door, not even sure if she'd get an answer. The pair still waited, they still had faith.
After a few minutes, Stella heard a click, and her ears perked up. She turned her head to see Eleven opening the door, but there was no one on the other side. Stella pursed her lips, assuming Mike had opened it and walked off. Stella stepped in after Eleven, peering in and seeing the boy curled up on the couch, staring at the wall. The teenager shut the door quietly and placed her skates on the ground, glancing over at Eleven and smiling softly.
