To My Dearest Enemy

Love is in the Air

October 26

STELLA

Having the one thing taken away from me that I loved the most was life ruining. No volleyball. Ever again. Within one month I had lost everything I cared about. Volleyball, Hayden, Matt, Alana's trust, and probably Jill's trust as well. Hayden was probably dead and I'm to blame, Matt had fallen into a deep depression and shut me out, and Alana didn't believe anything I said. All I had left was Kane. The door to Kane's apartment opened and there he was. All he was wearing was a towel around his waist. His face was clean shaven and water droplets glistened on his body. His wiry black hair was short on the sides and the back, but the top was longer and dripping wet. Damn, he was gorgeous.

"Stella, hey, what are you doing here?" He didn't seem happy to see me. Wonderful, I probably lost him too.

"Something happened a-and I can't play volleyball anymore and I lost everyone and I was suspended for tomorrow and I just need you, Kane." God, I hated crying, but I couldn't stop myself from breaking down. Kane embraced me and shushed me.

"Come in, sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone. You could've called, I could've picked you up." Kane said.

"I also got into trouble with my parents so they took my phone. I snuck out." I whimpered as Kane released me and we walked in.

"Alright. Stay here tonight. I'll take care of you. Just relax, I won't leave you." He reassured me. And why wouldn't I believe him?

———

JILL

Having a friend ignore you is one thing, but having them disappear off the face of the earth after fourth period was another. Nobody had heard from or seen Stella since fourth period. She wouldn't answer my calls or texts. She wasn't at volleyball practice either. She had a lot of explaining to do. I opened the front door to her house, walked in, and shut the door behind me.

"Hey Jill." Ash looked up from the couch.

"Hey, where's Stella?" I asked.

"She should be in her bedroom, but now's not a good time. She's grounded. My parents took her phone." Ash said. Grounded? I raised my eyebrows.

"Since when does Stella get grounded?" I asked.

"Since she got suspended for punching a guy." Ash stated. Now that did not sound like Stella. Giving a guy a blow job in between classes, now that sounded like Stella.

"Stella? Stella Fraser? Punched a guy?" I scoffed. Unbelievable. "I would have to see it to believe it. Who and why?"

"Chris Erickson because he supposedly hit on her." Ash said. Chris the Perv, of course. He hit on Alana and I when we were in seventh grade and he was a freshman

"I'm gonna go talk to her." I replied before beginning to walk upstairs. I walked to her bedroom and pushed the door open. "Stella what the fuck did you do now?" But no Stella. I sighed and walked out and ran downstairs.

"She didn't wanna talk?" Ash asked.

"No, now's not a good time." I sighed. Stella had to have snuck out, maybe to see Matt. Or Kane.

"Sorry." Ash said.

"It's fine. Cya." I replied as I walked out the front door. Her parents had to have taken her phone. It was unlike Stella to go off the grid like that. But no matter what, she fucked up. Hayden was missing and Stella thought it was okay to go off the grid and disappear too? Absolutely not.

———

MATT

Every bone and muscle in my body ached as I collapsed onto my bed. I really should stop skipping team weightlifting sessions. Colin forced me to go and it'd been so long since I weightlifted and I was already sore. The ring of the doorbell echoed through my house.