Stella Reid lives her life in the shadows of her best friend, Carson Holt, and Carson's star wide receiver boyfriend, Topher Thompson. Stella doesn't mind this at all, in-fact she enjoys living her life on the sidelines. Her life is relatively borin...
I wake up to the bright sunlight coming through my window. 8am. Great. My head is throbbing as i sit up and take in my surroundings. I'm still in my outfit from last night. I walk into my bathroom and look in the mirror. Mascara is running down my puffy cheeks and my eyes are red. I take my makeup off and grab my phone seeing 27 missed calls from Mac and 5 missed calls from Carson. I dial Carson's number and wait for her to answer. After three rings, her sleepy voice comes across the speaker.
"Hey, Stell. Are you okay?" Carson exclaims through the phone.
"If by okay you mean heartbroken..." I trail off trying to stop myself from crying again.
"Stella, it's not what you think. You need to talk to Mac and let him explain he-" Carson begins before I cut her off.
"This is too much, Car. I gotta go. I love you." I say before hanging up. I need to get out of this house and clear my head. I throw on a t-shirt, leggings, and sneakers. I walk downstairs and grab my keys, opening the door. I let out a yelp when i see a sleeping Mac at the foot of the door. His eyes shoot open and he scrambles to stand up.
"Stella! You need to let me explain! I didn't... Marcy, she-" Mac tries to gather his thoughts.
"Did you sleep out here?" I question, tears beginning to brim in my eyes.
"I guess I did, but that's beside the point, Stell. I would do anything for you." He confesses.
"I guess that doesn't include not cheating on me." I state, a frustrated tear escaping. Mac reaches to wipe it away and I swat at his hand. "And to think, last night I was going to..." Mac shoots me a questioning look as I trail off, regretting the fact that I even started the statement.
"Going to what?"
"Forget it. Leave me alone, Mac."
Mac's face drops as I slip around his tall figure and into my car. Slamming the door, I frantically stab my key in the direction of the ignition, blinded by the tears brimming in my eyes. After a few seconds, I pull out of the driveway, tears now pouring down my face, without another look in the direction of my paralyzed boyfriend. Boyfriend? Is he even my boyfriend anymore. How did I go from pleasantly single, to head-over-heels, to heartbroken in a few meager weeks?
I regain my concentration on the road and realize that I am pulling into the too familiar crumbling parking lot. I park between the faded white lines and begin my trek down the dirt path a few feet away from my car that is hidden by green leaves.Tall trees curve around the path as I walk through. After a few minutes of walking, sticks cracking beneath my feet, the trees open up to a short cliff, overlooking a view of the city. I take a seat on the lush green grass just looking out at the view and leaning back on my palms, lost in thought.
I thought Mac was different. As naive as it sounds, I really though Mac and I would be together for a long time. How could I allow myself to fall so fast. I gaze out in silence at the bustling cars and scampering people. What feels like hours goes by. I am snapped out of my trance by the cracking of sticks behind me. I turn my head to see Carson making her way in my direction. She takes a seat beside me and wraps her arms around my shivering body.
"Oh babe, I'm so sorry. I heard the whole thing." she whispers out, her quiet voice shattering the silence. My once dry face is damp again as the tears begin falling again. My quiet sobs fill the space around us. She clutches me tighter and rubs circles into my back while quietly hushing me.
"How did you find me?" I question, my sobs finally quieting down after a few minutes.
"Well, I looked everywhere else and you weren't there. This was the only place left." She shrugs and I send her a silent nod. "We haven't been here since..." she trails off, biting her tongue at the brainless comment that was forming in her head.
"Since Jackson, I know. I just kind of ended up here. It was almost like an impulse." I explain, surprised that I was here myself.
"Mac came over after everything happened." She carefully mutters. I whisper a quiet "oh" and she continues. "He explained everything to me and Toph. Nothing actually happened, Stell."
"You don't know that for sure, Carson," I pause and let out a ridgid breath, "and I don't know if I can trust Mac. After Jackson, it's become so hard to let new people in."
"I understand that, but maybe you should let him explain. This could all be just a big misunderstanding."
I nod in response to Carson's suggestion, with no intention to listen. For the next few hours, we just sit in silence. After watching the sun set, we head back to our cars and drive home.
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When I pull into my driveway, an all too familiar dark figure is standing on the porch, the same spot it was when I left. I sigh as I hop out of my car and walk toward the door.
"Stella, please let me explain. I'm not giving up on us." Mac pleads while grabbing my wrist. I rip my arm from his grasp and turn to face him.
"Yeah? Well I am. I can't deal with this Mac." Carson's words are ringing in my head. I know I should let Mac explain, but I can't stop the rampage of words that are leaving my mouth. "You lost my trust and I don't think you'll ever get it back." I let out with a huff and, in one swift motion, unlock the front door, enter the house, and slam it shut. After quickly locking it, my back comes into contact with the inside of the door as I slide down it, bringing my knees to my chest and my hands to my face. I let out sobs, not holding back, for what feels like the 100th time today.
"Stella. I still love you, and I will always love you. I'll be here waiting, no matter how long it takes." I hear Mac speak through the door, followed by footsteps down the front steps.
