Hard To Love (a Josh Hutcherson Fan Fiction)

Chapter 1

Stella's POV

I lean my head on the cold glass of the foggy train window, my breath leaving a small circle of warm steam with every exhale. It's way too early to be doing anything, even if I were a morning person to begin with. The stranger in the seat across the isle from me keeps sending creepy looks my way. I have to deal with this for two more hours if not more. I am not sure as to whether I should ignore them, or rudely acknowledge the fact that he is creeping me the fuck out. I decide to ignore it and turn my attention back to outside the window and slowly drift off into a dreamless slumber.

I wake to the sound of the breakfast plates being collected by the train attendants, the sharp clank of each plate, knife, and fork bouncing around in my tired brain. I can faintly see the lights of the upcoming train station through the dirty window, the station I will be getting off at.

I am on my way to Kentucky to visit my old roommate, Kate. We used to share a room in the foster home I now live in. She turned 18, graduated high school and left me all alone to go chase her dreams at the University of Kentucky. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and since we both lack a family to celebrate it with, I am going to visit her at her dorm. Thank God I am getting to get out of that foster home for a few days. She invited me to come to the big "Thanksgiving Football Bash" at the university. I am not much a fan of crowds, but I will suck it up and make myself have fun regardless.

I hear the train wheels squeal to a stop and the train inches slowly forward making its way into the gate.

"Stop 546, Lexington Kentucky, Arrival time approximately 9:45 AM" said the voice over the train intercom.

"Finally," I mumble under my breath.

I grab my bags and dart off the train as fast as my tiny legs will let me.

As soon as I step foot on the ground, I look around for Kate. I find her in the sea of people and dart her way. "Oh my gosh, I miss you so much." I say while embracing her in a huge hug. She was one of my only friends that I had at the orphanage other than a little 5 year old girl and another kid my age. She's a year ahead of me in school, but we never acted like there was an age difference, so when she got to leave and I didn't, reality finally hit us that our time together as roommates was over quicker than we could comprehend the age gap.

"I have missed you too! Get ready for cute boys, alcohol, and a good time. How was the train ride?" She says, draping her arm around my shoulders.

"Great, anything to get my mind off of things. And it was okay, nothing exciting." I say quietly and pick up my bag from the ground. "Lets get out of here."

We walk to her car and I toss my bags in the trunk and we are on our way to her dorm.

"So how's New York?" she asks

"eh, same old, same old. Nothing changes, you know that." I say shrugging my shoulders.

"Don't worry Stell, soon enough you will be out of that place for good, now come on, we have a lot of catching up to do! and there is an event going on tonight for some Thanksgiving festivities!" she says, helping me get my bags out of her trunk.

Her dorm is small but cozy. It has a queen bed and a private bathroom, something which I thought was unusual for a dorm room.

"No roommate?" I ask

"Nope! I have a room at the end of the hall which have bathrooms, so there is no room for another bed!" she says smiling, "I got lucky!"

"Haha, yeah." I say looking out the window to see all of the booths and a few rides set up on a fairground just across from the dorm complex. "can I shower? I feel gross from sitting on that train for 3 hours."