THE ORIGINAL BAD BOY

NINE+

"I don't get it," I mumble

Megan stands, "she's young." Waving off my comment
"C'mon, Ladies. I need a refill!" Megan chants.

I pull out my phone, deciding to text Stella. "Hey"

She usually replies back fast, I mean so fast I sometimes wonder if she's already got our messaging up.

No reply.

I think maybe I wanted to tell someone about Tyler and I, the event of two days ago have been weighing on me. I think Stella, as always, would say something like "You Go, Hoe!" Or maybe even "Yolo" but when it really came down to it she could help... If you decoded her cryptic, twisted words the right way.

But she didn't answer even when I called her, I take Megan's car keys. "I'm going out Megan," I call to her in the kitchen. "You're drunk you can't drive!" She says, giggly. "No, wait... I'm drunk. Ha, go ahead," she waves me off

I roll my eyes, drunk Megan creeps me out.

I stand at Stella's front door, I had Knocked twice already. Just when I was about to knock again her mom appears, "you." She says sourly. "What happened to Gideon, I liked him." She frowns

I open and close my mouth, "is-uh-is-Stella home?" I ask. Her mom rolls her eyes, "come in, I'll get her," she says

I step inside the house, there's not a light on inside. "STELLA!" Her mom screams up the steps to her, smokers cough gets her afterwards.

Stella comes to the top of the stair case. "Grey, hey" she says, coming down. Her mom is still coughing, "Mom, SHUT UP." Stella shoots.

"What brings you to my humble abode!" Stella gestures for me to go into the living room.

She turns on a light, "why are all your lights off?" I ask. "Moms newest husband is a green thumb, he's putting solar panels on the roof next weekend." Stella says. I look around, there are no family pictures, nothing personal, just some furniture.

"I really needed to talk." I hum, "where you busy?" I ask. Stella shakes her head no, "I'm always down to play dr. Phill!" She says. "Oh you weren't answering your phone." I say, "I didn't hear it." Stella says. "But what's on your mind?" She asks

"I kissed Tyler."

Her eyes are wide, skin a shade or two paler.

"YOU WHAT?"

"Well, he kissed me first- but" I begin
"Story. Story, I need the full story," she begs

So I tell her everything minus the whole investigation for our parents and the finger in the box and what not.

Her mouth is hanging wide open, "wait-wait, what about the boyfriend?" She asks. "Finn!" She adds, saying his name as if it had just come to her.

I nod, gulp, "I know" I mumble, "I'm a horrible person." I sink down onto her couch.

I fall over on my side, "Yes, sulk in your mistakes!" Stella jokes.

Penates exactly what I'm doing, sulking with my face buried in the cushion of her couch.

There are crumbs between the cushions, the couch smells of smoke and I smell of smoke and chewed up cheeks. Too many worries, I couldn't file by category so they ruled each other out and I'm not worried.
Not that I know of.
Just in over my head.

I look up and Stella's engulfed in her phone.

"Who are you texting?" I ask
"A friend of a friend." She shrugs, smiling
"You're smiling." I say
"Because he's sweet!" Stella says.
"He?"
"Yes, he" she says
"What's "HE'S" name?" I ask
She smiles, "that's for me to know and for." Stella shrugs, puts her phone in her back pocket and stands, "So do you like Tyler... Or were you just kissing him to kiss him?" Stella asks