Lover

two.

Stella opened my eyes, staring blankly at the roof of her studio apartment. The sun was shining across each bare wall, sinking its light into her eyes. She blinked twice, instantly remembering the events of last night and closing her eyes once again.

She reached across her bed towards her phone, sitting unplugged on the nightstand. Two missed calls from her boss at 'Go-Mart', and a couple texts from her sister Molly.

Hey- are you awake?

What are you doing tonight?

Stella pushed her phone aside and slid out of bed, dragging her feet across the floor towards her kitchen. The apartment wasn't very big. Her bed lay parallel to the kitchen, a yellow couch in between. There was a tv from her parents in the corner, and a clothing rack for her work dresses— which work paid for.

That's the thing about tv news, you mostly fund yourself. A blessing and a curse to be able to dictate your own wardrobe.

She yawned opening up the cabinets, which were mostly bare, and decided on a cup of coffee and a granola bar, the usual. Normally she would be at work right now, but since the events of last night, and considering her mental health, she was told to stay home.

As she bit into her granola bar, she was interrupted by a small kiss by her shin.

"Hey Shylo," she greeted the husky at her feet. Shylo was a gift from her parents a few years ago, where ever she went, he followed. Like a little ghost.

If you took a look at Stella's apartment, you'd think she was the most boring person ever. You'd think that if she was reincarnated as an object, she would be wheat bread.

The opposite couldn't be more true. She was just... poor. She couldn't afford the nice candles from target, or comfy throw pillows, or athleisure or music or anything. Just her rent, her bills, and sometimes rum.

Many times, rum.

See the problem with Stella was that when she did spend money, she spent it on experiences instead of material items. Airplanes to day trips to coffee to concerts. Concerts were her favorite.

Mind you, these experiences didn't happen often, but when they did, they made life worth it. Another fatal flaw about Stella was that she never had a reason to decorate. Her mother often pestered her about how her apartment looked so dreary.

She always reminded her mother that she'd only be in the apartment for about two years, and then she'd have to start all over again, getting traded around and around by the broadcast entertainment industry like a baseball player.

Before New York it was Colorado, and before that it was Texas.

Stella sauntered back across the room and picked up her phone, sending a text back to her sister.

Hey- work gave me off today. What's up?

Molly messaged back almost instantly.

Sofia bailed on me for my concert tonight, I have an extra ticket, wanna go?

She was on strict orders to relax and seek mental health counseling that she couldn't afford. Ah but fuck it, for the plot.

Who are you seeing?

Greta Van Fleet.

She had heard of the band countless times. Molly didn't stop talking about them for weeks when she first discovered their music.

I'm in.

She typed, tossing her phone back on the bed.

"Come on Shylo, let's go outside."