The Real Stella Smock

Talk About Terrible Timing

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my hand not moving from th edge of the door.

"How did you even know I was here?"

"Justin told me," Of course.

"Listen, I just want to talk." Jaden tells me.

I scratch my forehead aggravated.

"Jaden, I told you not today. I'm busy."

"With Jake right?"

I cross my arms over my chest and lean on to the door frame.

"Yeah, and?"

"Stella, I didn't come to fight with you." Jaden says.

"Then why did you come? I specifically told you NOT today."

"I thought you'd think it was romantic."

"And you also thought I was the type of girl to hook up with someone else while I'm in a relationship."

I see the guilty look in his eyes as he shuffles uncomfortably.

"Look, I know I shouldn't have assumed that and I'm sorry."

"Do you think that?" I ask.

He opens his mouth but then closes it again obviously not wanting to tell me.

"Jaden, do you think that?"

"Y- I don't know what to think-"

"No tell me, do you really think that?" I try to keep my voice monotone so he'll give me an unbiased answer.

"Yeah, I really do." He says.

"Then I don't know what to tell you. This relationship isn't going to work if you don't trust me." I tell him honestly.

"Look, it's not only that Stella. You're with him all the time, and if you're not with him then your texting him and-"

"Ok? I'm with Ariana all the time and when I'm not with her I'm usually texting her but that never seemed to bothered you."

"That's different."

"How is that different? They're both my friends and the time I spend with both of them is almost equivalent."

"I don't like that either." He tells me.

"Well that's a problem. Being in a relationship isn't about controlling the other person."

"I'm not controlling you."

"You're right you're not controlling me but you are trying to. You're trying to control my friend circle, when I hang out with my friends, and where I hang out with them and I really don't like that. I might not like everything you do and everyone you hang out with, but-"

"Name one of my friends that you don't like." Jaden says as if he thinks I'm making that up.

"Matty." I say without missing a beat.

He makes an expression asking me why not.

"He's an asshole!"

"How come you never told me you don't like him?"

"Because he's not my friend so why should I care? If I don't like him I don't have to hang out with him."

Jaden sighs.

"I just don't like it."

"I honestly don't get it. You're perfectly fine with Justin and me. We hang out pretty much on a daily basis and you know that we had a thing, so what's up with that?"

"He's one of my best friend's Stella. I know he's not gonna pull any shit."

Wow. So he really doesn't trust me. He only fine with me hanging out with HIS best friend because he knows he's not gonna pull any shit. Not because I'm not gonna try anything with him.

That's the most reassuring thing to hear your boyfriend say.

"Wow." Was all I could manage.

He sighs, probably just realizing what he said.

"Stella-"

I hold up a hand to silence him.

"Save your breath. I don't wanna hear your bullshit explanation." I turn away from him and walk inside.

"Stella wait."

"Goodbye Jaden." I tell him while slamming the door in his face.

I lean on the door and tilt my head back closing my eyes.

"You ok?" I hear Jake ask.

"Not really." I open my eyes to find him leaning on the wall across from me.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

"You weren't supposed to see that."

"Well.. I did, and now I actually have a reason for not liking him. I don't like the way he talks to you." Jake says getting angry and it's honestly one of the few times I've ever seen him get angry.

I just sigh.

"I don't like it either."

I look up to the ceiling blinking, trying to hold in my tears from the hurt and embarrassment.

"Yeah, it's whatever." I try to wave it off.

"It's not whatever, Stella." Jake says while walking to me.

"Stella look at me,"

I bring my gaze down to his kind eyes and the stray tears I was holding in fall down my face.

"If Jaden is too dumb and insecure to realize the type of person you are, then he doesn't deserve you." He says while wiping my tears away with his thumb and holding my head in his palms.

Once that comes out if his mouth the silent tears start spilling from my eyes uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Jake asks worried.

"You're just so sweet and I feel like I ruined your birthday. I pretty much begged you to stay here for another day; you could've been anywhere else but you were here. And then I go and mess it up by letting this happen. This is all my fault!" I sob.

"Hey, my birthday is not ruined! And if it was it would be your boyfriend's fault, not yours. This is probably the best birthday I've had in a while, know why?"

"Why?" I sniffle.

"Because I'm with you." I grin and fling my arms around Jake's neck.

"I love you." I tell him honestly while squeezing him.

"I love you too." I hear the smile in his voice as he repeats it to me.

So then we go back to the party until we head out, drop Amber to her house, and head home.