Stella Rose

Stella Rose Chapter 1

Sweat drips down my back as the sweltering Florida heat presses down on me. I've only just gotten outside and I'm already suffocating. My younger sister, Lily, groans loudly as she walks alongside me. "Hey, nobody forced you to come," I taunt. Lily rolls her eyes, "I know that Dylan." Her face is painted with suffering and I laugh. She sticks her tongue out at me like the five year old she is and walks faste. Not soon enough we reach Evergreen Park and Lily starts to head her own way. "Hey," I stop her. "What," she moans. "Meet me back her at 3 precisely, alright? Mom wants us back by three thirty, we're gonna to visit grandma." "Fine," she mumbles and strides off. After, she gone I pull out my phone, pop in my earbuds, and turn on my basketball playlist. I set my stuff down by a bench and head off to the courts. I Practice for almost two hours straight, which by the I am exhausted. I'm panting and caked in sweat. I head to the bench where I left my stuff and plop down. I pull out my water and guzzle some. I notice then there is a girl just sitting on the bench next to me. She's pretty, she has dark brown hair that's in a french braid, big brown eyes and delicate features. She's wearing brown sandals and yellow sundress. Her skin is a beautiful bronze and she appears to be hispanic. I finish my water then decide to say something. "Hey." She turns to me as if to notice me for the first time and says tentatively and replies, "Oh, hello." She gives me a small smile and I smile back. I'm feeling bold after a particularly good game of basketball with well, myself so i go out on limb and ask, "What's a pretty girl like you doing out her all alone? As soon as the words leave my mouth I instantly regret it. I sounds like such a creep. She turns bright red and I stammer for something else to say. I go with, "God, that sounded creepy. What I meant was what're you doing out here." I'm such an idiot i want to literally bash my head against a wall. "It's ok," she reassures, "I'm new in town so I don't know anyone. I like the outdoors so I thought i'd come check out the park." "That's a good idea. Where are you from?" "Texas. A small town outside of Austin." "Wow, that must have been kinda lonely huh. "Sorta," she sighs, looking wistful. "I had a best friend, Cecilia but that was about it. Just my family and I. I'ms very sheltered. I was homeschooled," I nod. "When did you move here?" "About a week ago, my dad and I are just settling in." "Do you live nearby here?" "Just down the way, I walked here. "Me too," I add cheerfully, "During summer I come here almost everyday to play basketball." "Mmm," she murmurs. An awkward silence ensues, but she soon pipes up. "Are you on your school's team?" "I am. Basketball has been my passion for as long as I can remember. My dream is to go professional." "That's amazing," she marvels and I shrug. "How about you? What's your passion?" It's her turn to shrug now. " I don't really know. My plan has always been set out for me. I've never really thought much about what I wanted." "Oh," I say as Lily runs up to me, breathless. "Dylan", she pants. 'What?" I turn to- oh god I didn't ask her her name. "This is my little sister Lily. What do you want Lily, can't you see I'm busy?" "We're late!" I pull out my phone to check the time. 3:37 "Shit," i exclaim, "we are so screwed!" Lily just looks at me and i quickly pull out my phone pulling up new contact that reach out to give it to the girl. She looks confused. "Here, put your name and number in my phone so I can show you around sometime. "Ok" she chirps taking my phone awkwardly and typing it in. She hands it back. Stella Rose it reads. I hurriedly shove it in my pocket and gather my things. "Goodbye Stella Rose." She smiles, "Please call me Stella. It was nice meeting you." I wave a and Lily and I rush off. I'm walking so fast she's falling farther behind as panic courses through me. Mom's gonna kill us. "Dylan," Lily cries, heaving. "You're-heh- gonna to-heh- fast for me." "Oh" I say slowing my pace realizing my strides are lot larger than Lily's small ones. At 6'3 I'm almost three times her size. "Who was that girl," she asks incredulously. "First of all it's none of your business and second of all just a girl I meet at the park. She just moved here, I might show her around sometime." She snorts and we speed off. We reach the house sweaty and exhausted. The door swings open to reveal our mother, furious. "Mom," I start but she immediately interrupt me. "Dylan Renly Maxwell, it is almost four where have you been!" My mom is so angry she is almost trembling. Her green eyes are filled with anger and she's wearing cut off denim shorts and a floral blouse with white sneakers. Her long blonde hair spills down her shoulders and she's glaring daggers at us. "It was Dylan's fault!" I whip around and protest. "Are you seriously throwing me under the bus! You weren't back when I told you to be back by!" "You weren't even ready when I did get back!" An intense argument commences until my mom finally yells. "Enough! You two, in the car, right now." "Yes mom," we both mutter and sulk off to the car. We both climb in at opposite sides of the backset of our Rav 4. My dad is sitting in the driver seat the top of his head and his light brown hair peaks out over the top of the seat. Like me he is quite tall, in facet we're extremely similar. The same hazel eyes hair streaked with other colors, we're both tall and skinny and have similar facial features. Everyone says I look just like him except I carry my mother's more delicate features and bright eyes. My mother climbs into the passenger seat slamming the door. "Ready Merida?" My mother nods and we head off. Lily is facing away from, arms crossed and we're riding in angry silence. After what feels like an eternity my dad turns on the radio and the Beatles are soon singing a cheery tune. My father begins to ask my mother about my Nana, my mother's mom, and conversation resumes. The rest of the ride is pleasant, though Lily and I avoid directly speaking to each other directly. My phone keeps buzzing annoyingly so I take it out. Peter is blowing up the basketball team chat because he's bored and nobody is responding so I message him directly.