Falling to Pieces
North Dakota
---- // August 2006
Stella Thomas followed her father Zachary from his private jet down towards the awaiting Rolls Royce he had rented for their day trip. She slid into the backseat after him, as her father instructed the driver of their desired destination.
“I thought I said I wanted to blend in, Dad.” She complained as she watched him adjust his tie. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t come up with a single memory in which her father was not clad in his signature business suit and tie.
“Stella, we’re here to let this university know that you’re serious about their scholarship offer. And since you don’t feel the need to do very well on your first impression” He frowned down at her extra large grey sweatpants and the old ragged hoodie she had earned as captain of her high school soccer team. “I need to be here to pick up the slack.”
“Oh dear, I’m not wearing heels and a cocktail dress, they might not know my father owns his own multi-million dollar business.”
“Stella,” He warned firmly, “I’ve heard quite enough from you for one day. Smarten up, all right? Your little stunts have practically cost you your athletic scholarship to every school I’ve taken you to so far. Do you really want to throw this one away too?”
“Dad, it’s North Dakota. No one wants to go to school here!”
“This is a fine school, and they’re known across the country for their athletic programs.”
“I really don’t get why I have to take some stupid scholarship. It’s not like you can’t afford tuition…”
“Stella. Enough.”
“I could live at home with you, and just go to UCLA. It’s where all of my friend’s are going.
“You have a talent, Stella, and I don’t want to see that go to waste.”
The car pulled up to the main admissions office of the campus, her father quickly getting out of the car to end their argument. Stella reluctantly got out of the car behind him, dragging her Ugg clad feet on the pavement as she followed him up the poorly paved path to the large building.
She hated this school already. If she were at home on the UCLA campus, she would be a short drive from a sandy beach. In North Dakota, she was pretty sure they got snow year round. After all, it was August and she was already cold, her California blood would never handle the winter here.
Her father led her into the Dean of admissions office, and they both took seats across from his large oak desk. On the wall hanging behind him were multiple degrees spread out among pictures of championship sports teams all hoisting up trophies or displaying their gold medals.
Her father and the Dean began to ramble on about what the school had to offer as Stella pulled out her Blackberry from her pocket. She sent a quick text to her best friend who was back home in California, begging for her to come rescue her from this hellhole her father wanted to send her to.
“You know, Miss Thomas, the University of North Dakota is quite famous for our athletics. Our men’s hockey team made the frozen four last year, and our women’s soccer team is looking quite promising for this upcoming season.”
“I don’t even know what the frozen four is. It sounds dumb.”
The Dean frowned at her before turning back towards her father.
“Perhaps a campus tour would be best? I have one of the members of our women’s soccer team here to guide Miss Thomas around for the evening.”
“Stell, how does that sound?”
She shrugged, not bothering to tear her eyes away from her phone.
The Dean picked up his phone, as Zachary turned towards his daughter. “At least try to act excited, Stella.”
“Oh, I’m thrilled.”
“Alright, well if Stella wants to head over to the dorms, you can stay here with me, and we can go over some more business details while your daughter falls in love with our school.”
Stella snorted, and her father quickly swatted at her arm to silence her. “That sounds perfect. Now go, Stella.”
Eager to leave her father’s side, Stella bolted from the room before she even got the directions as to where she was going. The campus didn’t seem that big to her, and she figured she could safely find her way to the dorm rooms. She made her way to what seemed like the largest building on campus, and found herself in what appeared to be the main rec room of a dorm building. As soon as she stepped in, a small blonde girl jumped up from one of the couches.
“Are you Stella Thomas?” She asked, as she practically bounced over to Stella.
“Uhm, yeah. That’s me.”
“Great! I’m Emma, I was assigned to show you around campus for the day.” She stuck her hand out, and Stella lightly shook it.
Stella looked back towards the group that was crowded around the couch Emma had just jumped off of. “Look, if you’re busy you really don’t have to do this. I’ve kind of already accepted another school, but my dad is determined to have me see my other options.”
A puzzled look washed across Emma’s face as she let Stella’s word register.
“No... I wasn’t doing anything important. Plus, I think you’d really fall in love with the campus if you got to see it.”
“Well currently I also have offers from Boston and UCLA, so I’m pretty sure I’m going to be accepting one of them.”
It wasn’t like Stella to brag about things like this. Normally, she’d do anything to not mention her father and his fortune he had made for himself, but she just really wanted a way out of this university.
Emma hesitated, looking back towards the group still crowded on one of the couches. “How long are you here for?” She asked as she finally focused her attention back on Stella.
“Flight leaves for Boston tomorrow at 11.”
“How about one night here to change your mind? We were just planning our first party of the school year since we all just got back. It’s bound to be a good one.”
Stella glanced down at her King’s Academy sweatshirt and shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m not really dressed for a party.”
“We look about the same size, you can borrow some of my stuff. I’m bound to have at least one thing you like.”
Stella had never been one to turn down a party, so she shrugged her shoulders again. “Sure, can’t be any harm in that.”
Emma grabbed a hold of her arm, and dragged her towards the elevators. “We better get you dressed ASAP. The hockey team’s going to be there, we’ve got to look good.”
Stella Thomas followed her father Zachary from his private jet down towards the awaiting Rolls Royce he had rented for their day trip. She slid into the backseat after him, as her father instructed the driver of their desired destination.
“I thought I said I wanted to blend in, Dad.” She complained as she watched him adjust his tie. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t come up with a single memory in which her father was not clad in his signature business suit and tie.
“Stella, we’re here to let this university know that you’re serious about their scholarship offer. And since you don’t feel the need to do very well on your first impression” He frowned down at her extra large grey sweatpants and the old ragged hoodie she had earned as captain of her high school soccer team. “I need to be here to pick up the slack.”
“Oh dear, I’m not wearing heels and a cocktail dress, they might not know my father owns his own multi-million dollar business.”
“Stella,” He warned firmly, “I’ve heard quite enough from you for one day. Smarten up, all right? Your little stunts have practically cost you your athletic scholarship to every school I’ve taken you to so far. Do you really want to throw this one away too?”
“Dad, it’s North Dakota. No one wants to go to school here!”
“This is a fine school, and they’re known across the country for their athletic programs.”
“I really don’t get why I have to take some stupid scholarship. It’s not like you can’t afford tuition…”
“Stella. Enough.”
“I could live at home with you, and just go to UCLA. It’s where all of my friend’s are going.
“You have a talent, Stella, and I don’t want to see that go to waste.”
The car pulled up to the main admissions office of the campus, her father quickly getting out of the car to end their argument. Stella reluctantly got out of the car behind him, dragging her Ugg clad feet on the pavement as she followed him up the poorly paved path to the large building.
She hated this school already. If she were at home on the UCLA campus, she would be a short drive from a sandy beach. In North Dakota, she was pretty sure they got snow year round. After all, it was August and she was already cold, her California blood would never handle the winter here.
Her father led her into the Dean of admissions office, and they both took seats across from his large oak desk. On the wall hanging behind him were multiple degrees spread out among pictures of championship sports teams all hoisting up trophies or displaying their gold medals.
Her father and the Dean began to ramble on about what the school had to offer as Stella pulled out her Blackberry from her pocket. She sent a quick text to her best friend who was back home in California, begging for her to come rescue her from this hellhole her father wanted to send her to.
“You know, Miss Thomas, the University of North Dakota is quite famous for our athletics. Our men’s hockey team made the frozen four last year, and our women’s soccer team is looking quite promising for this upcoming season.”
“I don’t even know what the frozen four is. It sounds dumb.”
The Dean frowned at her before turning back towards her father.
“Perhaps a campus tour would be best? I have one of the members of our women’s soccer team here to guide Miss Thomas around for the evening.”
“Stell, how does that sound?”
She shrugged, not bothering to tear her eyes away from her phone.
The Dean picked up his phone, as Zachary turned towards his daughter. “At least try to act excited, Stella.”
“Oh, I’m thrilled.”
“Alright, well if Stella wants to head over to the dorms, you can stay here with me, and we can go over some more business details while your daughter falls in love with our school.”
Stella snorted, and her father quickly swatted at her arm to silence her. “That sounds perfect. Now go, Stella.”
Eager to leave her father’s side, Stella bolted from the room before she even got the directions as to where she was going. The campus didn’t seem that big to her, and she figured she could safely find her way to the dorm rooms. She made her way to what seemed like the largest building on campus, and found herself in what appeared to be the main rec room of a dorm building. As soon as she stepped in, a small blonde girl jumped up from one of the couches.
“Are you Stella Thomas?” She asked, as she practically bounced over to Stella.
“Uhm, yeah. That’s me.”
“Great! I’m Emma, I was assigned to show you around campus for the day.” She stuck her hand out, and Stella lightly shook it.
Stella looked back towards the group that was crowded around the couch Emma had just jumped off of. “Look, if you’re busy you really don’t have to do this. I’ve kind of already accepted another school, but my dad is determined to have me see my other options.”
A puzzled look washed across Emma’s face as she let Stella’s word register.
“No... I wasn’t doing anything important. Plus, I think you’d really fall in love with the campus if you got to see it.”
“Well currently I also have offers from Boston and UCLA, so I’m pretty sure I’m going to be accepting one of them.”
It wasn’t like Stella to brag about things like this. Normally, she’d do anything to not mention her father and his fortune he had made for himself, but she just really wanted a way out of this university.
Emma hesitated, looking back towards the group still crowded on one of the couches. “How long are you here for?” She asked as she finally focused her attention back on Stella.
“Flight leaves for Boston tomorrow at 11.”
“How about one night here to change your mind? We were just planning our first party of the school year since we all just got back. It’s bound to be a good one.”
Stella glanced down at her King’s Academy sweatshirt and shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m not really dressed for a party.”
“We look about the same size, you can borrow some of my stuff. I’m bound to have at least one thing you like.”
Stella had never been one to turn down a party, so she shrugged her shoulders again. “Sure, can’t be any harm in that.”
Emma grabbed a hold of her arm, and dragged her towards the elevators. “We better get you dressed ASAP. The hockey team’s going to be there, we’ve got to look good.”
♠ ♠ ♠
I couldn't resist. I've wanted to write about Jonny for a long time, but have never been able to come up with a plot I liked.This is also not a college story, it just starts out at NoDak.
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luhhh u. <3