Thank You for Saving Me

[Stella’s P.O.V]

“Do you really have to go back?” I whined, following my sister around the house as she continued to pack her things.

She smiled as we walked back into her room, folding things as she packed them in her suitcase. “Yes, I do. I’ve already been here a few days too long. I’ll be lucky if they haven’t passed my job over to someone else.” She joked.

I leaned against the wall, watching her pack. I was still plagued with thoughts of Alex. I’d only told Kara, but I wanted to tell Rose, too. But I didn’t know if she would freak out and get all protective. I just didn’t know.

“You gonna stand there and daydream or are you gonna help me over here?” Rose grinned, looking over at me before I walked over, handing her some clothes that sat on the bed.

“I don’t want you to go.” I pouted.

She grinned. “You are always this way when I leave. Every time I would come back home and leave for college, I always felt so bad for leaving.”

I laughed through a small frown. “Because I hate when you leave. It’s never fun here at home without you. Mom and Dad are always on me. It’s like being an only child.”

“It couldn’t be that bad.” She tossed her makeup bag inside her suitcase.

“You have NO idea.”

She rolled her eyes, looking up at me. “Well, you don’t need me here anymore. You have Jaaaack.” She smirked at me.

“Yeah, I do.” I smiled back, thinking about him. “But I also have drama.”

Rose started to zip up her suitcase. “What’s wrong?” She was sitting on the bed, looking up at me.

“Well,” I placed my left hand on my cheek. “It just…seems like now that Jack is my boyfriend, it seems like other guys are just paying more attention to me. Guys that wouldn’t have given me the time of day any other time.” My fingers started to run against my eyebrow.

Rose definitely had more boyfriend experiences that I had and although I knew she knew more that I did, it felt kinda weird talking to her about it.

“Some guys just have this thing for girls that are in relationship. Maybe they never realized what you had to offer when you were single. Or maybe they just realized that they actually like you and don’t really have a chance with you because you have Jack.” She shrugged. “I don’t get it either. But don’t let it get you down. I think you have a good thing with Jack and any guy that was to try to compete with him, well, they lost their chance.”

*****

Rose called a cab to drive her to the airport. Mom and Dad helped get her stuff down to the cab and the driver tossed her bags into the trunk of the car. While Dad talked to the driver, I scurried over to my sister.

“I miss you already,” I whispered. Tears were starting to rise in my eyes.

“Oh my gosh, stop it, Stella.” She started to laugh because she didn’t want to cry. She reached in to kiss me on the cheek quickly.

I stepped back from her, Mom stepping in to hug and kiss her.

“Tell Jack and everyone I said bye. You can even tell Alex, too.” She grinned.

I smiled back, wiping a tear from my eye. After Dad got done talking to the driver, I heard Rose thank him for some extra money and she hugged him tightly, pecking him on the cheek, before slipping inside the backseat. Dad closed the door for her.

As they backed out of the driveway, Rose waved at us through the window. I waved back, sighing sadly, standing next to my mom.

Soon, we all walked back into the house and I went to the living room, picking my phone up off the coffee table. I texted Jack as fast as I could.

<Rose just left. :(

I plopped down on the couch, waiting for his text back.