Thank You for Saving Me

[Stella’s P.O.V.]

I was just pouring my heart out. My voice was very hoarse by the time I was done. I told him about Grace coming to my house to tell me and how I could never get to sleep at night because all I could think about were the lies Ryan told
me.

“Today before you came to me, I was freaking out in my car because it wouldn’t start and I saw Ryan walking over to me. I was just about to bail…then you came.” I smiled at the end of that sentence.

“Why is he still trying to talk to you?”

“I dunno, Jack.”

My phone jingled. I took it out of my pocket and looked at it. Then I looked at Jack. Now, I was shaking out of fear.

Jack took my phone.

[Jack’s P.O.V.]

“He’s texting you, too?” I was shocked. “I’m keeping your phone.”

“Wait, no. I’ve got to call home.”

Her voice sounded horrible.

“Stella, if you call home, your parents are gonna think someone tried to kill you. I’ll call them.”

She shook her head, no.

“Ok, I’ll get my mom to call them. Come inside with me to get something for your voice.”

She shook her head, no. Again.

“Stella, come on…”

“Your parents will think I’m weird.” She whispered.

“Come here,” I wiggled my finger at her. She leaned over toward me. I whispered in her ear. “These people…they’ve raised me for 18 years. I learned from them. Catch my drift?”

She smiled so cutely at me. “Ok,” she whispered.

She opened her car door, just as I did. She waited on me to start walking.

She was so shy, so vulnerable. It was weird because that’s not how she seemed in the cafeteria and at Alex’s party, but that was 2 months ago. So much had changed since then. But I was determined to find that Stella. The confident, sexy, funny, wonderful Stella that I’d met in March.

I walked up the driveway. Stella wasn’t too far behind me, but she wasn’t very close either. I opened the front door.

“Hey Jacky. How was school, cookie? Alex called the house looking for you. Jacky? ---“

*Mooooooooooom! Grrr.*

She walked out of the kitchen, with a towel in her hand.

“Oh, I see you brought a friend home. Hi, sweetie.”

I looked down at Stella. She was smiling at my mom.

“Hi.”She whispered. Her hand went up to her throat.

“…and this is Stella.” I grinned at Stella. “Her voice just kinda left her.”

“Oh well, darling. I’ll fix that. Come with me in the kitchen.”

We both followed her there. She was putting the kettle on the stove.

“When the kettle whistles, Jack, pour her some tea. The lemon tea. And put a little drop of honey in it, alright?”

“Yes mom. I’ve seen you do it a million times.” I rolled my eyes, while she just smiled at me.

“Okay.” She looked at Stella. “Do you need anything else, dear? Other than to take that smelly hoodie off. Jacky, why did you give this to her?”

Stella looked at me and she was smiling and I know if she could talk, she would be teasing me. She pulled my hoodie over her head and handed it my mom.

“Hey mom.” She looked over at me. “I need you to do one more thing, if you don’t mind.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Stella’s parents need to know that her car broke down in the school parking lot. I can take her home, but I’m sure they’d like to know what the business is.”

“Oh, sure. I can do that. I just need the number.”

Stella looked at me and made the phone sign with her pointer and pinkie fingers. I nodded at her, pulling her phone out of my jeans pocket. I went through her phonebook. She wasn’t getting her phone back. Not until I deleted that mega player’s text. I scrolled down her phone list, looking for anything that mentioned her home phone number. Near the end of the phonebook, I spotted ‘The House.’ I slid her phone over to her to let her confirm it. She nodded her head, yes.

“Here, Mom. Here’s the number.”

She looked at the number and went to the living room to call it. Just as she walked out, the kettle whistled.

I walked over to turn the burner off. As I did, I reached into the cupboard to grab a cup. Then I realized…

“Don’t even think about it, missy.”

Stella’s hands were under the counter and her cell phone wasn’t on there, either.

She looked like a little kid getting caught in the cookie jar.

“Put it back.” I stared at her, playfully. She shook her head, no. I walked over to the bar and looked at her. “Yeahhh…you thought you were swift, but you’re no gazelle.”

Her mouth opened wide and silent laughter came out.

“Oooh. Can I call you that? Gazelle? Sounds like Stella. AND…like Gardner!”

I surprised myself at how well that worked out.

“Any objections? Going once. Going twice…”

“Go make me some tea!” She said, in her best whisper.

I laughed so hard, but I sat my hand out on the counter… “Hand it over.”

She sighed, defeated and she slapped her phone into the palm of my hand. I looked at it. She hadn’t opened the text.

“Thank you, Gazelle.”

I took her phone, sliding it back into my pocket. I made her tea quickly and handed it to her. “Drink slowly, alright?”

She nodded her head and took a slow sip.

My phone started ringing. It was Alex.

>”Hey man. I’m coming over, alright?”

I tried to tell him no, but…

>“Ok, bye.”

But as soon as the phone call ended, I heard the door slam. He always did that. I never knew why he even called. Usually, I wouldn’t care, but I wanted to spend time with Stella.

Alex walked into the kitchen.

“Hey bro, I --- What the fuck?!”

He looked at me, confused, then back to Stella, like it was an illusion.

“Dude, my mom is right in the next room!”

“What is Garden Ho doing here?”

I could’ve punched him if he weren’t my best friend, but I knew how Alex was. I looked at Stella, who had the angriest look on her face. I knew she wanted to say something to him, but instead, she just flipped him off. I burst out laughing.

“Dude, seriously! Get your ho under control.”

*Dude, Alex. Shut the hell up.*

Stella jumped up off her stool and she walked up to Alex, glaring up at him.

“Woah, woah. Alex, I’ve got to take her home. I’ll be back after a while.”

I thought that would cue Stella to come on, but she was still glaring. And Alex, he eventually backed off.

“God. You’re so freaky. Jack, I’m going to chill in your room” He started to my room.

I looked at Stella. “Damn girl. You totally freaked him out.” She crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me. “And you aren’t even one bit scary. Come on. I need to get you home.”