Clarity

There was an annoying ache at the base of Stella's spine the following morning. She attempted to mask the grimace seemingly set into the corner of her mouth as she went about her routine. Her long hair was notably untidy with a good amount of her bangs obscuring her field of vision. It suited her crumpled pullover sweater, however, and it wasn't entirely unusual for Stella to look like she'd been up all night on occasion. Most automatically assumed that she'd spent the entire night in her studies, but there were few who knew better.

One of those people took the chance to sneak up behind her before the lunch period. Stella was so busy shuffling through her locker that she didn't realize she wasn't alone.

"Where were you last night?"

The dark hair girl jumped and turned around to scowl at the blonde senior standing beside her. Stella was hardly in the mood for an interrogation, but she knew he wouldn't be leaving her alone unless he got what he came for.

"Nowhere," she said. "What makes you think I was out?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at her, waiting until she shut her locker before following her down the hallway.

"You're wearing the sweater that's been sitting at the bottom of your locker for about a month now," he pointed out. "And your face looks terrible."

"Thanks, Sam," Stella's brows came together as she shot him an offended glare. "I couldn't sleep and spent the night browsing the aisles at FenMart after I bought some bath products."

In actuality, she spent the night passed out on the couch of a certain East Harbor drug runner, but she'd be damned if Sam ever found out about that. If he did find out now, it was safe to assume that he'd think she was completely going off the rails. Stella was reminded that she was getting into more than she bargained for, but she was certain she'd be able to keep the waters smooth for the time being.

"You could've come over, you know," Sam told her. "You could hang out with me once in a while."

Stella gave him a look and pursed her lips into an ambiguous line. She thought about biting her tongue and silencing the sass that wanted to slip from her lips, but the opportunity was far too tempting to pass up.

"I wouldn't want to get in the way of that thing you have going on with Hana," she said.

Sam's face immediately flushed and his eyes shot around to make sure no one had heard her. Stella couldn't help but give and amused laugh as he glowered at her. It was rare to see the blond senior's face take on such a shade and it brought back a few fond memories of their younger years.

"How do you even know about that? Do you have surveillance watching us 24/7?" He hissed. "You have spies everywhere, don't you?"

"Calm down," Stella pat his shoulder. "Girls talk."

He appeared to be mildly disturbed by that fact and she had an inkling of an idea why.

"Don't look so worried, Sam," she said. "I didn't say anything. You're worried about that, aren't you?"

"No," he said too quickly. "But seriously, I think Sasha the only one that remembers."

"I'm pretty sure there are a few others who remember that aside from Sasha... But aside from that, I also know, that you know, that Angelique has a little thing for you too," Stella decided that this was a good time as any to bring it up. "You'd better get it together quick before someone gets hurt because you know that Sasha and I will kill you if you screw up."

"I know, I know!" Sam scowled, shoulders slouching as if he were being chided by his mother. "We're just talking. Everyone is just talking."

"That's true..."

They were in the process of meeting new people and getting to know them, so it was too early for anything now. Stella smiled slightly, filled with quiet excitement for her friends' upcoming school year. She'd never thought that she'd end up being such good friends with Sam's little sister and her friends, but Sasha was so welcoming and genuine that Stella couldn't ignore her.

The start of everything seemed like yesterday, but in reality, it was during Stella's junior year that she made the first move. At the time, she had been tasked with aiding a teacher that was committed to detention duties for the week. Stella found herself standing in front of the two girls while that teacher stepped out for a quick trip to the bathroom and she recognized Sasha's curls after a moment of thought. She hadn't seen the younger girl regularly since she stopped swinging by the house almost two years prior.

"Who's your math teacher?" Stella asked. They told her that they both had Mrs. Sturm and she merely shrugged her shoulders as their supervisor returned. Stella was then sent off to do some menial messenger tasks for the rest of the afternoon.

The next day, Stella showed up out of the blue. All she said to the teacher was that she volunteered to tutor the girls for her community service hours and this was the only time she was available to do it. Strangely enough, Mr. Goode was quick to offer her their remaining detention time so that it would fit her schedule.

"Sasha, who's the teacher whisperer?" The young blonde hissed at her partner in crime as the man left and Stella closed the door behind him.

"Geez, Sasha. Sam wasn't exaggerating when he said that you were racking up detention hours," Stella said, sitting on a desk in front of them. Her dark eyes shifted to the blonde, who was unfamiliar then. "This is your friend?"

"This is Angelique," Sasha replied with a grin. "Angel, this is Stella. She's the teachers' favorite."

Angelique peered at Stella with doubt.

"She's pretty much our polar opposite. Her record is squeaky clean, her attendance is almost perfect, and she's wholly trusted," the brunette recited.

"Nice to meet you," Stella said first, extending a hand to Angelique. "I'm just glad Sasha managed to find someone she can have fun with. She was such a bookworm when she was younger."

Angelique was clearly suspicious of Stella, but she still greeted her since Sasha was vouching for her. It took the spunky blonde a while to slip into confidence with the junior girl, but once she realized that Stella had secrets of her own, it was much easier.

"Well, I'm going to go sit with your sister and her friends today," Stella said, inclining her chin towards the table on the right end of the cafeteria. "I'll see if I can dig up anymore dirt on you."

She winked teasingly as she broke away from his side to claim the seat between Angelique and Hana. It wasn't until she looked up that she realized that the girls had company this time around. But judging by the sour look on Sasha's face, it wasn't all good. Stella peered at the two boys across from her, recognizing the red head to be the one called Kevin, then she offered a polite smile to the unfamiliar one.

"Have you guys picked up another friend?" She asked.

"No," Sasha snapped. "Liam was just harassing us. Make him go away, Stella!"

Stella looked to the boy with messy black hair and dark eyes because he was squinting at her as if he was trying to remember something. She slowly blinked back, having a dreadful feeling that she had seen him somewhere before. She cleared her throat and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Liam, is it? I'm Stella," she offered with a neutral smile.

"You look familiar," he said. "Were you in South East last night?"

Stella was mindful to keep her face placid as she squinted at him and replied, "No."

They continued to stare at each other. Stella was beginning to think that he might have been a part of Alex's information network within the school. But the girl that everyone knew here was completely different from whom he might have seen last night.

"Of course she looks familiar, idiot," Sasha growled. "She goes here."

Liam's attentions were promptly returned to the brunette as he gifted her with a pointed glare. Beside him, an unassuming boy with auburn hair and green eyes took it upon himself to try and dispel the aggression. He nudged his glasses up and turned his face to the other boy.

"She's the senior class valedictorian," Kevin said. "You've probably seen her a lot because the teachers always ask her to volunteer for all the events and stuff."

"How is she the valedictorian? The year just started," Liam frowned, scrutinizing the senior girl in front of him.

"No one comes close to Stella. Her grades have always been top notch and she's super involved in her extracurriculars," Angelique liked boasting about the senior's accomplishments.

"I'm not involved," Stella mumbled, turning to Hana. "Am I involved?"

"Aren't you in a majority of the club pictures?" Hana asked, bemused.

"I just do whatever they ask me to do," she said, biting into an apple that she stole from Angelique's tray. "I'm not really a full time member. They just have me around because I do what they ask. That doesn't count."

"All the teachers love you, Stella. They think you're the perfect student," Angelique said. "No one else can weasel us out of detention like you do."

"They just think I am, but you know better. Now if you two would quit getting caught, then I wouldn't have to abuse my connections," Stella sighed, furrowing her brows at them. "Mr. Atwell is going to think that you two are idiots if I keep dragging you out for tutoring sessions."

"I don't care what Mr. Atwell thinks," Sasha scoffed.

"You say that now, but wait until they stick you guys into special education!"

They all laughed, but Stella was still bothered as to why the boy named Liam was staring at her. She met his eyes and arched a brow with a silent question, but he quickly looked away and resumed heckling Sasha instead. Stella glanced to Hana and Kevin when she realized that they had witnessed their odd exchange and they looked as if they were waiting for an explanation.

Stella just feigned innocence and shrugged her shoulders.

"Strange boy," she muttered.

Kevin and Hana looked at each other and smiled in amusement before tucking into their lunch.