Stella's P. O. V.
I enter the classroom, fidgeting with the strap of my bag, my mind wandering about the thoughts of Jade. It's like I'm just physically present here, but my mind is somewhere else.
As Zoe and Selena glance at me, I force myself to smile, walking over to them. I never thought that one day it would get so hard for me to even smile.
As I settle down with them, Selena asks, "You alright?"
I remain silent, staring blankly at the desk. How can I lie to them that I'm fine when I'm anything but? I'm completely shattered. And last night, in desperation to feel better, I was willing to cross all boundaries with my stepbrother. What would they think of me?
"You were supposed to return two days after the trip. Right?" Zoe asks, placing her hand on my shoulder.
As she talks about the trip, tears well up in my eyes. The trip, which I thought was going to be the best, became a nightmare.
The image of Jade lying with Leah on the bed flashes in my mind, and my lower lip quivers as tears trickle down my cheeks.
No. No. I can't cry in the classroom.
I stand up and rush out, covering my mouth, my chest heavy with pain. It's getting unbearable.
Zoe and Selena follow me as I rush down the corridor to the washroom. A few students glance my way, but I'm not in a state to care about them. All I want is to cry and release my pain.
I enter the washroom and sob like a child, standing in front of the mirror and clutching the counter. Luckily, the washroom is empty.
Zoe and Selena stare at me in shock, standing behind me, because they have never seen me crying like this.
"What happened, Stella?" Zoe asks, rubbing my arm.
Selena stands on the other side. "Why are you crying?"
"Jade…" I squeeze my eyes shut. "He cheated on me with my best friend. I…" I weep. "I visited Jade's apartment yesterday, and caught them naked on the bed."
Zoe and Selena both gasp, their eyes wide with shock.
I sob harder. "I trusted them and they… I feel like an idiot." My voice breaks, and I press my hand harder against my mouth, trying to stifle the sound of my pain.
Zoe pulls me into a tight hug and rubs my back. "I'm so sorry, Stella. I can't believe they did that to you."
"That bastard," Selena mutters under her breath in fury. "He deserves to rot in hell for what he did."
I cry in Zoe's arms. "I'm not understanding why they did this to me. My heart is aching. I feel so shattered. How do I even move on from this? Every time I close my eyes, I see them…"
Zoe tightens her embrace. "You don't have to face this alone. We're here for you, Stella. We'll help you through this."
I nod weakly against her shoulder, though the thought of recovering from this seems impossible. My entire world has crumbled, and I feel so lost, so betrayed. How can I ever trust anyone again?
It feels so hard to even breathe right now. The pain of betrayal is killing me from within. Will I ever recover from this?
I wipe my face, still shaking. "It's hurting a lot."
Zoe pulls back to look me in the eye. "You'll get through this. I know it feels impossible right now, but you're strong, Stella. You'll heal."
Her words are comforting, but right now, I can't imagine a time when I won't feel this way-when the thought of Jade and Leah won't break my heart.
But for now, I have to believe that somehow, I'll make it through this.
"We'll help you," Selena adds, placing her hand on my back. "No matter how long it takes."
I nod again, tears still trickling down my cheeks. "Thank you," I say, grateful for their support, even though I can't see a way out of this darkness yet.
But maybe, just maybe, with them by my side, I'll find the strength to start picking up the pieces.
Zoe glances at Selena before she looks back at me. "You know what you need right now?"
I sniffle, wiping away my last tear as I pull myself together. "What?"
"A distraction. You need to get out of your head and away from all this pain for a while."
Hearing the word 'distraction' reminds me of Alex. The way he distracted me from the pain last night. Right now, I want that only, but can't.
Selena nods in agreement. "And what better way to do that than hitting the club tonight? We'll dress up, dance, have fun-just forget about everything, even if it's only for a few hours."
I blink at them. "I don't know if I'm ready for that."
"You're never going to feel ready." Zoe squeezes my hand. "But trust me, you deserve to feel good again, even if it's just for a night. We'll be with you the whole time, and we won't leave your side."
"Exactly," Selena adds, flashing me a smile. "We'll make sure tonight is all about you. No thoughts of Jade, no tears. Just fun."
I think for a moment and agree. "Okay. Let's do it."
I really need it. I can't keep crying all the time over those assholes. No matter how impossible it seems, I have to move on. I won't let them ruin my life.
***