Stella

The bell dings, a loud, annoying sound. Students begin to chatter and pack away their books and belongings as the teacher in the front of the classroom reminds them of the test they have at the end of the week. A raven-haired girl ignores him with the rest of the class as she joins the group and heads out of the classroom.

“Novocain!” she hears as soon as she exits the room.

She grins over at her best friend – a 6’4” teenager with blond spiky hair, wearing glasses and a bright orange kimono. “Jimmy,” she greets, heading in his direction. When she reaches her best friend, he picks her up and spins her in the middle of the crowded hallway.

“Are you serious?” One student sneers.

“Knock it off!” Another yells, but the two best friends ignore them and laugh, continuing to spin around and around.

“Jesus, guys, you’re going to start a whirlwind,” someone says as they approach.

Matt, another best friend of the two, stands there, grinning as Jimmy puts the girl down. “Don’t be a fun sucker, Matthew,” she smiles.

“Hey – I’m no fun sucker. Zack sent me for you, Nora.” Matt replies, grinning devilishly.

Nora’s blue eyes widen with excitement. “Zack's here? I thought he wasn’t coming home from Washington until this weekend?”

Matt shrugs. “I guess he figured out a way to come back sooner. He’s outside on the steps since he’s still technically suspended.”

Without another word, Nora begins to jog through the still crowded hallways, squeezing through people so she can reach the main exit. Once outside, she immediately spots her boyfriend. He leans against the building, his hoodie pulled up over his head and a cloud of smoke is dispelled from his lips before he stomps out his cigarette. Nora jumps down from the steps and runs into her boyfriend’s arms.

“Zack!” She gasps, burying her face in his chest. He wraps his arms around her and presses his lips to the top of his head.

“Hey, babe,” he grins into her hair. “Did you miss me?”

Nora looks up at Zack. his black hair falls slightly into his eyes. The remnants of a black eye still remain around his left eye. “Of course, I did. I thought your parents were keeping you away for a little longer.”

He shrugs. “They never were really good at punishments, they always give in eventually. Plus, the uncle I was staying with had to go out of town for business, so…” He kisses her, the first kiss they have shared in almost two weeks.

“I was worried about you,” she tells him. “After you got arrested…”

Zack shakes his head. “Nah, nothing to worry about here. I’ve got six months of probation and a couple of hundred bucks in fines, but…being away from you was the worst part.”

“Aw,” Nora grins as Zack wraps his arm around her shoulders and they begin to head to the parking lot.

“What did your parents say that night?” Zack asks her.

“Oh, you mean after the school called them and said I was involved in some sort of fight in school, then disappeared right after it only to be driven home hours later because I was caught with the thief that was arrested for stealing beer from a convenience store?” Nora laughs. “Oh, they were absolutely thrilled. They want to send me to this private school upstate, I’ll be staying on campus.”

“Well, the fight wasn’t even your fault,” Zack replied. “I was the one fighting. I mean, you’re the one that stopped it but that’s it.”

“Yeah,” Nora scrunches her nose. “But you know how my parents are. Someone says I was involved with something and they think I’ve started the third World War.”

It’s almost like Zack doesn’t hear her. “And, I’m the one that asked you to skip with me after I got expelled – and I’m the one that stole the beer and got caught. You literally didn’t do anything.”

Nora stops in front of her boyfriend and takes his face into her hands. “Zack, don’t worry about it, okay? You know I’ll figure it out. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just happy you’re back. I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Zack tells her, pecking her on the lips. “You have no idea how much I missed you.”

“My parents are gone for the night – they have some charity ball in L.A. How about you come over and show me how much you missed me?”

“Mm,” Zack smirks. Wrapping his arms around her waist and leading her backward to her car. He leans her up against it and kisses her, softly at first but then deeper. “I love you. God, I love you,” he whispers in between kisses.

“I love you more,” Nora replies.

“Oh, get a room, you two!” We hear suddenly. Jimmy is bouncing towards the car with three others following closely behind.

Zack kisses Nora lightly before heading to the passenger side of the car. “C’mon, let's drop these assholes off so we can go find that room,” he winks.

Nora throws her head back in a laugh as Jimmy, Matt, Johnny, and Brian pile into the back seat. It’s overcrowded, and Brian is forced to sit halfway on Jimmy’s lap as Johnny attempts to shut the door. Zack sits in the passenger seat and Nora smiles before crawling into the car as well.

The car starts and Brian leans up from the back seat, changing the station until he finds a song everyone likes. The six of them begin to scream the lyrics as Nora pulls out of the parking spot and heads on to the road. Zack catches her eye as he plays the air guitar in the passenger seat and Jimmy joins him, playing drums on Brian’s back as they continue to their first destination. Six best friends just enjoying life and friendship, and Nora knew nothing could make her happier than this moment.

---

The air is cool against my face and there’s a dull throbbing in my head. I take a deep breath and wince immediately; a million sharp pains pierce me all over my chest and stomach.

“Hey, you’re okay. You’re okay,” a voice whispers next to me. I feel a warmth against my hand.

I slowly start to open my eyes. The room is dark except a lamp across the room. Green eyes greet me immediately. “Za…Zack?” I shake my head, confused as to what’s happening. “What’s going on?” I try to sit up in my bed, take in my surroundings, but Zack gently pushes me back down.

“You’re in the hospital,” he tells me.

“The hos..the hospital?” I ask. Slowly and it bits, I start to remember things. Liam slapping, punching and me before choking me. “How did you find me?”

Zack shakes his head. “I uh, I went and got a new phone but then realized I never saved your number, so I had no way of contacting you. I remembered you saying you were staying at the Ayres. So, I stopped by just in time to see them rolling you out on the stretcher. I followed the ambulance here. They wouldn’t tell me anything. Do you remember what happened?”

I shake my head. “I got back from your house and…the elevator was full so I decided to take the stairs. I missed a step, is all. I must’ve fallen down…”

Zack looks at me sadly. After all of the years, I’ve known him, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so sad. “Stella…the bruises around your neck. I…Did Liam do this to you?”

“What?” I scoff. “No. I was wearing a necklace…remember? It must’ve…It must’ve gotten caught on something.”

“Stella…” Zack starts. “Tell me what’s going on. When you left my house this morning you were freaking out over something. Was it Liam? Did you know this was going to happen?” I don’t reply. “Stella, please. Tell me what’s going on. Let me help you.”

I shift in bed and wince again, this time my shoulder pains me. “Ow!”

“Your shoulder was popped out of place. You also have a concussion, staples in your head, bruised lungs, cracked ribs, cuts and bruises all over your body, including your busted lip!”

“I thought you said they wouldn’t tell you anything,” I mumble.

Zack sighs. “I paid off the head nurse. She told me everything. Stella, they said they’re calling the cops as soon as you woke up.”

I groan. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

“What? No, Stella –”

“Zack, maybe you should go,” I tell him.

“Stella.”

I take a deep breath. “Look, Zack. You’re not my boyfriend, okay? What happened is none of your concern.”

“I don’t give a shit,” he tells me, raising his voice slightly.

The door is opened and a nurse walks in. “Is everything okay in here?”

I glare at Zack and he glares back. “Yeah,” he answers after a long moment. “I was just leaving.”

He grabs his coat and leaves the room. The nurse watches him through the door before turning back to me. When I look away from her gaze, she speaks. “He cares about you, you know.” I don’t reply to her, instead I pick at a bandage on my arm. “Your stats look good. I need to check the dressings on your head and page the doctor to come discuss your injuries. After that we’re required to call the police since it seems you’ve been assaulted.”

“I wasn’t assaulted. I fell down the stairs,” I reply. “I’d like to be discharged, please.”

“Ma’am, I don’t recommend –” she starts.

I interrupt her. “Just bring me the forms, please.”

The nurse looks at me disapprovingly before disappearing from the room. As soon as she’s gone I swing my legs over the bed and stand up. Everything hurts, and it causes me to fall back on the bed. My eyes start to burn, and I cry as I begin to pull the IV from my arm. My legs feel like jello as I stand, this time slowly and slip on a pair of shoes. A bag of my personal belongings – everything I had on me when Liam attacked me – sits on the table beside me. I grab it and try my best to rush out of the room.

My legs shake with each step I take; a sharp pain shoots up my body every time my feet make contact with the ground, but it eventually eases and I’m able to make it to the elevator. I wanted to break down and cry – because of the pain, because of where my life has led, because of Zack. I close my eyes, feeling the elevator move downwards as I lean against the wall.

It halts with a ding and I open my eyes as the doors open. A vase full of roses walks onto the elevator. Or, at least that’s what it seems until a head pokes out behind it. I feel myself fall to the floor, but the fall has nothing to do with the constant pain.

“Stella, what are you doing? You hurt yourself bad, you should be resting,” Liam tells me, pressing the close door button.

“No,” I say, pushing myself into the corner of the elevator. “No.”

Liam sighs. “The hotel staff told me about how you had this nasty fall this morning.”

“No, they didn’t,” I tell him as teas fall freely from my face.

“No,” Liam smirks. “But the money did.” Liam offers me his hand, but I reject it. “Stella get off the floor before someone gets on this elevator and thinks you belong in the psych ward.”

My body betrays me, and I do as I'm told. I know he can’t make a scene, not here, not with witnesses but I still tremble with fear. There is no way I could out run him once we leave the hospital and I'm unsure what will happen if I leave with him.

“I got you these,” he tells me, motioning to the roses.

I don’t reply, I don’t look at him or the roses and I see him frown beside me. I tense up waiting for the slap, but before it comes, the elevator dings again. My heart races as I look up into the same, familiar green eyes I’ve looked into plenty of times before. He’s holding a stuffed bear and a small bouquet of flowers.

“Stella, what are you…” Zack's eyes shift to the person standing next to me. “Oh, you motherfucker!”

Zack lunges into the elevator, dropping the gifts from the giftshop and delivering a punch to Liam’s nose. Liam drops the vase of flowers and it shatters on the floor, but neither one of them care.

“Zack!” I yell, backing up against the elevator wall again.

He doesn’t hear me, of he does, and he chooses to ignore it. The elevator door closes and Zack grabs Liam by the collar of his shirt and slams him into the doors. Liam, completely taken back from Zack's violence, can’t get a hit in as Zack pummels him. Zack is ruthless and doesn’t stop until the elevator doors open and Liam falls through them and into the hospital floor.

Yells of shock and surprise emits from the nurses and hospital goers, but Liam doesn’t pay them any attention as he gets up and charges back into the elevator, tackling Zack like he’s some football player. Liam is able to get a few punches in before Zack pushes him off and they both land in the floor. I watch in horror as Zack slams his fist into Liam’s face. Security runs up followed by a member of the Anaheim police department and pulls Zack off of Liam.

“Fucking touch her again and I’ll end you,” Zack spits, as security pulls him away.

“You’re fucking crazy. Your ass will rot in jail,” Liam tells him as security pulls him up as well.

I’m finally able to move and I follow the security that has pulled Zack away. “Officer, please…he was just…”

“Ma’am, please stay back,” he interrupts.

“But you don’t understand. He was just protecting me. It’s Liam that…” I try again.

Another officer starts to read Zack his rights as they begin to cuff him. Zack interrupts them. “Stella, don’t, okay? I’ll be fine.”

“Zack, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” I cry.

“He’ll meet with the judge in the morning and then his bail will be posted,” the first officer tells me as the other officer drags Zack out of the hospital. “Do you want to explain to us what happened in that elevator? Does it have anything to do with your injuries?”

I stare at him for a moment. “Um…I should get back up to my room. They haven’t released me yet…but I would like to explain everything that happened today, including filing a police report for my injuries against Liam Fitzgerald.” I point behind me to a bloody Liam that’s complaining loudly about Zack.

“Okay,” the officer nods. “Let’s get you back to your room then.”


The next morning, I wake feeling better but still sore. The nurse comes in, happy that I decided to stay and receive my treatment, and gives me another dose of pain medication before the doctor comes in. When he arrives and does his check-up, he decides it’s fine if I am discharged.

With a couple of phone calls, I learn that Zack's bail won’t be posted until closer to noon. With time to spare, I decide to head back to the hotel in a cab to shower and change into clean clothes. I gather all of my suitcases afterwards, pay the amount owed before leaving the hotel. I know Liam was arrested last night as well, and I know when he gets out he’ll come for me and I can’t be here when he does. I am going to bail Zack out, apologize immensely and then leave California for good.

“Hi, I’m here to post bail for Zachary Baker,” I tell the man working the counter.

He looks at me with an unimpressed glance. I know how it looks, Zack was arrested on assault and battery and then a battered woman comes to post his bail. “Zachary Baker: arrested for aggravated assault and battery –”

“Aggravated? No, no he was just trying to protect me.”

“Look, it’s just my job to read you what’s on this paper, okay?” The man says. His court date is scheduled for two weeks. If he doesn’t show up –”

“Yeah, I know the rules,” I tell him. “What’s the amount?”

“$9,500 cash,” the man tells me.

“Are you kid –” I take a deep breath and run my hand through my damp hair. “Fine. I have to run to the bank. I will be right back.”

“I leave for lunch in fifteen minutes,” the guy tells me.

“I’ll see you in fourteen!” I call back before exiting the building.

This is ridiculous. Zack's bail being set so high was absolutely ridiculous and I know Liam had something to do with it. Luckily the bank is slow and I'm in and out and back in front of the counter with the grumpy man with three minutes to spare.

I slam the money down on the counter and yank the clipboard with the required form on it off the wall. I fill it out quickly and shove it into the mans hand. “Release him.”

The man glares at me before he picks up the phone. “He’ll be released on the east side of the building in fifteen minutes. You can wait there,” he tells me rudely.

I race to the east side of the building, ignoring the pain I feel in my bruised lungs as I wait for Zack to exit. I don’t know what I’m going to say to him when I see him. I feel nervous and odd and the feeling only grows once I see him exit the building.

“Zack!” I call, heading towards him. His eye is black, and he has a busted lip like me. “Oh, your face…”

“This is nothing,” Zack smiles softly. “You should see the other guy.”

“Thank you,” I tell him. “I reported everything to the police. I don’t think I could have done it without you.”

“Of course, you could have,” he tells me as we begin to make our way to my car. “Stella, you didn’t have to post my bail. I had someone on the way.”

“No. It’s my fault you ended up in there in the first place,” I tell him. “I don’t mind, really. And don’t worry about the charges…I’ll talk to the judge myself and explain or something.”

“You don’t have to do that,and I’ll pay you back as soon as I go to the bank.”

I shake my head. “Zack, seriously. It’s not a big deal.”

Zack scoffs. “It’s like $9,000. That’s not a big deal to you?”

I furrow my brows and look at him. Is he seriously picking a fight with me over this? “Zack – it’s my fault you spent a night in jail. You have a court date and everything. I mean…you finally got me away from Liam. Trust me, it’s me that owes you, not the other way around.”

Zack nods, chewing on his lips. “Well, I was a little surprised when they said a Stella Saint-Clair was the one who posted my bail.”

I freeze. My heart pounds against my chest and I can feel my palms begin to sweat. Of course, in the mess of posting Zack's bail, I didn’t even think about the name I put down on his forms. “Zack…” I’m not prepared to say anything else. He turns to me with an unhappy expression on his face. There’s no way out of this. “I haven’t been honest with you, but I can explain,” I breathe.

Notes

Hey guys! So sorry for the late updates! Looks like we may get some answers in the next chapter! How do you guys think Zack will react?

Thank you DaniGates for commenting.

Title credit: Sleeping with Sirens “if You Can’t Hang