Already Gone

Say Something

   When I woke next, I immediately noticed the ache that radiated off my entire body. Groaning, I rolled over onto my side to get a better look at the time.

6:24

   My stomach gave a loud growl and I realized that besides the few bites of pancake I had forced down in the morning, I hadn't eaten anything else.

   I practically slept through the entire day.

   Sighing softly, I sat myself up and reached over to turn on the lamp before scouring the floor for my crutches.

Where were they?

   Then I vaguely remembered limping down the hallway without them, Arizona and Callie on either side of me.

   Taking a deep breath, I slowly got up onto my feet, keeping the majority of my weight on my good side before carefully hobbling out of the room. 

"You're awake," Callie smiled when she saw me.

   I nodded, "Yeah...I am."

"We ordered pizza," Arizona said and I sat down at the island as she slid a plate with a couple of slices in front of me.

"Thank you," I whispered and stared down at the pizza slices. It had pretty basic and classic toppings.

Tomato sauce, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, pepperoni. 

"Do you not like the toppings?" Arizona asked, "It's okay if you don't, we don't mind you picking them off, this is just what we usually order."

   I looked up, wide-eyed, and quickly shook my head, "No, no, it's not that..."

"What is it then?" Callie slid into the seat next to me and leaned on the counter, crossing her arms so that she was holding her opposite elbow.

   I shrugged, "It's dumb, really..."

"What you feel isn't dumb," Callie said, "What you think isn't dumb."

   I had a feeling that they weren't going to just let me drop it and I was too tired to keep coming up with excuses so I gave in.

"Stella hated mushrooms," I pressed my tongue against the inside of my cheek, "I don't hate them, but looking at the pizza just made me remember that for some reason."

   To prove that it wasn't the pizza I was upset about, I picked up a slice and took a bite from the tip.

"What was she like?" Arizona asked quietly, a gentle smile on her face, "Stella, I mean."

   I smiled as I started thinking back on every interaction I had with my sister. When she lost her first tooth...her first day of school...all of it.

"Stella was..." I shook my head, still smiling, "She was everything. Stella was kind and sweet. She was smart and funny and she could always make people smile."

"She sounds lovely," Callie said.

   I nodded, "That's because she was. Everyone liked Stella. She could have strangers wrapped around her tiny finger just by giving them one of her smiles."

"Summer, look!" Stella squealed as she tugged on my hand, pointing ahead of us, "Look at the puppy dog!"

   We were walking our usual route home after school when Stella spotted an older lady holding a leash attached to a small brown and white dog.

"I see!" I forced a smile, trying to make my voice sound enthusiastic even though I was completely exhausted and drained after a rough day at school.