Coming Up For Air | ✓

18 | staying afloat

Dazed after yet another sleepless night—deep notch between her brows, shoulders tight—Stella pads through the lake house, obliged to leave her comfortable cocoon of blankets by the loud, jarring echo of the doorbell bouncing between its walls.

Stood on the front porch is Jessica, Jake's friend from the farmers' market, cheeks flushed pink as she beams: showing off a toothy, dazzling—slightly crooked—smile. Her red-rimmed sunglasses are perched atop her head, her black hair falling everywhere and, just like the last time Stella saw her, she's wearing a tank top spelling out 'Paige's berries' on its front. A mysterious purple stain is smudged across the 'b', though considering Stella's currently sporting a distressed t-shirt adorned in splotches of spilled iced tea, she's in no place to judge.

If Jessica's phased by Stella's 'I haven't washed my hair for the past four days and I'm not planning on starting now'-look she doesn't show it, instead—as the door swings open, her smile only grows wider as she sings, "Hi!"

She doesn't waste any time shoving two bags filled to the brim with paper boxes of berries into Stella's embrace. "We are absolutely overflowing in these," She says, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead. "And I was already passing through on my way to my grandparents, so I figured: why not bring some to you guys? Free of charge, of course."

"Oh," Stella smiles tightly, a headache brewing at the back of her mind, suppressing the urge to grimace as she balances the bags in her arms. "Thank you."

Jessica peers into the house over Stella's shoulder, a light sway to her feet. "Is Jake here?"

Stella's heart drops deeper in her chest, her cheeks sucked in as she takes a step back—foot coming to rest against the door, ready to close it. "No. He's back home. His home. In Acebridge."

"When is he coming back?"

"I don't think–," Stella presses her lips together as something seizes her throat. She blinks. Once, twice—collecting herself. "He's not. Coming back."

"Oh that's too bad," Jessica lifts her shoulder in half-a-shrug. "I was going to invite you guys to this film screening tomorrow at The Primrose. My friend's hosting it."

"The Primrose? The Bed and Breakfast?"

"Yeah, they have a movie theater in the basement. Which is not as creepy as it sounds. I promise. I guess we can count on Jake being a no-show."

Stella holds back a sigh, very much ready to have this conversation be over and done with. "I guess, yeah."

"But you should come!"

Before she can stop herself, Stella winces. "I don't know."

"It's going to be really fun. Last year was great!"

"You know, I would but I... It's just that I think I'm coming down with a cold."

Stella tilts her chin to the side and fakes a small cough for emphasis, taking yet another step back into the house. If her hands hadn't been full with berries she hasn't asked for, she would have reached up to gently rub at her throat as well—just for show. Stella hardly, ever, gets sick. But Jessica doesn't know that.

"Okay," Jessica's lips form a small sympathetic smile. "Maybe another year."

"Yeah," Stella says, unconvinced. "Maybe another year."

"Well, I won't be keeping you then," Jessica says, finally beginning to retreat from the threshold of the front door. "I hope you feel better soon."

"You too," Stella rushes out before squeezing her eyes shut. "I mean: bye. Sorry."

A small, lighthearted laugh escapes Jessica. "Bye,"