LOGINStellaOne Year Later…The beach breeze is warm against my skin. The sound of laughter and light conversations fill my ears, causing me to smile more than I have for in the past. My brother's sit on the opposite side of the table, while my parents, Lillian, Adrian, and I are on the other.We decided
StellaI was discharged from the hospital just a few hours ago. Adrian kept me in his car while he ran out to the store and bought all new groceries for me, buying me snacks and drinks for me to eat while I relax at home. It is a really kind gesture from him, something that he never would've done fo
Adrian looks at me and I shake my head, signaling for him to stay. He silently nods and remains in place, watching as the room is slowly vacated, my father remaining behind. His eyes flicker between us, the way I instinctively reach for Adrian’s hand.“What is it that you’re doing, Stella?” my fathe
StellaAdrian stayed by my side for the rest of the night. He held my hand and called the nurses over when I needed more pain medication to ease the stinging and burning feeling inside of my body. He helped me adjust my pillows and got me more blankets, bribing the teenage girls next-door to offer u
Stellathe first thing that I can hear is the faint beeps of a hospital machine. There is a hospital like ambience, just beyond my consciousness, rooted in reality, it is in a place where I am not. I can listen to the sound of nurses and doctors talking, but I fall back into a state of unconsciousne
AdrianMy heart races inside of my chest. I can’t think straight and I feel so dizzy, having to sit down since my legs feel like jelly. I tried to convince myself that everything is okay, that Stella is not in need in that Clara is just over exaggerating what she said on the phone, but something in
AdrianI stare at the clock in my office, watching as the small hands tick by, slowly counting down the seconds. The flowers should have been delivered by now, right? So why isn’t Stella calling?I have to fight the urge to call Stella myself, to ask and see if she received my heartfelt gift.When w
StellaMy eyes hurt as soon as I wake up. The sunlight is blinding as it slips past the open sliver of my curtains, shining right on my face. I groan and turn to the side, opening up one eye to stare at my phone on the side table.I reach out and bring it back to my body, the screen staying dark. A
StellaI do not know what possessed me to say yes to having a conversation with Adrian, but the elevator ride up to my apartment has me feeling anxious and nervous. A flood of uncertainty crashes throughout my mind and I am unable to look at him as he stares at me.“I’m okay,” I say, eyes flitting t
StellaInputting data files one by one is such tedious work. With every file, I have to carefully type in the information and then triple check each line to make for sure that everything is correctly entered. If even one thing is wrong, Adrian’s project will not be able to function properly and it w







