Adopted by Rilex (Jalex)

30

I was hanging out with, Johnnie, Alex, Shannon, Kyle, Jordan, and Jayden. Everyone was just talking amongst themselves as we walked around the tour grounds. I had a souvenir cup of ice water in my hands as we all talked. The conversation mostly consisted of them speaking to one another.

Our walking was interrupted by an unwelcome presence.

"Hey, Stella." I heard Austin Jones try to get my attention.

"What the fuck do you want." Johnnie sounded angry.

"To talk to Stella, not you." Austin sounded annoyed.

"Go away Austin." Shannon chimed in.

"No, I'm here to talk to my friend." Austin stated.

"Are you stupid?" Kyle piped up, "I don't think anyone here wants to fucking talk to you right now, especially not Stella."

"Nobody asked you, Kyle." Austin retorted.

"I don't give a shit, Austin." He mimicked.

"Just wait until I tell Bryan about this." He was angry.

"Tell him what? Someone didn't want to talk to you, that's not a fucking crime." Shannon was angry.

"I don't understand why you guys are acting so crazy right now." Austin calms his tone.

"We're acting perfectly normal given the circumstances, you fucking creep." Johnnie was angry.

"Dude calm down," Austin attempts.

"I will not calm the fuck down," Johnnie practically yells, "you are a piece of shit and no amount of using Bryan as leverage will fucking help you, we all know what you did and what kind of person you are."

I was letting my friends fight my battles for me. I was not in the mood to fight my own. I should have fought my own battle but I did not want to. I wanted this all to be over. This whole interaction was making me feel anxious, I kept pushing away my anxiety, trying to focus on staying calm.

I wanted this to end, I wanted to go on with my normal life but he won't leave me alone. I do not even know what normal is any more. Even if Austin leaves me alone there is no going back to the way things were.

My parents were in a huge fight, my girlfriend broke up with me over the phone, and I did not feel safe by myself. My entire world just imploded on its self and I was supposed to stand here and act like nothing happened because my emotions were too inconvenient for me to deal with.

My breathing started to pick up. I tried to control my breathing but it was difficult.

"Stella?" I hear Shannon's voice, "Are you okay?"

I backed up from the group as I began crying. I did not know what was happening, I just wanted to get out of there. There was so much going on, I did not know how to handle it.

I ran away, leaving the group behind. I just wanted to go back to my bus, I wanted to be alone.

I enter the tour bus, slamming the door behind me. "Stella?" I hear my dad's shocked reaction.

I do not reply, I leave the front of the bus, making my way back to my bunk.

"Stella, whats wrong?" Dad had followed me to the bunk area.

"Nothing, go away." I demand as I shut my privacy curtain.

"Please talk to me." He pleaded.

"I don't want to." I curled up under the covers.

"We're worried about you." He had attempted reason.

"How could you be worried about me? You don't even notice me anymore, you and papa are always too busy fighting to care about me." I retorted with malice laced in every word.