✓ 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 , ethan landry

TWENTY

NEW YORK CITY
— FOUR MONTHS AGO

STELLA'S POV ,

As much as I loved summer—it was hot as hell here in New York. Run-ins to the store here and there were dreadful, due to the fact that I did not want to take a taxi to go shopping. Luckily, Ethan was by me most of the time. He followed me like a lost puppy and there were times when he didn't even speak a word to me, he was just there. His company made me happy as to he was a great friend—Chad would always make fun of him.

   Chad and Tara had been spending more time together— but I knew whatever thing they had going on probably wasn't going to extend further because of me.

Ethan and I were sitting outside on the field, as I pulled out my snack. It was always a poptart, my go to.

"Those are nasty" Ethan says, as he sees me taking out my poptart. "I don't know how you eat those".

"I don't know how you eat those" I say, pointing at his bag of Cheetos. He threw his hands in the air acting all innocent. Moments like these where it was just the two of us was fun, I spent less time with Ethan, and I admired the time we spent together. He was actually understanding and always thoughtful.

"You think you can hang with me later?" he asks.

"Sure, but why?" I reply, taking a bite out of my poptart.

He scratches his head as he looks embarrassed. "Um..Chad is setting me up with someone but I like someone else so I don't wanna go".

"Ah." — "you wanna use me to get out of it".

"You're making it seem bad" he frowns.

I laugh at him. "I'm kidding. Of course you can hang with me Ethan....now who do you like?".

"I'm not saying?" he confusingly says. "It's a secret that's the point".

PRESENT.

STELLA'S POV ,

And who would've thought. I ended up being the person he liked...loved...whatever he felt towards me. I felt that for him...I felt the love, because Ethan was the one. But, here I was. In his arms as I was losing so much blood. He was able to keep me conscious by talking to me repeatedly—as well, he was bleeding and losing blood from his chest, his voice started to shake and feel more and more faint.

"Ethan?" I ask, intertwining my hand with his. He looks down at our hands and smiles. "You stay with me to".

"I lost a lot" he says. "You did too. I'm sorry for doing this to you".

"Were you the one at the bodega?".

"Yes, that was me".

"Natalia had that fake out" I sigh, "When she walked into the apartment that was you".

Ethan doesn't respond. All he does is nod his head for his answer. — "but never did I want to hurt you". He brings back the knife and places it in my hand, pointing it his way again. "You're gonna do it, please".

"If you're dying, im dying".

"No no no" he says, "you're gonna finish college! You're gonna go into film studies just like you wanted. You'll do it for me".

"Yeah right" I laugh, but regret it immediately because my back starts to hurt even more. This time I start to feel more dizzy feeling like I was going to pass out again.

But, before I can speak again, Ethan let out a groan and my eyes widened as I see Theo and Kirby taking a stab at him on his back. His arms loosen around me and I shift out of position, hitting my back on the ground. I also let out a groan in response.

"You're fucking dead!" Theo yells at him.

I feel my heart race and look at Theo with just pure horror. "Theo! No!".

"He deserves that!" he yells again. "He almost fucking killed you!".

    "Stella" Kirby said, limping towards me. "We have to get you out of here".

     "Ethan!" I cry, I shake his body but there was no response coming from him. He had already been losing too much blood—it was done for him. My heart sinks and more and more tears come out of my eyes.

    Ethan was gone. I loved him so much and I didn't have enough time with him.

    "Tara and Sam are gonna finish off Bailey" Theo nods, looking over at Kirby, he comes over and picks me up carefully. "We need to get you to a hospital".

   "Ethan!" I say again, "Theo, get him to! Theo, please please".

    "He's gone Stella!" he reassures me. "He's gone! He's dead! That's what needed to happen to him".

    "But you didn't know him like how I did".

    Because that was it. I was so sure he was gone and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

— LENA SPEAKS 💌 🎟️
my heart breaks for them i don't wanna lose them
buttttt one more chapter left ( maybe 2 or 3) but it will take awhile because i do want it to be a long chapter so bare with me !! ill have it out soon i promise :)