vulnerable

63.

Stella sat in the jet with her head pressed against the window. She glanced at the various planes around the terminals about to take off. She wondered where each one was going... where they might land? Her heart was split into two and maybe that was why she was so curious. She couldn't even believe what had happened with Gio. He'd even insulted Chloe... just a couple hours before Stella found them in bed together.

She shouldn't have been so surprised. If Collin taught her anything... it was to expect the unexpected. Maybe she was cursed. Love was not for her. Not in a romantic type of way. All of those had failed.

It hurt too much to think about Gio and Stella realized this must have been how Hannah felt with Christian. It was a terrible feeling. Like the whole world was gray and all of her energy was being sucked out by a parasite. Stella tried not to cry, but she couldn't help tear up. Her mind wandered to the memory right before the World Cup, when Gio and herself were seated next to each other on the plane.

'Tell me about Boston'

'Maybe you should start that book of yours you were always going to write'

'She'll take the Biscoff cookies, please'

'Can I have one?'

'What're you gonna listen too?'

Stella felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"Hey." Hannah plopped down into the seat across from her, making Stella wipe under her eyes. Hannah wasn't blind though and Stella knew her face must've been bright crimson from all the crying. Her friend sympathetically shot her a small smile, reaching across the table to grab her hand. Stella took it, gratefully. "I got Caro and Joah to settle down in the back. They're all riled up about Gio. I told them not to come up here unless they want to get smacked."

"Hannah." Stella chuckled a bit.

Her friend smiled wide at the success of the joke. "What? It's true."

Christian came out of the cockpit with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He ran a hand through his hair before standing in the aisle where the girls sat. He leaned against Hannah's chair, crossing his arms. "Pilot says we'll be leaving soon."

"Thanks for letting us use your plane, Chris." Hannah tilted her head up to look at him. "I mean it."

"Anything for you, princess. I just wonder why your fiancé didn't send one... oh wait... he uses his daddy's." Christian threw on a big, smug, grin.

Hannah sucked in a breath and rolled her eyes. "Moment ruined."

"Why're you all dressed up?" Stella leaned her elbow against the wooden table, glancing at her brother with a raised brow. "Trying to impress Hannah much?"

Hannah tried not to laugh. Christian frowned, blushing bright in the cheeks. "Shut up."

He sunk into the chair beside Stella with a harumph. The pilot came on the intercom and told everyone that they were departing now. The plane started to back up and soon they were on the strip of cement that they'd use to take off. Before Stella knew, they were in the air, and Germany was getting smaller and smaller. She'd already put her phone on airplane mode, but she knew she'd arrive in Florida with a gazillion texts from Gio. She wasn't sure what she'd say to him. She saw a sneak peek of the messages before they boarded the plane:

'Stella it wasn't what you think'

'We didn't have sex. I'd never do that to you'

'I fucked up... I know. It was just so natural and she climbed into bed like she was about to cry'