more than this | grayson dolan (book one)

twenty two

I stare down at the bandage around my thigh. The stinging never went away, and I don't think it will. My thoughts haven't stopped racing at the fact that Grayson knows where and how I live.

I'm sure tomorrow everyone will be laughing and judging me. Without any warning my bedroom door abruptly opens, causing my body to jump. Jake stares down at my thigh with wide eyes.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He rushes over to my bed.

"Get out." I whisper while rolling my eyes.

"Stella, talk to me. Why is there a bandage on your thigh?" He goes to check it out, but I move away.

"I hopped the fence running away from the cops. Little did I know the top of it was going to be sharp, I cut my thigh open and got stitches."

"You went to a hospital?!" He yells.

"No, I'm not that stupid." I turn away from him even more.

"Who stitched it for you?"

"None of your business. You have no right to question me, I'm in pain because of you." I say through my teeth.

"I'm sorry, okay? You know I would never want to put you in danger." He lets out a sad breath.

"Too late for that." I keep my eyes down. "You lied to me, you said you were getting clean."

"I tried to. Do you know how hard it is? I've been using drugs since I was fifteen." He runs his hands through his hair. "I need to get money to support us."

"You don't do it the illegal way." I scoff at him. "You could have went to jail, then I would really have no one."

"I outran the cops and they never identified me. I'm in the clear." He sounds relieved saying those words.

"For now." I mumble and bury my face into my pillow.

"How's your thigh?" He quietly asks me.

"Just get out, Jake." I snap again.

"Stella, I'm sorry." His voice begins to crack.

"I was terrified that we were going to jail, and then I almost bled to death because you made a stupid decision." I have never been so mad at my brother in my entire life.

"I didn't know that was going to happen." He tightly clenches his jaw.

"Well, it did." My voice is shaking just like my body.

"I'm so fucking sorry." Tears fills his eyes as he sniffles.

"I want to be alone." I completely turn my body to the side, facing my blank wall. I can feel his presence leave my bed as he walks across the room. He shuts the door without saying another word. I let my heavy eyes close and don't bother to open them for the rest of the night.

-

A small yawn escapes my lips as my eyes slowly open up. My wall is the first sight I see. Turning my body, I reach for my alarm clock. It's 10:08 am. Shit, I completely missed school. It's not like I was going anyway.

I'm sure the entire building is laughing at the fact that Stella Monroe is poor and lives on the south side. I glance down at my body and see that I'm still wearing my t-shirt and black shorts from yesterday. I rise from my bed and make my way out of my room. I desperately need to take a hot shower, too bad that isn't happening.

The only water that comes out of our pipes is ice cold. I walk over to the bathroom and lock the door. I'm pretty sure Jake is sleeping in his room, but I don't want to check.