Chapter 6
Downtown was absolutely mobbed even with snow dumping on everyone.
The giant screen was counting down to midnight.
Riley and I pushed through the crowd together.
At the main intersection, cops were stationed in the middle managing the chaos, totally stoic.
Watching them brought me back to New Year’s Eve when I was eighteen.
I bumped Riley’s shoulder and grinned.
“Riles, remember when we were eighteen and Blake was doing crowd control here?”
“He was so worried I’d show up and be embarrassing, so he wouldn’t tell me where he’d be working. I literally searched this entire plaza for him.”
Riley shook her head. “Honestly, no clue. Where’d you end up finding him?”
I laughed bitterly. “I never found him.”
“I was just like this-super bummed and defeated, following the crowd with no clue where I was going. Then suddenly Blake appeared behind me and grabbed my jacket!”
“He had this annoyed look on his face and said, ‘Stella, I was standing right in the middle of everything and you still couldn’t see me. If I hadn’t grabbed you, would you have just walked away?””
I smiled and pointed to the intersection where the cops were stationed now.
‘See, Blake was literally right there the whole time, impossible to miss. But it never occurred to me that he knew I’d come looking for him, so he picked the mos obvious spot to wait.”
Wiley looked at me.
My eyes were all sparkly, like every shattered star had fallen into them.
t was weird-I wasn’t even saying anything depressing, but every word was hitting her right in the feels.
iley couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly grabbed my arm to stop me.
he looked dead serious. “Stella, you need to tell Blake the truth.”
Tell him you were diagnosed with leukemia back then. Tell him your family was shipping you off and you had no choice but to break up with him.”
And then what?”
smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes.
Then he feels sorry for me? Guilts him into forgiving me so we can kiss and make up and pretend like nothing happened?”
shook my head. “Riley, I don’t want that. That’s not what I want.”
‘I promised him we’d be strangers if we ever ran into each other again, and I…”
Suddenly cheers erupted all around us, drowning out whatever I was about to say.
On the big screen, the countdown to midnight had started.
When midnight hit, thousands of balloons shot up into the sky.
Red, blue, purple-like someone dumped a paint bucket all over the night.
I released mine too, watching fireworks go off overhead.
I wondered if the stars up there could see this crazy scene.
Maybe when I’m a star someday, I’ll get excited for New Year’s too.
But then Riley panicked and slapped her hands over my eyes.
“Stella, don’t look at the screen.”
I didn’t listen. I pried my eyes open and looked through her fingers.
The jumbotron had zoomed in on a couple-
Across the plaza, Blake had Sophia wrapped up tight in his coat. His hand cradled her head as he kissed her deeply, his eyes so tender they could drown
someone.
The whole crowd was cheering for Blake and Sophia’s love story.
A pale smile spread across my lips, and something warm dripped from my nose.
I suddenly felt like I was floating, like I’d stepped on a cloud.
Everything started sounding far away, and the falling snow blurred my vision until everything went white…
I think I heard Riley screaming.
“Stella! Stella Parker-”
Riley’s panicked shriek cut through the snowy night. A lot of people turned to look, including Blake.
He glanced over for just a second, then deliberately looked away and grabbed Sophia’s hand, walking faster.
Sophia was confused. “Blake, didn’t you bring me here to watch the whole New Year’s show? Can’t we stay for the rest of the fireworks?”
Blake didn’t answer.
He was thinking about the text Riley had sent him yesterday.
In the text, Riley wanted him to meet up downtown tonight.
Said she had the real story about why Stella had ditched him back then.
But he didn’t give a fuck.
That was five years ago. He was completely done with Stella.
The only reason he’d even come was because Sophia wanted the whole New Year’s experience.
But of course Stella had to be there too, acting all carefree and happy in the crowd.
He figured Stella and Riley had set this whole thing up. Probably bet on whether he’d actually show. Classic Stella move.
Whatever. He wasn’t falling for her bullshit twice.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Not happening.
Blake left fast.
So he didn’t hear the ambulance sirens wailing or see Stella bleeding out on a stretcher.
On the drive home, Blake’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
Riley calling nonstop.
Like she was gonna keep calling until he answered.
“Blake, maybe you should get that? Could be important,” Sophia said.
Meanwhile, outside the ER.
Riley was pacing like crazy, clutching her phone. “Blake, answer your fucking phone!”
On try number sixteen, the OR doors opened right in front of her.
Blake finally answered, sounding pissed. “What?”
Complete silence on Riley’s end.
Blake didn’t have the patience to wait around. He hung up.
So he never heard the doctor’s devastating announcement-
“I’m so sorry. Stella Parker’s leukemia progressed rapidly. We did everything we could, but she passed away at 0:25 AM on January 1st, 2
“Again, I’m very sorry for your loss.”
And he never saw Riley drop the birthday flowers-baby’s breath scattered across the cold hospital floor.
