CHAPTER ONE

LEFT HAND FREE — ALT-J
Ain't shady baby, I'm hot
Like the prodigal son

"MOM?" STELLA CALLED out as she walked through the French colonial style house.

"In here!"

Stella rounded the corner, her footsteps echoing against the pristine hardwood floors. The morning light that streamed through the window at the end of the hall reflected off the picture frames on the wall, causing her eyes to squint as she passed by. The door to her right, which was usually kept shut, was wide open revealing Emma Marx frantically rushing around. On the desk in the middle of the room were documents and files stacked in a messy pile and in the chair behind it was a tattered briefcase.

"What're you doing?" Stella asked from the doorway, leaning against the frame with a raised eyebrow.

Emma looked up from the files she was shoving in her bag and blew a strand of hair out of her face, giving a small smile as her gaze settled on her daughter. "There's a hurricane hitting in a couple days and you know how busy the hospital can get. They called me in."

The corners of Stella's lips quirked at the mention of her mother's place of work and her back straightened. "Do you need extra help?" She asked, even though she had already fulfilled her volunteer hours for the week.

Aside from John B's house (affectionately named 'The Chateau'), Kildare General Hospital was practically Stella's second home. She had spent countless hours of her youth roaming the linoleum floored halls, talking to the staff, and getting into mischief as she waited for her mom to finish performing surgery. It was because of the exposure to medicine during her little adventures that she wanted to become a doctor, ultimately leading her to become a volunteer when she turned fifteen in hopes of gaining experience that would look good on her college applications.

Emma shook her head. "No, it's okay, love," she said, an appreciative look flashing across her features. While she admired her daughter's work ethic, the young girl often forgot to enjoy her youth. "What's up? What do you need?"

"Oh, nothing." Stella shook her head, signifying that the reason she sought her out wasn't serious. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going out with my friends."

"Alright, have fun, sweetheart," Emma said, returning back to her papers. "Oh, and do tell John B that eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday isn't a sustainable diet. I know it's been hard for him, but his father wouldn't want him being malnourished. In fact, just tell all your friends to have dinner here tonight. I bought stuff to make tacos, it's all in the kitchen. You might need to buy more shells, I know JJ likes to—"

"Okay, Mom," Stella interrupted with a slight laugh and dismissive wave. Her mom had the tendency to ramble—a trait that had been passed down to her. "I'll tell them. Don't worry about us, worry about your future patients."

Emma sighed and gave her daughter a small smile. She dropped the papers she was holding onto the desk and walked over to Stella, giving her a tight hug. "I love you," she said before kissing the top of the younger girl's head. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Stella hugged back and nodded her head into her mother's shoulder. "Love you too." When they pulled away from their embrace, Stella gave her a salute and backed out into the hallway. "Bye! Save some lives!"

Stella could hear her mother's laugh fade as she walked down the stairs and out the house. She tried to ignore the sting in her chest when she realized her mom would be gone for the next twenty-six hours. She knew her mother's job was important, but she missed her terribly when she wasn't home. Her whole life, it had been just her and her mom. Even when they still lived with her father, her mother was the one caring for her. No matter what the circumstances were, her mother was always there. They had a good relationship and she knew she was extremely lucky to be able to say that.

Emma Marx was a phenomenal woman. She was an amazing doctor and an even better mother, not just to Stella, but also to her friends. She knew that John B's mother had split when he was younger and she knew JJ's father from high school. Out of their little group, John B and JJ needed a maternal figure the most and since they were alway hanging around Stella, it wasn't hard to fall into that position. She'd always wanted more that one child, but getting pregnant with Stella was already hard enough, so when Stella came home one day with four kids trailing behind her, she took it as a sign from the heavens. She loved Stella's friends like her own and made sure they knew it every time they came over for a visit.

Stella stepped out of her house, her eyes landing on the beat up van parked in her driveway.

"There she is!" JJ shouted happily once he spotted her. His arm was hanging outside the van's window with his hand extended for her to take. "How you doing, sunbaby?"

Even though JJ asked her the same question every morning, Stella's face still lit up. She let out a small laugh and shook her head as she placed her hand in his and he brought it to his lips to kiss. "Golden, J."

JJ smiled at her usual response. He wasn't the most academically gifted out of his friends, but he didn't need a 4.0 gpa to know that her reply made complete sense. Stella Marx's soul was truly golden. She was like the sun beaming down on the pale sand as the day hit its peak or the warmth of a burning fire. She was the light in his dark, his golden girl that he didn't believe he deserved.

After hopping into the van and taking her bag off her shoulder, she climbed into the front seat and placed herself on JJ's lap, facing John B. She never liked sitting alone in the back and one day, JJ pulled her to the front and it became a regular thing. None of their friends questioned it anyways. It wasn't uncommon to find the pair snuggled up with each other. They were always touching somehow, whether it be JJ's arm around Stella, Stella's head in his lap, or shameless kisses on the cheek. The crew teased them about it endlessly, knowing that they harboured feelings towards each other, but the pair brushed it off with a dismissive wave.

When Stella was settled in, she dug through the front pocket of her shorts for a lighter. She had fallen into the habit of keeping one with her at all times, even if she decided that she wasn't going to smoke that day. JJ took it from her hands as she glanced at the two boys and lit the joint that was tucked behind his ear.

"My mom wants all of us over for dinner tonight."

"Oh, yeah?" John B asked excitedly as he backed out of the driveway. "What's Mama Marx making today?"

"She's not making anything," Stella informed, plucking the joint from JJ's fingers and taking a drag. "She's working, so it'll just be us five tonight. She did, however, leave stuff for us to make tacos with."

The two boys let out shouts of happiness at the thought of free food, leaving a trail of noise in their wake. Stella just chuckled as she made herself comfortable in JJ's lap.

John B glanced at his two best friends before shaking his head and turning to the road before him with a knowing smile on his face.

It was painfully obvious that Stella and JJ were more than just friends. Anyone with eyes could see that they were head over heels in love with each other, but neither of the stubborn teens were willing to admit it.

Stella didn't want to say anything in fear of messing up the group's dynamic and JJ was scared of rejection. Neither of them wanted to lose the other and they both believed that their feelings were one-sided. They would much rather keep whatever flirty relationship they had going on now than risk their friendship by confessing their love.

Their refusal to do so caused a lot of frustration for the rest of the group.

As the trio pulled up to Pope's house, JJ noticed the thoughtful look on Stella's face. He tapped her thigh, causing her to look down at him. "What's goin' on in that pretty head of yours?" JJ asked quietly as the car came to a stop.

She wanted to say you, but decided against it. "I think we should get more taco shells later," she settled on saying.

JJ stared at her for a moment. He knew her well enough to know that what she said was a little white lie, but decided not to push the subject. "We'll add that to the to-do list." He nodded, knowing that the group could easily burn through two boxes of hard shells.

When their conversation was finished, the sound of someone clearing their throat cut through the air. They turned to Pope, ready to greet him, but he was already staring at them with a flat expression. "Oh, so now you two wanna acknowledge my existence?" He turned to John B, who was wearing an amused smile. "It's like we're not even here."

Stella rolled her eyes playfully then climbed off JJ's lap so she could sit next to Pope. "You know you love us," she teased, pushing the bill of his hat down.

They pulled up to Kiara's house, only to find her already waiting for them at the edge of her driveway.

After they were all situated, John B filled them in on their plan for the day, which consisted of checking out a new housing development Kie told him about, heading to Stella's for dinner, then heading back to his place for a party.

Getting into the housing development wasn't hard. All you had to do was avoid security and hop a fence. It wasn't long before they were strewn around the back deck with beers in hand.

"You're gonna fall, JB," Stella sang from her spot next to JJ. She was laying on the scaffolding with her head on his lap, watching in amusement as John B tried to balance on the roof. The cold drops of water that transferred from her beer can to her palm made JJ shiver as she smacked his hand away, stopping him from balancing his own drink on her forehead. "Don't expect me to patch you up if you fall."

"What's the point in being friends with a future doctor then?" he questioned with a laugh.

"Pope will fix you up." She looked over at Pope who was playing with the power tools someone left behind. "Right, buddy?"

Pope looked up at John B and squinted. "I give you about a... one-in-three chance of survival," he deduced as he played with the drill in his hand.

While the boys were bickering, Stella looked up at JJ, who was being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal. "What are you thinking about, J?" she asked, poking his cheek.

He wanted to say you, but decided against it. His hand found its way to her hair and he started playing with it. "Just how John B's gonna drop his beer."

Stella knew it was a lie, but she nodded regardless and hummed, content as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Suddenly, Kie walked out of the house looking very bothered. "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers," she stated in a tone laced with anger.

"Of course they are. What did you expect?" John B's tone was light and teasing.

"This used to be a turtle habitat," Kie lamented, a frown on her face, "but who cares about the turtles, I guess?"

"Sarah Cameron cares about the turtles," Stella snickered, knowing that the mention of their ex-friend would gain a reaction.

Before Kie could do anything more than send her a glare, John B added on to her irritation and joked, "I can't have cold towels."

Kie looked up at the roof and raised her hand to block the sun from her face. "Can you please not kill yourself?"

"Yeah and don't spill that beer," JJ added, his hands still in Stella's hair. "I'm not giving you another one."

As if on cue, John B dropped his beer, sending it crashing onto the deck below.

"Of course you did."

"Smooth."

Stella sat up, chuckling as Kie and JJ made fun of the boy.

JJ's hands left her hair and he frowned at the loss of contact. His reaction went unnoticed has she placed her drink on the scaffolding beside him and climbed down. His eyes followed her figure as she walked over to where Pope was standing.

Curious as to what the boy was staring at, Stella leaned over the railing of the deck and saw a familiar car pull into the driveway.

"Security's here, boys and girl," she said, turning back to the group. Her hand raised as she prepared to make a run for it and she patted Pope on the shoulder. "Let's wrap this up."

JJ jumped down from his spot and joined Stella's side. "Hm, the boys are early today," he mused, looking over the railing. He took Stella's hand and looked up at John B, who was still on the roof. "Humpty Dumpty, let's roll."

The group of five shared mischievous smiles as the front door of the beachside mansion opened. They waited for footsteps to sound through the air before running though the house. The thrill of the chase and the possibility of getting caught gave them an adrenaline rush and their laughter echoed around them, taunting the security guards who foolishly thought they could catch them.

At some point, the five teens split up—though, it didn't matter much as they all knew where the van was.

JJ let go of Stella's hand and she laughed as he almost got tackled immediately after. She ran out of the house, almost tripping over Pope who had tripped and fallen. "C'mon, there's no scholarship for kids who break and enter," she teased, helping him up before climbing the fence.

She paused at the top, waiting for JJ to come out of the house.

Moments later, the blond boy ran out with one hand on his head so his hat wouldn't fly off and the other waving Stella away, telling her to leave. There were two guards chasing after him and Stella shook her head with a wide grin.

"Gary!" She shouted, waving at the security guard they had encountered too many times. "Nice to see you again!"

JJ jumped up and hopped over the fence, pulling Stella down as he did.

Together, they ran to the moving van where their friends waited. Kie's hand shot out of the open door to help Stella, and when Stella was inside, she helped JJ up. Everyone was laughing as he hung half his body out the van to terrorize the security guards running after them.

"Check out Gary, gunnin' for a raise," Pope jested.

"Come on, Gary!" JJ shouted with mock encouragement. He turned back to John B. "Wait, slow down."

John B shook his head with a chuckled before doing as he was told.

"Hey!" Gary shouted breathlessly as he caught up to the van. "You little pricks!"

"You're gonna give him a heart attack," Kie warned, trying her best to hide her smile behind her responsible tone of voice.

JJ didn't listen and grabbed a beer from the back go the van. "You're so close! You can do it. There you go!" He tossed the can of beer at the security guard. "They don't pay you enough, bro."

The door slid shut and JJ's arm immediately found its way around Stella's shoulders. "Oh, come on," he laughed. "That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished."

The high of the chase ran through their veins as they passed the Outer Banks welcome sign. Paradise on Earth, it said. Surrounded by her friends with the freedom of summer in their reach, Stella felt invincible. But she failed to realize one simple fact.

The sun sets, and even paradise falls victim to darkness.

RAE SPEAKS !
both the prologue and chapter one ending ominously because i don't know how to end chapters lol

anyways, stella and jj are in love your honour!