277Author's Note: Thanks everyone who reviewed again! Hope this chapter is cool too! Some people mentioned that they were confused, so sorry. Um, tell me what confuses you and I'll try and fix that ok? Otherwise, enjoy!
Oh, and on the "hot guy" issue? Look out for him somewhere in this or the next chapter!
Oh and also for the person who asked? Stella is a drop-out. She didn't graduate. And as for the setting of the story? I honestly don't know. I know that you guys are probably most familiar with a US setting so I'm trying to set it there but predominately, I'm an Aussie so I'll mix things up. If you have a question or I said something totally wrong, please tell me and I'll fix it.
Sarzii: Hey! Thanks for reviewing! Two next time and have you updated your GG story?
Lala : Thanks Lala! Glad you liked it XD
Chookstar: Mm.. You will find out some more about Stella.. A couple of people have mentioned that so yeah.. Thanks for reviewing!
Black Butterfli: Thanks for reviewing! I really do think Madison is stereotyped.. she's like, a bubblehead- that's my word for those stereotyped ditzy people. Stella does need a little attention doesn't she?
Greenie89: Thank you Kel! Glad you liked that line )
SilverSummerMoon: Wow you're another one who's confused.. Damn. Ok, I'll try and explain it better.. Thank for the review!
Kat6528: Laughs Ok, I"ll bring on the hot guy! Hope you like him!
xoxxKatexoxx: Confused people.. Not good. Um, I'm trying to unconfuse the story if that helps.. Hopefully things will get clearer.. Thank for reviewing!
Need-To-Breathe: Am updating abnormally fast again and I hope that this chapter is long enough.. I have a problem with long chapters.. I can't do them. Well, I can but they take forever. Hum.
Deewani: Will do. Thanks for reading!
birdytamel: Small confrontation with hot guy? Sounds like fun. Hope you like this chapter!
Irish Fairy: Planning on it. What I'm having trouble with is names.. I hate thinking up names.
Maroon: I thought it was a bit slow too! But I was thinking, I should probably set this up and introduce a couple more characters before anything big happens… I am aiming for faster, longer chapters so fingers crossed!
Chapter Three
Long, embarrassing Birthday Parties
"Un."
"Deux."
"Trois."
"Quatre."
I am watching my mother teach Abbey how to count, despite the fact that Abbey can't even talk and she definitely can't talk French.
"Mom."
"I know she can't speak French, Stella. It's just that studies show that children who are exposed to a variety of medias while they are younger develop faster."
Mental eye roll. "Whatever."
Mom gives that look. "You should take more interest in Abbey's life, Stel."
" She's 4 months old! She doesn't even have teeth yet!" I say, indignantly. Honestly.
Mdison saves this pointless conversation from turning into an argument by storming through the door, laden with bags. It's her seventeenth Birthday today.
She dumps her stuff on the table, one of the bags hitting me and I push it away from me.
"Did you get anything nice, sweetheart?" Mom asks, starting to rummage through the bags. From them comes an assortment of clothes, shoes, accessories.. The whole lot.
"Yup. Here, I got you something too," Madison replies, totally sugary. And of course, everyone falls for it.
"Oh Maddy! You shouldn't have.. It's beautiful!" Mom exclaims, holding up a pair of earrings. Another mental eye roll.
"Did you get me anything?" I ask.
Pause. "Of course, I did!" Madison bluffs, looking through all her bags and finally finding a strappy silvery shirt that I wouldn't be caught dead in.
"I hate it," I tell her cheerily. Two glares are sent my way but I am saved further discussion by Abbey who on inspection, needs to be changed. This is probably the one thing I hate about babies.. they smell weird.
I change Abbey as quickly as possible and bring her down stairs again, where Mom and Madison are talking, albeit loudly.
"..Just a few people, some close friends.. we'll be really quiet!" Madison is explaining, Mom nodding along.
"Alright then, as long as it's kept under control."
"It will! Oh thanks Mom!" Madison screeches, throwing her arms around said parent.
"What's happening?" I say, switching Abbey to my other side.
"Oh, Maddy's just going to have a few friends over tonight.. a very quiet birthday party."
Ewww.
Evidently, my reaction shows up on my face.
"Stella, it's her birthday. A few people isn't going to hurt and it won't be a loud, mash-pit type thing.." Mom continues, and I stifle a laugh.
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" I ask. I hate Madison's friends.
"You can stay in your room for all I care," Madison says scathingly.
Mom nods. "Yes, Stella dear. You'll have to be at home, I've got a P&C meeting to get to."
Madison looks happier, I look gloomier.
"But, if they get too loud then you tell them to be quiet or something.. We don't want them to disturb little Abbey now, do we?" Mom is still talking, although she is doing the squishy thing to Abbey's cheeks again.
"Or, you can go out to Cate's place or something?" Madison suggests.
"Can't. She works tonight."
"Mmm. And I want someone to be at home, just in case." Mom puts in.
"Do I get any say in this?" I ask curiously.
"Not really, sugar," Mom says, smiling at me. "Anyway, Four Letters is on tonight."
Four Letters is my favourite TV show. Me and Abbey always watch it together.
"Alright." But you owe me again.
time lapse: a number of hours
"But Mom!" Madison shrieks. I smile to myself. I'm sitting on the stairs with Abbey, listening to Madison getting told. One of the guys, Christian or something, brought a truckload of beer, vodka, spirits, you name it and Mom has had a severe anti-alcohol policy since.. Since Madison got pregnant?
"Madison, don't make me regret this!" Mom yells.
"Nothing's gonna happen!" Madison shrieks again.
"Young lady, when I say no, I mean no!"
"The party will suck!"
"No it won't. Now Mr. Blake, if you could kindly remove all this alcohol before the rest of the guests arrive." End of discussion.
"Now, I'm leaving now sweetie, so stop looking so down. I should be back in a few hours and remember to keep it low after Abbey is asleep." Mom says her goodbyes and is gone.
Right on cue, the doorbell rings again and a group of people enter, all dressed like clones, all talking in loud, bubble voices. I pick up Abbey and take her upstairs to my room but even from there I can hear there loud, obnoxious tones.
The doorbell rings again. And again. After half an hour of constant doorbell, I'm pretty sure that this is not the "quiet, just a few friends" party that was originally in the books.
Loud music beings to blast from somewhere downstairs. Even with the door closed, Abbey begins to cry, just as loudly. I rock her, sing to her, anything that will make her sleepy but the constant replay of Barbie Girl- someone must have really had a thing for Aqua- does not help and at last resort, I stomp downstairs, Abbey in tow, fully prepared to scream my guts out at Madison.
A sea of people, there must be at least 100 people here, greets me. They're dancing, the drinks have arrived again and nobody notices me at first.
"Shut up!" I yell, as loudly as possible and the people closest to me stop. Ever so slowly, the place quietens and finally, Madison herself cuts the music. I glare at her as Abbey begins to quieten, but she isn't looking at me.
"Hey Stella, who's the father?" Some guy cat-calls from the back and the whispers, the talking, the loudness begins. Abbey starts to squirm a bit and the place goes silent again as I try to coax her into silence.
"Just keep it down." I say lamely and go back up. Halfway up the stairs, the music starts again but this time, it's quieter and it still doesn't block the rumours going around.
Four Letters comes on and for an hour I'm immersed in the lives of fictional others. Abbey starts to cry again during a commercial so I go downstairs to make her a bottle. When I reach the kitchen, Madison hands me Abbey's bottle, all ready.
Before I can react, she speaks. "Just go, Stella."
I turn back around and go back up, observing while Abbey drinks, that the talking only begins after I've gone.
When Abbey is done, I wipe her mouth and she makes a gurgly sound, which normally means that she's too full. I rub her on the back and she coughs, spraying me with regurgitated milk.
"Eww." I say to no-one in particular. Abbey coughs once more, re-spraying me and then calms. Meanwhile, my shirt is soaked in.. gross stuff. The doorbell rings. I push my brown hair back. The doorbell rings again and I assume it's for one of Madison's people but then it rings again and again and again.
"Argh," I pick Abbey up and quickly go downstairs.
"Madison!" I yell. She appears from somewhere, looking annoyed.
"What?"
"Either take Abbey or answer the door."
"What?" She doesn't have a clue.
"The door- oh forget it," I say exasperatedly and put Abbey in her arms, one of the few times where Madison has ever held Abbey. I go to the door and pull it open and am met with a posse of guys.
The tallest one, who has his back turned away from me suddenly realises that I'm standing in front of him.
"Uh tell Joshua to get out here.." He says, trying not to laugh.
"Joshua! Get out here!" I yell in the general direction of the party.
"By the way, your shirt is completely trashed," person-looking-for-Joshua adds, still trying to hide a smile.
"Yeah. I know," I say bluntly.
"I'm Matt," He continues.
"Really."
"Yeah."
There's a long pause and I look over my shoulder to see if Joshua is coming. Nope, but Madison is.
"Hey Matt!" She greets him. He nods at her.
"Who's the baby?" He asks, gesturing at Abbey who I suddenly find myself holding as Madison pushes right past me.
"Oh, my um cousin." She says quickly. "And this is my sister Stella," she adds as an afterthought.
"That'd make Abbey your niece, you idiot." I say.
"Whatever." Madison says, although she's glaring at me.
"So Abbey is your.. daughter?" Matt asks me.
"Yeah.." I say. The lie is an easy one, that I've been living since Abbey was born.
"Wow," he says, "You're really young."
"Yeah. So?"
"Nothing."
He is saved by Joshua who pushes past me, totally drunk. Unless he's always like this.
"Great paaartaay Maddy baby.." Joshua slurs and Madison waves at him.
"See ya Josh, bye Matt," she says and then goes back in.
"See you around," Matt says and then he's gone too. More people are pushing past me as the party slowly dwindles to an end and when the house is empty of all party-goers, I put Abbey to bed and change out of my now dry shirt into a singlet. Then, I crawl into bed as well.
TBC.. Review please!
Yay. That was a fun chapter to write and it is kinda longer than my other chapters so yay for me! Hope you liked this chapter! Remember to review and remember if anything confuses you, let me know ok?
xox.