Chapter 52

Celeste

The hollow echo of my sobs filled the otherwise silent room. The dim light of the moon filtering through the curtains did little to illuminate the dark, bleak space that reflected the turmoil in my heart. I'd barely managed to wipe away the tears when I heard the familiar, almost sinister creak of my bedroom door opening.

“You’ve been acting out of character.” Jack’s voice was cold, filled with suspicion. “What's going on with you, Celeste?”

I looked up, eyes puffy and red, and swallowed the thick knot of emotions in my throat. “Nothing,” I whispered, avoiding his piercing gaze.

“Don't lie to me, Celeste!” His voice had risen a few octaves, making me flinch. “Your behavior, these weird errands, the photos of you cleaning—” He trailed off, clearly expecting an explanation.

“Jack, I just—”

“Spit it out,” he demanded.

“There’s...there’s nothing,” I stammered, feeling the weight of my deceit press heavily against my chest. I wished I could tell him the truth, but the cost felt too high.

His eyes narrowed. “Fine. If you don’t want to talk, then you can stay put. You’re grounded. For a week, you’re to go to class and come straight home, and nothing else. Understand me?”

“Grounded?” I snapped, my fragile patience shattering. “Jack, I’m almost 20!”

“As long as you're living under my roof,” he seethed, “I can do whatever I damn well please. If you’d rather be out on the streets, be my guest.”

With that, he turned, slamming the door behind him. I sank back onto my bed, the weight of my own choices and Jack’s overbearing nature pressing me down.

Still raw from Jack’s harsh words, I retreated once more to the solace of my bed, sinking into the plush duvet with a sigh. The dim light filtering through the curtains created a somber ambiance, matching my melancholic mood. My fingertips brushed the cool screen of my phone, drawing it closer.

At least as ‘Rose’, I always felt that sweet escape, that freedom to be someone else, to say things I wouldn't normally say as Celeste.

Unlocking the screen, I quickly typed out a message to Matt, hoping his playful banter would provide a temporary distraction.

“Hey Matt, how’s the day treating you?”

Minutes turned to an hour, and the screen remained devoid of any new notifications. My heart drummed uneasily in my chest. Why wasn’t he replying?

Matt had always been prompt, always eager to engage in our virtual chats. The silence was unusual, and it didn't bode well for my already frazzled nerves.

A myriad of scenarios started playing out in my head. What if he was piecing together the puzzle? What if he had somehow deduced the link between Celeste and ‘Rose’?

My mind raced, the very thought filling me with a mix of dread and anxiety. Maybe Jack wasn’t the only one I would have to come clean to. But then, another thought entered my mind, calming my spiraling thoughts. Perhaps Matt was genuinely busy. Or maybe he was in one of his contemplative moods.

Hugging my knees to my chest, I took a few calming breaths.

Guilt has a way of amplifying insecurities, making one doubt even the most innocuous of situations. Maybe I was just overthinking things, letting my guilty conscience control my perceptions.

I decided to give it time. Maybe he would reply later. Maybe things would go back to our comforting routine. But deep down, a nagging thought lingered, reminding me that secrets, no matter how deeply buried, have a way of coming to the surface.

…

Morning broke, cold and distant. My mood hadn’t improved. The campus was alive with students rushing about, their animated conversations a stark contrast to my quiet dread.

“You have to get the hell out of there, Celeste,” Fiona said, her coffee sloshing in her cardboard cup as she gestured wildly. “Jack is no good. He’s a jerk, and he’s downright abusive. You have to leave!”

I shook my head, nervously tucking a stray lock of my frizzy brown hair behind my ear. “It’s not that simple, and you know it, Fiona,” I said quietly, glancing around as though Jack would be watching and listening. “I don’t have any money of my own. I’m not like you.”

“But you can be, Celeste,” Fiona insisted. “Yeah, sure, my parents were supportive and let me work throughout high school so I could afford to be independent when I went off to college. And yeah, sure, I’ll admit it: they send me money and stuff if I really need it. But you’re tough, Celeste. You can find a job easily, with your smarts.”

“I could find a job,” I said. “And I plan on it. But it’ll still take some time to earn enough money to move out. I’ll have to cover rent, bills, a security deposit—”

“Move in with me.” Fiona paused, sipping her coffee, and made a face at its bitterness.

I turned towards her, my eyes wide. “You’re serious?” I asked.

Fiona simply shrugged. “I don’t have a spare room, but I don’t mind sharing a room with you,” she said. “And my roommate won’t care if you’re around; if anything, she’ll be happy to be splitting the rent three ways instead of two. Hell, you could live with us rent-free for a couple of months.”

Fiona’s words made me smile, but only momentarily. I finally shook my head, resolving against it. “I don’t want to put a strain on our friendship,” I said. “And besides, I’d feel like a leech if I moved in without money to pay rent. At the very least, I’d want to save up first so I could afford to pay from the get-go.”

With another shrug and another failed sip of her coffee, Fiona dumped the remainder of the coffee into the snow, turning it brown and causing it to melt. She tossed the empty cup into a nearby garbage can, and stuck her hands in her pockets.

“Well, at least consider it,” she said. “I’ve got to go to class. Lunch later?”

I nodded, agreeing to lunch. Fiona and I parted ways, and I continued on my trek to my own classroom.

Walking with my head down, I nearly bumped into someone.

Startled, I looked up to find Matt emerging from the woods, his clothes dirty and specks of mud smeared across his face. His typically poised demeanor seemed disrupted, and for a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other.

“Were you… hiking?” I asked, trying to find a logical explanation for his disheveled state.

He seemed caught off guard by my sudden appearance, blinking a few times as if waking from a trance. “Yeah, I just… I fell,” he mumbled, not meeting my eyes.

“I see…” I said, not entirely convinced.

Before the silence between us could stretch too long, he glanced at me, genuine concern in his eyes. “Are you better after yesterday?”

His concern felt like a warm blanket, and for a moment, I allowed myself to lean into it. “It’s… it’s been tough,” I admitted.

Matt took a deep breath, and there was an intensity in his gaze that made my heart race. “I tried talking to Sabrina for you, but she… she threatened me.”

My eyes widened in shock. “You talked to Sabrina?”