Chapter 68

Celeste

The sharp intensity in Matt’s eyes took me aback.

“Does your brother know that you’re here?” he asked, glancing over at Jack.

I swallowed, following his gaze. Jack was leaning against the side of one of the cabins, a beer in his hand and a new girl on his arm. They were making out, not even looking in my direction. It was a relief, but only for a moment.

“I… Um…” I stammered, praying that Matt wouldn’t expose me.

Matt turned from where he’d been looking towards Jack. As his clear blue gaze settled on me, I saw a hint of something else behind his eyes. Amusement.

“Don’t worry about him,” he chuckled, a hint of mischief evident in his voice. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t spot you.”

Before I could process his words, he was steering me away from my position, effortlessly guiding me through the crowd. The laughter and music in the background seemed to blur, all my focus on Matt and the unexpected turn of events.

“Thirsty?” he asked, holding out a cup to me.

I hesitated, then took it, eyeing the amber liquid. “What’s this?”

“Just some punch,” he reassured. “But watch out, it’s got a kick.”

He tilted his own cup towards his lips and I followed suit, taking a tentative sip. It was sweet and spicy, the alcohol warming my insides instantly.

“So,” Matt started, leaning casually against a tree and studying me. “How’s everything been with you?”

The casualness of his tone, especially after everything, caught me off guard. “It’s been… complicated,” I replied hesitantly, feeling the weight of the evening's events pressing down on me.

He hummed in response, his gaze unwavering. “You know, I’m sorry for the mess back there, with Sabrina and Jack.”

“T-The mess?” I asked, glancing once more over at Jack, who now brazenly had his free hand entirely up the girl’s shirt.

Matt nodded. “The whole cleaning thing. Look, there’s no shame in doing stuff to make a little extra cash. Sabrina was a jerk, of course, for posting pictures of you like that. But Jack overreacted.”

“You really think that?” I asked, genuinely surprised. “Most people…”

Matt chuckled. “I’m not ‘most people’. And yes, I really think that. Just… If you need some extra money, don’t go to Sabrina of all people for it. There are plenty of people around town who would gladly pay you to run their errands without making a mockery of you for it.”

I was shocked by his kind words, but also amused. Not only was it obvious that he had no idea whatsoever that ‘Rose’ and ‘Celeste’ were the same person, but it was also obvious that he had no idea exactly why I was running those errands for Sabrina to begin with. And it had nothing to do with money.

“Anyway,” he continued, raising his cup, “cheers. Good seeing you here.”

I smiled slightly and raised my cup as well, taking another small sip of the burning liquid. It filled me with a little bit of confidence.

“Actually, about that whole situation…” I paused, gathering my thoughts. “Thank you for trying to talk to Sabrina. I heard you and Jack arguing the other night. It was my fault, and I’m really sorry. I hope you two can still be friends.”

Matt simply shrugged, the corner of his mouth turning up in a half-smile. “Nah, it was nothing,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “I’d fight for you any day.”

His words hung in the air between us, their weight causing a rush of warmth to flood my cheeks. My pulse quickened. “What do you mean?” I asked, genuinely perplexed.

Matt hesitated, his clear blue eyes searching mine. "I just care about you, Celeste. You’re a genuinely nice girl, and you deserve better than all of this.”

I was about to respond when Fiona's signal broke through my reverie. My heart rate spiked, realizing the urgency of the situation.

Matt seemed to notice and chuckled lightly, “That's your signal, huh?” he asked.

Swallowing, I nodded slightly, my eyes scanning the crowd. Matt’s gaze followed mine, and his eyes seemed to zero in on Jack’s location, which I couldn’t see from my height.

“Shit,” he murmured, grabbing my hand. “He’s coming. Come on, this way.”

Without waiting for a response, he pulled me behind a nearby cabin, out of sight from the approaching figures.

As Matt quickly pulled me into the shadows, a rush of scents and sensations enveloped me.

The earthy smell of the woods combined with the musky undertone of cologne he wore. But most distinctive was the faint aroma of whiskey from his breath, creating a heady mix that made my senses swim.

In the dim light, I could see his lips twitching into a smile, his laugh barely audible yet deeply infectious.

“He’s coming,” he whispered, pointing.

I followed his finger. He was right: up ahead, Jack was headed our way. He was staggering slightly, drunk, but there was an enigmatic smile plastered across his face. The girl on his arm was cooing something in his ear, her slender fingers stroking his chest.

“Come on, baby,” she purred, tugging on his shirt. “Let’s go into one of the cabins.”

“We will,” Jack replied, flicking a strand of hair out of his eyes. “I just wanna grab another drink first. Over here.”

My eyes widened as I saw where they were headed—the cooler, containing mountains of beer, was sitting right around the corner from where Matt and I were hiding.

Matt’s arm snaked around my waist, holding me close as we pressed ourselves further into the shadows.

The solid warmth of his body next to mine felt both foreign and oddly familiar. While ‘Rose’ had been close to Matt before, Celeste hadn’t, not like this.

With each breath, I felt the rhythm of his chest rising and falling, and the intoxicating aroma of whiskey made the closeness even more profound. It was disarming how different this closeness felt without the barrier of the mask. It felt more real, raw, and intimate.

“Shh,” he whispered, placing his finger to his lips with a sly smirk on his face.

Our laughter echoed softly between us as Jack obliviously walked right up to the cooler and retrieved two beers. “Aha!” he said, holding them up so that the glass clinked together. “Cabins, here we come!”

And with that, he walked right past us, engrossed in conversation and the prospect of a night in the cabins.

The close quarters intensified the moment. My heart raced as I looked up at Matt, the dim lighting accentuating the sharp contours of his face.

In that split second, every rational thought slipped away, and I forgot all about ‘Rose’. As though the mask was still there, shielding me, I felt a strong urge to close the gap between us.

Overwhelmed by the closeness, I leaned in, hoping to kiss him.

But just as our lips were about to meet, Matt gently placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back, his gaze tender yet apologetic.

“Celeste,” he murmured, a regretful tone to his voice. “I’m really flattered, but… I have a girlfriend.”

The reality of the situation crashed over me, each word hitting like a physical blow. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I suddenly felt exposed, vulnerable.

Without another word, I broke away from Matt and ran, the echoes of laughter and music from the party a distant backdrop to the whirlwind of emotions consuming me.