Page 23 of Full Circle

Celeste only laughed before pulling the long locks over one shoulder. “Maggie and I went to Savannah for the day and paid to have it chemically straightened, just for fun. Don’t you like it?”

What had once been a wild mane reminiscent of a bison now resembled the wannabe models that hung out around the rich men at my father’s parties. Celeste’s hair had a shine to it that I had never noticed before, and with it being so straight, the length was approaching her waist. It looked incredible, drawing even more attention to her high cheek bones and dainty nose.

“You…you look…” I stammered. She had grown a few inches over the summer, bringing the top of her head to my chin. And her curves…

Celeste had always been beautiful to me. This was something else entirely. She looked like a woman. The word “sexy” flashed across my mind and I felt my ears redden as though Celeste was going to read my thoughts.

“It’s not permanent.” She shrugged as if my reaction didn’t really matter. “Desiree told Daddy it cost too much for me to maintain, so I doubt I’ll be able to do it again.”

My mind was still trying to force my body to deposit blood somewhere other than my dick and it took a minute before I registered what she was saying. “Wait—who is Desiree?”

At this, her entire face fell. “We have a lot to talk about, Wes.”

Celeste talked to Travis and another lifeguard before slipping on a pair of tiny black shorts and a thin white tank top. Rage boiled through me as I caught Travis eyeing her backside appreciatively and I nearly clocked him across his jaw to make him stop, but I was too caught up in the view myself.

She had changed so much in the three months I had been gone. Even her body language was different, like she was surer of herself and confident in who she was. Yet there was a nagging feeling in my gut that she was holding something back. Our connection had changed, and I wasn’t sure I could handle that.

We fell into step quietly as we exited the pool. A million questions were buzzing in my head and I didn’t know where to begin. Meanwhile, Celeste seemed content at my side, her shy smile in place as she looked at everything but me. I realized belatedly we were walking in the opposite direction of The Comfy Cushion and started to turn around, but her hand darted out to grab my elbow.

“Don’t,” was all she said. Celeste turned down my aunt Shirley’s street and greeted my aunt, who was sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch with her Bible.

“Why, Wesley!” Aunt Shirley crooned. “You’re home early!” She stood up to give me a hug and I tried not to show my surprise at how frail she felt. Had this summer been that hard on everybody?

“Couldn’t go another day without seeing my favorite auntie,” I teased her. She had never given up on me, even with all the trouble I seemed to cause at school, and that made her rank a lot higher on the list than anyone I knew back in Atlanta. Poor Aunt Shirley was too old to pay attention to the little things, though, which made sneaking over to The Comfy Cushion or Celeste’s house the easiest thing in the world. I would never get a better set up than this and I didn’t want to risk losing it.

“I’m gonna go on up and show him his surprise!” Celeste announced with a grin.

Shirley smiled airily as she sank back into her rocking chair. “Oh yes, dear, go on up!”

“My surprise?” I repeated as I climbed the stairs after her. I had to keep my eyes on my shoes because the sight of Celeste’s round ass that close to my face had me fighting a semi, which probably wasn’t the best way to greet the girl I had been dreaming about all summer.

She led the way into my room and I was brought up short. It had been transformed. There was a new queen size bed with a metal bed frame and huge down-filled pillows. The bedding looked brand new, replacing the weathered quilt that Shirley had on the old bed. The dresser had a facelift and was no longer chipped with peeling lacquer, but instead boasted a bright red color that matched the stripes in the bedding. A desk replaced the nightstand with a single door on the right hand side that resembled a locker.

The best part was all the black and white photographs hanging on strings from the ceiling. Celeste had recreated her tower and showcased all the memories we had made in River’s Run since my arrival. There was a photo of me with her family at the first Fourth of July barbecue, another of us sitting at the counter of The Comfy Cushion drinking out of a milkshake with two straws. I stepped further into the room, examining every photo. Some were candid shots we had taken with Maggie. There was one from the eighth grade dance, our first formal school dance, where I had my arm around Celeste’s waist and Nana could be seen in the corner raising a finger at me in warning. She had all my favorite moments on display and it took away my ability to speak.

“Do you like it?” Celeste asked tentatively from the doorway. Her green eyes looked apprehensively around the room at all her handiwork.

“You did this…for me?” I gulped, feeling too many emotions at once to articulate where my mind was.

She nodded. “Maggie and Daddy helped, of course. They’ll both want to have a party to celebrate now that you’re back.”

Without thinking about it, I crossed the room in two strides and kissed her. My hands circled her tiny waist and molded her body to mine, and I was lost in how perfectly her lips aligned with my own. Celeste didn’t hesitate, wrapping her arms around my neck and pushing her breasts into my chest. I could feel her nipples starting to pebble through her bikini top, creating a tender friction against my chest. Wild images rioted through my head about taking them in my mouth, laying her down on my bed to cover her body with mine. Nobody would disturb us up here because Shirley hadn’t stepped foot in my room since the day I moved to River’s Run.

Celeste moaned and I used her open mouth as an advantage to invade my tongue against hers. Our kiss deepened as I pulled her tighter against me, wanting to memorize the way her body felt when it pressed against me. Letting one hand slowly sink down, I cupped one of her ass cheeks in my hand, firm and tender at the same time. There was no hiding the erection I was sporting now, but Celeste didn’t seem to mind. Her hips grinded forward before she suddenly gasped and broke away, breathing heavily.

“I’m so sorry!” she whispered. Her face registered horror and guilt, like she couldn’t believe what had just happened between us.

“This has been a long time coming, don’t you think?” I asked. Air was finally returning to my lungs and I panted like after one of my locker room brawls. A stiff tent had formed in the front of my jeans, like it had almost every night the entire summer, only now the girl of my fantasies was finally in front of me and her kiss was a million times better than anything my dreams invented.

Celeste looked dumbfounded. “It has?”

My cock softened as my heart bottomed out. “Celeste, you have to know how I feel about you! Do you honestly think I could ever like another girl more than you?”

“But we’re best friends!”

“I don’t just wanna be your friend!” I burst out angrily. “I’ve always wanted more than that!” Shaking my head in frustration, I slumped onto the bed, my shaggy hair falling down in front of my eyes as the shield I needed it to be. Nowhere had it ever crossed my mind that Celeste wouldn’t feel the same way. That she didn’t feel the same deep-seeded connection I had since the moment we met. No matter how I tried to frame it in my mind, I always came up empty because the possibility of me without Celeste couldn’t possibly exist.

Her rejection hurt.

---