Page 25 of Between

But she came back.

Even if it was just for her uncle, she came back. Her heart overpowered her mind, her grief conquered her beliefs, and her feelings defeated her senses. And if that happened once, it could happen again.

But with her new mistrust in me, I knew I only had a small amount of time to get through to her, and I could already feel the window closing. “Celeste,” I started, and her chest heaved out an exhale. “It sounds a lot worse than it is.”

She let out a huff, as if what I said was completely unbelievable. “I don’t know, Caius,” she pushed out, and my name on her tongue was like a spear to the lungs. “It sounds pretty bad.”

She had no sympathy in her tone. Only frustration.

And that frustration was like fire in my veins.

“You’re here, aren’t you?” I asked, taking a step towards her, closing the small gap between us. “You’re here to give me that final chance.So let me give it to you.”

Celeste’s light brown irises scanned mine, searching for an answer. Whatever she was looking for, she wasn’t going to find it in me. She was going to find it in the land around her.

Her answers lie in the ghosts that roam, the fog that shields, the rain that waters.

Her answers lie in what she can see.

Everything else is just speculation.

“Come with me.”

“But what about the party?”

“It’s fine.”

She tilted her head again. “What about everyone else?”

“Fuckeveryone else.”

She blinked at me, and I could tell she was hiding a sliver of a smile under her stone-faced expression.

“Ace can take care of it all. He knows exactly what to do.”

I held my hand out to her, extending it as a peace offering, a guide, and an opening.

But mostly as a way to feel her skin on mine.

And when she placed her touch in the palm of my hand, everything in this world faded beyond all recognition. There was no brighter light than her. There was nothing that climbed higher than the lift she gave me. Everything in me—my blood, my bones, my soul—only existed in her realm.

Celeste

I stood at the open door leading to the backyard. Caius had already stepped down onto the path, halfway into the darkness. Shadows covered the far side of his body, succumbing to the impending nightfall. My heartbeat raced as I lingered in the decision to go with him, or to stay.

“I promise, Celeste, nothing will happen to you.”

I still wasn’t sure why I was here. Why I was invited. Why I agreed to come.

Why, in every look he gave me, I felt safe.

Just as I was about to go with him, a voice spoke to my right. “You are the Celeste I’ve heard about.”

I turned to see a middle-aged man, who was clearly a Catholic priest simply based on his attire, gold chasuble included. I gave him a polite smile and outstretched my hand in a shake. He took my palm in his but didn’t move, holding it gingerly.

He heard about me? He knows who I am?

I tucked those thoughts away for another time.

---