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#Chapter 11: Scrubbing Out the Stains
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 12: Look a Little Closer
CelesteThe morning sun streamed through the tall windows of my lecture hall, casting a golden glow over my notes.It was difficult to focus knowing that my dress was waiting for me in my closet at home. I was excited to run home to check on it, to see how the stains looked now that it was dry.As class came to a close, however, my mind began to wander to lunch. I skipped breakfast that morning, and dinner the night before. I was feeling weak and sick to my stomach, but the pangs of hunger were a constant reminder of my goal: to shed a few pounds for the ball.It was likely a futile effort; I had gone through phases like this in the past where I tried to starve myself to lose some weight, only to binge at the end of it all and hate myself even more. It would likely be no different this time, but I hoped to at least save the binging for after the dance.Walking out of the classroom, I was greeted by Fiona’s familiar chirpy voice.“Celeste! Wait up! Fancy some grub?”I mustered a smile,
His Secret Princess #Chapter 13: Race to the Finish
CelesteThe gym echoed with a constant symphony of footsteps, clanging weights, and stifled conversation.“Hey. Celeste.” Fiona nudged me with her elbow, breaking me out of my short-lived reverie with Matt, who had now returned to his conversation with his friends. “Come on.”I nodded and followed her, feeling my face turning a deep shade of red—both from Matt’s unexpected presence and the other people around me, who were no doubt staring at the chubby newcomer in her baggy sweatpants and men’s t-shirt.As Fiona and I walked over to the treadmills, I caught snippets of whispered conversations that seemed to have one thing in common: me."...can't believe she's here...""...does she think she can keep up?"I felt a nudge. Fiona rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sounds like you're the talk of the town. Congrats.”I sighed. “Yeah, for all the wrong reasons.”Under so-called ‘normal’ circumstances, maybe I would have listened to the advice of others who said that people i
His Secret Princess #Chapter 14: New Beginnings
CelesteThings were just beginning to look up.I was beginning to feel myself growing a little in confidence. My conversation with Fiona was flowing freely, punctuated by our laughter and the sound of the lively pop music in my ears, as we worked out together.I really was beginning to enjoy myself.“Hey,” I said to Fiona, smiling. “This whole gym thing actually isn’t that bad.”“See? I told you!” Fiona grinned. She shot me two finger guns as she backpedaled over to the water fountain.But that enjoyment, that growth in confidence, was short-lived. Because I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned around to see none other than Sabrina.“Celeste,” she hissed, her eyes narrowed as a smirk came across her lips. “Fancy seeing you here. Trying to fit in with the gym crowd now?”Sabrina’s sneer was almost palpable, cutting through the humid air of the gym and landing squarely on me.“O-Oh, hey, Sabrina—”“Celeste,” she interrupted, the corners of her cherry-red lips twitching upward. “Do you
His Secret Princess #Chapter 15: Good Form
CelesteI could still feel the heat of Sabrina's cruel words when Matt's commanding voice filled the space.Sabrina whipped around, her haughty air momentarily faltering, replaced by an expression I had never seen on her before: uncertainty.“What was that, Matt?” Sabrina snapped, her voice trembling ever so slightly.“You heard me,” Matt said. “You’re a bully. Get out; this is no place for someone like you.”Sabrina stared up at Matt in shocked silence for a long time. She was kneeling on her yoga mat, already having returned to her workout now that she had driven me away. Slowly, she stood, placing her hands on her hips.“You’re joking,” she growled.Matt took a deep breath, his stance firm and unwavering. “This is a gym, Sabrina, a place for people to come and feel better about themselves. Not to be torn down by the likes of you.”Sabrina huffed, rolling her eyes. “Oh, come on. It was just a little harmless fun.”“I'm on duty tonight. As the part-time manager of this gym,” Matt sai
His Secret Princess #Chapter 16: Shattered Hopes
Celeste“Bye!” Fiona said, waving as she walked up the steps to her house. “See you tomorrow; and don’t forget to pack your gym clothes!”“I won’t,” I replied with a smile. I watched my friend disappear inside her house, and then headed down the street toward my own house. It wasn’t a long walk—just a few blocks.The rush of the day's accomplishments was still coursing through me when I pushed open the door to our shared home.But that high vanished the moment my gaze landed on the scene before me.“Jack!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the hallways. But I was met with only silence.Laid out in front of me was a trail of cornflower blue fabric. Each piece had been shredded and painstaking laid out in an obvious path leading up the stairs.Tears flowed freely as I slowly and shakily followed the path that had been left for me. With each step, my legs felt heavier, my soul felt more crushed.The trail disappeared under my bedroom door. A sob caught in my throat, and my hand shook
His Secret Princess #Chapter 17: Bitter Words
CelesteThe dining room was filled with the sound of conversation and laughter. None of Jack’s friends—not even Matt—was aware of my inner turmoil. I chose to keep it that way.I avoided Matt’s gaze. Although he laughed and spoke with his friends, I couldn’t unsee that sad look in his eyes.He had seen my messages already; I could only imagine what I would see when I turned on my phone later. I should have blocked him right after I hit send and saved us both the trouble.Each dish I served was met with Jack's scrutinizing eyes, his lips twisting into a smirk every time he opened his mouth to speak. But I kept my head down, pouring water into glasses and refilling dishes, focusing on the repetitive motions to distract myself from his constant jabs.Be the perfect sister, I kept thinking to myself, my body moving mechanically as though I was being operated by a remote control. Don’t feel. Just serve.“Celeste, this chicken is overcooked,” Jack hissed. He then turned to his nearest frien
His Secret Princess #Chapter 18: Plan B
CelesteThe midday sun streamed through the windows to the hallway of the lecture center, filling the corridor with a warm glow.Students bustled back and forth, some of them sitting on the benches and basking in the warmth of the sun in between classes. I was headed to my next class with no intention of doing anything after class except going home and wallowing some more over the ill fate of my beautiful blue dress.“Celeste!”Fiona’s shrill voice suddenly cut through the air, followed by the sound of her feet pounding against the tile floor. Broken from my pouting, I whipped around to see her storming toward me, holding her phone up.“You’re not coming to the gym today? Or ever?” she growled, stopping less than a foot away from me. Her phone was open to the text that I had sent her earlier that morning.I had deliberated for a long time over what to say, and finally settled for something simple: “Sorry, but I can’t come to the gym today. Or ever, actually. Sorry!”“Um… Yeah,” I said
His Secret Princess #Chapter 19: Fit for a Princess
CelesteThe rain had started as a gentle drizzle but now beat steadily against the window panes. The world outside was blurred, creating a scene of shimmering lights and hazy figures. The atmosphere felt thick with anticipation.The dress store loomed ahead, its bright sign a beacon of hope in the encroaching darkness. It stood there like an old friend, though the circumstances under which I was returning were anything but friendly.“Celeste, are you sure you want to wait outside?” Fiona asked, concern evident in her voice.“Yes. I just... I don’t want to go in there. Not after the last time. What if someone recognizes me?”Fiona sighed. “Alright, but stay close to the entrance. I’ll be in and out in a jiffy.”I nodded, pulling my hood further over my face, taking solace in the comforting darkness it provided. Fiona gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before stepping into the store.With a deep breath, I leaned against the cold brick wall beside the entrance, focusing on the rhythmic pa
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