Celeste With a careful hand, I arranged the dishes on the table: a vibrant mix of greens for the salad, drizzled with a homemade vinaigrette, and perfectly grilled lean chicken breasts beside it.The aroma wafted up, making my mouth water. While it wasn’t the greasy, heavy fare we typically had, I felt proud of my healthier creation.
Matt I tried to read Jack’s face as he loomed over me, the dim light from the porch lamp casting shadows that deepened the anger in his eyes. I had never seen him this upset, and knowing it was because of me stirred a pot of anxiety in my stomach.“You think you're some kind of hero, don’t you?” Jack sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Stepping in to be the knight in shining armor for my little sister.”
Celeste The lecture was dragging on, and Professor Wayne’s voice faded into the background as I doodled absent-mindedly on my notebook. It was Friday, and it was my last class of the day. Statistics; my least favorite class of all time, but a required class for most majors.Just as my attention was about to wane completely, Fiona’s elbow digging into my side broke through my reverie. I looked over to see her smirking at me and holding her phone out to me beneath
Celeste The pathway leading across the quad and up to the campus center was awash in the soft glow of the setting sun, casting everything in a mellow orange hue. Students bustled in and out of the squat brick building, chattering happily with their friends as they either came to or from a warm meal.However, while the world was softening and preparing for the evening, my heart was racing.&nbs
Celeste The throbbing in my head was my first clue that last night had been a bit too wild, even if it was just a private dance party of one. My room was in a state of disarray, with empty bottles and discarded clothes scattered around like confetti. As I groggily sat up, fragments of the night’s escapades flashed through my mind. I remembered considering something about Matt… unblocking him? A sense of urgency washed over me, and I practically lunged for my phone on the nightstand. Scrolling through my contacts, I finally landed on Matt’s name. Blocked. The only notification on my phone was from Fiona: “Good job, dancer girl! I hope you’re excited for your first day of practice, and you’d better be getting coffee with me afterwards to tell me all about it!” A rush of relief coursed through me. Thankfully, my drunken self hadn’t done anything too regrettable. I pushed the covers aside, the cool morning air refreshing against my skin. Jack’s room was eerily silent, which me
Matt The lingering scent of cologne hung in the air as I adjusted my collar, peering into the bathroom mirror. It was another evening, and I had agreed to meet up with Sabrina. Why I did was still a mystery to me; perhaps it was the allure of unraveling another, more important mystery; the identity of the masked girl. Sabrina had insisted we meet at ‘The Blue Lagoon’, a dimly lit bar at the heart of town. It was a dive bar, but it was only one of three in the entire town. She had mentioned something about it being a suitable place for our discussion. Knowing her, ‘discussion’ could mean anything from genuine conversation to something far less dignified. The moment I walked in, Sabrina, with her blonde hair cascading down her back, waved at me from the bar. A sly smile was stretched across her face. “Over here, Matty boy,” she purred. I made my way over, offering a half-smile in response to the bothersome nickname. I kept telling myself that this was necessary, that I j
Celeste Amid the hustle and bustle of school life, a looming dance competition, and the myriad of demands that came with it, there was Sabrina and her incessant errands. If anyone asked me to describe my life at that time, it would be one chaotic swirl with a dance spotlight in the center and Sabrina’s demanding voice echoing in the background. My thoughts, outside of school and Sabrina’s increasingly taxing errands, were consumed by the upcoming competition. For what felt like the first time in a long time, I didn’t think about Matt or even Jack. Practice hours had doubled, and every spare moment found me either in front of a mirror, perfecting a move, or in the library, grabbing a moment of respite. However, Sabrina’s demands were getting more incessant. It started out with simple requests: pick up dry cleaning, call the maintenance person for Sabrina’s apartment, grab her coffee on the way to class. However, it quickly became more and more demanding, and it was bordering
CelesteI ran down the corridor, my heart pounding as though it wanted to break free from my chest. The echo of Matt’s voice filled the air, his cries growing louder as he realized that I was the one he was looking for.“Hey! Wait, please, let me talk to you!”I cursed under my breath. I couldn’t stop; I wouldn’t stop. The past was chasing me, threatening to engulf me in a storm of questions and emotions I wasn't ready to face. What could he possibly want from me?The clatter of my shoes against the floor guided me to an empty lecture hall. I fumbled with the door, my shaking hands finding the handle just as I heard his footsteps drawing near.Once inside, I hurried to the other side of the room, hoping to find another exit.But there was none. The back end of the lecture hall was just one flat wall.“Shit,” I whispered to myself, whirling around as my breath became ragged beneath my mask. “Not even a fire exit? This can’t be legal.”The door swung open behind me, and I was trapped. M