Breathtakingly, Her

09

Chapter 9
Flashbacks
Why Leave?

Callie's POV

Celeste and I have ever since became best friends since that day she invited me for a sleepover. She always understood my silence and my doubts even when she never knew what I was doubting. She was always understanding.




And ever since we got into high school, she started having more friends and even became slightly popular. While I stayed being her only best friend.




Then, she started to do journals about some boys she found attractive.. It made my heart sink everytime she listed. And I didn't even know why.




I protected her away from them, but they ended up being in love with me. This sucks. I don't even know what love is. But... Everytime I think about it, she always comes to my mind... Is that love?




Do I love Celeste?




"Seph.." I called out to her as she smiled about her first boyfriend— Jeremy. "I have something to tell you." She didn't listen to me. She doesn't anymore, ever since she had other friends and these boys. My heart's about to explode from frustration.. I cannot handle this anymore.




"Did you say something?" She smiled at me, obviously busy with Jeremy.




"Nothing." I always say nothing when there's really something. This sucks. I hate this. "I have to go."




I went away and found someone following me. Jeremy was following me. He kept on pestering me, flirting with me with the same lines the other boys told me. Is he unfaithful and unloyal? Why is he doing this to me when he's with her?




He followed me to the computer room, I was going to just look at photographic pictures to calm myself down.




"What do you want from me?" I finally spoke to him with glaring eyes. I cannot keep my calm anymore. Especially when I'm jealous of him. I badly want to be with Celeste— forever. Be the one she always thinks about like how she is to me. But, if being best friends with her won't make her do things like that to me, then I want to go further with her. If only... I were a boy.




"Don't you think Josephine has a bad attitude? She thinks so highly of herself... That's why I used her to get close to you, even. I want you, Camille. I think it's already that obvious. You're quiet and have good manners. You're opposite than her. I like you," He confessed as my hand formed a fist out of anger.




The hell?




"Yeah, you're right." I grit. "Josephine? She's a trashy bitch who only seeks attention. She's useless and an orphan, even! She only has her older brother that doesn't even care to give her the right amount of attention, so that's why I had to be the one who's always around her and shit. Do you think I like that? No, I'm really tired of taking care of that attention-seeking bitch. It's tiring to fake my feelings around her." I spit out sarcastically with every popped out veins from my skin and saw him smile.




"Yeah, isn't that how everyone feels around her?-"




"Was that what you wanted to hear from me? Was that why you wanted to follow me here where no one else is near?" I hate him. Why would he think I actually mean every word I said? "At every moment, I feel mad about you being near her. Maybe because I knew how trashy males are with their heads always in the gutter!"




His face wrinkles with confusion. "What? Don't you actually hate her?"




"I love her." I strongly meant it. I stepped closer to him and pointed my finger as it touched his chest. "So, don't ever god damn lay your hands on her. Don't even hurt her or I'll kill you with no regrets." I bit my lip and furrowed my eyebrows.




"Why are you so overprotective over her? You guys are just best friends!... Don't tell me... you..?" He got even more confused. Like how I am when it comes to thinking about her.




"Maybe, yeah." I nod at my statement. "I love her so much that I care for her enough to stay away from boys like you. I care for her. So, if you think you really do like me that way, but won't even respect me like that... You're just hoping for fun. Something I am not." I got out of the computer room and angrily cried quietly.




I wanted to go look for Celeste... And she was... crying.. with Mika comforting her. What happened?




I went closer to them, hoping I'd comfort her— but Mika stopped me.




"Don't get any closer, bitch!" She said in disgust.




"Seph? What's wrong?" I stayed strong and looked at her. Only her. Only she I worry about. I don't care if I seem like an asshole to Mika, Seph is who I only care about.




But, she looked at me with cold eyes and left with Mika.




Ever since then, we haven't been good friends. I don't even know if I'm still a best friend to her because of how she acts like she doesn't even know me.




Flashbacks over




About You - The 1975



Celeste's POV




We decided to meet up on Monday at Ace' Restaurant. I wanted to prepare myself for anything that she would say or confess. I don't know, I'm pretty nervous.




"You're meeting with Camille?" Selena asked me. We were eating lunch together. Today's Monday.




"Yup.." I nod. "Later, tonight."




"I think I missed a lot of chapters." Khloe showed sass. "We just had a sleepover yesterdayㅡ You had plenty of time to spill the tea, but you chose to not." She continued.




"Well, I kind of asked to meet with her in the middle of the night. You girls were already asleep.." I reasoned.




"You didn't have any sleep?!" Mika interrupted.




"Yeah! But, whatever.. It'll be worth it anyway. I'll sleep a lot tonight." I continued eating.




"You better do." Mika said and I nodded.




"You also better not trust her that easily if she says that she didn't do any of those things to you. Like, if she explains her side 'innocently'. You know? Don't let her manipulate you ever again." Mika added.




"But, from what I've seen... I think Camille really cares for Celeste." Selena responded. "She's always gentle with Celeste everytime she gets to take care of her..ㅡ"




"How do you even know that?" Khloe interrupted.




We made eye contact. "I kind of saw Camille take Celeste to her apartment on the night we partied.." Selena quietly said.




"What?! I thought she was with a guy!" Khloe gasped and looked around. "Wait, am I the only one who doesn't know that yet?"




"Apparently, yes." Mika nods.




"Bitches." Khloe shakes her head.




Lunchbreak was already done and we separate ways, now. After my last class, I decided to go directly to Ace's early.




I was wearing a pink sweater with a white skirt and pink boots.




I waited for Camille there and there she was. She entered the restaurant with a camera in her hand. She widens her eyes as she meets me.




She came closer.




"I wasn't expecting you to be this early.." She quietly said. "Wait a moment, I'm assigned to take daily pictures of the restaurant." She pointed at the camera and I nodded.




I couldn't show her a smile- I got too nervous and I also needed to prepare myself.




After a while, she sat right across from me and smiled softly at me. I lick my lips.




"It's funny how I'm sitting at Zayn's seat from last time." She started the conversation and I slightly giggled to avoid any awkward intentions. "Anyway..."




"Why did you ignore me.. for three years?" She asked with an insecure voice. I looked down as I couldn't handle looking straight at her. "And acted like you didn't know me. Like you hated me-"




"I do hate you, Camille. You hurt me." I softly said, avoiding to shout at her.




"How come? Will you tell me what I did to hurt you? This must be a misunderstanding..-" She got curious. "Since, I never intend to hurt you." She tugged my heart with her words as I shook the feeling off.




"You... you talked bad about me behind my back. With Jeremy.. And you also stole all the crushes I had at high school. It may sound silly, but I was hurt more when you said you were tired of being around me." I explained and her eyes widened as if she were confused.




"What? I would never... say that." She spoke.




"Yes, you did! You told Jeremy all of the things you hated about me in the computer room! You did! And I-.. I heard all of it." I almost teared up.




But, I saw the limitless horror on her face. She looked as if she were dumbfounded all this time.




"Oh.." She stared at me for more than a minute. "This really was just a misunderstanding. I was just telling Jeremy the things he wanted me to say. Those weren't genuine. Did you actually think I'd be like that... to you?"




"You don't know how much you mean to me, Celeste."




The way she said my name made my heart beat faster like I was being chased by cupid's arrows. The way she looks at me makes it seem like she has longed for me.




"And everytime you hang out with a dude.. A crush.. My heart sinks. At first, I didn't even know why I'd be jealous of 'em getting your utmost attention." She continued. Her breath is getting shaky.




She was jealous? That's why she'd give me a cold look everytime I mention a boy in front of her?... Because she was hurt to see that she's no longer the only one who gets my attention?




"Then... I realised. Ever since you came to my life.." Her eyes are still on me. The longest eye contact she has ever done is with me. "Every thought I had... were all about you."




I don't really get where this is going.




"I don't understand-"




"I love you, Celeste."