You Need Me

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Colette came down a little while later after Fabien's departure. She sat down on the couch as Raphael was in the kitchen cleaning up the dinner that none of them had finished.

"How was she?" Colette turned around at Raphael's question. Looking at him, worry lines cross his brows as he walked in from the kitchen.

"She's asleep... You can check up on her in a little while if you want but I should be heading out soon," she said as she stood up from the couch.

"Why don't you stay? Fabien left, he did for he said he really loves her. I told him I'll contact him once she has let out all of her anger," Raphael asked.

"I would but I actually got a hotel. I could come back tomorrow if she wants me to. Tell Celia for me if she is wondering where I am in the night," Colette said as she walked over to kiss his cheek. "Just watch over her for me," she whispered as she grabbed her purse. Heading out, she left a couple of her things here so she has something to return to.

He finished cleaning the kitchen as he watched her go. Putting aside some food for when Celia wakes up and might want to eat something since she left in such a rush earlier. He checked his watch as it was barely 8:30 to him it felt much later. Heading to his room he checked on Celia to see if she was awake or needed anything. Opening her door slightly to see, he saw that she was asleep like Colette said. He closed the door and head to his room. Looking over the papers, trying to connect the dots.

~

"Celiy! Come play with me!"

Celia looked up from her book to see nothing but Auburn curls in her face as she tried to move them out of the way to see her sister's face. She finally got to see her when Belle flipped her hair out of the way, seeing her big sisters face.

"I would love to but I have to do the dishes before you know that," she said as Belle giggles.

"I know I'll be waiting! I'll be outside!" She runs outside as Celia goes to kitchen to start on the dishes.

She can see Belle running around from the window above the sink. Humming to herself she can also hear Belle humming back. She washed most of the dishes as she looks up to call out for Belle. Only hearing her giggles as a response. She continued as the water git more and more soapy. She looked up, but didn't see Belle anywhere.

"Belle?" She called out. She waited before calling out again. "Belle it's time to come in it's getting hot outside," the same thing. No response.

She didn't see her anymore. Taking her hand out of the sink,  she cut her left palm in the process. She looked back but didn't see her. She wrapped her hand in a paper towel and walked to the other windows but couldn't see her.

"Belle?! This isn't funny please come out," she walked outside and continue to look around the spot where she was. "Look I'm outside we can play now!" She started to yell as panic starts to overcome her.

She screamed out her name as she continued to look for her inside and out. Looking in her favorite hiding spots but come up with nothing. When her parents came home she was already crying when the police showed up as they sent out a search for her. It took a matter of a year before a body was found. There was no other missing person besides her, Celia locked herself in her room as she cried and cried for days to end. Knowing that it was all her fault. If she went outside with her or if she had waited inside none of this would of happened.

"Celia? You okay?" Raphael asked as Celia was at the sink looking out over the lavender field of endless purple.

She stopped what she was doing as she just stared outside. One moment she was doing the dishes and then she slowly looked outside and stared for a long time thinking about Belle. She didn't even realize she had a flashback until she noticed that outside was different than home. She also didn't realize that he was there until he spoke.

"No..." She picked her hands out of the dark soapy water and dried them off. "I need to be alone for a while," she dazes off as her eyes slightly grayed.

"I understand."

"Do you really?" She asked herself under her breath.

Do you want anything? Like tea?" Raphael asked.

"Maybe later," she whispered as she walked to her room. She silently slid down her door and she started to cry alone. She hated crying for Belle, this was one of the reasons that started up her phobia in the first place. She loved her and she's dead, her parents and they're dead. That's why she doesn't get too close to people. That's why Colette doesn't know everything about her, that's why she's abusive to Fabien, that's why she keeps Raphael where he is now. If anyone gets close again she doesn't know what will happen to them. She lays on the cold ground as she is surrounded by the warm darkness.

~

Raphael made her some tea as he heads up to check on her. He slightly opens the door to see that she cried herself to sleep on the floor. Pushing the door open lightly he set the tea on her dresser and grabbed a blanket from the bed to pick her up, securing her first so that he doesn't get hurt again. She's in a deep sleep as he picked her up and sets her on her bed. He set her down softly as he watched her, seeing if she's really asleep. After a couple of minutes he got up and closed her door as he goes prepare lunch for when Colette comes later.

~

Celia wakes up to something scratching at her door. She gets up and slowly walks to it but notices the tea that Raphael had left for her. She goes to the door and hears the thing run down the hallway as the sound disappears. Rubbing her face of sleep she goes back to the bed to drink some tea as she hears a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said as she set the teacup down.

Raphael peeped his head in as she sees her. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better I guess. Nothing really changes," she said.

"Well close your eyes and maybe something will," he smiled softly.

"What do you have planned?" She questioned him.

"Just do it and you'll see, but sit on your hands so you don't hurt me," he said as she sighed and sat on her hands as she closed her eyes.

He walks in with a white fur ball in his arms. Standing in front of Celia he looks from it to her. "You can open your eyes now," petting the soft hair.

She opens her eyes to be face to face with a wet snout and a face full of slobber as she looked to see what it was. It was a puppy with big white fur, not all the way but white enough. She gasps as the puppy starts to shake to be in her arms. He set the puppy down as the puppy starts to jump on it high​ legs for it barely reached her knees.

"Where did you get this puppy?!" She cried out as she picked up the puppy in her arms.

"I got him from a shelter that was in town. It felt like you were a little lonely in your room and it would be weird if I were the only male that's here so I got you a companion," he said as the puppy starts to sniff the bed and sniff Celia's face.

"I-I can't keep him. It'll be too much and I just don't know I never really had a dog bef-" she was cut off by the puppy whining at her for attention.

"Yes you can. See he already likes you. Instant bonding right there," he smiled as he remembered something. "I'm going to have to add dog food to the list," he said.

"I don't even have any idea of what to name him. Is he even fixed?!" She asked.

"Of course he is and he is perfectly healthy. You can name him whatever you want," he said.

She thinks for a while since it was a boy. He was cute and fluffy as he lays on his stomach. She scratch the top of his head as the dog leans up to meet her hand.

"Do you even know what type of dog he is?" She asked as she looks to Raphael.

"He's a Chow Chow full breed I think. The owners had puppies but this one remained in the shelter. I went to town and I decided to look and that's when I heard this little guy barking away," he ruffles the pups fur.

"How about Chow Chow," she smiled.

"Sounds good. What's your backup name? In case he doesn't respond to his own breed name," he asked.

"Then I shall call him Tibet," she stated. Raphael nodded and smiled as he watched her.