Celestine's POV FlashbackI run my fingers down his chest, tracing above his waistband and the ridges on his abdomen. "Lorenzo," I say, snuggling deeper into his embrace. "Yes?" My head on his chest lifts a bit as the word vibrates deep in his chest. "What's wrong?" His hand on my back draws random circles.I have to say it now before I lose what little confidence I have muttered up. I lift my head, resting my chin on his pecs. "I like you. A lot." It's out there now."What?" He tilts his head down to be able to meet my eyes. "You like me?"Burying my face into his chest, I cringe inwardly. Why the fuck did I even say it? We both agreed that this was just going to be about sex while we work on our project together. Why couldn't I have just kept my stupid mouth shut? Now I've complicated everything and it going to become awkward between us. God. We seat together. How am I going to survive going to school?"Hey." He shuffles around, then his fingers are gripping my chin, and tilting m
PresentCelestine's POVI jolt upright in the bed, the pounding of my chest matches the consistent throbbing of my sex. Why am I dreaming about that bastard that keeps insulting and hurting me? It was more of a memory than a dream. A memory that I have locked away forever, so why are the flashbacks resurfacing? It's like my body is practicing mutiny and it is being led by my stupid brain.Faint evening light streams through my bedroom window. A look at the screen of my phone tells me that it's six pm. I slept through the whole day.I lift a hand to my face only to pull it away and find it sticky with dried-up tears. The last thing I remember is burying my head into the pillow and drenching it with my hot tears after I argued with Lorenzo.Ahhh! Why did I try to comfort him? I really tried to show sympathy for a heartless bastard like himself. I slide out of bed and whine at the dull ache in my arm, a sign that I slept in the wrong position. I pad into my bathroom, peel the clothes
Celestine's POV I pick at my meal while trying to ignore the strained silence between the four of us. Lorenzo keeps filling his glass with drinks. Cade is going through something on his phone, and mom keeps asking questions and bringing up conversations to make the evening bearable, all to no avail. The stuffed sweet potatoes have a hard time going down my throat with all this tension in the room. Cade drops his phone on the table, turning the screen face down and faces me. "Celestine, what do you think of my home so far? I hope you are enjoying your stay here." I take a sip of my water, swallowing the food down my throat to free up my mouth. "You have a very beautiful home here, there is no way I would have any complaints." "What a well-mannered girl. You raised her well." He takes my mom's hands, their joined hands resting on the table in between their plates. Moments like this still baffle me. They just seem so unreal. I never thought I would ever see my mom this close with
Lorenzo's POV I take a drag out of the end of my cigarette. I'm halfway through getting high but my mind is still not shutting down. My crappy mood still hasn't improved and I can feel a migraine on its way from my excessive thinking. I'm standing outside Luke's house, leaning on the wall in the backyard, away from all the noise going on inside. Last night's dinner is what has me in this mood. I haven't been able to get Celestine out of my head since last night. Sure, there was alway a subconscious part of me constantly thinking about her even when I tried to deny it but this time it is different. I'm not just thinking about her body or her allure. No. This time I'm thinking about everything; the past, the present, the future, and what is going to become of us once our parents get married. I'm done kidding myself by saying I'm over her. I was way over my head and deceiving myself because just one mention of our previous relationship from her mom and I'm tangled up in knots. My tho
Celestine's POV Lorenzo. Lorenzo. Lorenzo. That's all that has been running through my mind all day long.That dinner of last night has gotten me tied up in thoughts and thoughts of nothing but Lorenzo.I'm remembering things I have no business remembering. Like how he chews on the end of his pen when he is trying to solve a difficult equation or how he thinks black boots match every outfit or the time that he had pierced his ear with a needle just because he had really wanted a piercing. He got an infection the next week but at least the piercing stayed. "Oh, my God," My mom exclaims, pulling me out of my daydreaming as she circles around me, holding a hand to her chest. "You look so beautiful. What do you think Celestine?"I'm on the riser in from of the mirror, wearing the floor-length gown my mother has picked for me."It's, um... " What words can I even use to describe this dress? "It's beautiful. Words can't describe it." Literally."It's perfect, that's what it is." Now, I w
Celestine's POV "What the fuck happened to you?" Joey asks, after releasing me from her clutches. "You never came back to the bench house. Same with Lo-""Um... " I sharply cut her off before she can mention Lorenzo's name. I turn to face my mom who has been watching this encounter with a curious look on her face. "Mom, this is my friend, Joey." Turning to face Joey, "Joey, this is my mom.""Oh, I'm sorry." She clasps a hand over her mouth. "Where are my manners? It's nice to meet you ma." She stretches out a hand. My mom takes it, still regarding her with a curious look. "Likewise. What beach house were you referring to?"Fuck!"Celestine and Lo-" I'm cutting her off again. "A close friend of mine has a beach house where they hosted parties all the time. That's where Joey and I met. She owned the beach house beside theirs.""Is that so?" She smiles at Joey and picked up her bundle of wedding dresses. "I will leave you two to catch up while I go try on these dresses and see if anyo
Lorenzo's POV I may hate it here in this house but the one place I can never get tired of is the little balcony outside my bedroom where I sketch and pour out my worries and troubles onto a blank white paper. The problem is that even this balcony that has been my sanctuary for ages isn't working anymore. I glance down at my drawing and eye the naked pane of Celestine's body. I haven't seen it in two years, but every inch of those curves are ingrained in my fucking head and they aren't coming out. No matter how much I want them gone. I've been pouring this frustration into drawings, just drawings after drawings. Drawings so vivid that I can make out the smattering of freckles all over her body. Make out the little birthmark she has over her top lips. Make out every last curl on her head. In all these intricate and delicate drawings, she looks beautiful as fuck. Beautifully haunting. Like a ghost that comes out at night when you least expect it. And I'm the poor victim who can never
Lorenzo's POVThe bridal processional song; here comes the bride, is heard all through out the church as the doors are opened and Joey enters in a strapless mermaid gown with a sparkly corset bodice and an extended train trailing behind her. She looks radiant and all the guests stare at her in awe. Louis in his finely tailored two pieces black suit looks about ready to start shedding tears as he watches her walk down the aisle.It's a beautiful sight; her gazing at him with literal stars in her glittering eyes and him looking at her like she is the purpose of his living. Her father hands her over the Louis, all the guests seat down and then the wedding commences.After a bunch of sermons and reading from the scripture, they are asked to say their vow after the clergy.Louis goes first, "In the name of God, I, Louis Dreyfus, take you, Joey Jones, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love a