Burning Water

Awkward situations

Celeste

Life is pretty much the same everyday. I wake up, go to school, get home and face awkward situations - like this one.

"Celeste? What are you doing here?"
Uh I live here, mother?
"School's over." I state as I close the door behind me.
"I thought you were going to be at Isabelle's?"

I looked at her and slowly shook my head. She only questions me when she's hiding something. I'd rather not ask questions myself - I don't even want to know.

As she was about to turn around, I heard a deep manly voice echo from upstairs.

"Did you find it?"
It didn't take me long to recognise the voice nor was I surprised that this was even happening right now. I might as well just walk right back out the door.

My mother looked at me as if she was a toddler being caught stealing a cookie.
Right as I was about to open my mouth, footsteps were being made downstairs following the figure of my mother's ex boyfriend, Liam.

"Oh! Celeste, you're here." He acknowledged.
I stared him dead in the eye and responded with, "Unfortunately I can say the same for you."

"Celeste!" My mom wails.
"What, mom?! Why is he here? After everything you just let him back in?"

Yep, I totally struck a nerve - which by the way will cost me. I promise I can talk to adults properly, but I despise him with every inch of my soul. You know that feeling?

"Look, Celeste..." Liam starts. "I know we had our differences but I think we can move past it, right?"

Crickets. Thousands of them.

He must be joking. Either that or he's fully lost it this time.

"Yea...no." I can't even look at him right now. I turn to my mother and sighed, "I'm going for a walk." Then without hesitation, I walked out. So much for not wanting to know.

How could she do this to me? She's back with him knowing everything he put us through? She knew what he put me through, yet there he is inside my house like he owns it.

I honestly have no idea where I'm going. Nor do I know when the hell I'm going to gather the strength to go back.

Suddenly, I heard a branch snap. I'm not one to panic, but I had to admit that I was on edge - so I stopped.

I rolled my eyes as I realized how pathetic I was acting. I began walking again but with the thought of getting kidnapped in my mind. Let's face it - I'd rather get kidnapped then go home. That's the sad truth.

I've known Liam for about three years now. The first year of knowing him was pretty chilled. He'd make a few comments here and there which occasionally annoyed me to the core, but I wasn't one to ever rain on my divorced parent's relationships.

Over time all I'd ever hear from him are things like, "Are those clothes really what you want people to see you in?" Or "You should start working out more. You need it." You see, there's a difference between helpful encouragement and hurtful criticism - and his tone and face told me everything.

Now he's a jerk, I know that. What I didn't expect was for him to lay his finger on me, but that's a story for next time.

I must've zoned out to the point where I wasn't aware of my surroundings, because I crashed into something hard and lost my balance.

I winced then looked up see a tall male figure hover over me with concern.

How embarrassing.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he held out his hand to pull me up.

I hesitated for a moment to take it, but decided to anyway since I'd be rude to decline.

I sighed then replied, "All good, sorry."

I must've looked ridiculous, as he looked at me as if he was in deep thought. I took the opportunity to take a good look at him. He had curly jet black hair and striking amber eyes. It was almost as if he was an illusion. Should I walk off or something?

"Well...sorry again but I'm gonna go now." I was about to turn around to go home, until he jumped in.

"Wait!" He paused, looked around then continued. "Did you see anything?"

"I'm not sure. I was distracted by my dignity flying away."

"If you saw something and you're lying, it's not funny." He states lowly.

What a weirdo. Was I supposed to see something?

"I didn't see anything. If you weren't committing a crime then you have nothing to worry about." I said.

He was just looking at me. Why does he never say anything?

I opened my mouth again, although I had nothing else to say - so I quickly shut it and walked away.

I turned back around to look at him, to find him nowhere in sight. What the heck was that about?