Crimson hearts

Chapter nine: the other woman

~celeste~

I looked up from the cash as I heard someone entering the coffee shop, feeling all giddy, already knowing who entered, but my expression fell as I came face to face with Mateo, with a girl.

The girl was grinning from ear to ear, as she held onto Mateo's arm like her life depended on it. She kept throwing every girl that dares to even look at Mateo a glare before returning to her happy self.

I looked over to Mateo, confused, and I found him already looking at me, his expression soft as usual, but this time, I don't feel as good as I used to.

I watched her drag him to a table with two chairs, feeling my chest tighten.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I felt Jaylen's presence behind me as she put a comforting hand over my shoulder.

I jumped a little at the sudden act, and turned around to face her.

"Yeah, I-I'm alright. Can I go on break a little earlier?" I whispered under my breath looking at Jaylen, as her eyes filled with sympathy and she nodded.

I took off my apron and walked outside, sitting on the chair in front of the club next to the café.

"hey there, do you happen to have a lighter on you at the moment?" I looked up and saw a cute boy looking down at me hopefully.

He looked about my age, his blonde hair shining under the sun as he squinted his eyes in my direction.

"Why do you need a lighter?" I muttered under my breath looking at my feet.

"i want to light a cigarette but i cant find any body who has a lighter."

"I'll give you my lighter if you give me a cigarette?"

"you got yourself a deal, then."

I scooted over for the boy as he sat next to me, and dug through my pockets for a lighter.

"Didn't really take you for a girl  who smokes, you look pretty healthy and young." He said as he closed his eyes and blew the smoke.

I lighted the cigarette before talking a puff out of it and blowing, "I only smoke when I'm stressed or I need one, you know?"

"I reckon."

"Where are you from? couldn't help but notice your accent."

"Ima texan, my mom's technically from Texas and my dad's British, what about you?"

"I'm Italian, don't know where my mom's from, though."

"I don't think i got a name, whats your name, ma'am?"

Ma'am?

"The name is Celeste, what about you, sir?"

"I see what you did there," he chuckled under his breath and took a moment to take a puff out of his cigarette "my name is Billy, my mum chose it, and don't even think about it."

I held in a laughter as he raised his index finger as a warning, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline.

"Anyways, Celeste, would you like to talk to me about why you had a bad day?"

I hesitated for a while before looking over at him thinking about my answer for a while, "Fuck off, man."

He chuckled before straightening up and clearing his throat, "if i told you what's been bothering me, will you tell me what's bothering you?"

"okay, seriou-"

"my dad's funeral was today," he started "my dad wasn't exactly the best man ever, but he tried to be."

I furrowed my eyebrows and nodded my head once as a sign for him to continue, which he did. "I was supposed to deliver a speech, or whatever, but there was nothin'... good i had to say about my father, ya know? So, instead of saying all the goods my dad did i just said all the bad things he's done, and stood there dumbfounded when i was done."

Billy must have noticed how wide my eyes are because he broke into a dry chuckle and continued, "my mum won't talk to me, and ima pretty sure everyone who worshipped my dad hates me right now."

"You actually did that, Billy?"

"I reckon, my dad was a real asshole, he would always hit my mum when they fought, and they refused to get a divorce, of course my mum says it's alright but i know it's breaking her inside."

I nodded my head slowly and when he was finished, I started my rant "There's just this guy who keeps giving me mixed signals, you know? He acts like he really does like me, but he showed up today at where I work holding another girl's hand, not platonically."

I looked over to Billy who had his eyebrows furrowed in thought as he spoke up, "You deserve better than that, to be honest."

Mateo didn't even say he like me, I just guessed he did because of how he acts and looks at me.

"Anyways, Billy, I have work so I'm gonna have to see you another time, if that's possible." I looked at my phone and looked back up at Billy smiling slightly.

"I'll see you around, I guess?"

"Yeah, see you."

"See ya, pumpkin."

Pumpkin?

I walked back into the café ignoring Mateo's stare on me and greeting Jaylen.

"You look a lot better, girly."

I smiled towards her and started putting on my apron.

"What do you mean better?" Enzo came out to the front counter furrowing his eyebrows as he pushes away his hair that was getting in the way of his eyes.

"Nothing you need to worry about, b ur you really need to worry about cutting that hair of yours." Jaylen commented as she turned around to face him.

"What? No I love Enzo's hair when it's long." I playfully pouted as I put my hair in a low messy bun and sighed.

Enzo pulls me into a tight bear hug and squeals, "whatever, I prefer Cel over Jay anyways."

"Wow, rude as fuck, Enzo."

I giggled under my breath as I pulled away from the hug and Enzo ruffled my hair.

"You're such a cutie pie, Celeste."

Jaylen rolls her eyes playfully as a smile tugs at her lips, "let's just get back to work."

Enzo walked back inside the kitchen, leaving me and Jaylen alone.

"You go take their order and deliver it to them, they've been waiting for such a long time."

I looked over to where Jaylen was pointing and felt my chest tighten when I saw Mateo and the girl again.

I forced a small smile on and took the tray, walking over to their table.

"Here is your order, a chocolate milkshake, a grilled cheese sandwich, and an iced americano." I smiled slightly as I laid everything out on their table.

"Honey, look at this red dress, it's gorgeous!" The girl squealed as she showed Mateo the dress on her phone, clearing her throat when Mateo wouldn't look at her phone.

I felt Mateo's stare that was burning the side of my face disappear, as he looked over at her phone and hummed lightly before he started to type something on his phone.

I walked away, trying to contain my sadness as I forced a smile on my face.

Honey..?

•••

well that's something... yall probably hate me for that rn but anyways...🤷‍♀️
yall js gotta trust the process
do we like jay jay or do we not?🫢🫢

what do we think of billy? potential new friend or love interest?🤭

ANYWAYSSS I LOVE YALL BYEEEE
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