Queen of the zodiac ( zodiac city duology #1) [ undergoing revamping]

-una-

Denisha
As Celeste's words hung in the air, I couldn't help but feel a heavy pit forming in my stomach. Brooke, a bully? It was difficult to reconcile the confident girl I knew with the image of a tormentor.

"What do you mean by she's a bully?" I asked, my brow furrowing with curiosity.

Celeste's voice carried the weight of old memories as she began to share her past experiences. "Oh, yeah, back in camp, she used to bully me. Like, a lot."

I couldn't hide my surprise. "Bully? Like, real bullying, or was it just the usual banter you guys have now?"

Celeste managed a sad smile, but her eyes held a darker truth. "Well, now it's just banter. But back in camp, she was ruthless. She pushed me in the stream, hit me, even cut off my hair."

With each revelation, my heart sank lower. What if, I thought to myself, what if Brooke was part of the Radiance? The thought was unsettling, to say the least.

"Was it just her, or did the others join in too?" I inquired further, my voice tinged with concern.

Celeste wiped away a tear that had escaped her eye. "It was all of them, actually. But mostly Paris and Brooke. Actually, it was always Brooke. They just stood beside her."

My frown deepened. The pieces weren't fitting together. Could Brooke, the one who had intervened to defend me earlier, be the same person who had bullied Celeste?

My frown deepened. "Do you know about the Radiance?"

"The Radiance?" Celeste replied, puzzled. "I don't think I know of them. All I know is it was a very popular perfume back in the days."

The mention of the Radiance perfume echoed Hayden's words from earlier, and I couldn't help but feel sad

Seeing the pain in Celeste's eyes, I reached out to her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, her emotions now more composed. "I am now."

The conversation inevitably led to thoughts of Perse, and I hesitated before broaching the subject. "What about Perse? Do you think they did the same thing to her?"

Celeste's eyes welled up with tears. "Perse was my best friend. I've been trying to reach her forever, ever since she left camp, but I couldn't get her. And then when you came, I just figured she had been replaced. Do you know her? Do you think she's okay?"

The revelation that Celeste was Perse's best friend struck me. "You were her best friend?"

Celeste nodded, a hint of a smile amid her tears. "Yeah, back in camp. We became very close. We used to do everything together. I remember when she started dating Ramon. It was so funny. She was so excited to be dating him. And then the next two days, she left without a trace."

My heart ached. If Perse and Celeste had been so close, could Celeste provide any insight into what had happened to my sister?

"But if you were her best friend," I asked, "did you notice any bruises on her or anything?"

Celeste shook her head. "No, she never had any bruises. In fact, her skin was very clear. You kind of reminded me of her."

The revelation shook me to the core. My sister, perse, the one who had suffered so much, didn't bear the physical scars of her torment. It made me wonder if there was a deeper, hidden aspect to her pain.

Summoning the courage, I decided to confide in Celeste. "Actually, I am her sister," I admitted.

Celeste's reaction was immediate and shocked. "What? She yelled

"Keep it down."

"Oh my God, what happened to Perse?"

I couldn't help but feel the weight of the truth. "She's dead," I revealed.

The news hit Celeste like a tidal wave. Her questions poured out, and her voice filled with panic. "What happened? How did she die? What?"

"She committed suicide," I explained, the words heavy on my tongue.

Realization dawned on me as her previous words sunk in . My breath hitched "Is that why Ramon always gets so defensive when I bring Perse up. He dated her, and then she just ghosted...He thinks she ghosted. But in reality, she's dead,"

The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place

"What do you mean? She committed suicide," Celeste probed further.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "She had bruises every day after school. Every single day. After school, she cried. And then she talked about the Radiance once."

"Nah, it's not possible," Celeste protested, tears welling up again. "Perse had no bruises. She was so beautiful, she had no bruises. There's no way she could have been bullied in school. Everybody loved her. Even Brooke. I mean, I have never seen them interact. But then, it didn't look like Brooke hated her."

My own confusion mirrored Celeste's. "But she did come home with bruises. Was it makeup?"

"She never wore makeup" Celeste responded.

I sighed. It was true she hated makeup.

"But then," I pondered aloud, "if they did the same thing to you, what makes you think they didn't do the same thing to Perse?"

"I don't know....but I don't think we should be throwing accusations without evidence." Celeste's determination was unwavering, even in the face of this devastating revelation. "You should get to the bottom of this, Denisha. We need to find out who the Radiance is. I'm going to help you. You must avenge Perse."

Her willingness to support me in my quest gave me renewed hope.

"But wait," she said confused "you're Denisha Elixir, and Perse was Lumina."

"My mom changed our surname," I explained softly. "She didn't want to be associated with a daughter who was weak enough to kill herself."

Celeste absorbed this information, her eyes filled with empathy. "Oh..."

As Celeste and I sat there, the weight of our shared revelations hanging in the air, my thoughts turned to Ramon. I knew that to uncover the truth and avenge Paris, I needed him on my side. And now, I had a plan.