The Art of Letting Go - ENGLOT

Chapter 14

Ensley's POV:

I can't sleep.

It's the middle of the night and I'm wide awake, despite the rain pounding on the roof outside. I'm lying next to Celestine. She's asleep, breathing softly, her arm draped across my chest. In other circumstances, I would have pulled her closer and cuddled her back.

But there's a problem.

Celestine's boyfriend.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else, but my mind kept returning to the fact that I had been blinded by my feelings for her. How could I have not known? Did she not trust me enough to tell me? These questions were tearing me apart, and I couldn't shake them from my mind. I thought we had a connection, but it was all in my head. She was committed to someone else.

I sighed and shifted my body slightly, trying not to wake her. I didn't want her to know that I was still awake, that I couldn't stop thinking about her and the fact that she was with someone else.

As I lay there, trying to push these thoughts aside, I felt Celestine move closer to me, wrapping her arms around me. She nuzzled her face into my neck, her breath hot against my skin. I froze, unsure of what to do or how to react, feeling her warmth and her closeness, I realized that I couldn't deny how I felt any longer. I'm in love with Celestine, and nothing is going to change that.

As the night wore on, I lay there with my thoughts, feeling Celestine's warmth and her steady breathing. And eventually, I fell asleep, convincing myself that I could deal with my feelings for her tomorrow.

Maybe, Just maybe when I wake up, this feelings will be gone.

...

When I woke up, Celestine was gone. I sat up and looked around the room, but she wasn't there. I felt a pang of sadness in my chest. Had she left without saying goodbye? I pulled back the covers and saw a piece of paper under my pillow. I picked it up and saw that it was a sketch of me, asleep in bed.

My heart swelled with emotion as I realized that Celestine had watched me before leaving. She had stayed close, even though I was asleep and probably restless. She had left this sketch as a reminder of her presence.

I looked at the sketch again, and noticed something scribbled at the bottom. And my heart skipped a beat as I read it. "You looked so peaceful when you slept," it said. "I hate to leave, but I have to. Thank you for taking care of me."

As I read those words, I felt a warmth spread through me, and I realized that my feelings for Celestine were never going to go away. No matter how hard I tried to deny them or push them aside, they were always going to be there, burning bright like a flame.

As I got dressed and prepared to leave, I thought about what had happened. I couldn't deny the feelings that I had for Celestine. I couldn't brush them aside and pretend they didn't exist. And with that note, she had given me a hint that maybe there was something there for her, too.

I walked out of the room, feeling a little lighter than before. I didn't know what the future held. I didn't even know if Celestine would ever leave her boyfriend for me, or if I even want that. But I feel like maybe, just maybe, there was hope for us.

...

"Ensley?" I stopped in my tracks at the voice and found Nox, sitting at her desk, sipping on coffee. "You slept here?"

"Hey Noxie," I greeted, giving her an awkward wave. "Morning."

"Morning?" Nox raised an eyebrow. "It's already afternoon, Ens. What's up? Did you have a rough night?"