Insatiable Lust

VI

Since we'll be in Los Angeles for three days for a campaign rally, a fundraiser, and a State dinner with celebrities, I have to purely lock the fuck in. It's not that I'm trying to run away from my problems-- there's just so much I have to do already and I can't afford to let my past get in the way of the present. 

"You okay?" Opal's voice says, pulling me back into reality as we're in the backstage area for the rally. I nod, putting on a smile that she isn't buying one single cent of.

The both of us get to the dressing room with Kamala's title and name taped to the door. The door opens with Kamala greeting both of us before the three of us make it through the hallways. As we're updating Kamala, she can see through the happy facade I'm putting up. She doesn't say anything as the team and I bring her to local public figures and some celebrities that are scheduled to meet and speak with her before the rally begins.

I stay on the sidelines with the rest of the team, checking the rest of today's busy schedule. With my head buried in emails for meeting proposals from small business owners all over the country, I don't look up to see the people Kamala's meeting and speaking with. 

"Oh-- CeCe?" a familiar voice says, using a nickname that I haven't heard in years.

My eyes pull away from my phone to see Denise Miller looking at me with a shocked smile. She's a celebrity choreographer and the last time I saw her was my high school graduation. I walk over to her and she hugs me with a big smile.

"Oh my-- look at you! You're all grown up!" Denise marvels as she looks at me, making me smile.

"Thank you, Denise." I say with a smile and she turns to Kamala, making my heart drop a little. I'm practically watching my past interact with my present. 

"You know, Celine is one of the most talented people I know." Denise admits and I let out a small, nervous chuckle in response.

I shake my head as my attention switches between Kamala and Denise, noting the shock and intrigue on Kamala's face, "I don't know about that, Denise. I-"

"I expected to see you in Hollywood by now! What happened to Juilliard? And how do you know Kamala?" Denise asks and I give a nervous smile. Now I definitely have a lot of explaining to do later because knowing Kamala, she's going to have questions.

"Plans changed... I uhm- I work for Madame Vice President now." I answer with a little nod. Denise slowly nods and tilts her head a little bit.

"You loved to sing and dance, I mean-- you had a full ride scholarship to Juilliard. Where did you ending going?" 

"I went to Berkeley where I majored in business and political sciences. My dreams changed so... yeah..."

Denise nods slightly with a small disappointed smile as Kamala nods softly with questions brewing in her head. "Well, it was nice seeing you after all this time and it's always lovely to see you again, Kamala."

I watch as the two bid each other their farewells then as Denise is leaving, I catch Kamala's gaze settling gently on mine. Just like that, she was able to see through my facade again.

"We're going to talk later, Celine." she says to me before leaving the room, not giving me the chance to object.

I make my way to the nearest bathroom and thank God it's one of those single bathrooms that I can lock myself in. The second I lock the door, I feel the walls crumbling on top of me. 

It's one thing to live with the trauma and painful memories, but it's another to have other people know what happened. The only people who know what happened to me are myself, Callie, Oliver, Peyton, our families, and then Harlan Reeves, the abuser himself. Nobody else knows-- I never even told Newsom or Luisa. Even if they found out on their own, then fine-- now they know. But telling Kamala is a whole different story. Putting aside the feelings I have for her, at the end of the day, she's the Vice President of the United States of America. How the fuck am I going to unravel my years of hidden trauma to the fucking Vice President of the Free World?