Bound by law

Chapter 75 : Making It Official

Estelle and Mia sat in their usual corner booth at the campus café, the familiar hum of chatter and the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. They had been meeting here regularly for months, using it as a space to catch up, gossip, and unwind from the intensity of university life. But today, Estelle had something more important on her mind.

Mia, of course, had known for weeks about Estelle's... situation with Celeste. She'd been there from the start, watching as Estelle had fallen deeper into the complicated entanglement with her professor and boss. Mia had never been shy about teasing her, either, poking fun at the absurdity and thrill of it all. But what Mia didn't know was that things had shifted.

It wasn't just about the stolen glances, the secret rendezvous, or the late nights working at the law firm. Celeste and Estelle had finally had the conversation—the one that made everything official.

As Mia rambled on about some drama from her psych class, Estelle sipped her iced latte, trying to figure out how to drop the news. Her mind wandered back to Celeste's words from the night before, her voice soft and certain: "You're my girlfriend, Estelle. I thought you knew that by now."

Mia stopped mid-sentence, snapping her fingers in front of Estelle's face. "Hello? Earth to Estelle! You're doing that thing again where you zone out and smile like a lovesick puppy. Let me guess... thinking about Celeste?"

Estelle blushed, caught off guard. "What? No, I—"

Mia raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Uh-huh. Don't even try it. I know that look. You've been thinking about her this whole time. Come on, spill it. Something's up."

Estelle bit her lip, her heart speeding up. Mia was always too sharp for her own good. She sighed, setting her drink down. "Okay, fine. I do have something to tell you."

Mia's eyes lit up, her smirk widening. "Oh, this is going to be good. Did you two get caught sneaking around? Or maybe another spicy office moment?" She wiggled her eyebrows, leaning in closer. "Come on, tell me!"

Estelle laughed, shaking her head. "No, it's nothing like that. Actually... it's the opposite." She took a deep breath, trying to keep the nerves out of her voice. "Celeste and I... we're official now."

Mia blinked, processing the words for a second before her face split into a grin. "Wait, official official? Like, no more just hooking up behind closed doors, but full-on girlfriends?"

Estelle nodded, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. "Yeah. Girlfriends. We talked last night, and she made it clear that we're not just... whatever we were before. It's real now."

Mia let out a squeal, immediately slapping the table in excitement. "Oh my God! This is huge! I mean, I always knew you two were more than just a fling, but now it's, like, official official! I'm so happy for you!"

Estelle chuckled, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Yeah, it's a bit surreal. I mean, we've been seeing each other for a while now, but putting a label on it... it makes it feel more real, you know?"

Mia nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing in her seat. "Totally! This is a game-changer. So, does this mean no more sneaking around? Or are you two still keeping it under wraps?"

Estelle hesitated, glancing down at her coffee. "We haven't really talked about going public yet. I mean, it's still complicated with her being my professor and all. But I think we're getting there."

Mia waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. You two have been walking that tightrope for weeks now. Anyone who's paying attention knows something's going on between you two. You're terrible at hiding it."

Estelle laughed, but she couldn't deny it. The tension between her and Celeste had always been obvious—at least to those who knew what to look for. "Yeah, you're probably right. But we'll figure it out."

Mia leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Okay, but you have to tell me—how's it going now that it's official? Is she still all possessive and intense? Or has she softened up now that you're her girlfriend?"

Estelle blushed, the memories of Celeste's possessive side flashing in her mind. "She's still... very much Celeste. But I think she's even more protective now. It's like she's always watching, making sure I'm okay."

Mia grinned, practically bouncing in her seat again. "Ugh, I love it. She's so intense, but in, like, the hottest way. You two are perfect for each other. And I'm so glad she finally made it official. No more 'what are we' nonsense. You're her girlfriend. Full stop."

Estelle couldn't help but smile at Mia's excitement. It felt good to finally say it out loud—to tell her best friend that this wasn't just some secret, complicated fling anymore. It was real. It was something she could hold onto.

"Thanks, Mia," Estelle said softly. "I'm really happy."

Mia reached across the table, squeezing Estelle's hand with a grin. "You should be. You deserve it, babe. And hey, when you're ready to go public, I'll be there to hype you both up. I'll even plan a celebration party. 'Celeste and Estelle: Officially Girlfriends' party. It'll be iconic."

Estelle laughed, shaking her head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Mia winked, leaning back in her chair. "Whatever you say. But I'm just saying—you and Celeste? Total power couple vibes. I'm here for it."

As they continued chatting, Estelle felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Telling Mia had been the final piece of the puzzle, and now everything felt... settled. She wasn't hiding anymore. She wasn't second-guessing where she stood with Celeste. They were together—for real.

And no matter what challenges they faced next, Estelle knew she could handle them, especially with Mia in her corner, cheering her on every step of the way.