Hidden Dimples

❀ Chapter 19: Have It Your Way

❣ Celestine's POV ❣

I was cocooned in warm blankets, surrounded by peaceful slumber. I hadn't expected anything much in life. It was just simple. Wake up, go to school, come home, homework. Occasionally on weekends, me and mom go on a hike.

The sudden blaring woke me up. It sounded like an alarm and the temperature seemed to have risen. I didn't know what to do. I was only quite young. Then, I saw it.

The flicker of orange let me knew that the house was on fire. My eyes gaped at it as I quickly barged into my mother's room with the conjoining door.

I jumped on the bed and shook her, waking her up and motioned to the constant blaring and the fire. She shot out of bed, picking me up and wetting a blanket to cover over us when we escape.

The thin sheet provided me slight protection from the hungry fire, but I wasn't completely shielded from it. My mother ran down the stairs but tripped when she stepped on a frail piece of wood. I rushed over to her, asking if she was okay before she picked me up again, running to the exit.

The fire made the surrounding so suffocating, the smoke being inhaled into my lungs as I coughed from it. My mother seems to have noticed as she clung onto me tighter.

"Hold on baby, we're almost out." She panted and ran with panic evident in her eyes, dodging all the burnt furniture. I knew it was hard for her, seeing the place where all memories were made being burnt down as we run or our safety.

A piece of wooden plank fell on us and burnt my hip, making me squeal in pain. My mother didn't cease to give up as she climbed back onto her feet and pulled me closer, running outside.

We were so close to the door when another large piece of wood fell completely on us both, my mother screaming in agony as she took the impact. I watch helplessly, I was too weak when I watch in complete shock until it hit me,

"MAMA!"

"Celest!"

"Celest!" She screamed again but it came out deeper. As my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Celest!" I hear someone shout my name and I shot out of bed once again, my eyes frantic with worry as it scanned the room until it landed on Christian. I sighed and let my posture softened before flopping down on the bed again.

Christian took a seat next to me and stroked my hair, "Is everything okay, C? You were shouting quite loudly." He asked with concern.

I quirked an eyebrow, "You actually care about someone other than yourself ?" I asked with a smirk.

He thwacked my cheek as I groaned in protest, "Shut up, I'm being a good friend, okay?" He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, yeah." I sighed and dug my head deeper into the pillow. I felt the bed dip as Christian laid next to me, keeping a small distance but I could tell it was just a friendly gesture.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked sounding genuinely concern as he scooted closer, in attempt to look at me while he laid on his back.

I tucked my right arm behind my head as I sighed, looking up the the ceiling, my left hand resting on the soft bedsheets, "It was just a nightmare." I murmured softly.

"What was it about?" Christian asked again.

"Fire." I uttered. He seemed to get why I didn't want to talk about it as he kept his mouth shut. I felt a corner of my lips tug up a bit. Albeit, Christian can be a cocky egotistical flirt, he is a nice guy. He knows not to cross boundaries and where to draw the lines.