Upon A Star

Chapter 6

Celeste was greeted with the sound of chirping birds and the smiling sun that shone from outside the window. She stretched her arms and let out an exhausted yawn. While tugging on the blankets that covered her resting body at night, she felt a sense of comfort and warmth that was not familiar to her.

"Good morning princess," Nick's voice whispered. She turned her head to face the door to notice it was slightly ajar, and behind the crack of the open door, she could see him watching her intently with his kind eyes.

"Sorry I slept too much. This bed is just too comfy," she explained as she tried to hide her messy bed hair from the guy she was enchanted with.

"Well, breakfast is ready whenever you are," and with a wink, he shut the door and the echo of his footsteps calmed as he headed back to the kitchen where Celeste presumed his girlfriend was.

-

Nick flipped the pancake batter inside the pan and tipped the jug of orange juice in the glasses that were set on the kitchen table.

Jessica swirled the teaspoon in her black coffee and then tapped it on the rim. She took a sip by puckering her lips, and Nick couldn't help himself but stare at his beautiful girlfriend.

She was everything he wanted. Slender, and even though she was not a model in papers, she was most certainly a model in his eyes. With high cheekbones that glistened according to the light, dark brown eyes filled with mischief and mystery, and finally, her long, silky, jet-black hair that was pulled up in a messy bun.

The sun had risen a few hours ago, but he considered 11pm to account as morning. And Jessica had woken up ten minutes before Celeste. Her face looked exactly the same as it would with makeup; she had flawless skin that stood out from a distance. And when Nick woke up in the morning beside her, he caressed her shoulder, and her spider long eyelashes flattered open to greet him.

"Sweetie, you need to sit down. You don't look like you've had enough sleep last night," Jessica murmured softly and grabbed a slice of toast and bit into it, leaving a mark behind as she placed it back on the plate in front of her.

"I just have a lot on my mind," he admitted and sat next to his girlfriend with his hand wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee.

"Talk to me," she purred and traced his jawline with her soft index finger.

"It's about Celeste-," he whispered cautiously.

"What about her?"

"She's depressed, I can see it in her eyes. And I don't know how to help her. That's all," he cut it to the chase, a short and bittersweet statement. He settled the mug on the table and allowed it to leave behind rings of steam that condensed to rings of sweat.

"Well, you aren't a psychologist my sweet pea. If she wants help, take her to a counsellor," Jessica replied as nonchalantly as possible, as if she couldn't care less about this Celeste that had found herself intruding and settling in their home.

"You're right. Maybe you could talk to her-," Nick started but faced the response of Jessica spitting the coffee she was sipping whilst he made the suggestion. Like a sprinkler, the black droplets scattered everywhere, even on Nick's cheeks.

Carefully, and respectfully, Nick got out of the chair and grabbed a kitchen towel that was folded next to the sink. Taking the cloth, he rubbed it on his cheeks and on the areas that were beaten with coffee droplets.

While he was cleaning up he made out a sound that came from the guest bathroom. He dropped the towel on the table near Jessica and he walked away and headed to the bathroom.