Forevermore

Chapter 2

Celeste's POV

After baking quite a lot of chocolate chip cookies for all the kids in the nursery and also the employees, I cleaned up the kitchen, and went to take my shower. After a warm bath, I decided to call Ares.

"Levine! What's up?" I said as I laid on the bed.

"I thought you would never call, Jones."

"You thought wrong. How's Cleo?"

"She's sleeping. I scolded her just now, and now I feel bad."

"Again?"

"You knew I scolded her yesterday too?"

"Yeah. Cleo tells me everything."

"She really likes you a lot. She wouldn't understand when I tell her that she would never have a mother."

"Don't tell her that. There are other ways to explain to a child."

"I don't want to lie to her, Cel. I don't think I'll marry again."

"It's fine if you don't want to get married again, but she's just a kid. You need to understand she needs a mother. She wants to know her mother. That's why she keeps on asking you. And you have to stop yelling at her just because you don't like talking about Sabine." I said and he was silent for a long time.

"You there?" I asked.

"Yeah. I've just....I missed you so much, Celeste. I wish you were there when I needed you. When I needed some hardcore advice from my best friend." He chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Ares."

"I can't even stay mad at you for long."

"I know." I snickered.

"I'm here now. And this time I won't leave." I said.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"What are you doing up so late anyway? I remember you always used to sleep early." He said.

"I've just finished baking hundreds of chocolate chip cookies."

"Oh, poor Celeste must be tired."

"Shut up!" We laughed.

"Hey, are you coming to pick Cleo up tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I'll keep some cookies aside for you then. You still like chocolate chip, right?"

"Yes, I do. Hey, do you still bake that red velvet cheesecake? Damn, I miss eating that. Yours were the best, Cel, seriously."

"What can I say? I have magic in my hands." I jested.

"Oh not again. I don't want to hear self-praising right now."

"Asshole." I said, and he laughed.

We talked about an hour or so before hanging up. We talked about everything and nothing. I'm actually very happy to have met him today after so long. I really missed spending time together with him.

I wish I never left after graduation, but I wasn't strong enough to see him with someone else. To see him in somebody else's arms.

*****

5 years ago

"You love him!" My friend Iris said as we walked into college together.

"Shut up!" I said.

"Oh, come on! Just admit it. If not why were you so jealous yesterday when he said he's going to spend the rest of the day with Sabine, huh?"

"I wasn't jealous. I was just...angry because we had plans and he cancelled it." I said. To be with her.