Celestial: Fallen

Chapter 4-The Unexpected Partner

How could I describe Jaimes Sullivan?

He was tall—really tall. His skin was a rich, warm brown, glowing under the light, making him stand out, like someone who naturally drew attention. His features were sharp, almost too perfect, as if sculpted from marble. He wasn't just attractive—he was the kind of handsome that made you lose your words. The kind of guy who looked too good to be real, too good to be safe.

His beauty wasn't something you could admire from a distance. It had a pull, something primal, like the edge of a cliff—dangerous, and yet you wanted to get closer, just to see how far you could fall.

I should've known better. My parents had always warned me about boys like Jaimes Sullivan—the kind with too much charm and too little regard for anything or anyone. But when he looked at me, when the world seemed to shrink to just the two of us, I forgot those warnings. The more I tried to remember, the more the thought slipped away.

He had this presence that left an impression, one that both intrigued and unsettled me. My parents wouldn't want me around someone like him. Funny enough, they already knew him—my entire family did. Though I didn't understand why at the time, I soon learned that Jaimes had been part of my life long before I ever laid eyes on him.

I first met Jaimes during my freshman year at university. We were in the same Trigonometry class—a subject I dreaded, and somehow, his presence made it even worse.

But let me start at the beginning.

Today is my first day at university, and I'm buzzing with excitement. Nick, my older brother, had promised to pick me up after my classes. Typical Nick—he'd already memorized my class schedule before I even had the chance to.

I had chosen Psychology as my major because I've always been fascinated by people—their thoughts, their actions, and the hidden motivations behind their behavior. As I walked into my first class, the room was nearly empty, just a few students scattered across the seats. I quickly found my spot—second row, by the window. It felt like the perfect place to observe everything without drawing attention to myself.

Five minutes before the class started, someone sat down next to me. I turned to see a boy with a wide, bright smile that was impossible to ignore.

"Hey, babe. I'm Joshua, but call me Josh," he said, his grin growing wider as if we had known each other for years.

I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Oh... I'm Arwen," I finally managed to respond, still processing the sudden burst of friendliness.

Before I could say anything more, he pulled me into a hug—a bone-crushing hug. "I hope we become best friends, girl!" he exclaimed.

It was so unexpected that I couldn't help but laugh awkwardly. This was... weird, but also kind of sweet.

"Nice to meet you too, Josh," I replied, trying to match his energy but still feeling a little overwhelmed.

As we sat down, he whispered, "I'm nervous, though. Are you?"

I smiled, my nerves settling now that I realized I wasn't the only one feeling like this. "Yeah, definitely."

We exchanged majors—Josh was in Economics, but that didn't seem to dampen his enthusiasm about us becoming friends. By the end of the class, I already knew that Josh would be a constant presence in my university life.

True to his word, he found me every day after that. Whether it was intentional or not, he became one of my closest friends. As the semester moved along, my circle expanded—Josh, Leroy, and I became inseparable.

But then came the dreaded Trigonometry class.

That day, I walked in with a sinking feeling. Math had never been my thing, and Josh wasn't there to make it any easier. The classroom filled up quickly, but the seat next to me—Josh's usual spot—remained empty.