Celestial: Fallen

Chapter 11-Choices and Changes

Days slipped by, and Nick and I continued our silent treatment, while I found myself growing closer to Jaimes. It felt effortless, almost routine, to spend time with him. Last weekend, we all hung out at the racetrack—Leroy, Josh, and Jaimes included. Almost every day at university, he joined us for lunch, bringing laughter and lightness that made me genuinely happy.

This evening, I received a message from Josh, suggesting I drag Jaimes to a party. I was about to call him when I spotted Nick in the corridor. Should I say hi? It felt like there was a wall between us, pulling us apart.

Standing at the door to our room, our eyes met. He smiled and approached slowly, pulling a bouquet of yellow roses from behind his back.

"Hey, Arwen..." he said, extending the flowers toward me.

I couldn't help but smile, wrapping my arms around him. "I miss you... and I'm so sorry," I whispered, tears welling up. This was the longest we'd gone without talking, and not reaching out felt wrong.

He pulled back gently, handing me the bouquet. "I should be the one saying sorry. I'm glad you showed me you're not the little girl I need to protect anymore." He wiped my tears away, his touch soft and comforting.

"Please, let's not fight like this again," I said, hugging him tightly.

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around me again. "Promise."

As I pulled away, I felt a weight lift.

"Soo? You two kids are okay now?" Joshua asked, sipping his milkshake.

I nodded, a smile breaking across my face.

"I'm happy for you both!" Leroy added, beaming at us.

"Thanks," I said, feeling warmth spread through me.

"Anyway, did you message Jaimes about the party later?" Joshua inquired.

"Oh, about that... I think I'll pass," I replied, looking down.

"Huh? Why?" Josh's brows furrowed.

"I want to spend time with my brother. I hope you understand," I said, my voice soft.

"Yeah, you should have some bonding time with Nick," Leroy agreed, and I appreciated his understanding.

Just as we were about to leave, my phone rang. I didn't check the caller ID before answering.

"Hello."

"Hey, angel—" Jaimes's voice came through, smooth and casual.

"Hey! What's up?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but I could feel Josh's curious gaze on me.

"Just checking on you," he said, sounding laid-back.

"Really?" I smirked, earning a chuckle from him.

"There's a party tonight. Thought you might want to hang out since it's Friday," he suggested.

I bit my lip, hesitating. "I have plans tonight, maybe next time," I replied, glancing at Josh and Leroy.

"Oh, okay. Where are you going?" Jaimes asked, and I couldn't help but smile at his tone—it sounded a bit possessive.

"Just home," I said.

"Alright then, see you when I see you. Take care, angel," he said.

"You too, take care," I replied before hanging up.

After saying goodbye to my friends, I walked to the parking lot to meet Nick.

"Hey hey hey! So, how was your day?" he asked, handing me my helmet.