Celestial: Fallen

Chapter 14-The Confession

"Hey, Latrelle, how's it going?" a voice called out as I glanced up from my notebook, momentarily confused. Not many people called me by my last name—except for Papa or Nick when they were scolding me. I gave a half-hearted smile before sinking back into my seat at the far corner of the library. Josh was across from me, pretending to study as well, though we both knew the textbooks were just props.

Josh noticed my frown, lifting his head from his textbook. "What's with the face? You look like you just found out they canceled your favorite show."

"It's nothing," I lied, my eyes scanning over notes I wasn't really reading. My thoughts were miles away, circling around him.

Just as I was about to dive back into my pointless studies, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I hesitated, feeling the familiar tightness in my chest, then quickly pulled it out. My boyfriend - it was Jaimes, the name flashed across the screen. I immediately rejected the call. I was in the library, for God's sake!

After a few seconds of silence, I shoved the phone into my bag, hoping to focus, but my mind wouldn't stay still. I hadn't seen Sullivan since that afternoon,after he saw the video he excused himself and left, and every time I heard someone on campus  whisper his name, it felt like a reminder of something unresolved.

I tried to shake it off and focus on my notes when, suddenly, someone grabbed my arm. My body stiffened instinctively.

"What the hell?" I hissed, jerking my head up.

It was Sullivan. His expression was intense—desperate even. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low but urgent.

I tried to pull my arm away, but his grip was firm. Josh's gaze flicked between us, concern etched into his face. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice soft but curious.

I shot him a tight-lipped smile. "Nothing," I muttered, feeling Sullivan tug me toward the door. I had no choice but to follow.

As soon as we were out in the dimly lit corridor, I wrenched my arm free, glaring at him. "What is wrong with you?" I snapped.

He took a step back, running a hand through his hair in frustration. For a moment, he looked as lost as I felt. "You saw me, didn't you?" His voice was softer now, almost hesitant.

"Saw you where?" I asked, though deep down, I knew where this was headed.

"At the party. That night," he mumbled, his eyes darting everywhere but at me. His voice dropped as he spoke, like the memory was too heavy for him to handle. "I was drunk, and I thought..."

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air between us. My stomach knotted. That night had been a blur, but one thing was clear: I'd seen more than I ever wanted to.

"Sullivan, what are you talking about?" I pressed, crossing my arms defensively. "The party? Is this about the party?"

His eyes locked onto mine, and I saw something I hadn't expected—guilt. "I thought you were in that room."

I froze. "What?"

He sighed deeply, turning his back to me as if the weight of his words was too much to face directly. "I thought you were the one in that room... that girl. I was furious with Nick. I was drunk, out of my mind, and when I saw someone, I thought it was you."

My head spun as I tried to process his words. He thought I was in that room? I felt heat rise to my face, both from embarrassment and anger. "You—what? Sullivan, that wasn't me!"

He shook his head, pacing the corridor now, his hands raking through his hair. "I know that now. But in the moment, I wasn't thinking straight. I was mad—at Nick, at everything." He paused, glancing at me with a mixture of regret and frustration. "Nick told me to stop seeing you."

My heart skipped a beat. "What? Why?"

Sullivan clenched his jaw. "He thought we were dating or something. Told me to stay away from you, that it would mess things up for you. Said I wasn't good enough. He kept pushing until I snapped."

I blinked, my fists clenching at my sides. "Nick said that to you?"

He nodded, his expression hard. "I tried to explain we were just friends, but he wouldn't listen. He kept pushing, threatening me. So I challenged him."

"Challenged him to what?"

Sullivan met my eyes, almost embarrassed. "A race."

"A race?" I repeated, incredulous. "You challenged my brother to a race over me?"

He looked down, his voice low. "I told him if he beat me, I'd back off. But if I won, he had to stay out of my business." He paused, and my heart pounded as I anticipated what was coming next. "I lost."

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. "So... that's it? You're supposed to stop seeing me now?"

Sullivan's eyes darkened as he took a step closer. "No," he said firmly, his voice low and deliberate. "I don't care what Nick says. I don't want to stop seeing you."

I felt my heart skip a beat, but before I could say anything, he continued. "I didn't mean to kiss her, you know. I thought it was you. The whole thing was a mistake, but it's not about that anymore. It's about what I feel."

His hand grazed my back, sending a shiver down my spine. I stood frozen, my mind still reeling from everything. He took another step closer, his face just inches from mine.

"Sullivan, I don't—" I started, but he interrupted, his voice soft but firm.

"I don't want to stop seeing you, Latrelle," he whispered. "I don't want your brother deciding who you spend time with. I want you to decide. I've wanted to do this since the day I met you."

Before I could process what he meant, he bent down, his lips brushing mine softly, hesitantly, as if testing to see if this was okay. My heart hammered in my chest as I felt his breath warm against my skin. And then, I gave in.

I kissed him back, my hands instinctively wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms tightened around me, and the kiss deepened, sending sparks through every inch of my body. For a moment, the world fell away, and all I could focus on was the taste of him, the feel of his hands against me.

"Kiss me," he whispered against my lips, his voice demanding and full of need.

I didn't have the strength to say no. I kissed him again, harder this time, letting myself get lost in him. Every moment felt like an eternity, and when we finally pulled apart, breathless, the world came rushing back.

He kissed my forehead, holding me close, and whispered, "Finally, you're mine."

And for once, I didn't push him away.