Summer's End

Chapter 11

The next morning Celeste wasn't in her cabin. She was laying on the grass in front of the cabin. She wiped her eyes and sat herself up, confused.

The last thing she remembered was running into the woods, her legs taking her further in. She did find a way to get back, then everything got blurry.

Although she did vaguely remember Lake being with her. Celeste decided she would ask him what happened yesterday night. She quickly tiptoed inside the cabin, careful not to wake the rest of the girls.

She grabbed her clothes and hit the showers. Celeste gagged at the bugs plastered all over the walls and floor. She reminded herself that next time, she would bring her water shoes.

When she was finished, she looked for Lake's cabin. Which she realized she had no idea where it was. She pulled out her phone. To her dismay she forgot to ask for his number.

"How the hell am I gonna find this boy?" Celeste scratched her chin. She headed over to the rocking bench. She needed some time to think. Celeste asked herself why she never got his number.

Or why he never offered her it. She couldn't help but think something was off. As if he was reading her mind, he came up behind her and tapped her shoulder. Celeste sprang out of her seat, then playfully hit Lake.

"Hey!" She scolded him, while he sat next to her.

"You scared me!" She said sitting back down.
"Sorry" He put his hands up, smiling. She shook her head, grinning with him.

"This is random. Well not really but were you with me yesterday night?" Celeste got straight to the point. Lake put an arm over the bench. He knitted his eyebrows.

"You don't remember? Ah wait of course you didn't."

Celeste stared at him, letting him go on.
"Well you came out of the woods for some reason. I asked you why you were there in the first place but you said, you didn't want to talk about it." He rubbed his chin, trying to recollect the rest.

"You seemed uneasy so I got alcohol that a buddy gave me and offered you some. Which you took and we drank for a bit."

Celeste covered her mouth to stop a laugh from bursting out. The corners of Lake's mouth rose up.

"What?"

"I drank?" She seemed to be asking herself more than Lake.

"Yeah Celeste you drank a lot. You're a funny drunk. You even threw up." He laughed and Celeste joined in.

"What else happened?" She questioned.

"Well we were walking to your cabin when you said something about......" He paused, unsure. She looked at him.

"Uh oh what is it?"

"About how your mom left you a while ago." At the word "Mom" Celeste's heart rate accelerated. She couldn't believe she told him that. Celeste put a hand to her chest to calm herself down.

Lake leaned forward to rub her shoulders.
"Hey it's alright." He gently pulled her head to his shoulders, kissing her forehead.

"You don't have to talk about it, Celeste."
She closed her eyes, taking in his lavender scent. He felt warm to her. Lake laid his head on hers. They stayed like this for a few minutes. Then Celeste decided to break the silence.

"Well, what did I say?"
Lake didn't answer at first, that Celeste thought he didn't hear her.

"That you hated her. Yet you just can't quit thinking about her all the time. And your life felt like a hole, waiting to swallow you up. " He finished. Celeste took all the information in.

She hated hearing the words out loud. It was always in her mind but she never wanted them to expose the truth into the world.

"Wow. I get truthful when I'm drunk huh?" She lightly joked.
"I just. I hate that I can't do anything about it. I hate that my- my mom." She stuttered not dating to utter the word.

"Left me without any reason. I hate that my dad's a freakin therapist and I'm scared to talk about it with him. I don't want him to see me in pain-" Celeste felt herself choking up.

Lake squeezed her tighter in reassurance that he was there for her. A tear escaped Celeste's eyes. She wiped at them quickly but the tears kept flowing.
"Ugh! I hate crying in front of people too."

Lake lifted her chin up with his finger. She stared back at him with bloodshot eyes. He wiped at her tears.

"It's okay to be vulnerable sometimes. It happens to everyone, don't ever feel alone." He stated. Celeste threw her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. She let herself break down. The emotions felt like it was exploding out of her.

Celeste knew it was kept bottled in for so many years. Lake held her head. After a few seconds Celeste felt so much gratitude for Lake. She appreciated someone listening to her. She pulled back, gazing at him.

He gazed back searching every part of her face. In unison they both leaned in, pressing their lips against each other. The kiss started off soft then quickly turned urgent. Lake slipped his tongue into her mouth smoothly.

Celeste's mouth opened welcoming the exchange. He slid his hand around her back, feeling the kiss. Already she felt addicted to his taste. The peppermint flavor sent cool jolts up her spine.

She pushed him lower into the bench, lacing her fingers into his soft hair. He pulled her waist so that she was directly on top of him. For once, Celeste didn't think about her abandoned mother.

All that mattered was Lake's cool lips on hers. A few minutes later, they both pulled away for air. She rested on top of him, her head moving up and down with his chest.

"Woah." Celeste breathed. Lake placed an arm around her.

"I've been waiting to do that for so long." He admitted, beaming.

"Join the club." Celeste giggled. She felt like she was on cloud nine. She didn't want this to end.

Then they heard the chatter of people coming near. It was breakfast time. Lake groaned, rubbing his head. Celeste rose her head from his chest, smoothing her shirt.

"Guess it's time for breakfast" She said, sadly meeting his hazel-green eyes. Lake nodded, looking back at her.

"I guess we have to go eat."
Yet they still sat there gazing at each other. Then at once they laughed.
"Come on lover boy" She tugged his arm.

Author's note:
Well looks like Celeste and Lake finally kissed! I really ship them lol

-
Riri💕