Chapter 62 PR fail III
\-Celeste-
“Where to, ma'am?” The driver said, his voice slicing through the ringing.
I murmured the address. He said his fare, I didn’t listen. I didn’t care.
All I wanted was an escape. Away from the noise, from everything. Gâteau Celeste was the only place I could think of.
When we arrived, I reached for my purse to pay the cab driver.
I opened it, my heart sank.
It was empty.
No card. No phone.
Realization hit me. I had taken the wrong clutch.
Stupid. Just like those people said.
This was the alternative clutch. It was my other option for the event. The thought that I’d even been trying to look good for the even made me feel worse.
What is wrong with me?—
“Ma’am, you have to pay up,” the driver’s voice cut through again.
“I’m sorry, I grabbed the wrong purse in a hurry,” I began apologetically.
His face darkened, his eyes staring at me like I was a babbling fool.
“I—I’m sorry for the trouble—you could have my watch,” I stuttered, quickly unstrapping it off my wrist. “It’s Cartier.”
He darted his eyes between me and the object, like I had insulted him.
My heart pounded fast. Could this day get any worse?
“Keep it, you’re clearly going through some shit,” he spat, his tone gruff.
“I’m sorry—”
“Why do rich people pull off stuff like this? How can you afford expensive purses, but can’t afford your transport fare?!”
My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. I wanted to apologize again when he cut in.
“Let me guess, you’re sorry?” he said in a mocking tone, “Get the hell out already, you’re wasting my god-damn time!”
In a second, I was on the platform, while he drove off muttering something under his breath.
His indifference broke me, I felt pathetic.
Tears stung my eyes, clouding them with every step I made it to my building.
I stopped. I’d forgotten the keys too. I didn’t panic at first, I made it to the backdoor in the alley. I searched for a spare. I didn’t find any.
A lump formed. I blinked rapidly, but my defenses finally failed.
I crouched, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, helpless and stupid all at once.
In seconds, a tear or two trickled down my cheeks, until a stream formed.
I let it out, till my voice bounced off the alley walls.
I cried ugly and frustrated. I cried angry. I cried till there were no more tears to cry.
When I gave myself a headache, blood shot eyes and a runny nose, I got on my feet and began to walk back. I couldn’t get a cab around.
I had no phone, no money.
I was a mess.
My ankles as I trudged along, people walked past with unreadable stares, but I didn’t care.
My knees began to hurt, but just when I thought my legs would give way. I heard a familiar voice say my name.
“Celeste.”
I turned to the car slowly trailing me. David.
I stopped, subtly disappointed it was Lucien…. But this wasn’t a fairy tale, it was real life.
David got out of the car with a relieved smile on his face. I just stared at him when he opened the passenger’s door for me.
“How did you find me?” I asked when we were settled and moving.
“Denise called… I knew you’d wanted to be alone after all that happened today. Gâteau Celeste was the only place I could think of.”
I smiled. “Thank you,” I sniffled, feeling grateful to have been saved.
At the same time, he handed me the clutch and my phone.
We returned to the shop, and while I eased my thoughts by making coffee, he called Denise to tell her I’d been found.
At first, we quietly sat, sipping our coffee in one of the booths, till I broke it first.
“I hate how quiet it’s become. It’s like a graveyard of an old dream,” I blurted out.
“I know, right?” he smiled.
“I know you’ve been avoiding me because of what happened the other day. I don’t hold it against you, David,” I said as quickly as I could.
“Thank you, and I’m sorry I let my impulse get the best of me. I was trying to protect you—”
“I know that.…” I smiled. “I don’t know, it’s always felt like you’re protecting me. I know you’re younger than me, but something you remind me of a dependable older brother,” I admitted.
His mouth curved up into a small smile.
My hands slid across the table, gripping his gently. “Thank you for all you do, David, and thank you for tonight.”
After that, we talked for a while, and he took me home. When he dropped me and left, I felt a sudden wave of annoyance.
Not at him, but Lucien. The entire time, I never got a single call from him.
One minute he was calling me his responsibility, the next, he was distant.
Throughout the elevator ride upstairs, I was scheming, ready to give him a piece of my mind.
To my surprise, it was quiet when I arrived. The lights were dimmed. Just as I walked into the living room, I found him dozed off on the couch.
He was still in his shirt, tie and jacket hanging on the armrest. He was sweating, tossing, and mumbling something I couldn’t quite
place.
My heart skipped a beat when his breath hitched in his sleep.
Was he ill? Just a touch of his forehead was enough to know.
I quietly marched to his side, careful not to wake him home. The moment I stepped close, his eyes snapped open, causing me a fright.
My heart missed a beat.
At first, he looked disoriented, staring wildly at me. Without a word, he stood on his feet and stumbled to his room.
I rushed after him, confused, but just as I reached him, the door slammed in my face, and that was it.