Chapter 8 Unwanted Exes
Celene POV
Maria left me to attend to other things after scolding me some more, but I kept thinking about the black car.
It followed me for three blocks before I finally told myself to stop being dramatic. Los Angeles traffic was insane on a good day, anyway. Of course, the same car could end up behind me more than once. That didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t. Stop being dramatic, Cee!
Still, the feeling didn’t leave.
By the time I got home, my head was pounding. The alcohol from the night before sat heavy behind my eyes, like it had soaked into my bones.
"Jesus, Celene Luther. Don't ever drink alcohol again" I grumbled as I opened my fridge and drank water straight from the bottle, leaning against the kitchen counter, trying to convince myself that the unease crawling under my skin was just a hangover mixed with embarrassment and regret.
Everything that happened in the past 24 hours has been so weird. First, nobody woke up in a stranger’s penthouse and walked away untouched. Something always lingered after things like that. Confusion. Guilt. Rape... and questions you didn’t want answers to. But here i was, in my house, safe.
I showered longer than usual, scrubbing my skin until it was pink, until the hot water started to sting. Even then, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t alone. Not in the bathroom. Not in my apartment. Not in my own fucking head.
I kept catching myself glancing at reflective surfaces. The microwave door. The dark window above the sink. My phone screen when it went black.
Nothing. Of course there was no one in my apartment. I was just being paranoid.
"Relax, Cee. You’re imagining it. You drank too much. You slept somewhere unfamiliar. Your brain is filling in gaps because it hates not knowing things. You're a writer. That's just how your mind works"
That explanation almost worked. Almost.
I changed into leggings and an oversized hoodie, the kind I wore when I wanted to disappear into myself. I grabbed my bag and headed out again. I needed air. I needed movement. I needed to just stop thinking.
The sun was already low, so I walked with my headphones in but no music playing. I didn’t trust myself not to miss something if I drowned my ear with loud music.
Halfway down the block, that feeling came back. The one that sat between my shoulder blades. The one that made my steps slow even when my brain told my body to keep moving. I glanced over my shoulder.
No black car, no shadow, not even footsteps behind me.
I laughed under my breath
"Get a grip, Celene"
“Celene.”
I froze.
I knew that voice. I hated that I knew it. The voice belonged to Daniel, my insufferable ex.
I turned slowly, already annoyed, already tired, already bracing myself for whatever rubbish he was about to say.
He stood a few feet away like he had every right to be there. Hands in his pockets, with his stupid, crooked smile. The same face that used to feel like home and now just made my chest tighten.
“Wow,” he said. “You really do look good.”
I didn’t return the smile. I didn’t step closer. I didn’t step back either. I planted my feet and crossed my arms, putting space between us without moving an inch.
“What do you want, Daniel?” I asked.
He chuckled like I’d said something cute. “Straight to the point. Guess you haven’t changed that much.”
I rolled my eyes. “If you’re here to catch up, don’t. I’m not in the mood.” He had no idea what was going on in my head.
He tilted his head, studying me. The way he used to when he thought he was being deep. “You don’t even ask how I’ve been.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care.”
That wiped the smile off his stupid face, just for a second. He recovered quickly, puttimg on his smile again.
“I heardyou went on vacation,” he said casually.
My stomach dropped.
I kept my face neutral. “Okay?”
“With some guy, huh?" he added. “Or maybe not with a guy. It's hard to tell. You always did have a way of making people curious.”
I stared at him. “Are you done?”
He took a step closer. “You hurt me, you know. You didn’t react. To anything I posted. The trips. The photos. The girlfriend. I tagged you”
There it was.
I almost laughed.
“So you tracked me down to check if I still cared?” I asked. “That’s sad.”
His jaw tightened. “I just wanted to see your face.”
“Well, now you have. Congratulations.”
I tried to move past him. He stepped into my path.
“Don’t,” I said quietly.
He ignored that too and advanced towards me, he was almost sharing the same breath with me.
“You really don’t feel anything?” he asked. “After everything?”
I looked at him then. Really looked at him. Of coursee i felt it. I used to love him. I gave him my heart, my live, everything i could offer, only to find him balls deep inside some other girl.
When i looked at him, i still felt the old hurt, the old anger. The humiliation of watching him parade someone else around like a trophy just to see if I’d flinch, i felt it all, but I didn’t let it show.
“Nope,” I said. “I don’t.”
His eyes searched mine, desperate now. “You’re lying.”
I shook my head at him. “Daniel, You don’t get to tell me how I feel anymore.”
He reached for my arm to grab me, but pulled back. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
He laughed softly, like I was joking. His fingers wrapped around my wrist anyway.
“Come on,” he said. “You don’t just erase something like us. I made a little mistake, i get that. But its been two years. I want you back, Cee”
“Let go of my arm, Daniel,” I said.
He stepped closer, until I could smell his cologne. The same one he used to wear when we were dating, It made my stomach turn.
“You feel this,” he said, leaning in. “I know you do.”
I tried to yank my hand free, but his grip tightened.
“Stop,” I said. My voice was starting to shake.
His face was inches from mine now. I could see the challenge in his eyes. The need to win something he thought belonged to him.
"You love me. You do. You're just angry... I know I made you angry, but... Cee, you're perfect. You understand me better than anyone else... you love me..."
Before i could respond, he crushed his mouth to mine, forcefully kissing me.
My whole body went still. Every muscle locked up like it had forgotten how to fight or run or even defend myself..
My heart pounded in my chest as he grabbed me there, trying and failing to open up my mouth with his tongue, but all i could see was the black car parked on the corner of the road.