Beneath Shattered Stars

Chapter 10: A Thoughtful Reminder

The sounds of the city had helped clear Celeste’s head a little, but as she walked back into the office, a familiar weight settled back over her shoulders. The conversations with John and Jared still lingered in her thoughts, unresolved and tangled. She tried to shake it off, focusing on the work she still had to do.

Sitting back at her desk, Celeste pulled her laptop closer and resumed her designs. The hours had passed quickly before, but now, the afternoon seemed to drag. The work in front of her blurred slightly as her mind wandered, her fingers moving over the keys mechanically, disconnected from the rest of her.

Just as she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples, a soft knock on the desk pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see a delivery person standing there with a small, carefully wrapped box in hand. “Celeste, right?” he asked, checking the name on the label.

“Uh, yeah. That’s me,” she replied, puzzled.

He handed her the box with a polite smile and walked off, leaving Celeste staring down at the gift in her hands. The wrapping was simple but elegant, tied with a ribbon. A small note was attached, her name scrawled in neat, precise handwriting she recognized immediately.

Her heart gave a small, unexpected flutter as she slowly untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a leather-bound sketchbook, smooth and soft to the touch. Nestled between the pages was a note:

"For when the words don’t come easily. Sometimes it’s better to let your hands do the talking. -J"

Celeste’s breath caught in her throat as she traced her fingers over the leather cover. It was a thoughtful gift—one that showed how much Jared knew her, how deeply he understood her need for expression. He had seen through her, even when she couldn’t find the words to say what she was feeling.

Her mind raced with memories of their time together. The moments they shared, the unspoken feelings hanging in the air between them, and the way Jared had always made her feel like she could be herself—no judgment, no pressure.

She stared at the sketchbook for a long moment, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and warmth. As much as she tried to separate herself from the feelings she had for him, this simple gift made it harder to deny.

A soft vibration from her phone pulled her back into the present. A message appeared on the screen from Jared:

“I hope you’re having a productive day. Thought you might appreciate a break. You deserve it.”

Celeste smiled despite herself. She didn’t respond immediately, instead closing the sketchbook and setting it aside on her desk. She leaned back in her chair, her mind swirling with thoughts of Jared, of the life he offered—steady, thoughtful, safe—and of John, whose presence was still looming over her.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter how much she tried to ignore it, a decision was coming. And it wasn’t going to be easy.