Beneath Shattered Stars

Chapter 11: Unanswered Questions

Celeste sat in her car, her fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel as she stared out at the city streets. The sketchbook Jared had sent sat on the seat next to her, a quiet reminder of the tenderness that existed between them, even in the smallest gestures. She had slipped out of the office early, telling herself she needed some fresh air, but the truth was, she couldn’t focus on anything.

Her thoughts drifted to John—wherever he was now. It had been days since that tension-filled encounter at Jared’s mansion. John had been distant, but his jealousy and anger were always simmering just beneath the surface. She hadn’t heard from him since, and though she had tried to push it aside, the silence between them gnawed at her.

What did she even want from John at this point? She wasn’t sure.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed her phone and scrolled to his number. Her thumb hovered over the call button for a moment, hesitating. What was she even going to say? Maybe it was a mistake to reach out, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that they needed to talk.

With a deep breath, she hit the call button. The phone rang, each tone stretching out like a long pause in her mind. Finally, John picked up.

“Celeste,” he answered, his voice low and cautious.

“John,” she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral, though her heart was already racing. “Can we meet? I think we need to talk.”

There was a long pause on the other end, and she could almost hear him weighing his options. Finally, he sighed. “Yeah, okay. Where?”

They met at a small café on the outskirts of town. It was quieter than most places, the kind of place where no one would recognize them, and that was exactly what Celeste needed. She arrived first, sitting at a table near the window and nervously stirring her coffee as she waited.

John walked in a few minutes later, looking more guarded than usual. His eyes scanned the room before settling on her, and for a moment, she felt the familiar pull of his presence—the one that had kept her coming back to him, time and time again.

He slid into the seat across from her, his expression unreadable. “You wanted to talk,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

Celeste nodded, setting her coffee cup down. “Yeah, I did. I just... I need to know what’s going on, John. With us.”

John’s jaw tightened, and he glanced out the window for a moment before turning back to her. “You tell me. You’re the one who’s been spending all your time with Jared.”

The accusation in his voice stung, but Celeste tried to keep her emotions in check. “That’s not what this is about,” she said quietly. “I’m here because I need to understand where we stand.”

John leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Where we stand? You know where we stand, Celeste. I’ve been here. I’ve always been here.”

She shook her head, frustration bubbling up. “You’ve always been here? Really, John? What about the lies? The cheating? The way you come in and out of my life like it’s a revolving door?”

He flinched at her words but didn’t deny them. Instead, his expression hardened. “You always bring up the past, Celeste. Like I’m the only one who’s made mistakes.”

“I’m not saying I’m perfect,” she shot back, her voice rising slightly. “But I can’t keep doing this—this back and forth, never knowing where we are, what you want.”

John was silent for a moment, his eyes scanning her face as if searching for something. “What do you want, Celeste?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost vulnerable. “Do you even know?”

The question caught her off guard, and for a moment, she didn’t have an answer. What did she want? She had spent so long chasing after the idea of what she and John could be, but now, she wasn’t sure if that was enough anymore.

“I want...” she began, but the words got stuck in her throat. “I don’t know, John. I just know I can’t keep doing this. I need something real.”

John’s eyes darkened, and he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “And you think you’re going to get that with Jared?”

The mention of Jared’s name sent a jolt through her, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. Was that what this was about? Was Jared the reason she was questioning everything?

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jared,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “But I do know that I deserve more than this... whatever this is.”

John’s expression didn’t change, but she could see the hurt flash across his face before he quickly masked it. “Fine,” he said coldly. “If that’s how you feel, then I guess there’s nothing left to talk about.”

He stood abruptly, leaving his half-finished coffee on the table as he walked out of the café without another word. Celeste sat there for a long moment, staring at the door as it swung shut behind him.

She had wanted clarity, but instead, she was left with even more questions.

Back in her car, Celeste leaned her head against the steering wheel, her thoughts a mess of confusion. The conversation with John hadn’t gone the way she had hoped, but maybe that was the closure she needed. Maybe it was time to move on, to let go of the past and stop holding onto the idea of what she and John could have been.

But even as she tried to convince herself of that, Jared’s face appeared in her mind, the warmth of his words and the thoughtful sketchbook he had sent. It wasn’t as simple as moving on. Nothing ever was.