Precedents to Reassurance
1568 Words
Chapter 33
Hesitant to meet Lucia again, I still forced myself to. I should just hang out with friends in the pub if I solely wanted to avoid Celine not getting involved with someone unwillingly. It's heavy. Not the ambience where aesthetic colours of pastel blue, pink and purple were set up by the café as a theme rather deep inside me in which I couldn't enjoy the incredible scenery.
As my lips touched the glass of Americano cocktail, the bitter taste only made it worse. I leaned on the chair again.
"Are you okay, Sir?" I looked at Lucia.
"Yes. Ah, sorry, I was thinking of some things."
I gazed away with a brush on the strands of my hair, blocking the front view of the beverage. I was not in the mood. The phone on the table lit up, and I saw a new message from Celine. Her message included only my name. Thinking about what to reply first, this was unusual.
Message
Seth: Yeah?
She didn't reply. What the hell?
Win called me over to visit the company as I needed to sign papers. As an excuse to leave the place with Lucia, I agreed with him, putting the company first rather than a woman, another unusual s**t.
Message
Seth: I'm sorry. I'm just not in the mood lately.
Lucia: It's okay, sir. You can drink the tea I gave to you so you can relax.
Seth: Okay. Thanks
Lucia: Welcome, Sir
Seth: Call me, Seth. I want you to get used to it.
I slowly covered my nose with my hands and touched the top bridge whilst a deep breath escaped.
Hoping not to see Celine anymore, I wanted her to disappear from everything I did. It was the best thing to do for the two of us.
A week later, it's comfortable to be with Lucia. She even introduced me to her whole family. I felt so welcome. She had great support, which made us quickly get closer to each other. Although, no malice. It's worth the time, but I was not content—something was missing.
"Seth!" I looked up at Win, who shouted as he went inside my office.
"Why are you shouting??"
"What, you didn't know? Celine's in the hospital!"
I immediately set aside everything I was doing and hurried to see her. Uneasy, my heartbeat's not helping me to calm down. "Damn it!" I hit the steering wheel as the red light stopped me. The reason I didn't want to get far away from her, yet, she refused to come with me to Europe.
I saw her older sister, Rose, talking to a nurse. Her eyes widened when she saw me. I panted as I stood in front of her.
"Where's she?" She stared at me for a while before she replied,
"Sleeping." I breathed out in relief.
"I wanna see her." I went inside her room and watched how she slept. I bit the back of my lips and smiled a little. I missed this girl. I hadn't bothered her to eat out with me, thus behind the opportunity I had in mind if she came with me to Europe, as she refused me for a reason her family needed her. It's been almost a month.
Rose entered the room. She probed, "How did you know?"
"Win told me." My eyebrows twitched, and I gazed at her. "You didn't know she was feeling sick when she drove?"
"Ha? She didn't tell me anything. I didn't know where she was at that time. So stubborn, I wished I hadn't taught her how to drive."
"Then why don't you stop her from driving?"
"Yeah, temporarily. If mom finds out, but since it's part of our business to go out a lot."
"You're talking like this' nothing to you."
"Look who's talking. Why are you here anyway? You don't have to bother yourself. You're just wasting your time." I thought of why she spoke to me as if it was my fault and it was not my business.
"What are you talking about, Rose?"
"Nothing," she answered. I gazed at Celine. There was a deep cut on the left side of her forehead and a bruise on her arm. "She's okay. She's gonna get mad if she sees you." I eyed Rose, surprised by what she said.
"What?" She turned to Celine.
"She doesn't wanna see you. Did you fight? Last night she told me, so it's surprising to see you here."
"Why did she say that?" She shrugged and faced me.
"I don't know. Celine's like that, never changing, keeping what she feels all to herself." I waited for Celine to wake up. When she woke up, she just stared at me, and I couldn't say a word. I only stared at her too.
"W, why are you here?" she asked a little low and scanned the room. "Uh, sis," she mumbled.
"She talked to someone on the phone." She evaded my stare. "Why are you driving when you know you're not feeling well?" She didn't respond. I clicked my tongue. "Hey, I'm talking to you, lady!"
"It's none of your business." I scoffed hard. Damn it. I wouldn't come here if she was nothing to me.
"You, do you think this is fine with me??" Calm down, Seth. I took a deep breath and stood up. She's not speaking. "Why are you acting like this? Why don't you wanna see me anymore, huh?" She closed her eyes.
"Not now, please." My heart pounded, I bit my lip as it trembled. Turning around not to show my weakness that she created, composing myself. I uttered,
"Damn you, Celine. You think your actions aren't important? You, you didn't even consider my feelings."
"W, why would, why would I? I don't wanna disturb you," her voice broke, it cleared the heaviness inside, the feelings of a specific person towards my behaviour I yearned to hear.
Since I left without his consent, my dad called me to the office for a VIP meeting.
"I will come back here. Do you want anything? Just let me know."
Celine didn't respond to me, solely staring somewhere else. I clenched my fist. How did it end up like this? Not ready to get in a fight with her, I couldn't bring up the matter of her refusal to go to Europe.
While at the meeting, I couldn't concentrate. I wished to be with Celine quickly. I needed to solve these feelings between us. It wasn't what I expected; this wasn't what I'd imagined. If she already had feelings for me, why was she hesitating about whether this opportunity could help her family?
"Say, is it okay if I find some men that will date, Celine?" Eyes darted at the wide eyes of Rose.
"What are you saying?"
"You see, Celine is bisexual. She's fine with men and women, but that's the crucial part, and that will take her a lot of time to choose what partner she truly wants."
"So? Ah, you want to support her about that?"
"Yeah." I nodded in half reluctance and acknowledgement. Rose laughed and tapped me on the shoulder.
"Why are you asking me?"
"C-cause I don't know. You know Celine, she's kinda weird sometimes that I can't read her." She laughed.
"I don't know anymore. Go make sure not to do something that will harm Ceng. I trust you." I smiled.
Time passed by, Rose asked me if I could switch over with her tonight. She had to bring clothes for Celine, though I had an early meeting tomorrow, yet not a single word to retort back.
I stared at Celine as she stared at me. I breathed silently and sat beside her on the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Why are you still here?"
"'Cause I wanna take care of you, you dummy. Are you hungry?" Rose giggled.
"I'll leave now," she said and walked to the door. I stood up immediately.
"No, Rose! Stay here!"
"Why? Are you shy?" Rose laughed and closed the door.
"What do you mean I can't get shy," I mumbled.
"Sis is crazy," uttered Celine, intending to sit up. I guided her.
"Are you okay?" She nodded.
"Ugh, water." I poured a glass of water into a paper cup and handed it to her.
"Do you like to eat? I've got some fruits here you'd like." She ate the strawberries. I smiled, watching her.
"Don't you have a schedule?" Celine inquired.
"None, I. Well, I have business later, but yeah, it's not that important." I put some of her hair at the back of her ear. "You look pale. You need to take a lot of rest."
"Serious?" I smiled and nodded a little. She sighed. "I'll make your food with the needed vitamins and protein. You only need to get well soon."
"Okay." I chuckled. Damn, I wanted to be sweet to her!
Crap these feelings. I had this feeling I needed to be caring and sweet and loving.
I looked away to control my emotions. I softly asked, "Can I sit next to you?" Her eyebrows furrowed at me.
"Why are you asking permission? You've been doing it all the time."
Yeah, we were so close before, which I forgot because I insisted on avoiding her.
I moved up to the bed, sitting behind her. "Move over a little. It's cramped."
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