AGAIN || MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE /Charles Leclerc/

Chapter 10

Celine

Now

I feel completely dizzy, nothing compared to the pain in my chest, but my head won't stop pounding.
An annoying light beats against the bed. I don't remember much about last night, but I only need a moment, after opening my eyes, to understand that this is not my best friend's house. Was I kidnapped while I was drunk? I really should stop drinking so much!

I get out of bed and take a look around. It's a very large room, the luxury furniture perfectly matches the color of the walls: a large wardrobe, a large desk and a mirror take up most of the space. When I see myself in the mirror I realize that I am wearing a man's sweatshirt that falls long on my hips, and has a familiar look.

While I am absorbed in my thoughts a voice comes from beyond the door.

"Celine, are you awake?" I immediately relax, hearing Liam's voice; I wasn't kidnapped, that's a good place to start.

I smile at my stupidity and walk towards the door, opening it.

"Yes, I'm..." I stop, finding myself face to face with the brunette, inches apart. We both smile trying to hide the embarrassment, but neither of us moves away, Liam in fact decides to get closer to me and intertwine me in a hug.

"You had me worried last night." His tone is serious, I can sense how his smile is gone.

"I don't remember much, to be honest, just calling someone... you apparently."

I'm ashamed of myself. I met a boy just over twenty-four hours ago and abandoned him on a dance floor, just to call him - by mistake - to save me from an alcohol-coma. If it's true that first impressions are the most important, I'm done for.

"I found you crying on the bathroom floor at Twiga, I lifted you but before we made it to the car you threw up all your drinks." It was even worse than I expected.

I turn around, in total embarrassment and think that if I'd stayed in New York all of this wouldn't have happened, I would now be in a compulsive shopping session with Bruce and not crying in a stranger's house.

"Please don't cry Cel, you're safe here, you're fine." Easy to say, he's not the one who made fun of himself. I shake my head.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have babysitted me..." His palms rest on my cheeks and dry a few tears.

"What should I have done? Leave you puking in a nightclub bathroom?" Yes, what could he've done?

I close my eyes, resting my head on his chest, silently thanking him.

Then his lips rest on my forehead with exceptional sweetness. For the first time since I returned I finally feel at ease, safe. Finally someone's really interested in me, finally someone's ready to save me.

Our moment is interrupted by my stomach starting to growl.

"I bet someone's hungry."
Liam tells me, making me smile and, holding my hand, we head towards the kitchen.

Beyond the bedroom door there's a large open space with some windows overlooking the pier.

"I like this place." I state as I sit on a stools in the kitchen.

"Have you lived here long?" Liam takes some milk out of the fridge and puts it in a cup before turning his attention to my question.

"Yeah, here's the thing, this is not my apartment." A strange feeling grows in me, and my gaze instinctively goes to the hoodie I'm wearing.

"I put the hoodie on you because you got dirty, it's Charles's... as is the house." I miss a beat, maybe two.

I'm in Charles' house. I'm wearing his hoodie, the one I gave him when we were together. That's why I felt like it was familiar. Good thing I had to avoid him.

"You're joking, right? You didn't really take me to his house!"

I let out a hysterical laugh, running my hands through my hair.

It's not possible, it's not really happening.

"It's not that I didn't want to bring you to mine, clearly."

He tries to make me understand, taking the cup out of the microwave and placing it in front of me with some biscuits.

"I forgot my keys, the spare ones are at my parents', I couldn't wake them up at four in the morning."

I won't drink that milk. I can't breathe. One more word and I could actually vomit because I'm nervous.

"Charles is on his way anyway, just to see how you're doing, since he's the one you talked to last night."

Now this is definitely bad news, I spoke to Charles and I didn't even realize it. I can't stay here a second longer. I can't risk seeing him and having to face him in his house.

"I have to go." I'm starting to panic. Liam tries to stop me, to understand what's happening. I'm probably ridiculous right now, but I don't care. I've suffered enough, I have to keep the last good bits that are left of me.

"Celine, wait five minutes, he'll come to say hello and then I promise I'll take you home right away." No, no, no.

Someone rings the doorbell and my eyes widen, it feels like a deja-vu. Only Alexandra's missing and then we'll have the exact reproduction of the day at the bookshop.

The blond boy opens the door, and thank goodness there's an elderly lady on the landing who needs help to move some boxes into her apartment.

It's time to go, I put on my shoes and I don't even think about picking up my dirty dress. I grab my bag and stop once I reach Liam.

"I really need to leave before he gets here." His look's confused, perhaps disappointed.

Before finally leaving the door I turn around and without waiting any more, I place my lips on his.

He needs a few moments to understand what's happening, maybe I made a mistake.
But then his hands rest gently on my cheeks, our breaths mix and I feel my body burning.

His lips return to mine first slowly and gently, then with more voracity, perfectly accompanying the increasingly beat of my heart.

I bring my body closer to him, our chests meet and a moan escapes Liam's. The kiss becomes intense, he gently pushes me against the door and raises a hand in my hair, gently tilting my head.

But when I feel his tongue asking for access to my mouth I understand that we have to stop, and I'm grateful that the lady is coming back.

We break away in time, and burst out laughing when the neighbor realizes she just interrupted an intimate moment.

"I really have to go now. Thanks for everything Liam." I'm sincere, but his expression's changed.

"Why does it sound like some kind of goodbye?"
Have I ever said that my romantic communication skills are terrible? Here's the proof.

"Actually I would have written to you in a few hours, but well if this was a goodbye kiss..." I try to laugh it off, and luckily he understands.

"If you don't I'll come straight to you."

I'm finally out of that apartment, no sight of Charles.

Also this time I managed to avoid my past, even if, sooner or later, I'll have to face it.

The elevator finally arrives, I enter the small cabin and greet the boy in the doorway with a final wave of my hand as the doors close.