TRAPPED

36

Celine

I go upstairs to get ready. I turn music on, letting it blast as I dot concealer beneath my eyes to hide the heavy bags. Just because I am sick, it doesn't mean I have to look sick. I don't want people to feel bad for me.

     The door opens, and I snap my eyes over to it. Julien is standing in the doorway. He furrows his eyebrows. "What're you doing?"

     "I'm bored, I wanted to do my makeup."

     "Oh." He replies. "Okay. I'm going out."

     I nod, "alright. Bye."

     He smiles. "Bye. I'll see you later." He walks over as he talks, planting a kiss in my hair before leaving. When the door closes, I return my attention to my mirror and put two mirrored lines of contour along my cheekbones.

     Riley calls me, and I answer it.

     "I'm outside!" She whisper shouts into the phone.

     "Okay, hang on!" I reply, blending the rest of my makeup and finishing it off quickly. I talk to her as I get changed, then go over to my window.

     Riley is on the ground. There was a ladder against the wall, so she puts that up by the window and holds it as I climb down.

     I laugh. She grabs onto my hand and drags me through the open back gate. We keep it unlocked so I can get back, then go to the park.

Later That Night

My head spins as I lean back on the grass, looking up at the stars. I let out a small laugh, unable to hold any sounds back from leaving my mouth. It's like somebody has taken over my body.

One of Riley's friends, Joel leans down beside me. He's older, I think. I can't remember. She introduced me to loads of people when we got here.

"Celine," he whispers. "You good?"

I cough. He helps me sit up, then pulls me up into a standing position. He leans forward to grab the bottle of water a few feet away from us, taking longer than necessary to retrieve it. He curls an arm around my shoulders to stabilise me as he lifts the drink up to my mouth, tilting my head back.

I grimace at the taste. I pull away, but he pushes it back to my lips. "You need water, I think you drank a bit too much."

I shake my head, and he pulls the bottle down. I clench my eyes shut, and when I reopen them my vision is entirely blurred.

"I—"

"Celine!" Riley shouts. "Come over here!"

Joel helps me stagger over to them. Riley pulls me away, letting me lean on her as she talks. I can't understand what she's saying, though.

"Celine?" She whispers.

I let out another high pitched, short laugh. Concern furrows her brows. "Come on." She says, beginning to lead me toward the exit of the park.

"I don't feel well.." I choke out.

"It's okay, I'm gonna take you back to your house." She whispers. "Has anybody realised you're gone?"

I messaged the family group chat before I left and told them I was going to sleep and not to wake me up. I also stuffed pillows under my duvet so it would look like somebody was there. Hopefully nobody's checked.

I shake my head.

"Okay. I'll just sneak you back in."

Halfway home, I have to stop to sit down on a bench. I lean my head on Riley's shoulder, tiredness overwhelming me.