“To dream about Cel—”
I elbowed him hard in the ribs and Kye choked out. “Celery, I was going to say celery.”
“Fucking idiot,” I murmured, hoping to get some shut-eye.
Because Celeste already haunted my life, I didn’t need her haunting my dreams too.
Celeste
I woketo the sound of knocking at my door.
“Come in,” I murmured, trying to force my eyes open. They were bleary with sleep, my muscles tired and achy.
I’d barely slept after Nate dropped me home and I snuck into the house only to find it empty. Max was nowhere to be seen as usual, and my parents were at some dinner party.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Dad said, poking his head inside.
“Hey.”
“Can we talk?”
“Did Mom send you?”
“I may be here to run interference, yes.” He sat on the end of my bed.
“At least you’re honest,” I said.
“She’s worried.”
“Because I cut class.”
“Because you’re acting out.” His brows pinched. “This isn’t you, sweetheart.”
“Maybe it is.” I shrugged. “Maybe I’m finally acting like the girl I’m supposed to be.”
His frown deepened. “Whatever do you mean?”
“It’s too much, Dad. The constant pressure. The looming weight of the future. I’m seventeen. What if I don’t know what I want to be yet or what I want to do? I feel like life is passing me by and I haven’t lived yet.”
“Celeste, sweetheart.” He chuckled softly. “You’re seventeen. You’re not supposed to have all the answers.”
“But Mom does. Both of you have always made it perfectly clear what you expect from me.”
“You’re right, we have.” His expression turned wistful. “Because your intelligence is a rare gift that will let you do great things one day. But greatness comes in many forms.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my dad?”
“I admit, I’ve had my eyes opened a lot lately.”
“Because of Harleigh.” The words caught on the lump in my throat.
He had changed for her.
Not for me or Max, or because he realized how suffocating his expectations were of us. He’s changed because he’d almost lost Harleigh again.
I didn’t know what to do with that.
I loved my sister so much, and I hated that she’d grown up with so much pain and uncertainty. But it had been easier to defend and believe in our relationship when she lived here.