Chapter 38

Celeste

The throbbing in my head was my first clue that last night had been a bit too wild, even if it was just a private dance party of one.

My room was in a state of disarray, with empty bottles and discarded clothes scattered around like confetti. As I groggily sat up, fragments of the night’s escapades flashed through my mind. I remembered considering something about Matt… unblocking him?

A sense of urgency washed over me, and I practically lunged for my phone on the nightstand. Scrolling through my contacts, I finally landed on Matt’s name. Blocked. The only notification on my phone was from Fiona: “Good job, dancer girl! I hope you’re excited for your first day of practice, and you’d better be getting coffee with me afterwards to tell me all about it!”

A rush of relief coursed through me. Thankfully, my drunken self hadn’t done anything too regrettable.

I pushed the covers aside, the cool morning air refreshing against my skin. Jack’s room was eerily silent, which meant he still hadn’t come back home. It wasn’t uncommon, though, for him to not come home after a date. But I still couldn’t shake the memory of his car veering in the opposite direction than it normally did.

However, today was my first day of dance practice. I wanted to make a good impression, so I decided to cast any distractions out of my mind and focus on getting ready.

Rummaging through the kitchen, I settled for a simple breakfast—toast with avocado and a steaming cup of black coffee. The caffeine gradually cleared the remaining fog from my brain, sharpening my senses.

I decided to wear another pair of my new workout leggings and a loose tank top, hoping it would boost my confidence a little. My reflection in the mirror showed a determined face, but I knew the turmoil that lay beneath.

Before I left, green contact lenses in, hat covering my hair, and my mask in my hand, I took a deep breath and reminded myself of the strength I had within.

…

The vibrant energy of the dance studio was infectious. I looked around, absorbing the mirrored walls reflecting back the eager faces of girls in bright workout clothes.

But even as the energy thrummed around me, a sense of trepidation settled deep in my chest. I wore my disguise carefully today—my trusty mask and contacts that hid my real identity from the world.

“Alright, ladies, let's warm up!” The team captain shouted.

I fell into line, following the steps and routines. To my surprise, I found that I was actually keeping up pretty well. It was exhilarating. I felt alive, my muscles stretching and contracting in ways they hadn’t before.

During a break, a couple of girls came over. “Hey, you’re new right?” one of them asked, a warm smile on her face. She was tall and blonde, and very pretty. “I’m Jessica.”

I nodded, trying to keep my breathing steady. “Yeah, I am. First day.”

The other girl, petite with long black hair, cocked her head to the side. “I’m Lori. What’s your name?”

“Um… I’m… Rose,” I lied, forcing a smile.

Jessica and Lori looked at each other, then at me. I could feel their eyes lingering on my mask, taking it in. I felt my heart start to rise into my throat as I wondered what they were thinking.

“Cool mask,” Lori said. “Where’d you get it?”

My heart lowered itself back into its rightful place. “I got it at the art supply store in town,” I said.

“Well,it’s cool!” Jessica chimed in, putting her arm around Lori’s shoulders. “I want one.”

It wasn’t long before I finally recognized the two girls standing in front of me. They were friends with Nina and Enzo; I knew that I had seen them around before.

They were both seniors, and explained how Jessica wanted to try something new for their last year in college, so they joined the dance team together. Lori, ever the supportive girlfriend, went along for the ride.

Soon, we were chatting about everything from dance routines to our favorite movies.

Yet, even as we laughed and shared, a pang of sadness settled deep within me. Would they like the real Celeste? The one without the mask? The thought gnawed at my self-esteem, causing me to second-guess every step I took and every word I spoke.

After a particularly grueling practice, I waited patiently for the other girls to change, using the opportunity to retreat to a bathroom stall. I quickly changed out of my workout clothes, carefully packing my mask and disguise into my backpack, and donned my usual baggy attire. I waited for what felt like an eternity, ensuring that all the other girls had left before I made my move.

But as I was sneaking out, fate had other plans.

I bumped into someone, the impact causing my bag to spill open, the mask dangerously close to falling out. My heart stopped.

“Watch where you’re going,” the all-too-familiar voice of Sabrina sneered.

Before I could react, she had grabbed my jacket, pulling me close, her eyes narrowing. “There's no need to hide it,” she whispered, her voice dripping with malicious glee. “I know all about your little secret.”

Panic gripped me. “Please, Sabrina,” I begged, my voice trembling. “You can’t tell anyone.”

A cruel smile spread across her face. “Oh, I won’t. But it’ll cost you. From now on, you’re my little servant. My errand girl. Do as I say, and maybe, just maybe, I won’t spill your precious secret.”

I felt the weight of her words pressing down on me. “Fine, I’ll do whatever you want,” I said, with little to no hesitation. “Just... don’t tell anyone. Alright?”

Sabrina’s grin widened, and she produced a bundle of incredibly revealing workout clothes from her gym locker that reeked of sweat. “You can start with these. They need to be dry-cleaned. Don’t mess it up.”

Feeling defeated and belittled, I took the bundle, nodding meekly. Sabrina sauntered off, leaving me standing there, trying to process what had just transpired.

…

A little while later, before meeting Fiona for coffee, I hesitated outside the dry cleaner’s shop with Sabrina’s clothes bundled tightly in my hands. I steeled myself, stepping inside and approaching the counter, but as I was about to hand over the clothes, I froze.

Matt was just coming out, his piercing gaze landing on me. “Celeste? What are you doing here?”

I fumbled for an answer, my eyes darting down to the clothes in my hands, and then back to his inquiring face. He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t seem like the type to wear clothes like that.”

My eyes widened as we both stared down at the clothes. They were all bright pinks and purples, skimpy sports bras, cropped jackets, and booty shorts.

He was right; while I was trying to dress outside of my comfort zone, these were not clothes that I would ever wear—and it wasn’t just because they literally didn’t belong to me.

Scrambling for a response, I managed to come up with a reply. “Oh, they're not mine. Just... helping a friend out.”

Matt raised an eyebrow but didn’t push further. Instead, he just nodded. “Right. See you around, Celeste.”

I watched him leave, the weight on my chest finally lifting as I exhaled deeply. Every encounter with him was a rollercoaster, the highs of his attention matched only by the lows of my own insecurities and secrets.

But for now, all I could focus on was my new reality: I was now a servant to Sabrina’s whims, all to protect a secret that was slowly consuming me.

What had I gotten myself into? And how much worse could it get?