Star Crossed Mates

Chapter 5

The next day we were woken up by loud banging coming from downstairs. I opened my eyes to the blinding sun shining through the blinds. I turned around and looked into those beautiful bright blue eyes I have come to love.

A banging on Aster's door made me realize the situation we were in. He got out of bed, unlocking the door. I sat up and saw Estella and Daniel standing right on the other side.

“Where is Celeste?” Estella looked between Aster and I.

“She’s in her room,” Aster said.

“No she isn’t,” Daniel said, furrowing his eyebrows, “her car is gone too”

“She was here last night,” I got out of bed.

“Why are you in here?” Estella asked.

I started to turn red at the memories of last night.

“She had a nightmare and couldn’t wake up Celeste so she came in here and fell asleep”

Estella burst into tears.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“There’s been an accident”

My heart dropped to my chest. I pushed past both Daniel and Estella, throwing Celeste’s door open. The bed sheets had been thrown over like she had gotten up in the middle of the night, but everything else seems to be in its normal place.

I felt like a dog chasing its own tail as I spun around the room examining every bit of it. I could hear the others behind me.

“She was here. She was right here!” I pointed at the bed.

Aster ran downstairs and out the door. I followed and we both began screaming her name.

“Excuse me?” An officer had come up to me, “may I ask you a few questions?”

I stared at him, feeling like I was guilty.

“Where were you last night from the hours of 12 am to 5 am?”

“I was here?” I answered more like a question then a statement.

“Can anyone vouch for that?”

“I can,” Aster said, placing a hand on my shoulder”

“And what is your relationship?”

“We’re friends. Neighbors. We grew up across the way from each other,” Aster answered.

“So you were close with Celeste?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Were either of you drinking the night before?”

“Celeste had been drinking I was the driver,” but Aster ended up bringing us home”

The officer examined me and then stared hard at my neck.

“Those are some pretty nasty bruises. How did you get them?”

“I was attacked last night at our senior bonfire”

“Is there anyone who can-“

“Her whole senior class was there,” Aster snapped, “Is my sister okay?”

“Son we’re trying to figure out if she wanted to hurt herself or if there is anyone who might have wanted to hurt her”

“No one would ever hurt her. She was such a loving person and cared for everyone,” I said.

“Is she alright!” Aster shouted, running his fingers through his hair.

“We don’t know”

“What the hell do you mean you don’t know?!”

“Aster!” Estella shouted, “What does that mean?” She asked.

“She still might be out there somewhere. And we’re going to do everything we can to find her”

How did this happen? In the blink of an eye I watched my best friend living her life and suddenly… she had disappeared. I just couldn’t make sense of it.

Aster’s hand left my shoulder as he stormed inside. I slowly headed back inside and back up to her room. The air felt heavy in here and made it almost unbearable.

I had grabbed my duffel bag of clothes and was pulling things out when a low deep voice echoed in the room.

“Get out”

I turned to see a dressed and very pissed Aster. He grabbed my bag and tossed it in the hall.

“I said get out”

“What the hell is your problem?!”

“I have to go find Celeste”

“And what do you think I’m going to do?”

“You’re going to go home”

“Like hell I am”

His chest was heaving furiously. I couldn’t understand what had happened in the few hours we had been together.

“Do you seriously think this is my fault?”

The undeniable look of recrimination on his face told me.

“She was my best friend”

“And you left her alone for some d**k!”

“You’re the one who wanted it to!” I shoved him hard.

“But you could’ve gotten out of my bed at any time. Pretty sure I made it obvious,” hs voice full of vexation.

I thought back to last night and there was no sign of him wanting to let go of me.

“Fine. I don’t ever want to see you again Aster Barlow,” I stomped out of the room and into the hall, picking up the pieces of clothing that had fallen out of my bag.

I took one last look at Aster. His eyes burning with pure hatred.

I didn’t want to leave him thinking I didn’t care about Celeste. I may hate him now, but Celeste is a good person and should have the whole town searching for her.

And they did. When word got out that Celeste was missing everyone got together and began combing the town. The search had gone on for two weeks. The graduation ceremony had come and gone and the valedictorian added to his speech that he hoped the town would continue the search for her.

I was out everyday and night. With hardly any sleep or food, trying to find her. It wasn’t until week 3 that they decided to call off the search.

It was amazing how fast the people of Loyal suddenly became unloyal. Everywhere I would go I could feel their accusatory eyes on me. Rumors had begun to spread. The least flattering one was that I had hurt Celeste and crashed her car to make it seem like an accident. But Aster had started his own rumor to give me an alibi which was he dropped me off at a guys house where I had spent the night to get laid.

It was hard for me to even step out of the house anymore because no matter where I would go I would get yelled at or taunted with the same question, ‘what did you do to Celeste?’

My parents knew I would never hurt her. And supported me as much as possible. Same went for Estella and Daniel. They too agreed that this was not something I was capable of and tried their best to squash these sickening rumors.

In such a short amount of time I felt my life slip away from me. I felt my only option was to move away and get a fresh start. My parents agreed and helped me prepare for the biggest transition of my life. I found a small apartment near the coast and got a job as a waitress. At the nearest restaurant.

I packed up my car with the few things I had and took off without saying goodbye to anyone. I knew the longer I stayed the harder it would be for me to leave.

I told my parents that I would be looking into colleges while I was there, but I had no intention of going back to school. All my plans felt unappealing now. How could I continue my life when I didn’t know if Celeste was still living hers.