Celeste

Hello guys, I'm Celeste Fayeni. My mornings? Let’s just say, they’re always interesting.

Take today, for example. On my way to school, I dodge potholes like it’s some kind of real-life obstacle course. My shoes splash through puddles, but I don’t care. I help a couple of younger kids cross the road, weaving through the busy street, feeling like a hero. Then it happens—right before I reach the other side, I trip and fall. Flat on my face.

No one notices, of course. No one ever does. I get up, my knee stinging with a fresh scratch, and I limp toward school, gripping my bag strap as if it’ll keep me from falling apart.

And things like this? They hurt me. But who cares?

As if my morning wasn’t chaotic enough, I hop on the wrong bus. By the time I realize, it’s too late. My heart sinks. Great. Now I have to make a dramatic exit at the next stop and sprint like my life depends on it. When I finally reach school, I’m already late. I rush through the hallway, my footsteps echoing, but it’s pointless. Everyone’s in class.

As soon as I walk in, the entire room freezes. Mrs. Valentino, our history teacher, doesn’t even wait a second before zeroing in on me. “Why are you late, Fayeni?” she asks, her French accent thick and sharp.

“I’m sorry, ma. I took the wrong bus,” I mutter, trying not to crumble under her gaze.

The class erupts into laughter. Of course, it’s Hayvin and Aria who laugh the loudest, their voices piercing through the room.

“How long did it take you to realize, Celeste?” Hayvin sneers.

“Poor thing, she probably enjoyed the ride!”Aria chimes in, and they’re at it again, their laughter ringing in my ears.

“That’s enough!” Mrs. Valentino snaps, cutting them off. “Sit down!” she commands, and I do, forcing my face to stay neutral. Inside? I’m humiliated. But I never let them see it.

I sit quietly, pulling out my notebook, and jotting down notes as if nothing happened. But it hurts—events like this humiliate me.

At break time, everyone rushes to the notice board to check our results from the previous term. I don’t bother—I'm used to this drill. I’ve always been at the top, but today, when I see my name, I freeze. Straight A’s in all my subjects… except English. An F9. It stings. I should be used to it by now, but still, it feels like a punch to the gut. The laughter and teasing from earlier replay in my mind, and suddenly, a tear rolls down my cheek before I can stop it.

“Wow, look at Celeste,” I hear Owen, one of my classmates, whispering to his girlfriend, Yara.

“What about her?” Yara hisses, clearly annoyed.

“Shouldn’t she be happy? She’s the top student again. I wonder how she keeps that straight face all the time,” Owen murmurs, almost like he’s praising me. But I know better. They never understand.

“She’s a witch, nothing more,” Hayvin’s voice cuts through the crowd. I don’t even glance her way. Instead, I just walk away.

People think I’m fine. They assume I’ve got it all together. But the truth is? I’m not fine. Not even close.

As I stand off to the side, clicking my pen absently, someone walks up to me. I glance up and my eyes land on a tall figure with blue eyes and a clean-cut face. "Oh… You must be Celeste," he says with a smile, his American accent smooth. I immediately tense up, hiding my hands behind my back.

"I’m Mr. Rowan Dominic," he continues, "your new English teacher."

I stay silent, frowning at him, but he just smiles like he’s not bothered. “I’ve gone through your scripts. You’re smart, but I know you can do better. I think with a little extra effort, you’d be exceptional.”

I stop clicking my pen.

"How about some extra lessons?" he suggests casually, "Meet me after school in the staff room, okay? I’ll be expecting you."

Before I can react, Owen’s voice breaks through the awkward moment. “Isn’t that Mr. Dominic?” he gasps, drawing the attention of the others.

"Why’s he talking to her?" Hayvin hisses, her eyes burning with jealousy.

I watch as the girls around swoon over his cologne, his power bike, his everything. "He's so cool," Aria gushes.

“You students are cooler,” Mr. Dominic replies, winking before walking away, leaving everyone blushing—except me. I just turn around and head back to class, the weight of his words settling over me.

Extra lessons? Why would he bother with me? And why is everyone acting like I’m invisible until he shows up?

Maybe… just maybe, he sees something in me that I don’t. But then again, what if he’s wrong?

I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

***
Hello dearest reader,

This novel might have short chapters so bear with me. What do you think about the characters? Drop a comment below❤️