Page 164 of June First
I knew about their relationship, but not about the family fallout.
When she sees my face go white, Celeste adds, “Not that your situation is the same or anything. I’m sure your parents will be cool…assuming they don’t know yet?”
“No, they don’t know. I’m certain they’ll be anything but cool. This only started to escalate a few days ago, so I’ve hardly processed it myself.”
“Escalate?”
Her sandy-blond braid catches a sunbeam when she shifts in her chair, and I zone out for a moment, lost in the golden glints. I shake my head, blushing. “Well, um, we sort of, uh…”
She raises a perfectly shaded eyebrow.
“We slept together,” I choke. “Thursday night.”
Celeste’s lips pucker and she mouths a silent “oh.”
“I–it was completely unplanned. Shocking, really. He feels awful, and I feel…well, awful that he feels awful, and I suppose—”
“Was it good?”
Her words cut me short. I stare at her for a quiet moment, blinking, and I lick my lips, dipping my chin to my chest. “It was incredible.”
A smile spreads on her pretty face. “That’s my girl.”
I can’t help but laugh, while also dying inside of embarrassment.
“Listen, June…I’ve been a big part of your life for a while now, and trust me when I say that Brant is one in a million. He’s protective, he’s loyal, he’s kind. He would literally do anything for you. Plus he’s smokin’ hot.” She pops the final bite of cone into her mouth, taking a moment to chew. Then she finishes, “Honestly? The smartest thing I ever did was dare you to kiss him.”
“I’ll never forgive you for that.” I glare.
“Not only do you forgive me, but you thank me daily.” She winks, sitting up and leaning forward on her elbows. “Tread carefully. Delicately. Gen said her parents walked in on them having sex, so that sort of set the stage for an ugly breakdown. Don’t recommend that route.”
I cringe. “I assure you that’s not in the plan.”
My phone buzzes beside me on the table, and it’s almost as if my mother knew I was thinking about her.
Witchcraft.
Mom: Let me know which days you’re working this week. I’d love to schedule a shopping and lunch day! Xoxo, Mom
My stomach roils with dread as I swipe away the message.
“Brant?” Celeste inquires.
“My mother.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Well, I wish I had better advice for you. All I can say is follow your heart—knowing that there might be a few casualties along the way. You have to weigh the good and the bad,” she tells me. “No relationship comes without a fight, but it has to be worth fighting for. It has to be worth all the sacrifices you’ll inevitably have to make.”
Ice cream drips onto my hand, and I realize the whole thing has turned into a melty mess. I toss it into the trash can beside me and lick away the sticky remnants, stewing in Celeste’s words.
She interrupts my thought process a final time. “Tell me, June…do you actually want to give up on dancing, or does pursuing your dream make you feel like you’re giving up on him?”
My chest squeezes. “I miss dancing,” I admit, swallowing down the sting in my throat. “But…I know I’ll miss him so much more.”
“Maybe you need to fly free for a little while. You’ve spent your entire life tethered to him, too afraid to spread your wings. Maybe distance would be good for both of you.”
Anxiety pools in my gut at the mere thought of moving nearly one thousand miles away from Brant. “I can’t, Celeste. Brant and my parents are all I have left… I can’t just leave them.”
“They’re not all you have left.” Her hand reaches across the table, landing atop mine. She sends me a tender smile. “You still have you. And you matter, too. You matter a whole hell of a lot, okay?” Giving the back of my hand a gentle squeeze, she concludes, “Don’t forget about that girl I’ve grown to love like a sister. She has big dreams, and those dreams deserve the same consideration.”