***NEED WORK

I ran for I don't know how long. I didn't really care where I ended up; I just had to keep on moving. My head was attacked by pain mercilessly as I pushed my physical limits. My legs were burning with cramps and my lungs felt as if it would explode. My heart was thudding loudly as if it would jump out of my chest. The speed of my sprinting made my hair billow out wildly, shaking shards of glass out of my scalp.

But I didn't care. I had to keep on running. My feet clapped loudly on the glistening pavement of the sidewalk as I continued to run. The sound seemed to bounce back and penetrate my hollow core. No matter how much I ran, though, I couldn't get away from my thoughts.

She had called me Celeste...I am no longer Cella...

I had lost her; she was the only thing I really cared for. And now, she hated me. Flawless pictures of Liana's face floated to the surface of my mind. Her angry glare burned into me even further, the blame in her eyes tearing at me.

There was a roll of thunder, and five seconds later, it started to rain. I stopped and tried to catch my breath under the streetlight. As I heaved for air, a metallic taste filled my mouth. The rain was washing away the blood on my face, some of it slipping through my lips. Quickly, I swiped the blood with the back of my sleeve. It stained my light shirt sleeve red. I looked down at the dark streak that seeped into the fabric.
Quickly, I rolled up my sleeves to hide it from view. It only told me all this was real.

Slowly, I started to walk down the street, still heaving for my breath. My cloths were completely drenched, the cold seeping down to my bones. But I was completely numb to any sensation. My mind replayed my last hour of hell and pain in vivid detail yet again. I shook my head hard, as if to shake out the images.
I did so a bit too harshly that pangs of pain started to drill through my brain, immediately erasing any traces of my personal torture. I bristled right away and stood still, waiting for the pain to reside. A realization dawned upon me--- I was starting to dread my mind's evil game. My mind, too, had seemed to have turned against me. I had no sanctuary left.

"Celeste?! Is that you?" a startled voice called out from somewhere behind me.

I wheeled around and saw a figure holding an umbrella. Quickly, I swiped the rain out of my eyes to see who it was. The figure came closer and stepped into the light.

Instantly, I relaxed and breathed out in half-relief.
"Oh my god, Bryce, you scared the living hell out of me!!"

I felt myself go into auto pilot as my classmate and close friend Bryce LaVerie step into the light. I heard myself laugh and felt my hand press over my heart. But the hollow feeling continued to swell tightly in my chest.

Amazing, I thought. After all that's happened, I can still hide and put on a show...

Bryce approached me with a light jog. His little puppy, Roxie, tagged along on a leash tied to his wrist in her little doggy raincoat. She looked up at me and started to wag her tail.
"Jesus, Celeste. You looked like a zombie from a distance." Bryce said.

Hmm, ironically, he’s not that far off.

He quickly pushed the umbrella above my head. I laughed again.
As if that was going to somehow help me.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm already soaked to the bone. An umbrella over my head won't do much now." I said, gently pushed the umbrella back towards him.
Bryce frowned, eyeing my suspiciously.
"What the hell are you doing out here at this time? It's dark, its rainy---"
"No, really? I didn't even notice." I retorted sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
Bryce looked down at me with a stern gaze.
"What are you doing out here all alone? And don't tell me you were out on a jog---in tight jeans and a long sleeved shirt." he pressed, ignoring my sarcasm completely.

He wasn't going to let go, was he? Curse his overly-observant, overly caring personality.
I wracked my brain for an excuse.

"I...I was...uh...um..." I stuttered.

Nothing came to mind.
Nothing... I suddenly became aware again of the hollow emptiness eating away like acid in my chest. Then, the pain came. Shit.
I closed my and tried to push the pain away.
Go away, go away!!! I cried in my mind.
But the pain stayed, prying through the barriers I built in between the dark secrets and the outside world.

"Hey...hey!! Celeste!! Are you okay?" His tone changed from annoyance to bewildered concern.

The umbrella slipped out of his grip and splashed into a dark puddle. Roxie let out a startled yelp.
Just leave me alone to rot... my miserable self thought.
My vision slipped for a second before refocusing, I was starting to feel nauseous. I felt Bryce grip my shoulders holding me straight.
"Celeste! Get a grip!" he cried out worriedly.

Hearing the panic in his voice cleared my head immediately. I forced myself to stand straight and laughed nervously. Gently, I brushed his hands off my shoulders.
"Bryce!! You need to get a grip. I'm fine!" I said, bending down to scoop up his umbrella.
I lifted it so it was hovering over both of our heads, just to make him feel better. Bryce looked at me suspiciously, and took the umbrella.
"I don't know. You looked like you were going to pass out just a second ago. You were scaring me," he said.
He studied me for a little longer.

His brows furrowed in deep thought. I stayed still, trying not to show anything. I started to feel the hollow pain ripping through my chest again. It sent chills deep into me, swallowing me in the terrifying cold. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms tightly around my ribs, as if to hold every part of me in and in place.

Of course, Bryce noticed.
"What is it?" he asked, soothingly calm.
"What's what?" I said innocently.
Bryce frowned.
"What are you hiding?" he asked.
A huge tidal wave of guilt washed over me as I looked up at his face. His light brown eyes were warm and kind, almost begging for me to talk.
"It's nothing, really." I mumbled.
I heard a sigh and saw Bryce step closer to me in the rain. I froze, not knowing what to think.
"I always knew, you know." he said.

A cold pang hit me square in the chest, almost knocking the air out of me.
What does he know?! I thought, feeling myself panic.
What does he think of me? Does he think I'm weak and pathetic?
Questions ran through my mind as I stayed stone still. I didn't really believe this was happening.
This was all unreal; it was a bad nightmare.

Bryce looked down at me, looking straight down into my eyes. I couldn't look away.
"I could always tell that you struggle everyday to laugh and smile. I could always tell that you make excuses when friends invite you to go out." he said.
He put a gentle hand on my crossed arms. The touch was warm, and I realized that I was freezing.
"I always knew that you were lying when you said 'Everything was alright.' I knew, just by looking at you, you were hiding something behind that smile."
He paused, and sighed.
"And even now, you look like you're afraid of something, but you won't admit it." he said, sounding a bit offended.

I was shocked at what I was hearing. Am I always that expressive?

"I'm not hiding anything, nor am I afraid." I said defiantly.
Bryce sighed and gave me a weary look. He was getting soaked in the rain too.
"Celeste," he said, stern but begging.
I pressed my lips together and bit my tongue.
"Celeste," he repeated, this time a bit sterner. "Tell me what you're keeping from everybody."
He untangled my arms from rib cage and pulled them towards him.
"Please?" he pleaded.

His hands slid down from my arms to my hand and gripped them. I felt something sharp dig in deeper into my left palm and I hissed out in pain. Just as I tried to yank my hand back, Bryce caught my wrist. He looked down at my hand and then at my face. His expression was confused and quizzical.

Slowly, he flipped my hand over, palm up.

There was a fragment of dark brown glass embedded into my palm, right below the index finger. It was making a mess, the blood mixing with the heavy rain drops that landed in my palm. But what was in my palm was obvious to tell.

It was a piece of a shattered beer bottle.

I felt cold dread come over me, making me dizzy. How was I going to explain this one?