Chapter 1: I Hate You

All her life, she always hated him. No matter what he did, her feelings towards him remained unchanged. Despite the fact that, they knew each other since they were just kids, thats what she always felt towards him: hatred.

It wasnt always that way though. But after a certain incident between them, their growing friendship was all torn down.

Thus, Celestine hated Nick to the bone ever since childhood. It all started when they were at the age of six. It was summer and due to the increasing temperature, the two, accompanied by their families were brought to the park, hopng to cool off a bit. With Celeste, was her precious and most beloved pet dog, a furry, white Shitzu, named Bubbles. While their parents were chattering at a bench, Celeste decided to take a stroll with her precious dog when Nick approached her.

"Where are you going?" He asked her.

"Anywhere," she had replied.

"Here let me take that," the voy offered reaching for the dog's leash, which Celeste stubbornly thrusted away from him.

"No," she refused. Her answer somehow frustrated the boy, his sapphire blue eyes showing signs of impatience. But he tried to maintain his compoasure, so as to get what he wished for. They strolled down the park a while longer when Nick repeated his question.

"May I?" He offered, looking hopefully this time.

Celeste gave him a pityful look and finally gave in.

"Alright," she sighed. "Be sure to take good care of her," she added. She gave him the leash and watched the two of them stroll down the park. She wanted to keep her eyes on them just in case something happened when she heard her mother call for her. She had no choice but to turn around and answer her queries of her. She was so busy conveesing with hee mother that she almost ignored the loud screaming that deafened almost the entire park. All heads turned, including hers to face car accident. The screaming came from the driver, a young lady looking completely flustered, in front of none other than Nick! And in between the two them was Bubbes, lying peacefully on the road, the sun hitting her soft gentle fur.

Celeste gasped and ran towards them. And what happened next was that they brought her dear pet to the vet to find that it was to late. Of course, Nick was scolded harshly. But despite their loss, Celeste's parenta forgave him eventually. Except her. That incident was always in he heart. Every time they locked eyes, Nick could read her anger almost immediately. He sincerely apologized to her for being so careless, but she woùld spare no time to hear about it.

Seeing he could do nothing about her, he let her be...but deep down he still felt guilty.

Nevertheless, despite the children's silent conflicts, their parents still remained as good friends. So they often saw each other, which was always a dissapointment for Celeste who disliked all these occasion where she saw him. Especially at school.

Nick had been one of the school's well preforming students in both academics and in sports. Thus it made him very famous in school. For his popularity, evryone often talked about him, even her closest friends, which annoyed her a bit. Though how much she hated him, she never told anyone that she did. For in everyone's eyes, he was perfect.

For everyone he was a very talented and responsible child.

RESPONSIBLE.

She thought in a mocking tone when she once again heard her friends chattering about him at lunch.

If only they knew he couldnt even protect a dog's life, maybe they might swallow their thought of him as someone RESPONSIBLE.

She rolled her eyes as she finished the remains of her lunch.

She stood up rather rudely and walked out of the cafeteria. Earlier, she had plans of buying an extra bag of cookies for desert. But at the mention of his name, she instantly lost her apetite.

Walking down the hallway, she almost stopped in her tracks when she saw the one person who she wanted to avoid the most.

Nick was leaning against his locker, talking to hia friends when he caught a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye.

Suddenly, all his guilt washed him once again. It was always like this. Everytime he saw her, all the guilt he felt would somehow make its way back to him.

Celeste wanted to walk in the other direction but suddenly stopped herself. She knew, though no one knew of their conflicts, it would make her appear as a coward in front of him. So she had no other option but hurriedly walked past him. When she did, she let out a satisfied sigh of relief. Finally.

As much as possible, she wanted to avoid him. And it was much more harder doing so since they were in the same class. Gladly they sat far away from each other. Making her way to the classroom, she didnt catch the glance Nick gave her upon her exit.

Seeing her go, he once again focused on his on going conversation when he realized that his companions had all stopped talking and had followed his glance.

"Celeste?" One of his friends, Jayden, said turning his gaze back to him.

All of them gave him suspicious look, one he tried to avoid.

"Dont get a wrong idea," he muttered breaking their glassy stare.

Though they were curious they brushed the thought away and talked about something elsè.

But as they talked, there was one thing for sure that stayed constant in his mind: she hated him.

He had thought that as they grew up, her feelings towards him would easen up a bit. But he was wrong. Her hatred grew worse and worse by the minute. He had alked to her once in a while these days, but in a less nicer manner and, instead in a bullying way. No matter how hard she tried to ignore him, he always found the right words to irritate her and, alas, catch her attention. There were times when he' be satisfied to see her face red from rage but there were times when he'd regret it, due to what he had done in the past.

Though he had tried so hard to forget such incident, each sight of her reminded hìm of the bitter memories of being at fault to her.

Hate is all you have for me, eh, Celeste?