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Frankly, Celeste did not want to be on this trip at all. To be stuck in a cramped Ferris wheel car with Kyoko of all people was even less desirable.
But Celestia Ludenberg was nothing if she was not adaptable. So when Kyoko asked her for a Ferris wheel ride before the evening and this dreadful class trip both came to an end, Celeste smiled politely and folded her hands over her lap as she sat herself in the passenger car.
Celeste hadn’t the faintest idea why Kyoko asked her to the Ferris wheel in the first place. They were not anything close to friends; Celeste wasn’t friends with any of her classmates, no matter what they tried to insist. Kyoko and her had shared a few cordial conversations and nothing more, though there was a subtle tension in each exchange that she was sure she had not imagined. She supposed it was fitting considering her reservations on revealing personal details of her life. Fitting, that is, that the detective would be incapable of keeping her vile, searching eyes off of Celeste. Detectives sought out liars, after all, and Celeste was the Queen of them.
Perhaps that was what this was. An investigation. An interrogation. Still, Kyoko had not said a word since the Ferris wheel started to move. It irked her.
Just as Celeste opened her mouth to make a meaningless comment to fill the silence, Kyoko spoke.
“The sky is…nice, this evening. Don’t you think?”
A nerve in Celeste’s cheek twitched imperceptibly. She paid it no mind and turned her attention to the sky Kyoko was admiring.
With the fall of the sun came an eye-searing orange that did nothing to please her and caused her to squint inelegantly. Celeste far preferred the hallowed beauty of twilight, of deep dark skies and the softly glowing moon. This was garish in comparison.
“Yes,” she agreed. “It is quite beautiful.”
Kyoko caught her eye, and although her lips remained a thin line, Celeste got the impression of amusement regardless. Why, she couldn’t say.
This was why Celeste could not comfortably enjoy Kyoko’s company. She knew that it was impossible for the girl to know anything about her, yet the way those lavender eyes seemed to see straight through her—it unnerved her. Her carefully crafted mask and the stories she’d woven all her life felt insufficient under Kyoko’s analytical gaze.
It was a foolish thought, she reminded herself, loosening the fist she’d unconsciously tightened. It was preposterous to think Kyoko knew her secrets simply because of a confident, collected poise. Because Celeste practiced the very same poise.
And she did not know Kyoko’s secrets.
All she knew for certain was that they existed. It takes one to know one, as the saying went, and though Kyoko fitted in with their class just fine on the surface, all friendship and fond smiles and obnoxious laughter…well. Celeste recognized the way she closed herself off at the strangest of times, bringing those gloved hands close to her chest as though to protect them. She took a perverse satisfaction in the thought that they weren’t so different, despite the way Kyoko might like to portray herself. Like she was so superior. As though she had nothing to hide.
The Ferris wheel car came close to its peak now. Celeste felt uneasy looking at the ground below, so she found herself in a staring competition of sorts with Kyoko. Never did she say she was a great fan of heights.
“How have you enjoyed the trip so far? I haven’t seen you around much,” Kyoko said.
Celeste hated the way it was asked so casually. She smoothed her hands over the length of her elaborate skirt. This girl…thought that she could intimidate her, clearly. Celeste would not allow such a thing.
“It has been…somewhat enjoyable.”
Kyoko laughed, a discordantly melodic sound, though she made a weak attempt to cover it with a hand. The Ferris wheel car reached its peak, and with it Celeste’s stomach lurched.
“Celeste,” Kyoko said, leftover laughter dancing in the depths of her eyes, “you’re full of lies.”
All of a sudden this car felt unbearably stifling. Celeste grinded her teeth, running her fingers over gunmetal plated rings to pacify herself. Composure—she needed composure.
She needed out.
“Wh-what ever do you mean?” she said, nearly losing control of the accent she’d perfected long ago.
Kyoko stroked her thumb and forefinger along a handsome jawline, with an easily maintained calm that Celeste coveted.
Everything about her was terribly vexing.
“You hate it here,” she smirked. Celeste’s fingers itched to slap it off of her face. “I think you can hardly wait for this Ferris wheel to reach the ground.”
There was a devious glint to her eyes, eyes that contrasted strikingly with pale skin. Celeste thought of vampires, her mind vain at the worst of times.
“That…may be true,” she gritted out, despising the admission since it came as a blow to her pride. “Still, what does it matter? It is unnecessary to point out a harmless white lie.”
The ground was coming close now, singing to Celeste its freedoms. She awaited it patiently. Kyoko’s smirk faltered, and she took the moment to revel in gaining back the upper hand.
But then Kyoko looked to the side with a faint sigh. “I don’t want you to be miserable when you should be having fun, Celeste. You…you’re one of my classmates, therefore one of my friends. The truth is, I just want to know why you feel like you have to wall yourself off from us.”
Celeste was horrified. Horrified and offended. Who exactly did she think she was?
The Ferris wheel came to a stop just when she couldn’t take it anymore, and Celeste failed to maintain grace as she wrenched herself out of the car. She turned back to sneer at Kyoko, who wore an expression of bewilderment. A lie. It had to be.
“Do not,” Celeste spat, “pretend to know anything about me when you are clueless. Clueless!”
She spun on her heel and left Kyoko sitting in the Ferris wheel car, blinking at her retreating figure.
Vexing, vexing, vexing.
It was surely for the best that Celeste didn’t look back, for if she did she would have seen that insufferable little twitch of a smile. As though Kyoko was unbothered, even mildly entertained by Celeste’s outburst.
And nothing more.