Book Club

-FIVE-

DANIEL'S POV

We sit in the library and discuss our progress in reading Eleanor and Park. To be honest, I haven't even started it yet. Which means I'll have to read a lot this weekend.

I watch Celia carefully. She has bags under her eyes and she looks like a mess, more than usual.

"Okay I can't take it anymore. I'm just gonna say it." I blurt out and turn to Celia. "You look and smell like your on crack. What's up?" I ask.

They roll their eyes and she scoffs, ready to snap at me.

"No I'm serious. You don't look good, and I've noticed you've been acting weird lately. What's going on?"

A look of panic flashes in her eyes but it's gone before I could really notice.

"These jokes are getting old Danny boy. It's not funny anymore. Actually, it never was funny." She says smoothly, but she's can't fool me.

I grab her arm and pull her away from the circle. I drag her all the way to the back of the libary, where the printers are.

"What the hell man?" She says angrily, rubbing her arm.

"Talk."

She crosses her arms and looks away, as if she's not going to reveal anything. But then her tough look seems to melt away and she starts talking.

"I'm not on drugs, okay?" She whispers.

"Then what are you on?" I ask.

She sighs awkwardly and uncrosses her arms. "Sleeping pills." She says.

"But not like in a bad way." She explains quickly. "I have insomnia. I need them."

I nod.

"Okay? Now please can we not talk about this again?" She asks.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry." I say and we head back to the circle.

CELIA'S POV

It's not just the insomnia that keeps me awake at night.

It's the nightmares.

Every time I close my eyes I see them and I see her and I see myself. I hear them yelling and her crying and my screaming.

Sometimes I'll wake up to Alec shaking me, and he'll tell me I was screaming in my sleep.

I wake up sweaty, shaking and panting. Once I wake up, I can't fall back asleep. I just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wanting this to stop.

"Celia, are you okay?" Flora asks and I realize I've been zoned out.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." I say and sip my drink.

"So do you guys like Eleanor and Park so far?" Flora asks, for the third time might I add.

"I love it." Chloe says breathlessly.

"It's pretty good." Eliot agrees.

"It's okay." I say. "You're right, it's not gross and cliche. It's just the right amount of cute." I add and then immediately gag.

"Ugh. I can't believe I just said that." I say to myself and they roll their eyes.

"It's true though." Eliot says. "It's realistic. Their lives aren't perfect, and it's nice. It's easy to relate to." He says and we nod our heads.

"You've been quiet." Flora says to Danny.

"Uh. Yeah...?"

"You haven't started the book yet, have you?" I ask him. He shakes his head and we laugh.