Celeste Mitchell

The universe was fucking with him. Felix Ryder was sure he was hallucinating when Celeste Mitchell walked into his office building. There was no dizziness or vision shimmer, just Celeste -- the lifestyle guru he often scrolled past at 2 AM -- entering Techwave Solutions with confidence and a hint of perfume.

"I'm here for the wellness consultation," she told the receptionist, her voice familiar from countless meditation videos Felix had listened to.

Felix froze, nearly spilling his coffee. He'd recognize her honey-blonde hair anywhere. Their eyes met, and for a brief, impossible moment, Celeste Mitchell -- 2.3 million followers and the star of his wildest fantasies -- looked right at him. She smiled, a small, professional curve of her lips that probably meant nothing.

Felix's brain short-circuited.

"Excuse me," he mumbled to no one in particular, nearly colliding with the security guard as he made his escape to the elevator.

Safe in his cubicle, Felix frantically updated his spreadsheet. Under "Displacement Event," he typed "NONE??" followed by "Celeste Mitchell" under "Subject." In the "Emotional Significance" column, he hesitated before typing "Embarrassing celebrity crush."

"Dude, did you see?" Raj leaned over the partition, eyes wide. "Celeste Mitchell is doing some wellness thing with HR today. The Celeste Mitchell."

"Really?" Felix feigned surprise, his voice an octave too high.

"Management's worried about burnout rates," Raj continued. "Though if they really cared, they'd pay us more instead of hiring influencers to teach us how to breathe."

Felix nodded absently, his mind racing through possibilities. If this wasn't a displacement, if Celeste was actually here...

"Ryder." His manager's voice cut through his thoughts. "My office. Now."

Felix followed her down the hallway, mentally calculating how many deadlines he'd missed this week alone.

"Your productivity has been concerning," she said without preamble, gesturing for him to sit. "Three months ago, you were my most reliable developer. Now I'm getting complaints about incomplete work, missed meetings, and --" she checked her notes, " -- 'staring into space like he's seen a ghost.'"

"I've been dealing with some personal issues," Felix offered weakly.

"Whatever's happening, fix it," she replied, not unkindly. "I've scheduled a formal review for Friday. Consider this your warning."

Felix nodded, his stomach knotting. Leaving his manager's office, he saw Celeste in the conference room presenting "Mindfulness in the Workplace" to captivated executives.

Back at his desk, Felix struggled to focus on code, anxiously checking the time. Celeste's individual consultations after lunch, as noted in the company email, made his palms sweat.

"This isn't a displacement," he told himself. "She's really here. Act normal."

When his 2:15 consultation notification pinged, Felix almost knocked over his water bottle, surprised the sessions included him.

In the small meeting room, Celeste sat with perfect posture, a tablet before her, appearing just like her photos but more human.

"Felix Ryder?" Her smile seemed genuine, if practiced. "Please, sit down."

"I think there's been a mistake," he stammered. "I'm just a developer."

"No mistake. HR flagged several employees for priority consultations." She tilted her head slightly. "Your stress indicators are apparently off the charts."

Felix laughed nervously. "You could say that."

"Let's start with your daily routine," Celeste said, tapping her tablet. "What grounds you, Felix?"

"Nothing," he admitted. "Life has been ... unpredictable."

Her eyes flickered with understanding. "Unpredictable how?" she asked softly.

Felix hesitated. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me," Celeste said, pausing her tablet.

He saw genuine curiosity in her eyes, prompting him to confess. "I've been having episodes -- moments where I'm with someone from my past, women I've had feelings for."

Instead of laughing, she set her tablet down. "How long do these episodes last?"

"Exactly two minutes," Felix said, surprised by his candor.

"And what happens during these encounters?"

Felix blushed. "They're ... intense. Personal."

"I see." Celeste glanced at the door, then back to him. "Felix, have you thought these experiences might be telling you something?"

"Other than that I'm losing my mind?"

She smiled, genuinely and mischievously. "Maybe that you've lived too much in your head and need to take real-world chances."

Felix swallowed. "Like now?"

Their eyes locked, hinting at more than professionalism, until her phone buzzed.

"Our time's up," she said, slipping back into her influencer persona. "Try mindfulness and being present in unexpected moments."

As Felix left, she handed him a card. On the back: *Dinner? Tonight. 8pm. The Cardinal.*

His heart raced as he stepped into the hallway, where reality and fantasy blurred beyond any spreadsheet.