(TyxHil! I always favoured this pairing! First thing's first! Characters in this story are 18 year old. I hope you like it. Read, enjoy, review!)
Hilary walked out of the house. She wasn't in the mood to unpack. She had just moved in this town and wanted to check it out first.
People here looked nice. And it seemed as if they were preparing for something. Walking through the street, she finally stopped to ask a woman. "Oh, we're preparing for our annual festival. It's just for fun. We have a grand party tomorrow. It's actually a mask-ball." replied the woman.
"Mask-ball?" Hilary repeated. "You know, a ball where people put on masks and dress up." Said the woman. Hilary nodded and walked ahead.
Maybe she was going to have fun here after all. Just then someone bumped into her. "Aaahhh!!"
It was a girl with pink hair. "Sorry!" she said. Hilary looked at her closely. "Mathilda??" Hilary asked. The girl gasped. "Hilary!!" she cried with delight.
"What are you doing here?" Mathilda asked. "I've just moved in." Hilary replied. "Wow! I never thought I'd crash into you here. It's been years since middle school." Mathilda said.
"I hope you like it here. Especially when it's time for the festival…Ooooh! And the ball! I'm so excited!!" Mathilda squealed. "And you're invited too Hil, you have to come. It's gonna be fun!"
Hilary nodded. ''Meeting an old school friend, here, after all those years.'' She thought. Both girls started to talk.
--
It had been a day and Hilary had already been invited to a ball. She was a bit nervous, but she knew Mathilda would be there with her.
She wondered if Tala would be there. She was told that he lived in this town too. She was engaged to him. He was a year older than her. She was eighteen.
It was 8:30 p.m. and the town looked beautiful with all the lovely decorations. Hilary hoped Mathilda would be there before her.
After dressing up, Hilary took one last look in the mirror. A gorgeous pale pink gown, a ruby necklace and a stylish mask. She looked just perfect.
A low beat of music was filling the air as Hilary walked in the ballroom. She looked around. Couples were dancing, there was a band on the stage to the left and no sign of Mathilda.
"Mathilda, where are you?" Hilary thought anxiously. Mathilda had told her about the dress she was going to wear. Hilary was sure she'd recognize her.
But she was nowhere to be found. Hilary looked up at the wall clock. Her best friend was definitely late.
"Now what do I do?" Hilary thought. "Ahem, people may I have your attention?" A man came up on the stage, holding a mike.
The music stopped and everyone turned to him. "It's almost nine, and you know what that means?" the person asked loudly. "THE MASKED-LOVER TIME!" Everyone replied loudly.
"The what time?" Hilary asked confusingly. "Any time now the Masked-lover will show up and he's…" the person paused.
Suddenly he swooshed his large black cape in front of him and swished it back. Everyone gasped loudly. Now, there was someone else standing there.
"…right here." He said, smiling lightly. Everyone broke into an applaud. Hilary was amazed at this.
This new person was dressed in a tuxedo with a black mask covering his eyes. "The Masked lover!" a girl breathed.
"Some entry!" Hilary thought. She noticed that suddenly all the girls in the ballroom seemed either nervy or anxious.
The music started playing again and people started dancing as the so-called Masked Lover guy jumped off the stage.
The spot light was on him. Hilary frowned in annoyance. No sign of Mathilda still and now this weird guy shows up.
She turned around to glare at the door. "Where the heck is that girl?" she thought. She didn't realize that someone was standing behind her, or the spotlight was on her now, or that the people were staring at her.
She turned around to look into the eyes of the Masked Lover. He was looking at her. And then he slowly smiled.
He held out his hand to her, bowing slightly. A few people gasped. Not knowing what to do, Hilary laid her hand on to his.
"What's the big deal with this guy?" Hilary thought as people watched them dance. Hilary felt a bit awkward.
The Masked Lover was just gazing at her. Someone took a picture. "Oh that's it!" Hilary thought angrily. "Um… are you some kind of superstar or something?" she asked.
He smiled and shook his head slowly. "The name is Tyson" he said. "Tyson or the masked lover?" Hilary asked.
For some reason, he laughed. Again the crowd gasped. "That's just what the people call me," said Tyson.
Hilary felt another flash of a camera. She glared in that direction. She suddenly spotted Mathilda who waved at her.
"Oooh…that girl…" Hilary thought hotly. She was so late. Slowly, the people started to dance too. Gladly ignoring them.
Hilary and Tyson stopped. "Your name is…?" Tyson asked. "Hilary." She replied shortly. He bowed again and kissed her hand.
Then he left. Mathilda ran up to her, breathing heavily. "No way…" she said. "I can't believe it! You, and him…!!"
"Hold on, don't get any ideas Mathilda. You know I'm engaged. Besides, I don't even know why I'm talking to you" said Hilary.
"I'm sorry I'm late. At least you got to know M.L. How did he come in this time?" she asked eagerly.
"One minute the host was standing on the stage, and the next minute he was" replied Hilary boringly. "Oooh!! I can't believe he asked you for dance!! It's gonna be fun to see you in the paper tomorrow!" Mathilda said.
"What?" Hilary asked with her eyebrows raised. "Yup! It'll be, 'The legend of M.L finally comes true as he finds his girl in the ball'. And then your picture." Said Mathilda simply.
"What legend?" Hilary asked. "Well, it is said that the Masked Lover had fallen in love with a girl in this ball, but then he lost her. He comes to the ball every year. He's never danced with anyone until now. It was said that the girl he's dance with, would be his love."
"Okay, this is just plain weird. There are loads of girls in here just dying for him and he picks me. And I'm new here. Do I look like the girl he loved or something?" Hilary asked.
"You must be, cuz he won't just dance with any old girl. And we're talking about the M.L. here. Ah, the way he looked into your eyes." Mathilda said dreamily.
"Mathilda, you can stop now. I'm not his girl. I'm engaged to Tala." Hilary waved her hand in front of Mathilda.
(Please please review!!)