Wow, another Impulse story. This is gonna be fun. I wrote this during band camp, I dunno what came over me when I did but it was a feeling of hiding behind a mask.

I haven't updated in a while in, Roses should be coming soon, I have to be an extra in a movie tonight so I can't edit anything until tomorrow. But I got to get back to my summer reading, school's only 3 days away and I still have a ton of work to do. T.T

Enjoy!

Sam's POV

My Own Masquerade

No one's noticed but someone's been throwing a never-ending masquerade for years now. It's all in my honor. The object of this masquerade is to find out which one is me. I have many faces and many people can take my place, I won't be missed.

If you can find me, the real me, the masquerade is over. No one has yet to find me as I stand there silent waiting for someone to ask me to dance.

Do you see them all dancing in those elegant dresses? The swish of the skirt, the flap of a tailed tuxedo, each person wearing a different mask. The music laughs with their voices and bodies moving, yet no one sees the girl in the most elegant dress of all. To them, the gown looks nothing more than a plate of rags.

Few men have asked to dance but withdrew at the last moment and few women stray my way. It's lonely here but when they get close, my mask comes on and I greet them so kindly and treat them to their standards and all they end up seeing me for is, girl what's her face?

Now this is not a literal masquerade, I'm in high school, watching people dance along their way to classes and talk happily. And I'm afraid that I will never be able to dance. A car beeps behind me as I run across the parking lot to catch up with someone. They wanted to meet me before school.

I pull on a cheerful mask, to cover my true feelings, and meet that someone. "Sam!" A hand waves over the bobbing heads of the dance floor. I run a straight line through the crowded dance floor to the one who called my name.

"Hey Danny." I beamed at up at the someone. He stood almost four inches taller than me with unkempt black hairand warm blue eyes. "So, any reason you wanted to meet with me this morning?" He nodded at me and looked me directly in the eye; my mask fell for a moment when I saw him frown slightly.

"I wanted to walk with you. I know there's a bunch of people around already but you know, just a friendly walk." He shrugged, adverting my gaze. I nodded and walked with him, it wasn't uncommon now that he just wanted to walk, it was his moment of freedom away form ghosts.

In this masquerade he is only merely talking with me, Danny would never want to dance with me. But who can tell? We're all hiding beneath our different colored masks. "What's on your mind?" Danny asked softly, my mask had fallen and I was unaware.

"I think, I think it would be impossible for me to look into the eyes of someone I loved and not be sure they were looking back." As the words left my mouth, my eyes widened. Had I just told him something that was beneath my mask?

But really, in this masquerade, you can only see their eyes, not much else. And if they don't look back, they can't love you…

Danny smiled sadly at me. "Is that so?" I nodded slightly, how could I put my mask back on now? "There are times I wonder if I can always keep you safe from harm but from your response, I wonder if I missed something."

Yes, for the several years that you've known me, you missed the most important part…

me.

"No," I began, giving Danny a reassuring smile, my masquerade will stay a while longer, "I was just having one of those zoned out moments." I gave him a silly smile and he laughed.

"One of these days Sam, I'm going to catch the real you and show it to the world!" Danny laughed, bringing a camera that hung around his neck to his face to take a picture of me.

"I doubt it!" I laughed, on the inside I was aching. No one should find me. This feeling of emptiness is all I know. Let this masquerade drown me a while longer. Let no one know what's beneath my mask. I stole Danny's camera, laughing and ran towards our first class, Danny hot on my heels.

Let me hide in this masquerade, for I am not ready to be found. Just a little while longer, because I fear, when this masquerade is truly over I will lose all I have gained with this mask.

Hope you enjoyed. I'll add more whenever I can but I make no promises that I'll update soon.

Adieu

Nightwing