Chapter 9 - Masquerade
(Nathan POV)
"I feel like an idiot!" Tim whined for the hundredth Tede tonight.
"Suck it up man, we're all dressed up," Julian told him.
"Yes. But I'm the only one dressed as a pilgrim."I held back the need to laugh.
"Well we can't help it if everything else at the fancy dress store was taken!" Jake said, laughing as he forced Tim out of the car.
After Ben's idea to crash TH High's party, we had headed over to the fancy dress store, only to grab the last few outfits. Everyone at Tree Hill high had apparently already been to the store. Fortunately for me, I didn't get stuck with a pilgrim costume like Tim. We tried to convince him it wasn't so bad considering we combined it with a mask and fit tonight's dress code must have. My outfit fit tonight's theme perfectly. According to the shop keeper, the only reason that it was left was due to its high price tag, and since that wasn't a problem for me, I ended up with the Prince Charming costume, fully complete with a navy blue mask that covered half my face.
Once we had finally convinced Tim that everyone inside would be dressed up and nobody would notice him, we walked into "The Garage", a nightclub, which I assumed was new since I remember the building being an ice skating rink. Nobody gave us a second glance as we stood in the line waiting to go in, probably since everyone was decked out in masks and nobody could recognise us.
"Here you go," The guy at the door said, handing us each a dark blue wristband, "Keep them on throughout the night. Enjoy your evening."
I put my wristband on and walked through a pair of glass double doors, and on the other side was an archway filled with flowers and lights. The archway was at the top of a long glass staircase, and from here I had a good view of the whole venue. It was pretty cool, and it reminded me of a club I used to go to back in New York. The club was made up of different levels, connected by random staircases; right in the centre was the main dance floor. It was currently filled with students, none of which I recognised. No sign of Lucas and the Riverdale lot yet.
"What now?" Tim asked
"We enjoy the party , until the fireworks start," Ben answered.
X x x x
Brooke POV
I zipped up the dress I was wearing, and stepped into my white heels, stumbling slightly in my rush.
I could already hear the makings of a party. The music has started and I could hear a crowd growing, before long someone would come looking for me needing help with something.
I looked at myself in the mirror, one last time. I was wearing a white strapless dress, with lots of layers and sequins on the bodice. I put on my plain white mask , which completed my outfit, and set out to join all my classmates.
As I stepped out of the room, I heard a whistle behind me. "Well don't you look hot?"
I turned around to see Felix leaning against the glass doors that led to the party.
I stepped to open the door to go in , trying to avoid him the best I could.
"Really? You can't avoid your date all night!" he said. I cannot believe he actually thought I was going to play along to being his date.
"You aren't my date Felix!" I said, I putting my hands on my waist in an attempt to look fierce.
"Oh , I beg to differ doll," he said , putting his arm around me, " If you remember , your mother was there when you agreed, and I don't really want to tell your parents you went back on your promise."
For the second time tonight, I could not believe this guy. He would go as far as 'telling on me' to my parents that I want co-operating.
"You can't keep using that against me!...and don't call me doll!" I said getting frustrated and walking away across the landing toward the entrance, but I could hear his footsteps behind me.
"You're right. I can't. Brooke , you know as well as I do that we are betrothed—"
"It's not the freaking middle ages Felix" I said stopping, so that he walked into me, and then pushed him off me with a very unladylike snort, "We aren't 'betrothed' to do anything!"
"Well whatever you want to call it, our parents are looking to us to be the future of our companies, and to bring our businesses together, and you know however much you put up a fight, we will be going to Yale together, and you never know what could happen next, personally I see marriage on the table, why fight the love baby?"
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right about everything apart from the marriage part. It was what our parents wanted. But if I could help it, it wouldn't even get as far as Yale.
"Ahh, don't you two look just darling!" I knew that voice.
"Mrs Davis! How lovely to see you again!" Felix said turning on his charm.
"Mother, what are you doing here?" I said, shocked to be seeing her.
"Well I'm chaperoning dear," she said calmly.
"Can I speak to you?" I said walking out of Felix's recently adapted embrace, without an answer, pulling her to the side, leaving Felix standing there.
"There are no chaperones tonight."I stated, wondering what an earth she could be doing here, since it wasn't as if she had ever taken an extra interest into my extracurricular activities in the past.
"Ok. I confess," She said, "I came along to make sure you and Felix found each other."
"Mother!" I exclaimed, not hiding my irritation
"Don't 'Mother' me, Brooke, he is a lovely boy! You are just acting like a child! Step up to your responsibilities, because I don't want to tell your father you're the reason why Scott Enterprises will get picked over us to join Felix's fathers business, because trust me Brooke I will!"
I am amazed that she stooped so low, to come here just to make sure I kept to my word of going to the dance with Felix, and then she tells me our company needs this! For a second I wondered if I was actually being childish, just because I didn't want to 'take one for the team'.
My mother took my silence as acceptance. "Good, I'm glad you see things my way," she said, guiding me back to Felix.
"Sorry Felix, to keep you waiting," she nudged me toward him, who was more than happy to replace him arm around me, and move closer. I didn't push him off but I didn't stop myself from pulling a face, which my Mother saw but chose to ignore.
"Come on doll."
"Ok, have fun kids," She said as she left through the exit.
We walked through the double doors, and I tried to step out from under his arm, but he took my hand. I didn't let go right away, as much as I didn't want to admit it but I needed to hold onto something whilst trying to maneuverer these stairs in these shoes, but he took my grasp as enthusiasm and smirked. We reached the bottom of the long staircase and I could see Peyton making her way towards us, with her date.
"Awww, you two look so sweet!" Peyton said, looking between us both. What was it with everyone?
"Peyton, you look delicious as usual" Felix said with a casual nod. Peyton visible melted at his words, despite her date standing right beside her.
"Thanks Fee, you're so sweet," Fee? Was she seriously kidding me?
Peyton's date introduced himself, clearly unsettled by his dates liking to Felix. While they introduced themselves, Peyton mouthed to me, 'You're so lucky' As far as I was concerned, she could have him because I wasn't feeling lucky at all.
"Come on Brooke, let's dance! We'll catch up with you guys later," Felix said , pulling me toward the dance floor. Unfortunately for me it was a slow song, so I had no choice but to move closer to him. It felt uncomfortable to be in his arms and he was holding me too tightly. He leaned toward me, bending his head down. Was he seriously going to try to kiss me? To avoid anything, I stepped out of line and 'accidently' stepped on his foot. He pulled his head up sharply.
"Ouch!"
"Oh, sorry Felix," I said.
This was going to be a long night.
Ahh you thought they were going to meet didn't you? I promise they will in the next one! What do you think of Felix? Good guy or bad guy? Do we like him?
Review!
-R
