Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction, there's no resemlance to actual persons or events or places. If so, it is utterly not intended. We, my co-writer and I, do NOT own Bratz, MGA Entertainment or anything associated with it what so ever. Any character exposure in this story is completely non-profit and just for fun only! No copyright infringement intended! Thank you.

Author Note from Written-Anonymously: I just wanted to thank everyone for waiting for the next update, I know been a while since it has been updated and I do hope you continue reading until the end. My co-writer and I both have busy lives and will try and get this updated as fast as we can. As for now please keep reviewing.

Summary: Her eyes never saw clearly before meeting him. Her heart hadn't started beating until he kissed her. She wasn't living before she met him. But "he" wasn't her current boyfriend, and that was the problem... Rated T - may change later. Co-written with CreativeWritingSoul. Enjoy!

Masquerade
XIV

Lian took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the familiar townhouse. In a complex of three houses all connected – one townhouse green, the next one white with a red door and their townhouse had an earthy brown panelling, it was classified as 'the one with the railing' as there were cement stairs up the walkway and as added attachment of speech, 'You can't miss it'. She heard a bright, "I'm coming! Woohoo ice cream!" from within the home, upon the door opening, she gave a soft smile.

"Sorry to disappoint Ki, no ice cream here." Lian tucked some loose light ginger colored hair behind her right ear, hoping she wasn't bothering her. But after talking to her father about how stubborn she was being, Lian figured the least she owed Penn was a face – to – face apology, even if he turned her away, she knew she was the bigger person in the end.

Kirana wasn't too sure about the status between Penn and Lian, all she knew was that they weren't on regular talking, sleep over and / or hang out status. "Uh, that's… cool." For once, the outspoken Kirana was actually somewhat speechless. What could she really say?

"So, is… um, Penn here? Can I talk to him, Ki?" She asked, rocking back and forth on her feet.

Kirana really didn't know what to say. She and Penn usually shared a lot of things, some things just are not meant to be shared with your sibling, but they did share what was bothering them from time to time. All she knew though was that they weren't on talking terms, her flipping out about Penn meeting Brielle and anticipating on when he'd be seeing her next and… something about her being too stubborn to deal with him liking her and… some other obscenities Ki heard but was too busy hiding behind something.

When Penn got angry – you never wanted to be around. He wasn't… violent per say he just… wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. And if you pissed him off enough… well 'anger' black outs did run in their family and all. Even though they seemed like very friendly, down – to – earth people… but just – do not get on their bad side, and you will live a nice long happy life.

So if Lian pissed Penn off… did Kirana really want to be the 'common ground' in this fight? … not really. "Actually, he's not here Lian. He's really not."

The other female let out a sigh, "Do… you know where he is?"

Kirana didn't want to give out Penn's whereabouts, not to mention she really didn't know exactly where he was to begin with. He just told her he was going to the mall, he didn't tell her where he'd be in the mall, or even why he was going to mention it. "No, Lian I don't know where he went. You… can try back another time." Kirana's tone took a slight… edge to it. One that said, 'Don't try back any time soon' and Lian knew it. Sighing she figured it was best to just, leave them be for awhile. Penn clearly still mad at her and Kirana probably siding with him. 'Whatever, Ki always sides with him.' she thought bitterly.

"Y'know what Ki? You always side with Penn, and I don't even know why because he's not actually your brother. So you shouldn't feel obligated to side with him. We've always been pretty close, but I mean, I'm the bigger person in this, don't you think?" She asked, the lingering of attitude in her voice as if she'd 'put up' with the current scenario for 'too long'. The… somewhat threatening tone in her voice, but she felt inferior when Kirana didn't even show that it bothered her.

She shrugged, "I don't know, kinda seems to me you're the bigger bitch in this scenario actually. I don't know much about what 'went on' between you and Penn, but it clearly wasn't something you liked so you snapped, got mouthy and what, he didn't put up with it this time? Too, too sorry but y'know what? He's moved on, you should too." And with that, Kirana all dressed in her multi – colored outfit, slammed the front door, leaving the red headed girl on the other side of it.

Penn manoeuvred the car into the driveway. He was really satisfied with the talk he and Odelia had. He really thought he made a new friend, or he was at least on a 'civil' ground with her. Although he gained the nicknames of 'sweet pea' and 'pretty boy' but he'd say over all, the conversation went really well.

He wasn't the type to use and abuse people. Penn would never hurt anyone like that. As far as he was concerned, that was worse than a few hard punches. Words could cut and sting worse, but to be screwed over by someone there was just no trust anymore and he didn't believe that half the people who screwed someone over, deserved another chance to do so.

Penn wanted to get to know Odelia, yes because she was Brielle's very best friend, not because he wanted to suck information out of her. The information was helpful, sure – but he had purely good intentions in talking to Odelia.

He poked fun at her usage of the words 'like' along with 'I mean' and 'y'know' but it was only out of fun. It wasn't sinister or hurtful. As he thought about his evening, also Kirana's large dipped chocolate cone sitting in the passenger seat, he could've sworn he saw Lian, which was rather the last person he wanted to see right now.

It wasn't that he was trying to avoid Lian, what he was trying to avoid was the confrontation. Her attitude severely pissed him off and he wanted to make sure he and Brielle were solid before fighting for them as an item tooth and nail. He pulled out his simple flip phone and sent his sister a text.

GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE KI, GOT CONE. HOLDING IT HOSTAGE. I HAVE RANSOM NOTE … if our phone companies get a hold of these texts… we'd be screwed. Anyway, come get cone, now. I'm feeling lazy. Love Penn :3

Of course Penn knew that she would actually spend the next fifteen minutes arguing with him via text messaging… than come out and get her cone. Something about 'the principle of it'. So he popped the driver's door open, getting out of the car.

He carefully grabbed her cone from the passenger seat and shoved the car door shut. Making sure it was locked and that he had the keys in his hands – wouldn't be the first time he's locked the only set of keys on the inside of the car. He slowly approached the front door, feeling rather drained. The mall visit took a lot out of him; Odelia was quite the handful of energy. He now knew what Bri meant when she talked about her.

"ICE CREAM! HELLO MY DARLING SWEET STUFF!" Kirana cheered as she opened the door before he could do so himself, stealing the cone from his hands. "Thanks asshole, we're done here." She told him, walking off happily licking her cone.

Penn normally would bug her, but he wasn't feeling it right now. All he wanted to do was lie down in bed and text Bri. So, up the stairs he went.

Brielle had spent a good couple hours in the city's smallest mall (which was two levels and a fountain within it) after rushing out of Brogan's friend's place. She was glad she didn't have to sit there and pretend to like the crowd anymore. There were a ton of people she adored, but she didn't like a good number of others.

She took a moment to think to herself, how… rather opposite she and Penn actually were. He was, this punkish… no, no… goth - ish? No… no, he was… well, he was whatever he was feeling actually, as his sister Kirana explained previously to her own brother Gable. They were best friends, Gable and Ki. They could talk to one another about most anything and it was awesome that even though they're the opposite sex, there was never any discomfort between them.

Shifting her thoughts away from her brother and his best friend, her main focus was Penn once more. They were… quite, the opposites. She enjoyed shopping very much so; where as Penn didn't like it at all really, but tolerated it for Bri. Again it was something Kirana had said, which Brielle over heard. He wasn't… cheap, per say. He was just money conscious. Brielle had ignored that for a long time now, dropping insane amounts of cash on shoes, purses, jewelry, make – up, whatever it was if she wanted it, she got it with her cash.

Of course, there was spoiled and then spoiled rotten. Brielle wasn't spoiled rotten with the attitude to boot; she just saw the 'value' in pricier objects.

But then she took a moment to think, that she and Penn maybe weren't so different in that area after all. She never used to like shopping, or be into the latest brands and what not, but despite that, she used to make thrift store clothing look fantastic but until Brogan came along, warping her for almost a year, it was hard to get back to thinking otherwise.

She wasn't going to come off as some type of 'broken girl' who couldn't handle her own 'man issues'. She just, for the majority of it… she didn't feel the need or want to try anymore, and finally blowing up at Brogan? Best. Feeling. Ever.

Telling him off and ending the relationship was the best decision she'd ever made in almost a year. She didn't want to necessarily jump from one boy to the next… but Penn was right up her list in guys she wanted to be with. Actually, he was the only one she wanted to be with, being content with him for the rest of her days.

She willed herself away from the major designer stores, making her way to the 'not so expensive' stores… to get a look inside them, maybe to gain back what she used to love? It was worth a try.

Hey, :) Just finished getting Ki her dipped cone, which she practically shredded my skin and clothing when taking it and growling too. xD

Brielle glanced at her phone and chuckled, her manicured fingers moving across the screen of her iPhone4s.

Wow… she must've really craved that ice cream, huh? Damn… xD

She wasn't going to lie, she adored texting Penn. He always had something nice to say, or always found a compliment to give, even if Bri wasn't so fond of getting them, he gave them. He was such a sweetheart, which was what she really adored about him. She loved it about him.

Yeah, but all that shit's normal for Ki. xD Anyway, so what are you up to?

Good question. Brielle looked around the department store, sighing. Her just walking around for the sake of it, not really checking into anything specific, although her feet seemed to have a mind of their own as they made their way to the electronics section of the store. She eyed a video game that Kirana said Penn had his eye on, and decided to buy it for him. How she'd spring it on him would take time to figure out.

He was not good with receiving gifts.

Nothing much really, wandering the mall on the other side of town. Was at… dickhead's friend's place xD I… left abruptly and came here. I can only think clearly when I'm in a mall, that's not… sad is it?

She awaited his reply and really felt… eager to see it. That's how she felt every time he text her, or she would text him. Wanting him to reply right back. Her heart bouncing for joy whenever he did. She never felt this way with Brogan, which was also what felt so… right, about Penn. If that made sense at all.

Eh, it's not sad per say. I mean… some people have dedicated places where they do their best thinking. With me… I tend to do my best thinking lying down in my bed at night. If I have to be somewhere in the morning, it kinda sucks because then I feel the effects of my mind having raced all night, y'know? But yeah, in bed is where I do my best thinking.

Another thing she adored about him was the fact that they never seemed to run out of things to talk about. They could talk and talk, as they had on the phone a couple hours before she left, as Brogan picked her up.

On one hand, she felt… slutty. Not really slutty but… risky? Being next to Brogan, somewhat, and texting Penn? But she wouldn't have done it if she hadn't have felt so… right, in doing it. It felt natural where as everything with Brogan felt so forced.

She wanted to feel it because it was all around her, embracing her… not have to force herself to see it.

Brielle tossed her ponytail back, smirking as she sent a text to Penn.

What else do you do great in bed? ;)