Chapter 2- Still no guitar, but what's she hiding?
Thursday went on as it usually did and Friday came. Mackenzie sat on the floor by her locker drawing a sketch of a sunset scene. She had recovered from yesterday but was still shaky and listening to everyone around her. She pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her body was still in almost the same outfit except her skirt was black and grey. She wondered about the ball that night and thought about going… Nah. What was the point? No one would notice her, or care on Monday. Her drawing became finished and it was rather good.
Drake walked up to his locker with Josh opening it. Mackenzie looked up at him glaring almost and then returned to her blank stare at her drawing.
"So… no guitar yet?" Josh asked leaning against the wall. Drake pouted and turned to Josh, "Mom won't budge." He said sounding almost on the verge of tears. Josh laughed at him.
"Drake, just raise your own money."
"I don't have a million years! Josh, the guitar is 1,500 I'll never afford it."
Mackenzie considered saying, "I could buy it," but pushed the thought aside. Her family was rather rich and she always secretly longed to talk to Drake, but he never noticed her.
"Just get a job… like you did at the premier." Josh suggested
"I don't like smelling like popcorn… its bad enough I have to sleep in the same room as you. I'll just keep bugging mom. Imagine me, holding a grey and black stratacaster345. All the babes would be chattin' me up." Drake said imagining his own little fantasy.
"Talk to ya later desperate" Josh shook his head walking off.
At lunch Mackenzie sat by herself by the trashcans as usual eating her stalk of celery. She looked down and over at the 'popular table' where Brittany Phillips sat. Brittany was the most popular, pretty, and nice girl in school. Well, she was nice when Drake Parker wasn't around. Mackenzie pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose again and looked down at her carrot sticks. She stood up and put the food in the trash can. Her eyes traveled to Drake who was with his friends and pretending to play an air guitar. That settled it… she wasn't going tonight. She slowly sat back down and took out a book that was 446 pages long and hid behind it as she usually did.
Drake's stepfather pulled him up to school. He climbed out of the car and looked around for Trevor. He put on his blue mask that covered his nose up, as everyone's did. He wore a black tux with a blue tie. His red hair had been spiked up but since he was the only boy in school with his color hair everyone noticed him. "Hey Drake." A few people said. He looked confused but then groaned. "Curse my good-looking hair." Drake walked into the school gym looking at everyone in their masks dancing. He walked over to his friend Trevor (They had told each other what they were wearing ahead of time.) "Hey Trev." Drake grinned putting his hand on his hips. His friend nodded a hello to him and continued snacking on mini donuts. Drake laughed at him and looked around bored-like. "This dance is a drag. By wearing this stupid mask no one can see how cute I am." He complained. Trevor nodded. "I know what you mean; we can't see how cute the girls are behind their masks."
"That's the point Mr. Parker… and Mr. Parker's friend." Said Mr. Calloway the 10th grade English teacher, "It's not about how pretty a girl is. It's about what's on the inside. This whole masquerade thing was my idea." He grinned. Drake put on a fake smile, "You know your right Mr. C. I've been wrong this whole time about girls. Why… you changed my life." He said passionately. Mr. Calloway grinned and walked off. "What a loser." Drake laughed as did Trevor. The night went along the same way for about 45 minutes. Drake danced with girls who had nice figures and pretty hair. Then… the unimaginable happened. To Drake it felt like time had stopped. Trevor hit his shoulder. "Earth to Drake." Drake turned to him and grabbed his shoulders shaking him. "I saw her," Drake said dreamily almost short of breath.
"Who her?" Trevor asked looking frightened at Drake shaking him.
"Her… THE her" Drake said making his e's long.
"You want t sit down Drake?" Trevor offered nodding twoards a chair.
"I'll be right back." Drake said following the direction he thought she had gone. There she was. In a beautiful shimmery pink gown that was sleeveless. She looked like an angel. Her mask was a pink as well but her eyes… her eyes were like gem's shimmering in the sunlight. Her eyelashes were long and beautiful, without mascara. The only makeup she really wore was shimmery pink lip gloss. Black hair was put up into a French twist and had a pink rose tied into it. She was an angelic creature sent from above just for Drake. Or so, that's what he thought. "Excuse me." He tried to say but his throat had suddenly gone dry. Drake grabbed a passer byer's water and drank it throwing the cup on the ground despite the look the person gave him. He walked up to her, "Excuse me." He said clearing his throat. The girl looked at him, "Y-yes?" She asked unsure he was talking to her. "Care to dance?" Drake asked offering his hand.
"I'm not very good." She admitted standing up to walk away.
"I don't care… just dance with me."
"But I wouldn't want to…"
"Please," He said in a whisper grabbing her hand to stop her.
She turned to him and looked at the hands, "Drake Parker…" She said letting go, "I prefer to dance with boys who know the girls names."
"What is your name?" Drake asked sounding slightly hurt.
"That would ruin the concept." She gave in as a slow song began to play.
"Please." Drake said again. She kept his hand in hers and put her hand on his shoulder. Drake felt a jolt in his stomach and put his hand on the curve of her hip. They slowly danced looking at each other. "So… will you tell me who you are now?" Drake asked hopefully but she merely shook her head.
"Very well…" Drake sighed and spun her around like princess and took her in his arms again.
"My Cinderella night…." She said almost inaudibly. "So, you think a strat.345 will make girls like you?" She asked.
"Don't you think? I me- wait… how did you know about the guitar." He aid looking at her.
"I just do… I play the guitar. I'm not in a band or anything but I sit in my room writing songs."
"You really are perfect." Drake had an extremely rare sense of tenderness in his voice.
"I'm far from it." She said looking up at him. They dance in each others arms for a half hour despite the beat of the song. Out of his ladies man instinct he slowly lowered his lips onto hers. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled away, "Who are you?" he asked. She shook her head again knowing he'd run off if he knew who she was. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked.
"In some ways." She whispered. His hand traveled up to her mask. He slowly began to lift it but she pulled off quickly looking at the clock. "I have to go." She said running off.
That was it. Drake looked for her the whole night and couldn't find her. He never felt this way… he never met a girl like her. Now she was gone, and he felt like his heart had been ripped out and stuck under a train.
He walked in his house throwing the mask on the couch and sitting down staring off into space. Walter put down the keys to the car on the counter and looked at him, "What's wrong Drake?"
"I'm in love… with a girl who I don't know."
