Beneath the Mask, by Amadah
Katie - age 21
Angelina - age 22
Oliver - age 24
Alicia - age 21
Disclaimer: you know it.
CHAPTER SIX: Discovery
For a while I had many sleepless nights after the incident in the park. And during the rare moments where I fell into dreamland, they were always about Oliver. That was probably one of the reasons why I wasn't sleeping – just seeing Oliver's hurt face over and over again, as if on repetition, was a nightmare for me, and I constantly jerked into awareness. Guilt squeezed my stomach every morning that the gang came for coffee at The Bellsong, and exchanges of conversation were even scarcer between Oliver and me.
I only went to the Den one more night that week, and I was surprised to find that Cotton-Eyed Joe had become a favorite dance, and Big Jake was playing it every night now.
"Well look who it is!" Big Jake cried out through his microphone upon my entrance, "Domino, the trendsetter. I think we'll have her start the dance again." I looked up at him, smiling, and shook my head.
"Oh c'mon. I'll even make your old partner come out too, if he's here. You two looked as if you were made for each other!" I laughed again. Anyone who regularly came here were quite used to Big Jake's jokes, however lame they seemed at times. He was constantly shouting out things about the regulars and masked people he recognized – "they're a match made in heaven!" or "Please, take it outside, folks." It wasn't unusual in the least.
"You aren't giving me a choice, Jake!" I called over the crowd, but I really didn't care.
My partner from the other night joined me on the floor, and once again we started off the silly muggle dance. As we moved along the floor, others joined in.
"Why does he call you Domino?" Someone asked. It took me a moment to realize that it was my partner, and I couldn't remember if we had talked at all last time. I chuckled.
"I once made earrings out of those muggle dominos. The first time I came here, I was wearing them. The nickname kind of stuck, I guess." I could see his lips turn upwards in a grin. As we danced, I drifted into memories from the Den, and I couldn't help but notice how every single other man I had danced with here had never innocently asked me anything – ever. It always ended the same way, us ending up in someone's room, be it mine, his or just somewhere in the Den. Thinking about it made me discover how much that bothered me – and I truly appreciated performing this modest dance with a man that actually seemed nice.
In my apartment the following Saturday morning, I was awoken to the brisk sound of someone knocking. I was on my feet within the second, and started to the door. I stopped when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror – I was clad in nothing but a tank top and underwear. Hastily I slipped on a pair of jeans, and proceeded to answer the door as the knock came again. The word "hello" caught in my throat and I thought I was going to choke on it. Oliver. The awkward moment consisted of us looking at each other. I felt slightly uncomfortable as I noticed his eyes travel up and down my body.
"Is this a bad time?" He wanted to know. Still staring, I shook my head, nodded and shrugged. His mouth curved upwards into a lop-sided smile at my indecisive matter.
"Uhh. Well I just woke up," I managed to say.
"Sorry about that," he told me, "but we need to talk today. If you want me to leave so that you can eat breakfast or whatever, that's fine, but I'll be back." A mixture of excitement, anxiety and annoyance rushed through my blood as I considered this.
"Fine," I said simply, "come back in thirty minutes." And I closed the door, but I didn't move until I heard the sound of his footsteps safely die away. Suddenly I exploded unto a rush. Thirty minutes! I dashed into my room and started throwing shirts out of my closet, trying to find on that seemed suitable. I pulled out a solid blue, long-sleeved shirt, and slipped into it. I studied myself in the mirror, and thought maybe it was too plain. I killed off fifteen minutes digging through the pile of shirts I had just created until I came across another long-sleeved one, although this was on striped. I settled on that one, attacked me hair with a comb and decided to leave it down. Then I hurried to my jewelry case and looked at my options; simple little red earrings, broomstick earrings – the domino earrings. I pulled the domino earrings out, and wondered if they were too cheesy. I decided they weren't, and I wore them.
I spent the remaining fifteen minutes pacing back and forth as a result of my anxiety. I wondered how I would answer the door – if I answered right away, would he know that I was waiting desperately for him? Should I let him knock a few times so that he doesn't get that idea? Suddenly he was knocking. I forced myself to walk slowly to the door. I opened it, and there he was again.
"Ready?" He wanted to know. I nodded, and followed him outside. We walked wordlessly for a bit, and then he spoke.
"We're worried about you," he told me. I looked at my feet as we continue to stroll towards the direction of the covered bridge that passed over the river for which the town was named.
"Why?" He hesitated to answer.
"Alicia and Angelina told me about cleaning your apartment." I inhaled deeply, and could feel my palms beginning to sweat. I hoped he didn't notice as I whipped them on my jeans. When I didn't answer, he continued, "they found…a lot of bad stuff in there, Kate. A lot of it." Still, I remained silent, staring at my feet. We were on the bridge now.
"You were always terrible at lying." He stopped moving to turn towards me. "We're not stupid, you know. Telling us you just "had a party" and whatnot. We know it's yours." I met his eyes defiantly.
"What's wrong with having a drink every once in a while, Oliver? What's wrong with it?" He shook his head.
"Absolutely nothing. But that's not all they found, Katie. You have Grub?" My heart sank. I had forgotten about my store of the magical drug-like substance that was commonly known as Grub.
"Why the hell did you guys think you had the right to go looking through my apartment?" I yelled at him suddenly. A passerby eyed us curiously but I ignored them.
"You had no business going in there!"
"Katie, they're worried about you – I'm worried about you! We care about you and your safety, can't you see that?" I put my palms on his chest and shoved him backwards.
"If you cared you wouldn't trespass on what was mine!" I clenched my fists in anger – how could he do this to me? I knew if I didn't control myself, I'd hit him. He must've read my mind because he grabbed my wrists. I struggled to get my arms free.
"You're such a jackass!" I screamed, jerking my arms back. His grip was too tight.
"Katie, that stuff is destroying you! Do you have any idea what it does to people?" He yelled. I was too angry to realize that I'd never really heard him yell at anyone before. Part of my anger was due to shame, shame that he had caught me and shame that I was like this – and it felt like he was the one causing my expose myself. I had no wish to do that.
"It's making you crazy!" He yelled into my face. I stopped holding up my own weight and tried to sit on the ground, of hopes that it would make him release me, but he kept trying to drag me back onto my feet. I wouldn't let him.
"You're the one making me crazy!" I spat, "just leave me, Oliver! I was fine until you came to Riverford!" My voice was wavering and I was almost in tears, but still I remained oblivious to anything but the need to get away. Part of me knew he was right. All I wanted was to be better, but I didn't want him being the one to accuse of me – of anything. I was crying now.
"I'm trying to help you!" Oliver shouted. Frantically I began trying to pull away, but he pressed me against his chest and held me close to him. After a moment, I stopped fighting, and broke into violent sobs that sounded like a baby crying.
Wow, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. You guys made me feel guilty, so I felt like I had to update.
Chibi-Chi
Spexy
loving.wood
Lucy Hart
fleur137
Kit Merlot
BobDole77/Emelinee
demonic angel23
Annie
DarkenedStar
Katameran
Spike22Fowl
MyOnlyCat
MG
Randomisation
tinkerbell86
xLaceMeWithWindx