Masquerade Lovers
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Part 1: An Introduction to Love
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Surprise
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Alex wasn't at sports practice, or some other thing, as Clover put it.
She was with David.
She knew that Clover had Blaine now, but what about Sam? As far as she knew, Sam still was infatuated with David. And who wouldn't be? Alex knew she was head-over-heels, crazy-is-as-crazy-does, hopelessly, passionately in love with David.
Hence the secrecy.
David was the soul of discretion, so that helped. While Alex felt a twinge of guilt at betraying Sam's confidence, she knew that David wouldn't tell anyone anything she told him.
He was awesome that way.
So, Alex had always walked home, careful to carry the bag she usually put her sports equipment in, towards their penthouse. After all, she still was in the sports' team, one of the best, if she could say so herself. She had the greatest speed and stamina of any athlete (excepting for the guy athletes) in Mali-U, and thus was the best fighter in the spies' little trio.
Anyway, her sports equipment stuff was very important to be shown so that no one knew that immediately after sports, she had gone for a quick meet-up with David, especially since she knew Sam would be home by then, and Sam was relatively observant, and would wonder what Alex was really doing. Which was why she was so careful to make sure David was nowhere within a five mile radius of her was she went home. Although, come to think about it, Sam had thrown herself recently into her studies, explaining her obvious (and not seemingly, as in Alex's case) lack of a love life. Typical, perfect, overachieving Sam. She wanted to graduate magna cum laude, or whatever that meant. Alex didn't give a damn. She just wished Sam wasn't so smart alecky, but she knew that Sam was Sam and she was best friends with Sam because she was Sam, even though said Sam was so smart alecky, but that was only because she was Sam.
Okay, she had sufficiently confused herself. Good thing Clover wasn't around or she'd end up even more confused.
Or – wait. Maybe Clover was around? She was supposed to be back by now. How long could sipping coffee, watching beautiful people pass by, take?
"Clover!" No answer.
Oh dear.
"Sam!" Alex yelled. The walls echoed back her name. The door to Sam's room opened, and a Sam with her head covered in a towel like a turban popped out, and was dressed in a pretty green bathrobe which enhanced the emerald green of her eyes. She'd obviously just taken a shower.
"You haven't seen Clover, have you?"
"No," Sam shook her head. "I haven't seen her since I left the penthouse this morning." Of course not. Sam hadn't been back to the penthouse, opting to spend most of her time in the library until she was supposed to be back at the penthouse because she needed to shower and sleep. Clover, on the other time, loved the penthouse and stayed there unless it was summer. But it wasn't summer. It was February, and it was still no time and too cold to be sunbathing.
"You don't think she could be in any trouble, do you? But she's a big girl, she can take care of herself," Alex felt like she was now having a conversation with herself and stopped.
"I'm sure," Sam said. "How was practice?"
"Same old, same old," Alex said, not giving any descriptions.
It was then that they heard voices at the front of the door. A deep one, and a high-pitched one, and the high-pitched voice was gurgling with laughter.
"That must be Clover," Sam said, her voice mysteriously lowered to a whisper.
"With who?" Alex replied, in the same quiet tine.
"Girls!" Clover burst in, practically dragging Blaine along, who looked sheepish.
"Of course," Sam muttered under her breath. "Coming, Clover!"
"You will never believe what happened today," Clover said, bursting with excitement.
"Like, what?" Sam said, curious. Surely not –
"Well," Blaine put a hand behind his head, as his other arm pulled Clover ever closer to him. "I asked Clover to marry me, and she said yes." This was said at the same time that Clover shrieked with happiness (almost as loud as a banshee, Alex noted, although she wasn't exactly sure how they sounded like; but Clover shrieking at that moment made a pretty good example of how any banshee should shriek):
"Blaine and I are getting married!"
Alex's jaw dropped. Sam looked surprise. The thought that Clover would settle down first had never crossed their minds.
Yet it was all happening at that very moment. The two girls recovered quickly, and they both screamed in excitement.
"Oh my goodness! Clover, I'm so happy for you!" Sam cried.
"Group hug!" Alex cried. The girls hugged each other and jumped about.
"There's going to be a million and one things to prepare for the wedding!" Clover said.
"Oh, we'll help you. Don't worry about a thing, Clover!" Alex squealed.
"Yeah! – But wait," Sam said. Alex, Blaine and Clover stopped in their tracks, as if Sam had grown another head. Sam drew in a deep breath, wishing she didn't have to have opened her mouth at that point. "What would Jerry say?"
"Jer?" Clover said blankly.
"Your boss, dearest," Blaine said, amused.
"Well, believe it or not, Blaine managed to get him to stage an engagement party for us back at HQ next week in celebration! Can you believe it?" Clover yelled, remembering what Blaine had told her. She began to jump up and down in excitement. Alex swore she saw wedding bells in Clover's eyes – not that she was surprised.
"Are you serious?" Alex asked. "A party? At WOOHP? Awesome!"
"I know!"
"That's unbelievable," Sam said, shaking her head. "That old softie," she added, with a smile.
"So when's the wedding planned for?" Alex asked.
"Hopefully by the end of this summer, after your graduations," Blaine said, smiling.
"I hope we won't be busy," Sam added, with a dainty frown. Clover gave Sam a gentle shove.
"Take a damper, Sammie!" Alex said. "It'll all work out."
"I hope so," Sam drew in a deep breath. "I really hope so."
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Author's Note
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Second chapter done. Quite short, because I didn't want to do it in parts. There will be a party next. Who knows what could happen?
Again, please read and review. Reviews are always love, and I appreciate criticism (as long as it's constructive and is not insulting),
lianneharmony
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References
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You'll recognize the way the wedding news was delivered as an amalgamation of various "We're getting married scenes".
"But she's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
A variation of the Nelly Furtado song Promiscuous: "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."
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Shoutouts
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Thanks to Poison's Ivy, Cresenta's Lark and Beth for reviewing! Hoping this chapter does not disappoint!