Masquerade Lovers
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Outing
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Five days had passed since the said incident, and Sam thought she'd gotten over it pretty well, considering she couldn't tell anyone and it being her darkest secret she'd ever be able to keep. She only prayed it would not come to light. She remembered some of the secrets she'd tried to keep from Alex and Clover ended up in straining their friendship, but she needed to. She wouldn't know how they would react if they found out, and honestly, she really didn't want to.
She was in her bed, resting. She tried to get up, but felt really sick. She knew she shouldn't have let Clover make her sample some of her cooking, but as a good friend she did. Clover had been proudly showing off some of her newfound culinary abilities (that she'd learnt from Blaine, who swore he'd make a chef out of her, although Sam sincerely doubted it, because there was that one time in eighth grade where Clover very nearly failed Home Economics because instead of making a chocolate cake, she'd made a rock-substance slathered with what seemed to be chocolate icing, which gave poor Mrs. Jennings – their Home Economics teacher at the time – a nice rest in the hospital. Thankfully for their future Home Economics teachers, Clover did not ever attempt baking or cooking after that incident – until now). Clover had made a simple chocolate cake, and begged Sam, as the nearest person (and only person actually stupid and willing enough) to try the chocolate cake. She immediately threw up, managing to get to the bathroom in time.
"Oh my God, Sammie! Are you all right?" Clover asked, worriedly.
"I – I don't think you should offer anyone of that cake, Clover. At least not that cake."
Clover frowned. "Are you sure? It seemed really good, if I do say so myself. Maybe I should check, taste it a little –"
"No, don't even try to poison yourself. Maybe you should make another cake to surprise Blaine and the others (Blaine had gone out for a fitting of a wedding tuxedo. The affianced couple had decided to have a Beach Wedding/Island in the Sun theme), but not that one. I'll tell you something though – the texture was pretty good," Sam said, trying to cheer up her crestfallen friend.
"Okay, Sam. I – I'm really sorry."
"No problem."
She'd been sick since then, but somehow managed to be dragged along with Alex and Britney to the mall to look for the bridesmaids' (that would be Alex, Britney and Sam's) dresses today. They decided to look for bridesmaid dresses first, because Alex had a date with mystery guy and Sam had a task, and it would take less time to search for the perfect bridesmaid dress. Clover also had a coursework project to complete and hand in by today, but hadn't even started on it and would probably ask for an extension (although whether she would get the extension would be doubtful, since Clover had already asked twice, but hey, third time's the charm).
"How about this?" Alex asked, taking a beautiful dress and showing the rest. It was pretty. It was a form-fitting winterberry spaghetti-strapped dress made out of silk that ended half-way above the knees. Skimpy enough for her, but too skimpy for everyone else.
"I don't think so, Alex. No offense meant," Britney told her. "But I just don't think Sam and I would look good in that color. And anyway, I doubt Charles would approve if I had worn a dress that striking and skimpy."
"It is beautiful," Clover agreed. "Sam would look good in it though. Sam wears pink exceptionally well for redheads. But it wouldn't go with the theme, anyway. Remember, the theme is Island in the Sun."
"I think that dress would make all of us look like Scarlet Women, Alex," Sam said, thoughtlessly, and realized what she'd said. That brought a blush to her cheeks.
Alex and Clover laughed. "Sam, you're such a conservative. No wonder you're still a virgin at twenty-three!"
Britney frowned, but wisely said nothing.
I'm not really a virgin, was the first thought that came into Sam's mind. The blush on her cheeks was more noticeable and she felt her cheeks getting hotter. After Tim Scam, and suddenly Sam found herself – yet again – with memories she'd worked so hard to put aside came flooding her mind. She admitted some of them were pleasant, but then, too late, remembered that those memories were associated with Tim Scam, and were supposed to be repugnant to her. Yet, for some reason they weren't, and yet –
This was ridiculous, Sam groaned. Can't I think of anything now, without making it into something that revolves around Scam? It's not as if my life revolves around him – which it shouldn't.
She was having a stupid inner turmoil, and found herself crossed in love, as Mr. Bennett (from Pride and Prejudice) would have noted. She was filled with disdain for those stupid heroines who were forbidden to be with their heroes (case in point: Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Wicked, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, etc. etc., all of which she hated with a passion). And now she had become one of them –
No, she had not. Because she'd have to be in love with Tim Scam for her to be one of those lovesick heroines, and she was completely and utterly not in love with Tim Scam, who was a villain and a sociopath and would do anything to murder her and her friends. So the idea really was stupid. Because, she was, again, not, and she repeated, not in love with Tim Scam (emphasis on the not). Because she never fell for villains who were out to get the princesses, and it was only a single night, for Heaven's sake. Who had ever fallen in love over a period of one night? It was not even a whole day!
This was more than ridiculous. It was outright impossible, or so she thought. There was no way she was going to think about Tim Scam lovingher, or anything that related her to Tim Scam and a possible relationship. It was ludicrous, and now she was repeating herself. What was she, some crazy love-struck fool? Which she wasn't, because you'd have to be in love to be love-struck, and she was most definitely not in love with –
Oh, for heaven's sake! She'd done it again. Made everything she thought revolved on a certain person whom she shouldn't even be thinking about – she was thinking about that said person far too much for her peace of mind and far more than she deserved. She would not do it again.
She forced herself off this trail of thought because it was useless to have this sort of conversation in her head, and anyway, she was repeating herself things she already knew and the best way to forget about all of this was to focus on the task at hand, which was finding a bridesmaid dress and –
"How about this one?" Clover held up another lovely dress. It was strapless, which Sam was not sure of, but it was made of a gauzy, chiffon-like material, which was a dark, forest green color, upon which flowers of many different colors formed patterns. The skirt was supposed to reach just below the ankle and flared.
"That looks amazing, Clover," Alex said. "The skirt really is too long (Clover glared at her, and Alex grew afraid and finished the latter part of her sentence in a rushed manner) but-it's-perfect-and-I-love-it." Alex breathed out in relief, and Clover looked mollified.
"I love it," Britney said. "It would look perfect on everyone. And it looks perfect and in-theme. Great choice, Clover!"
Clover looked decidedly pleased and turned to Sam. "What about you, Sam? What do you think?"
Sam slowly nodded. In truth, she thought that the dress was one of the most beautiful ones she'd seen. "It's absolutely stunning, Clover. Aren't you afraid we'll draw attention away from the blushing bride?"
Clover shook her head. "As if, Sam. I will find the most beautiful gown imaginable and wear it, but I need you guys looking your best, because otherwise it'll reflect badly on me, of course."
She turned to the sales assistant nearby and said, "We'll take this one!"
The sales assistant nodded. "Very well, Miss. I'll get the measuring tapes –"
The sales assistant barely had time to turn around when suddenly, the four girls were sucked into a tunnel – one they knew led towards WOOHP.
"Just my luck," Clover yelled, as they spun in circles down the tunnel, before landing on the couch on a heap. "While we're making wedding arrangements, I get sucked down and WOOHPed here."
"Jerry, is something the matter?" Britney asked, concerned.
"Of course girls," Jerry's face was grim. "I have been notified that several of the prisoners at the WOOHP detention facility have escaped."
Oh no, Sam thought.
She wasn't ready to face him again. And yet, now, it seemed that it would be inevitable for them to meet, and sooner, rather than later.
Expect me soon, he had warned her in the note.
He must be psychic, or she just wasn't seeing the obvious.
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Author's Note
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The action starts rolling. Muahahahaha!
Poor Sam. She isn't ready for their next encounter – or is she?
(Gasps)
Hope you enjoyed this! Don't forget to tell me what you think!
lianneharmony
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References
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WOOHPing? That's from the TS series, remember?
As for Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Wicked, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, if I owned them, I'd be rich. Which I'm not. And I don't, except for an ebook of Pride and Prejudice. Now that I wish I owned. :( Sadly it belongs to the genius formerly known as Jane Austen.
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Shoutouts
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Cresenta's Lark, Guardian of Courage and Beth are awesome because they reviewed. You guys make me smile! :)