Hey again! Here's chapter 2!

The Masked Boy

Chapter 2: Two-Faced Italian

A Few Weeks Later:

Louise shuffled into the kitchen. It was much too early. She yawned widely as she got out a loaf of bread from a cabinet and placed two slices in the toaster. As she was reaching for the butter in the refrigerator, her dad burst into the kitchen, a grin etched on his face.

"This is awesome!" he said by way of greeting. "My adorable Louise coming to watch her old man at his dream job!" He poured himself a cup of coffee from the fresh pot on the counter. As if he needed it.

Louise sighed. It was going to be a long day. At least it was something she could handle. Every year since she was ten, her dad has taken her to his job and paraded her around for his coworkers supposed enjoyment. This year was different, however, because not only did her dad land the job he had aspired towards for years but it was also the last year before she finished school. This little chick was leaving the nest soon. Louise didn't want to think of how much doting her dad was going to squeeze into this last father-daughter work day.

"Going for the sexy conservative look today?" her dad teased, smirking, as she straightened up and shut the refrigerator door.

"No," she replied, embarrassed. "Just conservative." She looked down at her attire. It consisted of a simple olive green blazer with a black dress shirt underneath, a pencil skirt of the same green, tights, and simple black heels. There was nothing particularly sexy about it, but anything she wore was 'sexy' to her dad nowadays.

"You should get Sophia to put your hair up," her dad commented, eyeing her limpid shoulder-length hair. "It'll complete the look."

"Actually, she taught me how to do it myself awhile ago," she responded. "I thought that I might as well learn since I won't have her to do it for me pretty soon."

For a split second, a look of pain crossed his face, but he composed himself and smiled. "I'm so proud! Maybe she could teach you about mascara too."

"Not so fast, dad. One step at a time," she laughed as the bread in the toaster popped up, perfectly toasted.

~.~

They pulled up in front of an official-looking building.

"So, what's the first order of business?" Louise asked as they got out of the car.

"I have to meet with the Minister of Defense about something. You can observe, if you want. It's not as if you'll understand what we're saying." He laughed as he started up the large stone steps.

Louise felt a cold chill run up her back. The Minister of Defense? Suddenly, the memory of that night crossed her mind.

~.~

"So you have no siblings?" Feliciano asked. He set his wineglass delicately on the tablecloth.

"Yes, it's just my father and I," she confirmed, taking another sip from hers.

"That sounds peaceful. I have an older brother named Lovino. He can be very bossy sometimes."

"Is he here?"

"He is somewhere around here," he answered, shifting his eyes back and forth for a moment playfully.

"Then let's hope he does not come over here." They laughed together.

Louise swished around the wine in her glass. Was the alcohol the reason she was getting along so well with this Italian boy? She looked back up at his smiling face, still obscured by his mask. No, there was something about his personality that seemed so inviting. Something that had compelled her to keep dancing with him, to talk to him, and to sit with him at the table.

Suddenly, over his shoulder, she spotted her dad making his way towards them. He was still talking to Ambassador Carriendo and looked a bit inebriated, but eventually he would see her. She shot up from her spindly chair, pulling on his hand.

"My father! Run!" she exclaimed, somehow remembering to speak in English. She led him in the opposite direction of her dad, dodging other guests as they zigzagged across the garden. She spotted an opening in the hedges and dashed through it, dragging Feliciano with her. She vaguely registered that they were in a narrow pathway made out of tall hedges. Once they were out of sight, she halted.

"That was very close," she sighed with relief, huffing to catch her breath.

Feliciano leaned against one side of the hedge walls. "Is being with you normally this exciting, Louise?" he teased, smiling.

"No, I just—" She stopped when she realized she was still holding onto his hand. He noticed as well and slowly brought it up to his face and kissed it. Another pleasant chill ran up her spine. His amber eyes seemed to glow with feeling and at that moment, everything began moving in slow-motion. She leaned her head in at the same time his moved down. Their lips touched and as she closed her eyes, a great warmth began growing in her chest. She forgot herself for a moment and enjoyed the feeling.

Suddenly, the cold realization of what she was doing hit her and she jumped back, bringing a hand to her mouth in shock. She stared at him for a second, too stunned to speak, and then suddenly dashed back out the opening in the hedges. She didn't know where her legs were taking her and she didn't care, just as long as they were taking her away from her mistake.

At that moment, she bumped into her dad and Ambassador Carriendo.

"Louise! There you are!" her dad exclaimed, slurring his words slightly. "We've been looking for you. It's time to go home. Antonio here thinks I've had too much to drink, but I say that—"

~.~

After her momentary stupor, Louise continued walking up the steps with her father. A thousand thoughts filled her head. Would Feliciano tell his grandfather about her and who she was? Would the Minister tell her dad? Did her dad know already? No, there's no way her dad would know. He would have said something already. But what if the Minister knows?

These thoughts consumed her all the way up the steps, through security, and down a long, echo-filled hallway. As they stopped outside a set of double doors, she managed to reassure herself that even if the Minister knew, they were there on official business. It shouldn't even come up at all.

Just as her dad was about to knock on the door, it swung inward and a man in a pinstriped suit stepped out.

"—vinoè il migliore!" he exclaimed heartily, his attention still on someone in the room. As he turned his head, he noticed the two people before him.

"Ah, Ambasciatore! Buon tempismo!" he laughed. "È lei la vostra segretaria bella?" He winked at Louise. His eyes had the same glimmer as Feliciano's.

"Actually, sir," her dad answered, speaking in English. "This is my daughter, Louise. She is still learning Italian, so could you-?"

"Of course!" the Minister bellowed, chuckling. "Anything for a lovely young lady!" He took her hand and kissed it. Louise felt her cheeks turn pink. Now she knew where Feliciano got his charm. "Good morning, Miss Beilschmidt," the Minister greeted. "What brings you here to my humble office?"

Louise opened her mouth to speak, but her dad answered for her. "She is here to watch her old man at work," he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder fondly.

"Ah, what a coincidence!" the Minister exclaimed, his face splitting into a full grin. He beckoned them through the door, yelling into the room, "Nipotino! Noi abbiamo ospiti!" Louise heard the sound of hurried footsteps as she and her dad were ushered into the small sitting room.

It took her a split second to recognize him without his mask, but there was no mistaking the curl in his hair. A cold chill ran up her spine. There stood Feliciano, holding a stack of manila folders. He saw him look at her dad and then to her as he came to the same realization. He started to take a step forward, a cheery smile on his face, but suddenly caught his foot on a bump in the ornate rug. Documents flew everywhere as he fell ungracefully to the ground, his head just a few inches from her heels.

"Ciao…" he groaned painfully.

"Mamma mia, Feliciano!" the Minister shouted, half amused, half exasperated. "I need those for my meeting with Ambassador Beilschmidt! What am I going to do with you, eh?"

"Mi dispiace, nonno!" Feliciano cried, his face red with embarrassment as he got up on his knees and hurriedly putting papers together.

As Feliciano scrambled to put the stack of folders back in order, stammering apologies in Italian, Louise couldn't help but stare at him. Was this the same boy? It was as if his personality had been completely replaced, His voice, while technically the same, gave off an air of naivety and innocence. Even his eyes were different. There was only one word to describe them. Limpid.

At last, the paperwork was back in order and Feliciano carefully handed it to his grandpa. "There we go!" the Minister laughed. "Ready, Ambassador?"

"Of course. Come on, Louise."

"Now now, there's no need for the young lady to watch, Ambassador. It will be very dull for her, especially since we'll be speaking mostly in Italian."

"But-"

"And she can keep an eye on Feliciano for me!" the Minister interrupted. "Make sure he doesn't get into any more trouble." He started making his way to an inner door, presumably his office, while Louise's dad helplessly followed. "It won't take long, I promise!"

With one last look back at Louise, her dad shut the door, leaving an awkward silence. Louise walked over to the back side of a sofa and placed her hand on it to steady herself. She had not been prepared for what should happen if she ever saw him again. She stood frozen, unable to think of anything to say.

"So…" Feliciano started, fumbling with his hands. "It's nice to see your whole face. It's very pretty."

She ignored the compliment. "Listen, about that night," she blurted suddenly, whipping around to face him. "while I enjoyed your company, I hadn't planned for it to end the way it did, a-and the alcohol might have had a hand in it and-"

"I didn't think we had that much to drink," Feliciano interjected, a sort of sad smile on his face. "Well, maybe me, but definitely not you." He continued playing with his hands. "Are you saying you didn't enjoy kissing me?

"I-it's not that, it's just…" Louise slowly ran her hand across the polished wood of the sofa's back. "It was my first kiss," she confessed, blushing.

"Really?" he queried, looking slightly ashamed. "Then I'm sorry for stealing it from you."

She sighed. "No, it was not your fault." Why was she comforting him? She should be yelling at him, but somehow the sight of him fidgeting with his fingers and looking sorry for himself was just as compelling as how he had been at the masquerade.

"Can we at least be friends?" Feliciano asked. Big doe eyes looked at her.

"I suppose," she agreed reluctantly. "We don't have to kiss again, do we?"

"Nope, unless you want to."

I really hope you liked it! Review if you did, or if you want to chew me out about something. That's cool too. Chapter 3 coming eventually!