"I don't know if I should go," Miral said. Miral watched her parents trade a look. They were in the kitchen having coffee because Miral was home for the weekend.
"Why not?" B'Elanna asked.
"I have a lot of studying to do," Miral said. Miral was in her first year at the academy and there was the annual ball that the academy threw for the first years.
"You need to have fun, too." Tom smiled. "I remember my first-year ball, I took a beautiful girl," Tom saw the look that his wife was giving him. "She dumped me two weeks later. We had a good time at that ball, we hung out with friends. The only thing that I can't remember was the theme."
"There's going to be a theme," Miral didn't like that one bit.
"Yes, I remember my theme," B'Elanna said. "It was a masquerade."
"You went to yours," Tom said. He didn't think that B'Elanna would go to that.
"Yes, my roommate dragged me," B'Elanna gave her husband a look. Tom smiled.
"Did you have fun?" Miral asked.
A smile came to B'Elanna's face with a light in her eyes as she remembered that night. "Yes," Miral felt that her mom was back there again on that night.
"Tell us the story," Miral asked. There were only so many ways that her mom would be that happy and that night was one of them.
"Yes, I would like to hear this story, too," Tom looked at his wife wondering what happened that night.
B'Elanna took a sip of coffee before looking at her husband and daughter. "Alright."
B'Elanna was sitting at her desk, trying to work on her homework, when her roommate came in. "Please tell me that you aren't doing homework," Amanda said. Amanda flopped on her bed. "There is ball tonight and we are going."
"I'm not going," B'Elanna didn't look up from her PADD.
"Why not?" Amanda sat up. "It is going to fun."
"I'll be standing by the drinks, watching everyone else have fun," B'Elanna mumbled. She hoped that Amanda didn't hear that.
"It's a masquerade, you can be anyone want, and no one will tell a difference. At least until the last hour when the masks come off and you find out who who's." Amanda did hear. "Alright, come for an hour and if you are having fun, you can leave, and I'll get you pancakes tomorrow."
"Banana," B'Elanna smiled and turned around to face her roommate.
"Yes," Amanda rolled her eyes.
B'Elanna sighed. "Alright, I'm go."
"Yes," Amanda shouted. She jumped off her bed and started to talk about what they should wear for this ball. B'Elanna stopped listening after a while.
B'Elanna stepped into the ballroom in a deep purple dress with a mask that covered the top of her head. All anyone could see was her mouth. Amanda stood next to her in a blue dress with a mask that only covered her eyes. B'Elanna looked around the room and saw women in colorful dresses and men in black suits. They all had mask covering their faces. B'Elanna felt like she was heroine in one of those human nineteenth century romance novels that she found. She traded a look with Amanda before they stepped deeper into the ballroom.
There was a band playing songs. Amanda and B'Elanna went on the dance floor to start dancing. They were asked by men to dance, and they agreed. B'Elanna didn't know how many men she danced with. About an hour into it B'Elanna needed a drink and made her way to the drink table and got a glass of lemonade. She stood by the wall and watched everyone for a minute.
"What is beautiful woman like you, standing by yourself," B'Elanna looked at the man standing in front of her. He had a mask that covered his face except his mouth. B'Elanna saw a big smile on his face that brighten his face. B'Elanna saw that that his eyes were blue, and he had blond hair.
B'Elanna couldn't keep the smile from her face. "I was getting a drink and taking a moment before getting back there."
The young man smiled and reached for a glass of lemonade. He drained the glass. "What is your name?"
"I rather not say," B'Elanna smiled. "What is your name?"
"I rather not say," The young man returned her smile.
The music changed and people got off the floor. The young man held out his hand. Would you like to dance?"
B'Elanna placed her glass down and took his hand. "That would be wonderful," He led her to the dance floor. He took her in a spin right away.
Somehow B'Elanna didn't notice anyone else on the floor, besides her and her young man. He was a beautiful dancer. She felt her taking all the air from her lungs as they danced around the floor.
After spending a couple of hours with each other, B'Elanna's young man gave a half smile to her. "Do you want to get out of here?"
B'Elanna didn't know if it was magic of the night or if she was not thinking of consequence but she said. "Sure."
The young man took her hand and led out of the ballroom. They stopped at a replicator and her ordered a bottle of wine with two glasses and a couple of blankets. He handed her the wine and glasses as they left the building. "Where are we going?"
"My favorite spot," The young man said.
B'Elanna smiled. "Where is that?"
"You'll see," The young man only pulled her along.
"We are at the beach," B'Elanna reached down and took of her shoes. The young man only smiled.
"Yes, but have you ever walked on the beach at night and watched the moon," The young man said.
B'Elanna laughed. "No, you probably say that to all the girls you bring here."
The young man spread the blanket on the ground. He took the wine from her and placed it next to the blanket. He helped her settle on the blanket before taking a seat himself. He poured wine in both the glasses. He looked out to the ocean and B'Elanna followed his eyes to see the moon riding on the horizon. It was a beautiful sight.
They sat there talking about this and that but nothing important about themselves. B'Elanna didn't know if he was telling the truth or not, but she didn't care. At one-point B'Elanna leaned her head against his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her. B'Elanna knew that she felt comfortable in his arms.
When the moon was lower, the young man turned her face and kissed her. It was magical. B'Elanna put her glass down and reached for him. He reached for her breast and B'Elanna let out a moan. The young man broke the kiss and looked into B'Elanna's eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked. The only response that she gave was taking his lips again.
B'Elanna woke to the sun hitting her back. She opened one eye to see that her young man was still there. Another blanket was thrown over them. B'Elanna reached up and felt that the make was still there. He tried to take it off, but B'Elanna didn't want to see his face or him seeing her face. It will be a mystery for her, and she would dream about this day forever.
"Good morning beautiful," He said from beside her.
B'Elanna turned around pulling the blanket with her. "Good morning." She reached for her clothes and started to dress. She saw that he was doing the same thing.
After they were dressed, the young man stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Would you like to go to breakfast with me?" He asked.
B'Elanna shook her head. "No, I have to get back to my dorms," He only nodded and picked everything up. He held out his arm and she took it.
They made their way to Starfleet academy. He dropped her off in front of her building with a kiss on the lips. B'Elanna stood there, watching him walk away. She was probably never going to see the guy again, but the night was something that she was going to dream about on a cold day. She was glad that she never got to know his name.
B'Elanna made her way up to her dorm. She took a breath before going into her room. She saw Amanda lying on her bed, sleeping. B'Elanna took of her dress and put her pajamas on before crawling into bed. She had just closed her eyes when she heard.
"What the hell happen to you last night?" Amanda hissed from across the room. B'Elanna turned on her back and went to sleep.
"You didn't know his name, but you slept with him," Miral looked at her mother. She never thought that her mother would do something like that."
B'Elanna gave a secret smile. "Yes, I liked not knowing his name and him not knowing mine. I wasn't me that night."
Miral shook her head before getting up and leaving the kitchen. B'Elanna took a sip of her coffee to see her husband's face. "Is something on your mind, Tom?" She asked.
"I might know who your mystery man was?" Tom said.
"Who?" B'Elanna smiled behind her coffee mug.
"Me," Tom said.
"I know," B'Elanna turned away and headed for the family room.
"How?" Tom stuttered.
B'Elanna turned to her husband. "You have the same moves as my young man," B'Elanna took a seat on the couch.
"Like what?" Tom asked. He sat next to her.
"The thing you do with your tongue," B'Elanna turned on the news.
"Like this," Tom whispered in her ear before doing what B'Elanna was saying. B'Elanna laughed.
"I'm glad you were my mystery man," B'Elanna said as Tom kissed down her neck.
"Me, too."