The Mask He Wears

Chapter 4

Miles glanced across the table at the empty seat before him. Where was she? He checked his watch and sighed. She was ten minutes late.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Esther rushed in carrying a notebook, blonde curls flying behind her. "Sorry I'm late, I had to get some things for my new job."

Miles shrugged it off as she sat down across from him. He probably shouldn't give her a lecture on punctuality right now. "That's quite all right."

"Now where to begin?" Esther tapped her pencil to her lips. "First off, getting on student council around here is all about getting the Aggie votes."

"The Aggie votes? I don't think I understand."

"Well, the majority of kids at this school are  aggies, you know rednecks, farm kids."

"Are you a farm kid?"

"Yes, but I'm not hardcore country or redneck, and you definitely aren't anywhere near that category." She shrugged. "The girls will vote for you because you're cute,"

Miles blushed.

"But you need to get the boys vote if you're gonna win."

Miles shrugged again, "What did you have in mind?"

Esther grinned; her expression looking too mischievous for Miles to feel very comfortable. "This Sunday night, there's gonna be a mudding party."

Miles nodded. "Wait what is mudding?"

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Miles crawled out of his window Sunday night and checked his watch, 9:45, Levi was supposed to be here any minute to pick him up. He walked along the roof to a ladder he'd purposefully left there that afternoon. All the lights were off and Franziska, Franz, and the others should be fast asleep by now. A blue Chevy truck slowly rolled up to the house with the lights dimmed. Miles walked across the yard and quietly opened the door, sliding into the passenger seat.

"What's up, bud?" Levi whispered.

Miles nearly jumped out of his skin when he looked over at Levi. The other boy was wearing blue jeans and a dark green hoodie, with black lines painted under his eyes.

Levi grinned as he pulled out of the driveway. "Don't worry, I brought some paint for you too." He handed Miles a jar of black face paint.

Miles murmured a thank you and put his seatbelt on as they hit the main highway.

"I didn't know a city boy like you even owned a pair of jeans." Levi gestured at Miles with one hand.

Miles just nodded, not revealing that he'd just bought a pair that day. When he'd brought them home, Franz had just shaken his head, saying that Miles had been influenced by the locals.

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Esther stood, with Izzie and a few other friends in the middle of a pasture, waiting for Levi and Miles to arrive. Izzie was nearly bouncing up and down with excitement, a coke in her hand, from a cooler one of the guys had brought. Esther looked down at her black hoodie and shorts and hoped she wouldn't get too dirty. She loved mudding as much as the next girl, but she didn't feel like washing three inches of mud out of her hair tonight. She glanced over at Jessica who decided to come last minute when she heard Miles would be there. She had never been mudding before and it showed in her choice of clothing. She was wearing a frilly black crop top with distressed light denim shorts.

Izzie rolled her eyes. "She's going to get filthy. Doesn't she know to wear old clothes?"

Esther just shrugged. "Maybe no one told her."

A few of the boys whooped as Levi pulled up and parked with the rest of their trucks. Levi and Miles jumped down, one excited and the other more hesitant.

"How's it going guys!" He high fived a few of his friends. "Is everyone ready?"

Izzie squealed and bounced up and down on her toes. "I'm ready! Let's go!"

Levi laughed. "All right you heard her."

Esther sat down on Izzie's four-wheeler and watched as the boys helped Sawyer unload his off the back of his truck. Soon everyone was ready for the fun to begin.

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Miles sat behind Levi on his ATV and held on for what he thought was his life as the other boy expertly whipped the vehicle around the field. The rain had turned the dirt into deep mud and Levi seemed very good at knowing which mud was too thick and which was just right for throwing at the other kids. He tried to stop a grin from spreading across his face as Levi whipped a small wave into Izzie and Esther's faces.

Izzie shrieked, "Levi!" and did quick U turn, soaking Miles completely.

Levi looked back and laughed as Miles stared, shocked at the mud coating his shirt and pants. As the night wore on, Miles's smile grew bigger. So, this was what having fun felt like. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time, not since he was a small child. It felt unfamiliar, but so good.

Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoy!