Masqueraded Identities

Chapter Seventeen

Four days later, and it was back to the old routine at Princeton Academy. Students were supposed to arrive back on Tuesday, the day before, to unpack, whatever. Tay gave me an excited bear hug, and acted as if she hadn't seen me for a year instead of a week. And as much as I had loved having the dorm to myself for a week when she left Princeton early, I realized I definitely enjoyed having her around more than I didn't.

We told each other about our breaks and headed to the game room to play an intense game of ping-pong. At Princeton, whenever homework was finished, most people just went to go make-out or order new dresses with their own Visa. Me and Tay just played ping-pong for hours. And with her horrible aim, it turned out to be a real work-out. I chased the ball more than I hit it.

I was just about to serve the ball when suddenly hands covered my eyes.

I screamed. I was jumpy, okay?

“Jeez! Don't break my eardrum!” came the familiar, soothing voice of Mark. I squealed, turned, and hugged him. I hadn't realized how much I missed him either.

He chuckled, a deep, masculine, sexy sound, and wrapped his arms around my waist. He put his head snugly on top of mine. Unfortunately, Mark was only the tiniest bit taller than me. Which is disappointing, because I loved to wear heels.

“I missed you, cutie,” he said, removing his head from mine, and giving me a quick peck on the lips.

“I missed you, too!” I said with a big, cheesy grin.

“Work on your lines?”

“Yep! Actually got another two pages memorized!” I said proudly.

I had finally decided to stop sitting on my butt and actually do something. Well, okay, I still sat on my butt while memorizing them, but I actually did something productive while sitting on my butt, and that's what counts!

“Congrats! I got more memorized, too!”

“Well, good job, Faust!” I said, sticking my tongue out.

“And a job well done to you, Margaret,” he replied, wrapping an arm around my waist and bringing my forehead to his lips.

“You two are disgusting!” Tay interrupted, staring expectantly.

“You're an asshole!” I replied, laughing and going back to the ping-pong table.

She grinned wickedly, and we went back to our game, Mark watching from the sidelines, his gaze frequently darting to and fro. Probably caught up in the world of poems and art and all that other stuff artsy guys like Mark did.

Tay and I took a water break. I bent down at the fountain, and she whispered, “Is it me, or has Mark been checking out other girls this whole time?”

I stood up, wiping my mouth. “You are so weird. Of course not. He's devoted!”

Tay opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. “You're right. I'm just acting weird today. Ignore it. Anyways, I'm going to the dorm. See you later.”

I patted her back and gave her a look, walking back over to the ping-pong table. I wrapped my arms around Mark's waist, and he stood up straight, surprised.

“Where'd you come from?!” he asked with a laugh.

“I just went to the water fountain,” I mumbled into his chest.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. “Goodness, I'm out of it.”

“Still recovering from the food coma?”