The Monitor Masquerade

Level 15

PrinceOfHearts' POV

I hadn't slept much last night. I was tossing and turning thinking about Grace. Part of me felt sick I was thinking about her so much. Part of me felt sick thinking about Amber. After everything we had been through, she fucked my cousin. I couldn't help but find some ironic humor in all the mess. I was dragging by the time I got to school. I kept checking my phone waiting for Grace to tell me she had talked to Romeo. I wanted her to be happy. I didn't want her to hurt like I was hurting. But part of me wanted her to hurt. Wanted Romeo to shoot her down so I could be there to pick up the peices. It was sick and messed up and I hated myself for thinking it. I had gotten up so late I threw on the first things I could find. A shitty t-shirt that had sunglasses on it and some jeans. I looked like a freshman. I didn't care. When I pulled into school I ran into the building. Surprisingly I wasn't close to being late. I stood outside the door to my first class looking at my phone one more time. I texted Grace something reassuring and waited for a response. Some mousy girl with hair too long for her went to her locker right in front of me. What if Grace had blond hair? I pushed the thought aside as Amber came up to me.

"Taylor we need to talk."

"No we don't. We are never getting back together. Ever. That was the last straw Amber."

"I miss you."

"Well I don't miss you." I said sharply. 

Amber took a step closer. "Well maybe I can remind you of what you don't miss." 

Before I could ever react her lips were on mine. It was easy to sink into the routine of her kisses. The aggression she never had to put but always did. It was normal. The feel of her lips on mine, but it did't real right. I felt panicked, something I usually don't feel. I felt like I was somehow cheating on Grace. I tried to push Amber off but she wouldn't budge. The whole school was buzzing about me punching her, I couldn't shove her off now. I would look terrible. As if by the grace of God, there was a crash. The sound of books falling to the floor. It was so loud it got Amber to pull away and look over. The mousy girl held eye contact with me for too long. Her whole face turned bright red as a couple of tear rolled down her cheek. You could tell she was trying to keep it together. My hear stopped. With her long blonde hair no longer hiding her, I saw a favorite green flannel wore on ever competition day, the black shirt she was so afraid to wear, and beat up converse that had seen better days. And then she was gone. Weaving in and out of students as the bell rang for class. It all came crashing down on me like a ton of bricks. "Grace!" I yelled but she didn't stop. "Grace wait! Grace! Please it's me!!" She slipped out the door into the parking lot before I could get to her. I was about to chase after her but then everything came crashing down.

I'm Romeo. 

I am who she was afraid to talk to.

I am who she was pinning over.

She thinks Amber and I are back together.

Everything hurt. I got what I wanted but the cost was so much more then I thought. Grace. I saw Grace. I didn't do anything. I let her go. I trudged back to class. The day seemed to go by in the blur. Grace texted me when she got home what had happened. I couldn't bare to respond. I needed to see her. To fix it to make it all okay. When I finally got home I ran to my computer and called Grace.

"Hello." she said softly. Like she had been crying.

My heart fell into my stomach. "Everything is going to work out. Maybe you saw wrong." I said too loud and too fast. 

"I know what I saw." I hated hearing her like this. "I don't think...I think I'm going to see the guys tonight."

"Wait really? Grace that's amazing! Where are you guys going?" Maybe there is hope.

"Just some comic shop."

"Grace listen I-" the words came barreling out but she stopped me.

"Prince. It's okay. It's time I got over him anyway. He would never date me."

"I would."

"No you wouldn't." Grace's voice was strained. She hung up after that. I had to find her.

GraceKelli's POV

Anya dropped me off at the comic book shop insisting that I shouldn't drive. She said she had to pick up a prescription and then would come right back to meet all the guys. I walked in feeling a little less nervous then I had expected. I felt more numb then anything. Taylor was with Amber as always and I was with my guys. Things had somewhat gone back to normal. It was stupid of me to think that Taylor would see me dressed like this walk up to me and kiss me like in all the movies. I felt childish and dumb. I looked around at the comics before I found two tables in the back of the store. It was a big building with the register was in the middle. I started walking towards them when one of them stood up and yelled "Fuck Kelli actually came!!" They all turned to look at me and I felt like sinking into the floor. I kept my composure and walked over with a smile. 

"In case you couldn't tell who is who, I'm Jordan." He smiled as he pushed a dread out of his face. I laughed and he pulled out a chair for me. I did a little curtsy and sat down.

"In case you all couldn't tell, I'm Kelli."  there was a group of smiles. Andy was a red head with an insane amount of freckles on him. Ryan's black hair was blue eyes were a contrast to Zach's short blonde hair and green eyes, who happened to be sitting next to him. They were holding hands. We talked and joke and I, for the first time in a really long time, felt like a belonged somewhere other than behind a screen. "It's like a masquerade, you can be whoever you want to."

"The Monitor Masquerade...we should get on that." Andy said with a smile.

"You should get on getting a new hair cut Justin Bieber." Jordan teased.

Anya texted me she was on her back a minute later.

"Look all I'm saying is that you should find a guy and talk to  him. Get your confidence up."

"Ryan it isn't that easy!" I groaned in my hands. The bell of the door rang for the comic book store.

"Look!" Zach bounced. I never thought of him as bouncy. "There's a guy. Go talk to him. He's in a comic book shop so you know he's a total nerd." I rolled my eyes but got up anyway. I wanted to humor them. I turned towards him and started walking. When I got a good look I gasped. It was Taylor. I spun around on the heels and darted for the table. "What's wrong?"

"That's him!!" I hissed. I wanted to die.

"Excuse me." I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around too quickly and also fell off balance. It was Taylor talking to me. Taylor. I went to open my mouth. I don't know why. Nothing would have come out, but before I could his hands were around my waist and he was kissing me.