Confessions

03| Revealing The Mask

03| Revealing The Mask

"Like everyone else, he wears a mask. Not to hide his face. But the pain he hides in his cold interior. He never thought, his skin would come off, every time he took off his mask."

-L.C. Eleanor

September 6, 2018

I didn't get any sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, the hidden boy haunted my dreams. I tossed back and forth for many restless hours. No matter what I did, my mind wouldn't let me solve the questions in my head in the morning. My conscious wants to know the truth but the only way to find out the truth is by finding Nathan. But he didn't leave any possible way to communicate with him.

That's what bothers me. I don't know anything about him, or his reasons to find Alica. All he has done was planted a haunting question in my head. And the more I think, the more I can't trust him. For all I know, when I find out what happened to Alica, he'll probably make me disappear.

I need to have a wall. I can't let him know everything, if he's not telling me anything. I don't trust him one bit

The smell of pancakes flooded my nostrils. I ran down stairs, as fast as I could. It wasn't because of my absolute love for pancakes. I was running to the person, who was making the most precious thing man has created.

The sound of my bare feet slapping the cold solid wood, made me run faster. As soon as I saw her, I wrapped my arms around her while she tried to flip the pancake on the other side. A soft giggle left her lips as she shook her head.

"Soph, you literally saw me yesterday." I scoff at her unbelievable words.

"That was 24 hours ago." I say checking my invisible watch. "That's a million years ago!" I sat at the counter that faces the kitchen. I watch my dear mother make her perfectly golden pancakes.

"Hmm. Are you trying to act like an angel because of the phone call I got today?" She put her hands on her hips.

"One; I'm already an angel. Two; what phone call?"

She raised her dark brown eyebrow. My mother and I look exactly alike. We both have chest-nut brown hair. But her hair has grey highlights. The more stress she must deal with, the more brown strings of hair turn into grey.

"I got a phone call from the school. They said, "Sofia had an heated argument with a female student."" She mocked Mrs. Limber's high pitched voice. I could hold the laughter that was in my throat.

"Soph, this is serious! I'm trying to be a responsible parent here!" This only made me laugh even more. "SOFIA MAXWELL!"

I wiped a tear away. "Okay. Sorry. I'm listening." A sigh of relief left her mouth.

"Soph, you need to control your anger. I know that it isn't the best time at school..."

I cut her off. "No, it's the best. There's nothing better than being blamed for your best-friend's disappearance." I said sarcastically.

"Sofia!" She sat in the stool next to mine. "I need you to be strong, don't let them see the worst of you. They want to see you at your worst, but you should show them you at your best."

"How?! I can't show a part of me that I'm not there yet."

She placed her fragile hand on my cheek. "You have to fake it until it becomes reality." She sighed. "Please promise me, you'll try." I looked into her eyes. She looked tired. I know she hasn't been sleeping because of work. Her hair is frizzy, and her back is hunched. The way her chest rises scares me. She's taking short breaths as she moves very slowly while she's eating.

"I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My mood dimmer as I walked the halls of Hudson high school. As usual people started at me with constant fear. I took a breath in, before taking off my hoodie. I let my soft chest-nut hair touch my shoulders.

I can do this.

In that second, I straightened my posture, calmed my breathing. And began to take confident strides down the hallway. I walked down that hallway like nothing bad has ever happened to me. Which led people into an even more shock stage.

I tried to remember what mom told me this morning.

"You have to fake it, until it becomes reality."

I cleared my head from everything and everyone that surrounds me, and focused on getting to my first class of the day.

The teacher's eyes widened when I stepped into the classroom. Instead of giving her the mincing glare I usually do. I gave her a slight smile. I saw her muscles relax after she stared at me in shock.

I walked to my seat and began to get ready for class. The thump of a strong foot in high heels, stopped at my desk. I looked up only to see the she-devil.

"Sofia Maxwell." She gritted out. I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. I haven't done anything to her today. I literally just walked into school. So you're telling me that I somehow annoyed her? You gotta be kidding me.

"Yes, the all mighty She-devil." I said in a bored tone as I continue to focus on my notebook. She slammed her hands on my desk as she gritted her teeth together.

Well, it must be someone's time of the month.

"You didn't listen to me." She harshly whispered out.

Wait, what? "What are you talking about?" She sat down next to me.

"You know damn well, what I'm talking about!" I looked at her with puzzled eyes. "Oh, god! Don't tell me you're an imbecile. I actually thought much better of you."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Samantha."

"I'm talking about yesterday! I told you strictly to watch every step you take or you'll end up like-"

"What the hell does that mean, Samantha?" She opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off. "I honestly find it hard to trust you, when you're so vague." I spat.

"No." she stated. "No, it's hard for you to understand when you're looking surface deep into my warnings. Don't worry, you'll figure it out." She turns forward in her seat while I stare at her in confusion.

"I just hope when you do, it isn't too late." What does that mean? I'm really fed getting with the secret codes and hidden meaning behind every word someone says. I went to ask one more question, when the door was slammed open. I looked at Samantha pales face. She was frozen.

"Sama-" I was cut off by a familiar deep voice. I turned around to see a tall brooding boyish figure. His chest-nut eyes scanned the room. When his eyes landed on mine, my whole body went still. Then a smirk formed on his, and in that moment I had a strong guess who he was. My gut was screaming his name, but my head couldn't let myself believe there is a small chance of being.

But it couldn't be him.

"Can I help you, sir?" The teacher's high-pitched voice cuts through the air.

"I'm in your class." He says while still staring into my eyes. My leg bounced as I waited for him to say his name. Please tell me you're not who I think you are...

The teacher rolled her eyes. "Would you like to tell us your name or would you want to stare at Miss Maxwell?"

The unnamed boy glared at the teacher before turning towards me while crossing his arms. He stared into my eyes, I wanted to look away. His gaze made the chill run through my spine.

"Nathan Willams."