Unmasked At Midnight

chapter five

"Coincidences are just blessings in disguise."

Me: Rules

No lying

No straight-up asking people if they are *insert nickname*

No changing physical appearance (hair color or eye color)

You can't go around asking people if they know who wore our costumes (like I can't go around asking people if they know anyone who wore a prince costume and vice versa)

We have to tell each other what costume we'll be wearing before the party one hour before the starting time.

I look it over once more before pressing send.

Me: Capiche?

Charming: You're so extra, numbering the rules and all. But capiche.

Me: Okay, now that that's cleared up, are you Daniel?

Charming: Nope. Are you Anika?

Me: Yeah...damn I can't believe you figured it out already.

Charming: Wait for real?

Me: You wish.

Charming: Hey I thought you said no lying.

Me: I thought you liked rebellious girls.

Charming: Fair point. So you want me to like you😏?

Me: Yeah. So I can break your heart when I win.

Charming: I can guarantee that you'll be all over me when you see my face, kitten.

Me: That personality needs work though...

Charming: Says the one insulting me.

I'm about to reply when my dad calls my name, snapping me out of my little bubble. I didn't realize how much fun texting Charming is. Though I am happy, there is a little pang of penitence in my heart as well.

Me: I have to go now. Talk later.

Charming: So you've finally run out of comebacks, huh?

Me: Not a chance. I'll make sure to save some for you later.

Charming: You're still in denial. Cute.

Me: I'm not.

Charming: Not in denial, or not cute?

Me: Bye Charming.

Charming: Bye kitten, and yes you are.

Charming: Both😉

I shake my head and roll my eyes, a smile playing on my lips before it vanishes behind my hand. I can't let myself feel like this. Even though Charming makes me happy, he's just like him, and he made me happy as well, but he broke me in the end. So I couldn't take the chance and let that happen again.

My dad summons me again, pulling me back into reality. I chuck my phone onto my bed and hurry downstairs, not wanting to keep him waiting any longer.

"Liz," my dad starts. "Are you okay? You weren't responding."

"Sorry, I had my music on and didn't hear you," I reply. I feel a little bad about how easily the lie slips out of my mouth, but I try not to make a big deal of it.

My dad asks me to grab bread and milk from the store. At least I'll finally have something to take my mind off of everything, I say to myself.

🎭🎭🎭

I'm biking back with my groceries in the basket when something catches my eye. A guy several feet away from me is holding a tote bag, but the contents of the bag somehow look familiar. I pedal faster, trying to get a closer look.

I'm almost close enough to tell what's inside the bag when my front tire hits an uneven part of the concrete. Before I can even react, my bike is tipped over, my hands are scraped, and the contents of my grocery bag go tumbling to the ground.

The guy in front of me whips his head around and jogs over to help me up.

"Are you okay?" he asks, glancing at my hands.

"Y-yeah," I stutter, feeling a little disoriented from the fall. "My hands are just a little scratched up."

He helps me pick up my groceries while I lift my bike back up, making sure everything is still okay.

"You took quite a fall there," he chuckles, handing me back my items. I glance at his bag, and what I see makes my eyes widen.

Charming's prince costume from the first party.

"Hey...are you sure you're okay?" he says, glancing at me with obvious worry.

"I'm fine," I say, my voice high strung. I give a shaky smile. "Thanks for helping me."

I hop onto my bike and am almost about to pedal away when he stops me.

"Wait, you look familiar. Do you go to Riverwood High?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply slowly. "Do I know you?"

He shrugs, laughing. "Based on your answer it seems like you don't. Anyways, I was just curious."

"What's your name?" I blurt out in desperation.

"Dylan. What's yours?"

"I'm," I wonder if I should tell him my name. He can be Charming for all I know. "I'm Belle."

I concentrate on keeping my face neutral, careful not to let him see my thoughts. Technically I wasn't lying, but I was purposefully shrouding my identity.

"Well then, Belle, see you around."

And with that, he leaves. As I turn around the corner to get back to my house, the cogs in my mind turn faster than my wheels, putting all the pieces together.

🎭🎭🎭

No way. Dylan is Charming?

He can't be. He didn't give off the same kind of energy as Charming while I talked to him. Dylan didn't seem to suspect that I might have a lead that he could be Charming. I was aware of my increasing rubatosis due to my new revelation.

He's playing innocent.

Now that I think about it, Dylan could be the masked prince. His hair is chestnut brown, straight, and slightly long, but he could've curled it for the party. His eyes are blue, which is the only thing that I find perplexing, but I could've remembered wrong. Why else would he have the same suit?

Before I realize what's h

appening, my phone is in my hand, my thumb hovering over Charming's contact.

Should I confront him?

I don't know what makes me do the following, but I set my phone down. I want to investigate, and even though I don't want to acknowledge it, I know I want more time with him.

I want more of him.

Before reality comes crashing down. Hard.

When I finish my dinner, I begin creating my costume for tomorrow night. Fabric is cut, stitches are made, and things are being thought through.

During this process I realized what I had to do. Monday, I would find Dylan, and that's when I'll find out whether he is Charming or not.

That's when I'll bring this game to an end.