Behind the Mask

~Chapter 5~

We spent the rest of our time together hulping down a generous portion of burgers and fries, making ourselves comfortable inside the booth of a diner he had brought me to earlier. However, the comfort was rather on his side, as I relentlessly struggled to hold back my tears from spilling right before his eyes. I would not be crying in front of him.

He had promised to come, even though he knew he couldn't make it. He also knew how big of a deal the debut show was to me and yet he was at peace with the thought of bailing on me with a smile plastered on his face. What kind of inconsiderate jerk was I sharing my fries with?

But what was I even thinking? Boys, late night burgers? This was going to be the most important moment of my life, and it surely was not going to be ruined by some close-to-stranger guy. Maybe all of tonight's events had helped, in some twisted way. Now I was definitely going to give people the best version of myself.

You are a strong girl who needs no men to succeed, I heartened myself. I had three amazing friends who would support me until the end, no matter what, so who needed this boy's encouragements, anyway?! But by all means, the night would not end this way.

As a small plan crept up in a corner of my mind, I gazed up at him through lidded eyes and relaxed instantly. At least great social skills had to be one of my biggest advantages as a soon-to-be idol. Flirting was my so-called specialty. After years of being in the company of young female trainees getting their way with men for shaking their hips more and batting their lashes, buttering them up with smooth talk, I had picked up a few tricks, myself. After all, what were we always told? Don't make them pay attention to you, make them adore you.

"You know, this place is rather cold..." I mumbled, pretending to shiver slightly. "Can you please come over here and help me w-warm up a bit? Hm? Will you do that for me?"

The disgusting act made me cringe internally and my insides churned, my whole body signaling that this was so, so wrong. I wondered who this girl was that was taking control over my actions, because I knew this wasn't me. I didn't take advantage of my body to get my way with things, but this ... person had angered me more than I had thought in the beginning.
Above all, I despised fake people. The kind who would spit milk and honey to keep you pleased and think differently behind your back. Plus, in my defense, it was partly true, what I had said. The extremely short dress I had to wear tonight was many things, but warm wasn't one of them. Still, the flustered mumbles and violent blushes I was able to witness on his side of the table deserved a broken heart. We would soon find out whose.

I held back a sadistic smile when, after a moment of hesitation, he made up his mind and came to my side. He sat down and, a little unsure of what to do, he took his coat off and placed it carefully around my shoulders.

"There. Feels better?" He asked, with a worried frown.

"Yes, thank you. You're too kind", I answered, placing my hand on his thigh, casually resting it there. "Too kind for me."

He immediately stiffened under my touch, the unfamiliar feeling taking him by surprise. He looked into my eyes, as if to figure out my intentions, but I just smiled at him kindly. He shrugged it off, still a bit baffled. I almost pitied him, he looked oddly innocent by my side, under my touch, and yet refusing to make a single move or even look into my eyes again. But he was at fault for this happening at all. There was no reason to feel bad for him.

I slowly dragged my hand up his thigh, over the thin fabric of his jeans, getting dangerously close to the now evident bulge inside his pants. Right before reaching close enough to touch it, I took my sweet time trailing my fingertips away from his erection, resting my hand on his knee. He exhaled sharply, letting out the air he must have been holding in.