The Monitor Masquerade

Final Boss

GraceKelli's POV:

"You know, as long as you don't roll your sleeves up no one will notice." I threw a piece of popcorn at Jason, who was pouting on the couch.

"I didn't say anything!" He whined.

"Okay well Raymond Reddington just said the funniest thing I think he's ever said in the history of The Blacklist and you didn't so much as exhale a laugh...so something has to be on your mind." Jason rolled his eyes. "Tell me or forever feel my wrath."

He buried his head in his hands. He's been wearing long sleeves ever since he left the hospital. The cuts have gotten a lot better but he still had bandaids on. I think mostly to keep him from picking at them. There would be scars but my mom and I wanted to make sure Jason didn't make them any worse by picking at the scab. "I don't want to go to a stupid dance."

"Okay then don't go." I shoved a handful of popcorn into my mouth.

His eyes were daggers. "But it's my freshman year homecoming!"

"Okay so then go?" He just stared at me. "Look Jay, this is the first dance I'm ever going to. I don't think they're really a big deal. Plus it's your freshman year so there will be so many more dances to come."

"I want to go."

"You just said you didn't want to go!"

"I'm scared."

"What do you mean you're scared? All you're friends will be there! You are friends with like the whole school!"

"They all look at me weird now..." He mumbled. 

I moved over to him. "It just means that they are worried. That they care about you. You have some really amazing friends Jay. I would be more worried if they weren't giving you some weird looks. But I bet if you go and have fun tonight they won't look at you like that anymore. If they see that you're doing better, maybe they'll not worry so much." He twisted his fingers in knots.

"I don't even have a date. All my friends have dates."

I smile crept on my face at the sound of knocking at the door. "Why don't you get it?"

He groaned. "Seriously?" He pushed himself off the couch and shuffled to the door. I followed closely behind him, not wanting to miss a second of it. As soon as he opened the door, Anya was standing there, balloons in hand and a sign that said: HOMECOMING?? "What is this?" Jason looked at her with shock on his face.

"I'm asking you to homecoming duh!" He looked back at me with a smile so big, I didn't know it was possible. "Probably don't want to go with an old lady like me but I promise I'm fun!"

"Oh my gosh YES!" He ran and hugged Anya as we caught eyes. We smiled at each other. "My friends are going to be SO jealous!"

"Taking a senior to homecoming, don't let it go to your head." I teased. He stuck his tongue out at me, then continued talking to Anya about where we're going to eat and what color her dress was. I felt my mom come stand behind me.

"That was really sweet of you two." She said puling me into a hug. 

"It was really Anya's idea. I think she's over boys right now and just wants to help out Jason."

"Well she better watch out, Jason's growing into a player." We laughed. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"I'm a little nervous but yeah. I think so. It's going to be weird for Taylor to see me in a dress." I tried to brush off the fact that he was going to be in a suit, looking as handsome as ever.

My mom kissed the side of my head. "I think it's good that you're stepping outside your comfort zone. Taylor really is a good guy."

I ghost of a smile was on my lips. "Yeah. He really is."

The day of homecoming was upon us. It was more hectic energy in my house than normal. Jason was rushing around the place trying to make sure he looked okay. My mom and I constantly telling him he didn't need to shave, mainly because there is literally nothing there.

"Jason, honey, you're going to get razor rash and then you're face will be red and bumpy." My mom kept saying. She was in the middle of curling my hair. She wanted me to get it done professionally but that just seemed like a lot of fuss to me. Besides, she loved when she got to play with my hair. My dress was black, like most of my wardrobe, which Taylor found easy enough since he already had a black tie. It was nothing like the maroon one that Anya was wearing. I think Jason almost passed out when he saw her in it. She was showered in compliments as Taylor showed up to pick us all up. He stepped out of the car and froze when he saw him, color coming to his face.

He started shaking his head then ran and spun me around. "There is NO WAY you are this beautiful. It's not fair to the rest of us."

I'm sure my face as red as Anya's dress. I still wasn't use to his compliments. They still knocked me off my feet. "You clean up pretty well yourself." I kissed him on the cheek.

"I want to kiss you but I don't want to mess up your make up." He smiled.

"Probably for the best until after my mom get pictures. She's been talking about it all day." I laughed. 

The dance was more fun than I had expected. The four of us hung out and danced the whole night. It was fun to watch Jason awkwardly try to slow dance with a much taller Anya. I rested my head against Taylor's shoulder. It was warm and safe, just how I felt ever time I was with him. This was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

"Whatcha thinking about?" 

"How perfect this is."

"Yeah it is pretty perfect."

"Also one thing."

"Anything?"

"When I was talking to the other person using your account on that virtual world thing...that was Felix wasn't it?"

I could feel him laugh. "Yeah. It was. I can't believe you remember that. It feels like it was a lifetime ago."

"Well it is what caused me to hate you."

"How's that working for you now?"

I looked at him. 

At Romeo.

At Prince.

At Taylor.

At all the people he's been to me in one lifetime. 

"I think I'm pretty sucky at that game."

He smiled and put his head closer to mine. "Good. Because I think we're both great at this one." He kissed me. It was crazy how use to his kisses I had gotten, yet at the same time, they still knocked me off my feet. "I am so in love with you Kelli."

I smiled like a fool. "I am so in love with you too Taylor."