Behind the mask (Aston Merrygold fanfic)

Part 1

It was New Year's Eve. You know what they say about New Year's Eve. You can find love and kiss at midnight. I always used to think that was a load of rubbish. Until this New Year's Eve that changed my life forever. It changed more than I could ever have imagined it would do. Probably more then anybody could have imagined their life could change in one day. A year maybe but never one day. New Year's Eve had always been the same for me. It involved staying in and bringing in the New Year with a glass of Pina Colada.

This year was different when I got randomly invited to a masquerade ball. I can't even remember the last party I went to. Wait, hang on I do. It was about 7 or 8 years ago now. That was horrible anyway because it was an ice skating party. I've never been any good at ice skating and just made a fool of myself. So I've never been skating since. Or to a party for that matter. I'd always wanted to attend a masquerade though. They just seemed like a place where you could be whatever you wanted because nobody could tell who you were. So naturally I was excited when I found the invitation on my doormat early one morning. It was in a gold envelope with my name on it, Amber Chapman. Yeah I know my name is the most unromantic one ever but ah well. That's me. Little old boring me. I didn't recognise the handwritting though. Strange but ah well it was a party. I was going even though I'd be on my own.

New Year's Eve was soon here. Becaue it was a masquerade ball it would be a formal dress code. I put on a long light blue and strapless dress. It had a purple waistband and the top half was covered in blue and purple gems. It was really sparkly and a little puffy but not too much. My mask was light blue to match my dress. It had blue and purple glitter on it as well. I had down my hair down but put onto one side. That may sound like a strange hairstyle but it looked nicer than what it sounds. I didn't like to stand out because I knew I never could compared to other girls. I knew they would all look fabulous and I wouldn't. Oh well I had the excuse that I hadn't been to a party in a very long time.

It didn't take me long to get to where the ball was being held. It was at an old stately home. It was amazing because it was the kind of place that had chandeliers and posh interiors. I would have felt out of place usually but it all came together. Everyone was in gorgeous dresses and suits but of course with masks on too. It looked like something out of some sort of fairytale. Of course it wasn't because it was real but it did look like that.

I walked down the stairs that entered the ballroom. It was then I spotted him. He stood out from everyone else. He was a mysterious stranger in a suit pin stripe suit who was stood at the bar. His mask was a royal blue colour which stood out against his pitch black suit. All the other men had black masks to match their suits but he didn't. It was then he looked over at me and I quickly pretended I wasn't looking as I finished walking down the stairs. There was something about him. Something that made me want to know more about him. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was.