Removing the Mask

by Aimee Whitmee

  When his dad heads back towards the car, I realise he’s leaving. My minds races to remember Josh’s and Jason’s second name. “Mr…Whittington?”

  He smiles at me, “yes?”

  “Thank you for the ride.” I gesture to the car with a shy smile.

  “You’re welcome.” With that he gets in the car and pulls out of the driveway of what I assume is Jasmine’s house.

  Josh notices Jimmy and Jason talking and comes over to stand by me. “Big change huh? Moving here and getting a job and stuff.”

  I quirk an eyebrow and he looks away. “How’d you know?”

  “I uh… heard Bessie talking to my dad; they’re good friends. Bessie was talking about you and all the stuff that’s different for you.” He looks towards the ground obviously embarrassed, while rubbing the back of his head.

  “You eavesdropped.” I say, a smile tugging at my lips. Other circumstances and I would be extremely uncomfortable, but I’m curious.

  “No! I overheard.” There’s playfulness in his eyes that draws me in.

  “You eavesdropped. Why?” I challenge him with my eyes and he smiles as he glances behind me.

  “All we’ve heard before you arrived was you! Jimmy was so excited. I was curious. Big shocker when it turns out we’ve already met huh?”

  Jimmy comes up beside me followed by Jason. “Now that’s a story I want to hear!” He grins at me and I roll my eyes.

  “Are we going to stand out here like a load of lemons or are you going to introduce me to the rest?” I ask Jimmy.

  “Eager are we?” He teases as we start making our way up the driveway. Jason goes ahead and I end up with Jimmy on one side and Josh on the other.

  “No, cold!” I hold up my hands, which have turned bone white.

  Jimmy just laughs as we go through the front door.

  A girl talking to Jason catches my attention; she’s slim and has light brown hair cropped short to suit her delicate face. Her almond eyes go to me and her smile lights up her face. “Hi! I’m Jasmine.” She holds her hand out for me to shake and I hesitate slightly before shaking her slim hand. She’s like a doll.

  “McKenzie, you can call me Ken.” I say suddenly extremely nervous.

  “Okay.” Her attention turns to Jimmy and her smile changes in a way I can’t read until she speaks to him.

  “Hey Jimmy.”

  My smile is natural when I realise she has is bad. She’s crushing on my cousin, and it’s so painfully obvious. I don’t blame the girl though, Jimmy’s graced with clear skin, strong features and his hair, like Bessie’s, is dark brown and wavy; though he gels it most of the time.

  As well as the hair, we share the same startling green eyes, so we could pass as brother and sister. They’re in my opinion my best feature; the rest of me is average, that comes in handy when you want to blend, though with Jason’s silent gaze on me, I don’t feel so average.

  Leaving her to it, I turn and hang up my coat next to the guy’s. Jimmy and Jasmine are deep in conversation so I leave them and follow the twins into the other room. Lingering in the doorway, I get a lot of curious looks. Josh pats the sofa beside him, “Relax Ken, they don’t bite unless you ask.” He grins and I have to roll my eyes before sitting down beside him.

  “Right! That’s Amanda and JJ; you can tell them apart by the hair, JJ’s is always down, Amanda’s is always up. Kyle is the one on the end of the sofa. That’s Dustin and finally, definitely the worst, you have Bradley with the black hair and habit of saying crap. Until you get to know him better, you won’t know the difference, so just assume.” He says sending Bradley a slightly obnoxious look.

  “Thanks, that’s really nice, but I’d look in the mirror mate.” Bradley says with a hint of an Australian accent as he scowls at Josh. I see the strain between them and can’t help but be curious about what put it there.

  I glance at Jason and find that his gaze is on Bradley and it’s far from friendly. I look at Josh out the corner of my eye and find him looking at me.

  “It’s nice to meet you guys.” I allow myself to relax back into the sofa, hoping everyone will do the same and find myself fiddling with my hair as I watch them.

  “It’s nice to finely meet you. Jimmy was so excited.” Amanda says with huge smile that makes her eyes twinkle.

  “I keep hearing that a lot.” I say embarrassed as I look down at the sofa cushion.

  “We were with him when Bessie sent the text that said you were going to move in; we thought you were a guy because he called you Ken, it wasn’t until JJ asked what you looked like and he showed us a photo, that we realised that Ken’s short for Kenzie.” Amanda says watching amused as JJ yawns wide enough to swallow a bus before resting her head on her twin’s shoulder. Looking at them together, they’re both really pretty with their wild ginger hair and freckles; it’s the two of them together though, that makes me admire them.

  I hate being called Kenzie, but I don’t say anything afraid of coming off picky or touchy.

  Jimmy choses to walk in with Jasmine, he sits down beside me forcing me to move up closer to Josh so we can all sit more comfortably, well, as comfortable as you can be with three people on a two seat sofa. Jasmine hesitates before going to squeeze on with Bradley and Dustin.

  “Are we going to see a movie? I know White Eyes is playing at three-twenty.” Jasmine asks as she casts her questioning gaze across everyone.

  “You guys haven’t seen it yet?” I ask.

  Everyone’s eyes turn to me and I bite the inside of my lip. “No, when ever go to see it something pops up and we don’t go.” Bradley says as he takes a sip from the can of Sprite sitting on the coffee table, laid out in front of the sofa. “Is it any good?”

  “Yeah, it’s not bad. We should go and see it.”

  “You don’t mind going to see it again?” Josh asks, he shifts on the sofa and his shoulder brushes mine.

  “Not at all, it’s a really interesting film.”

  When everyone’s ready, we start walking down to the theatre. Conversation is easier than I thought it would be and they’re just as nice as Jimmy said they were; he wasn’t just being loyal.

  Jason’s quieter than he was in the car ride to Jasmine’s but he still keeps me locked in a conversation all the way to the theatre, though I don’t mind because I find out that he likes writing and when I tell him I dabble in it occasionally to relieve stress, the conversation flows easier than water.

  When he’s not trying too hard, he’s easy to talk to rather than a buzz in your ear. And honestly, he’s cute; though my attention shifts when Josh catches my eye when we’re all going through the large glass doors.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I love music; it’s been a huge part of my daily life ever since I got my first CD. It’s also been a big part of my writing, but it’s not always greatly received at half past six in the morning.

  I reach for my phone expecting it to be my alarm but then remember that I didn’t set it. It takes me a moment to realise that my bedroom door’s open and that the music’s coming from down stairs. If it wasn’t for the smell of food currently tickling my nose I’d consider rolling over and going back to sleep.

  “McKenzie! Get up or I’m getting a wet sponge.” Bessie shouts from downstairs.

  So definitely not going back to bed.

  I can just make out the tone of Jimmy’s voice coming from downstairs, and he doesn’t sound happy at all.

  After a shower I walk into the kitchen to be greeted with a much missed sight, English breakfast. Bessie sends me a look as she serves it up. “This is because it’s your first day, don’t get used to it.” She warns as she hands Jimmy his.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” I say taking a bite of the deliciously salty bacon.

  Bessie smirks, “also because it’s your first day, I’m driving you.” She piles the frying pans and utensils into the dishwasher before leaving the room to get dressed.

  “How do we get to school if Bessie doesn’t drive us?”


  Jimmy having tucked into and finished his breakfast clears away his plate. “Josh’s mum will take us; she doesn’t mind the extra passengers.” He holds out his hand for my plate and I willingly give it to him.

  “How long have you known Josh and Jason?” I ask as we make our way into the living room where our stuff is. I look in the mirror that hangs over the sofa, to put my hair up in tight pony tail.

  “Primary school, year four or five I guess.” He shrugs, uninterested before leaving the room to grab something from upstairs, mumbling about it being too early.

  I fuss with the pony tail trying to figure out why I’m not happy with it before giving up and pulling the tie out. Something’s different today; I just can’t work out what it is. My mind keeps returning to yesterday, it was without a doubt some of the best fun I’ve had in a while. It’s almost as if I’m happy today, not that I haven’t been happy before, it’s just today I feel free; the kind of feeling you get after spending a day out with your mates. Laughing so hard you’re crying and smiling so much your face hurts.

  “So what do you think of Josh?” Jimmy appears in the mirror behind me; I didn’t hear him come in.

  “He’s cool.” I say nonchalantly as I pull my hair into a side pony tail.

  “Cool? I saw you with him for seventy percent of the time yesterday, but he’s only cool?” It doesn’t take a genius to see that’s he’s digging, maybe because he’s curious or, if guys do what girls do, Josh has asked him.

  Rolling my eyes, I turn away so he can’t read my face. “What’s going on with Jasmine? You guys talked a lot yesterday.” I slip into my coat because I can hear Bessie coming down the stairs.

  “Me and Jaz’ are friends.” I’m not sure if he realises that he’s scowling.

  “It’s Jasmine and I. I’m not convinced; you’ve even given her a nickname.”

  He goes to protest but I interrupt him.

  “You’re the only one who calls her that. It’s obvious you like her anyway and she very much likes you too.” I take a sip of water before putting the bottle in my bag.

  “I don’t li- what do you mean she likes me too?”

  “You really want to know what I mean?”

  “Yes!” His frustration is as clear as day and I feel slightly sorry for him.

  “I will throttle you if you if you make us late, I really mean that! Now! Come on!” I hurry him out the front door past where Bessie’s putting her hair into a pony tail.

  She follows close behind laughing at the look on Jimmy’s face.

  ***

  After a little influence from Bessie, my form tutor ends up being the same as Jimmy’s who’s Mr Spire; the P.E. teacher.

  While we walk there, I try to take note of the hallways we take and the classrooms Jimmy points out, but this place is much bigger than my old school and much more modern with its huge glass windows and white walls.

  “I’m going to get lost.” I mutter as we walk into the classroom, because we’re slightly late everyone’s already seated and looks to us with interest. I force myself to keep my head up even though I want to look down at my black Doc Martens.

  I notice quickly that the majority of my tutor consists of boys, I only count four other girls and they all sit together taking up two tables.

  “Ah, McKenzie. I’m Mr Spire, it’s nice to meet you. You can sit where ever you like.”

  My eyes scan the room and I only spot two seats that are actually unoccupied, Jimmy sits down in one and I spy Josh sitting next to him. I head towards the other and eye the guy that sits at the table, he looks up and I smile as I sit down next to him.

  “Hey, Bradley.” I shuck my coat off and drape it over the back of the chair.

  “You alright Ken?” He grins; I’ve come to realise that he does that a lot when he’s talking to girls, no matter who they are.

  “Yeah. You?”

  He shrugs and slouches in his chair even more so. “Yeah, can’t complain I guess.” He doesn’t sound too sure though as he returns his attention to his phone.

  Wanting to distract him, my mind scrambles for something to say. “Were you at the football match that played against my old school?”

  “No, I’m more of a rugby person.” Looking at him, I can see that. He’s quite big for a fifteen year old.

  My pocket vibrates and I pull my phone out to find a text from an unknown number.

  Unknown number: Hello :)

  Me: Who is this?

  Unknown number: Giv u 1 guess. U get it, I declare my luv 4 the teach.

  “It’s Josh.”

  I look at Bradley and follow his gaze to where Josh is looking at me with the corners of his mouth raised and a little smile. He looks down.

  Unknown number: U cheated

  Me: Im wait n ;)

  Josh closes his eyes and looks as if he’s wincing before standing up. “Mr Spire, I love you!”

  “Mr Whittington, please sit down.”

  The class erupts into laugher as he sits down.

  I save his number before sending him a text.

  Me: Very nice.

  Josh: Thank u.

  Me: Howd u get my no?

  Josh: Ur cuz is sit n next 2 me.

  Me: Good point.

  The bell goes and Bradley looks at me. “What do you have?”

  “English.” I wince, how am I supposed to find it?

  “Come on, me too. I’ll show you where it is.”

  I follow him out the class, for someone who’s supposed to talk a lot of “crap” he sure seems decent. Why does Josh act the way he did towards Bradley? I want to ask him but I don’t know him or Josh well enough.

  “So? What do you think?” I turn looking for the voice.

  “Oh! Hey Jasmine, It’s good, yeah. How’s your day?” I follow her down the hallway and brace myself as we step outside into the bitterly cold.

  ***

  “How’s school?” Mum asks through the phone.

  I chuck the phone on the bed as I change out my school uniform. “It’s…fantastic actually, I didn’t think it’d be this good.”

  “Wow, that’s quite an opinion to have for only one day, what’s so good about it?”

  Sighing, I flop backwards next to the phone. “I don’t know, the classes are really good, Jimmy’s, well, Jimmy and I’ve, uh…made a few friends.” Smiling, I turn to the doorway when I hear movement. Bessie’s leaning against the doorframe; why is it whenever I’m having a nice, sometimes meaningful conversation, I turn and find her.

  “You’ve actually made friends?” A disbelieving laugh filters through the phone and I watch Bessie roll her eyes before strolling into the room. She sits down on the sofa, obviously waiting for me to finish talking to mum.

  “Yeah, quite a few actually; they’re all Jimmy’s friends really but they seem to like me, the guys are nice and the girls are even nicer.” I pick up my phone and look at the photos I took on Sunday; my smile gets bigger as the photos get sillier.

  “Well, it’s nice to hear you like it there, but…don’t get too attached.”

  Bessie’s eyebrows shoot up, her mouth opens but I wave frantically with a pleading look to get her to shut up.

  “What’re you talking about? This is going to be my home for the next two years at least.” Too tense to sit still, I pick up the phone and start pacing across the room, feeling Bessie’s gaze on me the whole time.

  “At least? I think not! You can go to college here, you don’t have to stay there; you can come home.” Here we go.

  “But what if I want to stay here for college? What if I want to stay with Jimmy and Bessie? Are you going to stop me?” Bessie watches me cautiously; I know I’m swimming in dangerous waters.

  “We don’t need to talk about this now. I called because I received news on the charity.”

  Anger starts bubbling up inside me. “Right, the charity; here I was thinking you called because you wanted to hear how I’m doing, silly me. Please, do go on.”

  Her sigh
is so violent it rattles the phone’s speaker. “Of course I want to hear about how you’re doing. I thought you’d finished, I do really want to hear but let me just tell you about the charity okay? It’s exciting!”

  Bessie doesn’t look pleased as she turns the TV on.

  “Okay, go ahead.” Flopping back on the bed, I close my eyes listening.

  “Great! Well the first stage is going to be a quiz, you’ll be teamed up with four other celebs, and you’ll be asked questions, the more points you gain the more money the charity gets, but the public can call in and vote for an answer, this call will donate money to the charity whether it’s right or not. Doesn’t it sound good?”

  I can’t bring myself to be as excited as her because this is going to take me out of school and now I’ve tasted what it’s like, I’m not sure if I want to miss it.

  “It’s too late to pull out isn’t it?” I know as soon as the question is out of my mouth that I shouldn’t have said anything.

  “Why on god’s earth would you want to pull out? It’s a fantastic opportunity! It’s absurd for you to want to pull out! Don’t be stupid!”

  Wincing, I’m grateful this conversation is happening through the phone. “It’s just that…never mind. Promise me something though.”

  “What?” She asks warily, almost as if she’s tired of this conversation.

  “Promise me you won’t sign me up for another charity or anything to do with M Z Pristine. I still want to write but I want to fade into the woodwork.” I know this isn’t what she wants to hear but I’m fifteen and I have to be a normal teenager rather than someone who plays dress up and ditches school.

  “Honey, I know you don’t enjoy it, though for the life of me I don’t understand why not but, you don’t get famous if you don’t do these things.” There’s sympathy in her voice.

  I stare at the phone, speechless. “Mum, listen carefully okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Leaning forward I take a deep breath, “I. Don’t. Want. To. Be Famous! I couldn’t care less about it all. You’re the one who wants me to be famous, which I’ll never be, and that doesn’t bother me, but it bugs the hell out of you and for the life of me I don’t understand why.” I say mockingly before rolling over and burying my head in the soft throw over my bed.