Masquerade

by Cambria Hebert

  The woman made a noise under her breath and shook her head.

  She was the worst sales person I ever met. I turned to walk away but she spoke. “I have something that isn’t on the table that I think you might like.”

  I turned back, I felt compelled to see what it was she was going to try and sell me.

  She reached into a bag beneath the table and pulled out a small bundle and unwrapped it. She held out her palm to show me. It was a charm bracelet. All the charms were keys of varying shapes and sizes. I liked it immediately. There was something about it that seemed to say it belonged to Heven.

  I lifted it out of her palm, and the keys made a small noise when they hit together, almost like a chime. I jangled it again on purpose. It had a bit of music to it.

  “How much?” I asked.

  She rattled off a number, and I felt my eyes narrow. “Why isn’t it more?” I could actually afford this – unlike everything else on the table.

  “The clasp is broken; you’ll need to fix it.”

  “Okay.” I fished a few bills out of my pocket and handed them over.

  The woman seemed very pleased with her sale and tucked the money into her pocket. As I was walking away her voice followed. “Be sure to fix that clasp. It would be awful if you lost it.”

  The back of my neck prickled, and I couldn’t help but feel like there was more to her words. After a few more steps I stopped and turned to go back.

  She was gone

  I knocked on the front door and stepped back to wait. I couldn’t stop my swift smile when I heard her soft gasp and footsteps rushing down the stairs. I liked being anticipated. I liked that someone – that Heven – couldn’t wait to see me. When she came closer to the door her footsteps slowed and then paused. I pictured her looking into the mirror I remembered being by the door. A tight knot of guilt formed in my throat, and I tried to swallow it down.

  I hated the part I played in what happened to her.

  When she found out she was going to hate me too.

  The knob turned and the door gave way. Her scent, light and pure, floated around me. Then her face filled the doorway and everything else fell away. She was certainly the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her hair, the color of a full moon, hung over her shoulders and around her face. It looked different tonight than usually though; it was softer and the light seemed to bounce right off it. But the biggest difference was that she was staring straight at me. Her chin wasn’t tilted down, and her hair wasn’t curtaining her face. There were large waves of hair framing her face, not hiding it.

  “You look beautiful.” The words came out as a whisper because it was all I could manage at the moment.

  “Thank you.” She smiled an open, warm smile and stepped out onto the porch pulling the door around behind her. She stepped close, close enough that I could see she was wearing make-up. Her cheeks were pinker than usual and her blue eyes stood out against her fair skin and dark lashes.

  Without thinking I reached out and caught a strand of her hair between my fingers. It seemed to curl right around me and I tugged gently on the strand, pulling her closer. She came willingly, and I could hear the fluttering of her heart.

  I kissed her then. I brushed my lips across hers and caught a hint of strawberry. Her lips were soft and welcoming, and I had to hold myself back from deepening the kiss. She pulled away first, her eyes sparkling. “Are you ready for this?”

  I had been waiting for this forever it seemed. I held out my hand and said, “Let’s go.”

  She tugged my fingers, and I marveled at how well her hand fit in mine. “You have to meet my mom first.”

  I didn’t want to. I already knew that parents hated me, and Heven’s mother made me uncomfortable. She was extremely religious and from what Heven had told me, she wanted Heven to follow her path.

  I was the total opposite of religious. I didn’t have to be. I knew where I stood in God’s eyes: unwelcome.

  “Sam?” Heven prompted, increasing the pressure on my hand. She was gazing at me openly, her freckled nose wrinkled in confusion.

  “Lead the way,” I prompted, motioning to the door.

  I reminded myself that it was just one mother. I had faced down way worse than this. I felt my lips tilt up at the thought.

  Heven’s mom came out from the kitchen, her eyes scrutinizing me from head to foot. It made me glad that I took the chance to go home to shower and change. I didn’t bother worrying about what she would see. I did the best with my appearance, putting on dark jeans and a plain white short-sleeved polo. It was the nicest shirt I owned. I guess I never much thought about my appearance because I learned a long time ago that a person’s appearance was only a disguise for who they truly were.

  “Mrs. Montgomery,” I said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Heven dropped my hand when her mother entered the room, and the skin on my hand tingled, wanting the contact back.

  “Hello, Sam. I trust that you will respect my daughter this evening.” She said, her voice cool but firm.

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Her hair was light, but not nearly as light as Heven’s. Hers was more of a golden brown and her eyes weren’t blue. They were brown and they were staring at me with mistrust. She was a little taller than Heven, thicker in form.

  “I have a few questions I’d like to ask you,” her mother said, pinning me with a stare.

  I stopped myself from shrugging and nodded instead. She fired off questions like a drill sergeant. Wanting to know things like where I lived, how long ago I got my driver’s license and what part of town I lived in. I answered them all, as truthfully as I could, and prayed that it would be over soon. Then, as abruptly as the questions began, they stopped.

  “Be home by curfew.” She said turning to Heven.

  “Okay.” I figured the meeting must be over because Heven hurried over to grab a jacket hanging by the door.

  “Nice meeting you,” I said, turning when Heven opened the door.

  She didn’t say anything, but she smiled and gave a little wave. I couldn’t help but notice that the smile never reached her eyes.

  Out on the porch, with the door closed firmly behind us, I reached for Heven’s hand again. Every time I touched her I felt a jolt of excitement. Her skin felt like cool silk against my heated palm. If I thought God was listening, I would thank him for sending her to me.

  She looked up at me, shyly and smiled. “Sorry you had to go through that.”

  “I’d go through anything to be here with you.”

  In my palm, her fingers curled closer into my hand, and I stroked my thumb over her skin.

  I opened the passenger side door of the truck and watched her climb in. I couldn’t help but notice the way her jeans hugged her curves. Usually she dressed in clothes that were too big and sweatshirts with hoods to hide her face. Not tonight. Tonight she wore jeans that showed off her thin figure and a light colored lavender shirt that seemed to float out around her slender waist. It was some sort of thin fabric that you could see through so beneath it she wore a white tank top. I tried not to stare at her; I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. She spent enough time like that anyway. But I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes away. She looked beautiful and soft in my world of rough edges. If I hadn’t been holding her hand only moments, before I might have thought she wasn’t real. As if to prove that she was, I reached out to touch her again, this time, leaning over her to clasp her seat belt.

  I heard her breath catch when my hands brushed against her. Could she be as affected by me as I was by her? I took my time clipping the seat belt in, and then I pulled back, keeping myself close to look into her eyes. The blue in them reminded me of a tropical ocean that I saw once on TV.

  “You’re wearing the whistle.” I said, my voice hushed as I picked up the thin cord that lay against her chest. Her skin was unbelievably soft.

  “You asked me to wear it always,” she said, her eyes looking down at my hand.

  “You listened.” I tucke
d the cord back beneath her top and looked up.

  She nodded, looking directly into my eyes.

  I thought about kissing her, I wanted to, but I knew her mother was probably watching from the window, and I held myself back.

  She raised her hand as if she might grab me as I gently closed the door and went around to the driver’s side. On my way, my eyes automatically scanned the yard and street. I had to remember that I couldn’t afford to be distracted. Heven couldn’t afford it. When I was at my apartment earlier no one else was there. I had been glad, wanting to avoid a fight. I really needed to get my own place. But now, I kind of wished that they had been there. At least then I would know where they were. I might even have been able to scare them off for the night. Instead, I didn’t know where they were. I didn’t know what they were up too.

  And they have definitely been up to something.

  Heven

  My night with Sam was finally here, and he took me to the last place I ever would have imagined. Well, not the first part of the date – that we spent playing mini golf after he patiently endured meeting my mother and answering all her questions. Turns out that my almost-being-eaten-alive-by-some-homeless-dog fiasco the other night had actually worked in my favor. Mrs. Bennett couldn’t wait to tell her all about the upstanding young man who found me and came to our aide and had a job. Before he knocked on the door she already liked him, but his quiet respect, and I suspect his sincere hazel eyes, got me out the door.

  But here, now, I began to wonder if that wasn’t a mistake. After mini golf, which was pretty fun, Sam took my hand, led me to the truck and drove us here. To the lake. In the dark. With woods all around. Every step into the night we took, I became a little more afraid.

  “Why did you bring me here?” I asked, hesitating to go further.

  He stopped and turned back to face me. His head tilted to the side as he studied me. I squirmed beneath the scrutiny. “You’re scared?”

  I shook my head quickly, not wanting to admit such a thing. I mean, I trusted him, right? “It’s just really dark and…”

  Suddenly mere inches separated us, and I was staring at his chest. I never really noticed how very broad it actually was. I titled my head back and looked up. The golden highlights in his eyes were magnificent, making it possible that even in the dark I could see his expressions so clearly. I never imagined anyone could ever look at me that way. He cupped his hands around my cheek, the heat of him searing me to my very soul.

  “I swear to you that you are safe,” he whispered, “nothing or no one will ever touch you.”

  The only coherent thought that drifted through my head was ‘I hope not,’ because I sincerely wanted him to touch me more.

  Then a bomb went off. Loud banging rumbled the dark and vibrated the ground.

  I jumped, reaching out and grabbing handfuls of his shirt and while I buried my face in his chest. Close to my ear he whispered, “It’s your surprise.” I looked up and he caught my chin in his hand, “I hope you like fireworks.”

  I looked up. “You brought me to see fireworks?”

  “If you don’t like them…” he seemed worried.

  “No!” I yelled over the loud booming. “I love them.”

  He smiled and walked forward, carrying me with ease. The lights were beautiful. Fireworks of every color exploded against the black backdrop of the sky. Their shimmering brilliance was extended because it shimmered on the water creating twice the beauty.

  I kept my eyes above until nothing more burst through the sky. I sighed, laying my head against his chest. “Beautiful,” I said.

  “They aren’t over.”

  We were near the water’s edge in a private little clearing that I can’t imagine anyone knew about, except someone had to because of the swing. It was wooden, old-fashioned looking and hanging from a large tree by two wide ropes. Sam sat me on it, moving behind me to push.

  “I think they’re over.” I told him, disappointed.

  Just then a line of gold shot through the sky and burst into a million golden stars. I stared transfixed as they shimmered and dimmed, leaving me feeling a little empty. It was a shame for such perfect beauty to last for such a short time. But then another streaked by, and I became mesmerized by color. We watched the show for a long time, Sam coming to sit next to me on the swing.

  It was perfect.

  It felt like a secret.

  Like we were the only two people in the world who knew about this place, and the fireworks were lighting up the night just for us. I leaned my cheek on his shoulder as he swayed the swing to and fro. When what I assumed was the grand finale began, he casually looped and arm around my waist and pulled me just a little closer, his body buffering some of the extreme booming. The very last firework to erupt into the sky was red and shaped like a gigantic heart. Just below my rib cage, butterflies danced.

  “Thank you for bringing me,” I told him when everything around us fell silent.

  “You liked it?”

  “Truly.” I sat up to look him in the eyes.

  His knuckles brushed over my cheek. “I wish I could give you more.”

  “I already have everything.” I longed to reach out and touch him, but insecurities and nerves held me back.

  “I got you something.” He dug into the pocket of his jeans.

  “But you already gave me this.” I held up the cord that held the whistle.

  He made a face. “In case you needed it to scare something away. It’s not exactly something that shows you how I feel, or something that makes you think of me.

  “I think about you all the time.” Again the truth behind my words made me feel vulnerable. But I didn’t care, the way he was looking at me tonight, I didn’t mind being vulnerable in that moment.

  His smile was quick and devastating. “Then this will just show you how I feel.” He pushed back the sleeve of the cardigan I was wearing to expose my wrist and clasped something silver around it. Immediately I felt a strange feeling of rightness, as if a long lost piece of me was finally found. “Okay,” he said, moving his large hands to give me a view of the gift.

  “Oh my,” I whispered. “It’s beautiful.” It was a silver chain that wove together like a rope and was so polished that it sparkled. Hanging from the chain were many charms in varying small sizes. Each charm was a key. They all looked like the old-time skeleton keys, some with rounded bottoms, while others were more ornately shaped. “I love it.”

  I placed my other hand around it and hugged it to my chest. “I’ll never take it off.” As I said the words I reached for him, forgetting all my vulnerabilities. But when I moved my hand away from my wrist the bracelet came with it, sliding toward the dark ground. I gasped, reaching to catch the precious treasure.

  I missed.

  Sam didn’t.

  “I’m so sorry! I’ll be more careful.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Sam spoke quietly while reattaching the gift where it belonged. “But you do need to be careful. The clasp is broken.”

  I gasped. The thought of the bracelet being damaged was heartbreaking.

  “Don’t worry.” His mouth tilted up. “I can fix it; I just didn’t have time before I came to pick you up.”

  “Oh, good.” I went back to studying the keys, trying to learn every shape and curve of each one. The largest key was slightly tarnished and seemed to be older than the rest.

  He grew quiet and when I looked up he was smiling. “What?” I asked.

  “You really do like it.”

  “Oh yes!” I rushed to say, then I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  He shrugged. “There was a woman near where I work renting paddle boats today selling jewelry. I wanted to buy you this necklace, a locket.” He cleared his throat. “But…I didn’t have enough money.” My heart dropped into my belly at the thought of him spending any of the money he worked so hard for to support himself on me. I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand and continued. “She told me that she was trying to
sell a broken piece, and I was the perfect person to buy it. When she showed it to me…”

  “What?” I was drawn in by his raspy tone and interesting tale.

  “It was weird.” He shook his head. “As soon as I saw it I felt like it should belong to you.” He looked up, and I saw in his eyes exactly what I’d felt when he’d clasped it around my wrist. But then they cleared and he smiled. “And the fact that I thought it was totally appropriate.”

  “Keys?” I lifted a brow. Why on earth would he think that keys were appropriate? I never thought of keys as being romantic before. But now, the way he was looking at me, maybe I was wrong.

  “You’ve unlocked every place inside of me and left me completely vulnerable.”

  Yep, I was totally wrong. Keys were the most romantic gift ever.

  “Vulnerable?” I squeaked. No way could this calm, gorgeous, confident guy feel that way. I felt that way.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “You love me?”

  “From the first moment I saw you.”

  Joy shot through me, and my heart beat wildly. But the moment was ruined when my dumb brain got involved. For the last ten months my life moved in slow motion, and now everything was going at warp speed.

  He was still watching me, waiting for me to say something. Probably wanting the same words in return. I looked into his hypnotic, gorgeous face wanting to say the words.

  “Sam.” As soon as his name slid past my tongue his eyes flashed gold. Hesitation slammed through me. Not denial, just hesitation. I struggled to put the feelings together because he was waiting, and I desperately did not want to hurt him. I reached out and splayed my palm over his chest. His hand covered mine. “I…”

  His head snapped around toward the trees. Every muscle in him tensed. I swear I saw his ears wiggle and felt the muscles in his legs quiver.

  “Come on.” He rose from the swing gracefully, taking me with him. “It’s late. You have a curfew.”

  “What’s wrong?” I worried on my bottom lip. Was I too slow to respond?

  “Nothing.” He took a deep breath through his nose and quickened his pace. I practically had to run to keep up.