FOREWORD - CHAPTER 21 — THE MASK THAT FALLS

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When I open my eyes, it’s morning.

And it surprises me—I’m smiling without even realizing it.

The night is over.

Each of us in our own room.

Even though the desire to stay with him… oh, that was there.

Strong, insistent, almost impossible to ignore.

But I made the right choice.

I want to take things slow.

I care too much about what I’m feeling for him, and I want every single moment to be special, lived, remembered.

I spent the whole night thinking about what Kai told me.

His words, the way he looked at me.

I get ready quickly and go downstairs.

Breakfast is already on the table.

And he’s there, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Good morning,” he says.

“How’s your ankle this morning?”

“Much better, thanks. The swelling’s gone.”

He steps closer.

And without thinking, without hesitation, he kisses me.

A simple kiss, spontaneous, like to him we’re already… us.

It feels strange, but I can’t deny I’m happy.

“Sit,” he says. “I made breakfast.”

“Mmh… I’ll just have some juice,” I answer, grabbing the glass.

I take a sip and smile.

“Now I have to go make breakfast for everyone else. You’ll have to drive me to work, if you don’t mind.”

Kai pretends to think about it, touching his chin.

“Mmh… actually, I do mind. I wanted to stay here with you all day.”

Then he smiles, brushing my side with a light touch.

“But I’ll make the sacrifice.”

“We’ll make up for it,” I say, laughing.

I check the time.

“Oh no. I’m so late. We have to go.”

“At least eat something first.”

But I’m already halfway to the door.

“I can’t, I have to go!”

Kai grabs his jacket and we leave.

We arrive.

The car stops near the café, and I’m already unbuckling my seatbelt.

But he grabs my hand before I can get out.

He holds me there.

He looks at me.

“I had a really good time,” he says softly.

I smile.

“Me too.”

Then he hands me his phone with a half-smile.

“So… can I have your number? Or am I asking too much?”

I laugh, take the phone, and save it.

“Happy?”

“I’d say yes,” he laughs.

He calls my phone.

“Save mine,” he says, smiling.

I open the door and step out, but he leans toward me, lowering his head to look at me from outside.

“Oh, tonight there’s a masquerade party at my club. Tell your friends, if you want.”

“We’ll see,” I answer sarcastically. “If I don’t have other plans.”

I laugh.

He shakes his head, amused.

“For tonight… could you maybe move your plans?”

I turn toward him, walking backward.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I say, laughing.

And as I walk into the café, I feel his eyes on me.

My shift starts like always, but my mind is somewhere else.

I find a moment and text Maddie:

Me: I’m off at 4. Meet me outside the café. We need to buy something to wear—tonight we’re going out.

Her reply comes seconds later.

Maddie: You know I never say no to a party.

I smile.

She’s always like that.

At exactly 4:00 she’s already outside, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, wearing that smile I know too well.

“So tell me everything,” she says as soon as she sees me. “Yesterday afternoon he practically kidnapped you.”

“Hello to you too, my friend,” I laugh.

“Yeah yeah, hi. Now talk. How was it?”

“Maddie… nothing happened.”

She freezes.

Makes a face.

“Wait. What do you mean nothing happened?”

“I mean… the moment was there, but I want to take it slow.”

Maddie’s eyes widen.

“Okay, wow. And how did you feel?”

I stop for a second.

“I felt good. Too good. And it doesn’t feel real.”

I lower my gaze.

“He gives me so much attention. I don’t see him the way everyone else does.”

Maddie scoffs.

“Well, considering the family he comes from, and considering he changes girls every night like he changes underwear… it’s normal people think he’s the hot, irresistible guy you only spend one night with.”

I glare at her.

“Maddie, could you not focus on the details? Thanks.”

She laughs.

“Okay, you’re right. I exaggerated. So… where are we going?”

“There’s a masquerade party at his club tonight. We need something to wear. And a mask. Let’s tell the others so we can all go together.”

“Alright. Let’s go, baby.”

Laughing and joking, we start the hunt for the perfect outfit.

We go from store to store, try on clothes, take pictures, tease each other.

After a thousand attempts, a thousand ‘no’s, a thousand ‘this makes me look like my grandma,’ we finally find the right one.

And we go to Maddie’s place to get ready.

“Carol texted me,” she says while putting on her shoes. “Confirmed. They’re picking us up.”

“Perfect.”

I grab my phone.

A message.

Kai: Don’t be too late. I already miss you.

I smile like an idiot.

My eyes turn into little hearts like a kid with her first crush.

“Vale?”

Maddie looks at me with her hands on her hips.

“Are you listening? I asked if these shoes look good.”

“Oh… yeah. Sorry.”

“You okay?”

“Yes. I mean… kind of.”

She sits next to me.

“What’s going on?”

I sit on the bed, she sits beside me.

“What’s going on is… I don’t know. I feel something. A feeling I can’t define. For someone I’ve known for so little.”

Maddie wraps an arm around me.

“My friend… that’s called love. And it’s beautiful. And there’s no set time for it.”

I look at her.

I smile.

And I hug her tight.

Evening comes faster than I expected.

Maddie and I are ready: makeup done, hair perfect, dresses on.

I’m wearing a long, milky-white dress, soft and flowing over my legs.

A white lace mask, glowing, covering half my face.

Maddie, of course, is explosive: a sparkling black mini dress and a golden mask covering her eyes.

When we step outside, we already hear Chloe screaming from the car window, as usual.

“WOOOOOW! These are my girls! You look insane!”

We burst out laughing.

“Okay okay, no need to scream!” Maddie says, pretending to cover her ears.

We greet Steve and Carol, then get in the car.

As soon as I close the door, my phone vibrates.

Kai: When you arrive, go straight in. I already put you on the list.

I smile and reply with sarcasm:

Me: Maybe I’m already there and you just don’t see me.

My way of hiding how nervous I am, like it’s a first date.

We arrive at the club.

There’s a sea of people.

Masks everywhere, colored lights, music shaking the whole place.

We do as Kai said and skip the line.

The bouncer lets us in without a word.

“Girls, tonight we’re having fun!” Steve says, already hyped.

“The best part,” Chloe adds, “is that whatever we do… no one knows who we are!”

She laughs like she already has something illegal in mind.

“Chloe, please,” Carol sighs.

“Who, me?” she says, pretending innocence. “I never cause trouble. And I always stay sober.”

She laughs.

And obviously heads straight to the bar.

The club is packed.

People dancing, pushing, laughing.

I turn to follow the others…

when a hand grabs mine.

I turn around.

A guy in a black mask.

Elegant.

Mysterious.

Kai.

We’re in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by lights and shadows.

He leans to my ear, his voice a shiver.

“I’d recognize you anywhere. Your scent… I wouldn’t confuse it with anyone else’s.”

He brushes my cheek with his hand.

“You’re beautiful.”

I lower my gaze, embarrassed.

“Come,” he says.

He takes my hand and leads me to a reserved table.

His friends are there.

And some girls I don’t know, all masked, all perfect.

“Guys, make room,” Kai says. “This is Vale.”

Jairo stands up, smiling.

“Ah, finally we meet you! Kai told us about you.”

“Oh yeah?” I say, giving Kai a little smirk. “I hope good things.”

Kai shoots Jairo a look that says don’t say anything.

But Jairo has no intention of staying quiet.

“More than good,” he laughs.

Kai throws peanuts at him.

Jairo keeps laughing like it’s the funniest thing ever.

One of the girls looks at me in a way I don’t like.

“Oh, so you’re the girl Kai’s been disappearing for.”

For a moment I don’t understand.

Then I recognize her.

That’s where I saw her: at the motorcycle race.

Kai stiffens.

“Tasha,” he says, annoyed.

She shrugs.

“What? It’s true.”

I don’t answer.

Kai leans toward me and whispers, “Ignore her.”

But something inside me cracks.

I don’t know why, but that girl…

that girl seems to have a problem with me.

And I don’t even know her.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” I say, trying to sound calm.

“You okay?” Kai asks.

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

I get up and walk away.

I’m starting to feel too hot.

I slip into the bathroom and close the door.

I take off my mask, turn on the water, and splash my face.

Why did she get to me like that?

I hear the door open.

I turn.

It’s her.

Tasha.

She walks in without her mask.

She leans against the sink next to mine, arms crossed, legs crossed.

“You know,” she says with that challenging tone, “I know Kai very well. But I don’t think he’s right for someone like you.”

“Someone like me how?” I snap, already irritated.

She laughs.

“Look at yourself in the mirror.”

I stare into her eyes.

She continues.

“And look at Kai. Does he look like someone who wants a relationship with someone like you? He doesn’t want good girls.”

My irritation spikes.

“And who would want you?” I shoot back, looking her up and down.

She smiles, poisonous.

“Princess… until a few nights ago, he was at my place.”

I freeze.

“I’m done. I’m leaving.”

“It’s the truth,” she laughs.

I open the door and leave without looking at her.

The music pounds in my ears.

I don’t know where I’m going—I just know I need to get out.

I step outside.

It’s cold, but I don’t feel anything.

My breathing is fast.

My hands are shaking.

Then I realize something.

My bag.

I left it inside.

“Oh no…” I whisper.

I turn back and go in.

I see them.

Kai.

And Tasha.

Right in front of me.

She’s pulling him by the shirt.

She’s getting closer.

She kisses him.

And he…

he doesn’t pull away.

I freeze.

I can’t even breathe, like someone is choking me.

Tears rise without permission.

Kai turns.

He sees me.

“Vale!” he shouts.

I take a step back.

Then another.

Then I run.

I run away from him, from her, from that scene that cut through me like a blade.

Behind me I hear his angry voice.

“Tasha!”

He grabs her arm.

“You did it on purpose. What did you tell her to make her run?”

She laughs.

“Oh come on… I didn’t say anything. She’s just sensitive.”

Kai pushes her away—not violently, but firmly.

“Don’t ever try that again.”

And then he runs.

Runs after me.

But I’m already outside.

I walk fast.

I feel shattered into a thousand pieces.

Kai tries to reach me, but the crowd is too much.

He pushes through people.

He’s frantic.

He finally gets out of the club.

I keep walking fast, almost running.

Tears blur my vision.

I take off my heels, hold them in my hand, and keep going barefoot on the cold asphalt.

I hear his footsteps behind me.

“Vale! Wait! Please!”

He grabs my arm and turns me toward him.

We end up under a streetlamp.

The light flickers, coming and going.

“It’s not what you think,” he says, breathless.

I laugh bitterly, tears streaming down my face.

“Oh no? It’s not what I think? And what was that? Wasn’t that a kiss?”

“She threw herself at me!” he says, desperate.

“I don’t care!” I shout, my voice breaking. “Do you think I’m your toy? Do you think this is a game?”

“Vale, at least let me explain—”

“Enough!” I cut him off, crying. “I’ve seen enough. There’s nothing to explain.”

Just then, the taxi I called pulls up.

It stops right next to us.

I open the door with trembling hands.

Kai runs a hand through his hair like he’s losing his mind.

“Vale, please… don’t leave like this.”

But I can’t even look at him.

I get in and close the door.

The taxi drives away.

And he stays there, mask in hand, dropping it to the ground under that flickering light that illuminates him in broken flashes.

I keep crying.

I can’t stop.

I feel stupid.

Stupid for believing it could be something real.

Stupid for thinking he was different from what everyone says.

When I saw that girl kiss him…

I felt everything I felt burn in a single instant.

Like someone blew it out with one sharp hit.

I believed in it.

I believed every word, every look, every gesture.

But maybe…

maybe I was wrong.

82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSlbgjoaMS
82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡea47BoGA90

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