Chapter 8 - The Summer Ball

By the time Liv finishes with me and I look at my reflection in the mirror, I actually believe she’s some kind of fairy godmother because I can’t recognise myself. And I’ve been seeing my reflection for eighteen years now, I really know how I look like.

My hair is normally plain blond, curly and it falls up to the middle of my back. It’s not really curly but it’s not wavy either, it’s just curly and I normally have to wear a ponytail for work, so I really don’t do anything with it. But Liv straightened it and then did some waves, which makes it look almost like it’s moving all the time. It looks alive, in a very special way. I really love how my hair looks, it even shines like it’s never happened before. I’ve never had my hair straightened before and I quite like it.

I have a dark makeup, but you can’t see much because of the mask that covers more than half of my face, but you can see my eyes that look greener than usual due to the magic of makeup. I don’t know how’s that possible or how my eyelashes can be that long. This is not natural, it has to be magic.

And as if that wasn't enough, the dress is absolutely perfect. It falls with so much grace and elegance that it takes my breath away. At the back I have strings that keep the corset in its place, making my waist look smaller yet I can breathe without problem. It’s a strapless design, long and it’s almost like a princess dress… like the kind of dress I used to dream of when I was a little kid… when I still hoped I would meet my prince. I gave up on that dream long time ago, anyways. Liv also made sure to add a pocket somehow to hide my phone so I could feel it vibrate in case Rhonda decides to go and check on me.

I have to be honest… I do look like another person, like a radiant person… like a princess.

I turn to face Liv who’s wearing a beautiful and sexy blue dress. She’s smiling proudly of what she’s done and I can’t help it and smile as well. “Told you, Ella, that you’d be unrecognisable.”

“Thank you,” I reply instead and her smile widens. “I don’t look like myself at all.”

“On the contrary, you do look like yourself. Like you should always look, Ella.”

I don’t say anything. Dad and Mum always called me a princess and when I was a little girl I felt like the princess of the little kingdom that our family was; but since Rhonda appeared I only feel like the poor little maid.

Someone knocks at the door and I know it’s Charlie, no one else knows we’re here. That’s the reason why he doesn’t wait for any of us to tell him to come in, he just opens the door and the moment he sees us, his jaw hits the floor. Almost literally. “Holy shit,” he exclaims. “You look amazing. Both of you… Ella you… wow.”

I blush because I’m not used to Charlie telling me these kinds of things. He’s always treated me like a little girl, almost like one of the boys and that’s what has kept our friendship for so long. It’s as weird as having your annoying older brother telling you that you look pretty.

“Everyone is gonna be in your faces. I’ll have to protect you both,” he states and Liv chuckles as she starts walking over him.

“Don’t. I want a cute man to flirt with me tonight, so please stay away from me,” she tells him patting his shoulder and Charlie shrugs as saying ‘I tried.’

I smile as I walk up to him and my best friend offers me his arm. “Let’s go,” I say and he smiles widely at me. “Before Rhonda decides to go after me.”

We leave Liv’s room and head to the ballroom where the party is at its best. Almost everyone is dancing. You can feel the vibrations of the music through the floor and walls, echoing around you. As we get closer, I get nervous. I’m afraid Rhonda will manage to recognise me although I can’t even do it myself. You really can’t see my face and the way I have my hair today even softens my features. It’s incredible how much you can change with one different hairstyle.

Charlie doesn’t stop until we’re in the ballroom. You know in this movie, A Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff, when she makes her big entrance? Yeah, that doesn’t happen here. I walk into the ballroom as quietly as possible, as if I’ve been here the whole time. I pretend I’ve been having fun like everyone else. No one turns to stare at me like in the movie when the girl walks down the stairs with the spotlight on her. Not that I want that, anyways; it would call too much attention and I don’t need that.

A few minutes pass and I already have a drink in my hand, with Liv and Charlie next to me the whole time. I take full notice of my surroundings, seeing all the couples. Some of them are just dancing, others are full snogging and some of them are even fighting. I see a couple not too far from us. They look young but I can’t recognise them. Both are wearing masks that cover their main features, plus they are not that close. Their arguing seems pretty heated and for a moment I keep staring, until I realise I’ve been nosey and this is not of my business, so I turn around; but I’m still conscious of their yelling.

When I turn to grab another glass of champagne I see how the girl storms out, furious. The guy is left there, obviously distressed but also pissed because he doesn’t even bother to go after her. I’m not sure, but from where I’m standing, that looked like a really, really bad fight. At the end he turns around and grabs the first glass he sees and drinks it all, bottom up.

I get distracted when some people approach Liv and I, right after Charlie disappears to check on Rhonda, to make sure she’s around and not on her way to the kitchen, where I should be. He’d let me know if I have to run or not. So far, I still have time.

For a while, we receive some attention and they ask our names. Some of them are celebrities, so I refuse to tell them. No one can know I’ve attended this ball. In a moment Liv leaves to go dancing with an actor, I don’t know who because I wasn’t paying attention to him, I was trying to get rid of the guy in front of me.

It took time, but I did it and I decide to reward myself with another glass of champagne. I look in the direction of the couple, but the guy is not there anymore and I shrug. Probably he left as well, no one would stay after a fight like that.

I wander around the ballroom, just enjoying being there. This whole celebration started because of me, these people don’t know it, but they are here because my Dad decided to do a ball every year to celebrate my birthday, just like in the fairy tales. I’m still pacing around with a smile on my lips when I see a lonely guy. It takes me a few moments to recognise him as the guy from the fight. He’s wearing just a black suit, with black tie and a black mask, manly and sophisticated but that hides his features. He’s shaved at perfection and he looks young and his hair is styled backwards.

Although I can’t see his face and I don’t know who he is, I can read his body language and he is not happy. I wouldn’t say he’s miserable, or heartbroken, but he’s upset. I recognise that look in his eyes, though, like when your mind is so busy thinking of a thousand things at the same time that you lose track of reality. My Dad used to have that look and I knew that when he was like that, I had to do something to cheer him up and bring him back to reality.

That’s why I walk towards the bloke grabbing another glass of champagne on my way. I’m holding one glass in each hand and I only stop when I’m in front of him. He notices my dress first because his eyes are locked on his feet, so when he raises his glance and finds me, I can see surprise. He doesn’t recognise me either. Only then I can see his blue eyes through the mask.

“You look stressed,” I say. I don’t care if he is a celebrity or not, maybe he’s one of the workers here… but he’s not okay and tonight everyone is wearing a mask… tonight no one is a celebrity, we’re all just guests. “Champagne is bubbly and even if you don’t wanna drink it, you can watch the bubbles and let them distract you for a while. You look like you need a break,” I say and he frowns a bit, so I hand him one of the glasses.

“Thanks,” he says with a deep voice. He clears hid throat before speaking again. “The ball isn’t going like I planned,” he adds and I nod.

“I can tell,” I reply and I nod to the seat next to him. He nods in agreement, understanding what I meant. “But maybe you should give yourself a break now and think of what happened tomorrow. Most people have a clearer mind in the morning.”

He doesn’t say a thing for a while but then he smiles and I feel my heart doing a backflip in my chest at that smile, so cute and innocent, yet it has some cheeky thing that I can’t quite describe. It’s just a lovely smile.

“Wanna hear a joke?” I tell him and he looks at me even more surprised, but nods. “Knock knock. 

“Who's there?” He asks automatically, a little smile on his lips.

“Cows go.” I say, grinning sheepishly.

“Cows go who?” He follows the game.

“No, cows go moo!” I yell at him grinning widely.

He doesn't say anything for five seconds, looking shocked but then he burst out laughing, a contagious laugh that makes me chuckle as well.

“That has to be the worst joke ever,” he says and I don’t take offence.  I believe the lamest jokes are the best.

“You still laughed,” I accuse him and he laughs again. “I have more of those.”

“I don’t know if I can take them,” he jokes and I stick out my tongue in a very childish way, like a kid misbehaving.

Nevertheless, I keep telling him lame jokes and he keeps cracking up, no matter how stupid they are. I’m surprised I can remember so many and that he keeps laughing. Then he tells me jokes, but his are better and I laugh because they are actually good. We spend a good time just making each other laugh and after a while I notice how that overwhelmed look in his blue eyes has disappeared. He looks more relaxed and I feel great with myself, because I helped him. And he notices it, too.

“Thank you,” he tells me with a sweet smile. “I really needed to laugh like that.”

“My pleasure,” I say with a smile of my own. “I’m glad you are feeling better. Whatever happened, you can fix it tomorrow.”

“I don’t know,” he says looking down and losing his smile. “She broke up with me. I kinda saw it coming, though. It’s not like I’m heartbroken or even surprised, but still. I didn’t want it to end like this, with her so mad at me. I reckon I haven’t been the best boyfriend but still…”

I don’t really understand because I don’t know the context, but I try to understand. He really doesn’t sound sad because of the breakup, he sounds resigned. Maybe he doesn’t even love her that much anymore, but he still cares about her.

I place my hand on his knee and I try to comfort him. “Maybe you can talk to her tomorrow and fix this, at least so you end up as friends.”

He smiles weakly but then he keeps staring at me, right into my eyes and his smile widens. “Maybe this had to happen,” he whispers but I don’t understand what he means exactly, yet my heart still races at his words. I don’t know why.

I smile awkwardly and pull my hand back, but he stops me by placing his atop of mine. The moment his skin makes contact with mine I get this tingly feeling making its way through my arm.

“This is a ball and it’d be a pity if we stay here just telling bad jokes,” he states but I don’t say anything. “May I have this dance?” He asks next and I blink in surprise.

I don’t know who he is. He most likely is a celebrity and I’m sure that if he weren’t wearing a mask I wouldn’t even be here, but he is wearing one. I can’t see his face, I can’t see who he is. Tonight he is just a normal guy asking me to dance. 

I don’t know why, maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe just because I had fun and he really made me laugh, maybe because he has such lovely blue eyes and I can’t look away. I don’t know, but I accept. I nod yes and see how his smile widens before he rises to his feet and grabs my hand more delicately, asking me to stand up as well and follow him to the dance floor. And that’s what I do, whoever he is, I follow him feeling my heart hammering in my chest.

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Dedication to @christina_styles3. I'm glad you learnt that with the previous chapter.

Bel, xx