Suzie’s House 313 : Two Masks

There was no backstage, and the principal refused to let them darken the gym where folding chairs had been set up for the audience because of some liability thing, and they had to wear some stupid badge that just said they were registered for the talent show, but that wasn’t Emma’s worst problem.

She had two masks.

“So? Which will it be?” Bruce stood to her right in the hallway outside the gym with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face.

Justin didn’t say anything, but he stood on her left with his arms crossed and an expression a little too much like Bruce’s.

Emma imagined herself reaching into a Bag of Holding and pulling a mask out that was so much way better than what either of them gave her that neither could argue. But that wasn’t going to happen. Instead she had to choose between the plane black mask that Justin gave her and the lacy black mask with a veil that Bruce gave her.

The lacy black mask went really, really well with the blouse and skirt Emma had put on in the bathroom a few minutes before. But would Justin be mad if she picked it? And would Bruce think she liked him then? And how mad would Bruce get if she picked the plane one? Would he lay in wait for her to hurt her like her brother would?

She was so nervous she was starting to shake. Good thing there wasn’t anything left in her stomach to throw up or she’d be in the bathroom now. She glanced at her best friend, hoping for some support.

Kate stood behind them and tapped the wall with her drum sticks. She looked nervous, but what she tapped out matched her part in the song they were going to play. No help there.

Tracy and Gene stood at the back, arguing with a teacher about how many songs they could play. Malaprop had three songs ready, but the teacher said they could only do one. They were the last people in the talent show, so Tracy thought they ought to be able to do at least one more.

That meant everyone else was in the gym already. So no one would see her when she put the mask on, but she had to do it quick or someone might come out of the gym and figure out it was her under the mask. She had the skimpy little plain mask in one hand and the fancy lace one in the other. The thing was, she really didn’t want to wear the plain one. It didn’t cover enough of her face. It made her feel kind of naked.

And she really, really liked the other. It looked daring, but had a nice feeling silky fabric on the underside that would cover from forehead to lip and even dipped down around the jaw. And the black lace gave it both a Goth and an S&M feel. She could be bold and daring in something like that. She really did want to wear it.

She glanced at Justin, then at Bruce. Justin smiled like he knew already she’d pick his and Bruce bit his lip, then went back to looking smug. On impulse, Emma put the lace one to her face.

“Tie me up.” She turned her back to Bruce and let him tie the ribbons that held the mask in place.

Justin said a not-so-nice word and walked off to talk to Gene. Emma wasn’t going to thing about that. If he really liked her, wouldn’t he have understood about her and masks and got her a better one?

Bruce tugged at the lacy mask in one place and then another, looking like a tailor putting on last touches. He stepped back and smiled, clearly pleased with how she looked.

“Looks good,” Tracy said as she came up. “Except one thing.”

Emma cringed, afraid she’d made a terrible mistake and waiting to see if maybe Tracy had her own Bag of Holding or something. Emma wouldn’t put it past her.

“That little black skirt will be cuter if you take the jeans off.”

If you enjoy Suzie’s House and would like to see more, please leave a comment. Suzie’s House is powered by its readers.