Removing the Mask (8 page)

“This is Karma coming back to bite me in the butt!” I groan into my hands.

Bessie is quiet for a second before asking, “What did you do to deserve this?” There’s a hint of laughter to her voice but I don’t comment on it, I don’t need to be wasting any more time.

“Tell me the plan again.” I rub my eyes until colourful spots dance across my vision.

“We get you ready and to the studio; from there on it’s simple.”

“I don’t have anything to wear unless you count jeans without knees and band t-shirts. Bessie, I need a dress.” I follow her up the stairs when she beckons me.

“You have the mask and wig, right?”

“I have a mask, but I don’t have a wig; it’s okay though, I’ve gone without before.” I answer to her butt as she tromps up the stairs in front of me.  

“Good! I have dresses from when I used to go out dancing, you’ll just have to wear one of them.”

I supress a laugh; by no means is Bessie over weight, but she certainly isn’t a petit little thing. Afraid of offending her, I don’t say anything. She’ll see my unspoken point.

***

“It looks beautiful on you!” Bessie’s face goes soft as she watches me examine the dress in the mirror. “You should wear it, your mum can’t argue with that and really; it suits you.”

“Thank you, Bessie. Are you sure you’re okay with me wearing it?” I turn to face her rather than looking at her in the mirror; the skirt sways around my bare legs making the cool material tickle my skin. I was wrong when I thought her old dresses wouldn’t fit me, they’re actually a little snug.  

“Of course! Like I’m ever going to be able to get into that old thing again and besides, it’s made for you!”

I give her a funny look because the dress’s orange with shiny black beads going across it in rows. Yes, the dress is nice but I wouldn’t have picked it out for myself.

“Okay! The dress was made for you to wear it tonight in your time of need!” She says with a flourish. “I need to go change; I don’t think going out like this is a good idea, do you?” She gestures down to her coffee stained track suite bottoms and the pyjama top she changed into when she got home.

“Well, if you’re looking for attention, that’s the way to go!” When she leaves the room laughing, I have no other choice but to finish getting ready.

I’m an eye away from finishing my makeup, when the sound of laughing and shouting filters in through the partly open window. The room had heated up quickly after drying and curling my hair and the frigid evening air had been nice on my flushed skin.   

I look at the clock; only fifteen minutes until we absolutely have to leave. “This can’t get any worse.” I say to my reflection.

“Just finished getting ready, I’ll deal with Jimmy.” Bessie’s voice filters into the room as she rushes past the door.

With absolutely no other choice, I do as she says.

I’m spraying my hair for the second time when she walks in.

“How’re you feeling?” She takes the can of hair spray out of my hand and does the back for me.

“Like I’m going to throw up, but what else is new?” I say breathlessly as I gather all my stuff. “We need to leave, now!”

She nods in agreement and before long, we’re piling into the car.

***

“I’ve lost the will to live.” Dori says slumping in the chair besides me.

She’s one of the less known celebrities doing the charity like me. Anyone who isn’t into art wouldn’t know who she is, like anybody who doesn’t like reading wouldn’t know me. She likes doing these things just as much as I do and her reason is the same as mine: family. I’d really consider becoming proper friends with her if it wasn’t for the fact that she doesn’t even know my real name. I could just tell her but; I’ve kept my secret for so long I don’t know if I could give it away so easily.  

“Really? Only now? I lost it twenty minutes into that guy’s talk; when I realised just how much this is going to disrupt the next month of my life.” She nods in agreement, but winces when she notices Michael gesturing her over to talk to an actor from the movie that was set in space. “Oh joy, my brother is inviting me into yet another conversation. He’s such a doll.” She says dryly as she gets up to go talk to them.

“I’m taking off anyway,” I say with a sigh.

She gives me a smile but the disappointment is clear in her eyes. “Okay, I’ll see you when I see you.”

“Not if I see you first.” I say with a wink.

She laughs and disappears into the group of people her brother is buried in.

I scan the room as I turn to leave and catch Carter looking at me. He’s holding a bottle of water and I can’t help but think of our last conversation. A smirk graces my lips as I walk towards the door; making the tape attached to the mask pull painfully at my face.       

When I slide into the car, Bessie leans across the console to give me a hug. “How was it?” She catches me so of guard it takes me a second to return her hug. “It was okay as these things go, but mum’s really out done herself this time; this is going to turn the next month of my life into a nightmare.”

She gives me a reassuring smile as she puts the car into drive. “Don’t worry about that now, we’ll worry about it tomorrow, just try to relax. 

Taking her advice, I take off my heels before pushing my seat back.

Bessie glances at me, “Want to hear a story?”

“Sure.” I say as I peel off my mask and pluck a few clips from my hair.

“Well, your mum was sixteen and snuck out to go to a party…”    

The next day, I follow Bessie all the way to her bedroom, reassuring her the whole way. “We’ll be fine! Why are you so worked up about leaving us for
one
night? You’re not even an hour away!”

She lets out a sigh and holds her hands up in surrender. “I’m not so much worried about you or Jimmy; I’m worried about all the things that can go wrong, by leaving you and Jimmy.” She says give me the
look
before turning to pack her over-night bag.

“Oh please, it’s one bleeping night, the most that is going to happen is Jimmy goes over a friend’s house like last night-” I give
her
a look, “- and I finish the draft of my chapter; that is if I work like the clappers.” I leave it hanging in the air and smile when she points to the door without looking at me.

“Go! Write your book already! Don’t sit there complaining!”

Sounds of protest come out my throat as I look at her. “I’m not complaining! Get your facts right! You’re the one kicking up all the fuss! Though I will leave you to pack; I need to get two drafts done before Monday.” I hop off the bed but haven’t made it as far as the door when Bessie asks: “Why do you have to have them done by Monday?” 

I turn to find her looking at me with a scowl on her face. “When school starts again it’s hard to get so much writing done when you have homework to do-” I shrug “-I know I can have two drafts done by Monday if I… why are you looking at me like that?”

She shrugs, turning away to take a couple shirts out the wardrobe. “Nothing, that’s just a lot pressure to put on yourself, that’s all.” She looks at me in a way that I can’t read before turning away; I can’t help feel as if I’m being dismissed and take the few remaining steps out the room.

I haven’t made it halfway up the stairs to my room, when my phone starts ringing.

“Hello lil’ Jim,”

“Hey Ken, I’ve got a question for you,”

“Shoot.”

“Me and a few friends are going to go and see a movie, want to join us?-” I roll my eyes, its a few friends and I. “-It’ll give you a chance to meet a few friends before Monday.”

My chest tightens as I lower myself to sit on the stair, “I don’t know…”

“Aw, come on, it’s just a movie.”

“Bessie’s leaving us in charge of the house tonight, and we can’t leave the puppies…I’m going to pass.”

“They’ll be fine! Come on! I’m serious, I want you to come.” The goofiness in his voice turns to a slightly irritated tone.   

“I’m tired from last night, I have stuff I want to do and dad’s bringing my stuff today, I’m
seriously
going to pass.”

“You didn’t do anything last night, but fine, I’ll talk to you later.”  I hear noise suddenly in the background before the phone goes dead.

With a sigh I boot up my laptop before grabbing one of Roger’s ratty old t-shirts and some pyjama bottoms. Good idea to get comfortable before I start writing rather than finding it’s three in the morning and then ending up passing out in my jeans.

I walk past the bathroom door and catch a glimpse of the pristine white bathtub. Before I’ve fully decided what I’m doing, I’m turning on the taps and testing to see how hot the water is and if there’s enough; I guess we’re going to find out.

I find a bottle of bubble bath in the basket sitting on the cupboard in the corner; grapefruit is written across the front in cursive, pink writing. After flipping the cap open with my thumb, I inhale the gorgeous smell before letting it trickle out the bottle and into the bath. It’s the little things that count.    

Bessie appears in the doorway; a nonchalant look on her face.

“Jimmy called.”

I turn away with a roll of my eyes. “What? He went to mummy to see if she could get me to go? That’s mature, don’t you think?” I ask dryly.

“No. That’s not why he called. He said that Kyle’s invited the guys to sleepover tonight-”

“Aw, are they going to do each other’s nails?”

“Oh shush! His house it near the cinema, it takes the trouble of them getting home away. The girls are going too, but they’re staying at Jasmine’s.”

I let out a sigh, she better be going somewhere with this. “And your point is?”

“I don’t want you staying here alone, it’s okay if Jimmy is here with you, but he’s not, so you have a choice; you can stay at my friend’s or you can go to the pictures with Jimmy and stay at Jasmine’s. Either way I have to take the puppies with me.”

“But that’s not fair on you, tell Jimmy to come home, then you don’t have to take the puppies with you.”

“That’s not fair on him; last week was rough for him so I would like him to enjoy himself as much as possible.”

I shake my head, “I’m not going out with a bunch of teenagers I don’t know, and then getting stuck with a bunch of girls I don’t know for an entire night. Nu uh, not happening and I’m not going to let you take them puppies on an hour long car ride when it’s not necessary. It’s not fair on them and it’s not fair on you.”

“I don’t really have much of a choice now do…What if I invite a friend’s daughter to stay with you? She’s your age, she responsible, and then I don’t have to take the puppies with me.” She looks at me with a pleading look and I can only nod.

“Good, I’ll invite Ida over.” She turns to walk out the bathroom but stops and spins back around, “Tomorrow, me and you are going to have a long talk.”

Before I can question her on it, she’s out the bathroom, through my room and disappearing down the stairs. 

“It’s you and I,” I say as I shut and lock the bathroom door.

***

Bessie has already left by the time the doorbell rings, letting me know Ida’s here. When I answer the door I’m greeted by Barbie; except she has frizzy, blond hair and is much shorter than I.

She gives me an awkward smile. “I really hope you’re McKenzie.” Her voice is small, like she’s afraid to speak up.

“Pardon?” I know it’s slightly mean, especially if she’s always this shy, but if she’s going to survive a night with me, she needs to talk a little louder.

“I’m Ida. I’m really hoping you’re McKenzie.”

I smile, strangely proud that this time her voice is stronger. “Well, you’re in luck! I’m McKenzie, come on in! Bessie has already left so it’s just the two of us.”

“Great!” She beams but then a strange look clouds her face. “I mean! I’m not glad that I can’t see her because I really like Bessie; she’s a really great person! I’m really happy that it’s the two of us so we can have a girl’s night! Not that we couldn’t have one with Bessie here it’s just-”

“Ida! Chill! I completely understand what you’re saying! Don’t worry!” I say sympathetic to how worked up she seems to be getting. 

She see
ms to deflate with relief, making herself look even smaller. “Oh, thank god! Oh! I mean gosh! What is wrong with me tonight?” She asks frustrated.

A smile stretches across my lips as I take one of her bags, “come on; let’s go upstairs. Oh! Have you eaten?”

She stares at me for so long I think she’s gone into a trance. “Ida?” She seems to shake herself out of it because her eyes focus back on me.

“No, I haven’t.” Her voice is quiet again, almost like she embarrassed that she hasn’t eaten.

“Good! There’s a huge pizza in the freezer and I can’t eat it all by myse- you’re not veggie are you?” I ask wincing at the thought; there isn’t a lot of vegetarian food if any in our cupboards as far as I’m aware, it’s a farm for crying out loud. 

“Nope! I eat meat!” I’m glad to see her smile is more relaxed this time.

“Phew! Okay! Let’s get this stuff upstairs and then get some food, sound like a plan?”

She nods, a huge smile stretched out across her face. “Sounds great! I’m starved!”

***

“I don’t get this movie.” Her voice is muffled by the blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon all the way up to her chin.

“Why?” I ask around the spoon of peanut butter in my mouth.

“Why would you get with a vampire over a werewolf? It’s weird.”

I laugh; she looks so innocent, then she comes out with something like that.

“Okay, wrong choice of words. It’s like choosing hot or cold, what do you pick? Don’t you agree?” Her eyes peek over the top of the blanket when she looks at me, though she doesn’t look me in the eye, her gaze seems to be on my forehead or somewhere around that area. I can’t help glancing in the mirror to see if I have anything on my face.

I laugh but nod, there’s something about this girl that’s different. “Yes I do, I’m team werewolf all the way!” I hold my hand up in a high five and she slaps it before yawning wide enough to swallow a bus whole.

“I can’t believe I have school tomorrow!” She mutters as her head plops forward to rest on her knee.

I listen to her yawn before asking: “what time do you usually get up in the morning?” She doesn’t reply. “Ida?” Still nothing. I poke her in the arm and jump out my skin when she startles so badly, she knocks the bag of skittles off the arm of the sofa and across the floor. “Oh my god! Oh! I mean gosh!”

We look at each other, before bursting into a fit of laughter. “I think we better turn in!” I say jumping up from the sofa. Ida scrambles out her cocoon before getting on her hands and knees to round up all the skittles.

I put the top on the peanut butter before putting all the food we brought up to my room on the tray sitting on the dresser.

“Goodnight, Ken.” I glance over at Ida to find a clean floor, and her already curled up on the sofa that I found out was also a bed. 

“Night, D.”

I turn the lights off before climbing into bed, my phone flashes on the bedside table with a notification; a look reveals a text from mum; that can definitely wait.