Behind the mask

Sienna

“I’m telling you, Dave is acting strange.”

I rolled my eyes at Roxy for the umpteenth time.

“Dave isn't acting strange Rox, you don't know him well enough to say that.” I capped my mascara, and picked up my lip liner.

“I have a strong feeling he's cheating on you.” Tina's calm voice filtered in from the bathroom, a straightener in hand.

“Exactly! And I've said that for over a month.” Roxy's voice thick with exasperation drifted from the closet. She stepped out pointing a perfect manicured finger at me. “How come you're the only one not getting the gist?”

“Okay!” I stood up and moved to the closet. “That's enough about my relationship, you guys made me come here to relax, and this is not exactly relaxing now is it?” I looked pointedly at Roxy.

“You know what? You're right.” Tina emerged from the bathroom, her natural curls tamed into a disciplined, glossy mane that hit her waist. “We basically dragged her into this, we should give her a break, Roxy.”

With a sigh, she huffed a “fine” and walked into the bathroom to change while Tina applied her makeup.

When we got to the club, there was a line waiting to get in. I moved to join them but I was dragged to a hidden door beside the building.

“What are we doing here, the door is out front.”

“That's not our door… tonight we're VIPs.” Roxy beamed walking through the door and we followed.

“You can't be serious”

“Roxy's friend owns the club.” Talia explained as Roxy handed the bodyguard a card.

“Let's have fun tonight.” Roxy said as we ascended the stairs.

The bass of the music became clearer the closer we got and by the time we got to another door with yet another bodyguard, the beat was vibrating through my skin, rattling my bones.

The door opened to a VIP lounge, with booths taller than Roxy in 6 inch heels, to give privacy to each group. A waitress walked us to our booth.

Glass walls overlooked the whole club– stage, dancefloor , DJ booth, everything. The VIP lounge was arranged in a way that every booth was facing the stage.

Roxy turned to us “What do you think?”

“I like it, it's not the usual.”

“It's beautiful.” I smiled sliding into our booth.

“I'll get the drinks” Rox called, already striding for the bar at the far end of the lounge.

Talia opened her mouth, but Rox threw a look over her shoulder. “Don’t even try. I’ve got your poison memorized.”

A smile lit my face but Talia seemed distracted, she was lost in her own thoughts.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing” a sigh left her lips.

Before I could get another word out, a high voice shrieked “I come bearing drinks.”

A laugh escaped Talia. I guess it was nothing after all.

“What did you get me?”

I looked at her balancing three glasses, condensation already beading in our booths air. She slammed the first one down in front of me… electric blue, fizzing, a lemon wheel riding the rim.

“Las Vegas Bomb,” she said, grinning at my raised brow. “It’s trouble, but fun trouble. You’ll need it.”

The second glass she slid to Talia. Same impossible blue, same lemon, but no bite when Talia picked it up and sniffed. “Blue Lagoon,” Rox explained. “No hangover, all the pretty. You’re welcome.”

Talia rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

Rox kept the last one for herself. Taller than the rest, bluer than all of them, ice clinking like a warning. “And this…” she took a long pull, eyes never leaving mine, “is an AMF. Adios, Motherfucker; starting strong.”

“God,” I muttered, eyeing my Bomb. “Are you trying to kill us before we even hit the floor?”

Rox just laughed, already half-done with hers. “No, babe. I’m trying to make sure you remember tonight.”

—-

Half way into the night, I was tipsy dancing in our booth alongside Rox while Talia watched us, amusement lining her features.

“You really won't join us?” Roxy asked for the tenth time. When Talia shook her head, Roxy grunted “You're a killjoy”

Suddenly, the music cut out and a voice filtered in through the speakers thick with promise.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a rare treat tonight. A guest performer who cleared his schedule just for us. For you.”

“I wonder who that could be.” Talia muttered walking towards the bar for water.

“Let's welcome to the stage…” silence rang through the club, anticipation coating the air. “...the healer.” cheers erupted from the crowd and a crease formed between my eyebrows. Who was that?

The neon flickered once, then bled to red. Seductive and hungry. A seam split the stage floor and a pole rose from beneath it, locking into place with a quiet click. The spotlight slammed down.

From the shadows, a man stepped forward. The cheering turned feral. My heart beat stuttered when I saw that he had on a mask that concealed his face, making him mysterious and more captivating.

A slow, sensual music bled from the speakers as he stepped onto the stage and my heart skipped two beats, I know that song... It's Dave's favorite. Thinking about Dave while watching another man about to do some unholy things only made my situation worse.

I leaned into Rox to ask "he's not actually going to..." I swallowed

Her eye roll could level buildings. "With music like that? What do you think Sienna?”

He moved. One second he was walking, the next he was wrapped around that pole like gravity was optional. He spun in the air, effortless and lethal. Like he'd mastered the act of seduction.

I picked up a bottle of water, downing it to at least reduce the heat radiating through my body. That didn't help, it only made me sober. My head became clearer by the minute and the closer I look at the man on the stage the more familiar he looked.

As the music slowed, the man on stage shifted. It was a small movement–a subconscious roll of his shoulders to settle into the beat; but it sent a jolt of pure, freezing electricity down my spine. I knew that silhouette. I knew the exact breadth of those shoulders.

My vision tunneled until the rest of the club was just a blur of red smoke. Another man climbed onto the stage, circling him like a predator. When that stranger’s hand slid to the back of the dancer's head, I didn't just feel jealous; I felt a violent surge of nausea. My lungs refused to expand.

An ugly feeling clawed at my inside, bile rose in my throat as curiosity swallowed me whole. My heart was seconds from combusting.

Don't be who I'm thinking, I prayed, even as I leaned so far over the booth I nearly fell. Please, let me be wrong.

Then he dropped the mask.

Time didn't just slow down; it curdled. And when it fell, my heart fell with it.”