The Bad Boy Behind The Mask

Sean

The moon eagerly crept out even before the evening sun headed to the horizon. Hues of orange and yellow blend well with the fast arriving night sky, as the cold air carried away the warmth of the sun with it. The little puddle that lay by the windows was beginning to freeze as cool air continued to swarm over us.

I was sitting by a tree in my lawn, my eyes relaxed. It was moments like these in my life that always prompted my mind to travel back in time. A warm smile spread across my face as images of my past flashed before my eyes. It's been ten years already. It was overwhelming me -in a good way - to finally realise how we've been through so much in these years.

There have been several downs, but the highs, although few, always made the struggle seem worth it.

Digging into my pocket for my wallet, I opened it to look at her picture. The same old picture that I always carried with me. It's a picture of her on the day of our first date, the day I finally asked her out.

It's already been ten years, and every time I look at her, it feels like the first time. The girl I fell in love with in my high school. As cliché as it sounds, she was my first and only love, and with each passing day, I only loved her more and more.

I fell in love with her in a age where I didn’t properly understand what it took to love someone, but I was certain of the fact that I didn’t want anyone else at that moment. She was perfect for me, and I wanted to be perfect for her too.

At the age of 27, if there's something that makes me want to stop everything and bring the world down, then it's her.

I stare back at her picture. How happy she looks. I wonder if I can see that on her face again. The smile of a teenage girl who is smitten by her first boyfriend. No other feelings can compete with it. A close second would perhaps be your wedding day.

Breathing in, I still smell her in the space she had shared with me mere moments ago. The memories, still fresh in me.

As I stare at her picture, my mind wavers back to the first time I ever saw her.

10 years ago

The party was in its full swing as the music roared in the hallway, levelling the bass with its powerful reverberations. The floor lit up with sparkles and disco balls.

My house was filled with people wearing either to impress or seduce. I could catch girls trying to gain my attention, batting their eyelashes and few even tried to sway their hips.

Not my type, sweet hearts.

I went to the bar and poured myself a drink. It's been hectic. Convincing my mom about this was no easy task. But alas, I had managed to persuaded her to let me throw a party while she was away for work.

It is the first day of school and I'm already throwing a party. The things you for popularity.

"The Party is in full swing, mate." Brett said from my side. He cocked his eye brows, "But, why do I find your arms empty?"

I smirked, looking around. I’m the kind of guy who gives an impression of a player and I haven’t exactly done anything to help it. I did fuck around a lot. Unfortunately, in this crowd, it felt like it was almost impossible for me to find somebody I like. I know I'm tough and I have certain expectations but.. I'm completely out of their league.

"I thought girls here were hot but- guess I was wrong." I shrugged and gulped my drink in one shot. The bitter liquid immediately hit the back of my throat. This was the third vodka shot that I was having for the night, so I had a long way to go before I start feeling the buzz. I’m one of those people who cannot get drunk with a mere few shots, and I was always in a dilemma to decide if it was a good thing or bad. It was definitely a high maintenance trait.

"You know, you just joined the school and are throwing a party on a school night. This will help you gain your popularity. Not that girls are not trying their best to bat their lashes when you walk  but looks like you have a great impact on guys too." Brett said. Guys can sometimes be much more jealous of one’s popularity, mainly as a potential popular guy can steal their girls with very little effort.

I smirked, happy with what I was hearing. I was hoping for this exact response and safe to say, I was pleased with myself for being able to achieve my goal for tonight.  

If it wasn't for my mother who had to move here, I would've been happy spending my time with my friends back in New York . My mother had got an amazing job offer that she couldn’t say no to. She was a software engineer and also a painter by profession. It was the latter that prompted us to move here We have moved yesterday and I barely knew anyone except Brett, short for Bretton Parker.

Brett was apparently my cousin from my father's side and I didn't know the details. When I got to know that there is actually a person who would help me out, I immediately knew he would be my best friend.

He too, like me, moved here a few weeks ago. He needed friends, and that's how we came together. Brett spent his childhood here, until he had to move away for his dad’s job. Since his dad passed away few weeks ago, his family had decided to move back to Boston.

I didn’t know a lot about Brett even now, but something tells me that he is a reliable friend.

"Dude, did you invite nerds to your party?" Brett groaned beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts, nodding his head towards the direction behind me.

"I invited the whole school." I shrugged it off.

"I haven't seen her anywhere. Might be a new student." He said again and continued drinking his drink. "Or I'm the new student."

I frowned. Since when did nerds turn up to parties? Back in New York, most of the nerds were even scared to face the school since they don't have an end to bullying. Looks like Boston is a better place for nerds, considering how they're coming to parties.

Curiosity got the best of me as I scrutinised the crowd, searching for the ones my eyes wanted. As my eyes wandered around the crowd, my sight caught a girl, tall for her age in black yoga pants and green sweat shirt.

Seriously? who wears that for a party?

I gave her a disapproving look.

She shook her head, moving her chest nut brown hair and letting it flow through her shoulder, way down her back. As the music changed, she jerked her face around, facing me in the eye.

I was greeted with a pair of Sapphire blue eyes. One of the rarest and most beautiful eyes. The ground below me gave away and the time around me froze, for I could see nothing but her beautiful blue eyes.

The most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.

As the light twitched across her, it started appreciating her face. She was flushed, with chest nut brown hair, acting as a perfect companion to her sharp features and beautiful plump lips. She was easily one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.

She had taken my breath away in one glance and I knew that instant that I felt something in my heart. Something that made me fall.

I realised she stole my heart while she moved her beautiful eyes to meet mine again and I had fallen for her again,