The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)

Keen on Ms. Keane

Previously: "One Party, Two Girls, Some Assembly Required" 

(Written by rugal b.)

The questions play themselves over and over in your head: is this an insult? Is this what she thinks of you? Well, maybe Stephanie's just trying to be nice to you and do you a solid... but how does that make sense? When has Stephanie Wyatt ever done anything nice for you? Why would she do anything nice for you? So obviously this is an insult to you right? This is what she thinks of you isn't it? She's not just doing you a solid right?

Round and around it loops until you catch sight of Bailey once more.

She's a small thing: her height, her body (thin and not particularly "big" in other areas), her face; all of it gives an impression of someone tiny. Tiny and young. You wouldn't be blamed for thinking that she was a sophomore if not a freshman as opposed to there being only, presumably, a one year age gap between the two of you. So you want to feel all the more insulted by her. You want to tell her to go away, that you're not interested and she can go find someone else.

But you see eyes, large brown eyes, that look at you with a sense of hopefulness. There's a smile on her face and it's one of "oh please keep talking to me" more than anything else. She's tiny and youthful but also very, very cute and you can feel your resolve and anger melting away. It's not Bailey's fault so why should you take it out on her? It'd make you look, and feel, like an asshole to just stand her up right now, come up with some lame excuse (because you're not going to tell her you feel insulted) and then bolt towards the door.

So instead you return her smile. "Oh, Hagerman for second period huh?" you ask with as much surprise as you can muster. "So, uh, you're a junior then?"

"That's right," Bailey says before her eyes go wide. "Oh god, that's not a problem is it?! That I'm, uh, and that you're, well... I'm assuming --"

"It's not a problem!" you say in an attempt to reassure her and you notice a wave of relief wash over her. "I mean it's not like you're still in middle school or whatever!"

She gives you a more sincere, less apprehensive, smile this time. "Right!" she declares though she starts to shift uncomfortably.

"Anything wrong?" you ask as you notice her. "I'm not bothering you or anything am I? I mean I know this is kind of awkward and all but --"

"Oh no! You're definitely not bothering me at all!" she replies and there's a bit of surprise followed by some more nervous tittering. "No it's just, um, this isn't my typical environment! Like crowds and parties and things like that? I don't go to them a lot so it's just really weird!"

"You and me both!" you declare and give her another warm smile. "That's why I'm kind of surprised to find myself here!"

"You too?" she asks with surprise.

"Well yeah I, uh, helped Stephanie with something so she's the one who invited me out here," you tell her, "well not invited per se but mentioned it so I thought --" you then give a shrug of the shoulders. "So is that what brought you out here?"

"Something like that!" she answers as she gives you a rather coy look.

As the song changes and more people get up to dance Bailey motions for you to follow her. "Um, I mean, I'm not really much of a dancer but --"

But you don't want to dance. Oh sure with Bailey, with any girl really, it might be nice but you're too self-conscious to join in with the crowd and go for broke with a girl on there. Besides you still want to talk to Bailey first and get to know her a little better. "Well, uh, I was thinking we could," you start and you notice her expression become more inquisitive. "Well, we could just go somewhere quieter, you know? Like so we can talk and not have to shout over a bunch of noise!"

Bailey's eyes go wide with surprise but eventually she starts to giggle and you wonder if she's laughing at your suggestion. Instead she holds out her hand and you look at her for a second confused. "Lead the way!" she says.

So without a second thought you take hold of Bailey's hand and head back through the kitchen and as you try and find somewhere less crowded and more quiet you think you catch sight of Stephanie though whether or not she sees you you do not know.

* * * * *

Somewhere less crowded and more quiet turns out to be your truck as it seems that all available space in the actual Muskov residence is taken. "Sorry we had to go kind of out of the way," you say apologetically, "and that it's my truck too but --"

"Oh no, it's...it's fine!" Bailey declares and you note that there's a nervousness in her voice at that. "I just didn't think... oh, but don't worry! It's alright!"

"You seem kind of jumpy," you tell her. "Hopefully I'm not imposing on you or anything. Stephanie just kind of dragged me over without really telling me what was going on."

"I told you earlier it's fine, really," she insists. "Like I said parties aren't really my thing so I just feel kind of awkward."

"So what did bring you out here?" you ask.

This causes Bailey to shift nervously. "Okay, um, promise you won't laugh or think it's goofy or anything?" she asks and you give her your word. Not like any reason she has could be worse than your own. "Well, I told you that I know Stephanie through her brother right?"

"Yeah, so is he your boyfriend or something?"

Her eyes go wide but very emphatically she shakes her head. "Oh no, we're friends and all and he's nice but, um, no," she states. "Actually that's why she told me to come out here though. Because there is someone that I like and she said that he'd probably be out here so I should come out too because I might meet him."

"Oh, that's... really nice of her actually," you reply. "But that's good though. So did you see him here or anything?"

"Uh huh," she answers and fidgets a little more nervously. "Um, I mean I know we just met and all but I feel comfortable saying it so I'll even tell you who it is."

"Yeah, sure, lay it on me," you tell her. Bailey, however, folds her hands in her lap and looks down at them for a moment. You know what she said but you know that telling anyone about who you like is going to make you nervous. Especially when you're talking to somebody you didn't know a few minutes beforehand.

You notice her take a breath. Then another. Then close her eyes and take a third. Finally she opens them and those large brown eyes are pointed back at you. "Okay so don't laugh or anything but," yet another breath, "it's you."

You look at her confused for a moment, then look around the truck to make sure nobody else snuck in with you. Then it's back to her. "It's... me?" you ask.

"It's you," she answers this time with a little more confidence and you notice her biting her lip nervously and it's very cute you think. But that doesn't stop your confusion.

"Me? But... I mean... we don't even know each other," you tell her, before quickly adding, "not that I'm not flattered! But, uh, this is just surprising because, well, it just is."

"I've seen you around plenty of times," she says, "though I don't think you've ever seen me or noticed. But the comic shop? I've seen you up there before with some of your friends when I go to buy my stuff and I guess I thought you were cute so..."

You can't make it out in the faint light but you imagine that she's probably as red as you feel you are right now.

"I mean I know we've never met and all but, uh, you don't think that's dumb or anything do you?"

Dumb? Hell no! How could you think it's dumb? Well maybe dumb that she likes you of all people but if that's what she wants... "Of course I don't think it's dumb," you tell her. "Actually I'm more surprised than anything because... well, because! This just isn't anything I expected you know?"

You can see, in that faint light, a smile form on her face as she casts her gaze downwards. You sit there awkwardly for a little bit not sure of what to do or what to say. But then you stop thinking, well over thinking anyway. You're in your truck with a cute girl, a junior girl but still a cute girl nonetheless, it's just the two of you and she just confessed that she likes you. So what do you do? Sit here like an idiot? Definitely not. Instead you do the only thing that seems to make sense to you.

You grab Bailey's hands in your own and pull your face in close. You hear her gasp in surprise but it's not one that tells you to back off so slowly, awkwardly, you push forward and eventually, for just a brief second, your lips meet her own and quickly you pull back.

"Um, sorry if that's not," you start, "but I got caught up in --"

But Bailey just giggles and then its her turn to lean forward and bring her lips to your own. This time it's more forceful and confident than what you had done and this time she doesn't immediately pull away.

* * * * *

You wake up on Saturday and pinch yourself as you wonder if what happened last night was a dream and if so are you still in one. Well you're not in a dream now and after shutting off the alarm on your phone you open it up to the gallery and look through. Sure enough there are some of the pictures you took with Bailey last night before you'd dropped her back off at her home so it seems like last night did in fact happen.

So you practically float to the shower and get ready and eagerly pull out your clothes to get dressed. You'd made sure to set your alarm for early because you'll be meeting Keith and Caleb at Don's Donuts this morning and you don't want to miss it.

After all you can barely believe it yourself so you can't wait to tell them that you've got a girlfriend.

That's all for now.

*
"Table of Contents (Vol. 1)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)"