The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)

Losing Lisa

Previously: "The Lying Game" 

The blood drains from your face. "Can't Gordon get a copy of her?" you squeak.

"Gordon says she's off limits." Patterson draws close. "It's a real bone between us," he murmurs. "If you do this job, it's just between you and me. Her mask doesn't go in the pile. You and me are the only ones who get to use it." His eyebrow arches. "Think about it. Your cock. Her pussy. Her hot, wet, tight pussy. After she's sucked you off."

You're held rapt by the vision, and your cock rises like a rocket gantry. Then you feel it touch something--Oh God! You jump back: Patterson is so close that your swelling prick actually brushed his leg.

"Whoa!" you exclaim, then catch yourself. "I thought you said that we weren't supposed to fuck with each other," you say warily, for it suddenly seems like a trap. "Wouldn't it be ... fucking with Gordon, to get a copy of his girlfriend when he says ..."

The moment lingers in the air. Then: "Good man," Patterson says, and claps your shoulder. "You got integrity." Then the smile sours. "Unless you're just a chicken-shit."

"I'm not scared of anyone," you flare.

He laughs. "You should be. Gordon's put people in hospitals." He leans against a crate. "But that's okay. So Tilley's set to get Javits tonight. You can use him for your next job."

"The Eastman player."

He nods. "You'll probably have to wait until this weekend. Keep Friday clear, though. You and me and Gordon will get together. You'll put on Seth's mask, we'll play a little ball, and talk about who would be good to get."

* * * * *

Caleb and Keith eye you curiously when you catch up to them, and as it's not a big secret, you tell them about your conversation with Patterson. (Except, of course, for the bit about getting Chelsea.) That talk, naturally, sets you thinking about Lisa, and you ask Caleb to pump Eva or Jessica for information on her, but he gruffly tells you to do your own intelligence work.

So that's what you do.

Lisa has a study hall fourth period, so the next day you skip that class and look for her in the library. She's sitting at a table with Amanda Ferguson and Ricky Golia. The latter nods cheerfully at you as you pull out a chair, but the two girls only glance at you. "Hey Lisa, we haven't talked in awhile," you say, feeling awkward.

"Yeah," she says, and doesn't meet your eyes.

"People have been asking me what's been going on between us," you continue. "I've been telling them nothing's been going on. Like, we haven't even talked in a couple of weeks." It's the best you can manage at making the veiled revelation that you've been sticking to her side of the story.

"I'm sorry about that, Will," she says coolly. "I haven't been trying to blow you off."

"Well, um, I've been wondering why they've been asking. Like, do they think something is going on between us again?"

"I really don't think it's any of your business, Will," Amanda says primly. You shoot her a dark look. Amanda is one of those busybodies who thinks the world would spin much more smoothly on its axis if idiots like you kept quiet and didn't do anything without her permission. You look to Lisa for support, but she just keeps staring at the table top.

"I just mean," you stammer. "Even if we're not-- I still want to help you with-- With whatever. With anything."

Lisa's face tightens. Amanda shoots a quick, angry look at Ricky, and he jumps a little in his chair. "Hey Will," he says. "How about you, uh, help me go find a book." He stumbles to his feet, and gives you a pale, pleading expression.

You look at Lisa, who continues to stare at the table, and at Amanda, who is staring stonily over your shoulder. Fuck. If it had been anybody but Amanda with Lisa ... You rise with a grimace, and Ricky looks relieved as you follow him back into the stacks. "You got any good, like, fantasy novels you can recommend to me?" he asks, even though he's steered you into the biology section of the library.

"You can tell me what the fuck is going on," you reply.

He sags. "Don't ask me, man. I'm in the middle of it, and I'm hating it."

"Well, tell me what you're in the middle of, because if it's something to do with Lisa--"

"If you don't know, then count yourself lucky. You're in the middle of it too, and if you don't know what it is, then, well, ignorance is bliss."

You know exactly what he means, but you have to pretend you don't. "If I'm in the middle of something, I want to know what it is."

"No you don't." But then he sighs. "Did you see Lisa up at the mall last week?"

"Anthony Kirk asked me that the other day. Why is everyone so interested?"

His expression turns hooded. "Well, were you?"

"No. I haven't seen her outside school since-- I don't remember."

He grunts. "Well, just keep telling people that, and you'll be okay. And don't get pissed at them if they keep asking. Just be mystified, okay?"

"I'm mystified now."

"And it looks good on you."

* * * * *

"Just stay away from her," Eva hisses, and if you could, you'd crawl backward into your locker and shut the door.

"I just want to know what's going on," you protest. "And to try to help."

She stares at you, hard, then relents a little. A very little. "Look, I know you mean well, Will, but the last thing she needs is to see your face."

"What did I do to her?" As soon as the words are out of your mouth, you recoil internally. You know exactly what you did to her. You put on her face and fucked Geoff Mansfield.

"You're a walking reminder of something very bad that is happening to her right now."

"I haven't done anything to her," you protest again, more weakly this time.

Eva softens a little more. "I know. But you're still in love with her, right?" You nod your head. "Then stay away from her. Give her time to get some shit behind her."

"How long will that take, and when will I know it's okay to talk to her again?"

And now she just looks tired. "I don't know. Just wait a month or so."

"A month?!"

She looks around, and seems to think a good long time before speaking again. "You're a good guy, Will," she says at last. "If I thought you weren't, I'd tell you what it was all about. But you are, so I won't."

"Wait, what?"

"Just shut up. For everyone's sake."

If you really were in the dark about things, you'd be really pissed. As it is, you are really pissed, because no one will let you get close to Lisa to try to comfort her. But Lisa especially seems to be pushing you away.

That wasn't part of your original plan for screwing up her relationship with Mansfield.

* * * * *

"I fucked your girlfriend yesterday," Gordon says. He crouches before you and swings from side to side as you dribble the ball. "I got her fingerprints in my back. She wrapped her legs so tight around me she almost snapped me in two." The ball thumps hard on the blacktop as you glare at him. "Next time you're inside her, it'll be my name she's screaming."

You feint to the left, then spin to the right, all the way around, and brush past him as he overcompensates to block your second move. Powerful muscles loft you into the air, and you slam the ball through the hoop. You slam an open palm against your bicep and jam a fist into Gordon's face.

Patterson guffaws from the sideline. "He's even better than the real Javits!"

"Then the real one's been slacking," Gordon retorts, and his face blackens as he turns on you. He tears at your shirt and lifts his own fist. "I can't bust the real one, but I bust this one up bad."

You duck and swivel and drive a hard elbow into his gut, then tear away as he goes double. You feel your lips peel back, and Gordon glares up at you. Patterson gives a sharp, shrill whistle through his teeth, and leaps between you. "Let's keep this friendly," he barks. Gordon snarls, but Steve lays a strong hand on his shoulder. "He's a perfect fake, Gordon," he says, then leans in and murmurs something in his friend's ear. Black looks over at him sharply, then looks back at you. There is still anger in his eyes, but now there's a gleam as well. He smiles crookedly at you.

It's Friday, and it's Halloween, which makes it the perfect day to be wearing the face of a monster like Seth Javits. You're at the elementary school by your house--Patterson's suggestion, as it is away from anywhere any of Seth Javits' real friends would be likely to spot you. You're dressed out as Tilley's bete noir, and it's a good thing Tilley isn't around: so intoxicated are you by Javits' agility and strength that you're letting his own personality run riot around you, and Keith would definitely not be safe. There's just something about his stupid face that sets Seth off.

You're still on your guard, but Patterson seems to have calmed Black down, so you relax a little when Steve turns to you with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "You look hungry, Javits," he taunts. "You had Cindy since Tuesday night?"

"Fuck you!"

He laughs. "You want her tonight? The real one, not the fake." You blink, and even Gordon looks startled. But Patterson is serene. "We can set it up for you in the VIP room," he continues. "Make it a full-body experience for you, Prescott." His smile widens.

Next: "Mystery Date" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 3)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)"